This Organic, Multitasking Treatment Cured My Acne in Less Than 4 Weeks

If you’ve ever struggled with acne and the inevitable dark spots that often come with it, boy, do I have some good news for you: I may have just found *the* skincare game changer you’ve been searching for. The best part? It’s totally organic. Meet Herbal Face Food’s Serum I ($60), a treatment referred to by the brand as a “radical youth concentrate.” It eradicates fine lines, wrinkles, acne, discoloration, melasma, redness, and more in record time.

Trust me—I know a lot of products make these kinds of claims and I’ll openly admit that a lot of them fall short. But this is not one of those times. I had the pleasure of trying out Serum I for myself along with another concentrated spot treatment from the brand called The Cure, and I was thoroughly impressed with how quickly my blemishes and dark spots vanished. Using the power of potent plant actives, Herbal Face Food has formulated a curation of serums that surpass many other formulas out there on the market.

Don’t believe me just yet? Keep scrolling for the receipts (aka, photo evidence) and a bit more background on the brand.

When I spoke to Herbal Face Food’s founder, J. Michael Zenn, he shared a deeply personal story with me about how the brand came into fruition. After spending close to 15 years in tanning beds, he’d sustained massive hyperpigmentation and damage to his skin that professionals told him would be permanent. Rather than turning to temporary solutions like lasers and bleaching, he decided to instead look to plant actives that are more powerful than synthetic drugs or creams. He collaborated with an array of herbalists and botanists for over a decade to identify the world’s most potent plants with healing antioxidants and phytochemicals. The result is a set of products that are some of the most powerful youth-enhancing serums on the market. 

Zenn also explained to me that Herbal Face Food is unique in the way that each formula is composed of completely raw plant ingredients in the perfect concentration. They’re also free of additives, harmful chemicals, and basically, all the other low-quality synthetic ingredients that the cosmetics industry usually relies on. The brand is on a mission to prove that organic, whole-plant chemicals (when harvested in the right way) are far more potent than even other organic skincare out there on the market, which is often too watered down to be very effective. Each formula addresses so many different concerns—fine lines, hyperpigmentation, acne—you name it. 

Serum I is considered the brand’s “starter” serum. It’s packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that heal your skin at the cellular level and address signs of aging and acne in record time. Serum II turns up the heat a bit more (quite literally—the serum produces a warm, tingly sensation on the face). It contains a higher concentration of plant actives while Serum III dials it up even more and delivers maximum youth-enhancing benefits.

Lastly, there’s also The Cure, the brand’s super-concentrated spot treatment that can be used directly on blemishes or dark spots for speedier healing. For my review, I was able to try Serum I and The Cure, which Zenn personally curated for my particular concerns (acne, dark spots, and uneven texture). For my thoughts on both, keep reading below.

For starters, I have to preface this by saying that I’m totally in love with these products. I am a huge advocate for nontoxic skincare but have struggled to find products that are free of harmful ingredients and still deliver the dramatic results that I’m looking for. Herbal Face Food provides that and more. I couldn’t believe how much better my skin looked after just a week of using both Serum I and The Cure. To give you more background, my skin has fluctuated quite a bit over the years. Sometimes, I’ll have weeks I’m totally clear and then others where my skin looks like, well, the first photo above. As you can see, I had a particularly angry invader on one side of my face and some redness that was reduced in a matter of days after using both of these products. You can also see that many of the dark spots I was sporting previously are all but gone.

Now I have to tell you that because these formulas are so raw and potent, the smell is incredibly strong. The first time I applied Serum I, I almost choked because it was that strong. But I do appreciate that there’s no fragrance added to the products—they’re totally natural. Once you get used to the smell, though, you will not be disappointed—I promise. The product also produces a warm, tingly sensation when you apply it that goes away after a few minutes. First, I shook the bottle and applied about a quarter-sized amount of Serum I twice a day. I also dabbed on The Cure any time I would see a pimple developing or wanted to get rid of one. Using both together really made the magic happen. I’m honestly so happy with the results I’ve been seeing so far and can’t wait to see what the long-term results are like.

My skin has cleared up massively in just a matter of weeks, and it has so much more radiance to it that just wasn’t there before. The brand has definitely found a new fan for life and I’m grateful to finally have found the type of products I’ve been searching for for so long. Zenn recommends starting with Serum I if you’re new to the brand and working your way up. You can snag a bottle below along with The Cure if you’d like a little extra help with breakouts. If you purchase through the links below, you’ll also receive 20% off with the code WhoWhatWear!

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