Paulas Choice CLEAR Exfoliating Back Body Acne Spray Bacne Spray with 2 BHA Salicylic Acid Back Acne Treatment

I am 27F and started using this product for a bacne breakout in early May, and it is now August. An honest review (I don’t really feel comfy posting pics, but will try to be descriptive)… I broke out badly on my back with acne mechanica last winter. I’ve always had a pimple here and there, nbd, but THIS was new. I moved from the Deep South to a much colder climate, and my skin did not like it. It dried out, and the extra layers wreaked havoc on my upper back. I broke out horribly across my upper back, neck, and shoulders. (Not to mention I lost my perpetual tan lines, maybe the most tragic of all…) In May, bracing for sleeveless season, it was at its worst so I started treating with just PanOxyl in the shower. When that didn’t work, I went with this daily regimen: 1. PanOxyl 10% foaming wash in the shower with a gentle scrub brush 2. Paula’s Choice (this product) immediately after showering and drying 3. Finish with a light lotion to moisturize (either Aveeno or CeraVe) 4. Apply the Paula’s Choice as needed during the day (after sweating outside or gym mostly) 5. Very minor lifestyle changes (changed sheets at least once weekly instead of once every two weeks, change out of dirty clothes more quickly, upped water intake, breakout was worse on right shoulder I think due to purse and gym bag straps rubbing my clothing on my skin, so carried on my elbows more) I did not see results until about two or three weeks in using this regimen. I noticed a slight decrease in new bumps although my husband did not. One month in, it was a little more noticeable. Two months in, I had slightly more healing spots than new ones and my husband said he could see a difference. After what’s now been three months, I am seeing great results! With this regimen, I would say my breakout has been reduced about 80%. There are still a few pimples and rough patches but I didn’t expect everything to clear up overnight. I think in my case it will take a couple more months to fully heal it. However, most of what I started with is gone, and the worst spots are healing (very slowly, but there are waaaay more healing/healed spots then there are new ones now). Since improvement has been noticeable, I also recently added Paula’s Choice Niacinamide (purple bottle) to maybe help clean up scarring and improve appearance even more. I have not used it long enough to comment yet. I am hoping this speeds up clearing some of the discoloration and healed spots. The scent is not my favorite. It’s kind of medicinal, but thankfully it is subtle and does go away with time. It is a small price to pay for something that works. Overall, I believe adding this to my regimen significantly helped to clear the worst breakout I’ve ever had. I haven’t even really had problems with facial acne since probably age 22, so this was a horrible experience for me and really wrecked my confidence. So I am thankful that I actually found a product that gives results, and I intend to keep using this in my skincare regimen for as long as it’s on the market. Read more

I really like this product! I always get back acne in the summer months and I have been using PanOxyl wash followed by this product. The combination works well for me and I saw results within the first week of using both daily. 3 days into using, my acne spots weren’t raised and painful anymore. Still visible, but even the redness had begun to fade away. I will say, consistency is key for me when using them so I have to be very careful not to forget to use it. Only con I have found is the smell isn’t the greatest but it’s worth it to me! I love wearing tank tops in the summer but am always self conscious of my back acne. This has really helped. Read more

I have struggled with upper bacne and the unfortunate “trunk-ne” ever since I hit puberty. Prior to my deep dive into all things skin care and what ingredients are supposed to actually do what, I stumbled upon this body acne spray from Paula’s Choice a few years ago. It has been a staple in my acne journey ever since. I spray this on my back, shoulders, and butt after showering. I allow the spray to air dry while I do the rest of my skin care. Once I don’t feel any lingering residue, I get changed. (You want to make sure the product has dried down before getting changed because there is a chance for fabric bleaching due to the ingredients.) Whether it was this product or just that I began to use a targeted AHA/BHA consistently, my bacne has significantly improved. My biggest qualm is with the bottle/spray nozzle trigger. The nozzle gets jammed way too often. My fingers and hand can get soar and achey afterwards from fighting with the nozzle and trigger..like carpel tunnel status. And it definitely does not spray out as an even mist, so opt out if that’s what you are looking for. And this is not just an issue with one or two bottles. Like I mentioned earlier, I have been subscribed to this product for years now on a bimonthly basis, and this has been a problem with each order this past year. I do not remember this being such a problem when I first began using. Maybe something changed with the packaging materials. But considering how much its price has gone up from when I first began buying this, I feel like packaging quality should not decrease. Read more

So I bought this just over a week ago and I wish that I had taken before and after photos. My back was never like horrible with acne, but I have my fair share of scars and I was dealing with a whole body break out. My back, thighs, and buttocks were covered in itchy, new spots where the acne just kept showing up. I’m not sure what caused the breakout, but I needed something to help fast because there’s a wedding I need to go to next week. Well, I had used retinol from Paula’s choice before and that helped with glass skin on my face. I decided they were a trusted brand and bought this. What a difference. It doesn’t completely stop the new ones coming in but it makes them small and disappear quickly. My scars are a little lighter, and the acne that had been developing before purchase is now GONE. It worked so quickly that I didn’t have time to take a picture of the breakout I was having and now just have to deal with a smooth back! Read more

The spray is not as convenient as I though it would be. I really thought it was going to be a breakthrough application for me. It gets everywhere even if you are careful, ideally you still need to rub it in and apply moisturizer, and it goes fast! Only lasted me about 2 weeks. I usually need to attack my back for 4-6 weeks to fully clear it up. The key ingredient here is salicylic acid, which works well for acne but you have to stick with it and realize it may get worse before it gets better. As the skin speeds up cell turnover, things may appear worse at first, but in the long run it's beneficial. This is simply too expensive for what it is. You can find other 2% SA spray treatments that work the same for half the price, and even cheaper if you go for gel/cream forms. You're overpaying for "premium product" that isn't that special. Read more