Spots

Today the stars of the show are Neutrogena's new Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub ($14.99) and Facial Wash ($14.99). Yep, you had SO many great things to say about this invigorating range that we had to come back and hear more!

Mandachic said:

"Neutrogena have worked their magic with these fantastic products. The grapefruit scent is just divine—it makes you look forward to using them. The packaging is a great size as I keep them in the shower and I love the pump pack of the Facial Wash/Cleanser. The foaming scrub wasn’t too harsh at all and the exfoliating micro-beads felt really great. My skin felt clean and fresh and I did feel as though my acne was getting better and with longer use I think it will hopefully improve more. Overall a great product that I would recommend."

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Word on the street is that you guys love hearing about what real people think about beauty products. It's awesome for us at Sugar HQ to recommend products to you, but it's even better to get the 411 from peeps like yourselves. That's where our Reader Review Panel comes in, and today the star of the show is Neutrogena's new Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit range consisting of a Foaming Scrub ($14.99) and Facial Wash ($14.99). Here's what you all thought about the products  . . .

Birdplane said:

"The smell of this makes me reach for it again and again! It actually eliminated a lot of oil and thoroughly exfoliated my face. It didn't get rid of as many blackheads as I would have liked but I think over time, it'll keep new ones at bay. I love how thoroughly clean my face feels after using this. My skin feels a little bit dry after using this but it didn't go flaky, and I ended up using Neutrogena's new Healthy Defence Daily Moisturiser straight after. The cleanser foams really easily and washes away all impurities on my face. My skin felt softer and more supple after using this, and the smell is such a pleasure when I use it in the morning — really wakes me up! The pump can be a bit fiddly as I end up taking out too much product but other than that this is a great cleanser and it contains 2 percent salicylic acid which is a must for acne control."

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Holy heavens Batman. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's . . . Neutrogena's latest blemish buster. And not to play favourites or anything, but I happen to think it's their best one yet. And I'll tell you more about the new range (yes, there's more than one product: YAY) soon but first things, first. A little poll if you will . . .

Hands up who has suffered from spots or lost the pore war against blackheads? I'm seeing a lot of hands. I'm holding up two. Now, hands up if you've ever used an acne product: a wash, a scrub, a treatment? Hellooooo. Hands. Where are you all? Let me guess. You don't like using them because you think they're for your 13-year-old brother, not you, right? Plus, they smell all chemical-y and make your skin flare up. Yes? Trust me, been there. Thought all of those.

Which is why I was instantly in LOVE with the sound of Neutrogena's new Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit range. Consisting of a Foaming Scrub ($14.99) and Facial Wash ($14.99), the products smell of dah-dah pink grapefruit. Yummy, yummy pink grapefruit. Not chemicals. Not soap. But fresh and invigorating pink grapefruit. They harness the power of Neutrogena's MicroClear® Technology which dissolves all the sebum (read: oily gunk) so that salicylic acid can penetrate deeper, not only clearing up exisiting spots, but helping to prevent future breakouts too. Plus, it doesn't dry skin out. Plus Vanessa Hudgens uses it every day. FACT.

WE WANT YOU to join us on the Think Pink challenge and see what a different Neutrogena's new Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit range can make to your skin and your confidence. To be in with a chance of being picked to try both products, all you have to do is LIKE this article. (See up the top there's a Facebook Like thingy-ma-jig? Press it and you're one step closer to being on the Think Pink Reader Review Panel. Too easy.) Now first up, we asked what you normally do when you have a spot: do you pile on the makeup, hide away forever or are you good and wait it out? But NOW we want to know what you're most looking forward to this Summer? This is your LAST chance, those who haven't yet responded to our first question, to make it onto the Reader Review Panel so get in quick!

Looking to add some fun print, a dash of retro and a whole lotta cute to your wardrobe? Then look no more, as the answer to your style dilemma lies in one trend: polka dots! Don’t worry if the last time you wore spots was when you were five — this time the clothes are adult-friendly but still rate highly on the adorbs scale, with most labels going for white spots on black or navy. You can go for an all-over effect with a polka dot dress like Jess Hart and Katy Perry (add cutout details for a zexy touch) or stick to a light jacket or blazer like Whitney as we transition into warmer weather. Wanna get into this cute-as-a-button trend? Check out our picks now!

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Prada's playful little sister looked very much like she snuck into big sis's wardrobe and pulled out her zaniest items. Cue three-quarter length skirts and satiny frocks and one super-fun shirt dress; all decorated in fruity prints, hearts and giant polka-dots to keep things zesty. And if you're not adverse to flaunting bold accessories, then you'll love the studded bangles (designed to be worn in multiples) and the kooky Kermit-green spotty high heels. It's all a bit Lolita-meets-librarian-chic ... equal parts geeky and cool, which is what Miu Miu is all about really.

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Recently our  Reader Review Panel tried the Clean&Clear® Advantage Pimple Control Kit. Was it clear skin all 'round? Here's what they had to say . . .

jeujeu, age 29, said:

"I found the pimple control cleanser left my skin feeling extremely clean. A little tingling around the sensitive eye area though. The toner was good and the moisturiser had a non-greasy feel and absorbed quickly. The Spot Gel was very handy for any outbreaks I could feel and rectified the problem with regular use within about 48hrs. In all a very affective pimple control routine that I would use and recommend."

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Over the years I've heard a LOT of things said about spots. Who hasn't? The one that interests me the most is when people say that a blemish in an area of your face correlates to something else. Interesting. I decided to get to the bottom of it once and for all with a little help from skin guru, Emma Hobson, Education Manager at the International Dermal Institute.

A) The Western view of this is that hormones secreted through stress are different to the ones during puberty; both can lead to increased breakouts but they tend to be in different places on the face and body. Acne vulgaris (puberty) can be found on the upper back, chest and mainly on the cheeks. Stress acne, however, is common on the neck and under the jaw, as well as the forehead. Stress acne doesn't generally have the same severity as acne vulgaris.

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Had a bad breakout of bumps on your cheeks and chin that just won't go away? Experiencing a lot of redness? What you're dealing with could be a very common skin ailment, Type 2 rosacea — not acne — and your course of treatment could be making the problem worse. So how can you tell the difference?

Are you fair-skinned and female? Rosacea can happen to anyone, but it's extremely common in those with paler complexions and three times more common in women than in men.

Do you have any visible veins in your face? If you can see little red veins in the skin on your cheeks, nose, or chin, you may have telangiectasias, a symptom of rosacea.

What do your bumps look like? Rosacea bumps are larger, but have no visible fluid. They never come to a head, but can stay on the skin for about a week.

Is your skin ruddy? If you've got very red cheeks, you flush frequently, or just generally experience a great deal of skin redness, you may have rosacea.

Do you have a lot of eye irritation or dryness? About half of all people with rosacea also experience eye irritation, so if you have some of the other factors listed here as well as frequent dry eyes, rosacea could be the culprit.

Because we know that you're always on the hunt to find that special something to put blemishes on the back foot, we make sure that we are, too. And we think we may just have found that sumthin' sumthin': Clean&Clear® Advantage Pimple Control Kit.

Basically it's a 4-step regimen that aims to reduce pimples and make your skin clearer in just ONE day—perfect for those as impatient as me. The set contains Advantage Pimple Control Cleanser, which tackles breakouts without stripping the skin; Advantage Pimple Control Toner which is formulated with natural herbal botanical ingredients to balance the skin, while reducing excess oil; Advantage Pimple Control Moisturiser which is oil-free and contains salicylic acid, y'know, that ingredient that I promise to stop going on about as soon as you agree that it's pretty special; and Advantage Fast Clearing Spot Gel, which is a pretty potent pimple-clearing treatment if ever there was one.

WE WANT YOU to join us on the Clean&Clear® Advantage Pimple Control Challenge and tell us how you like having the advantage over blemishes. Ha, not so smart now, are you little suckers! is the kind of reaction that we're hoping for. To be in with a chance of being picked to trial the products, simply share with us in the comments section how you battle breakouts.

74 percent of women say they get more spots when they're stressed. Given that 56 percent of young women admit to feeling insecure and self-conscious when they have blemishes or acne, it's a vicious circle of stress and breakouts that's hard to escape from.

So what's the solution: less stress, less spots, right? Sounds simple, but how do you make it happen?

Join us on the Neutrogena® Stress-Free Challenge, that's how. The latest products that have been causing buzz in the US have just landed on our shores and are set to make your life that little bit less stressful. Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Stress Control™ Power-Cream Wash and Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Stress Control™ Power-Clear Scrub™ are priced at $14.99 each, making them an affordable regimen for anyone trying to fight breakouts before they emerge. They're perfect for everyone, because whether you have one blemish or 100, you still know what it's like to feel that stress and discomfort.

WE WANT YOU to join us on the Neutrogena® Stress-Free Challenge and see what a difference less stress can make to your skin. To be in with a chance of being picked to trial the products, simply share with us in the comments section your worst I-can't-believe-this-is-happening-to-me-now blemish moment. Mine? Two words. School formal.