Murad’s New Retexturizing Body Pads Have Done Wonders for My Adult Bacne

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TOTAL: 96/100

When I was in my junior year of high school, I started to experience the most intense breakouts all over my face and my back. Now, I know what you’re thinking: This is a rite of passage during your teenage years —thanks, raging hormones—but a quick trip to the dermatologist said otherwise. When I asked whether I’d be a good candidate for Accutane—an intense prescription medication for acne—I was met with a “Why didn’t you come in sooner?” response. As you might guess, my confidence, which was already at an all-time low, thanks to the full-body pimples , plummeted into the negatives by the derm’s response. It took time, patience and some chronically chapped lips (a side effect of the meds) to finally reach a place where I felt confident about my skin, so you can imagine my shock when, over the course of the last 10 months (give or take) at the ripe age of 27, my bacne came back.

When I heard that Murad was launching a brand-new acne product designed to be used everywhere and anywhere on the body, I was more than intrigued, especially knowing that PureWow’s Commerce Editor Olivia Dubyak loves their sulfur mask and retinol eye masks . As someone who sweats easily and has acne-prone skin, a medicated pad felt like the “aha!” solution I didn’t know was possible. So, could the set of 45 small-but-mighty Murad Retexturizing Body Pads packed with amino acids, salicylic acid and glycolic acid eradicate my recent bout of adult acne? After using it consistently every day for one month, I detail my results below.

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Murad

What Is Murad’s Retexturizing Body Pads?

A part of Murad’s cult-favorite acne control line, which includes the Deep Relief Acne Treatment that skyrocketed into virality when beauty influencer Karla Amelia posted a video on TikTok showing its fast and effective formula, comes a brand-new addition to the collection: Retexturizing Body Pads. These super thin pads (I’m talking thinner than a cotton facial pad, people) are formulated with calming azelaic acid , Murad’s patented amino acid technology created to target irritation-causing bacteria and—the not-so-secret magic ingredient—two percent (aka, max-strength) salicylic acid and glycolic acid that’s safe to use on a handful of skin types, including balanced, oily, dry and combination skin. Together, these ingredients claim to soothe and improve skin tone instantly, targeting ingrown hairs and even bumpy strawberry skin due to keratosis pilaris. Oh, and zap those pesky zits, of course.

Smoothing and acne fighting? Needn’t say more. With bikini season in full swing and my distress level rising by the second, I was ready to try just about anything that could possibly help my comeback bacne and the residual feelings from my acne-filled teenage years.

How I Tested Murad’s Retexturizing Body Pads

After attempting to use facial cleanser on my back (desperate times call for desperate measures), I jumped at the opportunity to sample Murad’s newest launch a month before it hit stores on July 12. To test the body pads, I followed the instructions and swept one of the small pads over the problem areas of my body once a day, almost every day, for one month—especially after the gym and always on clean skin. Ranking them on the PureWow100 scale, I considered the following qualities: value, functionality (as in, how well do the pads meet or exceed the brand’s claims?), ease of application, and overall smoothing and skin-clearing.

Murad/Stephanie Meraz

My Review on Murad’s Retexturizing Body Pads

I must admit, I was more than a little deflated before testing because it’d been some time since I saw a product work on my skin, and the last thing I wanted to do was go back on a strong acne prescription that could wreak havoc on my insides. How effective could these teeny, damp pads be on my acne-prone skin, anyways? Extremely effective, it turns out.

Within a few days of rubbing the pad daily over my affected areas, I noticed the red, irritated bumps on my back, shoulders and chest slowly subside. I liked that the pads weren’t sopping in liquid, eliminating drips or that sodden-to-the-touch feeling. They were damp enough to get the job done—cover the entirety of my face, back, arms and chest in one go—without drying out halfway through. This was much appreciated, as I could trust that one-a-day instructions really mean one a day.

One thing that I wasn’t in love with was the finish. It left my skin feeling slightly oily, so if you don’t like to have a ton of product on your skin, this may not be a great product for you…but the pros *definitely* outweigh this one con. My back hasn’t looked this clear in almost a year. While there are a few minor bumps and breakouts here and there, especially around that time of month and in this awful humidity, it’s nowhere near as bad or as concentrated as it consistently was prior to using the pads. What’s more, my skin’s texture has improved. Smoother, clearer and no-longer inflamed.

Murad

With a score of 96/100 on the PureWow100 scale, I think it’s pretty telling that I am more than a fan of Murad’s newest acne-fighting product. A pack of 45 pads costs you $49, equating to a little over a dollar a day. According to this acne-prone girly, that’s money well spent if you struggle with blemishes, pimples and cysts all over and you’re hoping to see your skin consistently clear and smooth. Having tried some of the best body scrubs and acne products on the market, it’s a relief to come across a fast-acting, gentle product that can be used on a number of skin types and anywhere on the body (even on that butt acne ), and one that’s certainly kept my teenage insecurities at bay.

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