The Serum That Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Swears By For Her Hormonal Acne

Photo credit: @rosiehw
Photo credit: @rosiehw

From Women's Health

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a model, actress, and mom but there's another title she deserves: Skincare expert. Over the past year, Rosie has shared several videos on her YouTube channel that give a glimpse inside her skincare routine and we've gotta say, the woman has got some impressive beauty knowledge. Not only does she share her impressive ingredient knowledge, but also that she struggles with sensitive, acne-prone skin.

While I've only ever noticed Rosie's skin looking flawless, she says that she started experiencing major congestion along her jawline about six months after giving birth to her son in 2017. "I just felt so insecure about my skin," she says. "People were commenting on it. Anybody who has struggled with acne—whether it's a small breakout or whether it's severe—will know it's something that emotionally can affect you." Rosie starts off the video explaining that she's found that finding products that are non-comedogenic has been key for preventing breakouts. "Comedogenic ingredients are essentially pore-aggravating ingredients," Rosie explains. "Even if a product says it's noncomedogenic or oil-free, it might not actually be that."

So, how does she verify if a product is non-comedogenic? Rosie shared that she uses AcneClinicNYC.com to check every ingredient. You can check your full ingredient list against their list of pore-clogging offenders or you can type in the ingredient in question and it will let you know. "You can really start to see what the ingredients in your skincare and your makeup are doing for you—the pros and the cons." As for the actual acne-friendly products Rosie swears by, keep reading.

She uses a different cleanser for morning and night.

"I start every morning with this product," says Rosie about the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex. She goes on to share that it's "low lather, incredibly gentle, and great for removing the makeup or starting the day." The cleanser also uses salicylic acid so it offers a gentle resurfacing that Rosie said is "gentle enough for hyper sensitive skin."

Rosie shared that she also loves the CosMedix Purity Clean cleanser and uses it in the evenings. This cleanser also has acids in it which is something that Rosie says she looks for to "help resurface and strip the skin of dead skin cells. something that's important to do when you have acne."

She uses an antibacterial face towel.

Rosie takes skincare and acne prevention so seriously that she even uses an antibacterial washcloth to wash and dry her face. At the recent virtual launch of Resorè, Rosie (the face of the brand), shared over zoom why she was drawn to the brand. "The antibacterial quality and the silverbac really is going to help combat and break down any bacteria or odors, or anything that gets left in your towels. So I was really drawn to that and makes me feel good about the towels I'm using on my skin and face," she said.

She uses adult acne pads.

"I like to use these in the evening after I cleanse, I'll use this all over my face and neck area," Rosie shared about the ZO Skin Health Oil Control Pads Acne Treatment. The treated pads are soaked with a blend of salicylic, mandelic, and glycolic acids to clear out pores and exfoliate away dirt and dead skin cells and Rosie has seen results. "I've seen an evenness in my skin when I wake up in the morning. My skin has an evenness in tone and color."

She swears by these three iS Clinical serums.

The next three serums Rosie has been a loyal fan of for years. The iS Clinical Super Serum in particular she says "safely brightens the skin and helps anyone with uneven skin tone and helps to reduce fine lines or pigmentation." She likes to use it in the morning with the iS Clinical Hydra-Cool Serum.


"I can't say enough good things about this product," Rosie raves. "I've been using it for about six years now and it's really helped with my skin issues." This serum is all about healing with a mix of antioxidants, vitamin B5, and menthol (hence the name).

The third, and final, iS Clinical serum Rosie applies is the Active Serum that she says she can't live without thanks to how well it combats her congestion. She also says that it's helped to even out her skin tone, smooth, and soften her skin. "I use this two to three times a week, in the evening, before I apply any moisturizer. It's a bit of an investment product but really really has changed my skin over the years and I can't live without it."

This overnight mask is her tired mom hack.

"By the time I reach my evening, like most parents, I'm exhausted, I don't want a thousand steps in my skincare routine," Rosie recently revealed to WH on a zoom call for a Pipette event. "By the time I put Jack down to bed and I've caught up on my last bit of work, maybe had a little bit of me time, my skincare routine, and then it's straight to bed. So, I love to apply this mask (Pipette Overnight Brightening Mask) in the evening as my last step. I apply it two or three times a week. It's got lactic acid in it, AHAs so it'll gently exfoliate and resurface the skin—it does the work for you."

She uses a non-comedogenic, lightweight moisturizer.

Moisturizer can be a struggle for acne-prone skin but Rosie swears by the Biba Daily Moisturizer from one of her facialists, Biba. She says the lightweight formula is "great under makeup and super easy to use every day." Specifically formulated with non-comedogenic ingredients, Rosie also says that it doesn't leave her skin greasy, oily, or heavy after using it.

She found an SPF that doesn't break her out.

Another common acne offender? SPF. But, that doesn't mean you should skip it! Luckily Rosie found the Image Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer SPF 50 does the trick without making her breakout.

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