Acne has plagued me since I went through puberty. Its severity ebbs and flows according to the beauty products I’m testing, hormonal fluctuations, stress, and sometimes unpredictable factors. In trying to subdue my angry and inflamed skin, I’ve found that Murad’s Deep Relief Acne Treatment is one of the few products that proves its worth, bottle in and bottle out; the spot treatment has become a very important and comforting part of my acne-fighting kit. 

You may have seen Deep Relief on TikTok — I knew of it for months before I tried it, but I’m naturally skeptical of falling prey to a fleeting moment of TikTok virality. When I received a bottle from Murad once the hubbub died down, frankly, I was upset — I could have saved myself so much time and agony by trying Deep Relief sooner. 

Shop now: $45; murad.com 

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and oily, sensitive skin, so I get large, deep, painful, cystic zits that start as sores; I can feel them under the surface of my skin before I see them. When the head is finally visible, it’s a large bump — not a pimple with a small, obvious head. I often feel discomfort as I move my face, and I always try to pop or drain it, regardless of its effectiveness or likelihood of leaving me with a wound that’ll take weeks to heal. 

Deep Relief ends this painful process while the welt is still under my skin. During those first moments when I think, “Oh god, it’s coming,” I apply the treatment very liberally to the area. Half the time that one use is all it takes to prevent the zits from developing. When I use it on regular zits, it drastically reduces the swelling from the inflammation and redness, making it way less visible. 

There are four key ingredients that make Murad Deep Relief so effective. The first is 2 percent salicylic acid, a type of oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that deeply penetrates through the layers of the skin, while exfoliating and cleaning out bacteria and dead skin cells. Amino acids precisely target irritants, thereby reducing inflammation, and film-forming polymers create a shield that prevents other germs from making the blemish worse, keeping the active ingredients in place for longer. 

Murad Deep Relief is the first product I recommend to people who complain about acne or breakouts — they always thank me later, and you will, too. Head to Murad to shop the breakout-banishing acne treatment for $45.