My bathroom cabinet is something of a skincare cemetery, bursting with moisturisers that are much too greasy and cleansers that just don’t cut it. One thing they have in common is that I hold them responsible for breaking me out at some point. That’s the thing with acne-prone skin: When it comes to putting together an effective routine, most products take some trial and error.
While my job has afforded me appointments with a handful of skincare experts over the years, many of whom have given me excellent advice for taking care of my hormonal skin, what they can’t do is hold my hand the whole way. But that’s where doctor-founded skincare brands come in. Actually, I’d argue that they’re the next best thing to getting time with a professional.
One such brand is Dr Sam’s, created by doctor and skincare expert, Dr Sam Bunting. If the name rings a bell, it might be down to the countless unsponsored reviews on TikTok. It seems everyone, from seasoned skincare enthusiasts to newbies, is impressed by Dr Sam’s, namely the brand’s Neutralising Gel for reducing spots and Flawless Cleanser, which has a unique jelly-like texture.
What does the Dr Sam’s Clarity Kit include & how much is it?
Having tried the likes of Obagi and Dr. Dennis Gross in the past, it’s safe to say that I was intrigued to see how a doctor brand like Dr Sam’s would compare — and it came at the right time. A particularly painful cluster of forehead spots prompted me to pick up the Dr Sam’s Clarity Kit, £37. I’ll start by saying that this is a trial kit, so don’t expect full-size products. The Flawless Cleanser, Flawless Moisturiser Intense and Flawless Daily Sunscreen all include 25 ml of product while the Neutralising Gel and Flawless Nightly Serum are a smaller 7 ml.
This may seem tiny compared to your current skincare products, but the formulas are mighty, and anyway, I had no idea whether they’d work on my temperamental skin. A kit like this offered the perfect opportunity to try all of the products tailored to a skin type like mine without wasting product — and money — if I decided that they weren’t doing it for me.
Dr Sam’s Clarity Kit, £37
Is the Dr Sam’s Clarity Kit any good?
I’ll start with the Flawless Cleanser. Surprisingly, this didn’t lather up on contact with water or my skin, and while that confused me initially, I came to understand the decision behind it. Foaming cleansers can be beneficial for very oily skin, but harsh lathering agents can damage the skin barrier — the outermost layer of skin that keeps good stuff in (like moisture) and bad stuff out (like bacteria) — and lead to dryness.
While there are no bubbles here, the jelly-like texture feels cooling and silky on my skin, and like magic, it slices through the many coats of mascara, foundation and sunscreen that I wear daily, all without making my face feel stripped. That’s partly thanks to a handful of star ingredients like capric glycerides derived from moisturising glycerin and allantoin, which soothes and softens skin. This cleanser is so effective that I constantly debate the need to go in with a second cleanse. In fact, Dr Bunting believes that double cleansing isn’t particularly necessary. She says that with this, just one 60-second cleanse is ample.
Next up, the Flawless Moisturiser Intense. I have to admit that the word “intense” put me off initially as I thought it’d be far too thick, especially because I have such an oily T-zone. But Flawless Moisturiser Intense is cushiony, absorbs quickly and makes my skin feel supple and supported, not slick or sticky.
Does the Dr Sam’s Clarity Kit help with acne?
Immediately, my skin looked and felt better — and I realised that it’s exactly what I needed: Recently a dermatologist told me that when skin becomes dehydrated, the only defence it has is oil, so it could produce more of it to compensate for lack of hydration and then potentially lead to breakouts. When I use a substantial, non-comedogenic (or non-pore-clogging) moisturiser like this one, it’s no coincidence that my skin is much clearer and smoother.
You could use this moisturiser in the morning and the evening, but I choose to skip the AM application in favour of a heavy helping of the Flawless Daily Sunscreen SPF 50. This is substantially thicker than most sunscreens I’m used to, and I worried that it would clog my pores, but I put my trust in Dr Bunting all the same — and I’m pleased I did. Not only does this shield skin against UVA rays (responsible for skin cancer and premature ageing) and UVB rays (which cause sunburn), but it seems to mop up oil throughout the day, mattifying my skin and providing the perfect canvas for makeup.
When I wear it (which has been every day since I discovered it) my foundation doesn’t budge an inch, and I don’t have to reach for the face powder or blotting sheets come 3 p.m. I will say that because it’s a hybrid of mineral and chemical sunscreen filters, it’s likely to leave behind a slight cast on darker skin — and it takes a minute to absorb fully.
The other two products in the kit are the Flawless Nightly Serum and the Neutralising Gel. The first is a megamix of ingredients including niacinamide for reducing excess oil, azelaic acid for gentle exfoliation and calming redness, and granactive retinoid — a synthetic retinoid that boosts skin cell turnover with minimal irritation. Having just finished a potent retinal serum, I needed something just as effective to keep my skin in check, and this serum is perfect. I’ve noticed the most difference in the red skin staining left behind by previous breakouts as well as the blackheads on my nose.
Happily, since using this kit, I haven’t had any breakouts to require a dab of the Neutralising Gel, a targeted spot treatment with inflammation-busting salicylic and azelaic acids, but I’ve heard great things. One TikToker claims she never believed in spot creams until she discovered this: “About 10 hours ago, I put this spot cream on freshly-cleansed skin and carried on with the rest of my skincare routine,” they said. “It’s now 10 hours later, and obviously I still have the spots on my skin, but they haven’t grown. They’ve [got] quite a bit smaller and way less inflamed,” they continued. “I just need to tell you that this is my favourite spot cream. I’ve tried lots of others and they never work, but this one? You can literally see the difference.”
I recently put this kit through the ultimate test on a work trip to Los Angeles. Whenever I travel, I break out in whiteheads and deep under-the-skin spots, likely due to airport anxiety, recycled plane air and eating a lot more processed food. This time, though? Not a single spot. I’m so impressed by this unassuming kit that I’ve already added two full-size products — the sunscreen and the moisturiser — to my skincare wish list.
So if your skin sounds like mine and your current acne routine just isn’t working, I’d recommend giving the Clarity Kit a go, because one thing is true: Dr Bunting knows her stuff.
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