Woman, 25, claims primer made from Nordic bark helped to dramatically improve her acne in just weeks

A woman who was left feeling ‘so insecure’ and ‘not pretty enough’ due to her severe acne has claimed a primer made from Nordic bark helped to clear her skin’s post-Accutane break outs.

Daisy Welch, 25, who is an advertising executive from Milton Keynes, was left feeling ‘very isolated and worried that she wasn’t normal’ when she first got acne aged 12 – especially because she was the first person in her class to develop problematic skin. 

‘I remember this one specific time when a girl called me “pizza face” over text and was nasty to me for no reason,’ she explained. ‘That really hurt because I couldn’t help it. I tried everything and nothing ever worked! So it was upsetting to hear people say things like this.’

However, after trying several over-the-counter products that failed to work over the next few years, Daisy found an unlikely solution in the form of Clarol’s Nordic Birch & Willow Primer – which costs just £12.50.

Speaking of developing acne during school, Daisy said: ‘I think genetics did have a role to play with my acne as my mum, brother and sister had it, too.’

‘But I feel like it was a combination of a genetic disposition to getting acne combined with other things, such as not using the right skin care products and over-using too many products, using too much makeup as I got a bit older and not taking if off properly that made my acne so much worse.

She recalled: ‘I remember crying to my mum when I got my first breakout and asking what to do and why me? She explained to me that she had had it and that it would just go away on its own once I got older.’

But unfortunately for Daisy, it didn’t – and it wasn’t long before her acne made her feel ‘so insecure’ and ‘not pretty enough.’

‘I hated going to school as kids made fun of me and I’d hear them whispering behind my back about my skin,’ she said. ‘It made me feel so alone and not good enough. I tried to cover it up with makeup at school, but it still did not help. 

Daisy says her acne has severely affected her confidence – with friends more than relationships. 

‘I moved a lot when I was younger and went to different schools so when meeting new friends I felt really self-conscious and embarrassed about my skin, especially with girls, as their skin always looked perfect and flawless,’ she explained.

‘I used to struggle to open up when I was younger, so most people saw me as closed and not easy to talk to, when actually I was just ashamed of my skin.

‘Relationships were the same in a sense, but I used to wear makeup all the time – boyfriends rarely saw me without it.’ 

The advertising executive says the worst breakout she’s ever had was when she was 21. 

‘I had tried this new product that claimed to help acne and redness,’ she said. ‘I put the mask on and within minutes my face was so irritated and itchy. 

‘I took the mask off and put cold water on my face to cool it off. Left it and thought nothing off it. The next morning, I woke up to the worst breakout in the world; it covered my whole face and there were big lumps on my face. 

‘I was so upset and embarrassed; I just wanted to hide from the world. It took about a week to go down and was still terrible for a while afterwards.’

She continued: ‘Throughout my early 20’s I would wake up in the mornings hating to look in the mirror and used to try put my fingers all over the spots to see what I would look like if I had clear skin.

‘Obviously, this never worked as there were way too many, but I was completely and utterly obsessed with trying to clear my skin. I Googled how to get rid of acne about a million times and would watch countless YouTube videos.’

When Daisy reached 22, she tried going vegan as a lot of nutritionists said that it could be the food she was eating.     

‘I tried cutting out sugar, dairy and meat to see if that made a difference,’ she said. ‘It did seem to help a little. My acne seemed less inflamed and the breakouts seemed to heal quicker, however it did not “cure” my acne and I still broke out regardless.’

Daisy was diagnosed with severe acne by her family doctor when she was in her late teens and over the course of the years she has been prescribed numerous different treatments.

‘Over the last 4-5 years I have been prescribed topical and oral medications to prevent my acne including antibiotics, benzyl peroxide, topical creams, Dianette and Yasmin contraceptive pills,’ she said. 

‘And, finally at the start of last year, I was prescribed Accutane by my dermatologist, which was the only thing that has had any effect on my acne.’

‘However, while taking Accutane I experienced a lot of worrying side effects – namely very dry skin and eyes, some liver damage, migraines and crippling anxiety attacks.’

‘After coming off Accutane at the end of last year I lived in fear of the rebound acne that I was told by my dermatologist I would almost definitely experience due to the severity of my acne. They said I would probably have to go on a second course.’ 

‘I really did not want to a second course of Accutane due to the horrible side effects and so, when, within a few months of coming off of it, I started breaking out again, I began to search for alternatives to help control my rebound breakouts before they got a chance to take hold.’

And four months ago, Daisy discovered Clarol products through her own Instagram @clearskinandgym, where she shares a lot of tips and information with other acne sufferers about how to manage adult acne. 

‘One of my followers recommended Clarol to me,’ explained Daisy. ‘I will often try new products if recommended by fellow acne sufferers and if they look convincing and there are enough independent reviews on them.’ 

‘I read on the reviews that a lot of people were using them to help prevent going back on Accutane again so they seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.’ 

And much to her delight, Daisy claims that after about two weeks, the Clarol products started to work.  

‘I used the whole range but one of the standout products was a brand new treatment primer called Clarol Nordic Birch & Willow Primer,’ she explained. ‘The company were running a consumer trial on the primer before launching it and asked me if I’d like to test a sample.’

‘The whole Clarol range has really helped reduce my post-Accutane acne breakouts but it was the primer that completely transformed my skin.’

‘It took down the underlying red inflammation in my skin and made the texture of my skin much smoother and calmer. I could wear make up over the top of it and it didn’t trigger breakouts like makeup can do.’

‘If I had the treatment primer on, my skin would feel calmer and not react to my makeup at all.’

Since using the Clarol products, Daisy says her skin is much clearer and not as red and aggressive, the breakouts are minor and go away within a couple of days and the texture of her skin is much smoother and brighter.

‘I feel so relieved to find a skincare range that actually still works, on an ongoing basis, and not just at the offset, and with no negative side effects,’ she said. ‘I feel it’s not only reduced my acne but actually improved the quality of my skin and my skin’s resilience to acne.’

She added: ‘My boyfriend has commented on how soft and clear my skin looks and he rarely comments on my skin.