This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see the terms page.

Curology provided me with a sample for this review, but all opinions are my own.

My whole life, I’d been lucky to have perfect skin. I often got compliments on it which always made me feel great, but last winter after a birth control change, I started getting terrible hormonal breakouts all over my face. It didn’t matter what I did – being extra careful and mindful of taking off my makeup, drinking extra water, trying out different charcoal face washes – nothing was making it better. I thought I would try out Curology to see if a prescription might help out.

Curology is a skincare solution that pairs you with a dermatologist who analyzes photos of your skin along with your own feedback about it, then customizes a three-ingredient medication for your specific skin problems. The first step is to post selfies of your skin, and Curology makes it really easy to upload from your computer or directly from your phone.

Throughout my experience, I tried to keep a little journal to review my experience. Let’s check it out!

Week 1: On March 13, I got my first box and started using it every night before bed. I am a greaseball, and the greaseball is me. Apparently, this is normal and it’s called “purging” – Curology sends emails along the journey to touch base and educate you about the process. My face feels like an oil slick and I can’t really tell if the acne is getting any better just yet, but I’m going to keep chugging along.

Week 3: I contacted my provider and asked for any tips she had that might help the purge since my skin has been so oily. She recommended a cleanser, and it has been helping. She also suggested using the medication every other day and making sure I’m not going too overboard with it (which I definitely was.)

Week 6: The texture of my skin has gotten way better, and a lot of the acne on my cheeks has cleared up. I’m still getting breakouts around my mouth, but they aren’t nearly as severe as they were.

Week 10: There’s no acne on my cheeks or neck anymore, and most of it along my jawline is gone too.

Week 12: Still having breakouts here and there, but again, nowhere near my original photos when I started using Curology. They aren’t as painful either – I used to be barely able to touch my chin without a wince, and that discomfort is gone now.

One thing to note: since the first shipment I got, they’ve changed their frequency. Now, instead of sending 3-month supplies, they have a variety of plan levels to fit your needs:

• Pricing plan details:
  • 30-Day Bottle (14 ml): Shipment Every Month $19.95 (+ $4.95 Shipping & Handling)
  • 60-Day Bottle (27 ml): Shipment Every Two Months $39.90 (Free Shipping & Handling)

You can get a smaller bottle now, which is great – if the formula needs to be changed up, you don’t have to wait as long. When I got the reminder that my new shipment was due, I contacted my provider with a new set of selfies and feedback on how it was working, and she updated my prescription accordingly. (Plus the new bottles are TSA-friendly, so you can take it on plane trips.)

The new formula I’m on seems to be working much better. I saw a little improvement off and on with my first bottle (mostly around my chin and neck, which didn’t feel like hormonal acne to begin with) and in the week since I’ve had the different medication, the texture has gotten even more clear and hormonal acne has been more manageable. It was impossible to cover with makeup before, but now I can use tinted moisturizer and it’s not noticeable.

On the Curology website, there are a lot of success stories – many people who have been using it for over a year are continuing to use it because their skin has cleared up completely! You can also upload your own progress pictures (this is important so your provider can review them to evaluate progress and changes) and check out guides with tips on how lifestyle factors can affect your skin. In addition to that, you can contact your provider anytime with questions. During the purge when I started using the product, I was miserable with grease. My provider Rachel suggested a drugstore cleanser to try, and it worked really great. I’m still using it as my daily facewash because it makes my skin feel so dewy and fresh.

Another really cool thing about Curology is that their website teaches you what each medication in your formula does. There are no “filler” products – they just put in what you need to keep your skin clear.

I’m obviously a big proponent of health care from home – I would never have made a trip to a dermatologist office for a lot of reasons. Curology makes it so easy to talk to your provider about what is and isn’t working, get suggestions, and an affordable medication that can be customized monthly based on your skin care.

My experience has been really great, and though I am still having a few breakouts here and there, they aren’t nearly as bad and are easily covered by light makeup (in this photo, I’m just using Laura Mercier moisturizer!)

If you struggle with acne, I highly recommend Curology. It’s super affordable, and you can even get a free month by using my referral link here!