Before buying skincare, you probably read hundreds of reviews before hitting the checkout button. Of course it's important to know if the product you're eyeing causes people to breakout, but you may also see some reviews that talk about “an initial purge”. Because purging is also characterized by the appearance of acne, it can be confusing to tell the difference between the two. Should you keep using the product and allow the purging phase to finish, or should you throw it out stat?

I had one of the worst breakouts of my life three years ago. There I was, trying out some high-end, cult favorite skincare and fully expecting to look like Kendall Jenner after 30 days. To my heartbreak, my skin broke out in clumps of tiny, angry, itchy bumps instead! After a few months and trying some similar products, I realized that what I had at the time was actually fungal acne.