Beauty Skincare You'll Never Believe What This Brand Uses to Cure Acne By Marianne Mychaskiw Marianne Mychaskiw Instagram Marianne Mychaskiw is a New York-based freelance writer, editor, and lover of Britney Spears who covers everything from beauty and style, to wellness and entertainment. A graduate of St. John's University, Mychaskiw was a previous staffer at InStyle, working her way up from intern to associate beauty editor — so you already know she will never leave the house without slathering on mineral sunscreen. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on November 23, 2016 Pin Share Tweet Email Photo: Courtesy In the skincare category, ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid are pretty much the Justice League of fighting acne. Thanks to their ability to dry out a stubborn pimple and whisk away oil, you can find at least one element of the trio in most spot treatments, serums, or cleansers designed to fix a breakout. Nerd Skincare, on the other hand, takes somewhat of a different approach with their formulas. Rather than harnessing the powers of the holy trinity, the brand uses bacteria in the mix. Yes, you're reading that right. Why Your Hormones Might Be Taking Their Rage Out On Your Face In contrast to the acne-triggering bacteria, the formulas use "good" bacteria that works with your immune system, and brings balance to your skin's microbiome. Sounds complicated, but in essence, the probiotics work with the naturally-occuring bacteria on your skin so that it can halt the growth of the bacteria that causes a breakout. Ultra-nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, licorice extract, green tea, and shea butter work alongside the probiotics to help moisturize and soothe irritated areas. It's definitely one of the most unconventional, holistic ways we've seen to take on treating acne, and certainly beats an accidental dry spot from overloading on the salicylic acid—which we've done way too many times in a panic. Pick up the entire set for $200 at nerdskincare.com now, or shop the individual products priced between $20 and $95. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit