Day 1: I had a cystic crater on my chin that makeup couldn’t even pretend to hide. Day 30: that same spot is flat, faded, and my skin texture actually looks smoother.
I’ve tried five azelaic acids in the past two years. This one from Theramid is the only one that blurred my pores while fighting acne — not just one or the other.
It’s a 15% azelaic acid serum — $44 for 30ml. I bought it because it claims to “visibly blur” texture in 4 weeks. Bold. I called bullshit until week 2.
The Texture
Thick enough to feel substantial, thin enough to sink in under 20 seconds.
The Scent
None. Zero. My nose is grateful.
The Blur Effect
Not makeup-level blur. But pores look smaller after 10 minutes, not 10 days.
Azelaic acid at 15% is the star — it kills acne bacteria and calms redness at the same time. Zinc PCA and niacinamide tag along to keep oil in check without nuking your moisture barrier.
- Azelaic Acid 15%: Shrinks pimples + fades dark spots simultaneously
- Zinc PCA: Sucks up oil without that tight, dry feeling
- Niacinamide: Calms the angry flare-ups
- Glycerin: Actually keeps skin hydrated — rare for an acne product
First touch: lightweight gel-cream. Spreads like a dream, dries matte. I could layer sunscreen over it without pilling — that’s a win.
Week 2 was the shocker. My skin purged a little (tiny whiteheads on my jaw) but by week 3, those spots cleared and my chin texture went from “rough sandpaper” to “almost smooth.” I wasn’t expecting the blur effect to hit before the zit-zapping — but it did.
My deep cystic acne is 60% better. The smaller bumps? Almost gone. But I still get one or two hormonal zits around my period — this didn’t stop them, it just made them smaller and faster to heal.
It’s the best azelaic acid I’ve used for texture + acne combo. Not a miracle worker, but a damn good daily worker.