If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you’ll probably be aware of my battle with blemishes. Even though I am now in my late twenties, my bad teenage skin continues to plague me and I’ve tried endless lotions and potions in a bid to improve my acne so I’m always on the lookout for something new which might actually work. If you mention you have blemishes on your blog, you get inundated with offers of spot treatments to review but I’m quite fussy with what I’ll put on my skin especially since developing contact dermatitis where my skin blisters incredibly easily if my skin doesn’t like a product I apply so I turn down pretty much every offer. 

When the guys at Banish contacted me to see if I’d like to try their skincare regime, I have to be honest and admit I was pretty skeptical but after looking at a few reviews online, my hesitation completely disappeared as their products are cruelty free and natural which is very rare for acne fighting skincare. I’ve never seen any reviews on the Banish products before, but there are many YouTube videos if you’d rather watch a video on how the products work but I’ll try my best and be as concise as possible to explain how their system works but I was kindly sent the Banish Starter Kit which contains everything you need to get started.

What is in the Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit?

• Vitamin C Serum

• Vitamin C Beauty Elixir

• Medium Banisher

• Pen Banisher

• Pumpkin Enzyme Masque

• Activated Charcoal Clay Masque

• Pore Smasher

Vitamin C Serum 15ml

Use this all natural vitamin c serum daily for brighter, smoother, and firmer skin. Use at night or pat on after a banisher session. Works to reduce the appearance of age spots, reduce wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and texture, firm and brighten skin, reduce redness or sagging skin and relieve dry skin.

How to use: apply 2-4 drops daily and pat into clean skin.  Best when used after the Banisher.  Store in a dark cool area.  Shelf life: 6 months.

The Starter Cleanser 50ml

Described as being a natural cleanser which is sulfate free so it doesn’t foam up and dry out the skin, and doesn’t deplete the skin of its good nutrients and oils. When the skin is stripped of said nutrients and oils, it begins to over compensate by producing more oil therefore increasing probability of clogged pores and acne. The cleanser is made with a concoction of  chamomile, lavender, and rose waters infused with green tea extract and is suitable for; dry skin, acne prone skin, sensitive skin and problematic skin.

How to use: pump out a dime sized amount of cleanser and massage in circular motions onto damp skin, and wipe off with a clean washcloth.  (Recommended to use before the banisher and the day after)

Vitamin C Beauty Elixir 30ml

An all natural, sulfate and paraben free spray which can be used daily to prevent breakouts, reduce redness and dark spots without drying out the skin. Designed to refresh and hydrate the skin, calm any redness, brighten skin and tone the skin. Vitamin C has lots of antioxidants which protects your skin from damage due to sun exposure and pollution and is also important in promoting skin elasticity which is the foundation of our skin – without elastin and collagen fibers, skin can look dull and sag and be more prone to texture problems.

How to use: spray on clean face in morning or night to refresh, tone, and moisturise skin.

Medium Banisher

Recommended for most people who want to revitalize, brighten, and retexture their skin surface. It can be used on both the body and face once every 1-2 weeks. Use the Banisher once every 2 weeks for best results and you can move up to once a week at most.

Pen Banisher

Ideal for active acne to spot treat any problem areas and can be used once every two weeks if you have sensitive skin or once a week for best results. Use the Pen Banisher to revitalise your skin for a healthier and brighter appearance, whilst helping to improve skin texture and elasticity.

Pumpkin Enzyme Masque 50ml

Contains Vitamin A which is great for healing the skin and dries out acne, promotes exfoliation of skin, a vitamin which is good for healthy skin, hair and eyes and reducing the appearance of oily skin. Also contains Vitamin C & Beta-Carotene – antioxidants to protect skin, and reverses skin damage, defends against skin damage, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, improves skin elasticity. Lastly it contains Alpha Hydroxy Acids – the natural exfoliator to slough off dead skin cells, brighten skin and keeps skin moisturised and takes away flakiness from dry skin.

How to use: spread thin layer on face and let dry, and wash off when dried. Use 2-3 times a week or as often as needed.

Activated Charcoal Clay Masque 25ml

Designed for those with oily skin, blackheads, and large pores. It works to deeply clean the pores and draws out impurities. Activated charcoal powder has the ability to absorb impurities up to 100 to 200 times its weight, allowing it to take out dirt, oils and impurities within your skin and pores.

How to use: Mix the activated charcoal clay masque with water or your favorite liquid until you make a paste, and add a layer onto your skin and let dry, then wash off. Can be used 1-2 times a week, and for best results use before the pumpkin enzyme mask.

Pore Smasher

“The Pore Smasher is great tool for a convenient and no mess ice facial! Ice cold facials have some amazing benefits for skin if you have acne or large pores.  All you need to do is place it in the freezer until it gets cold and start massaging your skin with it.” The Smasher can be used daily to make pores appear smaller, reduce puffiness from eye area and face, revitalise skin appearance, cool and tighten skin and can also be used to slightly numb the face before using the Banisher or after the Banisher.

How to use the Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit

Start off with a clean bare face with your chosen cleanser, and sterilise the Banisher before each use by pouring some alcohol in the square plastic cleaning tub which comes in the kit and allow the roller head to sit within the alcohol for at least five minutes. After cleaning the device, it’s important to clean the hands of any bacteria and if you have sensitive skin Banish recommend using an ice pack before rolling. Start with a small area and move back and forth a few times per direction and starting with 4-5 light rolls. After going in one direction, move perpendicular to that area and roll the Banisher another 4-5 times and lift up the roller each time your change direction – and avoid going over any active acne.

After using the Banisher, pat a few drops of the Serum onto the skin and leave it on. Some tingling and redness may occur, but it should disappear within a couple of hours. Avoid wearing any makeup or skincare for the rest of the day, and skincare routines can be continued from the next morning. Clean the Banisher in alcohol again before putting it back into its case and it’s important not to store a wet roller as bacteria could grow.

How the Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit Works

The bristles on the Banisher create tiny micro holes which are so tiny that it will not produce any scars. These holes dig deeper into the epidermis of the skin, and to fix these ‘holes’ the skin produces elastin and collagen which will help rebuild itself and repair the scar. For most of our skincare, the serums and creams which we apply can only penetrate the upper layer of the epidermis and not penetrating the innermost parts. The micro ‘holes’ created in the skin creates a channel for vitamin rich serum to penetrate the skin.

The Banisher should be used once every two weeks and the serum used daily for best results. It’s important to use SPF or stay out of the sun when using the kit, and the Banisher must be replaced after 3-4 uses to prevent a bacteria build up. You must not use the Banisher over the top of active breakouts or open cuts. You must store the serum in a cool, dark place and the shelf life is six months from shipping date.

My Experience

When the kit arrived I have to say I was overwhelmed by all of the components within the box and knowing where to start but the website has a lot of handy guides and YouTube videos to help you get started which I’ve found to be very helpful especially seeing the incredible results people have had since using the kit. I am so impressed with the quality of the products within the kit and although the kit is initially quite pricey at $195, there are other kit alternatives depending on whether you want the full kit or not. I particularly appreciate that the two masques and serums are completely natural and not loaded with toxic chemicals like other acne treatments on the market.

Microneedling is such big business right now and I’ve been dying to try it so I couldn’t wait to try the roller and pen within the kit but I was a little scared about poking needles into my already super sensitive skin. I haven’t been brave enough to use the Medium Banisher as I have quite a few active breakouts but I have been using the Pen Banisher and it’s not at all painful like I thought it would be.

It’s obviously a little uncomfortable as you’re pressing tiny needles into the skin but it doesn’t sting as such, it’s just a slight tingle and as I have active breakouts I’ve been using it on the areas where I don’t have any breakouts and I’ve seen some impressive results already. I really like that the two Banishers have cases to keep them sterile and protected, and I like to keep everything in the black cardboard box the kit arrived in to keep everything together but the cases allow you to travel with them should you wish to.

The Pore Smasher is my favourite part of the Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit as it feels amazing when it’s been in the fridge as roller is SO cold as it’s metal and it works very effectively at soothing the skin and diminishing any redness which I’ve found to be very pleasant when using the Pen Banisher. Although the kit is mainly focused on the Banishers and Smasher, I feel that the skincare products within the kit are stars in their own right.

The two masks are ideal for using whilst multimasking so I apply the charcoal mask to my acne prone areas on my chin, and T-Zone and then apply the pumpkin mask to everywhere else and they’re definitely masks I’d repurchase as they’re great at delivering instant results and I like that you can purchase them individually on the website.

I appreciate reading lots of text like this isn’t very helpful when you want to know how the Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit works, but there’s a really helpful video here which a fellow user created on Instagram and it shows how the kit can be used. I’ve definitely seen an improvement in the texture and clarity of my skin in such a small time frame which I never expected, and I honestly do recommend this whole Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit if like me you have frequent breakouts or cystic acne.

It’s not just a cream or lotion you apply, it’s a whole regime to get rid of active breakouts and scarring which is why I think its such an amazing kit but again there are endless videos on YouTube which show before and after images/footage which will show you how effective the Banish Acne Scars Starter Kit is and I’m really happy with the results.

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