Geologie Clear System Review: A Comprehensive Acne-Busting Solution

THERE ARE FEW more vexing skin issues than acne. When dealing with stubborn pimples and blemishes that refuse to dissipate, throwing your hands up in frustration is a fair reaction. The good news: this is far from a unique experience and there are plenty of products designed to help you win the battle against acne—and skincare brands are constantly reforming and reinventing these treatments. One of them is Clear System, Geologie’s new line targeting acne relief and prevention.

When I say acne is a common issue, I’m not just trying to be comforting—this is a widespread concern. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 50 million Americans are affected by acne each year, making it by far the most common skin condition in the country. It’s not just teenagers dealing with this either: acne can strike at any stage in life, and the best weapon against it is an effective skincare routine that only eliminates current outbreaks and reduces the risk of future ones. This can include an acne face wash to a moisturizer formulated specifically for acne-prone skin, but the best rely on a rotation of daily products.

This is what makes Clear System such a welcome addition to my zit-fighting arsenal. In fact, for some, it might be all you need. The full set includes just about everything you could ask for to battle any current or future breakouts with the Clear System Acne Body Wash, Acne Control Face Wash, Blemish Buster Kit (featuring 20 pimple patches and a spot treatment cream), Clear Skin Face Cream (designed as a day time moisturizer), and Skin Repair Moisturizer (formulated to be used as a night cream).

For one month, I put the entire Clear System line to the test, keeping an eye on the ways each product felt on my skin, how effectively they axed acne, and how clear they left my skin over time. What I found was, when used separately, these products are useful tools in preventing and eliminating acne. Plus, some of them—especially the Skin Repair Moisturizer—are soothing and all-around beneficial enough for guys who have never had a pimple in their life (who are you?). When used in tandem, Geologie’s Clear System can leave your skin looking smoother, less red, and, well, clearer than ever.

SHOP GEOLOGIE’S CLEAR SYSTEM SET

Formula

Looking at the ingredients of all six Clear System products, there are some acne-busting heroes across the board. The body wash, face wash, and spot treatment all feature 2 percent salicylic acid, a known acne-fighting ingredient that helps unclog pores and decrease oil production.

Not to mention, it’s one of the most effective ingredients, in my personal experience and according to the pros, at reducing redness on skin. While 0.5 to 2 percent is pretty standard with salicylic acid-fronted creams and washes, I’ve noticed these to dry out my skin (a common drawback of salicylic acid) the closer you get to 2 percent. However, that is far from the case here.

At least in the case of the body wash, I’d imagine this is due to the inclusion of glycolic acid, which acts to remove layers of dead skin and promote cell turnover resulting in smoother skin. The only formula downside to both washes is that they each include trace amounts of fragrance. My skin can be easily aggravated by added fragrance in soaps, though that was not an issue with these. Still, if you’re especially sensitive to fragrance, it might be a small nuance.

In terms of the post-bathing experience, both the Clear Skin Face Cream and Skin Repair Moisturizer boost 2 percent hyaluronic acid, another exfoliator that works to balance oil production and reduce inflammation (further de-reddening skin) while providing loads of hydration.

They also both include the antioxidant niacinamide to repair skin by promoting collagen production and strengthening the skin’s natural barrier, though Skin Repair includes a more concentrated dose (3 percent versus the face cream’s 1 percent). This is because during sleep, your skin enters a natural regeneration process, and the additional niacinamide helps support these skin barrier and collagen-lifting repairs. As it’s meant to be used primarily as a night cream, Skin Repair Moisturizer also includes a bit of retinol.

This hero ingredient further smooths skin by exfoliating dead skin cells, unclogging pores, and increasing cell turnover. Not to mention, it’s a go-to anti-aging compound that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Retinol has, however, been shown to result in some sun sensitivity, hence why it’s only in the night cream.

On the flip side of this battle against the sun, is the Clear Skin Face Cream that boosts SPF 15 for daily protection against harmful UV rays. My only complaint is that it’s not a bit higher as dermatologists typically recommend at least SPF 30 for the best results and protection. Still, it’s a nice touch and SPF 15 is certainly better than SPF 0.

Wear

After only using for a few days, one thing immediately jumped out at me as a theme across every Clear System product: a little bit goes a long way. Both washes, body and face, have a similar texture and feel. When you initially disperse it into your hands, the gel wash has a slightly sticky feel to it, but once it’s exposed to water, it expands into a lengthy and strong lather.

During my first few days of using these washes, I regularly emptied far too much into my hands before realizing the suds could soon overtake me. But once I began trusting the expansive nature of the stuff, it started to feel like one bottle would last me the rest of my life (exaggerating, but I am still on my first bottle of each).

Despite the included fragrance, neither smelt like much of anything—something I prefer, as I never need to worry about clashing scents with my cologne. This did, however, further complicate my feelings toward the product’s inclusion of fragrance—seems like the tiny risk of skin irritation for those most vulnerable isn’t worth the trace scent.

Regardless, neither face cream has fragrance, which I certainly appreciated. Plus, they easily glided onto my skin, before quickly absorbing. Neither left any casing, residue, or found themselves infiltrating my eyeballs later in the day—something I have struggled with before with many SPF creams. And just like the face and body washes before it, you don’t need much to cover your entire face. In fact, on the back of each bottle, there is a small nickel-sized circle with a note saying to make sure you use enough to fill it—and I found this, if anything, an overestimation.

SHOP GEOLOGIE CLEAR SYSTEM SET

The Skin Repair Moisturizer especially left my face feeling hydrated, clear, and soft. It’s no mistake that it just won a 2025 Men’s Health Grooming Award for Best Moisturizer—not just for acne or nighttime use, but best moisturizer full stop. That being said, I primarily used it as a night cream to avoid any retinol-induced sun sensitivity. Should note that I have finished one bottle of each of these, but they’re also much smaller containers compared to the washes.

The spot treatment cream isn’t quite as fast absorbing as the moisturizers, though it certainly doesn’t linger much longer. It also does have a slight chemical smell to it, but that’s pretty standard with most effective acne spot treatments. Plus, the patches stuck right on and, crucially, stayed on until I removed them.

Effectiveness

To be clear, I’m not someone who’s ever dealt with severe acne that covered large portions of my face, however, I have faced my fair share of annoyingly persistent pimples that were resistant to treatments. At least in terms of the latter, I can confirm The Clear System does wonders to eliminate.

During the four weeks I was using the full Clear System slate, I could count on one hand the number of pimples or other acne blemishes that surfaced on my face and body. Like many men, I am prone to the occasional back pimple (aka, the area hardest to reach/clean) but these were fully exercised from my life while using this body wash.

The face wash and moisturizers mostly kept all facial blemishes at bay during my testing. When I did see a pimple brewing or sneaking through all this precautionary product, I simply applied the spot treatment twice a day and covered it with a pimple patch for a couple of hours. These were axed in a matter of days.

Where I really noticed a big difference, however, had little to do with acne. Much more than acne, I am super prone to skin redness (I blame my pasty Irish ancestors), especially on my nose once the sun reenters the chat. This was the most surprising, and truthfully beneficial for me personally, result of using the Clear System face wash and moisturizers. This is the time of year when my nose tends to practice its Rudolf impersonation, but I gladly avoided this annual tradition with regular use of these Clear System products.

Value

If you’ve struggled with acne, you know the impact it can have on your bank account. There is so much trial and error involved with these types of products, testing not only for which are effective at keeping acne breakouts at bay, but also won’t create new ones (isn’t sensitive skin fun?). So when you find a full line-up that works, as Clear System does for me, it can be a massive relief to both your heart and budget.

At $79 for the package, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more economical solution. Consider that you’re getting six products in total: a face wash, body wash, daily moisturizer, night cream, pack of pimple patches, and spot treatment—that’s barely $13 per product. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I bought a single acne-fighting product for less than $15. Not to mention, the full slate is on sale for $67 right now. I try to limit myself to one math equation a day, but I believe that’s around $11 per item.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy Geologie Clear System?

If you suffer from acne, minor breakouts, or even just an occasional pimple, Geologie’s Clear System will be a great resource in keeping the condition at bay. For those who are also prone to skin redness, the combination of the face wash, and two face creams creates a powerful trio to reduce this discoloration by bringing your skin tone back to its baseline. And if you’re simply looking for a new hydrating night cream—whether acne is a concern or not—Skin Repair Moisturizer is one of the best on the market.

SHOP GEOLOGIE CLEAR SYSTEM SET

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