The Ordinary The Acne Set, 3-Step Skin Regimen with Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, and Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan | Skin Care Set

Why it's worth it

Three products that cover cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing for skin that breaks out. The labels look like a chemistry set rather than a present, but the 2% salicylic acid solution at the center of it is the real thing, not a diluted gesture.

For a teenager or a first-timer, this is the smartest box here. It's a full three-step routine: the Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, and Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan. Nobody has to guess what order to use them in or what else to buy. And because it costs so little, nobody feels bad if it turns out the routine isn't for them.

Salicylic acid is the right active for congested skin, and the reason is chemistry. It's oil-soluble, so it can get down into a pore packed with sebum and break up what's in there. Water-soluble acids like glycolic work on the surface and can't do that, according to the cosmetic dermatology literature. If the person you're shopping for complains about blackheads or a bumpy forehead, this is the ingredient they need.

From our review of 7 skincare gift sets

What we like

• +For a teenager or a first-timer, this is the smartest box here
• +Salicylic acid is the right active for congested skin, and the reason is chemistry
• +The other two steps are quieter but not filler

What to know

• –It looks clinical. Dropper bottles with chemical names on them are charming to a certain kind of person and baffling to everyone…
• –Salicylic acid still irritates some people, especially if they layer it with anything else active