Both full sizes, 150ml and 50ml
ESK · Set
Salicylic Blemish Duo
ESK Hydroxy Cleanser + B Calm · a full oily and blemish-prone skin routine
A salicylic acid cleanser and a niacinamide moisturiser for oily, blemish-prone skin, bought together: cleanse with Hydroxy Cleanser morning and evening, then follow with B Calm. Built on salicylic acid and niacinamide 5%, and suitable for oily and blemish-prone skin across skin tones, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI).
- Hydroxy Cleanser: a soap-free, lightly foaming cleanser with salicylic 0.5%, glycolic 2% and lactic 1% at pH 4.5 to 5, that leaves skin clean, not tight.
- B Calm: niacinamide 5% and salicylic acid 2% with ceramides, a light moisturiser made for oily and breakout-prone skin.
- A cleanse step and a moisture step, both morning and night, so the routine is complete rather than half of one.
- Both contain acids. Introduce gradually if your skin is new to them; Hydroxy Cleanser contains essential oils. Daily SPF sold separately.
£89.00 for the set · bought separately £98.00, saves £9.00
Two full sizes: Hydroxy Cleanser 150ml and B Calm 50ml. Both last around 3 to 4 months used morning and night, so they run out together rather than one outlasting the other.
Free UK delivery from £50 · Tracked £3.49 · Dispatched in 1 to 2 working days, then 2 to 4 working days tracked
- Good to know
- Both products contain acids. Introduce gradually if your skin is new to exfoliating acids, and with caution on sensitive or rosacea-prone skin. Hydroxy Cleanser contains essential oils (rose, lavender, geranium); patch test first if you react to fragrance.
- Stockist
- Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Genuine product with full traceability.
If your skin reacts, cut back to alternate days and keep the barrier supported with a plain moisturiser. If redness or stinging persists, pause for a few days and message us. We would rather adjust your routine than have you stop.
Not sure if this is right for your skin? Message us on WhatsApp or book a skin assessment and we will confirm the right routine first.
What changes, honestly
Most people come to this because their skin feels oily by midday and is prone to blemishes. Skin often feels less oily and can start to look calmer within the first few weeks of consistent use. Give it several weeks of regular use as part of your routine before judging how your skin looks. Persistent or painful breakouts are worth having looked at directly rather than managed with skincare alone, because prescription options exist.
What we can say with confidence is that this is a routine built not to strip or over-exfoliate skin that already feels sensitive, and that there is someone to ask when it does not behave. Introducing both products slowly is the point, not a disclaimer.
On deeper skin tones, every spot that is picked or left inflamed can leave a mark that outlasts it by months, so a routine that keeps the skin calm is also mark prevention. If it is not doing anything by month three, we would rather reassess it with you than sell you a third bottle. Message the clinic.
Quick facts
- What it is
- A two-step routine for oily and blemish-prone skin: cleanser and moisturiser.
- What is included
- Hydroxy Cleanser 150ml (morning and evening) and B Calm 50ml (morning and evening). Two full sizes.
- Price
- £89.00, bought separately £98.00, saves £9.00. Around 3 to 4 months.
- Best for
- Oily, blemish-prone or combination skin, including blemish-prone skin on the chest and back.
- Skin types
- Oily and blemish-prone skin across skin tones, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI). Sensitive skin: introduce both slowly.
- Key ingredients
- Salicylic 0.5%, glycolic 2%, lactic 1%, pH 4.5 to 5 (Hydroxy Cleanser); niacinamide 5%, salicylic acid 2%, ceramides, pH 5 to 5.5 (B Calm).
- How to use
- Morning: Hydroxy Cleanser, B Calm, then SPF. Evening: Hydroxy Cleanser, then B Calm.
- Daily SPF
- Required in the morning, sold separately. Zinc Shade is the non-comedogenic ESK one.
- Free from
- Soap, sulphates and parabens. Hydroxy Cleanser contains essential oils.
- Not suitable for
- Stacking with other strong exfoliating acids or prescription acne treatments, unless your routine has been checked first. Pregnancy: ask your midwife, GP or pharmacist about salicylic acid.
Why buy the duo rather than one product
Good skincare for blemish-prone skin has both a cleanse step and a moisture step, so the skin is not left feeling tight after cleansing, and tight, stripped skin often produces more oil, not less. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which is why it is the usual acid in cleansers for oily skin. Niacinamide supports the skin barrier while the skin is being exfoliated, and ceramides help it hold onto moisture. That is the argument for running a cleanser and a moisturiser together rather than relying on the cleanser alone, and the pair is £89.00 against £98.00 separately.
Morning: Hydroxy Cleanser, B Calm, then Zinc Shade. Evening: Hydroxy Cleanser, then B Calm. Once settled, a retinal at night does more for congestion: Ultimate A+ is the ESK one for oily skin. A spot you can feel coming: Spotless Patches.
If you already own one of the two, buy the other on its own. If marks left after spots are the bigger concern, the Golden Pigmentation Duo is the set for that.
The detail
Ingredients, and what each one does
- Salicylic acid, 0.5% (cleanser) and 2% (B Calm)
- A beta-hydroxy acid that is oil-soluble, so it gets into pores and loosens the plug of dead cells and oil. The usual acid in routines for oily, blemish-prone skin. Widely studied. It does not replace medical treatment for acne.
- Glycolic acid, 2% (cleanser)
- An alpha-hydroxy acid that works on the skin's surface, supporting the look of a smoother, less congested texture. Widely studied.
- Lactic acid, 1% (cleanser)
- A gentler alpha-hydroxy acid that also carries some hydrating properties, balancing the other two acids. Widely studied.
- Niacinamide, 5% (B Calm)
- Supports the skin barrier and helps reduce water loss, and is studied for the look of a more even, less oily complexion and for the marks spots leave. Widely studied.
- Ceramides (B Calm)
- Barrier lipids that help the skin hold onto moisture, which is what keeps an acid-led routine comfortable rather than tight or dry. ESK's pack lists them at 0.06%.
- Essential oils (cleanser)
- Rose, lavender and geranium at low levels, listed on the Hydroxy Cleanser label. Patch test if you react to fragrance.
Percentages as printed on the ESK packs and published by ESK. Full ingredient lists are on each product's own page. Descriptions are about the look and feel of skin, not a medical outcome, and do not replace medical treatment for acne.
How to use it
Morning
- Wet your face with warm water.
- Massage 2 to 3 pumps of Hydroxy Cleanser into a light lather on the face and neck, then rinse thoroughly.
- Apply 1 to 2 pumps of B Calm to clean, dry skin.
- Finish with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, every day.
Evening
- Cleanse with Hydroxy Cleanser to remove SPF and the day, the same way as in the morning.
- Let the skin dry fully.
- Apply 1 to 2 pumps of B Calm. Both products can also be used on the décolletage; Hydroxy Cleanser also works as a body wash on the chest and back.
If your skin is new to acids
Start with Hydroxy Cleanser once a day and B Calm every other day for the first week, then build up to twice daily as your skin adjusts. Going too fast disrupts the barrier, and irritated skin often looks more congested, not less.
Patch testing
A small amount of each product on the inner forearm or behind the ear, left 24 to 48 hours before using it on the face. A patch test lowers the risk; it does not remove it.
What to expect, and when
- First few days
- Skin often feels cleaner and less oily by the end of the day.
- 2 to 4 weeks
- Existing congestion can start to look calmer with consistent use. A short adjustment period of a few extra spots can happen as pores loosen; it should settle within a month.
- 4 to 8 weeks
- A more even-looking texture is common, though how much changes depends on your skin.
- If breakouts persist
- Persistent, painful or deep breakouts are worth having looked at directly rather than managed with skincare alone. Book an assessment or see your GP.
Is it right for my skin
- Oily and blemish-prone skin
- Yes. This is what the duo is built for.
- Combination skin
- Yes.
- Deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI)
- Yes. Introduce it gradually, because inflammation itself can leave marks that take longer to fade.
- Teenagers
- Yes, at the same slow build-up.
- Sensitive skin
- Usable, with a slower build-up: alternate days for the first week or two. Hydroxy Cleanser contains essential oils.
- Dry skin
- Usually too much acid. Calming Cleanse and Repair + suit dry skin better.
- Rosacea-prone skin
- With caution. The Sensitive Skin Kit is the gentler routine.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Check any new routine with your midwife, GP or pharmacist first; both products contain salicylic acid.
Using it with what you already own
- Vitamin C
- Fine. Use it in the morning, before B Calm; C Lite is the ESK one for oily skin.
- Niacinamide, ceramides, hyaluronic acid
- Fine, and helpful.
- A retinoid
- Careful. Introduce it gradually alongside this routine, at night, and alternate until your skin is used to both. Ultimate A+ is the ESK retinal for oily skin.
- Another exfoliating acid or a prescription acne treatment
- Careful. Avoid stacking, and check with your prescriber or with us first.
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Careful. Keep it to a different time of day and watch for dryness.
- Scrubs
- No. There is enough exfoliation in this routine already.
- SPF
- Every morning, over B Calm.
Questions we actually get asked
What is in the Salicylic Blemish Duo?
ESK Hydroxy Cleanser and B Calm bought together as one routine, aimed at oily and blemish-prone skin. Hydroxy Cleanser is a 150ml cleanser and B Calm is a 50ml moisturiser; both full sizes.
Why buy the pair instead of buying them separately?
They are built to run together, a cleanse-and-moisturise routine for the same skin type. The pair is £89.00 against £98.00 separately, a £9.00 saving.
What does salicylic acid do?
Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA). It is oil-soluble, so unlike glycolic or lactic acid it can get into pores and loosen the plug of dead cells and oil that congestion is made of. That is why it is the usual acid in cleansers and moisturisers for oily, blemish-prone skin.
Is salicylic acid good for blemish-prone skin?
It is the standard cosmetic ingredient for it, and it is widely used in routines aimed at the look of less congested skin. It does not replace medical treatment for acne; persistent or painful breakouts need a GP.
Can I use salicylic acid every day?
Yes, once your skin is used to it. Hydroxy Cleanser is designed for morning and evening, and B Calm for twice daily. Start slower if your skin is new to acids: cleanser once a day and B Calm every other day for the first week.
Can I use a salicylic acid cleanser with retinol?
Yes. Cleansing with Hydroxy Cleanser and then applying a retinal at night is a common routine; the cleanser is rinsed off, so the two do not stack. Introduce the retinal gradually and go to alternate nights if your skin gets dry. Ultimate A+ is the ESK retinal for oily skin.
Does salicylic acid cause purging?
It can bring existing congestion to the surface faster in the first few weeks, which looks like a short run of extra spots. That should settle within about a month. New spots in places you never break out, or stinging and redness, are irritation, not purging: cut back.
Why is my skin so oily?
Oil production is set mostly by genetics and hormones, and it rises with heat, stress and, counter-intuitively, with over-cleansing, because stripped skin produces more oil. A routine that cleans without stripping and moisturises lightly is the usual answer; the duo is built on that.
Does a moisturiser make oily skin worse?
Not a light, non-comedogenic one. Skipping moisturiser tends to make skin oilier, because a dry surface signals for more oil. B Calm is made for oily skin and carries salicylic acid and niacinamide, so it is part of the treatment rather than a compromise.
Can I use it on my back or chest?
Yes. Hydroxy Cleanser can also be used as a body wash on the chest and back. B Calm is formulated for the face but can be used on the décolletage, backs of hands and forearms.
Can I use it with retinoids or vitamin C?
Vitamin C is fine in the morning, before B Calm. Introduce a retinoid carefully at night alongside this routine, alternating until your skin is used to both.
Can I use it with a prescription acne treatment?
Ask your prescriber first. Prescription treatments come first, and stacking them with two acid products can over-dry the skin. We can adjust the routine around them.
How long does it last?
Around 3 to 4 months of a day and night routine, using both full sizes.
Is it suitable for deeper skin tones?
Yes. It is suitable for oily and blemish-prone skin across skin tones, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI). Introduce it gradually, because inflammation itself can leave marks that take longer to fade.
Is it suitable for sensitive skin?
Usable with a slower build-up: alternate days for the first week or two. Hydroxy Cleanser contains essential oils, so patch test if you react to fragrance. Very sensitive or rosacea-prone skin does better with the Sensitive Skin Kit.
Is it suitable for teenagers?
Yes. Both products are cosmetic-strength and the routine is simple. Build up slowly, and see a GP if breakouts are persistent, painful or scarring.
Can I use salicylic acid when pregnant?
Both products contain salicylic acid at cosmetic strengths. Check any new routine with your midwife, GP or pharmacist first; many advise avoiding leave-on salicylic acid in pregnancy.
Will it help marks left after spots?
This duo is aimed at oily and blemish-prone skin rather than existing marks. Regular use can help skin look calmer and more even over time, and niacinamide is studied for the look of marks; for stubborn marks left behind after spots, see the Golden Pigmentation Duo.
Do I still need SPF?
Yes, every morning. Acids make the skin more sun-sensitive, and UV darkens the marks spots leave. Zinc Shade is non-comedogenic and made for this.
What is the difference between this and the Golden Pigmentation Duo?
This duo is made for oily, blemish-prone skin: a cleanser and a moisturiser. The Golden Pigmentation Duo is made for the look of the marks left behind: a tone-evening cream and a retinal. Many people with breakouts on deeper skin end up using this duo first and the Golden Duo second.
Is Melatone an authorised ESK stockist?
Yes. Every item is genuine, with full traceability, bought directly from ESK, and it is the routine we use in clinic.
Can someone help me work out whether this is right for me?
Yes. Message the clinic on WhatsApp with a description of your skin, or book a skin assessment and we will confirm the routine before you spend anything.
What is the delivery and returns position?
Tracked UK delivery is £3.49, or free from £50, so the set ships free. Dispatched in 1 to 2 working days, then 2 to 4 working days tracked. Sealed, unopened items can be returned within 60 days for a refund.
Buying it from Melatone
Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Stock is bought directly from ESK, so every item is genuine and traceable, and it is the same product we use in clinic in Battersea, London.
If you are not sure this is the right routine for your skin, do not guess at £89.00. Message us on WhatsApp or book a skin assessment first. If breakouts are more than skincare can reach, we would rather tell you that than sell you a bottle.
Delivery
Tracked UK delivery, £3.49 or free from £50. Dispatched in 1 to 2 working days, then 2 to 4 working days tracked, with tracking by email. The price you see is the price you pay, with any delivery charge shown in full before checkout.
Returns
Sealed, unopened items may be returned within 60 days of receiving your order for a refund. For hygiene reasons we cannot accept returns of skincare once any seal has been opened, unless faulty. Your statutory 14-day right to cancel is unaffected.
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