If you're a grown woman still losing the war against problem skin, you already know that most acne treatments fall miserably short of their clear-complexion claims. Best-case scenario: They're ineffective. Worst-case scenario: Instead of regulating oily skin and blackheads, they just add dry, flaky patches to the mix. Awesome. But even if you've been wooed by substandard acne-clearing systems in the past, you needn't surrender to defeat just yet. By reconciling both the external symptoms and underlying causes of problem skin, Aveda's new Outer Peace Acne Relief Kit ($120; aveda.com) boasts a 92 percent success rate in just four weeks. And as I personally found, the system proved far more effective than my usual arsenal of cleansers, astringents, and Retin-A prescriptions combined.

Infused with powerful botanical extracts such as tamanu, amla, boswellia, saw palmetto, lemon tea tree, and rose geranium, Outer Peace comprises four easy-to-use products: the Foaming Cleanser, a nondrying face wash that removes makeup, dirt, and other impurities; the Acne Relief Lotion, which moisturizes, keeps oil at bay, and minimizes the appearance of pores; the Acne Relief Pads, handy wipes that cleanse and exfoliate; and the Acne Spot Relief, a dream cream that conquers those embarrassing whoppers that always seem to sprout up before a big date or companywide meeting. By the end of my first week of testing, Outer Peace not only banished my pre-existing blemishes, but also squelched new breakouts, and by weeks three and four, I noticed a significant improvement in my skin's condition (although I still battled the occasional blemish, they weren't the long-lasting, planetary-sized kind I used to have). Two weeks later, I'm delighted to report that almost all of my redness and acne-induced irritation has vanished, leaving my skin softer, smoother--and, yes, finally at peace. --Marissa Kristal