La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]

Hey Everyone!
Through the years I've always had a few spots; mostly in my T zone. But a few months ago my skin got to the stage where my whole face, especially cheeks, had exploded and were just really red and angry. After trying a whole load of spot treatments and home remedies, I splashed out on La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]- swayed by the money back guarantee and the countless rave reviews I'd seen. 
For one product, it promises a lot:  'Clinically proven to correct the appearance of blemishes

• Unclogs blocked pores
• Helps to refine skin texture
• Controls the appearance of shine
• New - Fights against the appearance of marks.'

At this point I probably should mention that just before I started using this I also visited the doctor for acne treatment so the changes in my skin since then can't be put down solely to this product. However, in the same way that no one cause for spots can be identified, so too no one solution is completely effective (in my opinion). For example, drinking more water, a healthy diet and good skincare routine may not individually make a difference, but together could make a vast improvement to skin. So, I'm reviewing this as a kind of 'skin helper' rather than 'skin saviour'.

  First things first, I really love the packaging. Its not gimmicky just simple and efficient. I think the almost clinical design is appropriate for the product. I apply about half a pea sized amount to my whole face almost everyday. It has a gel like consistency and absorbs really, really quickly. It feels really light on the skin and smells like holiday. I don't know if that's a psychological thing because La Roche Posay is a French brand but its fresh scent has notes of 'abroad'. One thing I do notice is that my skin is softer after I use this product. As well as being used as a serum after cleansing, it acts as a nice base for makeup.
Now, I've been using this for 3 or 4 months now and about 75% of my acne has cleared. The redness has really been soothed and the skin surface is a lot smoother. As I mentioned though, I can't put this improvement down to just this product, although I definitely believe it has contributed.
Overall, I'd say that this is a good product and its a nice addition to my skincare routine. Perhaps its a brilliant product for mild breakouts but I think my skin was at the stage where it couldn't be fought by an external product alone and a trip to the doc was a good idea.