It’s true what they say about one’s life trajectory. One may not understand events as they unfold. Rather, they can only connect the dots looking backwards.

For actress Lili Reinhart, these dots were just as metaphorical as they were literal. A bout of troublesome acne in her young adulthood prompted her inner investigator to take a deep dive into the inflammatory skin condition’s course and causation to find viable solutions, from topical to dietary and mental.

“I never imagined I’d be the founder of any company, let alone a skincare brand,” Reinhart told Happi in an email interview about her skincare brand, Personal Day. “But looking back, I think maybe it was always in the cards for me.”

The 29-year-old had her first brush with acne at the tender age of 12 as a self-conscious student of musical theater when appearances were everything. Her acne only exacerbated when she hit high school two years later. Given acne’s physiological nature, she took matters into her own hands by cutting bangs to conceal the red clusters on her T-Zone. Despite her years-long battle, the frustrations tied to her vexing skin condition taught her three important lessons for success that she would not have learned otherwise for a young person: patience, problem-solving and pride.

“I definitely grew up in an environment where my self-worth had nothing to do with how I look,” she said. “I’m very grateful for that. So I was never made to feel less about myself by my family or friends, no matter what my skin looked like.”

For those in the throes of seemingly endless cyclical acne flareups, Reinhart encourages consumers to take a page from her Personal Day playbook. The brand encapsulates accessibility, compassion and support for acne sufferers and those looking for skincare products that their skin finds favorable. So favorable, in fact, that Personal Day launched into 700 Ulta Beauty stores this year in the US. This retail success was precipitated by considerable month-over-month growth; the brand reported a 73% increase in direct-to-consumer net sales from April to May 2025.

“Acne care is self-care and taking a personal day is just that,” she noted.

Sensorial Sensations

For Reinhart, self-care is just as much about the act itself as it is actively engaging with the products’ sensorial components to get the most out of the spa-like experience. One of her favorite products is the brand’s lip balm aptly dubbed, “Emotional Support.” Formulated after the chapped lips she developed as a side effect from using Accutane, the “buttery-smooth” balm hydrates and conditions with hyaluronic acid, squalane and seed oils like Camellia Japonica and Simmondsia Chinensis and Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil. Another product favorite is the Full Clarity Cleansing Powder. Formulated with azelaic acid, rice powder and papaya fruit extract, it transforms into a creamy lather with water, gently exfoliating skin without drying it out. Ideal for acne-prone skin, it contains less acne-triggering preservatives than liquids and removes blemish-causing build-up without leaving skin stripped.

“From a sensorial point of view, I love the fun experience of pouring the powder into my hand and watching it turn into a creamy foam after adding water,” said Reinhart. “I also love that its powder form requires the least amount of preservatives to create. Since preservatives cause acne, we are removing yet another trigger from the product.”

“Since we are obsessed with creating disruptive products, we really search far and wide for the newest and best innovations on the market,” said Shelagh Wong, CEO and cofounder of Personal Day. “We work with all kinds of specialty formulators who really help us build beautiful products while adhering to our 300-plus-ingredient blacklist of acne triggers.”

Product Disruptors

On the topic of disruptive products, another of Personal Day’s obsessive buys is its TikTok viral Trust Me On This Hypochlorous Acid Spray and Blackhead-Melting Nose Strips.

The spray, which also contains dihydrogen phosphate, is a soothing, bacteria-fighting spray that provides skin a daily defense against breakouts, irritation and redness — without palmfuls of water splashes at the sink. It is ideal for spraying post workout and traveling. Contrary to traditional nose strips which adhere to the nose, peel off and critisized for causing potential skin damage, Personal Day’s nose strips work to shrink ingredients like anti-inflammatory licorice root extract, cell renewal-boosting azelaic acid and exfoliating and brighting tea tree extract and lemon fruit extracts into nano size to penetrate deeply into clogged pores and melt the dirt, excess sebum and dead skin. The gunk is purged from pores wtihout causing micro-tears.

“You press gently after leaving the strips on for 10 to 15 minutes, and the clogged pores are ready to come out,” Reinhart explained. “It’s very satisfying.”

Personal Day will be launching a new product inspired by its advisory board dermatolgoist Dr. Mamina Turegano involving a beloved ingredient that recommends to her acne patients.

“I love that because we are an indie brand, we can give ourselves permission to be a constant work-in-progress — one that can be fun!” said Wong. “We embrace the idea that healing can be different for everyone — and one of our favorite ways to heal is to have a good time, get out of the house and explore the day.”