If you’ve scrolled Instagram and TikTok in the last few years, you already know Alix Earle. She’s the girl who “got ready” with millions of us, walked us through her day while doing her makeup, and refused to pretend her skin was perfect.
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Now she’s turned that honesty into her own brand: Reale Actives, Earle’s dermatologist-developed skincare line for acne-prone skin. It launched in the U.S. in March this year, and as of October 22, 2026, it’s officially available in Canada. At a media lunch in Toronto the day before launch, I met Earle and got to try the collection and hear the story behind it.
“We’re very excited to be out in the world and to now be here in Canada,” says Earle.
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How Reale Actives started
For someone whose career is built on getting ready in front of a camera, Earle is refreshingly candid about how she came to embrace skincare.
“Skincare was such a big part of my life, as I’d always struggled with acne, but it was always something that was very confusing for me, and it never felt fun,” she said. “I actually hated skincare. I was just really confused by all of it.”
I feel that. I’ve struggled with acne for as long as I can remember, and I assumed it would fade once I grew out of my teens. It didn’t. Over the years, I’ve tried products like Proactiv, prescription topicals like Clindoxyl and Differin, red and blue light therapy, oral minocycline and even had two full rounds of Accutane. When you’ve cycled through that many fixes, skincare stops feeling like self-care and starts feeling like a chore.
Reale Actives, Earle says, is made to fix that confusion. Instead of a shelf of single-purpose creams and lotions, she wanted a skincare regimen she could follow without thinking. “We wanted to make sure there was a set routine that was start to finish,” she told us.
The line was built with acne-prone skin in mind, but Earle made it clear you don’t need a pimple to use it. “You don’t have to be actively struggling with acne to use these products,” she says. “They’re all really created with a skin barrier-first approach, and they are gentle.”
From everything she shared about the line, what resonated the most with me was the emotional impacts of acne. “We want you to be able to go out and live your life. You don’t have to hide from your skin and be ashamed of the imperfections,” she says. “We really embrace all the real moments in your skin, whether that’s acne or redness, texture, pigmentation, or whatever it is.”
Acne has made me feel like I was failing at taking care of my skin. So, I avoided getting my photo taken and even questioned my self-worth over a breakout. Hearing Earle say out loud that you don’t have to hide reminded me how many of us have spent years doing exactly that.
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The five-step Reale Actives routine
For Earle, she looks at the efficacy and simplicity. Every product is dermatologist-tested, vegan, cruelty-free, non-comedogenic and free of added fragrance. “We have our five-step routine now, a routine start to finish,” says Earle. “We take the stress out of it for you.”
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Get Bare
This buttery balm melts into a silky oil to take off makeup, sunscreen and excess oil without clogging pores. It’s made with squalene (lipid), green tea (antioxidants) and centella asiatica (Indian pennywort). In addition to all the testing mentioned above, this one is also ophthalmologist-tested to ensure it’s safe to use around the eyes.
The packaging is impressive. You twist the base to dispense the balm, and the top shaves off a thin layer, almost like slicing into a wheel of butter. It’s incredibly unique. The balm itself felt very silky and melted down as I massaged it in.
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Pore Power
The second step is this cleanser. Made with LHA (lipohydroxy acid, a.k.a. capryloyl salicylic acid) and willow bark (a natural source of BHA, or beta hydroxy acid, which is another type of salicylic acid). These ingredients exfoliate skin and help unclog pores.
The unscented face wash lathers well. Since my skin is very sensitive, and some products can make it flare up with an eczema-like reaction, I liked how gentle this was for me. It has a lightweight hand, and my skin felt clean.
Exfoliating LHA + BHA Gel Cleanser, $45, at realeactives.com.
Go Calm
For the third step in the morning and the newest addition to the system, this serum uses 10% azelaic acid (antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties) and niacinamide (water-soluble form of vitamin B3) helps to calm redness and fade post-acne marks. According to a Reale Actives clinical study, using this may help to reduce the look of redness in four weeks and improve texture in just one. (The data comes from 31 participants).
10% Azelaic Acid Anti-Redness Calming Serum, $62, at realeactives.com.
Go Deep
This is the third step, but only for the evening routine. This serum uses mandelic acid, which is a gentle exfoliating acids. It’s meant to target texture, oil and uneven skintone.
The packaging on this one got me, too. I tried pumping the dispenser, but nothing came out. Oops. Learn from me: You have to keep twisting until the whole top portion comes off. It’s actually a dropper.
Once I figured that out, I spread it across my skin and felt no burning and no tingling, which I find happens with most exfoliating acid products.
8% Mandelic Acid Serum Concentrate, $62, at realeactives.com
Dew More
The final product (step five!) is a lightweight cream containing four ceramides (waxy fat lipids), hyaluronic acid (a sugar that holds water) and ectoin (an amino acid that binds water). It is meant to you that dewy glow without feeling heavy.
The pastel green pump released a lotion with a texture that was part gel and part cream. It absorbs quickly and never left a greasy feeling on my skin.
Barrier-Boosting Moisturizer, $60, at realeactives.com
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Why consistency is the key
If there’s one thing Earle wants Canadians to take away, it’s that results build over time. When asked how long it takes to see a difference, she was upfront. “It depends. It’s going to give you an immediate glow and make your skin feel clean, but everyone is a little bit different.” She continues: “Some people have experienced a bit of a purge [of oil in the skin] at first, within the first two weeks,” she told us.
So far, so good. Ask me again in four weeks.
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Where to buy Reale Actives in Canada
As of October 22, 2026, Canadians can buy the full Reale Actives routine at realeactives.com.