I have recently been using a targeted blemish cream by Fig & Rouges (the sort of thing you dab carefully on top of a big spot, rather than an all-over face wash) and was surprised that it kind of actually worked.
You know me – I blame everything on hormones and cannot believe that anything applied topically will help skin if you are in real crisis.
But in fact with repeat applications of this cream big angry spots, (the kind that threaten to change the shape of your jawline), calmed down a reassuring amount without any of the old OXY-10 side effects.
It didn’t work total miracles, but it was enough to make me thing that topical on-the-spot blemish remedies might work without just flaking your skin off and staining whatever towel you wiped the excess off onto yellow. If this little brand I’d never even heard of could do something for my zits, how about the really big cult products?
I asked Instagram for their best on-the-spot remedies and was rewarded with a healthy clutch. I haven’t included every single one because I always think that’s counter-productive to making a choice. All of these that follow had more than 2 recommendations.
Many votes for this and the Effaclar range in general
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%
This Origins product was controversial – many, many votes for this from individuals but it was dissed hard by my beauty editor friend who said it was just too harsh
Those links again, for your convenience:
La Roche Posay – Effaclar Targeted Imperfection Corrector
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%
I use witch stick or plain old sudocrem both work very quickly and are cheap.
Sudocreme works for me too on minor blemishes but I’ve yet to find anything for the serious ones, will have a look at some of these others.
Pure Tea Tree Oil is the best thing ever. A tiny amount applied to the skin every day stops the spots forming in the first place or if you apply some on a bad spot it dries up in no time. It worked on my son’s teenage acne and my daughter used to have the odd break out but not anymore!
Missed the original request for suggestions, but Control from Aesop is, in my opinion, the absolute best https://www.aesop.com/uk/p/skin/treat-masque/control/?gclid=CjwKCAjwt7PcBRBbEiwAfwfVGF7oA9wGtmb0KuXHYBoYK4aRK0f99ByaiPzbbe7dwZDdTt1JuNIEDBoCjngQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Dispersible asprin … v small amount of water to make a paste , rub into the affected area …. believe me it works !!! ( acetylsalicylic acid is also known as asprin and is obtained by a chemical reaction between salicylic acid and acetic acid …. there endeth the chemistry lesson lol !!! ) the anti inflammatory properties it produces on the inside of the body works on the outside too !!! Sorry if I’ve bored you ridgid ….. 😴😴😴
The Ordinary is v good, if needed I put it on before bed, and often can’t actually see what/where the problem was next morning.
https://www.superdrug.com/Skin/Face-Skin-Care/Anti-Blemish-Treatments/Superdrug-Tea-Tree-Spot-Gel-15ml/p/729572
This Superdrug Tea Tree Superdrug stick is v good and cheap.
Isn’t The Ordinary CEO super controversial??
I used to get really big single spots – the ones that look like you are growing another head like that guy in how to get ahead in advertising!! I always just put them down to hormones for years and YEARS (even though there wasn’t really a pattern to the breakouts) and just lived with it as I thought that was the way it was. But then, when I mentioned it to my doctor during another chat, she put me on Zineret for 3 months (a mild antibiotic cream). Totally cleared up my skin. One year on and I’m still clear and if I get the odd (v small) spot, I use a dab of Acnecide on it (buy from boots or Superdrug) which is quite simply amazing. I never considered that spots can be caused by a bacteria on your skin and actually that can be treated. If you are suffering from these types of spots I would definitely talk to your doctor. I think I thought, as problems go, it was too superficial to bother the NHS about but it’s only after you are clear that you realise how much it has really bothered you.
A good targeted rub with a cotton pad soaked in glow tonic a few times a day works for me.