Here are the best serums, patches and drying lotions to banish breakouts, no matter what the cause.
We have all been in that awful position where a pimple decides to pop up on the exact day that we need clear skin..And the cycle begins. The pimple appears… You fight back with the strongest acne spot treatments that you can find only to end up with a dry irritated mess that no foundation on gods earth can conceal.
In this post we will empower you to find the perfect acne spot treatments to avoid this panic the next time you see a little monster appearing.
Lets get back to basics, as a pharmacist I can safely tell you that the two main spot fighting ingredients to look for in any acne spot treatment are Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide.
Ever heard of putting a crushed up aspirin on your face to flatten a pimple? Well salicylic is the chemical structure in aspirin and it is an amazing chemical exfoliator. So any pimple caused by blocked pores is sure to respond well to this, it also has anti-inflammatory properties so it gets rid of the puffy redness.
Our good friend benzoyl peroxide on the other hand has incredible anti-bacterial properties. It kills the bacteria causing the breakout in the first place.
Other ingredients to look for are niacinamide and AHA’s like glycolic acid and lactic acid. Check out the full guide on AHA’s here, Why You Need An AHA in Your SkinCare Routine
Below, are 7 pharmacist hand-picked products that tackle breakouts fast— without over drying your skin!
1. Clean And Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment
Clean and Clear Advantage Spot Treatment has 2% percent salicylic acid and witch hazel. It is sure to fight a breakout when applied at night for the morning. It doesn’t strip the skin either and has soothing witch hazel which also has natural anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion £12
MARIO BADESCU DRYING LOTION contains a powerful combination of salicylic acid, sulfur, zinc oxide which all work to fight acne, all tied together with soothing calamine lotion ( the pharmacist recommended treatment for soothing chickenpox in babies). It is to be used at night as it will leave a pink-colored residue while it does its magic.
3. Versed Game Over- Acne Drying Treatment £13.99
Not only does the Versed Acne Drying Treatment contain acne-fighting salicylic acid it has 10% sulfur which treats and prevents blemishes by absorbing excess oil and exfoliating away dead cells, thus unclogging pores, all without stripping the skin. It also contains bentonite and kaolin clay to really suck out impurities without drying out the skin. It can also be used a mask.
If that wasn’t enough to add this to your acne emergency pack it is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and made from 79% PCR ( post-consumer recycled) plastic. So you can enjoy blemish-free skin without any guilt.
4. DR ORACLE A-Thera Tea Tree Peeling Sticks
Korean skincare really has taken the beauty world by storm, and for good reason!
These swab applicators can be used to precision. They apply a potent combination of AHA’s glycolic and lactic acid as well as tea tree extract, lemon extract, and bamboo extract. The glycolic and lactic acids help to break down the acne while the blend of extracts soothes irritated skin. Definitely up there as one of the best acne spot treatments around due to its design.
5. My Clarins CLEAR-OUT
My Clarins Clear Out contains salicylic acid to fight breakouts as well as meadowsweet extract & purslane extract to soothe. It has shown to reduce the appearance of blemishes by 83% in just 24 hours! Perfect for when you have a big event the next day.
6. Murad Rapid Relief Acne Spot Treatment
With a potent 2% of salicylic acid, oat extracts to soothe irritated skin and Patented Pine and Thyme-Inspired Complex to maintain a healthy skin barrier this spot treatment is a winner! It works overnight and does not feel over -drying.
7. Kiehl’s Breakout Control Targeted Acne Spot Treatment
The Kiehl’s Breakout Control Targeted Acne Spot Treatment is every pharmacist’s dream! It contains three amazing ingredients; salicylic acid, niacinamide and glycolic acid. These work together to fight active blemishes, clean out pores to prevent new breakouts and minimise inflammation. It also contains sulphur.
A word of warning of this product, as amazing as it is as fighting acne super fast it does have potent smell- treat it like a medication if you want results.
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