Okay, hate to say it but I have the Mount Fuji of spots on my chin – it’s not glamorous, it’s not elegant and it’s not staying. Since I very, very rarely get spots (probably about 6 in my whole life) it’s a bit of shock….I’d love to disguise it in magazine terms and call it a ‘blemish’ but it’s so beyond that description that I have to call it the giant zit it really is. Anyway, I met up with a kindly PR today who generously came armed with failsafe remedies to slay this beast. She brought Origins Spot Remover, £10 (like the name: does what it says on the tin kinda thing and no airy fairy talk of impurities etc), full of spot fighting salicylic acid, clove oil and oregano – it gave a little sting when I applied it but otherwise my skin is tolerating it fine (despite piling on far more than the recommended amount – sorry, but I’m desperate). She also brought Darphin Overnight Refining Lotion, £19, to draw out any ‘impurities’ so it can start healing. Somehow this handy product had completely passed me by, but I love it already. Lemon essential oil, sage essential oil and witch hazel extracts form a white paste that can be used at night to also draw out blackheads and clear oily patches. You couldn’t really use it during the day as it sits in a little clay like lump on the offending spot, but once this horrible blight is gone from my chin I’ll definitely be using the product for overnight skin congestion clearing. Have high hopes that this two pronged approach will be the zit killing combination I need. It turned out that Larissa, the PR, had also had a recent breakout so we spent an hour discussing zits, scabs, blackheads, scars and had the big to-squeeze or not-to-squeeze debate! Who says beauty is all about the glamour?!
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8 comments
Oh God I feel your pain. To borrow a line from a fellow beauty editor here in Toronto, “being a beauty editor with a zit makes you feel like a hoax.”
Not sure if you have in the UK but Avene Diacneal is super strong. Used to like the Oxygenating Booster from Laboratoires Remede but I hear they’re reformulated.
I’m not a beauty editor, but I’ve found that applying Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion AFTER the zit exploded (= being forced out!) helps it to go down & heal quicker.
I love Origins Spot Treatment! My face exploded with tiny zits at the start of my two week stay in Oman, where the temperature averaged 38C. Sweating and Sunblock helped my zits along! This stuff is great for adult acne.
I also like Peter Thomas Roth Acne Treatment..the sulfer works wonders. Again, it’s for adults, not teenagers.
If you’re in a fix and its still a week to payday, an ordinary Aspirin tablet, crushed and mixed with a drop or two of water and applied to the offender, will do the trick as well. Doesn’t look pretty tho, so you’d need to use it when not out and about. Its the ASA in both the Origins and the Aspirin that does the trick.
Ali
I keep meaning to pick that origins lotion up – I’d rather just treat the spot than the whole of my face I think…
Thanks for great tips and spot love – amazingly it has literally halved in size since using this combination. Mizz: you do just dab it on the spot…XX
I agree with the recommendation of the Origins one – have used it before and it’s very good, doesn’t give you the usual zit-surround of overdried skin! Can also surround ‘Witch’ brand medicated gel for anyone on an economy drive.
Just a fair warning to those with sensitive skin, I actually got second degree burns from the Origins treatment- I happened to be visiting the doctor for something else and he saw the raw result and insisted on looking at it.
Embarrassing, but also a learning experience for me. I actually think all manufacturers should have to list the percentage when such a potent ingredient is being used.
This isn’t to say everyone should avoid the product, just be aware and test the product to ensure you’re not sensitive to it, before such an emergency arises that you need to use it! (I usually do the inside of my elbow or my stomach.)