Ah, that painful spot you can feel forming halfway through the day! Stress, hormones playing up or an overly rich diet… there are plenty of reasons blemishes appear. And although oily and combination skin are most prone to them, spots can crop up even on normal and dry skin. Rather than dreading their arrival, discover our before, during and after tips for tackling these unwelcome visitors without leaving a trace!
Before: prevent blemishes
When the area is painful to touch and you can feel a bump beneath the skin, you can already start treating it.
- In the evening, never skip a thorough makeup removal routine (that means no micellar water, which only cleanses the skin’s surface). Choose a cleansing oil or balm – like our Cleansing Balm – then follow with a cleansing gel or foam – Vital Foaming Cleanser Nuori with pomegranate enzymes is perfect for clearing pores – rinse, and you’re done!
- Exfoliate the affected area a little more: used directly on blemishes, the Liquid Gold Alpha H exfoliating lotion helps prevent post-blemish marks while clearing impurities more quickly. The bonus? Exfoliation removes dead skin cells and boosts radiance while speeding up cell renewal (so it’s also a great way to tackle wrinkles and dark spots).
- If spots always appear at that dreaded time of the month, start a preventive routine 10 days beforehand: apply an anti-blemish serum morning and evening beneath your moisturiser, only on the areas most prone to breakouts. Breakout Control Dermalogica won’t be harsh on your skin: it contains no fruit acids and is suitable for sensitive skin too.
During: treat blemishes and clear them quickly
- Once again, always remember to remove your makeup thoroughly for clean, purified skin. Your skin will be much more receptive to the skincare products you apply afterwards.
- A targeted treatment, morning and evening: to purify and dry out blemishes, nothing is more concentrated or effective than a targeted treatment. Alongside its purifying action, Blemish Treatment Gel Grown Alchemist soothes an inflamed spot, making it visibly less red. It also exfoliates and tightens enlarged pores.
- Don’t dread catching sight of an inflamed spot in the mirror all day: a concealer or foundation with a carefully formulated, non-comedogenic formula, such as Un Cover Up RMS Beauty or PurePressed Base SPF20 Jane Iredale (a mattifying powder foundation), will conceal the blemish for a flawless-looking complexion!
- ... and if you couldn’t resist popping the spot, prevent bacteria from spreading with a skin antiseptic such as Hexomédine.
After: prevent marks
- When skin is healing, its melanocytes are very sensitive: they need to work hard to restore its pigment. The trouble is, they can go into overdrive, causing those familiar dark spots. Without sun protection, the risk of spots appearing increases considerably as the melanocytes become even more vulnerable. So use SPF every day, such as Oil Free Matte SPF30 Dermalogica, a lightweight emulsion that can also serve as a day cream for combination or oily skin, helping to keep skin looking flawless!
- Follow up with a gentle anti-blemish serum such as Copaiba & Zinc Anti-Blemish Serum Pai Skincare to make sure the skin is thoroughly purified. Sensitive skin? It’s suitable even for highly reactive skin, as it also soothes blemish-related inflammation. We also love how effective it is on under-the-skin spots and blackheads. Whatever your skin type, use it during the day alongside a moisturiser to hydrate and protect your skin. Not sure which one to choose? Try our online skin assessment!
- Our extra tip? Clean your makeup brushes regularly with Tea Tree Bar Soap Dr Bronner to prevent bacterial growth.
Need a routine that’s 100% focused on fighting spots? Take a look at our anti-blemish shopping guide!
The Selection
Oh My Cream Skincare
Cleansing Balm
Alpha H
Liquid Gold
Dermalogica
Breakout Control
Grown Alchemist
Blemish Treatment Gel
RMS Beauty
Un Cover-Up
Jane Iredale
PurePressed Base SPF20
Dermalogica
Oil Free Matte SPF30
Pai Skincare
Copaiba & Zinc Anti-Blemish Serum
