Tuesday 3 April 2018

My Breakout Arsenal!



Recently I got a couple of spots which were seemingly larger than the usual type I get, so I did a little experiment with some of the products in my stash to see how quickly I could heal them. The results were surprising and I was chuffed to bits that with these products I could heal fairly big spots in a matter of 2 days, so I just had to share!

These were the steps I took and the order I used them. This is mainly the routine I followed in the evening but you could extract certain steps and apply them in the morning for double the effect.

Mud Mask:

After using a gentle non-stripping cleanser I like to use a clay/mud mask on the affected areas like a spot treatment. This is a constant step I take whenever a spot appears no matter how big or small. I apply a thin layer to individual spots and wait for around 10 mins. I like to use this time to do other things so I am being productive!
This Glamglow Super Mud Clearing Treatment contains a blend of charcoal and 6 acids (glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid, pyruvic acid, and tartaric acid) to help de-congest the skin and minimise redness. I personally couldn’t use this all over my face as it is strong and quite potent, but when applied to spots individually it’s marvellous at calming them down and drawing out the crap so to speak. If used consistently morning and night this helps flatten the ‘lumps’ and reduces soreness.
My other recommended options are Ren Clearcalm, L’Oreal Pure Clay Detox and Una Brennan Pore Purifying. 

Repairing Serums:

Next I applied the Dr Jart Tiger Grass Re:Pair Serum to reduce redness and soothe the sore spots. This is a fairly new discovery for me but one that I am so happy I’ve got on hand. It’s designed to calm skin and aid wound recovery. It contains mineral and herb complexes to support the skin’s barrier and soothe skin. Whenever I get breakouts I will be sure to reach for this. It definitely assists in speeding up the healing process and left my skin a lot calmer. This would be good for those wanting to repair/prevent any damage caused by picking, because let’s face it we all do it from time to time! It’s cooling and feels amazing when it touches the skin.

The next serum I used is the Alpha H VitaminB with Copper Tri-Peptide, the ingredients list is antioxidant heaven and it’s a real powerhouse product. This blue liquid contains Niacinamide, Ferulic Acid, Copper Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Chia Seed extract. All of which help to strengthen the skins barrier and encourage cell renewal. I use this daily anyway but it is especially effective at helping heal the skin and prevent scarring. It is super cooling on the skin as well and instantly plumps it up. This is an excellent choice for aging skin that is misbehaving.

Facial Oil:

Now you may think this a strange step to choose when breaking out but seriously the effects of using an oil are hugely beneficial for blemished skin. Alkimi Cinco is currently my go to and has been recently reviewed by me (see my previous blog post here). This is a fantastic facial oil for oily/combination skin types. I find this reduces inflammation and when I apply on individual spots it helps bring them to a head or flatten them to practically nothing. I am currently loving facial oils that heal the skin and are high in linoleic acid. By using a facial oil dedicated to your skin type it can do wonders. Caroline Hirons did a good video with Votary on the benefits of using an oil when breaking out, I’d recommend watching it as its interesting and certainly changed my view on how I heal spots!
Essentially you don’t want to be ‘drying’ the area out which is what leads to scarring. Another fantastic oil to mention is Balmology Skin Remedy which is also amazing for unruly skins. I used up a whole bottle of it last year. Other oil’s that fall into this category are Sunday Riley UFO, Herbivore Lapis and Votary Clarifying Facial Oil. None of those I have used but I’ve heard many rave reviews. 

Acne Patches:

Not essential but for me a must have. These Cosrx Pimple Master Patches are incredible. I use one of these overnight every time I get a spot which is unhappy and sore. They don’t tend to work as well for whiteheads or large cysts but for those spots that fall in the middle category they are awesome. These hydrocolloid stickers create an invisible barrier to prevent the spread of bacteria and infection. They work to draw out impurities and speed up the life cycle. If I am at home without makeup I like to leave one on all day to work its magic and it stops me from constantly wanting to look at it and touch it. I find these patches so effective at calming the spot down, drawing out any redness and generally healing the spot fast. Some have known to disappear overnight! I think these need to be in everyone’s stash, they come in different sizes to accommodate whatever monster may crop up on your face.

So, there you have it. A breakdown of products I used to heal the unwelcome visitors that popped up on my face in the last week! You can pretty much tweak the steps to fit in with your regime but I will be sticking to this routine going forward as it worked for me. I hope you've found it helpful!

What tips do you have for healing blemishes?

Thanks for reading xx



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