We’ve all had it happen – a zit pops up and we need it gone NOW! As an Esthetician with a room full of products and tools I could easily zap that sucker fast, but if you just don’t have the time to rush over to me here are a few zit zapping tricks.
DON’T PICK IT!
I am not kidding. Don’t do it. Your fingers are not a tool. In fact, they are a scar forming destructive force of oil and bacteria. If you pick the thing you are going to create a mess. I promise you, you aren’t going to be able to make the thing look better. Instead the inflammation and redness will increase. This means your concealer isn’t going to stick to it as well and it’s going to be puffy under the concealer too!
Instead…
If you have a couple of days to make it go away use a spot treatment. My two favorites are the overnight treatments Osmosis Clarify Serum for red, pussy, puffy pimples, or Bioelements Kerafole Mask for scabby or “underground” pimples. Put a little bit of either product on the spot (more isn’t better!) and sleep with it on. In a day or two the spot will be gone. You can also use an over the counter benzoyl peroxide cream, but it never works as well and usually leaves you dealing with flaking skin in that area which is almost as annoying as the zit!
If today is the big day and the zit just appeared (damn that stress!) then first realize that we are only going to do damage control. We will be able to help the blemish a bit and then cover it. That’s it. Think Better Not Perfect.
Damage Control Home Facial
- Wash your face.
- LIGHTLY (please don’t go rubbing your face off!) exfoliate the area with a light scrub or mild acid mask.
- Use a warm compress on the spot for 5-10 minutes (I like to wet a wash cloth, fold it, and stick it in the microwave for 15 seconds). You want it warm but not scalding. Then use a cool compress (DO NOT USE ICE) for an equal amount of time. This stops the swelling.
- If there is a white top on the pimple try to lightly rub it off with a warm wash cloth or gently stab it with a CLEAN needle. Let it ooze out on its own. DO NO SQUEEZE!!!
- Apply an anti-acne mask like Bioelements Kerafole Mask to fight the bacteria and sooth the area.
- Apply an SPF to stop scaring.
- Use a good concealer, preferably one that will help heal the zit at the same time like Jane Iredale’s Disappear. Ignore what people say about green concealer. That’s just crazy in this day and age.
- If the spot is still really red so the concealer won’t cover it soak a cotton pad in Visine and apply to the area for a minute or two. This constricts the blood vessels for a couple of hours. This is ONLY to be used in emergency circumstances. Long term it isn’t good for the skin. Now apply concealer.
- Dust some powder over the spot.
Viola! You are ready to go.