smartskin101

In my last post, I discussed the first line of defense in tackling those pesky red pimples that always show up at the most inconvenient times.  Treating the redness is only a temporary fix, however, and so the the second line of defense is healing the pimple.  I have a few tricks that I use which work well for me, but if you’ve found success with a treatment – stick with it !

Generally, I’m not a fan of a lot of over the counter spot treatments.  I find that they irritate my skin and mostly worsen the blemishes.  Whenever using salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, my pimples tend to become larger, redder and take much longer to heal.  So instead, one of the treatments I use comes from Lush.  Lush’s Fresh Pharmacy is a facial soap that is good for oily skin types.  While too drying for washing my entire face with, I have found that it does make a great spot treatment.

A main ingredient in Fresh Pharmacy is calamine powder, which reduces redness and irritation.  It also contains antibacterial tea tree oil and soothing chamomile.  These are all key ingredients for effectively and gently treating your blemishes.  At night, before going to sleep, place several drops of water onto the soap and rub them around with the tip of your finger until you’re able to make a little paste.  Using a finger, dab the paste on top of the pimple(s) and allow the “solution” to dry before hitting the sack (this should only take a couple of minutes maximum).  In the morning, wash off the treatment during your routine.  If there is still some redness, just continue using the Visine treatment.  In future posts, I’ll give you other options for pimple and acne treatment.  I promise there will be some great tips to come!