The Beauty Insider: Everything You Need To Know About Spots

Spots are a bitch. Whether you have just the one or a face full of them, there’s nothing good about a spot. Unless, perhaps, one is positioned perfectly, and you can colour it in with an eyeliner, and transform into Cindy Crawford! Anyone else done that? No? Just me?

The reality is that spots are frustrating. There’s no good time for them to appear, but there are many reasons why they do. Hormones, stress, and partying too hard are just a few of them. But don’t panic, there are also many things you can do to help tame the volcano. Here’s my top tips.

Squeezing-Yes or no?

There is something strangely satisfying about taking action into your own hands and squeezing your spots. However, this can make things worse. Don’t even think about doing this if the spot is red, painful or under the skin. These babies need to be left alone. Unless the head is white, avoid touching or squeezing your blemish full stop. Squeezing can cause scarring, it can make the area super painful, and delay the healing process. If it is squeezable. Do it properly. Have a shower as the steam will soften it slightly. Alternatively, place a warm flannel over it for a few seconds.  Make sure your hands are clean and squeeze either side until the job is done. Clean with a dry tissue. Stop if it’s too painful.

Reducing a spot

There are loads of spot treatments out there. For me, I always go back to the old classic of putting a bit of toothpaste on it before bed as this seems to take the swelling down for me. As does putting a touch of Manuka honey the inflamed area. Manuka is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities and is a great natural treatment.

If you’re prone to spots, make sure you’re regularly including products with Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic acids into your skincare routine. These are great for your skin. My fave products which include one or more of these ingredients are as follows.

Pixi Glow Tonic

Great for brightening, soothing and balancing your complexion. A cult classic for a reason.

Kiehls Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate

This overnight serum accelerates the cell turnover process which helps to refine the feel of rough texture. It helps to reveal newly radiant, refreshed skin and  smooth the skin too.

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid 

This is a non-irritating, high-strength Salicylic Acid in a toner formulation. It’s great for targeting mild to moderate acne. It doesn’t sting the skin which is an added bonus, particularly for sensitive skin.

Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Acid Toner

Great for all skin types. It’s non-irritating and a skin-friendly option that does not sting or overly dry out skin and great for all skin types and helps balance and brighten.

Sarah Chapman’s Liquid Facial Resurfacer

The powerful botanical ingredients leave the skin looking softer and smoother as well as targeting the signs of ageing with a complexion-correcting formula.