Spot-On: Spotty Skin Saviours

With acne being my main skin problem, I know how disheartening it feels when you wake up with spots on your face. Being just one tiny one or acne all over your face, spots can make you feel really insecure and just plain ugly. I have been suffering with acne since my early teens and thought it had cleared up about a year ago, until last summer it suddenly all became worse. With ‘worse’ I mean so bad that I just couldn’t bear looking in the mirror anymore- yep, that bad. I decided to go on acne medication last February and it has been one of the best decisions I ever made. So far my little acne story- I might do a post with before and after pictures if you fancy?

Whilst suffering with really bad skin, I developed my own little routine which helped to calm my skin down. Acne is actually a bacteria, so products can’t really make it disappear, but they can certainly help and a good skincare routine is really indispensable.

To start your routine off right, a good cleanse is needed. I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar gel cleanser, which is suited for oily and sensitive skin- which your skin probably is if you suffer from spots/acne. This gel cleanser really gives your skin a good cleanse, although I do recommend removing your make up first with a separate cleanser and to use this just to thoroughly cleanse your face. It can, however, feel a little bit harsh on the skin and even make it feel sore sometimes (at least, that’s what it did with me), so if that’s the case I recommend switching it up with a more gentle milk cleanser or even a cleansing balm, since hydration is key even if you’ve got oily and acne-prone skin. You might only want to use this if your skin is really playing up. Another cleanser that’s really similar to this one, but more expensive, is the Origins Zero Oil cleanser.

On to masks. I’ve been using the Origins Clear Improvement mask since last September and if you use it regularly, it really does make a difference to your skin. It’s basically a clay mask which acts like a magnet and draws out all impurities. This may result in all of the nastiness of your skin coming out the next day, but regular use proves really useful and really pays off.

For more active break outs, the Origins Out of Trouble mask is really good. You can apply this all over your face or just on those active break outs. It feels really soothing and refreshing, and the nice tea tree smell makes this a really relaxing face mask. The following day, you’ll wake up with nice and smooth skin.

For that little extra boost of hydration, I recommend a serum. Estée Lauder’s cult product Advanced Night Repair is the one for me; this hydrates but also sinks into the skin really quickly, so you don’t get that greasy feeling. It makes your skin feel soft and smooth and makes spots disappear, whilst also having a scar-reducing effect. Hydrating and spot-banishing, a great combination, isn’t it?

For moisturiser, I recommend using something light which doesn’t clog your pores. La Roche-Posay Effaclar K has been a product I’ve always had in my skincare stash, just because it really does calm your break outs whilst also being really hydrating. Like the Effaclar Duo, this might worsen your break outs before it get better, but trust me; it’s worth it. You just need to hang on.

To finish of this little routine, you may also need a more targeted treatment. The Origins Super Spot Remover is a holy grail product of mine; this fresh-smelling product makes spots disappear over night and reduces scarring. You might only want to apply this at night, since it can leave a little white layer of dryness on your skin, but it really does work and I would say it’s worth the hype.

So that’s it for my little skincare routine for when I’m suffering with break outs or even acne. Being a little bit La Roche-Posay and Origins heavy, these are the products I would recommend using to keep those pesky spots at bay. I would also really recommend not using too much skincare products at once, like all beauty bloggers seem to do nowadays. They might have perfect skin, but that’s not only products; its genes, a good diet and just general luck. Trust me on this one; I used to apply waaaaay too many products and switch them up way to regularly, and it only made my acne worse. Now that I’ve got a little solid skincare routine and am really careful with switching up my skincare, and of course in combination with my acne medication, my skin has got so much better. What do you think of this little routine I’ve come up with? Any experience with the products?