If you’ve ever hung out with me for Face Mask and Chill, you know that fighting acne is kinda my jam. I’ve spent a lot of time, money, and energy trying to figure out how to combat stubborn zits, from testing out magnetic masks (yes, they’re real, and yes, they work!) to smearing acids all over my face (not as scary as it sounds, promise).
When my friends get zits, I’m a go-to skin counselor, because I can tell you exactly what product to pop on that pimple before it messes with your IG-game. My bedside table is straight up loaded with skincare products… and my bathroom counter… and my kitchen counter (well, only sometimes). But when it comes down to it, as fun as playing with dozens of products is, I love to have a few products that I know always, always work. Here are just a few of the acne treatments I turn to, and why I turn to them.
1. DCL Spot Therapy ($32)
I hate products that try to combat acne by drying the shit out of your skin. Nothing is more uncomfortable than having skin peeling off of your face, coupled with the stress of trying not to pick at it. So while this product has the classic two-percent salicylic acid you’ll find in many skincare products, what makes it different is that it also has Vitamins B3 and B5 alongside lavender to keep your skin nice and comfy.
2. Farmacy Honey Potion Mask ($38)
Gone are the days of dotting toothpaste on your zits. Or at least, I hope they are. Please don’t put toothpaste on your zits. Instead, turn to a mask like this one. I am a huge fan of honey and have been smearing it on my skin since I was like, 12 — and with good reason. Honey is an anti-bacterial, but in the most gentle sense of the word. While I love to use this mask all over, my secret is that whenever I get a huge patch of zits (sometimes they come with all their friends, who knows why?), I just lightly brush this mask across my skin, and leave it overnight. It’s self-warming, so it opens your pores to prep your skin for the magical soothe of honey. It’s a dream.
3. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17)
This stuff is a straight up classic. Not only is the Mario Badescu meme one of my faves of all time, this stuff is so dang good, and it lasts about a million years. If you haven’t heard of this drying lotion, it’s basically a mix of alcohol and calamine lotion that is so strong it’ll burn your nose hairs and murder any zit overnight, yet somehow not mess up the skin all around it. Pro tip: Don’t go wild and put this all over your face, but rather apply directly to a zit as soon as you feel it about to pop up.
4. Uncle Harry’s Hemp Blemish Salve ($6)
This is by far the cheapest product on the list, and one of the most natural, so if that’s your jam, this is your guy. I love the texture of this product. It’s sleek and smooth, and it does no harm.