Put to the test
Can anything really make a spot go away? star BUY
Blemish busters
1 BEST FOR: CONGESTION
My Clarins Clear-Out, £15
Ask any Beauty Editor how to clear bumpy little spots and they’ll say salicylic acid, it’s basically the Beyoncé of blemish busters and this gel blends it with calming botanicals. It smells a tad astringent but didn’t feel drying, just cooling and lovely on my congested chin. Hits the spot? More suited to combination than dry types, it’s also sustainably packaged and vegan if that’s your bag.
2 BEST FOR: BREWING BLEMISHES
Zitsticka KILLA, £27 for 8
Is any spot more maddening than an under-the-skin number? Well, this is a game changer: a tingly swab and clear patch that drives salicylic acid, niacinamide and peptides into the impending eruption. Hits the spot? Not a miracle worker but a solid preemptive strike.
3 BEST FOR: LONG-TERM EFFECTS
Kiehl’s Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, £38
Firstly, let’s deal with the green elephant in the room: no, it won’t get you high (that’s THC – the psychoactive bit of the cannabis plant). Instead, it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, enhanced by antiseptic oregano oil that makes a perfect night treatment for recurring acne flare-ups.
Hits the spot? The opposite of harsh spot treatments, this feels gorgeous and nourishes as it treats.
4 Best for: inflammation
Dr Dennis Gross SpotLite Blemish Reducer, £58
This handy gadget emits red and blue LED lights to calm inflammation and nuke spotcausing bacteria. My Celtic skin had a reddish-purple patch in the aftermath of a sizeable spot so I held this on the area for three minutes nightly and was able to skip hardcore concealer after a few days.
Hits the spot? I’d rather it was rechargable than AAA battery operated, but I’m now strangely excited about my next spot so I can use it again.
5 BEST FOR: GROWN-UP CLEARING
Dermalogica AGE Bright Spot Fader, £40.50
You can count on Dermalogica to cook up a sophisticated formula, and this is no different. It blends salicylic acid with hexylresorcinol, a proven skin brightener that fades post-spot scarring, plus tons of nourishing natural oils to counteract salicylic dry-out. Texturewise, it’s the best of the lot, like an expensive primer, and didn’t pill when I put concealer on top. Handily, the nozzle has an off switch, so it never dribbles or clogs.
Hits the spot? Pricey but trustworthy, best employed just before or after a breakout. w&h