DIY Beauty Fridays: 8 Beauty Tips for Exterminating Zits

It seems that the older I get, the more I breakout. 

I don't get it - I thought that the older you get, the nicer your skin would be.  It appears to have gone in the opposite direction for me. 

I stumbled on this COOL pop-up art on Pinterest for exterminating zits and knew I had to share it with you all.  ENJOY.

Picture found on Pinterest.  Website link is https://thesecretyumiverse.wonderhowto.com/

What are your favorite DIY pimple remedies?  Anything I should be trying?

Happy Friday Glossers.

DIY Beauty Fridays: Body Pimples and Aspirin

I've posted about the miracle of aspirin on pimples before but bringing this up again because I am breaking out.....on my back.

Pregnancy makes things go haywire.  The added hormones coursing through your body has different effects on everyone and, for me, I get pimples on my back or other odd areas.

I pulled the aspirin trick out, to hopefully rectify this little "pimple problem."  For those that didn't know, aspirin works wonders on drying a pimple out and literally reduces the size tenfold, without having to pop it which causes scarring.

Aspirin Trick for Pimples

1 uncoated aspirin
2 drops of water

Let the aspirin dissolve in the water mixture, or if antsy, crush the aspirin slightly, add the water and make a paste.  Apply to clean skin and only on the affected areas.  Let dry 10 - 15 minutes and wash off with a clean warm washcloth.  Immediately apply moisturizer to the area.  Go to bed and wake up with a very small red dot!!

This trick is used all over the world and truly works.  I highly recommend you trying it.  For those that have already, what did you think?

    

DIY Beauty Fridays: Preventing Pimples with Aspirin

I'm a twenty-something year old woman and I still get pimples. There, I said it.

I should be thankful, I guess, that I don't break out all the time but when I do, my zits are rather large. (Big red horrible bumps would probably be more precise.) I've tried everything to prevent getting these red visitors: drinking more water, not eating chocolate or anything deep fried, changing my pillowcase every night before bed, not touching my face during the day, and, my personal favorite, spot treatments. My problem is that for all the water I drink, I'm unable to stop eating chocolate, french fries and am ALWAYS resting my chin on my hands at work...Needless to say, I need a spot treatment that actually works and to think I found it in my medicine cabinet.

Aspirin Mask

3 - 4 uncoated aspirin (the box will specify if it's coated) 5 little drops of water 1/2 tsp. warmed honey Let the aspirin sit in the drops of water and dissolve. (You'll know when it's dissolved as the pieces will be floating around the water.) Add the honey and mix everything together. Apply to clean face and let dry about 15 minutes. Wash off, gently, with a warm cloth, dry face and add a moisturizer promptly.

Aspirin Spot Treatment

1 uncoated aspirin 2 little drops of water Again, like above, let the aspirin dissolve in the water. Once done, dab the mixture on your pimple and let air dry for 10 - 15 minutes. Rinse off gently. Apply moisturizer immediately once face is dry. Why does this work? The active ingredient in aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid, is very similar (but not the same) to salicylic acid which is used in almost every acne product on the market. It's also an anti-inflammatory which reduces swelling and redness. For all you skeptics out there, I was exactly in your shoes last week. I was sitting at work, eating lunch at my desk, and could literally feel a small country growing on my chin. After work, the pressure was getting worse and I looked in my car mirror and was met with a massive zit. I got home, created this mask and was completely blown away by how much my skin glowed and how the redness of the pimple had actually dissipated. I woke up the next day to find the pimple 7 times smaller than it was and very easy to cover with some concealer. I highly highly highly recommend this easy concoction to anyone who suffers from minor breakouts or the occasional pimple. It helped me drastically. **Quick note: do not use this mask more often than once a week. The aspirin will dry out your face and unless you have very oily skin, you may end up flaking.**

It's a Pimple Intervention

Yes, as you can see, I am posting about pimples....again. Now, it could be that I woke up this morning with a zit (...or three) on my chin, for which I'm retaliating, OR maybe I just have some great advice......Hmmmmm, food for thought.

Pimples, plain and simple, are the cause of excess oil clogging the pores. Once a pimple has emerged, it can also be spread to other parts of the skin very very quickly. Because of this, touching, squeezing, or picking is never advised. (But, come on, who actually listens to that.) Here are some great tips to actually prevent pimples....

1. Drink Water. Yes, we all know this. Weird thing is it actually works. Water is going to flush the toxins out of your body thus aiding in the prevention of acne or pimples.
2. Skin Care Regime. This is an absolute must! Develop a regime that involves a cleanser, exfoliant and a moisturizer. Exfoliating is one of the easiest ways to remove dirt and buildup on your skin. Ensure that the exfoliant you're using is gentle and doesn't irritate or dry your face.
3. Ponytails. For all the ladies with long hair ensure that you get it off your face when sleeping. If you are a fan of product, like I am, and don't wash your hair before bed, like me, just think of all that junk touching your skin. (Dry Shampoo, pomade, hair spray, hair masks.....sorry, just thinking what would be touching my skin if I had long hair...)
4. Pillowcases. Okay...I am not saying to wash your sheets every day or anything but changing your pillowcase every night will actually help. Our hair touches the pillowcase, then our faces touch it.....you get my drift
5. Wash It Off. You definitely want to remove the make-up before you sleep. Whenever I sleep in make-up, and yes, I have done so a few times, it always seems that I get a new pimple the next day. When you sleep, it's best to let your skin breathe so remove the daily face and put on a great night cream. You'll notice a major difference.
6. No Picking. Umm, I'm bad for this one. The last thing I want is to walk around with a big whitehead, so if you MUST touch it make sure that your hands are clean. (I find it best to only pick something after I've cleansed my face). Also, put a tissue in between your fingers and use the tissue to touch the actual zit, instead of your hands. (Less spreading this way.)
7. No Washcloths. This is something that my mom told me back when I was in high school. Washcloths, though clean, still harbour bacteria. Try not to use a washcloth when washing your face. I went out and bought a natural facial sponge that I use and have noticed a vast improvement to my skin. Also, change the towel you dry your face on often. Bacteria builds up everywhere and the last place we want it is on our face!

This tips will help greatly. Trust me on that. Also, if I have missed anything, let me know as I would love to be able to expand on this list.

Wow, what a pimple!

I think I breakout more, now, than I did as a teenager. Don't get my wrong...I definitely had my intense pimple period in High School. You know what I mean, the big ones that appeared on your chin and forehead and ALWAYS before the day of something big like the dance, or a date, or, for me, a big dance competition. And, to make it way worse, the pimples were always HUGE. Seriously, ginormous. Big, red welts that looked like something bit you....

It's taken me a long time to understand the cycles and spurts of pimples but, for the first time, I finally got a handle on my breakouts. Here are some of the best (and worst) spot treatments....

1. Toothpaste. This is for my girls who don't want to spend too much money. Dab (and I seriously mean a dab) of toothpaste on the pimple before bed. Overnight, this will take away the redness and irritation. Now, having said this, it will not take away the pimple, since every zit has a cycle it needs to finish, but this will make it easier for concealer in the morning.

2. Moor Spa Blemish Gel. This is an amazing product. I was breaking out like crazy for a few months about two years ago and I lived on Moor Spa. ( I will be doing a post on cleansers so we'll talk about it then.) It's a gel, so applied sparingly to the problem areas overnight, followed by your moisturizer. Once used for a few days, you'll notice vast improvements.

3. Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick. This is an odd product. I use it since Burt's Bees is my favorite product line BUT it really doesn't do too much. If you have recently scrubbed your face and apply this product over top, it will sting a bit, though it does go away. I use this overnight AFTER my night cream and it will take away redness. Oh, one other thing, it goes on like a roll-on lip gloss. Not very sanitary if you ask me, but it is a natural product.

4. Proactiv Refining Mask. Soooo, don't judge me for putting this on my list because it seriously does work. I dislike the entire proactiv line as it is very addictive for your skin and drying, BUT the mask is a dream. The tube, which is really small, can cost a pretty penny, but if used only as a spot treatment will last quite some time. Apply overnight to zit and it will be almost invisible the next morning. It works really well.

5. Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Treatment Gel. Whew, what a mouthful. It works; long and short of it. I have been a faithful Clinique user since my mom was their Rep and honestly, this product is great. Don't use too much as it can dry the skin around the pimple, but it works to reduce redness and irritation.

Give these a try and let me know your thoughts. Also, if you think of something that should be on the list that isn't, let me know that as well. I will be doing another blog about blemish prevention, as well as a post about cleaners for acneic skin. Ciao ladies...xox