Everyone should be equipped with a few ways to shrink pimples quickly, even if they're weird. No matter how well you eat, no matter how much water you drink, and no matter how strict you are about your face cleansing routine, everyone wakes up with a massive zit every once in a while, and would love to get rid of the zit overnight. Blame it on hormones or blame it on stress, but when that happens, few things can deflate your confidence quite so quickly.
I know these feels. There seemingly isn’t enough cover-up in the world to conceal it, and I’m no longer looking forward to wearing that red dress I picked out, as I know it’ll only draw attention to the fact that the spot on my face is the exact same color. Thankfully, your list of solutions is more expansive than you might know. There are tons of bizarre ingredients that are great for your skin and help you fight acne, and the best part is that most of them are entirely natural. Some of them are even of the edible variety, which (in my opinion), is the best kind of skin care routine anyone could have.
1. Go For A Lotion That Dries
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, $17, Amazon
While most people use lotions for moisturization, this Mario Badescu drying lotion has the opposite effect — it uses ingredients like salicylic acid and calamine to dry out pimples while you sleep, drastically decreasing redness and inflammation by morning. It’s been called a “wonder lotion,” and it works especially great for general acne, as well as breakouts during your period.
2. These Masks Made From Fish Collagen And Seaweed
Acne Free Collagen Facial Masks, $15, Amazon
This set of three 'Acne-Free' collagen facial masks are actually made with bizarre ingredients like tea tree oil, fish collagen, and seaweed serum, all of which are surprisingly effective at killing bacteria and shortening the lifespan of a pimple. It’s a really good option for those of you who are looking for a full-face solution, rather than spot treatments.
3. Willow Bark Penetrates Pores To Stop Inflammation
Burt's Bees Targeted Spot Treatment, $10, Amazon
The Burt's Bees targeted spot treatment uses primarily willow bark, which penetrates deep into the pore to stop inflammation, as well as future breakouts. It comes in a handy glass applicator that fits easily into your bag or medicine cabinet, and some people are saying that it’s the best all-natural acne treatment solution they’ve found.
4. A Cup Of Tea And Some Charcoal For Your Face
Hello Cutie Mud Mask, $20, Amazon
While the Hello Cutie mud mask is formulated with the types of ingredients you might find in your favorite mug (like peppermint and green tea), it’s actually a great way to penetrate deep into pores and remove blackheads and pimples. Activated charcoal pulls impurities out from the surface of the skin, comes with a natural boar’s head applicator, and works wonders for sensitive skin.
5. Sulfur Is Incredibly Soothing On Breakouts
Scabisil Topical Sulfur Ointment, $23, Amazon
Despite the smell, sulfur’s actually a great resource as far as soothing irritations and shrinking breakouts. This Scabisil topical sulfur ointment is made with 10 percent premium sulfur, and while it works wonders on pimples, it’s also great for things like insect bites, mites, and fungus outbreaks.
6. Strip Away Excess Skin With Papaya
skyn ICELAND Nordic Skin Peel, $45, Amazon
These Skyn ICELAND Nordic skin peel pads actually strip away the outermost level of skin with papaya fruit extract, so dead skin and dirt no longer clog the pores. It’s also filled with other great ingredients that shrink and fight pimples, and people love them because they don’t dry out skin and they’re great for on-the-go cleansing.
7. This Lump Of Cleansing Dirt In A Jar
Sol Beauty Dead Sea Mud Mask, $14, Amazon
Basically a lump of dirt in a jar, this Sol Beauty Dead Sea mud mask is shockingly effective when it comes to handling breakouts and pimples. It’s got loads of moisturizing yet bacteria-fighting ingredients that pull out impurities and dry up whiteheads, and you can use it as a weekly mask to keep things clear.
8. Fight Acne-Causing Bacteria With Tea Tree
TreeActiv Cystic Acne Spot Treatment, $19, Amazon
Really great for cystic acne specifically, TreeActiv's cystic acne spot treatment is made with all natural ingredients, the most important being tea tree. Tea tree is known to fight bacteria and reduce swelling without being overly drying or abrasive. “This mixture is smooth, pleasant smelling and works wonderfully,” says a happy clear-faced reviewer.
9. Zap Away Pimples With Heat
Ivation Acne Treatment Device, $16, Amazon
If you ever wished you could zap your issues away, this Ivation acne treatment device is for you. It uses safe heat (no chemicals or irritation) to kill the bacteria in an upcoming pimple, and it’s best used as soon as you feel the pimple start to form under the skin.
10. Use Milk And Honey To Cleanse Away Acne
Coconut Milk & Honey Face Cleanser, $17, Amazon
Honey and coconut milk make for awesome desserts, but also epic skin-clearing solutions. This coconut milk and honey face cleanser has ridiculously high reviews because it’s formulated with only natural ingredients that soften skin, fight bacteria, remove all makeup and build-up, and rejuvenate the skin with antioxidants and vitamins so that it’s healthy and clear.
11. Lavender Oil And Aloe Vera To Shrink Blemishes
Unblemished Acne Spot Treatment, $15, Amazon
This acne spot treatment from Unblemished is another all natural solution that uses ingredients like lavender oil and aloe vera — two options that, despite their ultra-moisturizing properties, actually shrink pimples instead of worsening them. It comes in a convenient press bottle, smells incredible, and works particularly well under makeup.
Images: Fotolia (1); Amazon (11)
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