How To Use An Acne Spot Treatment

Acne spots tend to pop up when you least expect it. This is particularly true for special events, you’ll find that days before these events, these spots choose to come along for the ride. Thankfully, there are a few products that you can use to help speed along the healing process. At the very least, these methods will help it flatten faster so it doesn’t give you any bumpy skin texture and you can cover it with a little bit of concealer. Here is how to use a spot treatment.

Two Ways To Spot Treat

The first way is to apply your spot treatment as close to the skin as possible. The idea behind this is that you want fewer layers between your actives and your skin to get the best results as other layers of skincare may dilute the efficacy. Immediately after cleansing, you’ll want to tone your skin. Adding hydration back into the skin will do so much more than drying out the skin will ever do for your acne. The skin is designed to heal itself, and the skin needs hydration to function properly. Pat a hydrating toner onto the skin and allow to soak in until the skin is damp. At this point, you’ll want to apply serum/cream textured spot treatments. For example, Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic acid. Using your ring finger, tap this product into the skin and allow to dry for a few seconds until completely absorbed. You can use this time to apply an eye cream if you have one in your routine. Once dry, finish with your other skincare products as normal.

The second method involves using your spot treatment as the last step in your routine. The idea behind this is to make sure that your spot treatment doesn’t spread all over your face into areas you don’t want potent products (such as around your eyes). This can be very helpful if you’re using oils and spot-drying lotions. To do this, cleanse your skin as normal, and complete your skincare routine. Once done, dab the product on your spot or use a Q-Tip to minimize contamination. Personally, I prefer this method (for everything except serum-type products). As we mentioned before, this creates a buffer between your active ingredient and your skin, this is especially helpful to those with sensitive skin because it minimizes irritation.

Which is your favourite method?