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There’s nothing worse than waking up to a breakout of spots you didn’t see coming, especially if it’s ahead of a big day, like a wedding or interview.
Dealing with angry, red, inflamed and often sore is something I have a lot of experience with, thanks to hormonal acne. From whiteheads to blackheads, cysts to papules, I’ve seen and dealt with them all my entire life.
However, as a beauty journalist, I’m often testing products and deciphering what’s worth your money, so one of my areas of expertise is spots.
My biggest tip? If you’re acne-prone like me, don’t overcomplicate your skincare routine with a million products. Instead, keep things simple; stick to a gentle cleanser, a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser and of course, daily sunscreen.
Then, when a breakout occurs, introduce a spot treatment into the mix and try your best to stay patient. Luckily for you, I have a small but mighty selection of spot treatment products that actually work, from brands you probably already know and love, such as The Ordinary, Byoma and Paula’s Choice.
Here’s why they’ll always have a spot in my routine (no pun intended)…
Byoma Blemish Clearing Paste
In 2025, Byoma launched a dedicated blemish range, featuring a cleanser, face mist, moisturser and this gem.
Its clearing paste is amazing at dealing with the red ring of doom that makes all my spots stand out.
Don’t be put off by the thought of smearing a paste on your skin; this creamy formula contains salicylic acid, which unclogs pores, kaolin clay absorbs excess oil and sebum, and the camphor and kojic acid prevent dryness and post-blemish marks.
While it has a peachy grey colour when first applied, this disappears once blended and reduces visible redness immediately.
It has a texture-smoothing, matte finish, too, which makes it easier to cover up with concealer.
I love, love, love this stuff – you only need a tiny bit for each spot, and despite often dealing with multiple breakouts at a time, it’s lasted me months.
Purifide By Acnecide Power Pimple Patches x36
Sometimes, you just can’t help squeezing spots.
It won’t do you any favours, and more than likely, will just make them worse.
As someone also guilty of this, the best solution is these spot patches.
There are 36 in a pack, which will last ages, and are ideal for both preventing you from touching them and speeding up the healing time.
Each patch contains salicylic acid, centella asiaticam and Canadian willowherb, which not only unclog pores, but also soothe inflammation simultaneously.
I love that they come in two different sizes, are very discreet and have a strong enough adhesive that they actually stay on without sliding around, but don’t leave any marks when you remove them.
Pop them on a clean, dry face and leave for up to six hours.
If I’m working from home, I’ve always got at least one on.
The Ordinary Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate
I’d be remiss not to mention this innovative spot treatment from The Ordinary. I
t’s a clever white powder that, when gently applied to a spot, blends into an invisible, matte cream that immediately minimises that annoying shiny head some spots have.
Containing 10% sulfur, it absorbs excess oil and calms redness, which has an almost immediate improvement on a breakout.
Even though I have sensitive skin, I can apply this multiple times in a day without any irritation.
It’s a brilliant beauty bargain.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner
A cult beauty product for good reason, this exfoliating toner is a great first line of defence against persistent spots.
Like most of the products on my list, it contains salicylic acid – one of the most effective ingredients for blemishes – and is designed ot be applied by soaking a cotton pad.
I like to sweep it across my T-zone a couple of days a week, as that’s where I see the most oiliness, blackheads and cysts.
It basically works by sloughing off dead skin cells and the sebum that clogs your pores and causes the spots.
It comes in larger sizes, but if you’ve never tried it before, I’d recommend starting with the smaller 30ml bottle and see how you get on.
COSRX Master Patch X-Large
These are the big guns when you’re trying to manage multiple breakouts in the same area without losing your mind.
Each patch is extra-large, so it can cover a larger area, and get to work on them all at the same time.
Any larger cysts or whiteheads almost exclusively appear on my chin, and I find this much more economical than trying to use multiple smaller patches.
They’re hydrocolloid patches, which means they absorb excess fluid, like oil and sebum, inside your spots, and help take the swelling down.
I typically wear them overnight or when working from home, as the size means they are less discreet.
When I take them off after a minimum of six hours, my spots have reduced in size, are less red and easier to cover up with makeup.
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