The 5 Problem Skin Treatments That We Always Return To

Spots, blemishes, break outs - call them what you will, the fact is we don’t want them. As teens, break outs are part and parcel of life but when it’s still going on in your 20s and 30s… it gets a little demoralising to say the least. I battled with terrible skin from the age of 11/12 with harsh jibes such as "pizza face" being thrown my way on more than one occasion. Good skin became the holy grail and thankfully I can now say that after many years, mine seems to have settled into it's own little rhythym where it behaves most of the time and only rarely has a freak out.

Sadly, as we get older, skin becomes unable to heal itself as quickly as teen skin can meaning red marks and scarring can take longer to fade. Luckily, the cosmetic industry has taken this fact on board creating products for people in their 20s and 30s which not only help to banish the blemishes but also treat the surrounding areas with care. I've tried and tested a lot of different products over the years including cheap and expensive offerings but there a few core ones that I return to when the going gets tough.

First up are two of my favourites from Origins: Super Spot Remover (€19) is an on-the-spot gel which dries out the offending article quickly and efficiently, reducing redness along the way. A word of advice though, use this sparingly as it is pretty powerful!

Within the same collection are the Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads (€31) designed to be a daily exfoliating treatment. Over all, these are gentler than the Super Spot Remover (which is more of a targeted treatment) so can work over a larger area of skin making them particularly good in the run up to certain times of the month/stress etc or continuously if you find it's a constant battle.

My love of La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo + (€17.99) was noted earlier this week but I also really rate Nimue Purifer (€39.20); which can be used in a variety of different ways such as an on the spot treatment, an over night mask or as a preventative measure on areas that you have a feel might have a break out looming (i.e. cheeks, chin etc).

My last pick is Neal’s Yard Clarifying Mahonia gel (€18.29). What I like about this is that it dries quickly, forming a barrier on the skin so can be used during the day underneath foundation & concealer.

I'd love to hear whether you love these too or have other recommendations, so please feel free to leave a comment down below!