Vichy Normaderm Concentrate: God bless you spot zapper

The Bettabuys man had chosen the wrong day to come a knockin at my door.

It was one of those mornings. I was still in my pajamas, running late for work, and to make matters worse had woken up with TWO huge zits on my chin.

"Do you have catalogue?" he enquired.

Now if anything is certain to grind my gears it is people who drop unwanted and unasked for catalogues through the door and expect you to have them ready for collection. To be honest I find it difficult to locate my keys when I'm leaving the house. And as Beaut.ie Dad never tires of telling me "Sure you couldn't find your arse in the dark." Avon have already been warned never to darken my door again, as have Kleeneze. But this was a new Bettabuys man and he was unprepared.

I had a look around in the likely places. "No, I can't find it".

He had a face on him.

"I'll have another look"

I looked and looked and couldn't find it. I returned to the door.

"Nope. I'll have to leave it out for you"

He stood his ground "But I need catalogue. I will not leave without it."

"You'd better call the guards so" I said crossly. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd take me off your list."

"I will" he said, stung by this . "And I will be back this evening to collect. I hope very much to see catalogue on window."

As soon as he left I went into the kitchen to make tea. Where I instantly saw the catalogue in the fruit bowl. So that problem was sorted.

But I was left with the utterly distressing fact of the spots. For once I decided not to pick or squeeze and actually take some of the advice we dish out about the disgusting zits so regularly. Read the spots archive here if you are afflicted - it's brilliant. We've tried everything.

So I knew the best medicine was to do nothing. Apply a thin layer of spot cream in the morning and evening and leave it at that. Oh it was hard though.

I had rooted through my bathroom cabinets the night before and found a tube of Vichy Normaderm Concentrate. (Around €10 I think, it was ages since I got it).

Vichy say:"4% concentration of Salicyclic Acid SC in order to 1. BREAK UP the layers of dead skin cells accumulated on the surface, to reduce and absorb imperfections while drying them out without irritating the skin. 2. REGULATE sebum production locally in order to stop eruptions at their source. Effectiveness observed within 24 hours. Diminishes redness, reduces the volume of eruptions and reduces imperfections."

I say: Bingo - it works! The spots are receding! They are definitely conceding defeat and retreating behind enemy lines.