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Filled with active ingredients, consider this your full guide to the best spot treatments available right now.
Over the past few years, acne and spot stickers have been popular (and effective) choices for treating and protecting blemishes from infection and trauma. They’ve been a helpful barrier that stops idle fingers from making them worse and they often come in fun designs. What they haven’t done is replaced the demand for efficacious spot treatments.
A type of product that comes in a variety of formulas, from liquid to gel and creams, spot treatments can be applied directly onto the blemish – even ones that don’t have a ‘head’ yet.
In terms of active ingredients found in spot treatments, Parisa Bahramian, skincare specialist at Estetica Clinic, explains that salicylic acid is commonly found in spot treatments as it can be used in the morning and evening: “salicylic acid is vital for targeting blemishes and can even help with rebalancing oily skin.”
Another ingredient commonly included is niacinamide, which among its many skin benefits, works to reduce redness and inflammation in blemish-prone skin.
Bahramian explains: “niacinamide helps to regulate sebum production in the skin and therefore improves congested skin and blemishes, among its many other skin benefits.”
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How to use a spot treatment
It’s always best to read the product directions before applying a spot treatment, but typically, most spot treatments should be applied before bed as they need time to be left to dry. Plus, it helps avoid having to navigate your day-to-day activities with quickly-drying pink spot treatment splotches on your face.
If you prefer to wear them during the day, gel formulas often don’t need any drying time and can be used underneath makeup.
Below, we round up our pick of the 11 best spot treatments.
Kate Somerville EradiKate Blemish Treatment
This blemish treatment is formulated with 10% sulphur, which when applied, dries out the surface of the skin to help absorb excess oil that may have contributed to already present or future blemishes. The pink-tinted concentrate should only be applied to the affected area.
Shop Kate Somerville EradiKate Blemish Treatment at Cult Beauty, £24
buy now
Murad Deep Relief Blemish Treatment
Murad’s Deep Relief Blemish Treatment works well for all skin types. It features a blend of ingredients to help soothe and clear blemishes, including salicylic acid, ginger root extract and ground cherry extract, known for calming redness and discomfort in deep blemishes. The treatment can be used both morning and night and should always be left to dry.
Shop Murad Deep Relief Blemish Treatment, £40
buy now
Medik8 Blemish SOS
For anyone that prefers a treatment that doesn’t leave the skin looking visibly dry, Medik8’s gel treatment offers the same results with an invisible finish on the skin. It can even be worn underneath makeup. The formula includes salicylic acid, which is best known for its decongesting and exfoliating properties, and niacinamide, which is great for soothing irritated skin.
Shop Medik8 Blemish SOS, £20
buy now
The Inkey List Succinic Acid Blemish Treatment
This rich cream works at reducing the look of inflammation caused by blemishes. It’s a great treatment for on-the-go use and can be applied up to three times per day.
Shop The Inkey List Succinic Acid Blemish Treatment at Lookfantastic, £5.99
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Typology Targeted Blemish Serum 2% Salicylic Acid + 1% Zinc
This vegan blemish serum is formulated with salicylic acid to treat spots and breakouts, with results beginning to show after three days. Use in the evenings only.
Shop Typology Targeted Blemish Serum 2% Salicylic Acid + 1% Zinc, £22.99
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Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur + Niacinamide
Formulated with sulphur, niacinamide and zinc PCA, this spot treatment mask gets to work on preventing any new blemishes from appearing while leaving the area feeling less congested and refreshed.
Shop Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur + Niacinamide at Cult Beauty, £20
buy now
Dr Jart+ Teatreement Soothing Spot Corrector
This soothing spot corrector is exactly what you need to soothe the look of breakouts and for removing any oily sebum that may be the cause of future blemishes. Using a cotton swab, dab the treatment onto the specific area for best results.
Shop Dr Jart+ Teatreement Soothing Spot Corrector at Lookfantastic, £15.30
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Malin + Goetz 10% Sulfur Paste
Malin + Goetz sulfur paste is best for targeting blemishes overnight, and thanks to its inclusion of zinc oxide, it aids the healing process and helps prevent scarring.
Shop Malin + Goetz 10% Sulfur Paste at Cult Beauty, £19
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Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel
This small but mighty gel blemish treatment quickly works to prevent and fade blemishes. The formula includes active ingredient saw palmetto, which can help to nourish and hydrate irritation on the skin.
Shop Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel at Boots, £17
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Dr Dennis Gross Skincare DRX Blemish Solutions Breakout Clearing Gel
This breakout treatment gel boasts a powerful blend of salicylic acid, AHAs and monk’s pepper to help diminish the appearance of breakouts and redness for skin that looks visibly clearer and smoother.
Shop Dr Dennis Gross Skincare DRX Blemish Solutions Breakout Clearing Gel at Beauty Bay, £40
buy now
La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I. Breakout Corrector
This fast and effective breakout corrector works best for oily and blemish-prone skin. It helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes and marks that may have been left.
Shop La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I. Breakout Corrector at Boots, £13
buy now
Main image: Getty
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