Spots. Acne. Pimples. Whatever you call it, it's a blighting problem for anyone who suffers from them. It doesn't matter if it's just one annoying pop-up before a first date, or full-blown red constellations that aliens might confuse for the Milky Way - they affect confidence and are a major irritation.
Help, though, is at hand. There are many options, from commercial skincare to topical and oral medication, and cosmetic procedures. While Zara tries laser treatment for her skin, I'm giving one more shot at products. I've been trying two sets of cleansers and moisturisers: Champneys' brand new Calming Skincare, and Dr Nick Lowe's Anti-Blemish range...
This month marks the debut of Champneys' Calming Skincare - hot on the shelves merely days ago! I've been lucky enough to get my hands on both the Purifying Foamy Face Wash (£7.50, 150ml), which claims to use a 'triple action complex' with astringent iris, soothing zinc and exfoliating vitamin A to re-balance oily skin, and the Purify & Balance Moisture Lotion (£15, 40ml), a day cream with UVA/UVB blockers, anti-inflammatories and mattifiers.
The verdict? The foam is rather fun to use, but can leave the skin feeling tight as foamy/gel cleansers often do, and so must be followed up with the moisturiser. The lotion is dispensed sparingly, like a serum. It's quite strongly fragranced, which initially made me wary as I tend to prefer unperfumed products to lessen any potential irritation. However I did not react to this, and it did help keep my skin matte.
I really think it did help calm the skin slightly - my existing spots did not budge at all, but it lessened the number of new eruptions.
Dr Nick Lowe's bestsellers include his Sebum Control Cleanser and Oil Control Day Cream (£9.74, 200ml and £14.63, 50ml respectively, or £19.48 as a set). With proven ingredients such as natural exfoliant salicyclic acid, vitamins and arnica, the cleanser can be used without water, while the non-comedogenic cream also provides UV protection. The website claims that "after 6 weeks of Anti Blemish regime, tests show that blemishes and spots are visibly reduced and skin texture improved".
The verdict? The cleanser really doesn't resemble any conventional soap - a clear, medicinal liquid that has to be swiped on with a cotton pad, it visibly lifts off grime in a way that really most resembles Clinique's Clarifying Lotions. Yet it leaves a bit of a sticky residue on the skin, which feels more like you're layering things on rather than just removing the dirt. The day cream is good though - quite rich, so you only need a bit at a time, and a little goes a long way. No change with my spots yet, though.
Being much more swayed by science over holistic claims, I was much more inclined towards the Dr Nick Lowe before trying both sets (Dr Nick Lowe's website links to dermatological sources and scientific claims). However in terms of results, I saw fewer breakouts with the Champneys.
For the best routine, though, I've found that mixing the products or a double cleanse actually works the best! I now use the Champneys foamy cleanser to remove makeup, followed by the Dr Nick Lowe cleanser as a toner to remove any extra debris and to leave a layer of active ingredients on the skin, and then use the Champneys lotion in the mornings/Dr Nick Lowe moisturiser at night (yes, I know it's a day cream, but it works just as well under the moon). Of course, what works for one person's skin may not work for another, but for now, who said science and therapy don't mix?
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