Blemished/acne skin need two-week fix

[BellaHadidHere]

I suffer from adult acne. I'm currently sporting a bloody whopper on my cheek but I'm confident it'll disappear soon.

However, my acne leaves horrible blemishes- flat red things- all over my chin and going up my cheeks.

In two weeks, I'm going to be filmed and I'm desperate to make my skin look as good as possible.

I use an acid night cream every four days or so.

I wash my face with Hibiscrub twice a week.

I use sensitive moisturiser and don't put any of my chin/acne bits

I use a dab of tea tree oil when I get a new spot

I use Sudocrem occasionally on red scars

I don't wear make-up as such, just a tinted moisturiser with concealer on the spots where necessary.

Tell me, beauty wizards of MN, what can I do to try and get rid of these horrible marks? Or at least cover them up for my 15 minutes of fame?

Thank you so much!

Hopeful bump

Have you been to the GP OP?

I'm no beauty expert as I don't wear much make-up myself, it used to be that you needed a green tinted base to take away redness?

Would you be abe to book a make-up trial at a department store or something?

Watch Lisa Eldridge's video on covering acne scarring. The products she recommends are really good. You could use the Dermablend foundation wherever you need it if you didn't want to buy too many new things.

What are the actual products you are using and how are you cleansing? Hibiscrub is much too harsh. You need to be gentle. I'd also ditch the tea tree and the Sudocrem. Get The Ordinary 2% Salicylic acid to dab on new spots instead.

I suffered from Acne late 20's to mid 30's. Nothing worked, except for the treatment from a dermatologist, after many a visit to the GP! However, I learnt to do less (I dumped all the washes and so call over the counter medicated products, including my Clinique) and pulled back from using any products, as they were too much, too harsh and my skin did far better being left to heal after medication. However, I covered up scars and red marks using green concealer, applied via a very fine paint brush, so on the marks and then a light foundation over all the face. I changed my pillowcase every night, towels for face every day and made sure I kept my hands off my face. I had an antibiotic topical lotion and retin A, if I remember rightly, which made it worse to start with, but then it was uphill all the way. Not saying this will work for you, but please go see a specialist, it is the only way imo.

Salicylic to spot treat. You can look at the Ordinary Azelaic Acid as well. Cosrx do great products for acne/oily skin.

Stop scrubbing your face with harsh cleansers! Research a good oil cleanser followed by a low ph cleanser.

Oil cleanser: Heimish All Clean Balm, Body Shop Camomile Balm Cleanser for example.
Low ph: Cosrx good morning cleanser, La Roche Posay Toleriane cleansers, anything gentle, low or non foaming.

Undiluted tea tree oil is far too harsh. Consider Rosehip oil which has healing properties. You can mix a couple of drops in with your moisturiser.

Can’t comment on makeup as I don’t really use.

For future reference you need 2 months to clear up acne. At this point I would reccomend you immediately get antibiotics from your GP and cover your spots in honey (tea tree oil can make it worse). Wait until it settles down (probably a week). Then use Beauty Pie Fruitizyme 5 minute facial to try to clear up your complexion as much as possible. On the day get a good primer and full coverage foundation/concealer. Good luck!

Oh and I second PP re changing pillow case/duvet cover (if you get it in your jaw line) every night.

Thanks folks. I was on antibiotics for it years ago but I stopped once it cleared after a couple of years. I also used Quinoderm (sp?) for a while which is OTC and made it dry but did help.

I know I need a longer term solution but ATM, I just need a quick fix ready for my filming in a couple of weeks.

I use Nivea BB tinted moisturiser at the moment.

I'll check out everything you've all suggested, thank you.

Any other ideas, please keep them coming!

I started using Sudocrem and Hibiscrub after recommendations on here

Stop using harsh stuff on your face and try just using water to wash. Honestly. I used to use everything under the sun to try to stop my skin being greasy, and it took me a long time to realise I was making it far worse.

Can you afford new foundation and concealer? You might find a trip to a good make up counter (Clinique?) helpful to get some excellent cover up product

If you can get to the GP ask about Soolantra cream. This has literally cleared up my horrible huge spots overnight! You can use it for up to 3 months.

Have you tried acnecide OP? It works wonders for me and spots disappear really quickly.

Stop using Hibiscrib for starters!, ignore that advice , it’s barking mad.

Nourish your skin, don’t strip it if its oil. Double cleanse with LRP products and look for advice from Dr Sam Bunting ,a Dermotologist who provides informative You Tube tutorials.

I am coming out the other side of acne treatment.

I wash my face (double cleanse) twice a day with lush angels on bare skin cleanser and use dermalogica active moist as it’s oil free and doesn’t cause breakouts.

I changed my pillow case every single day to stop the bacteria in my face spreading overnight.

I was prescribed duac (the strongest one) to use at night which cleared my skin up in a week and my skin was bad and very painful.

Oil free products, no B.B. cream.

Dermablend went really patchy on me, urban decay or kiko give excellent coverage or bare minerals anti blemish range are great for covering scarring/active acne.

I've mentioned this a few times on MN but I suffered from adult acne for my whole 20s and early 30s. A few months ago I started using Rosehip Oil (from Amazon) as my moisturiser and it has revolutionised my skin. I don't use anything else, just cleanse and rosehip oil morning and night and it has worked wonders. And it's cheap!

I have acne too and also get the flat red marks after (because I pick, I think).

Funnily enough I also use Nivea BB cream. However for being filmed I would use foundation. I wore Estee Lauder Doublewear Light for my wedding and it did a great job of staying put and giving a base layer of coverage over any marks.

Concealer. My go to concealer is Mac Select Moisturecover. I have it in two colours for different seasons (and because my neck and jawline is always pale). I would recommend it.