The 9 Skin-Care Products Beauty Editors Use to Help Heal a Breakout
A few weeks ago, we shared the skin-care products beauty editors turn to when the feel a breakout coming. But what about once it's on its way out? A healing pimple is a whole different situation — and it requires an entirely separate batch of soothing, redness-quelling, scar-thwarting, hyperpigmentation-preventing ingredients and products.
Beauty editors know the importance of keeping skin properly moisturized to prevent excessive oil production, relying on antibacterial ingredients to help the healing process and incorporating science-backed brightening serums to ward off dark spots. Ahead, nine experts share their tried-and-true ways to heal a breakout for calm, clear, even-toned skin.
Topicals Faded Serum, $38, available here: "Lately, I've been using these whenever I'm healing a breakout. I need something quick and effective. GRWN Skincare Microneedle Patches are promising for healing breakouts. If I'm still left with hyperpigmentation, I use my Topicals Faded cream to treat the marks." —Asia Milia Ware, Beauty and Fashion Writer, New York Magazine's The Cut
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum, $145, available here: "Even when I don't pick them, my breakouts tend to leave dark spots behind more often than not. To help combat these, I usually opt for a vitamin C serum, like The Good C from Dr. Barbara Sturm, along with plenty of sunscreen to prevent them from getting even darker." —Tiffany Dodson Davis, Beauty Commerce Editor, Harper's Bazaar
Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, $28, available here: "When healing any type of skin inflammation, including a breakout, I always hit my face with a liberal spritz of Tower 28 SOS Spray. It's made with hypochlorous acid, a naturally antibacterial ingredient that's gentle and doesn't dry out my skin like most acne treatments, but helps spur the skin's repair systems. When I've been picking or have a post-acne flakiness, this stuff resolves it fast. I keep a refill jug in my medicine cabinet." —Megan Decker, Beauty Editor, Refinery29
Yon-Ka Paris SOS Spot Blemish Treatment, $38, available here: "I rarely get a blemish, as I'm super proactive if I feel something coming on. If I do, I've had success in eradicating them quickly with no after-marks by applying Yon-Ka's SOS Spot Blemish Treatment, which has antibacterial tea tree oil, then good ol' Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment, containing salicylic acid." —Gwen Flamberg, Executive Editor of Beauty and Style, Us Weekly
Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Micropoint for Blemishes, $13, available here: "When my breakout is in need of some tender love and care, I always stick on a pimple patch to help it flatten and heal without the worries of bacteria getting all up inside it. My faves are the Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Micropoint for Blemishes." —Beth Gillette, Beauty Editor, Cosmopolitan
Lancer Triple Peptide Drops with Vitamin E + Niacinamide, $125, available here: "Once my zit has chilled out a little bit (and is out of the "danger of popping" zone), I'll use this serum for about a week. It's got niacinamide to calm inflammation and defend against discoloration, vitamin E to keep my complexion moisturized (which is important to prevent my dry skin from overproducing oil and creating more breakouts) and peptides to promote healthy cell renewal." —Zoë Weiner, Senior Beauty Editor, Well+Good
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, $17, available here: "I'm obsessed with Mario Badescu Drying Lotion because it truly works. Whenever I see a pimple, I rely on the sulfur in this cult-favorite lotion to help cleanse my pores. I apply it before bed for several days and, before I know it, the breakout is greatly reduced. Admittedly, the sulfur smell is a bit strong, but I don't mind; the stinker the smell, the better it works." —Deena Campbell, Beauty Director, Marie Claire
Skinfix Barrier+ Skin Barrier Restoring Gel Cream, $48, available here: "I always just like to make sure I'm keeping the area moisturized with something light that won’t clog my pores or make my skin any oilier. This one has definitely come in handy for me in those cases." —Danielle Jackson, Beauty Editor, Women's Health
Sofie Pavitt Mandelic Clearing Serum, $54, available here: "I include chemical exfoliation in my nighttime skin-care routine. I toggle between Sofie Pavitt Mandelic Serum, because it's effective yet gentle, or Biologique Recherche P50 PIG400. I use this iteration of the cult-favorite toner because it's formulated to minimize hyperpigmentation and I'm prone to post-inflammatory dark spots (even if I don't pick my pimples)." —Erin Lukas, Deputy Beauty Editor, The Zoe Report
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