There’s nothing scarier than waking up after a night of Halloween fun only to look in the mirror and see that your witch makeup is still caked on your face and your skin is now covered in blemishes. If you’re kicking yourself now for not washing your face the night before, take a breather. All hope is not lost. Luckily, there are a few tricks for restoring your skin to its clearer, healthier appearance, even after a Halloween slip-up.
The Best Acne-Fighting Skin Care Routine
While the best way to deal with acne is to prevent it in the first place, this isn’t always feasible, especially when you’re wearing Halloween makeup that you wouldn’t normally dream of slathering on your face.
Once breakouts have already happened, I recommend a few simple products, and in many cases, these are enough to restore a clear complexion. Washing with a salicylic acid gel cleanser is a great first step, as this ingredient works to exfoliate dead skin cells so that they don’t stick around and clog pores. There’s also very exciting news on the horizon! New products that aren’t antibiotics are being developed, and so far, they seem to be working amazingly for acne. I can’t talk about them yet, but stay tuned for updates!
Get a Facial
Emergencies like this may also require a good aesthetician. They will steam your face to open the pores, then use an enzyme mask to dissolve the debris in your pores and extract the makeup and other particles that are trapped there. The sooner you go, the better your chances of preventing a major acne breakout or cyst. Your aesthetician might decide that a Hydrafacial is the way to go if the pores seem impacted with debris. If you don’t have an aesthetician, call your dermatologist for a referral.
See Your Doctor
In the event of a huge hard papule on the skin that seems like a cyst, your dermatologist can give you a steroid shot to calm the inflammation. This is a great trick for an emergency pimple before an important event.
Look Beautiful While Your Skin Heals
Keep in mind, though, that acne isn’t going to go away overnight, so continue following your skin care regimen and be patient with your skin. In the meantime, if you are going to cover up blemishes with more makeup but don’t want to derail your anti-acne efforts, try these products:
Miracle Skin Transformer Acne Control: When you’re in the midst of a breakout, loading on the concealer and foundation can attract even more attention. This new tinted skin enhancer/primer contains salicylic acid to fight acne flare-ups and leaves skin with a matte finish. You just might find that this and a light foundation or tinted moisturizer can give you all the coverage you need.
Hourglass Cosmetics Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation: Oily skin often goes hand-in-hand with breakouts, and this liquid-to-powder foundation leaves a long-lasting matte finish that won’t make breakouts worse. It contains a special clay called kaolinite, which can absorb 75 percent of its weight in sebum as it hydrates the skin. And as an added bonus, it’s water-resistant.
Neutrogena SkinClearing Blemish Concealer: When you’re dealing with blemishes, why not cover them up with a product that can actually speed healing? This twist-up pen comes in four shades and features a built-in application for easy touch-ups on the go.
The Bottom Line
Don’t let the aftereffects of your Halloween costume leave you feeling down about your skin. Using the right skin care products for blemished skin, you can get your clear, smooth complexion back in no time.
Remember that acne is an ongoing battle and prevention is the key to clear skin. Once you find the right combination of over-the-counter and prescription products to keep breakouts under control, it’s important to stick with them to keep your skin in the clear. In fact, non-compliance is the main reason that patients continue to struggle with acne. So even once your acne has disappeared, continue to follow the skin care routine that is correct for your Baumann Skin Type every day to keep pimples from surprising with you a “boo!” in the future.
Dr. Leslie Baumann, M.D. and her team at Baumann Cosmetic Dermatology believe in proof, not promises. World-recognized for both cosmetic and general dermatology, our treatment strategies rely exclusively on evidence-based, scientifically verified products and procedures that promote skin health and a natural appearance. We combine effective medical procedures with individualized instruction on proper skincare, nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle in order to maximize the health of the skin and body as a whole while minimizing the effects of aging. For more, visit Dr. Baumann’s blog for daily updates Monday through Friday, or inquire about an appointment through Derm.net.