You know the vibe. Everything is smooth sailing until that big date, that first day at your new job, or that vacation. Then, boom. Your miraculous clear streak ends with a brand-new pimple. We breakout-prone know the drill.
Not all breakouts are created equal, so we’re sharing our top DIY pimple masks for those emergency moments when you need to spot-treat one of three offenders:
When the summer heat and sunscreen are making a negative impact on the skin, we need to lightly exfoliate, hydrate, and refresh. The lactic acid in yogurt gently eats away at dead skin and surface debris, while the enzymes from strawberries dig a little deeper to clear out the blackhead itself. Strawberries also naturally contain salicylic acid, which softens up those tougher blackheads for easy extraction. Your skin will feel super soft and smooth.
Mashed Strawberries and Yogurt for Blackheads
Ingredients
One teaspoon of plain, unsweetened, full-fat yogurt
½ large strawberry, mashed or pureed.
Instructions
Mix together and apply to the affected area, leaving on for 20 minutes. You can apply it to the entire face for a refreshing and exfoliating mask, as well. Just make sure to patch-test prior.
For those classic pimples that you really wanna pop but you know that will only make it worse, attack them with something strong followed by something soothing. Cue: aloe and classic tea tree. Tea tree oil is extremely antimicrobial, and aloe is hydrating, soothing, and reduces redness and inflammation.
Aloe Vera and Tea Tree Oil for Whiteheads
Ingredients
2-3 drops of tea tree oil
1/2 teaspoon aloe vera to dilute
Instructions
*Only use as a spot treatment; do not apply to the entire face.
For those truly annoying, final boss-level pimples, this little hack is crucial. Aspirin reduces redness, inflammation, and noticeable swelling on contact. Only use it as a spot treatment.
Aspirin and Water for the Deep Underground Cystic Pimple
Ingredients
1-2 aspirin, crushed into a fine powder. Use the back of a spoon on a cutting board.
A few drops of purified water—mix to make a paste.
Instructions
You’ll only want to use this one as a spot treatment, and certainly not if you have an aspirin allergy! Can be applied overnight.
Shop our skincare collection:
Up next, be the first to know our weekly content and sign up for our Poosh newsletter.
