STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

dc · Dooney & Bourke

the zit that wouldn't die

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

Try heat. If it doesn't have a whitehead this should help. I usually use a heating pad (I've tried a hot wash cloth but it doesn't say hot long enough). Leave it on for at least 10 minutes. It should help along the process (ie bring on a whitehead).

Tara · Dooney & Bourke

dc wrote:

UGH! My skin is normally fairly combination, sometimes it's actually really good and glowy, sometimes sort of greasy, but "that time of month" I get one or two zits that are a) quite prominent; and b) indestructible.

DC - it sounds like we have very similar skin types. I typically have blemish free skin until my "time of the month" where my 3rd eye decides to show face....so I can relate. I will tell you my super remedy: neosporin. Honestly, put a big 'ol glob of this stuff on your pimple before you go to bed. When you wake up, it will be drastically reduced. It may take ~2 nights to get it to go away, but this is the only thing that has worked for me.

hotcocoa · Kate Spade

i have two recommendations:

in the past i've used mario badescu drying lotion and it truly is a miracle worker. you have to apply a dab at night though since it leaves a pink dot where you apply it. it typically works overnight or within 2 nights.

so, i acidentally dropped and broke my drying lotion bottle (it's glass) a month or so ago when a giant blemish appeared on my face and decided to try the tea tree oil that had been sitting in my cabinet for a while and it worked wonders too. it smells a little strong (okay, a LOT strong) but one little dab and i swear, it works within a day.

mario badescu i've purchased at nordstroms (although i'm sure you can get it elsewhere)
tea tree oil can be found at the health food store

dot · Marc Jacobs

for the ones that can't pop - I recommend Buffering Lotion by Mario Badescu. I shake it up, squeeze out a few drops to the palm of my hand then rub into the whole area where the pimple is.. not just the spot. It really works. The drying lotion and cream sell a little (I think there is sulfur in it), but the Buffering Lotion is it for me. I had a patch of big cystic zits on my chin for a while and this really helped.

hotcocoa wrote:

i have two recommendations:

in the past i've used mario badescu drying lotion and it truly is a miracle worker. you have to apply a dab at night though since it leaves a pink dot where you apply it. it typically works overnight or within 2 nights.

so, i acidentally dropped and broke my drying lotion bottle (it's glass) a month or so ago when a giant blemish appeared on my face and decided to try the tea tree oil that had been sitting in my cabinet for a while and it worked wonders too. it smells a little strong (okay, a LOT strong) but one little dab and i swear, it works within a day.

mario badescu i've purchased at nordstroms (although i'm sure you can get it elsewhere)
tea tree oil can be found at the health food store

dc · Dooney & Bourke

You girls are awesome - I'll be sure to grab a couple of those to have them on hand and find out what works for me. For the time being, i didn't have time to get to a store, so I am going to try Tara's neosporin trick, perhaps in combination with heat.... Wish me luck! (be gone, evil little zit!)

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

wow, these are all such great ideas! here are a few methods that've worked for me:

retin-A: this r.n. recommended it to me in college and it took my normal/sometimes breakouts during that time-of-the-month skin to radiant/glowy/seriously perfect skin. it was awesome. i ran out a while ago and haven't been to the doctor to get more...i should really get on that...

kiehl's blue herbal spot treatment: just shrank up this pimple in the middle of my cheek right up. but i think this has mostly salycylic acid in it and you said that wasn't working right?

nars mud mask: makes my whole face feel and look better.

hth and let us know what worked!

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

dc, did you find any tricks that worked?

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

I second the neosporin

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Grace... well. it went down, but not really ahead of schedule or anything. But at least it didn't get worse!

Now I have... ANOTHER! Right under my nostril. Ew. Luckily it's kind of shaded by my nose.

I need to do something. I am too old for this!

halleybird · Hermes

I have the exact same skin (although I think the pill does help), and I get pimples in the exact same places! They're the same type of pimples, too. I always wondered what to call them, b/c they're not cystic, or whiteheads, etc. Weird, huh?I hate when I get them under my nose, but the ones on the lower cheek/mouth area take the longest to heal. Maybe I'm just a slow healer.

Neosporin has never really helped me much, but I know people swear by it. The only thing that works for me (and it works only sometimes) is to dab Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask on it. But it's not a guarantee for me. Good luck!

Elle · Hermes

I've found that on top of all the topical treatments, taking a multi-vitamin also helps my skin heal and repair itself faster.

blubirde · Chanel

halleybird wrote:

I have the exact same skin (although I think the pill does help), and I get pimples in the exact same places! They're the same type of pimples, too. I always wondered what to call them, b/c they're not cystic, or whiteheads, etc. Weird, huh?I hate when I get them under my nose, but the ones on the lower cheek/mouth area take the longest to heal. Maybe I'm just a slow healer. Neosporin has never really helped me much, but I know people swear by it. The only thing that works for me (and it works only sometimes) is to dab Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask on it. But it's not a guarantee for me. Good luck!

Yep, me too. Mint Julep mask overnight (just a dab) on the spot and it's better in the morning. Sometimes, that is.

My mom also swears by toothpaste but I don't know if it works. I've never tried it.