If like me you have a small seizure when faced with a new spot, you are most likely thinking of what you can do to get rid of the offensive piece of shit. With everybody’s skin so dramatically different to one another and speculation that spots on certain areas of the face represent different things, it’s hard to find a solution that works perfectly for everyone.
Contrary to popular belief, smothering your face in an array of spot fighting/anti aging/moisterisng creams doesn’t necessarily make your skin any better. Too many products will confuse therefore irritate your skin leaving it the same if not worse than before. Experts always say to give products a chance to adapt to your skin so find a routine you can manage and let it get to know your skin like you get to know girls on a night out in the toilets.
There is one cream though which seems to be the holy grail of spot reduction for many women across the world. It’s not a face wash neither is it a toner or a moisturiser. It’s not placed on the ‘haha you got spots’ shelf in the supermarket and you won’t find it at the beauty counters in department stores. You will however find it down the baby aisle.
Sudocrem!!
Sudocrem is an antiseptic healing cream most popular for its use on treating nappy rash and eczema. The ingredients used are:
- Zinc oxide, which reduces the loss of tissue fluid
- Benzyl benzoate and benzyl cinnamate, which are ingredients of Peru Balsam (an aromatic resin extracted from the plant Myroxylon balsamum pereirae, known for its healing properties)
- Anhydrous hypoallergenic lanolin, an emollient which soothes and softens skin
- Benzyl alcohol, which has local anaesthetic and antiseptic properties that help to reduce discomfort
You will notice that benzyl benzoate and zinc oxide especially are frequently used in specialised spot treatment creams and high end facial products which further promotes the positive use of Sudocrem on ones face.
I’m not a pharmacist nor a beautician so I don’t know the ins and outs of why certain products work well to fight acne and other skin conditions but from experience and many conversations with other women, sudocrem has helped significantly in drying out problem areas and reducing any redness to the skin.
Used at night before bed, applying a generous amount over spots or areas of irritation will ensure that the skin looks more even and refined with any spots either disappearing completely or at least smaller in size. My friends often do Sudocrem masks once a week to protect the skin from infection and soothe the skins surface after a long day of makeup and general dirt.
I haven’t yet found a downside to using Sudocrem for my spots which is delightful. Sometimes you find a product that works well for one problem but then creates another. I’ve used concealers which hide my spots like magic whilst simultaneously giving me more. Catch 22 – what a life.
You can buy Sudocrem in different sizes ranging from £2-5 depending on where you go. A cheap price to pay for beautiful skin.
If you already have a skin routine in check, I suggest using Sudocrem only when you notice spots on your face. If your skin Is relatively clear already there is no need to apply it every night although as mentioned it will help reduce redness if you suffer from blotchy or uneven skin tone. It is rather greasy regardless of its gentle properties so using it at night is best. Besides, it’s white in texture so you’d look like a bellend walking around with random splodges all over your face. Unless you’re my friend Charlotte who absolutely doesn’t give a shit and does it anyway.
So there you are, a not very insightful way to help blast those spots off your face and help your skin glow. I apologies if you were hoping I’d delve into the skins anatomy and explain life as we know it but at least I’ve told you that Sudocrem does work as a last minute solution at a cost we can all afford. Could buy that and a cheeky Nandos and still have change from a 20. Safe