Even if you're drinking water,getting enough sleep and squeezing in a bit of exercise, breakouts can be super sneaky. Nothing is more frustrating than having a wedding or job interview and having to deal with bad skin. Like many things in life, it might take a little patience (and some trail and error) to figure out how to get clear skin, but if you're pressed for time and are looking for easy, affordable, or DIY options, here are 14 tried and true ways to get your best skin ASAP!
DIY Your Own Face Mask
Whip up a spa-worthy mask right in your own home using strawberries and some Greek yogurt to help smooth bumps and unclog pores. Smooth it on, kick back, and try not to eat it all up.
Hydrate!
A dry face is much more prone to wrinkles and breakouts, FYI. Simply washing your face before you sleep and applying a rich, non-comedogenic lotion (like the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, $20) will make a huge difference in the look and feel of your skin.
Don't Pick
Whatever you do, resist the urge to squeeze. It is tempting to pick and pop at a pimple, but that can lead to permanent scarring and further breakouts. If it's really bothering you, try covering the spot with a warm washcloth or an acne patch!
Use A Clarifying Face Mask As A Spot Treatment
If you're someone who only suffers from the occasional pimple, you can use your fave face mask as an overnight spot treatment. Choose a heavy-duty skin-saver likethis Peter Thomas Roth mask, pop it on your pimple before bed, and wake up to see it almost completely gone.
Wash Your Face
Always wash your face before bed! If you're not washing away all the dirt, sweat, and makeup from the day, you're asking for a breakout. Stash cleansing wipes (like this $15 set ofCetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths) on your nightstand for nights when you're too tired to move.
Use A Sheet Mask
Sheet masks serve up a ton of nourishing hydration to your skin and are a mega chill way to relax. Grab a pack like the Celavi Essence Facial Sheet Face Mask Variety Set, that way you can have different masks for different purposes.
Spot Treat For Clear Skin
Before bed, use a spot treatment containing a combination of sulfur and salicylic acid. Try the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion to kill bacteria and clean out the pores. After cleaning your face, use a Q-tip to apply a spot treatment directly to any budding blemishes.
Use a Clay Mask
The ingredients in the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Maskpenetrate deep into your skin and clean out excess oil and bacteria. This can also double as an exfoliator to open pores and get rid of the gunk clogged inside!
Soothe With Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is famous for treating wounds and scars and also acts as a remedy to rid of acne fast. Apply Seven Minerals Organic Aloe Vera Gel or juice on spots and let dry for about one hour before washing it off with warm water.
Apply An Acne Patch
Acne patches are awesome because you just apply them before bed, and they work wonders while you sleep! They come in cute shapes and colors, or you can grab a plain one if you want to cover it with a bit of makeup to wear during the day. Some of our faves include Mighty Patch Hydrocolloid Acne Pimple Patches and Truly Beauty #Heart Your Imperfections Acne Patches.
Use Honey
A great natural solution for clearing up sensitive skin, honey moisturizes skin and is non-irritating. Plus it's full of antibacterial properties, helps soothe skin, and reduces irritation.
Get Clear Skin With Aspirin Or Baking Soda
Image via engin akyurt/Unsplash
Dissolve an aspirin in a little water and then apply the paste to the spot for no more than five minutes. The reason this works is that aspirin and baking sodacontain the same acid that many acne treatments use to exfoliate dry skin and decrease redness, according to Livestrong.
Steam It Out
Put your face in a NanoSteamer 3-in-1 Facial Steameror over a bowl of boiling water and let the steam moisturize it for two to three minutes. This helps in removing dirt, dust and oil from the pores of the skin without aggravating pimples.
Ice It
Rub anice cube all over the area for about two minutes before applying an acne cream or a DIY face mask. Bonus points if you use these cuteheart-shaped molds for your ice cubes!
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This post has been updated.