STYLE

Oh no…you can see the first signs of a massive zit peeking from under your skin. Naturally, you lean into your mirror to kill it by squeezing it until your face can’t bear it any longer…but STOP! Resist the urge to pop: You could cause some serious damage! Check out these tips on how to get rid of icky zits without hurting your precious skin.

Here’s the deal: touching your zit with your fingers is off limits! Doing that causes bacteria to get into the already afflicted area and can make it a hundred times worse. Squeezing a pimple can cause bleeding or, even worse, scarring that might cause permanent damage to your skin. So, instead of being impatient and squeezing that sucker (no matter how tempting it is!), let your zit heal itself with the help of these products and tricks. 

1. Open those pores
The first thing to do when a zit appears is to treat it quickly. Start by opening your pores. Dampen a washcloth under warm water and lay it over the area for about 60 seconds.

2. Cleanse it
Apply your favorite facemask to the zit (with clean fingers, of course) and let it be for a few minutes before washing it off.

3. Apply a zapper
After patting the area dry, apply a spot treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide to the area, like Glossier's new Zit Stick ($14). The on-the-go pimple zapper pen dries clear, which means it can be applied anytime throughout the day, up to three times a day until the pimple is gone.

4. Let it breathe
To get rid of a nasty zit, it’s best to not try and cake on makeup, so let it be and distract yourself. Avoid looking too long in front of mirrors, as this is the easy way to get suckered into squeezing.

5. Paint your nails
Grab your fave polish and give yourself an at-home mani. You can’t squeeze when your nails are wet!

6. Braid your hair
Keep those digits busy by trying out a new style in your hair like a French braid, milkmaid braid or just a classic side braid.

7. Text your BF or BFF
Get sucked into a conversation with your crush or BFF instead of staring into the bathroom mirror!

8. Pinterest
The ultimate way to distract yourself when you are fixed on a zit is Pinterest. Period.

9. Make a snack
Try actually making that healthy snack that you saw when you were trying out tip #8 or ask Mom if she needs any help with dinner.

10. Watch beauty blogger videos
If you’re feeling in a rut about your zit, check out beauty tutorials online. A fun way to learn new tricks to cover up a breakout is to watch the video pros do a tutorial. Good luck!

by Samantha Wilson | 4/14/2019