Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
Valentine's Day is both eagerly awaited and profoundly feared. One of the trepidations many of us feel is how to make sure that we look and feel most confident and attractive on this day. So if you see a zit popping out on your face just before V-day, it can be highly stressful.
Dr. Agnes helps you to alleviate those fears with her top 5 at-home quick fix acne care remedies.
Have all of these ingredients handy before you start so you don't scramble before you need to get ready for your night out.
1. Oh Honey!
For AcnEase® clients (if you have 10-12 hours until the date), Dr. Agnes recommends one extra "kick this zit" dose of AcnEase® (six tablets), and a 20 minute pimple drying honey compress applied ONLY on the pimple itself. Remove any make-up and/or concealer first, and then dab a bit of honey on the zit using a clean q-tip. Wait for 20 minutes, and then wash it off with warm water. Do not rub or pop the pimple! It will help to dry the pimple fast.
Our Evening Primrose Mask nourishes the skin and reduces inflammation. It can be used for all skin types but is especially good for dry, acne damaged, scarred and sensitive skin. Evening primrose is rich in gamma linoleic acid and contains all the therapeutic properties of the essential fatty acids; and helps rebalance sebaceous secretions. Use the mask once a week or as desired.
Ingredients:
Open the capsules of evening primrose and vitamin E and place the oils in a bowl. If you're using oats, grind them in a grinder to make them in to a powder form. Add all the other ingredients except the rosewater. The paste should be the consistency of chocolate icing on a cake, easy to spread but not "soupy". Apply the mask to a clean face and neck and leave to absorb for 20 minutes. Relax.
Rinse off with warm water and pat-dry delicately, preferably with a cotton towel. Finish by toning your skin with the rosewater or even our chamomile astringent.
Discard any remaining mask and make a fresh batch for each treatment.
3. Oh, How Smooth You Are!
You will then need to close your pores. Chamomile is recognized as having benefits similar to that of drugs with painkiller and anti-inflammatory effects. When applied topically, chamomile can help the inflammation associated with acne.
You can make your own chamomile astringent by taking 3-4 chamomile tea bags (or 2 handfuls of the dry chamomile) and brewing a very strong (infusion) tea. When cooled, use on a cotton pad all over your face twice a day. Keep the leftovers in the refrigerator, but use or discard in two days.
4. Be a Sexy Witch!
If you have at least 10-12 hours until the date, use witch-hazel on a Q-tip 3-4 times on the pimple (no rubbing, just dab on the pimples for 3-4 seconds).
The bark and leaves are astringent; the extract, also referred to as witch hazel, is used medicinally and helps in reducing inflammation and irritations.
Again, no popping the pimple! This will create a BIG mess no makeup will cover.
5. You Are Hot Enough!
If you are a "hot and spicy" food lover - sacrifice! For about two weeks before the BIG DAY, keep away from fried, greasy and spicy food. Keep to a diet full of fresh veggies (all green leaf products are great) and fruits (those with less sugar like berries) and eat fish rich in omega 3. Also, keep from drinking too much orange juice and other juices high in sugar content.
BONUS TIP #6: Chocolate Indulgence
You've of course heard the saying, 'everything in moderation.' Well, the same holds true in the case of chocolate and problem skin. Too much heavily sweetened chocolate isn't good for your skin (but this is sugar rather than chocolate you should worry about) however, if you eat a small piece of dark low sugar chocolate every week, it's not going to have a negative effect on your skin as the chocolate (cocoa) especially dark cocoa is actually a good antioxidant - and that way you can enjoy your Valentine's Day too.