Recently I've suffered a minor breakout attack on my chin. It was that "time" of the month, I ate a bunch of crap on the weekend and voila... zit central. I will say that I don't usually get many breakouts, but the odd one does pop up. I usually cause a scar because I just can't leave it alone!
This time I haven't squeezed, but instead effectively treated them. I had about 3 zits in one spot on my chin, which was rather annoying. First I cleansed and very gently exfoliated the area with a washcloth. I've alternated between Origins Checks and Balances cleanser and my good old Aveeno Face bar. Next I dab a little bit of Tea Tree Oil directly on the spot.
If I need to cover it, I've been using my Clinique Redness Solutions Mineral Powder, followed by the tiniest amount of MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, with more of the powder on top. I think that putting a creamy concealer directly on the spots could clog the pore further, so I prefer a mineral powder directly on top of the problem. If I am not going out anywhere major and just need fair coverage, I will avoid concealer and just use a small brush to tap mineral foundation such as MAC Mineralize (or this Bare Escentuals set seems cool) on the spots. Mineral powder is natural so I would see being gentler on the breakout and it seems to help dry the spot.
I think that the most common problem I see out there is people using harsh products on their entire face when they only have small amounts of breakouts in certain areas. Sometimes they dry and irritate their entire face. I would prefer to be gentle on the skin, and spot treat with active ingredients (such as salicylic acid and/or tea tree oil) on pimples. I would use a gel like this one from Murad, or any other trusted acne line. Please avoid any roller-balls or applicators that have a wand you re-use and this is what we makeup artists call cross-contamination (meaning the bacteria can get inside the product and grow, gross!). Use a q-tip to apply directly to pimple and discard.
Also, when covering acne with makeup, cover the spots more carefully, but leave the good skin alone. I've seen some wear a thick mask of foundation on their entire face, when really they just need to conceal spot-by-spot. If mineral powder isn't enough for you, go for a concealer (like this one from Clinique) made specifically for covering pimples. If you still want to wear your usual foundation, I might try a special primer, such as Cover FX Clearprep Face Primer on areas of breakouts. This has active ingredients to treat the problem areas, plus it creates a thin layer of protection between your skin and the foundation.
I hope this helps! Feel free to comment below on any other products you have found helpful to zap zits.
