If there was ever something to make a stressful situation more stressful, it’s a last-minute pimple that seems to pop up out of nowhere and toss your confidence down the drain.
 
Even worse is when that already stress-filled situation is a prom or graduation ripe with photographers documenting every move or when all you want to do is give off an air of mature competence at an interview, ideally without looking like a hormonal teen.
 
Whether you or your nieces or nephews are gearing up for graduations, interviews, proms or anything else spring ushers in, don’t let a last minute breakout spoil the day. Instead, check out these three quick and easy DIY remedies that will calm and sooth a pimple naturally and without any lingering redness – and all without having to add a stressful run to the drugstore to your to-do list.
 
Tea Compresses
Steep a caffeinated tea bag in a couple of tablespoons of hot water for 5-7 minutes. Squeeze excess from tea bag before discarding. Refrigerate liquid until chilled. Saturate cotton pads with liquid and apply as compresses to reduce inflammation and redness.
 
Yogurt Mask
Spot treat a clogged pore with a dab of full fat Greek yogurt. The lactic acid will help break down the dead skin cells clogging your pores while the probiotics balance your skin’s bacteria. Let the yogurt dry for 15 minutes before rinsing. Your blemishes will be less raised, less red, and considerably less obvious.
 
Lemon + Sugar Scrub
If skin is dull and clogged, mix equal parts of lemon juice and white sugar and use gentle circular motions to exfoliate cleansed skin for 30 seconds. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. The citric acid will help dissolve clogged pores and kill bacteria while the sugar scrubs away oil, dirt, and other pore clogging grime. Just be sure not to use this on broken skin.

Photo: Courtesy of The Beauty Bean
Published: May 13, 2013