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Why is it that right before a big event, your skin decides to bless you with a major breakout? Luckily there are quick and easy solutions to help reduce that breakout, whether before that big event or just on a regular day. Haute Beauty expert Dr. Mara Weinstein spills the details on two common methods: face masks and pimple patches.

Face Masks

A great way to soothe the skin, hydrate, and bring some life back to your skin is by using a face mask weekly. Face masks don’t have to break the bank though! There are several over-the-counter and online that can get the job done and then some!

• The Exuviance Detox Mud Mask is great for oily skin. It has French clay, charcoal, and niacinamide to help absorb excess oil, calm redness and balance the skin’s PH.
• Farmhouse Fresh has a wonderful line of facial masks for different skin types and goals. The Guac Star mask has glycolic acid, avocado, copper, and tons of vitamins.
• Differin Detox + Soothe Mask warms and cools to help soothe the skin as well as reduce excess oil and minimize the appearance of pores.
• Versed Doctors Visit Instant Resurfacing Mask has lactic and glycolic acid and pineapple and papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate the dead skin and trap bacteria.

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Pimple Patches

Pimple patches have made quite the debut over the past few years. So much so that multiple brands are on the shelves as we speak! Like all skincare, pimple patches are not created equal. So here are a few things to look out for and tips for using pimple patches. Look for a pimple patch brand that contains:

• Salicylic acid: This helps to kill bacteria at its source. Salicylic acid works wonders for breakouts, but many individuals can’t tolerate it all over their faces. So a small pimple patch is perfect!
• Hydrocolloid: This helps to contain the “gunk.” It helps to extract the bacteria and create a barrier so that other bacteria can’t get in and reinfect the breakout.
• Retinol: This helps to stimulate cellular turnover. Which is great for a breakout. This will help to reduce the swelling in the breakout and help to flatten it as well.

Tips when using pimple patches are super easy and might not be what you think about handling a breakout.

• Cleanse your face before applying the pimple patch,
• Make sure the area is dry,
• Apply your patch to the individual breakout(s),
• Apply your moisturizer around the patches to the rest of your face
• Remove the following day, cleanse your face and apply your daily SPF (crucial for helping to protect the skin against scarring.

Some important points to remember: Do not apply a pimple patch over the same spot over and over. This will dry out the area so much that you will create irritation, redness and scarring. The breakout will look 10X worse and be harder to cover up with makeup. Instead, apply a moisturizer directly to the healing breakout. This will help to jumpstart the healing process after the bacteria has been taken care of. Some of my favorite pimple patch brands are Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Blemish Patches, Mighty Patch, and Peace Out Acne Patches.