Zit Zappers

Are you suffering from spots? Do you need help to zap your zits? Whether it is the change in season breaking you out or if you suffer from hormonal spots around your period there are products which can help. They are not magic but if applied before you go to bed then by morning the spot should have calmed down and not be throbbing and sore or feel like it is growing into a volcano. If you are suffering from acne or a skin condition these products aren't going to work on your skin, you need to see a dermatologist. These are purely for single spots and need to be applied directly on the pimple and a very small area around the blemish with a clean cotton bud not fingers.

Here are a few products I have tried and tested on my spotty dotty problems in the past:

1. Benzac Benzoyl Peroxide 10% $15.99 / 50gm

10% is the strongest of the Benzoyl Peroxide creams, you can also get 2.5% and 5% treatment creams. These creams are very drying so don't put it on any areas other than the pesky spot. Although the peroxide totally kills all the bacteria in your blemish it can also stain clothing and pillow cases if you apply at night might be best to sleep on a towel to avoid ruining your favorite Laura Ashley pillow shams - trust me I am speaking from experience.

Benzac AC is available from Chemists

2. Sudocrem $4.70 / 30gm

If you have pimples which are just sore underground mine fields which never come to the surface no matter the amount of squeezing or torture this might help. It contains 17.5% Zinc Oxide which is a drawing agent, I put this thick white cream on stubborn spots over night and by morning there still will be a spot but it is not red and sore and it will have come to a head of gross.

Sudocrem is available from Chemists

3. Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel $32.00 / 15ml

This is the lightest of all the treatments containing 1%Salicylic Acid which will dry out pores over producing oil, it also contains a tone of alcohol which isn't the best for your skin. I use this gel combined with other treatments as a final step and wipe the effected area with a cotton pad.

Available from www.clinique.com.au

4. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion $26.95 /  30ml

This looks so old fashioned and like something my mum would have wiped on my mozzie bites when I was little. This is my current zit zapper of choice because it has so many zapping ingredients Camphor, Salicylic Acid, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide and Calamine. Application of this lotion is very specific, do not shake the bottle, leave the 2 formula's separated. Then dip a cotton bud into the bottle so that the you get the calamine to sooth the spot and the acid to kill the bacteria in and around the spot. 

Mario Badescu is available from www.meccacosmetica.com.au

5. Origins Super Spot Remover $19.00 / 10ml

Very high amounts of Salicylic Acid instantly starts to zap your horrible spot. It is a strong formula so after using this I always use some soothing and calming products to get the effected areas back to normal.

Origins is available from www.meccacosmetica.com

Look out for these ingredients when buying zit zapping products:

- Zinc Oxide

- Salicylic Acid

-Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA'S)

-Benzoyl Peroxide

-Clay

-Sulfur

World Beauty

This is going to be my SBS of posts, full of subtitles from exotic countries. Usually I am banging on about some French Pharmacy brand or a well known big American owned cosmetics brand, well I felt like a change and was curious about exploring what cosmetics and beauty products were popular in countries which are not the main players in the beauty biz. 

BRAZIL 

Brazillian Blow out and products  $39.95 for products Salon Treatments from $250.00

A salon treatment where your hair is smoothed and sealed with a liquid Keratin and chemical solution. Some products and treatments have been banned in Canada and European countries because of high amounts of chemicals including Formalehyde (HEAVY!). It sounds really harsh and very some products (not the salon treatments but the retail products) have been taken off the Australian market because the chemicals have been off the richter! This blowout phenomenon was massive but I don't know how popular it was in Australia apart from being offered on Groupon,Scoopon and any of the other annoying discount email companies. But my advice would not to do anything if it has been BANNED in other Countries for being dangerous and if you care looking for a permanent or semi permanent straightening treatment do your research.

CANADA

Marcelle Hypo Allergenic cosmetics

Oh Canada, Marcelle looks like an amazing skin care and makeup brand. I have never been to Canada but I think it would be quite multi-cultural like some areas of Australia, Marcelle has products for ALL skin tones! Asian babes, women of colour and very pale skinned ladies you should check this brand out. On their website they have BB cream which is offered in very dark shades -  something not many brands offer.

SWEDEN

Skinarctica from $160.00

Every Swede I have met has had beautiful skin maybe they all use this stuff? It sounds like the water from the fountain of youth in a bottle:
Antartcic Glycoprotein, Arctic Berries & Botanicals, Antioxidants, Vitamins, Essential Fatty Acids, Anti-Carcinogenic, Skin Brightening Effects this is the best part it also has 15,000 year old arctic iceberg water in it!!!!!
Don't know what that would do but it sounds like it would make you glow and turn 21 again.

RUSSIA

Infusion to restore hair oil (I think that is the transaltion) $6.00

This bottle looks great and weird, kind of like some sort of booze. It is the type of thing that if you just had it out on display in your bathroom people would maybe think you were a bit of a nut job. There are lots of reviews on this product on youtube, thats where I first saw it. It is a hair oil treatment to make your hair grow thicker and faster, does it work?
Well it does contain Castor Oil which is great for hair growth but the star ingredient is Nettle. This is the big time hair ingredient in Russia - they love it, worth a try on a regrettable pixie cut maybe.

 IRAN

Samina Halal Cosmetics

I never thought about Halal cosmetics before, but it does make sense with animal testing and animal 

bi-products being common ingredients makeup and skin care - be aware vegan/vegetarians. 

INDIA

Lakme Kajal Eyeliner Pencil $4.95
I picked this up at my local Indian variety store, and I love it! It is intensely black and very smudgy, it isn't going to be anything like your western kohl eyeliner which dries and stays in place. The formula is very soft and it gives that 'oops I slept in my make up and woke up sexy' look.

CHINA
Ballerina Tea $5.60
I have spent a lot of time in China and when over there it is very common to be talked into buying different teas and tonics to which 'make you beautiful' - they don't. I am happy about my weight most days but its winter and I like eating pies and on the weekend my friend Fleur told me about Ballerina Tea, so I bought some. It is basically a caffeine based laxative tea (I googled this only after having 2 cups and realizing I had no idea what was in it) 20mins after the 2 cups my stomach was in knots and very uncomfortable and then it happened basically a home colonic. Gross I know. If you are into this kind of thing then be prepared to be in for a poo marathon! Stay home and get comfy, send your boyfriend away for the weekend and bulk buy toilet paper!

ALASKA
Glacial Mud Masque $34.00
I recently did a post on face masks the Glacial Mud Masque would fall into the category of purifying masks, which are great for brightening your skin and degreasing blemish prone skin. Made with the most mineral-rich and pure glacial clay in the world, sustainably hand-carved from the remote waters of the Copper River Delta in Alaska and enriched with a special combination of certified organic and wildcrafted botanical extracts from the Pacific Northwest that are chosen for their moisturizing, skin-softening, anti-aging and immunoprotective properties.

JAPAN
Canmake Cream Cheek $15.00
Cute Alert! Cream blush is great for summer, it doesn't go cakey and I have even been known to apply it whilst at the beach. Canmake's Cream Cheeks are very pigmented and soft, they do the most perfect peachy pinks and roses. If you know anyone going to Japan get them to pick you some from the chemist over there because I have not seen Canmake available in Australia/Europe or America.

KOREA
Lioele Beyond Solution BB Cream $25.00
Ok Ok I will stop with the BB Creams soon. Korea was the birth place of the BB and the number one selling brand in Korea is Lioele. Don't be fooled by its cutesy pie packaging this is the heaviest coverage I have ever used on my skin - It does not leave a pore visible filling them with silicone and all sorts of other completely un-natural stuff.

AFRICA
Remedica Pure Anago  (African Black Soap) $31.85
Usually available at good health food stores, if you have extremely sensitive skin this is for you. It is a multi-tasker of a product - soap/face wash/ make up remover/Shampoo and shaving balm. Its filled with goodness : Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Plant extracts, Coco pods, Agow bark and Banana leaf.