For some people it’s a battle, for me it’s an ongoing war.

My skin is fairly good, not overly oily and not usually too dry (unless I’ve been obsessively scrubbing my face and over experimenting with cleansers) but unfortunately I am faced with reappearing acne as well as blemish marks that don’t seem to completely disappear. The problem areas for me are my chin, forehead and that annoying area between the eyebrows. Every time I seem to have a breakout or giant rebel pimple under control I discover a fresh set or new pesky pimple has popped up overnight. *face palm*

Over the years I have bought a LOT of different products and tried all sorts of DIY remedies and tricks that I had researched on the internet. I’ve tried a wide range of cleansers, scrubs, toners, face masks, spot gels, tea tree oil, tea tree moisturiser and vitamin tablets. I’ve tried putting toothpaste on problem areas. I’ve tried slathering honey on my face. I’ve tried olive oil (that one was a bit tricky) and I’ve even tried rubbing ice cubes over my face in a circular motion (that one is pretty good for calming down the red and itchy pimples though it doesn’t make them magically disappear). So with all my efforts and purchases what have I discovered?

Ultimately, with everything I’ve tried and all the time and effort I’ve spent on my pimples there has always been one giant obstacle that has caused me to fail time and time again – me. I give up early, I get lazy or my enthusiasm simply fizzles out. Sound familiar? Hot weather, exercise and that time of the month also seem to work against me. Add it all up and yes, another fail.

This year I have decided to fight for my skin and keep acne and blemish marks at bay as much as possible for as long as I can. The latest range of products I have added to my collection is the tea tree range from The Body Shop. I’ve had success in the past (until I got lazy) with the Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion and the tea tree oil so I thought I would try them again but this time with the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion and Tea Tree Face Mask.

It’s been a couple of weeks and so far I am loving the mask! Aside from feeling like I could audition for the role of Elphaba from Wicked (the green wicked witch of the west) based on looks alone, the mask feels pretty good. It doesn’t dry out my skin and isn’t as restricting like some mud or clay based masks can be. Eg; I didn’t feel like the mask was going to crack every time I smiled or pulled a random expression in front of the mirror. I will definitely keep using this product.

Five things I have learnt that have and haven’t worked for me over the years:

1. Consistency is key, laziness is not.
2. Pimples take a lot of work and using only one product or method does very little for me. a daily face scrub, a lotion, spot treatment and a mask more than once a week seems to be working as well as the odd drop of tea tree oil for those really prominent or raw pimples.
3. The tea tree mask works well not only as a 10-15 minute mask but also as a spot treatment (just don’t forget to wash it off before leaving the house). It also doesn’t hurt my skin if I leave a light layer on parts of my face overnight. (I haven’t been game enough, for the sake of my pillowcases, to put too much on before I sleep.)
4. It is really hard to not touch your face when you know you’re not supposed to. I always get told “don’t touch them!” “Don’t pop them!”
5. Lemon juice doesn’t work on my skin and neither does toothpaste.

Aside from temporary quick fixes like makeup I am yet to find a 2 minute permanent solution for acne. Therefore, it is up to me to keep at it and march on towards the frontline in my war against pimples. To my pimple-riddled comrades I say good luck and don’t give up!

T

Please note: the author of this article is in no way providing you with step by step instructions to fighting acne but is instead sharing her personal experiences and insights with you with how certain products and methods have worked on her skin. It is up to you to find the right product or routine that works for you.