Zit Fix! The 3 Best Spot Treatments

I have had acne off and on since I was about twelve.  Unfortunately it's been mainly "on" and very rarely "off."  I have tried so many different acne products both prescription and over the counter with little success.  There are a few products that are worth sharing though :)

If you have acne often or even if you only get a "spot" rarely, the best strategy may be just to treat each spot.  Often using a strong or drying product on your entire face will cause more harm than good.  These three use a variety of active ingredients to help you get rid of zits faster.

The first is Murad's Acne Spot Treatment.  This baby is $16 for a little tube that will last for a very long time.  It is very soothing and effective at reducing the swelling and pain of a zit while helping it heal faster.  Here are the claims straight from Sephora, "High performance ingredients, such as sulfur and salicylic acid, reduce the appearance of blemishes while supporting natural cell turnover. Zinc and licorice root extract help support natural healing. This product is dermatologist developed."  I just barely ran out of this and I will miss it.  The only downfall is that it is a little smelly due to the sulfur.

The second product is a glycolic acid acne spot treatment called the Zit Zapper from Perfectly Posh.  This is also a small tube with the same amount of product as the Murad treatment.  It also will last forever!  This acid is great for getting rid of the dead skin cell plugs and oil that causes zits, blackheads and whiteheads.  It can shrink some zits in a matter of hours!  The claim straight from Perfectly Posh "Aggressively exfoliates clogged pores to reduce duration of blemishes."

The third product is actually a mask but I liked it a lot better as a spot treatment as it was a little too drying for my entire face.  It is Proactiv's Skin Purifying Mask.  This product was great for making you feel like you were instantly shrinking and drying out your zit.  It also always made them heal up in about half the time that they would heal in without this treatment.  The mask uses sulfur, kaolin clay and tea tree oil to clarify skin and kill bacteria.  The claims from Proactiv "Containing sulfur medicine and kaolin clay, it draws out impurities, reduces excess oil, and keeps pores clear, helping prevent new breakouts. It also soothes and calms skin as it reduces redness, irritation and blotchiness."
These three have really helped me with my skin when I was desperate to fix a nasty spot or two (or three).  :)  I hope they will help you out too!
What are your favorite acne fixes?  I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Gift Guide 2014 for the Beauty Obsessed

I love all of the beauty gift sets that come out around this time of year!  There are so many affordable options for sampling high cost brands.  I found a few that really intrigued me, and that had high reviews, to put together this post.

Two years ago I bought a benefit gift set at a great price and I was so excited about it.  I actually ended up hating all of the products, but I was so glad that I was able to try them at well below full price.  After that experience I have started looking at reviews closer and trying to find products that will work for me.

All of the products above had high reviews :)

1. Too Faced Bronzer Wardrobe Collection $22 Sephora

This set comes with four bronzer shades, including two of Too Faced's famous chocolate bronzers and a brush for applying.  It has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on sephora.com the most common complaint is that the packaging is cardboard.  I don't really care what it's in as long as it is amazing :)

2.  Benefit The Real Steal $24 Ulta

The Real Steal features the cult favorites They're Real mascara and Push Up liner and They're Real remover, the liner has an amazing applicator for precise liner.  The set is rated 4 out of 5 stars on Ulta.com.

3.  Caviar Stone Bracelet $14 Vanity

I know this isn't technically a beauty item, but I wanted to include some pretty jewelry too.  This bracelet is from Vanity.com and I think it is stunning.

4.  EOS. A Ray of Holiday Sunshine Rachel Roy $6 Ulta

I can't get over this price for 3 EOS balms!  The trendy balm's moisturizing properties are up for debate in the review section, but they still earned a 4.5 out of 5 rating.  At this price it would be a great way to try them.

5.  Sephora Favorites Spray of Sunshine Fragrance Sampler For Her $24 Sephora

I read about what a great deal these samplers were over and over again last holiday season.  The set includes samples of multiple high end fragrances.  You use the samples and determine which is your favorite, you then turn in a card that is in the sampler for a rollerball of your chosen fragrance.  The reviews were favorable with the exception that you can only get the rollerball at a Sephora store that is not in JCP.

6.  Tarte Golden Days and Sultry Nights Amazonian Clay Collector's Shadow Palette $24 Sephora

The colors in this palette are so gorgeous!  They apply as more of a sheer shade and are not as dramatic as they appear in the palette.  The palette itself is gorgeous and contains full size shadows.

7.  Gem Stone Head Wrap $9 Vanity

This wrap has some nice chunky stones that would be gorgeous for any dressy look.

8.  Sexy Hair Voluptuous Volume $16 Ulta

Pump up the volume in your hair with Spray and Play hairspray and Root Pump Plus, this kit has a perfect 5 out of 5 stars rating with two rave reviews.

9.  Beaded Dream Catcher Earrings $7 Forever21

These are the most gorgeous earrings in my book!  They have beautiful details and are perfect mini dream catchers.  There are a lot of other pretty jewelry options on F21's site.

10.  Sephora Collection Bronzed and Blushing Face Palette $15

A large mirror and three decent sized powders come in this kit.  The blushes and bronzers are super pigmented and a little goes a long way.  This set has a 4.1 out of 5 star rating on Sephora.com.

11.  NYX Butter Lip Gloss Sugar Rush Set $10 Ulta

These lip glosses are very hydrating and non-sticky and come in three yummy flavors.  This set has a 5 out of 5 star rating on Ulta and the Butter Lip Glosses have a 4.5 rating.

12.  BareMinerals Beauty Obsessed $25 Ulta

This kit comes with trial sized eyeliner, mascara, bronzer and blush duo, and lipgloss.  The set has a 4.5 out of 5 star average rating on Ulta.com.

13.  Faux Crystal and Feather Pendant Necklace $5 Forever 21

I really like the look of these stacked single pendant necklaces that is trendy right now.  I also love the boho feel of the crystal and the feather on this one.

14.  Lorac Party Eyeshadow Palette $24 Ulta

This palette is so pretty!  The shades are super pigmented and shimmery.  Perfect for a party!  It is brand, spankin' new so there are no reviews on Ulta, but searching online I found a rave review and it was enough to convince me to keep it in this guide.

Do you have a beauty wish list this holiday season?  Let me know in the comments below.