Beauty Front Benchers
Trying to sculpt your face? These 5 beginner-friendly contouring hacks will help
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Few things are as frustrating as waking up to a red, angry breakout—especially when you've been religiously double cleansing and moisturising. But even with the best skincare routine, acne flare-ups can sneak up on anyone (usually at the worst possible time). The key is to stay calm and—no matter how tempting it is—don't pick at it. What you need is a solid action plan—and that’s where we come in.
Calming a flare-up isn’t about going on the offensive—it’s about creating an environment where your skin can heal. Treat it like a pissed-off friend—listen, soothe and don’t throw ten things at it at once. The more patient and consistent you are, the quicker your skin will bounce back.
Whether it’s hormonal, stress-induced or a mysterious bump that’s popped up out of nowhere, here’s exactly how to soothe your skin and calm the inflammation ASAP.
Centella has been a K-beauty staple for centuries, and for good reason. This mask calms redness, soothes inflammation, and delivers hydration without the heaviness. Infused with green tea, it also strengthens your skin barrier—making it the perfect gentle but effective reset for stressed-out skin.
When your skin is in crisis mode, less is more. Seriously. Your instinct might be to double-cleanse, exfoliate, mask and spot-treat like you’re leading a skincare SWAT team—but overdoing it can make things worse.
Instead, tweak your skincare routine to cater to the flare up. Start with a gentle, non-foaming cleanser that doesn’t strip your skin (look for calming ingredients like centella asiatica, oat extract or glycerin). Follow it up with a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturiser—yes, even if you have oily skin. The goal is to maintain your moisture barrier, not fry it.
Think of this step as putting your skin on airplane mode. Let it breathe and recalibrate without the interference of actives or overly complex routines.
Inflamed, red and painful pimples? Grab an ice cube. No, really. Icing a breakout can visibly reduce swelling and soothe irritation in seconds. Wrap an ice cube in a soft cloth or use a chilled jade roller and gently press it onto the pimple for 1–2 minutes. It’s especially helpful for those under-the-skin, cystic spots that feel like they have a mind of their own.
You won’t magically erase the zit (if only that were possible), but it can look and feel less angry, making it way easier to resist the urge to pop or poke.
Once your skin has had a day or two to rest, it’s time to bring in a targeted treatment—but tread lightly. The goal isn’t to burn the breakout off your face, it’s to reduce inflammation and support healing.
Look for products with ingredients like
Niacinamide which is a multitasking MVP that reduces redness, controls oil and supports your skin barrier.
Azelaic acid is great for both acne and post-acne pigmentation (bonus!).
Zinc is a gentle anti-inflammatory that helps regulate sebum and calm irritation—often found in soothing spot treatments or moisturisers designed for sensitive, acne-prone skin.
PS: Avoid combining too many actives at once—no need to play chemist. Stick with one targeted treatment in the evening and let it work quietly in the background while you sleep.
We understand that one pimple is just begging to be squeezed. But picking or popping it might feel satisfying in the moment, but the regret (and inflammation) will haunt you for days. There is a reason this is one of the big skincare no-nos
Touching your face—especially with unwashed hands—transfers bacteria and oil that can worsen the flare-up or cause new breakouts. Plus, messing with a zit ups your chances of scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
If you absolutely need to do something (because you're only human), try a hydrocolloid pimple patch. It keeps your hands off and helps draw out gunk overnight. Some even come in cute designs—because if you’re going to walk around with a sticker on your face, it might as well be a star.
Like us, if you also believe that prevention is better than cure, then this point is for you. Yes, skincare is key—but sometimes flare-ups are more about what’s happening inside than what’s on your shelf. It’s about the choices you make and how those affect your skin. For instance:
Stress ramps up cortisol levels, which can increase oil production and kickstart breakouts.
Sleep deprivation messes with skin regeneration (and pretty much everything else).
Dairy or high-sugar diets can also be potential triggers, especially for hormonal acne.
We’re not saying you need to green-juice your way to clear skin, but being aware of these triggers can help. So, make better choices—a short walk, a full night’s sleep and even skipping that third coffee can make a surprising difference.
When your skin is in crisis mode, less is more. Seriously. Your instinct might be to double-cleanse, exfoliate, mask and spot-treat like you’re leading a skincare SWAT team—but overdoing it can make things worse.
Instead, tweak your skincare routine to cater to the flare up. Start with a gentle, non-foaming cleanser that doesn’t strip your skin (look for calming ingredients like centella asiatica, oat extract or glycerin). Follow it up with a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturiser—yes, even if you have oily skin. The goal is to maintain your moisture barrier, not fry it.
Think of this step as putting your skin on airplane mode. Let it breathe and recalibrate without the interference of actives or overly complex routines.
Inflamed, red and painful pimples? Grab an ice cube. No, really. Icing a breakout can visibly reduce swelling and soothe irritation in seconds. Wrap an ice cube in a soft cloth or use a chilled jade roller and gently press it onto the pimple for 1–2 minutes. It’s especially helpful for those under-the-skin, cystic spots that feel like they have a mind of their own.
You won’t magically erase the zit (if only that were possible), but it can look and feel less angry, making it way easier to resist the urge to pop or poke.
Once your skin has had a day or two to rest, it’s time to bring in a targeted treatment—but tread lightly. The goal isn’t to burn the breakout off your face, it’s to reduce inflammation and support healing.
Look for products with ingredients like
Niacinamide which is a multitasking MVP that reduces redness, controls oil and supports your skin barrier.
Azelaic acid is great for both acne and post-acne pigmentation (bonus!).
Zinc is a gentle anti-inflammatory that helps regulate sebum and calm irritation—often found in soothing spot treatments or moisturisers designed for sensitive, acne-prone skin.
PS: Avoid combining too many actives at once—no need to play chemist. Stick with one targeted treatment in the evening and let it work quietly in the background while you sleep.
We understand that one pimple is just begging to be squeezed. But picking or popping it might feel satisfying in the moment, but the regret (and inflammation) will haunt you for days. There is a reason this is one of the big skincare no-nos
Touching your face—especially with unwashed hands—transfers bacteria and oil that can worsen the flare-up or cause new breakouts. Plus, messing with a zit ups your chances of scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
If you absolutely need to do something (because you're only human), try a hydrocolloid pimple patch. It keeps your hands off and helps draw out gunk overnight. Some even come in cute designs—because if you’re going to walk around with a sticker on your face, it might as well be a star.
Like us, if you also believe that prevention is better than cure, then this point is for you. Yes, skincare is key—but sometimes flare-ups are more about what’s happening inside than what’s on your shelf. It’s about the choices you make and how those affect your skin. For instance:
Stress ramps up cortisol levels, which can increase oil production and kickstart breakouts.
Sleep deprivation messes with skin regeneration (and pretty much everything else).
Dairy or high-sugar diets can also be potential triggers, especially for hormonal acne.
We’re not saying you need to green-juice your way to clear skin, but being aware of these triggers can help. So, make better choices—a short walk, a full night’s sleep and even skipping that third coffee can make a surprising difference.
When your skin is in crisis mode, less is more. Seriously. Your instinct might be to double-cleanse, exfoliate, mask and spot-treat like you’re leading a skincare SWAT team—but overdoing it can make things worse.
Instead, tweak your skincare routine to cater to the flare up. Start with a gentle, non-foaming cleanser that doesn’t strip your skin (look for calming ingredients like centella asiatica, oat extract or glycerin). Follow it up with a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturiser—yes, even if you have oily skin. The goal is to maintain your moisture barrier, not fry it.
Think of this step as putting your skin on airplane mode. Let it breathe and recalibrate without the interference of actives or overly complex routines.
Inflamed, red and painful pimples? Grab an ice cube. No, really. Icing a breakout can visibly reduce swelling and soothe irritation in seconds. Wrap an ice cube in a soft cloth or use a chilled jade roller and gently press it onto the pimple for 1–2 minutes. It’s especially helpful for those under-the-skin, cystic spots that feel like they have a mind of their own.
You won’t magically erase the zit (if only that were possible), but it can look and feel less angry, making it way easier to resist the urge to pop or poke.
Once your skin has had a day or two to rest, it’s time to bring in a targeted treatment—but tread lightly. The goal isn’t to burn the breakout off your face, it’s to reduce inflammation and support healing.
Look for products with ingredients like
Niacinamide which is a multitasking MVP that reduces redness, controls oil and supports your skin barrier.
Azelaic acid is great for both acne and post-acne pigmentation (bonus!).
Zinc is a gentle anti-inflammatory that helps regulate sebum and calm irritation—often found in soothing spot treatments or moisturisers designed for sensitive, acne-prone skin.
PS: Avoid combining too many actives at once—no need to play chemist. Stick with one targeted treatment in the evening and let it work quietly in the background while you sleep.
We understand that one pimple is just begging to be squeezed. But picking or popping it might feel satisfying in the moment, but the regret (and inflammation) will haunt you for days. There is a reason this is one of the big skincare no-nos
Touching your face—especially with unwashed hands—transfers bacteria and oil that can worsen the flare-up or cause new breakouts. Plus, messing with a zit ups your chances of scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
If you absolutely need to do something (because you're only human), try a hydrocolloid pimple patch. It keeps your hands off and helps draw out gunk overnight. Some even come in cute designs—because if you’re going to walk around with a sticker on your face, it might as well be a star.
Like us, if you also believe that prevention is better than cure, then this point is for you. Yes, skincare is key—but sometimes flare-ups are more about what’s happening inside than what’s on your shelf. It’s about the choices you make and how those affect your skin. For instance:
Stress ramps up cortisol levels, which can increase oil production and kickstart breakouts.
Sleep deprivation messes with skin regeneration (and pretty much everything else).
Dairy or high-sugar diets can also be potential triggers, especially for hormonal acne.
We’re not saying you need to green-juice your way to clear skin, but being aware of these triggers can help. So, make better choices—a short walk, a full night’s sleep and even skipping that third coffee can make a surprising difference.
