The mark of a good product is whether you buy it and like it.  But a great product is one that you buy again, and again, and again.  Maybe you even put it on auto-ship because you cannot live without it.  The Empties is a column about those products.

Today’s topic?  Acne quick fixes.

It’s no secret that even at 40-1/2, I still have acne.  (The best part of pregnancy was that my skin mostly cleared up.)  And as I confront the rigors of working the Legislative session — less sleep, full-face makeup, lots of salt and sugar — my acne has flared.  My right cheek looks like a slow moving brush fire of clogged pores and dark marks.  But last week, I finally caved and bought two of my favorite products to get me out of this jam.

Dr. Jart Clearing Solution Sheet Mask // When I’m at war with my skin, this $9 sheet mask is the first weapon in my arsenal.  For maximum results, I exfoliate with a Buf-Puf.  Removing the dry skin and opening up the pores helps the serum in the mask penetrate more deeply.  Then, I lay the mask on my skin for 20-30 minutes, as I watch TV and sip a water, all while praying that Sloane stays asleep for just a little while longer.  Once the mask is removed, I massage the remaining serum into my skin and head to bed.

Without fail, I wake up the next morning looking less red, less inflamed, and with less acne than before.  Sadly, the mask doesn’t work as well as a preventative.  But if the breakout has already begun, 1-2 applications will kick it to the curb in days.

Dr. Jart makes other sheet masks for different skin concerns.  I keep a stash of Wrinkless sheet masks for special occasions when I want my forehead to look smooth and youthful.  (I also cut up the leftovers and lay them on my hands and wrists.)  And when my skin is red and sensitive, I turn to their Cicapair Repairing Mask.

ZitSticka Hydro-Colloid and Micro-Dart Patches // Sometimes, the blemish that’s annoying me is just beneath the surface.  When that happens, I use The Killa Micro-Dart Patches.  They have spiny little teeth that help them reach below the surface to draw out the gunk that’s clogging the pore.  These patches are pricey, so I buy the largest size, which reduces the cost from $4 per patch in the four-pack to $3 per patch.

For regular blemishes, I don’t buy the small hydrocolloid dots.  Instead, I buy Zitsticka’s Face Map Patches and cut to fit.  This a great solution for when one large blemish begets smaller ones nearby.  Usually 1-3 nights is all it takes to draw the clog out of the pore and open things back up.  They also work on ingrown hairs.

You can apply makeup over the dot patches.  It adheres fairly well, but I usually just wear them at night, so this isn’t something I do regularly.

How many times have I bought the Dr. Jart sheet mask or the ZitSticka patches?  I have them both on auto-ship.  If there is a more ringing endorsement, I don’t know what it would be.

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