Say goodbye to blemishes: 8 tips that truly help

If you 've been battling pimples and blemishes for a long time, you probably know the feeling: You try one product after another, spend hours researching online, buy new serums, peels, or masks – and yet the next morning, the same stubborn pimple is still sitting in the mirror. It's frustrating.

The truth is: For clearer skin, you don't always need more products, but rather the right ones that you use consistently. Your skin primarily needs support, not overload.

The following eight tips are not a miracle cure overnight, but if you implement them regularly, you will gradually see real improvements.

1. Start the day with a gentle cleansing

In the morning, a mild cleansing is sufficient to remove sweat, excess sebum and residues of night care – a strong cleanser is often too much.

A sulfate-free cleanser with a skin-friendly pH cleanses thoroughly without drying out or tightening the skin. This creates the perfect base for your subsequent skincare routine and avoids unnecessary irritation that could worsen breakouts.

Recommendation: Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser – a gentle, amino acid-based foaming cleanser that moisturizes the skin and is ideal for sensitive skin.

2. Clean twice in the evening

Even if you're tired, you should always cleanse your face in two steps in the evening. During the day, makeup, sunscreen, and dirt accumulate on the skin, which can otherwise clog pores and promote inflammation.

Start with an oil-based cleanser that gently removes makeup and sunscreen. Then use a mild, water-based cleanser that thoroughly removes residue without drying out your skin.

Recommendation: Numbuzin No.1 Easy Peasy Cleansing Oil for the first step and Medicube Zero Pore Foam Cleanser for the second cleansing.

3. Watch out for pore-clogging ingredients

Sometimes the problem isn't that your skin is lacking something, but rather the ingredients in your products. Heavy oils, waxes, or overly rich fats can clog pores and cause blemishes, even if products are labeled "non-comedogenic."

Look closely at the ingredients and avoid anything that's too heavy for your skin. You'll noticeably get clearer skin.

4. Strengthen your skin barrier

The skin barrier protects your skin from external irritants. If it's weakened, pimples develop more easily and healing takes longer. That's why it's important to focus on hydration and barrier-strengthening ingredients and avoid harsh products.

Ceramides, fatty acids, cholesterol, and soothing ingredients like snail mucin, centella, green tea, or panthenol help your skin become more resilient and calmer. A healthy skin barrier also ensures that other skincare products work better.

Recommendation: Cosrx Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream – with 92% snail mucin, soothes and regenerates sensitive skin, absorbs quickly and is non-greasy.

5. Exfoliate gently – but don't overdo it.

Exfoliation can have wonderful effects on acne-prone skin, but too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect. Harsh scrubs, strong acids, or daily exfoliation irritate the skin , increase redness, and even promote new blemishes.

Therefore, it's best to use a gentle chemical peel once or twice a week and carefully observe how your skin reacts. Less is definitely more here. Korean peels are often particularly mild and frequently come in convenient toner pads.

Product recommendation: Medicube Zero Pore Pad – contains natural AHA and BHA acids that gently exfoliate the skin without drying it out. They refine the complexion and are ideal for enlarged pores, oily skin, or stubborn blackheads.

6. Spot Treatments – Your Secret Weapon

Don't apply aggressive acne products all over your face; instead, concentrate them on the areas that really need them.

Spot treatments with active ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, sulfur or salicylic acid help to reduce pimples faster and are gentle on the rest of the skin.

The timing is crucial: the sooner you apply a spot treatment to a developing pimple, the more effective it will be.

7. Identify personal triggers

Acne is not only caused by skincare products. Stress, lack of sleep, diet, hormonal fluctuations, or even soiled pillowcases can promote new breakouts.

Pay attention to patterns in your skin condition by keeping a small skin diary and noting when blemishes occur and what may have triggered them.

Knowing your personal triggers allows you to make targeted changes – such as changing pillowcases more often, adjusting your diet, or doing more for your well-being – and thus prevent future breakouts.

8. Never forget sunscreen

Sun protection is not only important for preventing skin aging, but also essential for acne-prone skin. UV rays can worsen post-acne marks, inflame existing pimples, and weaken the skin barrier.

Therefore, choose a light, non-comedogenic sunscreen and incorporate it daily as the last step in your morning routine – even on cloudy days. Your skin will thank you.

Product recommendation: Round Lab Birch Juice Sunscreen – a light, fast-absorbing sunscreen that is non-greasy and leaves no sticky residue.

Enriched with birch water, it further soothes the skin and offers reliable protection against UVA and UVB rays. Ideal for sensitive and blemish-prone skin that needs daily protection.

These tips will give your skin the support it truly needs. The key is patience and consistency – and a loving approach to yourself and your skin. Step by step, you'll get closer to your goal of clearer skin.