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You’ve got the date of the year tomorrow night, and your face has turned against you. A scattering of red, inflamed zits cover your normally flawless skin, and they’ve got to be gone in the morning. Don’t call him up and cancel. A quick inventory of your cabinets may reveal some overnight zit-busting remedies.
Benzoyl Peroxide
For serious breakouts, head to the pharmacy. Scan the shelves for a nighttime benzoyl peroxide cream to clear up skin. This powerful peroxide reaches deep into clogged pores, killing bacteria below the surface and shrinking zits while you sleep. Dab the cream just on the blemish, letting it dry before turning in. Wash your face first thing after the alarm clock goes off to reveal clearer skin.
Toothpaste
If your skin isn’t horribly inflamed, try a tiny spot of toothpaste on the offending zits. Old-fashioned white cream toothpaste works best, drawing out oil and impurities to shrink the mountain and remove redness. Rub the paste gently into the zit, keeping it contained to the blemish to prevent irritation to the surrounding skin. Sleep on it, then wash away the dried paste in the morning.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are particularly potent overnight blemish blasters. Tea tree oil is especially effective due to its natural antiseptic properties, wiping out bacteria and encouraging blood flow to shrink zits in mere hours. Stick a drop of oil on the top of the pimple and cover with a fabric bandage. Leave the oil on as you catch up on your beauty sleep, washing away residue upon waking.
Not Just for Headaches
Drop two aspirin in a plastic zip-top bag and crush them into a fine powder with the bottom of a heavy glass. Dump the powder into the glass and dribble in a few drops of water to create a gummy paste. Dab the paste over zits with a cotton swab, leaving it on overnight to reduce pain and inflammation. Wipe away the aspirin paste with a warm cloth to show off your soft, blemish-free face.
