It's safe to say 2017 was the year for Dr. Pimple Popper. (Glad someone found success in this dumpster fire of a year, am I right?) Along with racking up millions-and-plus video views of extractions of gnarly, deep-rooted blackheads and giant, pus-spewing cysts, plus landing her very own TV show (yes, seriously), Los Angeles-based surgical dermatologist Sandra Lee has quietly (and successfully) expanded her skin-care line to include sheet masks, extraction tools, and now, acne-fighting cream for all skin types — including those with sensitive skin.
As of today, Lee is adding yet another blemish-busting product (her first was a salicylic acid-based rollerball) to her SLMD line, aptly named the Blemish Cream. Made with three percent sulfur, an ingredient best known for killing acne-causing bacteria (p. acnes) and regulating oil production in the skin, the lightweight white cream is best used as a spot treatment when a flare-up unknowingly strikes, but can also be used as an all-over preventative treatment.
"As you may know already, acne starts with clogged pores that are filled with dirt, dead skin, and sebum, which is what we call the natural oil our skin creates," Lee tells Allure. "These clogged pores then become a home to the acne-causing bacteria, which cause those painful, inflammatory, red pimples. Sulfur works hard to stop the growth and spread of bacteria, stopping the breakout in its tracks."
When I received my secret Blemish Cream sample, I was in the midst of battling a rather large, hormonal breakout — you know the kind: mountainous, cystic lumps that take days to tame — on the tip of my chin, and I was desperate to minimize its size (and appearance) before the season's festivities kicked off.
Feeling determined to shrink the bump before my company holiday party, I rushed home, washed my face with a mild cleanser (I prefer Savor Beauty's Purify Pearl Cleansing Cream), and generously applied the creamy treatment all over my chin before my nightly moisturizer (3 Lab's M Cream). I continued the simple routine for a few more days, using the cream in lieu of my go-to spot treatments made with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, and found that slowly but surely, the bump was losing steam.
After using the Blemish Cream twice a day (morning and night), my cystic pimple was shrinking in size, and I had experienced zero redness or flaking — side effects I often experience after consistently using traditional acne-fighting products, thanks to my sensitive skin.
Fast-forward to the day of my company's holiday party: My lump was only a subtle bump the size of a single Dippin' Dot (improvement!), and I felt confident enough to cake on just one layer of concealer. Now, although the holiday party circuit is long behind us, I plan to keep the SLMD Blemish Cream close by in case of acne emergencies, because you never know when a pimple might pop up — just ask Dr. Pimple Popper.
The SLMD Blemish Cream will retail for $30 exclusively on slmdskincare.com beginning January 3.
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