The Post-Blemish Balm That Makes My Acne Disappear

I have to admit it: I’m a serial face picker. Whenever a zit pops up, I find it impossible to keep my hands away from my skin, causing even the tiniest blemish to become a bleeding, inflamed disaster zone that ends up lasting way longer than if I’d just left the damn thing alone.

Over the years, I’ve tried pretty much everything to get myself to stop, from acne stickers to fidget cubes to cognitive behavioral therapy. While some approaches have helped, nothing has killed my habit completely. So finding products that make the damage I cause less noticeable is a major priority.

Not long ago, I took to Twitter to crowdsource some recommendations for balms or serums that could erase pesky red marks left over from aggravated acne. Five minutes later, two former co-workers chimed in with the same choice: Hero Cosmetics’ Rescue Balm.

The hype from one of the women—“I’m about to order my third tube!!”—inspired me to add the balm to my cart without a second thought. Luckily (or not), when it arrived, I had a Montana-size red spot on my chin due to a frenzy of late-night picking, so it was perfect timing to test the balm out. I applied a tiny blob of cream to the spot, along with a few other smaller blemishes that were still in the process of healing. It blended easily, and I promptly forgot about it.

That night, after I washed my face, I was shocked to see how much the irritation had gone down on Montana. There was still some redness, but it was far less severe, certainly way better than it would’ve been on its own. The other spots, too, looked significantly calmer, with one of them having grown so faint, I barely noticed it at all.

I reapplied the balm (it can be used both morning and night), and the next day’s results were even better. Despite the tiny bit of picking I’d done right before bed (I’m trying, okay?), Montana had shrunk in size and stature, and all the other spots were nearly gone. My co-workers had been right—this balm was a godsend.

And it’s not just for red spots, either. Made with ingredients like Panthenol (for moisture) and Vitamin E (for tone), the Rescue Balm can also handle bumps, dark marks, and scaly skin, as I’ve happily discovered (my skin isn’t super dry, but it does get the occasional bump or rough patch), and it can be used on pimples that were just popped or just patched up. For just $12.99, it’s nothing short of a miracle worker, and I know I’ll be ordering a second tube the moment this one runs out.