My skin has been breaking out like nobody's business ever since I got laid off from my job back in October. But it's not the zits themselves that bother me, it's the dark brown spots they leave behind. They take so long to go away and make it look MUCH worse than it really is.
I did a bit of investigation for a product that would effectively treat current pimples, prevent new ones from forming, AND fade the old spots. I've been using mandelic acid to help with the spots, but I can't stand the flaking skin on top of everything else. I just end up looking like a mess. I did find something promising that I'm going to try on myself next week.
Niacinamide (aka vitamin B3). Paula Begoun's site (
www.cosmeticscop.com) has this to say about Niacinamide:
Topical application of niacinamide has been shown to increase ceramide and free fatty acid levels in skin, prevent skin from losing water content, as well as stimulate micro-circulation in the dermis.
2% niacinamide was shown in one small study to be more effective than petrolatum (Vaseline) for reducing water loss from skin and increasing its hydration levels.
Procter & Gamble, whose Olay skin-care line sells several products with niacinamide, published a double-blind study involving 50 women. The subjects used a product containing 5% niacinamide (whether that amount is included in Olay's niacinamide products was not mentioned) for a period of 12 weeks. Results included an improvement in the appearance of wrinkles, skin discolorations, less redness, a reduction in sallowness, and improved elasticity.
Another study seconded P&G's findings that niacinamide is a helpful ingredient to address skin discolorations. It appears that topical niacinamide has an inhibitory effect on the transfer of melanosomes to skin cells, thus it can interrupt the process that causes irregular pigmentation to form.
In addition to niacinamide's growing reputation as an excellent barrier repair and skin lightening agent, some existing animal studies and in vitro studies on human fibroblasts (cells that produce connective tissue such as collagen) have demonstrated that niacinamide may have a mitigating effect on skin tumors.
Fewer studies exist to examine niacinamide's anti-acne properties. An older study compared a gel containing 4% niacinamide with the prescription acne medicine Clindamycin and found it works just as well as the prescription, but without the risk of antibiotic resistance."
There are lots of info to be found with a simple Google search regarding niacinamide if you want to know more.
But to use it, it's as simple as buying high quality B3 capsule supplements and vigorously mixing it with a non-acidic base in the palm of your hands (non-acidic meaning it's pH neutral and doesn't contain vitamin C - can be water, serum, Visine, etc). Then just smooth it over your face and give it a gentle massage, let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Rinse it off or use a cream or sunscreen over it to blend it in if you prefer to have it on all day.
so this scrub is a nice mild one that tingles, not a rough as homemade aspirin & honey masks(which you shouldnt do more than once a week). the only thing i dont like about this is the scent is kind of mediciney but it doesnt linger on my hands so im assuming it doesnt on my face. i used the whole sample and it didnt make me break out.
Good luck 
