How do I choose the right serum for my blemished skin?

The main causes of blemishes are generally:

• Acne, number one by far! This common dermatosis is all the more frequent because of stress, hormone products and today's lifestyle (e.g. poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, pollution). It leaves the skin with excess sebum, enlarged pores, blackheads and red or pustular spots, sometimes with residual pigmentation marks (especially on mixed-race skin).

• Oily skin, even without acne, sometimes aggravated by the inappropriate use of cosmetic products or a facial routine that is too stripping or, on the contrary, comedogenic.

• Rosacea, which can mimic acne, but without comedones. The skin is often less oily, even dry and sensitive, but with an almost permanent pink complexion. It rarely leaves residual marks, and dark skin is rarely affected.

If using these serums isn't enough to stop spots appearing, here are a few natural options for even greater effectiveness and to get rid of blemishes without risk:

• Apply a poultice of white clay mixed with water (or thermal spring water for very sensitive skin) and a drop of tea tree essential oil diluted in a little jojoba, nigella or hazelnut oil to clean, dry skin. Leave on for 5 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water. Use once a week.

• To cleanse the skin, use palmarosa or Bay Laurel hydrosol, which purifies and soothes.

• If you wear make-up, make sure you remove all traces of it every evening with a micellar water suitable for oily and acne-prone skin.

• When applied locally, purify your spots with the anti-blemish essential oil roll-on, which contains a combination of essential oils with antibacterial and healing properties.

It's worth remembering that handling acne on the face can be dangerous (risk of cellulite on the face) or leave more pronounced scars later on.

Discover our entire selection of acne care products on Aroma-Zone.

To optimise the action of these different serums as much as possible, adopting an overall healthy lifestyle can prove beneficial:

• Learn to manage stress, which is a major cause of inflammatory dermatoses, particularly acne. You can put in place a daily anti-stress routine such as breathing exercises, meditation or yoga, physical activity, walking in nature, spending time with friends or professional therapy; all of these actions can relieve stress and improve the condition of the skin.

• Hydration: Drink a minimum of 1.5 litres of water a day. The hotter and more humid it is and the more active you are, the more water you need to drink. Try to increase your water intake (for example, with fruit, aromatic herbs, herbal teas); you'll see that you'll have more energy, your digestion will be better, and your skin will have fewer imperfections and be better hydrated.

• Diet: Limit your consumption of ultra-processed foods such as chocolate, cakes, crisps, and ready meals as much as possible (personally, I recommend 1 or 2 times a day maximum). Foods with a high glycaemic index and dairy products seem to encourage acne and inflammation of the body: control your consumption of these, and if possible, choose foods with a low glycaemic index. Choose a more plant-based and less processed diet.

• Omega-3s: These also appear to reduce inflammatory acne and other inflammatory dermatoses, so consider taking regular oral treatments if you're not getting enough.

• Sport: One of the best natural antidepressants, sport regulates mood and stress, immediately improving the appearance of the skin. Eliminating toxins through sweat also detoxifies the body.

• Limit or eliminate tobacco and alcohol: These two drugs are known to significantly increase inflammation and oxidative stress, which can worsen skin imperfections. Limit their consumption, or stop altogether.

• Protect yourself from the sun: The sun's rays and skin don't always mix. The sun will temporarily improve inflammatory acne, for example, but there will be a rebound effect afterwards, with a risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation. Skin with imperfections must therefore be protected from the sun on a daily basis, and sun exposure controlled.

• Hygiene: Appropriate skin hygiene (i.e. neither too lax nor too aggressive) should be practised on a daily basis, using products adapted to your skin's problems.

You can also take part in our Family Aromatherapy workshop - The Dermatology Kit, to learn more about herbal solutions for skin problems.