Whether you're 15, 30 or even 50, spots, blackheads, redness and enlarged pores can make life thoroughly miserable. Adolescence may be the cruellest stretch for your skin, but plenty of us are still grumbling about breakouts long after our teens are behind us. And goodness, it can be hard to find the right remedy, the right routine, when your skin is prone to the odd flare-up. Creams that are too rich, formulas that irritate or strip the skin or, worse, trigger a fresh crop of spots — it's not unusual to feel let down by products aimed at "problem" skin that end up doing more harm than good.

So to get on top of skin complaints, start by booking in with your GP or a dermatologist, keep your routine beyond reproach, choose products that are free from comedogenic and irritating ingredients, and get your hands on a few treatments that give you a genuine helping hand.

Here are some of our favourite anti-blemish buys. A caveat first, because let's be honest: on their own they won't wipe out imperfections altogether, but they can help improve how your skin looks — as long as you use them consistently.

Worth saying, too, that not every skin reacts to a given product in the same way. What works beautifully on one person can deliver decidedly mixed results on another.

A dropper bottle of Garancia Elixir du Marabout with a drop of amber serum
Garancia Elixir du Marabout, a botanical serum that purifies and soothes

A hard-working treatment that targets both small and large imperfections and can help improve their appearance, with no promises on healing or scarring: TriAcnéal by Avène.

This now well-known Avène treatment is formulated with glycolic acid, which smooths the skin through a mild exfoliating effect rather like a peel and so helps shift imperfections, plus retinaldehyde, which is included to help limit the appearance of new ones.

This yellow gel-cream can come as a surprise, but it is easy to use where needed. We prefer to apply it at night before bed, because it can leave a faint yellow tint on the skin afterwards.

Dab it on, tapping gently over small and large imperfections, and avoid applying it all over the face. It can tingle for the first few uses and it can dry the skin out, which is precisely why we only apply it where it's needed.

A retinaldehyde treatment, not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding; if in doubt, ask your GP or dermatologist.

All we can say is that it may improve the appearance of imperfections depending on your skin, with no guaranteed timescale.

TriAcnéal Soin, Avène, expect to pay in the region of £12 to £25 a tube, though prices vary by retailer.

An anti-blemish, anti-ageing serum to use on its own or alongside your morning and/or evening moisturiser: Elixir du Marabout by Garancia.

This is a robust serum built on botanical extracts chosen for their cleansing, purifying and antioxidant properties.

Lilac stem cell extract, beetroot extract, fermented pomegranate juice, poplar bark and Crajiru leaf: a formula designed to help purify and soothe skin prone to imperfections, whether you're young or not so young.

A tube of Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector with a tinted sample
Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector, the mattifying base to press onto the T-zone

In practice, apply it over the whole face, or just to the areas that give you trouble, working in a few drops with your fingers and concentrating on the imperfections themselves.

If you prefer to keep it to a single step in your day, choose the evening. The aim is smoother, clearer, brighter-looking skin, with results that vary from person to person: we're big fans.

Elixir du Marabout, Garancia, expect to pay in the region of £20 to £40 a bottle. Availability in the UK is patchier than in France, so you may need to track it down through an online stockist.

For less visible pores and a T-zone that doesn't shine: Clinique's Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector.

A tinted fluid cream that blurs pores, mattifies and makes a good make-up base for combination to oily skin.

Clinique's Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector isn't for the whole face — apply it to the T-zone only, so you don't dry out areas that don't need it.

A little covers the T-zone. Smooth your usual foundation over the top and admire your handiwork.

Clinique states the formula is resistant to water and sweat.

Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector, Clinique, expect to pay in the region of £12 to £25 for the 15 ml tube.

Exfoliating powder tipped into a wet palm over the basin
Daily Microfoliant, a gentle powder to lather up with a little water

A gentle exfoliant that smooths the skin and improves the look of imperfections, though it doesn't treat acne: Daily Microfoliant by Dermalogica.

This powder buffs gently and contains no abrasive grains. Mix it with a little water, work it into a lather and massage over the face, concentrating on the T-zone. Rinse, then finish with a spritz of thermal water.

The treatment is designed to help slough off dead cells and let the products you apply afterwards sink in. Formulated without fragrance or artificial colour; tolerance depends on your skin, so patch-test first.

Daily Microfoliant, Dermalogica, expect to pay in the region of £50 to £65.

Exfoliating powder tipped into a wet palm over a pale stone basin
The powder is activated with a little water before it lathers

An anti-blemish ritual for anyone who leans natural: Cleansing Cream plus Clarifying Lotion from Dr. Hauschka.

Used together, the two are a pleasure — natural, nicely scented and kind to the skin.

Start by cleansing, then move on to the cream: a small amount in the palm of your hand, mixed with a few drops of water until you have a smooth, even texture. Press it lightly onto a face you've already dampened, and take a moment to work it in gently.

A tube of cleansing cream and a bottle of clarifying lotion on a shelf
Cleansing cream and clarifying lotion, the gentle duo in the ritual

Rinse with lukewarm water, then apply the Clarifying Lotion. Your skin will thank you.

Cleansing Cream, Dr. Hauschka, expect to pay in the region of £12 to £25; Clarifying Lotion, Dr. Hauschka, in the region of £20 to £40.

Yes, good skin is something you build — but on one condition: you have to be willing to take your time. Medical input when it's needed, a pared-back routine, targeted actives, sun protection... and a little patience. The rest is up to you.

What it costs

On the money front, expect to pay roughly £12 to £25 for a targeted treatment such as TriAcnéal or Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector, £20 to £40 for a serum or a lotion, and up to £65 for the Dermalogica exfoliating powder. Prices shift with the retailer, the size and the promotions, so it's worth comparing before you commit — especially on anything you'll be buying again and again.