Origins Spot Remover Pads

I'd heard mixed things about the Origins Super Spot Remover gel. Most people seem to adore it, others found it a bit drying. I haven't tried it personally but I've been testing out the Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads* and so far I'm very impressed. I haven't used blemish pads since eye-wateringly astringent soaked tubs of the things in my teens. The Origins version has a much gentler smell (the clove actually leaves quite a nice scent behind) and seems to actively calm the blemish rather than just drying out my skin. It's already eliminated a couple of little bumps I had lurking just under my jawline for the last week and a bit.

The pads are formulated with salicylic acid to help loosen dead skin and essential oils of clove and oregano. I didn't have any fierce blemishes to test this out on (thankfully) but clove oil has been used as a toothache treatment for years, so I would imagine it helps to numb under the skin nasties whilst the other ingredients help to eliminate it. 

I don't think there's necessarily an benefit from the pad version rather than the liquid but, for someone like me who is past teenage breakouts, it's useful to have a pad to swipe across the area of a burgeoning blemish. They aren't very common, but when they do occur they threaten to pop up in the surrounding area too. I also get the impression that the pads are also slightly gentler than the gel (so potentially less drying as these are plenty potent enough for my skin type) as Origins say the pads are formulated for twice daily use. This means a tub of 60 at a fairly pricey £22 will barely last a month, so if blemishes are a persistent problem or you want something that is easier to travel with it may be best to opt for the gel.

That said, this tub should last me a long time so they'll be a staple in my bathroom cabinet!

Available from Boots, House of Fraser and John Lewis.