A flatmate from my university days introduced me to Estée Lauder Idealist Pore Minimising Skin Refinisher (£47) as a surprise treatment for milia, but it took a little while before I could afford to buy it for myself. It's been reformulated since then, but it still does a great job of refining the skin and aiding cell turnover, which explains how it's so effective in slowly removing those pesky white "pearls". Unlike glycolic treatments that do a similar job, it feels less harsh and never stings. Plus, it makes a great base for makeup. — GC