How can I reduce bad redness around a pimple?

I don't know about redness, but I've put Colgate toothpaste on a pimple before I went to bed. It dries them out.

Please do not use toothpaste as an acne treatment, it will irritate your skin and make your acne worse. Try using eye drops or crushed aspirin to reduce the redness and swelling of acne.