I used to have pretty clear skin up until freshmen/sophomore year of college.
I assume it was the increase of stress level, new environment (I was now commuting to the city everyday), bad eating habits, make-up, etc.
I noticed my skin getting worse around junior/senior year of college, when I was covering my face with makeup/powder/blush/bronzer to hide my acne.
I paid a visit to the dermatologist, only to be prescribed with super harsh chemicals that literally burned my skin and made my skin flare up more.
I also tried going to a esthetician and got weekly facials for a couple of months. I think it prevented further break-outs and kind of soothed my skin but it didn't rid my skin of existing acne and dark spots.
After many months (or even years) of being horrified looking in the mirror without any make up on, I decided to venture out on my own to see how I can make my skin better... Google!!
And finally - I sucked it up, took a big dose of IDGAF attitude and ditched the face make-up and acne cover-ups.
1. Cleanser (Daily, daytime and nighttime)
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
The Face Shop Charcoal Konjac Cleansing Puff (I couldn't find any links to purchase online, but here is a link to a review and pictures! It's available at any The Face Shop location)
2. Exfoliant/mask (1-3 times a week)
Aveeno Clear Complexion Cream Cleanser
Lush Cosmetics BB Seaweed Fresh Face Mask (I also love this as an exfoliant because it has grounded almonds!)
Lush Cosmetics Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask (I'm actually not that sure if I get results that I want with Lush masks, but since it's almost all natural ingredients, it doesn't have any negative effects on my skin!)
-Homemade coconut oil scrub: organic coconut oil & organic fine sugar- Visit any natural food stores such as Wholefoods or Trader Joe's. Make sure it's multi-purpose use and NOT cooking use only. It should be solid and white-looking in room temperature or colder. You can use regular white sugar but it has a lot impurities and microscopic grinds of bleached animal bones so it may clog your pores!
Semi-homemade Thayer's Alcohol Free Cucumber Witch Hazel Toner mask - Buy dry face mask sheets (Usually 10 sheets for $2 at The Face Shop) and soak it in the toner. Then put it on your face and wait for it to completely dry.
3. Moisturizer (Nighttime)
Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer
(Daytime)
Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF15 (Winter/Fall)
Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF30 (Spring/Summer)
4. Toner
I alternate usage between:
Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner - This helps with my dark acne marks. I have bad hyper-pigmentation on my skin so every time I get a pimple or zit, once it goes away, it leaves a dark mark that doesn't go away for a while! (Tip: This is why SPF is really important!)
Thayer's Alcohol Free Cucumber Witch Hazel Toner - This helps me soothe my skin when it's extra irritated or when I have active acne. It also helps with oil.
Lush Cosmetics Tea Tree Water Toner - I love to carry this in my bag in the middle of the summer and give my face a little spritz when it feels greasy and uncomfortable
(Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist! These are the products and the routine that I used to get my skin to clear of acne.)
I can confidently tell you that my skin gotten WAY better. You will never get instant results, EVER. If any product or routine says "instant" results, it is usually sort lived (a few mins) or a lie. I think it took a couple of months for me to realize the improvement, and for my friends to comment saying my skin got clearer.
I'm still contemplating if I should share pictures because I did document them (on my MacPro Photobooth - so it is not the best quality) but like I said, still contemplating! So check back for updates :)
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