first things first...im sure you've all heard this before but for the sake of my own blog i'll repeat:
I AM A LICENSED COSMETOLOGIST HOWEVER I AM NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM A DERMATOLOGIST. IM SHARING MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THEREFORE WHAT HAS WORKED FOR ME MAY NOT WORK FOR YOU..
ok enough with the serious stuff..
MY EXPERIENCE:
So Ive tried everything from Proactive twice!!.. organic topical medication..doctor prescribed medication..and drug store skin product. The one thing that definitely worked for me without a doubt was what my dermatologist prescribed for me. this was a pill and a 3 step facial treatment. However the medicine was so strong that when i would go outside in the summer my face would literally burn!! Imagine someone sticking a million sewing needles in your face. Yeah that's what it felt like. Plus i didn't want to have to take a pill everyday of my life. So i stopped that. Proactive only made my condition worse and drugstore products just didn't seem to work how i wanted them to...
As i got older and actually started to really care about my skin and appearence, which was when i entered beauty school, i started doing research and tried to figure out what was really going on with my face.
Ive done numerous internet searches, read blogs, watched YouTube videos, product reviews, organic home remedies. Name it ive either read about it or tried it.
It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that i really started to realize where the root of my problem was. WITHIN!! As we all may or may not know, when it comes to the health of our hair skin and nails it all starts from within. What we put in our body and don't put in our body definitely shows on the outside. The most important thing you should know is that WATER makes up about 60% of the human body. Water not only makes up the majority of the human body but it also hydrates, revitalizes, and detoxifies the skin. We have to make sure we consume the right amount of water and nutrients so it will help to put and end of where the beginning of acne breakouts begin.
LOGIC BEHIND SKIN CARE PRODEUCTS:
Once you have that together you start working on the outside. one thing i noticed from trying different acne products is that the majority of them have a three step system which normally consists of a face wash, astringent and moisturizer.A lot of people can tell you what you should and shouldn't use all day everyday but no one every really tells you why.
Before anything you should know that its a waste of time to wet your face wash and use whatever products you use and expect for it to work. You have to make sure that the pores of your face are open and ready to intake what your about to use. You do so by simply wetting a disposable cloth with water as warm as you can stand it for about a minute or two.. Yeah that's pretty much it. lol. The heat and steam from the towels will open those pores.
Secondly you should know that the order that ingredients are listed on the back of products are based off of the percentage of which they are mixed. Basically the first ingredient listed is what that product has the most of. So steer clear of product's who's ingredient list starts off with alcohol or sulfate. WE all know alcohol dry out the skin. I simply Google exactly what the ingredients are. You'll be surprised at what you find out.
You also want to steer clear of acne washes with a high percentage of sulfate ( Sulfate is a chemical which is responsible for creating the lather in soaps, washes and shampoos. However it strips the skin of its essential oils and also drys out the skin)
You want to lean more towards product with a higher percentage of water and also products tht contain benzoyl peroxide (this is used in most acne products for the treatment of acne)
you don't necessarily have to use a 3 step system. However, you should obviously use a face wash/cleanser and some type of ointment/moisturizer/treatment to apply after you cleanse to help deal with what your face will endure during the day.
MY SKIN CARE REGIME:
I take my skin care pretty serious therefore i stick to a regime that i follow religiously.
I believe that if you don't follow a strict regime for at least 60 days you will never really know what works for you and what doesn't. 1 week - 1 month in my opinion, is not enough time to let a product do what it's designed to do.
About 4 months ago i started a new skin care regime which i found was what works for me.
1. I ONLY wash my face in the shower. Why? Because that way i can be sure that my pores remain open and the products I'm using aren't just being pushed around my face without a purpose.
I start off using a very light and gentle non foaming skin cleanser (Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser)
I absolutely love this product because it has a very low percentage of sulfate and its very gentle and smooth. I even remove my makeup with it.
During my shower i wash my face once with Cetaphil using my hands only. I neeeeever use a towel because towels hold bacteria. I then wash my face with Cetaphil for a second time which i let sit for the rest of my shower then I rinse.
2. After my shower i let my face air dry for about 2 minutes. You dont want to let it completely dry because your pores will close nd the next product you use will only sit on the skin thus defeating the purpose.
I normally put on my body moisturizer to past the two minutes
I then apply the Walgreen's brand of maximum strength 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Gel. Keep in mind the only ingredient in this product is the 10% Benzoyl peroxide. you want to use a Benzoyl peroxide that is 10% because anything below that percentage is not as affective and 10% is basically neutral and not too strong.
When i apply this i use my hands and pat it all over my face i don't wipe it on. Don't ask why i just do. lol
3. After letting that dry i then apply Proactiv's Repairing Treatment which is the 3rd step in the Proactive 3 step treatment. i also pat that on.
4. Every other day i exfoliate with Clean & Clear's Morning Burst Facial Scrub after using my face wash. Exfoliation is important in skin care because it removes dead skin cell. You dont want a build up of DEad skin cells.
5. When i feel like i really need it i use Proactiv's Refining Mask either during my shower or as an overnight treatment
6. I sometimes rub my face with squeezed lemon juice. It is said that lemon juice helps remove acne scars and uneven skin tones. I believe it has help with the removal of mine along with the products i use.
7. Lastly, I moisturize with 100% coconut oil (this can be used on the skin and hair, to moisturize or remove makeup..find it in the grocery aisle)
OTHER PRODUCTS I RECOMEND:
Witch hazel !00% Natural astringent : the name pretty much speaks for itself. If you feel the need to use an astringent this is awesome because its very light and it doesnt burn and has only two ingredients. Pretty much cuts out all the unnecessary stuff.
Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips: those little black dots you see on your nose are clogged pores. those are the reason your nose is so oily. Our skin naturally produces oil and for most people it produces more oil in the "T" zone. these pore strips unclog the pores letting those pores breath. However if your like me and have a ridiculously oily nose these pore strips help out but they wont solve the problem. I'd do this before a date or for those who are about to do a long photo shoot. Just follow the instructions on the box.
Soo um yeah thats pretty much it .. I know it seems like alot but once you apply it to your everyday routine you begin to do it naturally without even thinking about it. As i said before what works for me may not work for you but i do live for these products. lol
IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR ANY POINTERS TO ADD FEEL FREE TO COMMENT
FOLLOW ME @IAMTINAMO ON INSTAGRAM/TWITTER
BELOW ARE BEFORE MY NEW SKIN CARE REGIME BEFORE AND AFTER PICS:
Bare face 4 months ago and today :
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