Acne can be so discouraging because there are so many factors that can lead to it, to the point that it can get overwhelming just finding where to start.
It not only messes with your confidence but you also start worrying about your health — my instant thoughts are, "What is my body trying to tell me?!"
My skin journey hasn’t always been rainbows + unicorns — but I’ve finally gotten it to a stable place again where I feel confident sharing my skincare routine.
I’ve always loved the ritual of doing skincare morning + night, and my purpose in sharing this info with you is to firstly assist you in finding aid in these products, but secondly to help you regain your confidence + help you build a skincare routine you enjoy doing (and in turn, keep consistent with).
If you’re interested in hearing my skin history (birth control, IUD, acne pattern, etc) I’ll be sharing more on my YouTube channel. It’s worth checking out to see if you notice any similarities in your skin!
Something important to note: just because this works for my skin doesn’t guarantee it will be the solution for yours. I’m also in no way a dermatologist or professional in this field - I just really like skincare and wanted to share a brief backstory + how I arrived to these products that helped me.
HORMONAL ACNE
This is nowhere near my first run-in with acne, but it’s the most key to the full story, so we’ll start 2 years ago…
Nearing my 25th birthday, I started getting hormonal acne around my mouth. Since we were months into lockdown (in South Africa - one of the strictest lockdown countries in the world), I couldn’t see a dermatologist so I did as much research as I could online.
In a nutshell, a lot of studies showed that around 25 years old your hormones change + this reflects in your skin.
I was dedicated to finding pretty much anything to fix it other than going back on birth control.
I changed my diet, sleep schedule, make-up, skincare products, tried the silk pillow case — it felt like I tried everything.
When I was finally able to go to a dermatologist (woohooo)... it was majorly disappointing…
The doctor gave me 4 minutes of her time + just prescribed me with medication + products that didn’t feel right for my skin or lifestyle.
She warned me that with these products my acne would get worse before it got better. I stuck with it for 3 months, and when I say it got worse… I mean it got worse.
After dedicating weeks over the recommended time, I decided the medication + hardcore facial products route was not for me.
* Note: I did try to get another appointment but I was out of the country, and even though we had a Zoom call scheduled months in advance, the office cancelled + refused to reschedule me over a call. I really had the worst dermatologist office lol
I wanted to mention this for a few reasons:
1. Maybe in some way the medication or products helped months down the line (after I stopped using them).
2. Of course seek a dermatologist for help, but also trust your gut feeling when something doesn’t seem right.
3. I did end up keeping one of the facial products (prescription only) in my daily routine.
After I stopped + moved onto my own skincare routine my skin cleared up within 1.5 - 2 months. It cleared up from being the absolute worst (deep painful breakouts) to not getting one zit or pimple in months.
My dark spots + pigmentation are also clearing up slowly but surely!
I wanted to wait it out a bit before sharing to see if it was a fluke or if it would flare back up without the medication but it’s been 6 months since I stopped + moved onto my own skincare routine, and I am SO happy with the results!
MY SKINCARE ROUTINE:
AM: Cleanse (with the PMD device), toner, serum, moisturizer.
PM: Cleanse (with the PMD device), toner, serums, moisturizer, repair oil.
All the products are *clickable* and will open another page so you can shop! :)
The PMD beat my expectations, I got it sent to me for a product shoot + since my Clarisonic died (+ was discontinued) I was looking for something to take its place. I love this thing + would definitely purchase it again!
Toner + serums I used as needed - I only used every day until my skin got to a good point. Now I don’t have a set schedule as to when I apply it - just whenever I feel my skin looks dull.
The Onexton is the prescription gel I got from the dermatologist. Insurance should cover a good majority of it - it’s ridiculously priced. A little goes a long way — I’ve had mine for 6 months so far + haven’t run out.
After the 3 months I stopped using it every day, just a few times a week since it’s so harsh on the skin. I actually don’t feel the harshness of the product, but from what I’ve read it isn’t super healthy for the skin so I’ve been using it as little as possible. Once I run out I’m going to see how my skin reacts without it & hopefully will not need to repurchase.
A good moisturizer is key - find one you love + use it all the time! I have normal to oily skin and I use super thick moisturizer + it has stopped my skin from over producing oils that clog my pores!
The repair oil originally seemed to me like an added expense but it is key to glowy goddess skin! It really locks in the moisturizer + does wonders!
Thanks for for being apart of my little corner of the internet! Make sure to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss the next one! The adventure continues...!
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