Like many of us, I ruined my skin when I was young. Between sun exposure and not knowing that you weren't supposed to mess with pimples, I am now blessed with an uneven skin-tone and scarring. I curse those of you with perfect skin.
I also went through my youth unaware that the acne I had was cystic acne - very different from topical acne. These painful pimples form underneath the skin and are much larger than the typical zit. They require a different skincare routine than acne that forms at the skin's surface.
It took me years to find a skin routine that reduced my breakouts - I saw several dermatologists, and the topical creams prescribed never seemed to work. Micro-derm was helpful but very irritating. I spent thousands of dollars on high-end product with no results.
I HAVE finally found a routine that works. It doesn't completely cure my breakouts, but it reduces them tremendously. This is what I use on a daily basis:
For basic washing and moisturizing, Neutrogena Acne Wash (I buy the generic Target version, works just as well) and Oil of Olay moisturizer have kept breakouts at bay. With all of the money I've spent on designer cleansers and moisturizers, I find it almost comical that what ended up working best comes from the drug store and costs me less than ten dollars.
Makeup, however, is very different. This is where I end up dropping some dough. If I were to put drug store makeup on my face I'd see acne start forming within a matter of days. I use Dermablend foundation and powder - it covers my scarring quite well and is oil-free. I also use an eco-friendly concealer that I purchase via Etsy from Herban Luxe.
I'm in love with Urban Decay for the eyes - their primer is amazing. My skin gets super oily and even my eyeshadows can start to smear and run during the day do to oil. The Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer keeps everything in place. Their eyeshadows (I love Midnight Cowgirl) are glittery and go on super smooth. Mascara is the only makeup I can buy from the drug store. Right now I use the Falsies one by Maybelline, but I tend to switch often. Last but not least - Bobbi Brown bronzer. I don't like using a pink blush as my skin already has a reddish tone. The BB bronzer is light and not super noticeable - a lot of bronzers on the market go on super dark which makes them difficult to work with.
I'm not a fan of makeup, therefore I have a super easy routine and don't change it up much. I'd HIGHLY recommend any of these products - if you don't like looking like you're wearing a lot of thick makeup, they are absolutely amazing. Also, if you have cystic acne, I'd recommend the basic Neutrogena wash and Olay moisturizer.
I'm also trying a new herbal remedy recommended by the fabulous (and perfect skinned) Elizabeth Dehn, beauty editor at MN Monthly and blogger at Beauty Bets. I contacted her a few days ago because I made the HUGE mistake of trying a new cleanser last month (Target was out of mine) and my skin went into meltdown mode. She suggested an herbal remedy - a cocktail concoction of vinegar, lemon and water -
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR “COCKTAIL”
2 T. Braggs apple cider vinegar (raw/organic)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Touch of honey (optional)
12 ounces of water
I'm on day three of this cocktail and have seen some amazing results...I'm going to continue it for sure!
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