Beauty Break I

I'd like to take a timeout to post a little something about my new skin care routine that has done wonders. This post is not sponsored by anyone or anything and I purchased all items with my own money. I decided to write it as I'm 35 and was carded at dinner the other night and I think it's because of my new skin are routine. I haven't been carded in about 5 years.

I had beautiful, downright poreless skin until I was 18. Then some terribly upsetting things happened in my life and my body reacted poorly and has never really recovered. I spent the next 10 years trying to get my horrible cystic acne under control. I took pills that turned my skin blue. Had to use 15 products every morning and every night that made the skin on my hand peel off in sheets. Took birth control that made everything worse. Finally, the acne settled down by about 90% once I stopped trying to control it, but by then my skin was a wasteland - scars, huge, clogged pores, sebaceous filaments/milia. My skin was oily up until the last year or so. Then it was all of the wasteland things and dry. It's like my pores are clogged with sand.




I get a deep cleaning facial every other month or so, but within three weeks, my face gets that weird lumpy texture again. It's not acne or individual clogged pores, but like trapped reservoirs of I don't know what. A lot of my pores are damaged and don't seem to function properly.

My skin looks okay from afar, but I can't wear face makeup, which makes my pores look bigger and clogs my pores. I've learned through trial and error that dimethicone is not my face's friend, which rules out a lot of makeup and face products.

I started to use Cetaphil for normal to oily skin wash and Olay Night Resurfacing Elixir at night and a splash of water and Cerave SPF day lotion. It seemed to work okay. I have fine lines around my eyes, but everything I used exacerbated the milia and caused puffing, even the stuff that was specifically for de-puffing. My skin was okay, but I still wasn't happy. I had lost my glow.

Then I came across this article in the January 2015 Allure: Complexion Perfection - Allure January 2015. I modified the regimen for clogged pores and my skin looks and feels so much better.

What I use:



Morning:
Pond's Luminous Clean Wet Cleansing Towlettes*
Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On*
Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Blemish Defence Serum
CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion, AM  w/ SPF 30

Night
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Normal to Oily Skin
CeraVe Eye Repair Cream
Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Blemish Defence Serum
Olay Regenerist Moisturizing Night Resurfacing Elixir

I also do weekly treatments a few times a week after washing my face, but before putting on my night products:
Sundays: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Treatment Pads
Tuesdays: Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask
Thursdays: Pore strips - nose, chin, and cheeks

I modified the regimen in the article, because the serum and moisturizer didn't seem to have any worthwhile ingredients. I've used Philosophy's microdelivery peel and love, love, loved it and I'm sure the triple acid brightening peel would do wonders, but it's an expense I can't justify right now.

*could only find online at drugstore.com

I know if I cut out sugar and flour and almost everything that is yummy and good, my skin would get that much better, but I've tried and don't have the willpower to make such sacrifices, but my skin is doing quite well after 3 or so weeks of use. I noticed a difference in a week. I rarely, RARELY wear makeup and feel fine, but now I actually feel like I'm showing off my skin when I go out.

(But if anyone has concealer, foundation, blush recommendations for giant-pored skin, I would welcome it. Everything I've tried gets cakey or changes color or makes my pores look bigger or makes me break out. Thanks!)

***WARNING*** My skin is not sensitive, so using salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and other products with such harsh ingredients on top of one another every night doesn't produce any kind of reaction. From what I've read, that's a rarity. Proceed with caution. Spot check products before slathering all over yourself.