Maintaining Clear Skin (Discount Code Below)

Maintaining relatively clear skin while taking medication that actually WANTS you to have bad skin has been difficult. I’ve mentioned in a previous post my struggles as it relates to my skin.  I cringe when I think back to these days:

Yikes!

Trust me when I say I avoided social situations when possible because I didn’t want anyone to see my skin. No amount of makeup could cover my acne…and even still, it was essentially a slippery slope. The idea of using heavy makeup while trying to heal your troubled skin just doesn’t work out.

In the past, I went the natural route and used honey and brown sugar scrubs, clay masks, etc. I have good results with those, but after a short while, it was almost as if my skin got “used to” these products and stopped working.

In recent years, I managed to maintain moderately clear skin by using brown soap and an alcohol free toner, along with cerave skin lotion.  When I went to California to visit my friend in August, she showed me a bug by Paula Begoun. She essentially breaks down which products are the bad, good, the best, etc. These comparisons include makeup, makeup remover, face wash, mascara…everything under the sun. She also has her own line of skincare products.  The fact that she has her own product line, but still has a book that outlines products that she and her team think are good really struck me.  It’s like..ok, I have my own products, but if you don’t want to use them, check out these drugstore/department store/specialty store etc alternatives.  Maybe that was the game…because I bought some products and had them shipped to my home right away so that they would be there as soon as I returned home from my trip.

The first product that I bought was Paula’s Choice Facial Toner.

 After this, I was sold. My skin is amazingly smooth and even. Of course, my skin isn’t perfect. But it’s much better than it has been in a while.  I rounded off my Paula’s Choice regimen with her facial mask, sunscreen, and her shine reducing lotion. My skin is extremely oily-especially on my cheeks/under my eyes where my glasses sit., so it is really necessary.

So this is how my regimen looks.  I know it’s probably going to look complicated/complex, but it works for me haha.   These links are accurate as of the date I wrote this post (Nov 14, 2013) and will remain accurate just as long as the internet doesn’t change *haha*
I’ve linked everything to the site/page that I bought each product-just click on the name of the product and a page will open in a new window. And yes, I bought each product with my own money (or my dad’s money haha) and used each for a number of months, so my testimony is real.

AM:
Wash Face: African Black Soap
Toner: Paula’s Choice Toner
Treatment: BHA Lotion
Moisturize: 2 drops of grapeseed oil, a drop of cerave lotion, and a dollop of Paula’s Choice sunscreen
–Then makeup-primer, foundation, Paula’s choice shine control, powder on top.

PM:
Wash Face: Paula’s Choice Cleanser
Toner: Paula’s Choice Toner
Treatment; BHA Lotion
Moisturize: 2 drops of grapeseed oil, cerave lotion.

Weekly (or when I remember and have time):
Treatment: Paula’s Choice Facial mask
–*used after washing, before toning, treatment, moisturizing.

If trying out Paula’s Choice is something you’re interested in doing, here’s a link for $10 off your first purchase.  Honestly…give it a try. Paula’s choice has a wonderful refund/return policy, though I’m pretty sure you won’t need it.

Here you go! http://goo.gl/pYygmv

Cheese!