Hello, I'm finally doing a beauty related blog post! Three cheers for me?
Not only did having acne and cystic acne hurt, but it's was embarrassing. I saw that the majority of my friends had clear skin and I began to really feel down about the way my face looked. That's when make up came in handy. I do blame myself for using make up on my damaged skin, as it didn't allow my skin to breathe and try to heal itself. But the make up made me more confident. I think something that damaged my esteem a lot, was hearing that people were saying "yeah she's attractive, but her acne is gross". Peoples comments about my acne hurt me a lot, especially when it's from people I know.
I came to the conclusion that my acne was due to genetics. My dad had acne when he was young, and my brother developed it around the same age as me. While my acne was treated with acne medication (can't remember what it was called sorry!) and acne creams (Epiduo), my cystic acne died down too. My treatment lasted all of six months and then my skin was finally clearer. After being off the medication and cream, I began to try skin care products that suited my skin and helped with controlling my acne. I've come up with the perfect skincare routine that does not cause amass break outs and makes my skin look nice. But, I am still a teenager so my face does break out every now and then.
Step 1: Removing make up | Make Up Wipes.
Before I start any of my deep cleansing and such, I make sure to remove at least 80% of my make up with a make up wipe. I just feel it works a lot better than just straight away cleansing. I like using wipes that are very soft and don't need much pressure when taking off make up. With make up wipes, I've never wanted to spend large amounts of money buying something that will be used up very quickly. That's when I found $2 make up wipes from the Aldi brand "Lacura". In a pack, comes 35 wipes, which I think is such great value. Hands down, these make up wipes are so amazing. They glide over the skin and remove make up quickly and smoothly. It goes to show, you don't need to spend large amounts of money on skin care products.
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| Lacura Cleansing Wipes Aldi - $2 |
Step 2: Cleansing | Removing Dirt, Make Up and Oils.
After I remove make up with the wipe, I start to thoroughly cleanse my skin with the QV Gentle Face Wash. It's important I do this twice a day, so my acne doesn't come back. I cleanse once, to remove make up off my face, and then a second time to remove any extra 'dirt and grime' that may be left over. I spend at least 5 minutes rubbing the face wash on my skin, to make sure I'm cleansing properly.
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| QV Gentle Wash Priceline - $13 |
Step 3 (Every second day): Exfoliating | Bye Bye Dead Skin.
I have very dry skin, due to six months of using the Epiduo cream. As it got rid of my acne, it left my skin very dry and flaky (gross!). It's really hard to maintain my make up during the day, as the dryness of my skin shows, but lately that's been different. I exfoliate every two days by using the St. Ives a Apricot Scrub. I first tried a sample size of this product, and fell in love with it. The consistency is not too grainy, which doesn't make it rough on the skin, but still removes a lot of dead skin. I find that over time, this product works well.
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| St. Ives Apricot Scrub Priceline - $10 |
Step 4 : Toner | Removing Excess Dirt from Pores.
During the day, make up, dirt and oils can build up on the skin and in the pores. I use the Toner from Simple, as it doesn't contain and extreme chemicals. It's simple. I pour a small amount on a make up pad and rub it over my face. It makes my skin feel very refreshed and clean.
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| Simple Toner Priceline - $10 |
Step 5 : Moisturiser | Hydrating the Skin.
Moisturising my skin is very important for me, as I have dry skin. I also use the moisturiser by Simple. A heavy moisturiser usually breaks out over night, and causes blister-like pimples on top of my skin that really hurt. With Simple's moisturiser, I find that it is incredibly thin and hydrating, and does not feel heavy on my skin. I also use a Coco Butter moisturiser under my eyes, which is very heavy and like a cream. My under eye area is extra damaged and that is the only moisturiser that aids in repairing it and making it smooth.
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| Palmer's Coco Butter Priceline - $13- Simple Moisturiser Priceline - $10 |
I was very on and off with skin care for the longest time, but once I saw an improvement, I began to do this routine everyday, either once or twice a day. Make sure to find a skin care routine that is effective towards you. Don't use a product that is further damaging your skin. Keep trying new products and find ones that work best together!
Until next time lovelies,
- Maria.
