It's taken me about 13 years to perfect my skin care routine and I finally feel like I have the solution that works best for me. I thought I would share some tidbits in case you are fed up with flair-ups and blackheads!
Skin isn't something, at least for me, that you can just "let go" and it takes care of itself. In my opinion it's like our spiritual life. You have to continue with the routine even if you don't feel like it. It's the continual upkeep that will prevent pimples before they appear. And it's the routine that will help the pimples disappear faster when they do come. (Namely, that time of the month!)
I started using Proactiv solution's 3 step skin care products my senior year in college. It was way too expensive but totally amazing. It worked and it worked well. But sadly, my bank account couldn't take it any longer so I was forced to look for a cheaper alternative. The answer? AcneFree! It is basically the exact same as Proactive, just cheaper! And you can buy AcneFree at Target or Walmart, whereas Proactive can only be ordered online or found in select kiosks in the mall.
It's a 3-step process involving cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. The 3 steps must be repeated every morning and night. It took about a month or two for me to see results when I first began using it, but after that it worked like a charm! (So don't give up right away, keep using it until you see results.)
About twice a week I use an exfoliator. It's like a face wash except with little beads that help remove layers of old skin. After I'm finished using my St. Ives apricot scrub, my face feels totally smooth. It's actually more necessary on this side of the world due to the horrible pollution problem in the city :(
About twice a month I use a face mask to do some "deep cleaning". (You can compare it to cleaning your house: Every day you do light cleaning, but every so often you have to really get on your hands and knees and scrub the hard places.) I try to alternate different face masks so that they can accomplish different things. For example, this Mint mask is one that dries after 5-10 minutes and is washed off. It is tingly and minty on my face, and I can feel the deep pores being cleansed!
The St. Ives peel off mask is amazing because when it dries, you actually peel it off. It's like what you might see in the movies or something- pretty cool! This mask is great because you can actually feel the old skin cells coming off. If you look closely at a layer of dried peeled off mask, you can see the yucky stuff from your face. Gross, yet brilliant.
Here are some quick make-up tips that go along with skin care:
- Don't fall asleep with makeup on! It seeps into your pores and creates pimples.
- Don't wear foundation and powder every single day, day in and day out. Give your poor face a break! I only wear foundation when I have blemishes or pimples to cover up. Most days I just gently brush on some powder.
- Put moisturizer on before you apply makeup. It prevents your skin from getting dried out. Even if your face is oily, you have to use moisturizer. If you don't, your face goes into "panic mode" and creates even MORE oil. An endless cycle you can't get out of. Lesson learned? Use moisturizer!
P.S. I did not receive one penny for advertising my favorite products on this blog.
Like I say, live for Father, love others well, and look cute too while you're at it!
*giggle*
Pimples aren't so cool, especially when you're in your mid-twenties. My friend Joan uses this line from St. Ives. And I think it's working for her because her skin is clearing out now.
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