My Acne Journey Day 3: Hormones

Hi Everyone! welcome back to my blog. Today is day 3 of my acne journey, first I am happy to let everyone know that my period came. And that's a big factor right now because when my period get delays I experience the bad days of acne. And I am happy that my menstruation cycle is still quite normal now.

Today we will talk about hormones and how did I deal with it the passed years.

Btw, talking about that skin night routine I did last night, the toner was ok. The smell was not pleasant but just mild. As mentioned from the past blogs I wrote, the toner I bought was in cucumber scent. According to the vlogs and testimonies I've read about the cucumber variant, it does not smell good and smells like a lady bug. wtf! I honestly don't know what a lady bug smells like! lol!

The skin night routine I made was ok. I felt my pores were so tight when I lay back at bed last night. Then early this morning, when I washed my face that was just the only time I had the chance to touch my face cos I forbid myself whenever I touch it. I felt there were still new bumps on my left cheek but overall it was like over ripe hahaha!

I think my face were healing because my period came. Pores are getting tight and oiliness were reducing. My pimples were like drying cos it's been itchy every now and then.

Few years back, I remember my first break out was 3 years ago after my cousin's wedding exactly April too so I told my self that my pimples were getting worse whenever summer begins. And cracked a joke that its because its school enrollment now that's why my pimples were going back to enroll. I did few researches about acne and pimples growing at the chin area and jaw line, it constantly grows new bumps every month. The roots and pores doesn't close that's  why when I have new pimples, it just grows back at that part.

I read an article about hormonal acne, and you can determine if it is on your hormones when it is growing in your jawline,around your mouth and chin. I experienced this almost a few years back and that's because my period skips a lot of times, I got mood swings,irriatated and grumpy. I also read that to make your period in normal cycles,few women took contraceptive pills. I bought a few brands like Diane and Althea over the counter and you can not miss any single pill per day until you reach your cycle. First months were doing ok,my period was normal. But pimples still grow and I felt a bit dissapointed. I consulted an ob-gyne and just prescribed me Diane pills. I discontinued it after 4 months cos I felt normal but my acne is still growing. I am gaining a lil weight though my pores were tightened. Oiliness decreases,but my pimples grow a lil bigger but just a few grew. Breakouts were decreasing. I also read that if you continue taking contraceptive pills chances are there are health risks and I dont want to take those risks so I discontinued it. My period were normal every month. After some few months I noticed that whenever my period will come 2 weeks before breakouts will happen and its really devastating. I was like having my periods in normal cycle but why does breakouts still happening. It is because of hygiene? Food intake? Stress? I really can not see the main reason. It is like a disease it keeps going and going for life. Imagine I am already going 27 this year but look at me still having breakouts like a teen ager. Adult acne? Really? Seriously? Is this forever? Anyway, as time goes by I am now accepting the real me little by little. I always boost myself that beauty is only skin-deeped. But yeah, I am an aspiring make up artist who admire beauty. How can I market my service if I can not make the best version of me.

Anyway this is just the beginning, there are many things to ponder and be grateful. Beauty will fade my friends but wisdom will be forever. Hahaha! Ok enough of self pity portion. Down to my last part is the post skin night routine. The after look of my beauty skin regimen.

Thank you for the time and goodnight!

This are pics after I washed,toned and moisturize. Redness are still there, a few new zits.

See you tomorrow for another update!

Goodnight 😘

My Acne Journey Day 2: Revealing one self

Hi everyone! welcome back to my blog.

Today is Day 2 of my acne journey. As promised I am now revealing products that I had researched over the lock down period. This products were personally bought with all my money and invested time to research each specific item. Some items that will be mention later on were already personally used over the years and already proved that it is effective to me.

Prior to this topic blog I will do, I mentioned yesterday that I have not yet putted anything to my face to see the difference and effects of the products that I will be using. Contrary to that, I applied a nourishing tomato toner from Human Nature, a sunblock cream from Maxipeel and liquid foundation from Loreal in the shade Natural Buff. Only, to my forehead. And that's because I went out to work this early morning. I broke the rule, yes! I'm sorry :(

Okay, drum roll please....

Yes! I bought a new toner today, I already received it. I ordered it online from Shopee. It's worth Php 615. Php585 for a 344mL bottle and Php30 shipping fee,yeah had a discount voucher. I  checked the authenticity, the paper was not printed in cheap paper, it has a batch number on the bottom of the bottle and it is sealed just to make sure it is not leaking or been replaced with another product! and yes! It is genuine!

Let's talk about this toner! yes! I am quite intrigued by this toner by which several women all over the world has been using this toner especially with those suffering hormonal acne, cystic and adult acne which are called breakouts in my part.

VIOLA! THAYERS NATURAL REMEDIES FACIAL TONER!!!!

This is it. Finally after so many years, I already bought it and it is available locally in a very convenient way! Imagine we are all in lock down right know but shipping and delivery of goods are so easy and smooth. I will not yet give a final review about this product because I have not yet tried. So yes! I researched a bit about this toner and I was a bit excited and amazed cos it is already been working miracles and wonders for so many years. From sterilization, components and effects. Millions have been satisfied. I will not go over about its component and what it is made up because there are hundreds of searches over the Google so you can just look it up by yourself on a different tab. My blog will be a living testimony and not about giving facts and component of a product I have not yet tried.

Btw, I bought the item in cucumber cos there is no more available variant. Many reviews claimed that cucumber variant doesnt smells good. And yes it is not pleasant to the nose but you can really determine that the item is natural, not thoroughly filtered and doesnt add too much fragrance and preservatives.

Second product on my list is the Safeguard Detox with tea tree. It is new in the market and I want to give it a try since I am an avid user of Safeguard all these years. Safeguard is not just a brand, it has been my best friend since I got this bumps and breakouts. This detox soap has three variants,charcoal, pomegranate and tea tree but I decided to pick  tea tree. This detox soap targets removing excess oil, sebum, dirt and impurities from our faces leaving it smooth and clean. I want to give this soap a chance and see what will it happen. This soap will cost you Php75 per 108 grams. Bought it at Puregold.

Third on my list is the non-dying Benzoyl peroxide. There are a lot of brand companies of this ointment but I always pick from Galderma's Benzac. This ointment gives remedy for swelling, inflamed, red, fresh and itchy pimple over night. Get the 5% solution in a 15gram tube size will cost you Php400.75. Bought it at Watson's.

 

And last on my list is the new Olay Mochi mochi night cream in 7.5 grams it will cost you Php44. I bought it at Puregold.

Okay so that will be the products I will be using tonight. I had break down the cost per piece and where to buy it. Next is how to use it per item and the correct application of the product.

**NIGHT SKIN ROUTINE:

First thing when you wore make up, remove it first with a make up remover. The best I have tried was Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar water.  You can remove it with a cotton puff or best with a facial tissue/ facial wipes.

Second, wash your face with Safeguard Detox with tea tree. Wet your face first, when damp wet rub the soap first into your palms and make it whip foamy. Softly lather foam into your cheeks and forehead down to your t-zone. Don't harshly rub it or scrub it with your fingernails. The soap will remove all oiliness and you can feel no grease after rinsing it with cold water. Just dab the towel to your face, don't roughly wipe it. Be gentle in tapping the towel into your breakouts.

Third, when face is thoroughly dry. Apply Thayers Toner in a cotton puff or ball and swipe it through your face softly. Just making it wet is enough. You don't need to roughly lathering it all over.

Fourth, wait skin to dry after few minutes,you can apply small dots of the Olay mochi-mochi night cream. And into your neck. Don't forget to moisturize your lips with petroleum jelly or lip balm.

Lastly, apply Benzac on target pimples only. You can not apply this ointment all over your face otherwise you will flake the next day. A small pea-sized ointment is recommended and applying it only to inflamed ,fresh pimples. Dabbing it in a very thin layer. Let it dry and leave it overnight. Take note that the ointment has bleaching properties, applying it thinly on skin is very important,otherwise your pillow cases might get white spots if they are not light colored or even your dark colored towels when you wash your face the next morning. Applying too much on your eyebrows may cause thinness too so very cautious in applying the ointment.

You can now have a sound sleep knowing your skin is all prepped for the next day!

I will be posting pics of my face after the night routine.

This is my face after the routine. Take note that a tingling sensation is happening right now meaning the products used were doing its job. Tomorrow let's see what our skin has improved. See you! Goodnight 😘

My Acne Journey Day 1: Knowing your flaw

Hi everyone! It's been a while since my last post. After so many years I came back to a very interesting topic to make. Yep! That's what on my title now! ''Acne Diaries''.

I don't have a perfect skin all these years I've been struggling so hard about acne,body acne,breakouts,oily skin and the like. I decided to make a journal this year because I've noticed that my breakout were coming all over again every year,worst. There is no such month that a pimple will pop out from any part of my body,unfortunately it targets the face. From the past few years,breakouts are appearing in my jawline,chin,and cheeks. Unlike when I first had my pimple way back 2nd year high school, pimple appears on my nose, forehead,t-zone area. I had read few articles and watched vlogs that breakouts appeared on jawline and chin are more likely to have problems with hormones and reproductive glands. Not too serious but let's go breakdown the events,researches I've done and start this journey together.

I recalled the time when was the first time I had pimples and that's when I was in sophomore high school,summer. About to enrol for juniors. I had body acne,pimples start to appear on my chest and back, a few on my forehead(which is understandable) to be from staying up late at night. Of course because of studying hahaha! I didn't have pimples from the earlier ages because I am still young,pores are still tight and hormones are ok. My menstruation cycle is doing ok it is regular. But when I start to use hair conditioner that is the time I started having body acne, hair conditioner which drips on my back and chest is not ok. So I adapted that changes until now,after every shampoo I put conditioner then tie it up with a hair clam or shower cup just to make sure no conditoner can drip to my back and chest. Leaving with scars all over these years is devastating,now that I noticed that my scars were like colloidal. It doesnt flatten over these years. I already solved my problem about body acne and treat them with Human Nature's Sunflower Oil (Php349,200mL) every after bath. I never had body acne worst.

Now for the main event, breakouts on the face.

God! Tracing it from the genes, yes! My mum had acne when she was teen. But it was all gone, she treated it with accutane. (Vitamin A, named Affaxin,sold over the counters,100iu the lowest). Yes! I even took Affaxin before ,I had the highest iu which is 40,000iu and damn! I took it every night and a side effect happened. My belly button was so damn itchy! Pimples were like drying but yes scars are crazy. I discontinued it because my belly button was so itchy and I needed to treat it with tea tree extract. I disgusted smelling it yuck!

Pimples when I were in high school worstens when I was about to graduate and it started on my jawline. I really don't remember what I used or took to treat them. Freshman college,sophomore,junior til senior,yes I am having pimples but not severe. Different products were used until I found a matched product thats suits my skin which was the Maxipeel. From facial wash,astringent,sunblock,moisturizing cream and concealing cream. The beauty guru from my colleague taught me that using a specific brand should be consistent to see a huge difference and effectiveness.

I started my job as a bank teller way back 2015 and small pimples were growing in my forehead which is really normal for me espcially when my period is about to come. I started seeing old pics from 2015-2017, same part of my face were pimples are popping out. Body acne was least growing too. Latter part of the year 2017, a client introduced me a face cream which is published as not FDA approved. It gave me glowy skin at first but it gave me damage all through out. Gori cream was the name of the brand. Small bumps that touches like mushrooms when I touched them below my chin and started to breakout! Holy molly! That was the first time I got a serious breakout on my face!!! I was so desperate to find a solution, online shops like W II products thats costs almost Php5000. And I also got a membership at Frontrow and took their gluta pills. All solutions had no answer. I just patiently used W II products for 3 months and it gave me temporary solutions. The next year 2018, I had a breakout again before I leave Thailand for vacation, on my jawline again. I just patiently bought organic products and Safeguard pink for facial wash.

Last year 2019, had a minor breakout again before I left for Cebu, May ,2019. Just patiently used Koji Kojic soap with Safeguard pink. Constantly before the year ends,pimples are healing. Leaving just damn scars.

Yes January 2020, no more breakouts,only scars. I left dairy products out of my list because they cause me allergens that breakouts will go out again. Yes! Dairy products like cheese,milk,ice creams,milk teas,yogurts will trigger acne! So I dare you guys! Don't be tempted. I know it's hard.

I started enroling gym later January 2020. And damn! A wrong mistake happened. I always forgot to remove make up before work outs and yes! Break outs again. And that's when I always remove make up first every before and after workouts.

March 2020, a pandemic is currently in the Philippines. Lockdown are everywhere. No where to go, masks are on. Still break out are happening, why? Unhealthy foods,junks,instant foods,oily foods. Yes,admit it,it's so good to eat especially your favs but can you do not eat that forever? God! This is so sickening. Every year my breakout tore me apart. Seeing myself in the mirror,waking up with a newly born pimple is so fucking sick!

This journal is not about self pity. This journal is a written proof that I can also eat foods I am longing to eat and brace my self even more. From today Day 1, come and witness me to my journey about fighting acne and bracing yourself to feel beautiful inside and out.

Day 1: Knowing your flaws

It's been more than a month since an enhanced community quarantine is going on right now. People are not allowed to go out as much as you want. And mask is a must whenever you go out. First week of March, I noticed small bumps in my jawline left part of my face. I thought it was just blackheads that can be easily pulled out with pore strips but unfortunately now last week of April those small bumps came out as pimples and start to break out. It is so itchy right now but I prefer not to touch them with my hands or prick them. I also decided not to put anything with it. I just washed my face with Safeguard Detox in Green tea,day and night. No toners,no creams,no masks,nothing. I just apply petroleum jelly on my lips and thats all. I just want to let my skin breathe. Since we are all locked up, no one will see my poor,pathetic,ugly skin. So hell yeahh! Don't care no more hahaha!

All the time I got locked up here at home, I watched the most watched videos on Youtube, collated info and researched things for acne. Listed down all tips and tricks,remedies and vitamins,products and skin care routine. And this blog is all about that! I am finally going to do in the first time of my life an Enhanced Beauty skin care routine! Hahahaha (drum roll pls)

But not going to do yet at Day 1 cos this post is a series, day 1 will just about to know your skin well and update the current skin condition. I will be posting my current skin condition now and day by day I will update  you guys and how my skin care routine is going on.

Since I will be using a new found product and technique on how to prevent breakouts and get rid of scars and blemishes, I decided not to put anything yet to see what will be the effect to my skin after 2-3 days without skin products. The products are not yet with me. I will reveal them tomorrow at day 2. Disclaimer all products were personally bought. No such thing as sponsored. I bought it all by myself. Locally.
So this blog is about self discipline too, not eating foods that you are allergic and will cause acne and also will teach you how to spend well for self worthy products.

Ok, so this is just a beginning of a journey. See you tomorrow for the products to be used in this blog! Goodnight!

*** This is my current skin. All were red,inflamed, small bumps together,itchy,some has pus.
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