I never went through the awkward puberty stage of an acne-covered face in high school. Other than a random pimple every couple of months, I never faced the struggle of having to layer on Proactiv like my friends did. My skin was so clear that I actually got made fun of for it (which is proof that kids will literally make fun of you for anything). Of course, this blessing of clear skin didn’t last forever, and it came to an abrupt end conveniently about a month before I started my first year of university, when everyone else had already finished their years of experimenting with Pinterest hacks and benzoyl peroxide. Perfect. I am not exaggerating even slightly when I say that I have tried everything. If you can name a cleanser, a lotion, or something from the kitchen cabinet, I’ve put it on my face to try to get rid of my acne. Nothing was working.
I finally ended up going to a dermatologist and explained my situation to her. Her first question was what moisturizer I use. I had been using a basic Nivea lotion every day – the same thing I had been using since I was a baby – because I have super dry skin and it seems to be the only thing that helps. She told me that it was likely clogging my pores and causing my skin to become oily. I thought she was crazy because I had been using this lotion for years without any issues. I basically decided that this licensed professional had no idea what she was talking about and ignored her advice. My skin didn’t clear up.
One day, while shopping for yet another facial cleanser to add to my collection, I came across a moisturizer at The Body Shop called Tea Tree Oil Mattifying Lotion. It claimed to clear up your acne and “mattify” your skin. I knew that tea tree oil helped with acne thanks to my extensive Pinterest board of breakout solutions, so I decided to give it a shot. The first thing I noticed was how clean my skin felt. A lot of lotions that claim to be non-oily feel heavy, but this one felt as though I had just washed my face. It absorbed very quickly and didn’t appear to clog my pores. It also did really “mattify” my skin like it claimed. Other moisturizers make my skin look greasy before I even have the chance to sweat, but this lotion did the opposite and acted almost like a primer. It also felt very fresh and had a cooling effect when I put it on my face.
After a couple of days of using this moisturizer, I really began to notice a difference. My face started clearing up instantly. My skin was less oily and I was no longer breaking out. I was amazed by how something as simple as moisturizer could have such a huge impact on my skin. If you’re like me and you’ve tried every possible solution to clear up your acne, try switching your moisturizer. Tea Tree Oil Mattifying Lotion from The Body Shop completely changed the way my skin looks and feels.
And if it doesn’t change your life like it did to mine… don’t give up hope. Maybe one of those Pinterest hacks actually do work