I am in a constant battle with my acne, rosacea, light and dark areas, and so much more. I started looking more into skincare and certain routines or products that could help me manage what was going on and (hopefully) boost my confidence.
As different social media platforms advance their technology for the app, dermatologist reaction videos and the like have become an entire “side” of the internet. These reactions might be helpful, however, I more frequently see them as shaming others for their skincare regimen.
I want to share my journey with my skin and offer some cute products and resources for skincare baddies (like you) to look into.
My Skin/Acne Journey
From the time I was a baby, I’ve had eczema all over my body, but especially on the hands. I would be lathered up in so many different kinds of lotions and creams to try and get rid of the itchy red patches, but it never really worked. I eventually found a doctor that recommended a prescription steroid cream. Thankfully, that helped so much and I’ve been able to manage the eczema flair-ups since then.
Unfortunately, the universe had to balance it all out and follow this good experience with a horrible doctor’s appointment. I had (and still have a little bit) of hormonal acne around my mouth and chin. My family has a history of thyroid problems, so I knew my acne would be affected by that. We decided to visit a dermatologist and I was prescribed “Doxycycline”. It was a topical ointment that I could use twice a day that would hopefully get rid of the acne. However, my body pulled a quick one on me and decided to be allergic to it. This resulted in me being overly sensitive to the sun while I was in California for vacation. I came out of that trip with second-degree burns all over my body.
What Now?
My skin has been through a whole bunch of issues and I’ve had to learn how to manage it. If you’re feeling a little risky, you could always just buy different products you think could help and try them out (that’s what I did!). You can always seek medical help because there are professionals that know all of the ins and outs of skincare options.
When looking into products or routines, it’s really helpful to find a community that has a similar skin type or issues. The website “skincarisma” has a wonderful list of recommended resources like Reddit threads, message boards, and skincare bloggers/influencers.
Recommendations
- TonyMoly
This is a Korean brand that has entered the U.S. market and can be found at Ulta stores. The products are packaged adorably and the sheet masks are wonderful. I would be careful if you have sensitive skin like myself as some fragrances used in the products irritated my skin
- Beauty Bakerie
This is a Black-owned brand that has the cutest makeup products as well as some fantastic cleansers and skincare items. I have their sugar lip scrub in the strawberry flavor and it is INCREDIBLE. The small jar I got has lasted me 6 months+ and hydrates your lips while stripping away all of the dead skin.
- Freeman’s Almond Milk Peel
This product is insane. It is a “gentle exfoliating lactic acid infused with vitamin E” for sensitive skin. After washing your face, you pour some of the mask onto your dry face and gently rub it in. The product only stays on for about ten seconds, but the lactic acids work immediately and get up all of the dead skin on your face. It almost feels like it has the microplastic exfoliating beads, but it’s actually just your dead skin coming off immediately.
- The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask
This mask is probably one of my favorite products ever. If you’re like me and want a deep exfoliation and cleaning of your pores, any matcha masks are going to be your best friend. This particular product gets into your face and works within ten minutes to leave you with visibly brighter skin and clean pores.
- Eu’Genia’s Mother’s Shea Vanilla Whipped Shea Butter:
Technically not a face skincare item, however, this lotion is the best thing ever. The vanilla scent is out of this world and is so delicious. The shea butter is also deeply moisturizing and the two-ounce tin I got has lasted me eight months (I use it every single night!!).