I’m finally entering my last month on accutane, and it’s been quite a journey to say the least. While It was most definitely a bit of a struggle, it was also one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. We can talk about the entire journey in a whole separate article, but right now I really want to highlight the products that absolutely saved my life while taking accutane.
Vaseline Advanced Healing
These little lip balms go with me everywhere. I find them in my pockets, my purse, my backpack, my car, and even my laundry. The chapped lips are no joke and I quite literally could not function without these. They’re easy to apply anywhere and at any time. Genuinely my favorite product on this list.
La Roche Posay B5 Cicaplast Balm
When I entered the fifth month, my face began peeling. Not only was it peeling, but it was painful and any product I put on my face would burn and just make it worse. This moisturizer was the only thing that didn’t hurt my face and it got rid of my peeling. If you really want to go the extra mile, I also love pairing this product with the La Roche Posay Toleriane Cleanser.
Nutella.
Okay now hear me out on this one… My doctor always told me that accutane would work best if it was taken with fatty foods. This is because the fats help the drug absorb into your system better. Since the medication has to be taken twice a day, eating that many fatty foods can be a little nauseating sometimes. One thing that contains a good amount of fats and is yummy is Nutella. I found that my accutane began working even better when I took it with a spoonful of Nutella. Don’t laugh till you try it because I honestly swear by this trick.
Eva-NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask
I was already a pretty big fan of this product before going on accutane, but I found it essential on my acne journey. As I somewhat mentioned before, accutane causes you not to produce oil and get really dry skin and hair. This mask helped my hair stay hydrated for weeks at a time. The trick is to apply it to dry hair before your shower. After you apply it, clip up your hair and let it sit for a few hours before washing it out. The longer you leave it in, the better.
Trader Joe’s Vitamin C Firming Body Butter
I have to give my sister some props for this one, thanks Marissa, because she introduced me to this lotion. Not only does it smell like citrus, but this lotion keeps my skin beyond moisturized and brighter than the sun.
Jergens Instant Sun
This product may seem a bit silly but when you think about it, it’s really helpful. Since you can’t really spend hours in the sun on accutane (and when you are in the sun you have to apply a load of sunscreen) you could become real pale real fast. I like this self tanner because it dries in seconds and it’s subtle. It doesn’t look too orange or unnatural.