If you’ve ever experienced or are currently experiencing problems with acne, then you know that it is truly so difficult to treat. Products simply don’t work, money gets wasted, and your frustration levels rise with every day that passes and it’s still there. My experiences with acne have not been the easiest, and it is something I’ve never been confident enough to share . However, I have reached a point in my life where I am FINALLY happy with my skin and feel comfortable sharing my story.
I will mention the products that made this all possible, but I don’t want that to be the main focus of this piece, since everyone’s skin is different and products don’t work the same for everyone. I want to share my advice and tips that I learned along the way to help anyone that is still struggling with acne.
Tip #1: Know your skin type.
Knowing your skin type is so important. Certain products might not work for your skin because they are not targeting your key needs. You know your skin better than anyone else, but having a dermatologist confirm your skin type is also helpful. I have sensitive, dry skin so I always try to find products that are hydrating and gentle.
Tip #2: It’s all about Trial and Error.
With skin care, you have to be willing to test out different products. I recommend trying a product for at least 2-3 weeks to see how it reacts with your skin, unless you have an immediate negative reaction. If it doesn’t work, go back to the store and try again! It can be a tedious (and slightly expensive) process, but when you find that product that finally works, it is absolutely worth it.
Tip #3: Invest in your skin.
By invest, I don’t mean spend your money on expensive skin care. By invest, I mean take good care of your skin. The more you take care of your skin now, the healthier it will feel when you’re older. I will admit, sometimes good skin care can be expensive, but there are also affordable products that perform just as good, if not better. I both have $10 products and $50 products in my routine and the quality is fantastic in both. What matters is that they work and they take care of my skin.
Tip #4: Make your skincare routine a habit.
I know washing your face can be a long process and it’s the last thing you want to do at the end of the night or first thing when you wake up, but I promise doing it twice a day is worth it. Doing your routine both morning and night nourishes your skin when it needs it the most.
I have been fighting acne for the past two years, and both learning and following this advice has helped me transform my skin.
Back in high school, I never had an issue with my skin. I never had pimples. I didn’t even own a face wash. My skin was something I truly never thought about. Even if you don’t struggle with acne, you still need to take care of your skin, and developing acne taught me that lesson.
My freshman year of college is when I started to struggle. I don’t know if it was stress, dietary changes, dorm living, or starting to wear makeup that caused it, but I had terrible breakouts on my forehead that wouldn’t go away, and if they did, they would scar terribly. (See photos below).
I didn’t know what to do. Every face wash or exfoliator I tried didn’t do anything at all, or only made things worse. I felt like I was wasting all my money. I would cake makeup on my face everyday to try to hide the acne, but again, that made everything worse. I never felt good in my own skin anymore.
One day I looked at my mom’s skin and I noticed how beautiful it was. When I ask her what she used, she told me Rodan + Fields. Her products were for aging, and her skin looked so youthful and flawless. I decided to see if this brand had any acne fighting treatments, and luckily they did.
This truly was an investment, and thank you to my parents for helping me with it, because it was worth every penny. Their cleanser and their dual intensive acne treatment have transformed my skin completely. I started January 1st, 2018, and in conjunction with a few other amazing products, I feel 100% confident in showing you my skin today, October 2018.
Here is a full list of products I use:
-
Cleansing Brush: Clarisonic Mia 2 ($169)
-
Yes, an investment, but this really helped me, as it deeply cleanses your skin
-
-
Cleanser: Rodan + Fields Unblemish Acne Treatment Sulfur Wash ($43)
-
Toner: Thayers Witch Hazel, Lavender ($10)
-
Serum: Rodan + Fields Unblemish Dual Intensive Acne Treatment ($91)
-
Derma-E Scar Gel ($19)
-
Dermalogica Calm Water Gel ($48)
-
Elf Illuminating Eye Cream ($10)
-
Mario Badescu Facial Spray, Lavender ($12)
Now I know that seems extra, but these products all do something different for me, and help my skin stay healthy, radiant and acne-free.
I have been using all of these products twice a day for the past 9 months and I haven’t had any acne in about 7 months. Most of my scars are almost completely faded.
I feel good that I was finally able to share my story. I wish that I had learned sooner that even while fighting acne, I should have felt good and confident in my skin no matter what.
So my final word of advice: Do not let acne define you! With or without acne you are beautiful, ALWAYS.