MY SKIN ROUTINE

Morning: 

I start off by gently cleaning my face with Witch Hazel or Rose water and then apply my day cream. Right now I’m using the Melvita rose facial gel which is really fresh and hydrating and let’s the skin breathe. In the winter I use the Biodroga Puran Formula 24H care for dry impure skin.

 

 

Night:

I first apply a large amount of coconul oil on my face and massage it into my skin and eyes. Coconut oil is a great make-up remover, even if you’re wearing waterproof mascara. I then wipe it off with a cotton ball or wipe. Then I either use my Konjac sponge with a little bit of oil and fragrance-free face wash, my Tri Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash or my Bioderma Sensibio H2o Micellar Water

As I have microcystic acne, I need quite a lot of exfoliation but as my skin is sensitive, I try to alternate between the three. Konjac sponges are very useful if you want a deep cleanse without irritating the skin. After that, I apply one of my home-made oil serums.

Right now I have two home-made oil mixes:

  1. Balancing, Calming, Acne-fighting: Hazelnut oil with Lavender and Tea Tree essential oil
  2. Balancing, Hydrating and Healing: Jojoba oil with a few drops of  Vitamin E extract

I sometimes alternate with aloe-vera based serums when my skin isn’t dry. Other recipes to come !

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Do you own oil mix according to your skin type: it’s easy, cheap and natural!

Treatments:

I use La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Duo on spot that are still “under the skin” and for scars as it has two effects: it unclogs pores and works wonders on red scars. It’s also not as agressive as all other acne treatments.

To kill inflamed zits I use the miraculous Tea Tree oil. Tea tree oil is an aboslute must-have if you have problem skin. Crajiru extract is also very purifying but it’s a bit more expensive.

I also put Manuka honey on my dry spots and scars 3 times a week, it works miracle.

Once a week I steam-bath my face (or just put a hot towel on my face for a few minutes if I’m in a hurry), use a very gentle scrub such as Caudalie’s gentle scrub or my Konjac brush to gently exfoliate the skin before applying a home-made mask.

The base of the mask is pretty much always the same: clay (while, green or red) or yogurt, and then I add other cheap natural ingredients. I will make a complete list of easy DIY face mask recipes in my next post.

Basic Make-up:

Make Up Store Oil-free Primer

Biodrogan BB cream “for mixed impure skin”

Une concealer “Skin glow”

Une BB highlighting pen

Maybelline green concealer

Shiseido “UV Protective Compact Foundation” in the summer, a mineral powder in the winter.

Elizabeth Arden Blush “Wild Berry”

Bourjois Bronzing Powder “Délice de poudre”

Bare Minerals Eye Shadows “The Truth”

Maybelline Baby Balm “Cherry Me” or Isadora Twist-Up Matt Lips “Nude Rose”

Anastasia Brow Pommade “Taupe”

+ some brown eyeliner and waterproof mascara

DONE !

 

 

MY ACNE STORY

Hi folks!

This is my first post, so much pressure! I want this blog to be a personal yet anonymous beauty, lifestyle and inspirational blog. It will feature beauty advice, monthly picks, product reviews, and other stuff to meditate upon ! 

Let’s will start off with the basics which will make all my other beauty posts much more relevant: my acne (never-ending) story.

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My skin is mixed/sensitive and blessed with gorgeous adult acne <3<3

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This is my left cheek and jaw today #scarredforlife #thuglife

Yes, I can laugh at it now. I have cried myself to sleep and cancelled enough meetings because of break-outs. I’ve learnt to deal with it now – at least psychologically. I had mild acne as a teen, but it wasn’t as bad and scarring as my microcystic adult acne. It started when i was 22 and I’m now 25. 3,5 years. At my worse, I could have over 20 mycrocysts ready to burst into flames and 5 fully-bloomed spots and many many scars and blemishes. Right now I have about 10 really small microcysts, 3 inflamed ones and a couple of scars.

My acne is caused by many, many things:

  1. Lack of self-control
    I can’t stop touching my face. It’s like an addiction. I know how bad it is for the skin, but I can’t help it. The urge to feel the spots, try to squeeze them or peel the dead skin off is simply too strong. It’s sick, I know.
  2. Lack of hormonal balance.
    I usually get small microcysts before my period who bloom during my period and heal… well when it’s time for the next menstrual cycle. There’s not much to do about this unfortunately.
  3. Lack of will.
    I smoke. A lot. Smoking is very bad for the skin: it clogs pores and gives you a dull complexion. But godammit I’m french, I’ll stop when I have kids. I also drink alcohol 1or 2 (or 3) times a week.
  4. Lack of sleep.
    I sleep an average of 6 hours a night. I’ve had insomnia in the past, and the moment all the lights are out and I’m trying to sleep is something I always try to put off that moment for as long as I can.  I’m also a very stressed person, and stress is not good for the acne. Fun fact: According to a Chinese face-mapping, having acne on your chin is a sign of needing to chill.
  5. Lack of hygiene.
    I wash my hands about 20 times a day, clean my face twice a day and change my pillow often because of my allergy to dust/mites – but I don’t wash my brushes and clean my phone as often as I should. If you have acne on your cheekbones and ears like me, you probably should do it too.
  6. Lack of diet.
    I just know there is something I’m eating that is causing some of my breakouts. I’ve tried keeping a skin/food diary and cutting out dairy, but I haven’t found any particular intolerance or acne . I must say cutting down sugar helped. That one time when I cut down on sugar… As a true frenchie, I’m also addicted to bread and wheat in general. I have high amounts of Candida in my body, a bit above normal. Candida feeds off wheat. Candida can cause acne. That’s all I know, because I have never tried cutting off gluten, it’s just not for me. Cutting off gluten would be like cutting off a source of happiness in my life. A baguette a day keeps the psychologist away !
  7. Lack of good skin genes.
    My mother had adult acne during most of her 20’s and had huge cysts on the neck for 2 years in her 40’s. She also has thin, sensitive skin with visible veins – just like I do. Thanks for the DNA mom!

My next post will be about my SKIN ROUTINE featuring general advice on how to keep your skin in control using mainly cheap natural products.

Until next time…

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