Let's Talk Skin: Detox

Oh acne, such a small word yet such a big problem for almost everyone. No matter your age, your gender, or your skin color we have all dealt with it at some point in our lives or still are (like me). There's so much information I have gained and so much I've learned and I would LOVE to share with you all since I have been dealing with acne since I was 17. I have put my skin through so much from every topical over the counter, expensive topicals, expensive skin care, expensive facials, even accutane (worst decision of my life may I add)... and I am still working with my dermatologist to try and find what the problem is so we can treat it from the root. But today I want to talk about letting your skin do it's thing, let it breath, let it detox. If out of nowhere you are having a breakout, or your skin is having a freak-out moment from a new product you are introducing into your skincare, or you just have acne, do not "add" another topical or product on top of what you're using. Instead cut off EVERYTHING you usually used and keep it to a minimum. All you need is a gentle face wash, a moisturizer, and sunscreen, that is it!. Acne is an inflammation or infected gland cause by excess oil production. The larger our pores are the more likely we will have acne and congestion in the skin. This could be whiteheads, blackheads, or those paintful cystic acne under the skin. The excess oil will clog the pores deep into the skin causing an infection which will come to show in the surface. So when you think about it, the problem comes from within, and adding topicals on the surface doesn't really do much more than just a temporary solution to a problem that is internal. I know you have heard this before but seriously DO NOT PICK AT IT!!  I should learn to not pick at it myself because I have a horrible habit of picking my face until it's bleeding!...awful, I know, and with picking comes scars, ugh even worse!!. Sometimes we don't even get it all out when we try popping them!! So here is what you should do, breathe.... it will get better, nothing happens over night. You have to be patient and trust in your skin's ability to heal on it's own. I have noticed that whenever I stick to just these 3 steps, my skin heals faster, the acne is gone, and little by little I can see my skin coming back to normal. 

Recently I had a horrible breakout at the worst time ever and decided to cut all the serums and extra layers of creams and toners and face masks and all that (if you know me you know I am obsessed with skin care and I have tons of it). I'm always buying and trying new things. The moisturizer I have been using for years and trust with my life is the Cerave moisturizer, it has ceramides and hylaronic acid which are great to help restore you skin's barrier. At the moment I'm using Neutrogena's pore refining daily cleanser with alpha and beta hydroxy formula which are great to help brighten and even your skin tone. For sunscreen I'm using Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Liquid sunscreen with SPF 70, I can't emphasize enough how IMPORTANT it is to use sunscreen!!. If you think you shouldn't moisturize because you have oily skin you are WRONG! Make sure you ALWAYS moisturize. By not moisturizing, your skin actually produces more oil which makes the existing acne worse! Keep your skin hydrated all the time. Make sure you wash your face and do these easy steps twice a day, give it at least 4-5 weeks to see results, and remember that nothing happens overnight, everything takes time, so be PATIENT!!. Other little things you can do to help your acne and your skin heal faster are, drinking lots of water (I know you've hear this before but it is true) it flashes all the toxins out so drink your H2O!, cut coffee, I know this is probably a hard one but if you love your skin you will do it and you will see major improvement in your skin. Cut dairy out of your diet and see the benefits on your skin, cut sugars, eat more vegetables and berries, try not to stress out much...and I know you can't really control that but at least try, and also try to get a good 7-8 hours of sleep. Incorporate more teas into your lifestyle (there are bunch of great teas that benefit your skin like green tea, skin detox, detox teas) these teas cleanses you from the inside out. 

These 3 easy and simple steps will change your skin, so remeber to: 1 cleanse, 2 moisturized and 3 protect your skin from the sun! Acne is unfortunately part of life, some get it worst than others but it does get better! you are not alone. Please do remember that what might work for others might not work for you so, everyones skin is different and reacts different! it is really important to listen to your body and pay attention to it and learn about your body and skin as much as you can. I hope you give these 3 steps skin detox a try. XOXO