Accutane Update (November 2013)

It has been some time since I have talked about my Accutane experience, but I think that is because I don't have much to talk about. My skin gets gets better, then it breaks out. It's a mundane cycle. I haven't had any side effects other than the occasional dry patch of skin and dry lips. I'm sure it will really affect me once winter hits, but as of right now, I am having a good experience. My hair doesn't get oily as quickly and my skin rarely is shiny.

I'm using the same products I mentioned in my last Accutane post and I am picking up my next (third) prescription in a little over one week.

I am also still trying to finish the products I have with fewer natural ingredients. They may or may not be causing my acne. The point is that I would rather keep it simple. Since I am hoping to have an internship in the summer, I will not be as tempted to buy things as I was when I worked in retail.

I have noticed that the Maybelline FitMe Shine-Free Stick Foundation seems to break my skin out when I use it. My skin clears itself up and then I will start using the foundation again and then my face is a mess again. I do want to throw it away, but I have used over 50% of the product and I could easily finish the stick if I wanted to. When my skin looks good, I only wear powder. Unfortunately, that does not fix my "I have way too many foundations for one face" problem.

I am a little surprised that this process hasn't been so difficult yet. I still do not know how long I am supposed to be on Accutane. At this rate, I doubt I will really see any major difference for at least two or three more months.

Have you used Accutane? How long did you take it, if you did? When did you see results? Comment below because I am curious! :)

Super September Day 13: Accutane Update & My Accutane Skin Care Routine

Welcome to the first update of my Accutane experience. I've only been taking Accutane for ten days, but I am experiencing mild side effects, so I thought I would share those with you before I share my Accutane skin care routine. Also, I am trying a new format for this post, so let me know how you like it!

Within a few days my nose began to get drier and my lips are constantly chapped. The first four or five days my skin looked better, but now I am in the initial breakout stage. I have quite a few small pimples all over my face, but they are not painful and they disappear relatively quickly. My skin has also felt more sensitive the past two days. These are the only side effects I have experienced. I know that more will probably come in the next few weeks, but I hope I am prepared enough to prevent the severe side effects.

Below I will list the products I plan to use while I am on my Accutane treatment. However, I will admit that I miss using more natural products, so I will probably be replacing some of these products with some more natural alternatives. Most of the products I am using are by my dermatologist's recommendations. He suggested that I stick to using Cetaphil and Aquaphor products. As you may know if you have read my blog in the past, the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is not my favorite cleanser because it is loaded with sulfates and parabens.

To remove makeup, I use Philosophy Purity Made Simple. For some reason I forgot to include this in the picture. I bought this on a whim a while back because I used it in the past and loved it. I still really like it, but I do not like that it contains parabens. After I remove my makeup, I cleanse my face with the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser. It is like Cetaphil, but without the parabens and sulfates. It has a VERY similar consistency to Cetaphil. I like this cleanser better than Cetaphil, but I have my eye on some other products that I will try when I run out of this. My skin is not very dry yet. I am not sure if it is because of the products I am using, or just because I have quite a while before my skin does dry out. Either way, I am using the CVS Moisturizing Cream (it is the generic version of the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, which is paraben-free, but I had coupons to make the CVS version even cheaper). To keep my lips from feeling too dry, I use Aquaphor. My dermatologist gave me a few small tubes that I have everywhere. However, I am trying to use up some of my other lip balms. Truth be told, they aren't enough, so I keep going back to Aquaphor.

What products are you using for your skin care routine?

Super September Day 11: My Acne Story

I'm not sure how to introduce this post, so I will just begin with the story.

I got my first pimple sometime in middle school. I think it was on my forehead and it went away quickly. Throughout middle school, I always had one or two pimples on my face, but it was never bad. As a matter of fact, this was the case through my freshman year and part of my sophomore year of high school.

Within the first few weeks of sophomore year, my skin began to get bad. Why? I think it was because I was using skin care products my skin did not like. I also think it was because I was more stressed out than I ever had been because of the usual angsty teenager problems. My normal skin became oily and the breakouts started getting worse. I won't pretend that my acne was ever the worst out of the people I knew, but my skin was bad. Every now and then I would try to simplify my routine and my skin would get worse.

By the end of my senior year, I was persuaded to go to a dermatologist. He prescribed me an antibiotic and Veltin gel (1.2% clindamycin and 0.025% tretinoin). It made no difference to my skin, so a month later I was put on a different antibiotic and Aczone. That particular combination kept me clear for 3 or so months. Unfortunately my body became used to what I was using, and I began breaking out again. After trying a few more things, my dermatologist told me that he thought my last two options were either spironolactone or the big, scary A: Accutane. I resisted both for a while, but in June, I finally decided to go ahead and try spironolactone. He first put me on a small dosage that ended up doing nothing for my skin. Then he increased the dosage and I started having a weird side effect... my monthly cycle was completely messed up. As in... every 2-2.5 weeks I was given my monthly gift. When I went to see him in August, he took me off spironolactone and asked again if I wanted to consider Accutane. I decided to take the plunge. I can talk about that process more, but I only just picked up my prescription.

I will say that somewhere in the middle I stopped taking antibiotics and tried eliminating foods from my diet that are known to cause acne. I posted a few times about no longer drinking milk, only to see no difference after a few weeks (maybe I should have gone longer), and then I would start using it again in my coffee and cereal. I have a few other examples, but the biggest one was milk.

I will say that my skin is loads better than it was 2-3 years ago. But the problem is that I am 21 and my skin is still consistently broken out. It is somewhere between where it was in middle school and high school, but I'd like for my skin to heal some. I hope that I can share my experiences while I am on Accutane. Soon I will be posting the skin care routine I plan to be on while I am taking the big A.

I wish I had a decent picture of how my skin looked a few weeks ago, but below is a picture of me wearing makeup in May 2011. You might be able to see the breakouts. Yikes.

Update: Dairy-Free Challenge

It has been over a month since my last post regarding my attempt to go dairy-free. I'll be blunt: I failed within the first week and I know exactly why

I tried both coconut milk and almond milk. I will say that I love the way they taste alone and with things like cereal, but my issue lies within the fact that nothing can replace dairy milk in my coffee. I even tried a non-dairy coffee creamer. It was okay, but it wasn't milk. However, I have greatly reduced my intake of dairy and am hoping to completely eliminate dairy eventually. When it comes to changing a habit, baby steps are a must.

I have also increased how much water I drink and I'm trying to cut back on processed foods as well. My goals are not solely because of my skin. I really want a healthier lifestyle. I'm curious: what do you do to stay healthy? Also, what counts as "healthy" for you? Most people have their own definition of what it means to be healthy, so I'm curious to know what you think.

I'm not sure what else I can say in this post, so I'll end it here. I hope you've been having a great week!

Challenge: Going Dairy Free

I am aware that my blog has strayed a little from makeup, but since the problems I have with my skin seem to be a never-ending battle, I have decided to see how my diet affects my skin. Naturally this is a long process because my skin will not show results immediately, but I feel like it is worth taking the time and worth sharing just in case there is somebody out there dealing with the same thing.

The first thing I have decided to eliminate from my diet is dairy products (specifically milk since that seems to be the biggest link to acne for some people - I'll probably cheat occasionally for some cheese). I really wouldn't consider myself lactose intolerant since I don't have noticeable problems digesting lactose, but since dairy is a common cause of acne for some people and for a lot of people skin issues come from something within, I figured I could at least try to go a month without it. I know that there have been problems linked to soy products, so I won't be using soy milk instead. I plan to try coconut milk (I'll probably try So Delicious brand, unsweetened - some reviews I have read claim that it tastes a lot like cow's milk). I might also try almond or hazelnut milk and see how I like them.

I'll be honest, I've been trying to do this for the past week and it has been difficult, but I want to stick it out until January 31. I will try to do follow-up posts if I notice anything significant. If I don't notice any changes, I will be eliminating the next thing from my diet (I haven't decided what that will be). Even if my skin isn't "perfect" by the end of 2013, I hope that my skin will look healthier.

What are some of your goals for the new year?

Review: Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment Soap

As you may know, I am on the quest for natural skin care products that work with my acne-prone skin. I've also been learning about treating acne on the inside (I might try to write about that, but it will probably not be in the near future... it's a big task and I've only done minimal research). So, I ordered a few products from iHerb a while back. I picked things with positive reviews and decided to review them myself as I try them out. An item I was particularly excited about was Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment Soap with Sulfur.

Now, it's a bit ambitious to expect a product to completely "cure" acne, but there are products that help. I personally find that salicylic acid does nothing for my skin, benzoyl peroxide is very drying and irritating (even if it does work for a lot of people), and although tea tree oil is natural, it still doesn't seem to have an effect on my skin. I've only tried one other sulfur product, and I can't even remember what it was (other than the form: I know it was a cream). So naturally I wanted to see how this would work for my skin. As I mentioned before, I got this from iHerb, but you can also purchase it from Drugstore.com and Vitacost. I have not seen this particular soap sold at any retail stores I shop at, but I could be mistaken.

Now, the directions are very important for this. As the box says, wash your face like you normally would, but instead of instantly rinsing, you have to let it dry for one minute. This can help the medication sink in. Now, how did it actually work?

This product is so-so for my skin. It contains sodium cocoate, which is derived from coconut oil and generally doesn't work with my skin type (as I discussed in my review of Kirk's castile soap). My guess is that if you like Dr. Bronner's or Kirk's, then you will probably enjoy this.

I would suggest not using this to remove eye makeup (from the reviews I have read, some people have, but one day when I was showering some slid down my forehead and near my eye... not even in it, but close to it, and it burned quite a lot). That being said, I wouldn't describe this as a harsh soap. 

There is an added fragrance, but I wouldn't call it unpleasant. I would prefer it if this was fragrance free, but sulfur generally has an unpleasant smell, so I can see why it was added to the soap.

Bottom line? This cleansed my skin, but performed no miracles. For reference, I have used this for a little over two weeks.

Update: I don't think I will be repurchasing this. I keep using the Kiss My Face Olive & Green Tea soap on my face and I just think it feels so much nicer on my skin (and it's one less product to worry about in my bathroom) - I will be finishing this, though, since it's not a bad product.

Updated Foundation Routine! (November 2012)

So I've finally switched my foundation routine up a bit, so I thought I would share it! So far I am pleased with the combination of products I am using. I've only been doing this routine for a few days, so if my opinion of anything changes, I'll be sure to post an update.

• Moisturizer: Right now I am using the travel sized version of the Willa Clear Face Moisturizer. I was curious about this because it is a liquid moisturizer, so I bought the overnight kit (with a bag, cleanser, and the moisturizer). I like this moisturizer, but I think I will need something more hydrating in the winter, so at the moment I'm working on finishing it up. I also occasionally spray the Mario Badescu facial spray after applying moisturizer (really I use it sporadically... either way it's a nice product).
• Treatment: Clindamycin 1%/Benzoyl peroxide 5% gel. This is just the generic form of Benzaclin. I was prescribed this two weeks ago and you can't buy this over the counter. I don't like the fact that it contains benzoyl peroxide, but my dermatologist said to use it and I decided to listen (for the time being, that is). I'm putting up my skin care routine post within the next few weeks, so if I end up liking this I'll be sure to include it.
• "Foundation": L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. This is said to prime, perfect, hydrate, and correct. It's a nice product, but there isn't much in the tube, so I'm not sure if it is worth the money at full price (if you can get this on sale, I recommend at least trying it). It gives light to medium coverage and doesn't leave my face in a greasy mess. Dare I say this, but I think I am beginning to like this better than my Smashbox BB cream. I've noticed my skin is less oily, but I also realize this could be a number of factors (the change in my skin care, the changing weather, and the change of my foundation routine)
• Concealer: I've been using the Revlon PhotoReady concealer for a while and I intend to use it until I finish it. If I repurchase it, it'll be a while.
• Powder: Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder foundation. This has light to medium coverage and it has an SPF of 20.

I don't have a blush I use every day right now - I just use whatever I feel like using for the day. What products are you currently using for your foundation routine?

Beauty at Home, Part 3: Masks

This part has one of my favorite masks and one of my least favorite masks. I am only mentioning the least favorite one because it has worked beautifully for other people, so I feel it's only fair to share it.

Aspirin, lemon, and honey mask:

• 2 uncoated aspirin tablets (you can use more, but it is important to make sure they are uncoated... I typically find that the generic brands have uncoated aspirin)
• 1-2 teaspoons of honey - to make the mask stick (I don't use a precise measurement, but I think I probably use 1-2 tsp)
• Squirt of lemon juice (preferably a fresh lemon, but if you have bottled lemon juice it will work as well)

Mix the ingredients together and leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Long enough for the ingredients to work together, but not so long that it damages your skin! When you wash the mask off, massage your skin gently so the aspirin can exfoliate your skin. I would say that this mask is probably safest to use once per week and I don't recommend using this if you are under the age of 18 or pregnant because of the aspirin. You could also substitute the aspirin for a teaspoon of baking soda.

Basic honey mask:

• 1 tablespoon of honey (yeah, that's really the only ingredient I'm officially listing)

Of all the masks I am listing, this is probably my favorite because it is basic and I see the biggest difference in my skin when I use it. Sometimes I add a packet of sugar if I want to exfoliate. I have left this mask on by accident in the past and I haven't had any issues with it irritating my skin, but I would suggest leaving this mask on for about 20 minutes. I've also put cinnamon and nutmeg in the mask but I don't notice a significant difference. I might notice it if I always put cinnamon and nutmeg in the mask, though.

Honey and Yogurt mask:

• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey

This is the mask that didn't work for me. I have read so many recipes and reviews and I wanted to love this mask, but I didn't. In fact, it gave me the worst breakout I've had in at least a year (I am currently recovering from that very breakout and this was the only very recent change in my routine). I left this mask on for 20 minutes.

These are the masks I've tried so far, so if I try any more on I will do another post! I hope you've enjoyed the series so far. I have one more post that I definitely have planned for the series. It will probably go up after my vacation.

Beauty at Home, Part 2: Toners

I have tried a few different mixes for toners and I'll have to admit that although my skin likes these toners on occasion (especially if my skin is not responding to my other skin care products), I usually need something stronger because even though my skin has gotten better in the past year, I am still very acne prone and I need some form of salicylic acid in my skin care (my dermatologist always tells me to go with a cleanser at the very least). My skin is fairly oily, so most of the recipes I share are will be for oily/acne-prone skin. They are also very simple and can be adjusted to suit your skin type.

So, that being said, here are some toners I've used that are a nice treat (especially in the summer heat):

Green tea:
Just brew a bag of green tea (plain) and once the bag cools, wipe it on your skin (store it in a plastic container and put it in your refrigerator if you want to speed up the process). If anyone is around when you do this, they will probably look at you as if you are insane, but green tea makes my skin feel soft and refreshed, so I say it's worth it. Green tea should be good for all skin types, too!

Apple cider vinegar:
Mix 1 part of apple cider vinegar (most people have the best luck with Bragg's ACV) to 1 part of water. Some people find the scent of ACV to be offensive, so if you don't like the way vinegar smells, I suggest trying the lemon juice toner first. I personally like the way vinegar smells, so I have never had a problem with this toner. This toner should also help with mild acne.

Lemon juice:
Squeeze the juice from one lemon into a bowl and strain the pulp and seeds out. For every 1 part of lemon juice, make sure you have at least 1 part water or witch hazel. I suggest using sunscreen if you decide you want to use this toner. This toner is great if you have acne and hyperpigmentation.

Feel free to post your own toner recipes below! :)

Beauty at Home, Part 1: Kitchen/household ingredients you can use on your skin and body!

Ever since I've been following the YouTube beauty community (since spring 2008!) I have learned so much about different skin care products. I've also learned about different home treatments and remedies and I've tried quite a few throughout the years. So I figured I would share what I know about ingredients you might have in your cabinet that can also be used on your skin! The best part is that if you already have some of these ingredients and they don't work for your skin, it's not extra money out of your pocket. If they do work for your skin, then you'll be saving money (and space) in the long run! I will also note that I know more about products for sensitive, combination/oily, and acne-prone skin because that is my skin type. There are some ingredients that can be used for most skin types, though.

Extra virgin olive oil: I probably can't even list every possible use for olive oil. To start off, olive oil is very moisturizing and has been used in skin care for centuries. Some people use olive oil as a makeup remover because chemicals in commercial makeup removers could be damaging in the long run. I have read that olive oil can even help with dark circles. If you have dry skin, you could probably also mix it with your nighttime moisturizer for an extra boost of moisture. I have also read that some people with oily and acne prone skin do not have problems using olive oil, but since everybody has different skin, it is all very personal (for example, jojoba oil is supposed to be ideal for acne-prone skin yet it does clog my pores). People also use olive oil in their hair for hair masks.

Honey: Honey is antibacterial and moisturizing. I have used honey for a while on my face and I always feel like my skin glows after I use it. I mix it with different things to change things up, but I always see great results. I recommend using organic, local raw honey because I have heard that using local honey can help with seasonal allergies and raw honey has all the nutrients that grocery store honey lacks. The only disadvantage I have seen is that honey is messy and sticky (and has a tendency to drip when I apply too much), but for me it has been beyond worth it.

Yogurt: Yogurt contains lactic acid and is also found to be antibacterial. It can help with acne, has anti-aging properties, and can even out discoloration. It is not as messy or sticky as honey, so that is an extra bonus. It can also be mixed with honey so the benefits of both can be experienced.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice can lighten hyperpigmentation, clear acne, and function as a chemical exfoliant. It does sting and increase your sensitivity to the sun. Some people use it as a mask on its own and others use it as a toner. However you use it, I suggest diluting it because it will probably sting the first few times you use it. I also suggest using either bottled lemon juice (try something without preservatives because preservatives are one of the bigger reasons I am looking into home remedies) or freshly squeezed lemon juice. I would say that using freshly squeezed lemons would only be inconvenient if you are a college student living in a dorm.

Baking soda: To me, baking soda feels very gentle. It is more abrasive than the Bellaboo scrub I reviewed a while back, but it is far less abrasive than the St. Ives scrub. You can make a paste of this with water, mix it with yogurt or honey, or mix it with your cleanser. This also can be used with your shampoo for a deep cleanse if your hair is feeling oily.

Sugar: Another especially effective exfoliator. I have used plain white refined sugar and brown sugar and both exfoliate nicely. Sugar is more abrasive than baking soda, but not as harsh as aspirin (which will be listed below). For most people, sugar as a scrub will not clog the pores and will balance the skin. Sugar also contains glycolic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid (so don't forget sunscreen). It can be used on face or body. I have mixed it with some of the ingredients I have listed in this post and my favorite cleanser and I have always been happy with the results. I don't recommend using turbinado sugar, though. The particles are too big and I could imagine that the result might be slightly painful. But I do find turbinado sugar to be quite tasty in coffee ;)

Salt: Salt scrubs seem to be more commonly used for the body and the face. The great thing is that there are so many different types of salt you can use that you will probably be able to find a type that works for your skin. I haven't used a salt scrub in a few years, but it's something I will be trying again soon.

Green tea: Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. Simply drinking it can give you plenty of benefits, but it can also be applied as a toner. It is less drying than lemon juice.

Milk of magnesia: This is said to be great for controlling oil. Some people apply it as a mask and others use it daily under makeup. I only recommend this if you have the "original" flavor though.

Aspirin: this one is a bit controversial. Some people have found that using (uncoated) aspirin mixed with either water, aloe vera gel, or honey can help reduce inflammation and redness from acne. The particles also can exfoliate your skin and make it feel smooth and soft. The controversial side is that there could be side effects to using this mask regularly. Anything that comes in contact with your skin can be absorbed into your bloodstream, so if you cannot take aspirin (if you are pregnant or under the age of 18, for example) then you should absolutely not use aspirin as a mask. As I (sort of) mentioned above, it is not recommended that anyone under the age of 12 take aspirin, but I have heard anywhere from 12 to 18 so I will stick with 18 for safety purposes.

I have been trying different recipes for my skin and I hope to post recipes as I figure out what works for me with the hope that it will work for someone else. I hope you enjoyed this post! This list is by no means the end all list to more natural home treatments, but I hope this has been helpful!