Skin Update!

*Sorry for not posting this yesterday, I was busy then became sick! Forgive me pleassseee* 

I've been off of Accutane for quite some time now and I haven't done an update because my skin is just all over the place. It's had a slow drift back to the old stages again. It was getting under control when I was using my Acnefree exfoliating brush, but after I broke it my skin has been going crazy.

Nothing I was using was reducing the size or redness of my blemishes. And that feeling alone was beginning to get very stressful. So I took another trip to the dermatologist office to see if they knew what was going on. As predicted the only solution she came up with is more products that don't work for me to blow my money on. I even told my mom maybe it's time to go back on Accutane.

As my face continued to get progressively worse I started to grow really impatient, BUT I finally figured out a little something that has been pretty much keeping me sane. She actually gave me a medicated gel that actually reduced the size and redness of m blemishes overnight. And I also played around with my daily skin care routine, involving more acne medicated products. So let me give you a Post-Accutane Update Facial Routine..yikes a mouthful huh? But bear with me, because it might help you too! 

In the morning I have stuck with my Proactiv body/face wash cleanser mixed with a new product. Yes new! My brother, boyfriend and I all share this product because it works wonders for all of us. It's St. Ives Blackhead Exfoliating Green Tea Scrub that has acne medication in it (Salacylic acid). Which BTW I'm pretty sure Salacylic Acid has helped my skin way more efficiently than Benzoyl Peroxide has. Anyway, I mix those two together and OMG does it feel amazing. Not sure if the Proactiv on actually does anything, but I know the St.Ives one works. It soothes the redness in my skin dramatically and purifies my pores, leaving my skin feeling really smooth and fresh. 

Then at night, I'd go back in with that same exfoliating cleanser mixed it with the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne wash in the shower with my new exfoliating brush (that's another post) and just close my eyes and enjoy my pretend spa-like atmosphere. The combination leaves my skin feeling super clean, refreshed and my acne feels under control. 

After that I'd just put my new acne medication gel on it (Aczone) with my glycolic acid and some moisturizing cream under my eyes. Now some days I'll put moisturizer or coconut oil or vitamin E oil overtop once the medicine dries, but I feel for my particular skin type those things clog up my pores sometimes and I wake up with more break outs. I still moisturize in the morning before foundation and what not, but at night I'd rather have my skin breathe and only have to worry about the acne medicine. I felt like the first time I used this product, I really saw a difference in my skin. It calmed the breakouts and they seemed less prominent. So I became happy with my results. *Disclaimer: I'm no doctor here, I know moisturizing is important for your skin to keep it looking youthful, but for night time I choose not to for my skin.*

4/17/15- I have been breaking out more often since initially writing this post. I mostly think it's hormonal because of that time of the month for me. But just so everyone knows every detail of my journey here, my blemishes got bigger and more painful, but after continuing my own regimen I've noticed that it's starting to go down again. I got my period last night, but my blemishes feel somewhat under control. My face is overall less red thanks to the St. Ives product, so that's a plus.

-BTW I will be doing a YouTube video after my period has concluded to show the real results of my Accutane progress!  So stay tuned, I will post it here!