I have had SUCH a tumultuous relationship with my skin. I've talked about it in depth on one of my DIY zero waste face mask posts.
I experienced full blown cystic acne all over my face which later I found out was linked to hormonal issues. You can read more about my hormonal imbalance and the ways I'm working to rebalance them.
I've managed to get rid of 99% my cystic hormonal acne. Now, my struggles are all under the skin. It's all of these little tiny bumps that will just NOT go away. It makes my skin look very textured.
Last year, almost a year ago to the day, I went back home to visit Arkansas, and boy was it humid. Every single under-the-skin bump was surfacing due to the humidity.
I realized not only were my skin issues hormonal it also had to do with the weather!
I originally thought the hard water in California was responsible for all of my under-the-skin bumps, and I'm sure that plays a part too... but I think the main problem is dry air vs. humid air.
If I lived in humidity now, my skin would be clear and smooth. Unfortunately, there's no way I'll ever be able to experience Arkansas humidity here, but a girl can dream.
I'm also pretty positive 90% of the Bay Area would riot if Arkansas style humidity rolled into the bay...
Anyways, I have tried a number of plastic free skin care routines that have been nice, but just haven't worked for me.
In April of this year, I had my face examined by Marie Veronique and had products selected specifically for my problems. It’s a free service they offer just use the contact form on their website.
I was also given this book Acne Answer which helped me understand the nuance of skin care a little better.
To be frank, the book is a bit hokey, but they delivered a lot of in depth scientific information in an easy to understand way. It definitely helped when it came to understanding acne especially adult acne a little better.
I also found out that several of my problems were from internal inflammation which can't be healed from topical products on the skin.
To try and combat the problems I've been eating a diet high in good fats and reducing my gluten and legume intake. I've known that soy is a trigger for me, so I've completely cut all soy products. I've also known that caffeine is a trigger for me so I've cut out coffee and matcha.
I will occasionally have a cup of black tea, but try to stick to herbal. Every now and then I'll also treat myself to a matcha which doesn't affect my face as much as coffee, but coffee is a no-go right now.
I'm working on a blog post all about how i quit coffee. I went from drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day to being almost completely caffeine free!
My skin was looking really amazing about a month ago, and I decided to try a new product but it triggered a major breakout and my skin looks just like it did before starting the line…
But, at least, no I know what I need to do so I’m going back to strictly Marie Veronique.
Morning Skin Care Routine:
I start the morning off by rinsing my face with water
I use the Balancing HypoTonic* which uses a blend of humectants to hydrate and prep the top skin layer for the serums. AHAs rebalance pH, pre/probiotics rebalance skin microbiome.
Soothing B3 Serum* which calms inflammation, reduces redness/blotchiness.
Barrier Restore Serum which Balances moisture levels and corrects inflammation, including acne, dermatitis and even aging.
Treatment Oil which penetrates clogged pores, and breaks up congestion and calms inflammation.
Finish with my fav tinted sunscreen* which I use as my foundation!
If you liked this post be sure to read more about eco friendly hair care and 10 organic makeup brands!
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