Hey Loves!

Okay so lets get real about skin care. This topic is something that has been an ongoing conflict/blessing in my day to day life. First I want to say NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY has perfect skin. Nope not even that instagram model you follow, and nope not even the queen Beyonce herself. We all have pores, hair folicals, dead skin cells, and sebum. Blemishes are a part of life, and unfortunately some of us get them more then others, but that's OKAY. I have dealt with blemishes sense around middle school age, they come, and they go, and sometimes they come worse then other times. I have combination skin, so some places on my face are on the dryer side while other places are a little more oily. This has been really great in the sense of I get to use , and try lots of different kinds of products then talk about them here with you guys, but it has always been a little tricky to manage day to day. I have learned a few tips, and tricks along the way, and I am here today to share them with you!

1. Frozen Q-Tips

This might sound odd but it is so helpful. The main things that make a blemish stand out on your skin is the redness, and the swelling. Applying something cold to the blemish for a few minutes will take down both of those, and help to make it less noticeable. I simply run a few q-tips under some water and then place them on a little plastic baggy, or seran wrap on a rack in the freezer, after they are frozen I'll throw them into a container, and use them as I need them. You could even do this with aloe for extra soothing!

2. Washing Your Face For 60 Seconds

this is a tip I picked up from Tati on Youtube! If any of you follow her then you know she is huge into skin care, and I have always trusted her advise so I decided to give this a try, and it really does work. It may seem almost obvious, but when it comes down to it we only really spend a few seconds cleansing our face, and that isn't giving the cleanser enough time to really penetrate the skin, and do it's job fully. I started cleansing my face for a full 60 seconds, making sure I really messaged my whole face thoroughly. This has changed the way my skin feels after washing it, and it helps the rest of my products work more effectively as well. When you start implementing this into your routine you will see just how long 60 seconds feels when you doing this, and then realize how little time you have spent cleansing prior. I'll link the video where Tati talks about this tip, and also bonus talks about some great drugstore skin scare items!

3. Keep It Consistent

Consistency is key in skin care, as with many things in life. It takes about 4 weeks for your skin to fully react to a new product, so making sure you are keeping a routine with your regular skin care is SO important when helping you keep track of what works for you, and what doesn't. Come up with a schedule that works for you. Doing masks , and treatments regularly will help with clogged pores. You can even write down what you did on your calendar in your phone, and set alarms to help remind you what to do that day for your routine!

4. Keep Your Hands, And Hair Off Your Face!

Obviously keeping your hair off of your face is not always possible, but I try to keep it away as much as I possibly can. Your hands are covered in germs, and bacteria that do not need to come in contact with your skin. We touch or face throughout the day without even noticing it so often. Focus on keeping them off, and away from your face! Your hair also naturally has oils on it that will transfer to your face when it comes in contact causing acne around the perimeter of your face, so keep an eye out for that if you have struggled with blemishes around that area of your face.

5. Frequently Wash Household Linens

I personally swap out my pillow case about every three days, and I wash them once a week. I also do the same with my face towels I use a new towel every other day, sometimes every day. This helps to keep bacteria at bay. Your face lays on your pillow every single night for up to 8 hours! That's a big chunk of time! Makeup brushes are also something that harbor bacteria, so make sure to wash those thoroughly once a week, and spritz with rubbing alcohol after every use.

6. Products I Love

1. I love the MD Complete Clarifying Cleanser. I picked this up at CVS, and I have been using it for about a month now. My skin feels truly clean after use, and I have seen results! This is step one of system from MD complete, but you can buy the product separately in store.

2. I use just a basic apple cider vinegar diluted with water as my toner which has worked great! Make sure you use an apple cider vinegar that contains mother. I like the Braggs.

3. To spot treat I still use the Baby Face 2% Salicylic Acid Gel. I apply this to any blemishes, and places I frequently get breakouts nightly.

4. I use a few different moisturizers. I use vitamin E oil when my skin is desperate, I use raspberry seed oil regularly at night, and Lubriderm for dry sensitive skin unscented during the day.

I know this has already been a long post, so I am going to stop here. If you are looking for more info on acne the American Academy Of Dermatology is an amazing resource! I know it is so easy to get down about acne, and breakouts believe me I have been there! I hope these tips were helpful, and please let me know if you try any of them!

Thank you so much for reading!

xoxo, Adrianna

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