Hey b-list fam, today’s post is a more personal one. I know there are so many women out there who struggle with acne, and I wanted to share my personal story with you guys. Having acne is so annoying and really embarrassing, especially as a 26 year old adult! I remember being teased about it in middle and high school, and it’s something that I’m still self-conscious about today, which is why I really want to share it with you guys 🙂 Also, just a little disclaimer, this is just my personal opinion about what has and has not worked from me, and you should always consult a dermatologist to discuss your particular skin issues. OK, now let’s get in to how I’m treating acne breakouts.

Treating Acne Breakouts

I’ve had acne since I was somewhere between 12-14 years old. The first memory I have of actually being troubled by my acne was when I went to my friend Colleen’s 14th birthday party at her house. I remember it was a really hot day for April, and I was wearing a white tank top and a big warm sweater because I was so embarrassed by my “backne.” It was right after that when my parents started buying me acne products to try and help and made me see a dermatologist.

I think one of the first things I tried was Proactiv. We had seen it advertised on TV and it wasn’t too expensive, so I gave it a shot. I really don’t remember it doing anything helpful for my skin, but looking back I don’t think I was very diligent about using it correctly. I was a teenager and I was lazy lol. I also remember trying Clean & Clear, which I don’t remember helping with my acne either.

When I started high school, my dermatologist put me on tetracycline, which is a pretty strong acne medication that made me light headed and nauseas, so I wasn’t able to take it for very long. One medication that did help with my acne was minocycline, and I used that oral medication for a while and did notice a significant improvement in my skin. Around the same time however, I was having some health issues including fatigue and light headedness, and we weren’t sure if the medication was causing the issue so I ended up stopping it and my acne returned.

Throughout college I didn’t really use anything because I was a poor college student and I also was going through a hippie phase of not really using anything but natural products (and not ever shaving my legs, but that’s another story…). However, I also don’t remember my acne being too much of an issue in college either. Maybe it’s because of the “all natural” thing, or because I was a vegetarian, I don’t know, but I didn’t start having tons of issues with it again until I was in my early 20s.

The acne that I had when I was a teenager is different than the acne I have as an adult. I had it all over my face as mostly whiteheads and blackheads, and on my back and chest as larger red cyst type pimples (gross, I know). Now my acne is more hormonal; I notice I get flare ups around my ovulation and menstrual cycle that show up as cystic type blemishes around my chin area. I also rarely get any on my chest, and only sometimes on my back.

Ever since I turned 22 my acne has been back in full force. I’ve used MANY different skin care products to try and combat it, including Clearasil, Differin (adapalene) gel, doxycycline, dermalogica, bareMinerals…tons and tons of different products. Now however, I have started to only use 2-3 products on my skin for acne, and to give them a good amount of time to actually work (instead of trying them for a week, seeing that my acne is WORSE, and giving up). So now I use the Murad Advanced Acne and Wrinkle Reducer (I guess there’s no time like the present to start anti-aging, eh?) and I am really happy with this product. I’ve been using it since the beginning of January and I see a noticeable difference in my skin’s tone and texture. Not only is it helping with my acne, but it is also helping to reduce my fine lines! This product is quite strong, so if you are going to give it a try, I recommend building up to using it twice a day instead of starting there. I personally used it at night every other day for 1 week, then every night for 1 week, then every night AND every other morning for 1 week, and now I use it twice a day. I would also recommend wearing sunscreen in combination with this product, since it can make you more sensitive to light.

I’m also using my Lady Grey Cleansing Elixir from The Portland Girl that I got a couple months ago for treating acne breakouts. I probably won’t refill this product once it is out even though I do like it, just because I want to cut out everything that I can and only use the bare minimum of products to help control my acne, and I feel like the other cleanser that I use is more effective. The other cleanser that I’m OBSESSED with right now is the Charasu Activated Charcoal Face Wash from Charasu. My girlfriend Rachel from One Pot Slop bought me this cleanser for Christmas because it has helped so much with her acne, and I LOVE it. The smell gets to me a little bit, but it is sooo good that I don’t even care. It cleanses and exfoliates my face without leaving any kind of residue or making my face feel like it’s stripped down to the bare bones. I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who is struggling with adult acne like me.

Alright my loves, that’s it for my acne story. Thanks for sticking by and reading this more personal post 🙂 I’d love to hear your tips with how you deal with your acne struggles if you’d like to share!

xo,

B

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