This is my last entry for my acne diary.
I thank my readers who had emailed me asking for my opinions about acne. I'm not a pro but it made me feel happy that you think my advises are worth something.
As i do my post every week about acne, i've had mixed feelings about it. The "going back" part evokes lots of thoughts about acne & how i should have dealt with it. Of course there's no way that i would be able to turn back the time but i believe that everything is a learning experience & this is something that i would actually choose to experience. Funny,huh? But i really would choose to experience acne rather than not experience it.
Why?
Simply because i learned lots of things about it. What is the probable reason why i break out, how my skin reacts to too much moisture, why is it important to exfoliate, etc. Things like these are the things that i learned through my acne journey.
Now you might ask me these questions
-"is there anything that you regret doing that could have lead to your acne?"
-"what advice can give you me so that my tiny zits won't lead to acne?"
You can take a look at my previous entries to find out what are the thing that i think are the probable sources of my acne & how i dealt with it. The best advice is to listen to your skin. I kept on repeating that over & over because i think not a lot of people know how important it is. Ask for advises from the people who have had acne rather people who got perfect skin. Experience is really the best teacher & i am speaking as a teacher (literally!) & as someone who had experienced it.
Now, since we are talking about acne, i would want to introduce a new product that is meant specifically for acne-prone skin. I am acne-prone but since i don't have acne anymore i had to ask someone who have acne to road test this product.
I can go on & on about what the company says about it & things like that but i don't want to bore you all with stuff that you can find on the net so i will just go straight to the performance of it. I will just make a separate post about each product later on so that we would be able to dissect them one by one but for now i just simply want to show you the before & after picture.
Pls click it to make it larger so that you can see the image clearly.
I think the picture says it all,no?
'll just be sharing a couple of things about what my brother thinks about it (yes,it is my brother who is suffering from acne). I asked him to start using all 3 on week 1, so that would also be the time when i started out my acne diary (6 weeks ago). He had a few zits here & there After a couple of days he told me that he started breaking out so i asked him to stop using all 3 & just try to use the anti-bacterial cream. It looks like everything is going smooth because he said that it seems to be working.
Honestly, i forgot to ask what was the progress about his papulex experience but it seems that she stopped using it 2 weeks ago. So he had used it for 4 weeks, but it's mostly just the anti-bacterial cream.
So tell me what you think about it?
Again, pls check back after a couple if days for a better details about Papulex because i feel like if i'm going to include it here, it would take forever for you to finish reading this diary entry. It deserves a separate post so to serve as a product review too.
Well, with this last entry, im ending my acne diary.
Thank you for being with me for the past couple of weeks reading my post. Again, this is part of the Truth Seeker campaign which is made specifically to help us combat acne & banish it to eternity. lol!
Just a couple of days before christmas,sweeties. are you all ready for the holidays?
I am!
hahahaha
I'm all done with the gift wrapping. finally!
Have a relaxing (though i doubt it because of all the holiday preparations. hehe) Sunday!
Jaa ne~!
^_^
Week 5 already?!
Wow! I can't believe how fast time flies.
As i go along the journey of going back on my acne experience & giving tips & pointers about how to handle it & what you should know about it, i just really thought how harrowing it was to really have acne. I won't go into details about it because sometimes you won't really know it until you had experience it.
Now that i'm really way past the acne period, 1 thing that i want you all to remember is that, even if you know what causes your acne but you did not do something to that then it's just pointless. Once you have traced the root of the problem, the only thing that is clear now is to change your habit.
Kick the old one & start anew.
I did this & i never regretted it.
Sometimes it's just what you need.
Again, i did not follow those so called "SOPs" (standard operating procedures) because it doesn't work for me. So i stopped trying to do the SOPs & i started with what agreed with me. Check out my previous post because it's really more of a kicking the habit-like.
It's the moisturizer for me. It is what doesn't agree with my skin.
I quite using any added moisture on my face & let my natural oils do the job. It works! As simple as that!
No matter how it's been advised that it is a must to use moisturizer, it is just not for me.
Trust me, i know. I have tried tons of them & i just end up ditching them anyway. I use sunblocks & essences but heavy moisturizers are a definite no-no. My oil glands are active so why should i let them quit their work when they're supposed to work? lol!
Honestly, at this point i stopped using beauty soaps for now, as i am doing the duration of my acne diary.
Yes!
For those who read my entries, you know that i am a big fan of 1 soap, but i stopped using it just because i wanted to see if my acne would come back. I have a big zit on my forehead now, but it's nothing alarming because it happens every now & then especially when my womanly thing happens. Aside from that, my skin is doing well. As long as i don't put on moisturizers & i wash my face regularly then everything is going well. yay!
This is something that i learned the hard way.
I know by now how my skin reacts to moisturizers. If you would be able to find out what makes your skin react resulting to acne then good!
One more thing that i want to point out is to not put on make-up when your skin is breaking out. I know that there had been lots of non-comedogenic products that you can use. I also know how badly you want to cover it, but please do not make it worse by clogging your skin.
Let your skin breathe!
I think this is something that doesn't need any scientific explanation,right?
Too much of something is bad, this goes not just for this but over all.
I'll put in some things that you might want to check, this might help you in finding the cause of your acne.
lack of sleep
pimple popping
not cleaning your skin thoroughly
products that clogs your pores
not getting rid of excess oil
products that doesn't suit your skin type
Hope that you would be able to find the cause... stop the old routine & start a new one.
I have tried it before but i really can't get it to work for me. It's either i won't be able to pick up the image which happens like 80% of the time or the image will not be complete. I think i have already developed my arm muscles trying to make stamping work for me but it doesn't seem to work at all that i decided to just ditch it & just concentrate on freehand manis.
I have been encouraged by my friends to try nail art stamping once more but the thought of putting much effort without gaining anything at all is just not appealing (of course!). hahaha. I don't really have any plans in doing nail art stamping that is until this....
...arrived at my doorstep.
Image Plates, baby! hahaha
The IPs were a very sweet surprise because it was something that i wasn't expecting when we had a meet-up together with my sweet "nail art lover" friends. They highly recommend that i try out the XL stamper because it will surely make stamping fun & easy for me so i decided to go ahead & try stamping again.
& they were right!
hahaha!
i can't believe that i am now stamping with ease!
Index & pinkie were stamped images while middle & ring were still hand painted by yours truly.
It's so nice to be able to see stamped images on my nails!
Finally!!!!
hahaha
Ok, enough with that...
i know you can see how exhilarated i am.
I am still practicing stamping until now but there's one thing that i am hating when i do this.
The lint!
Since i would have to clean my plates, stamper & scraper every now & then with cotton soaked with polish remover, there's no helping wit the lint from the cotton being transferred to the plate or stamper then on to my nails. argh! It just ruins the whole process.
I am familiar with lint rollers,of course, but i think that the best way to remove lint completely off a surface is if you use something sticky to lift the lint out. So an adhesive tape is the best tool for removing those pesky lints.
So, here's what i do...
I'll cut up a nice long strip of tape...
Then i usually get rid of too much stickiness off of it by pressing my fingers on the end so that the oils on my finger would transfer to it. It will make the removal of it later a lot easier.
Then roll the ends so that you can stick it to a smooth surface, or even on your working table, where you can easily reach it after every stamp.
Then time for stamping...
Once you have transferred the image on your nails & would want to clean your stamper, then you just have to stamp it on the tape...
... & all the remaining dirt will stick on to the tape!
Easy as pie!
Less effort than cleaning the stamper with cotton balls or spraying it with acetone then brushing it off. In this process, you're sure to get rid of all the remaining lint from wherever you might have gotten them.
Look!
Clean stamper all ready to be used again.
Isn't that super easy?!
Now that i've shared my technique, time to go now.
On to more stamping practices for me. hahaha!
Now i understand why lots of people get addicted to stamping. lol
Hope you all are having a great day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^
ps:
by the way, if you wanted to get the same stamper that i have, go check out Myonline Shop.
She got loads of nail art items! If you are new to stamping like me & would want to enjoy the experience all the more, pls get the XL Stamper. I love love love it!
I'm already on my entry 4 for my Acne Diary. How am i doing so far?
If you haven't read my past entries, feel free to browse them HERE.
This time i want to focus on the home remedies that you & I have tried. I'm sure you have tried tons & tons of remedies that most probably didn't work on you,right? The need to look for things that have been passed down from one person (or maybe even generations?) to another is just so irresistible to us. I know because i have been there & i've tried (if not all) almost everything.
Wait, let me try & remember the things that i've used on my face the time when i still had my acne:
I'm not really sure if i had tried other things as well (i'm betting that i did since i'm all for natural that time) because now i can't quite remember all of it but these are what i can think of right now.
I will not say that these home remedies do not work.
Some does!
Tomato mask is something that agreed on my skin. Though i have to say that the preparation for it is time-consuming.. same with other home remedies.
Why would these home remedies actually exist if it doesn't work?
I'm keeping an open-mind to this one. It could have worked for others. Again, everyone had different skin. My skin is different than your skin, this im sure of. If Tea Tree Oil didn't work for me, i'm sure that it worked for someone else. The thing that made people think why home remedies just doesn't work for them could be because they haven't found one that would agree on them.
Now, don't get me wrong on this & scour your kitchen right after reading that one,ok?
Because one thing that i wanna point out is that by the time that you most probably had found the home remedy that could (take note, i'm using the word COULD) work for you, chances are, your acne might have already escalated from bad to worse! No one wants that!
If only i had someone telling me this the time that i had acne, i would have been able to prevent it from getting worse. Sometimes, finding a remedy that could work for you is just not worth it. Especially the time that i used the OCM method. argh!
Every time i remember how my skin reacted to it i can't help but feel the remorse coursing in my veins because it just made my acne worse. It went from stage 1 to stage 5!
Please, spare yourself that by not giving in to EVERY THING that you have been reading. Again, im NOT saying that they won't work. It's just that using it alone might not be the best thing for the meantime.
I don't want to sound a hypocrite by boycotting home remedies because i have used it & some worked on me. I just want you to be aware of things that you have to consider when you decide to do it. I would highly suggest that you use at least 1 clinically-proven product together with it so that you will at least have something to counteract a bad reaction that you might get from the remedy that you have chosen.
Take for example the time when i used OCM (i still can't get over this!haha).
I know i am applying raw oil on my face, i'm aware of that, i just do not know the danger of it. I should have really made sure that i completely stripped my skin off of the oil by using an anti-bacterial soap afterward. There's nothing wrong with taking an extra step just to make sure that i got my bases covered,right?
But no, i just followed it exactly how they said i should be doing the OCM. The awful thing is that i use it 2x a day so just imagine how suffocated my skin had been. I'm already oily to start with (plus the fact that i live in a hot country) & i just had to add more oil on it. How stupid did i get?!
*sigh*
Oh well, now i know better.
So i am also telling you, hunnies, that you have to choose wisely if you really are planning on doing home remedies.
Do not just decide on something because someone said it worked for them. Do your research. Consider your skin type. Think hard on the logic behind it. Do not be swayed by what you read on the internet. You can test it first on a small patch of your skin prior to fully doing it. It may be natural but be aware that you are applying something raw on your skin.
I know for a fact that i got rid of my acne by NOT using home remedies. So do not be totally dependent on it. An actual product with proper ingredient is still needed to put acne away effectively (based on a quote that i got it from) because it's true!
Clinically-proven kits could be effective provided that you know what ingredients it has & you know that it worked for you. I have tried lots of acne-fighting kits but not all of them worked. I know that they have been formulated especially for acne but for some reason they just didn't work... or am i just freaky this way? lol!
There are hundreds of home remedies out there. Just do not try all of them Be on the realistic side because not all of them will work on you. Trust me on this. Natural is good, but sometimes it's just not worth it.
I am enjoying this blog campaign that i am in right now which is the Truth Seeker. I'm glad that people appreciate my acne diary. the time & effort it takes to write every single post is well-worth. Let's all fight acne. You can get rid of it with proper know-how & guide.
^_~
Well, i'm off to enjoy my weekend.
Hope you will too!
Have a happy one.
Jaa ne~! ^_^
This entry is a way overdue post...
What am i thinking forgetting about this one when i mentioned before that i had come across this matte glitters?!
Better late than never,no?
hehehe
You all know that i love to franken polishes.
In fact, i like frankening polishes better than doing my nails these days. I can't even remember when was the last time i really did make a nail art.
I have been looking high & low for matte glitters. I have wanted to use it for making a unique glitter polish. I want something that will not bleed. So when i was given a chance by Born Pretty to try out their glitters i immediately choose this.
Isn't this unique?
So different from the usual glitters that you can see at the bookstores.
I think it's made from polyester which is why it will stay true to its colors & will not bleed.
I'm sorry but i do not have an idea what is the size for this one is but this picture might help.
They're a bit big.
Maybe you're wondering how it holds up if you are going to use it on a polish.
Well, this is a bit tricky though....
Of course, it won't bleed but then i think it's too thin that's why it ends up curling a bit.
See how they curl?
Hmm... I'm not really sure if i could use this for frankening but i may be able to use this for just creating nail arts like this one.
I have to say that i am liking this one.
Really easy but is so funky & very eye-catching!
I said that they are quite thin so you won't really have a problem with it once they are on your nails already. They won't stick out as much compare with other glitters. Just make sure that you seal it with a thick coat of top coat.
I'll try to use this in frankening once i got some more matte glitters that i can find. So the search for matte glitters is still ON.
If you are interested in this product, you can go over this LINK & you can use the code PRJ61 to get a 10% off of your purchase.
I'll try & use this glitter for some nail arts that i might be doing in the future.
Maybe something for this christmas..hmmm...let's just wait & see if i'll be able to have any idea about christmas designs.
Speaking of Christmas, how are your holiday preparations going along?
Mine is doing pretty well hence i don't get to blog that much.
hehehe
Hope you all are having a great day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^
ps: Product sent as sample. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. Opinion shared is personal view & is no way influenced by the company. Use at your own discretion.
I'm already on my entry 3 & im glad that some of you find it quite helpful. Thank you for the warm emails, it's nice to know that the effort that i am taking making this is well-worth it. Again, this is a part of the Truth Seeker campaign to create awareness & to help us arm ourselves to fight acne.
This time, i would like to focus on how acne actually affects our confidence. I'm sure that you know how it makes you feel really really really bad. I hope that this post would help you overcome that.
If you read my entry 1, i mentioned that my acne started the time when i was on the hype of experimenting with make-up. So it also means that the time when i had my acne, the only solace that i could find from my bout with acne is to cover it with more foundation & concealer to hide it away. I'm sure you are also guilty of it... right?
But let me tell you something... the more you apply something on your zits, the more you are just making it worse. Why?
You are clogging your pores.
I guess it's ok if you will just have it for a short time but i think the longer you have make-up on the more it just accumulates. Bacteria & oil are trapped in your pores. If you are going to pack something on top of your skin, you are just letting the bacteria in your skin sit on for a longer time. Doesn't that sound gross?
There's no way for us to avoid bacteria. It naturally resides in our skin because we are exposed to air & the bacteria is just naturally present in the air. This is the reason why i mostly recommend using an anti-bacterial soap if you have a younger skin. You have to get rid of the build-up that happened deep-down on your pores.
Now, that we got that out of the way, let's talk about how acne makes us feel.
This is a no-brainer.. we all hate acne! Just having a zit or 2 is enough to ruin our morning the moment we wake up, how much more a horde of zits on your face?!
Just think of acne as something unavoidable so in the end all you have to do is accept it & let it runs it course without adding more damage. It's so hard to say that you have acne, but you already have it (or else you won't be reading this one,no?) so the only thing that's left for you to do is to accept & work with it. Work with it, not against it.
Is there a difference?
Yes, if you are working against it, you try so much to cover it, use more products that are necessary & let it ruin you. The temptation to cover it with make-up is so great but do not! If you are applying concealer, then foundation, & finally setting it with powder is no good.
Just imagine yourself as the skin...
You are dirty & full of grime.
Will you actually put on your undershirt, then your shirt, then finally your jacket to cover the dirt?
Or would you rather just clean yourself & put on something that you are comfortable in?
I'll bet my next paycheck that you will be choosing the 1st one! So why let your skin do the same?!
Think about it... ok?
If you work with it then you listen to what your skin tells you. You do not do things that you know is bad & is pointless. You may not be completely comfortable letting every one see your flaws but you just learn to love with it. You do things that you know is right & will be helpful in the end.
It's just like a break-up.
You either try to bury the pain & let it slowly consume you from the inside or you let go & accept what had just happened?
I've already given you enough illustration & i guess that i've already made my point here.
You know what you are going to choose.
You know what you are going to do.
So go ahead & do it.
Just remember, everyone of us had something bad that we all want to forget.
Every thing will just pass it time. It will be over before you realize it. So don't fret yourself over trivial things like acne! There are a lot more things that you need to do & enjoy in life.
Don't let a freakin' acne stop you.
Don't let it dictate what your life should be like.
You are your own boss.
If you stress about acne, the more your skin will start producing oil (which is bad!) & makes it really really bad.
Just chill out & enjoy life.
I've been there & im definitely done with it!
This is why i'm telling you that acne is not the end of the world.
This is a learning process too. You'll learn a lot of things as you go along the journey. Just like i did!
Finally!
After months & months of waiting! 5 months to be exact I was able to get my hands on this polish. I have been lusting over this polish for a long time & i'm just so dang glad that i finally have it.
Isn't this polish a beauty?
Tiny (really tiny!they're just like periods -> .....) matte glitters of blue, yellow & yellow green makes this polish so irresistible. I mean, just look at how awesome it is!
But, one thing that you have to know about this polish is that application is such a biotch!
I had to do 5 thick coats to achieve that effect. One important thing that you have to also take note when applying this is that you have to let them dry completely before the next coat, so yeah, this is a very time & effort-consuming polish to don.
Looking at the brush, you'll see how not a lot of glitters are there to really have a full cover for 1 coat so you really have to do at least 4 coats to get the full effect.
Since i said that you have to apply it thickly, it also means that you'll most likely end up using a good portion of it on your finger & toenails... maybe you'll even consume like half of the bottle if you plan to do so. hahaha!
I used it on all 10 of my fingernails & i used up like 1/5? of it already...
1/5 of the bottle gone for all 10 of my fingers...?!
Ridiculous!
You be the judge....
Oh & i am going to keep this in my stash upside down like so because if you notice it most of the blue
For now, i'm just so happy that i already have this polish.
Yay! So, im gonna leave you with 2 more pics of it.
I have to maximize the use of this through pictures, no?
If you are interested in buying this, head on over to NinjaPolish & look over all the Floams that are available there. I just choose the classic floam because that is what i have been wanting ever since.
There ya go...
Hope you are having a fun Tuesday!
Jaa ne~! ^_^
I'm slowly getting into blogging mode little by little again. Too many classes & things to do now that christmas is already underway. So, to keep my blog alive for the meantime i'll do some polish swatching starting with my very own fanken polish that i call as Purple Fantasy.
I suck at creating names..i know. That's like one of my weakness!
This was a part of my latest holo frankens that i posted before.
Anyway, here is the picture...
Since this is holographic, taking a picture of this is almost next to impossible so i had to do it under the sun... which is think was still not able to capture the beauty of it.
tsk tsk tsk
Ok, here's another one....
gaaahhh!!!
That's a F-A-I-L!
*sigh*
Blurred on purpose so to see the holo effect.
My camera just can't capture the full glory of it but it's really pretty!
I love this shade so much i made 2 bottles of it!
I'll be swatching the other 3 holo frankens that i made together with this some time soon.
^_^
On the other hand, i would also like to give you, guys, a heads up about the Holiday Launch photos of SM Accessories. This would be a good reference if you are already prepping up what accessories would be perfect for your choice of dress this holiday. Just a couple more days before December... you have to also remember what would be your get-up on the special day.
Let's start with the gorgeous Anne Curtis for the Emerald Empire for those who would be wanting the cool color of green for the holiday season.
First let me say, that i'm not really that much into greens before.. but lately, i am loving the color!
My polish hauls the past couple of days has been more into greens! I won't do haul posts anymore because i think i'll just end up posting unnecessary info on my blog.. TMI! lol!
Ok, enough about polishes....
Love the bangles! I have to check SM out for that one. I sure wish they would fit my big wrist! lol!
Ladies, you also have to make sure that your guys are accessorized the way you are! So here is Richard for Urban Glam.
Our men needs to also be in fashion,no?
This next collection is just so vampy elegant! Perfect to finish up the usual little black dress.
I have to check this one out. I also have my black dress & i have to find the perfect accessories to dress up myself.
Love Georgina's fierce make-up!
I wish i can get away with this look.hehehe
Blue Royale collection for that perfect blue/perfect dress that would be able to spice up your wardrobe
Will be sharing a couple more pictures for my next few posts to come.
I have to definitely get a few accessories for my holiday get-up!
But i have to go shopping first!hahaha
Make sure you drop by at SM for your accessories,ok?
^_~
Oh, & make sure you check out their Twitter account. You might never know what you may find there..
How does 100k grand to celebrate the holidays?!
I wanna win too!
Well, there you go. Tomorrow i'll post another polish swatch.
Have a happy day!
Jaa ne~!
^_^
After my personal introduction about the start of my Acne Diary, which i hoped that you have read & understand. It's now time to start doing something about it. The thing that i would like to focus on is diet.
This is a part of the Truth Seeker campaign to create awareness so that we would be able to help fight acne. Actually a part of this campaign, specifically for this week, is to challenge me to prove the theory about food & acne is either right or wrong but since i don't have an acne anymore & i am eating healthily so i can't anymore... this time, i'm gonna pass the baton to you.
How important is a balanced diet?
I think there is one movie that can give you the gist about it... ever seen Supersize Me?
Of course, that would be overstating things but you know the difference at least.
Your diet could pretty much reflect everything about you... most especially your skin!
I know the time that i had my acne i was living a very unhealthy & sedentary lifestyle. I am just staying at home eating junkfood while watching lots & lots of animes & movies. I also sleep really late at night..or rather make that morning. I sleep the next day 6am at worst! That's also the time when i mostly got into drinking those bottled green tea thinking that it's healthy (but it's not!it has loads of sugar on it!). I also don't get to exercise that much (still is my problem up until now but i do try to exercise naman compare with before) so the end result of that is very very obvious to my skin & body. I feel & look so ugly back then that i feel no make-up could even cover.
I am trying to live a healthy life now & i make it a point to eat a balanced diet. I love eating vegetables. My mom could attest to that. Every time we would have fried food my next question would be "don't we have any vegetable dish?". I'm even ok with just tomatoes.. just as long as i have something to counteract the oiliness from the fried dish.
But hey, even that didn't spare me from having acne. So, does diet really have something to do with acne? I'll tell you my deep health secrets so make sure you pay attention because you might be like me too...
Let's try & debunk a couple of some myth that had been circulating around when it comes to food.
I would really like to share something about the relationship of sugar & acne but i don't dare to (yet!) because i would like to be able to talk with an expert first before i go publishing something about it. Don't worry, hunnies, i'll make it a point to interview someone (a doctor specifically) to enlighten us about the relationship of sugar & acne. I'll just be linking that post to this once i've done it.
I'll just be sharing my personal opinion about food & acne based on my experience. I'll just be talking about the topic that i'm familiar with,ok? So i'll just be touching 3 things that i think most of you know but is either not aware or is just simply ignoring. I am also challenging you to prove me wrong in my theory,hunnies.
Let's start...
WATER INTAKE
photo credit to cleanse & detox lifestyle
I am a great water-gulper.. is there such a word? lol!
Anyway, i really love to drink water...a lot! I even bought the Nestea Doblitro tumbler to monitor my water intake. I make that i drink at least 2 liters of water a day. But i know for a fact that during my pre & acne-days i am not drinking enough water.
You see, i used to have a stone lodged in on my left kidney years ago. I was forced to double the amount of my water intake at that time & you know what i noticed when i increased my water intake? My hair grew pretty fast & my nails too! I don't have a scientific basis for this mind you, but that is what i experienced. I mean i have read somewhere that hair is made up of 5% water or something to that effect... the only thing that im certain is that water is just important.
I do not drink any sugary beverages. My doctor advised me not to since i have a high-risk in diabetes coming from a family of diabetic so i am always on the struggle to lessen my sugar intake.. which means no sodas, juices, etc. I can't even eat sweet fruits. *sigh* I can only intake water... so is that a reason why i am a fan of water? I have no choice! LOL!
Water is great for flushing the toxins out of the body, together with an increased fiber intake & you sure are doing your body a great favor! Since i already know my skin almost inside out, i can literally see if my water intake is not enough because i can really see how dull & "thirsty" my skin looks. I also make sure that i double check the color of my urine to see if my water intake is enough.
CHALLENGE 1:
Can increasing your water intake really make a difference to your skin?
I am challenging you, all, to drink as much water as you can. In my case, i can drink more than 2 liters of water a day... that also means frequent visit to the loo, but who cares?! I can see that my skin looks great! I make it also a point to drink as soon as i wake up.
SALTY FOOD
Now this is my weakness...
I love junkfood!
I love chips, canned foods, instant foods, etc. so much it's not funny anymore. Prepackaged foods are heaven sent! hahaha. No wonder i had a kidney stone. hehehe
But did you know that salt is not really related to acne?
Why did i include salt then if it's not related to acne?
I would just like you to know that most salty pre-packaged foods that we (or in this case I) love is laden with other things that could be the culprit to acne... or worse to other serious health-concern. Allergens that one person could have a bad reaction with could be present in those pre-packed that we love so much. Again, sugar is mainly present.
The nutrition facts at the back of those have a purpose.
Check it!
Too much sodium is not good.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Ok, another health confession... I have a high-blood pressure.
My dairy intake is limited.
*sigh*
I can only go for low-fat or non-fat dairy products, which tastes awful! hahaha! Fat is delicious, you know! Even my doctor student admitted that. Can you imagine croissant without the rich taste of butter?
*groans*
OMG! The thought of butter croissant is making my mouth water as i am typing this... it's been too long! T_T
Anyway, going back to the topic...
There has been a link that has been found out that acne & the allergenic proteins from milk could be the culprit to acne. I'll not murder the explanation about it so i will just link this article so that you can read about it.
I'm sorry but i really can't remember if my milk intake, the time when my acne flared, was too much. The only thing that i know is that i love dairy products.. im talking about full-cream milk, heavy cream, soft cheeses, butter, etc. I can even munch a whole block of cheddar! When my doc told me that i have to limit my intake, it was like a dynamite was put on my "happiness" crate. hehehe
So, right now...
I am on a low-sodium, low-fat, high-fiber diet that i was forced into & i can really see the effect that it has on my skin. My skin is supple & smooth. I don't want to sound like i am really beautiful but after what i've been to on my acne-years, my skin now is something that i am really loving. I can go out without make-up anymore. This i think is really mainly because of my diet.
Again, i do not use any anti-aging creams or moisturizers that could alter my skin. Heck,i do not even use sunblock! I know, i know, i know... that's not good. I will be paying later on in the future because of that but i really do try to put on sunblock if i remember it. hehehe.
I think what i have right now is just because of what's happening in my body through my diet. I mostly eat vegetables, lean/white meat & fish. That sounds so difficult to do,no? But it really isn't! It is NOT!
CHALLENGE 2:
Take the healthy choice!
When faced with food choices, always.. & i mean ALWAYS go for the healthy choice. It doesn't need to be all-vegetables or something like that especially if you are not into vegetables that much, but what i want you to do is to start picking choices that would be more beneficial to you...
Appetizer: Green Salad or Cheese Sticks - Green Salad Main Meal: Rice with sisig or Rice with sinigang - Rice with sinigang Dessert: Cheesecake or fruit salad - Fruit Salad Drinks: Chocolate milkshake or Fruit Juice - Fruit Juice
You get the gist?
It seems hard at first, but once you see & feel the effect, i assure you that you will just naturally go for the healthier choice even without you trying.
It's all about moderation...
Too much of something is too bad. With the kind of fast-paced life that we are having we tend to just forget about taking care of ourselves so we usually suffer in the end. It's really very easy to get lost in the aisle of the grocery & see the different arrays of instant foods which are so cheap! But again, they are not good for you. They taste great, i know, but they're not good.
I still eat chips, but i don't eat it everyday like how i used to. I can eat something sweet like frozen yogurt or heck, even ice cream! but i make it a point to monitor my sugar intake (not because im afraid of diabetes) just because im a firm-believer that anything of too much is bad, I hope that you would also be conscious of the foods that you eat.
Just please trust me on this... a healthy & clear looking skin is not just because of what you are using topically, it is mostly because of what you eat. You are what you eat. Your skin is the mirror for that. So take my 2 challenges. You'll lose nothing & gain everything. These challenges are not just simply about your skin, it's about your body as a whole.
Well, with this, i hope that my 2nd diary entry is helpful.
Now, let's get to the serious acne talk that i had been talking about before. I'm sure by now that you have read my post about how I broke the breakout cycle & would want to know more about how to fight off acne. Now let's discuss the nitty gritty details about the idea behind it.
I'm actually a part of a blogging campaign whose main objective is to clarify common misconceptions about acne & skincare. It's called Truth Seeker. Since this is a mini series, expect more acne-related posts for the next couple of weeks, specifically every Saturday as i try to go over some of it.
Let's start first with analyzing & working with the type of skin that you have.
Have you actually asked yourself if your parents were acne-prone too? Did they had acne when they were at your age? I'll tell you later about what i found out when i asked my mum about it.
I made a little research about it & has read an article saying that based on some studies, genes could actually play a role in acne too. So if you want to blame someone blame it on the moon (lol!maiba lang-just to be different). I don't think there's no one to blame, really. I think we all know that teen acne is common. Most of my readers who email me are actually teenagers.
Teenage years, this is when hormones wreak havoc in our body. These hormones increases oil production. Over-production of oil will lead to clogged pores resulting to pimples. Severe pimples would already be classified as acne & among the different types of acne, Acne Vulgaris is something that im sure most teenagers are suffering from.
For those who doesn't have an idea how pimples happen, you can watch this short video that i found on youtube.
So, now that we got that out of the way, it's time for me to get personal...
*inserts the song 'it is well in my heart'*
.........
.......
......
.....
....
...
..
.
I know how most people like how i go to details because i really give pictures & don't worry, i won't crimp on this post. If pictures are what you want, then pictures you'll get! Of course, this is an acne diary! Good thing my mom agreed on me looking over her pictures & posting it.hehehe. So let me give you a peek about my parents & me.
Uy, masyado na tayong close ha! hehehe (We are already too close to each other)
Anyway,let's get on from the start so it would be my parent's first before me.
On to mi papa first...
Mi papa, according to mi mama (haha!just thought trying to be funny. lol), had suffered acne early on & that had left scarring on his cheeks & especially on his nose area but it stopped i guessed when he reached his early 20's.
I'm sorry but i can't find any teen pictures of my dad & this is the only picture that was left amongst the bunch. It may not be obvious here, but there are some scars on his nose area. Even i can't see it that clearly unless you have the picture in your hand & can scrutinize it but just believe me in on this,ok? hehehe
I've read tons of articles prior to this post about acne in general & had found out that acne in males usually happen during puberty years & mostly, if not disappears, calms down once they are past this age. Of course, this is not applicable to everyone. Women are more prone to adult acne then men.
Since my dad's acne had calmed down the time when he reached his adulthood, he was spared from too much scarring unlike my brother now (that's a whole new different story, i'll tell you about my brother's skin condition some other time as a part of this series so stayed tuned,ok?). Nothing much to tell since i don't have any pictures for comparison but that was according to my mum.
My dad is one of the typical vain guys who likes to have profile pictures taken like so as well. hehehe
At around the time that this picture was taken, his skin is pretty much ok.
Now, let's get to my mum.
My mum said that she suffered mild pimple attack before, a few zits here & there but nothing too alarming. Take note, im just using the word 'pimple attack' because my mum had clear skin ever since she was a teenager. Proof of this would be this picture...
Shoot, i forgot to ask my mum what was this coronation about but i think she said that she was chosen as like the muse in their barrio before. Doesn't she look pretty? (Yes, she does! She's my mum!)
Here is she dancing together with my uncle (her older brother). On a closer inspection, you might see a bump or two on her cheek area but she said that it was just one of the occasional zits that pops in every now & then.
Even on her wedding day, when a woman would mostly have a few zits because of being overly anxious because of the big day, she still had clear skin.
Way to go, momma!
That's my grandma right there...
Now, the only time that she had skin trouble was the time that she got pregnant.
As i'm sure you're aware of, a woman's body goes under tremendous hormone upheaval during these times. The sides of her face already has blemishes & a few on her cheeks too. I guess this was also the time when she developed sun spots.
Ahhhh... i think this post would be one of my favorites ever!
I can just imagine how i would look & feel like every time i will go over my blog just to reminisce & would see these pictures. This is the main reason why i want to keep my blog as personal as possible because this is my personal space. hihihi
As for my skin, i had clear skin when i was a teenager to early 20's like my mom.
Here's the proof...
I can't really remember how old (or young!) i was in this picture but i think i was somewhere between 12-14.
I didn't even know the word pimple back then!
Fast forward to my college years since that's the time when stress & everything usually catches up to a teenage's life...
I guess i'm just not pressured at all in my studies... or rather we were not pressured at all if our smiles would serve as indication. lol! Well, i wasn't even into make-up back then... not even baby powder.
I didn't know acne until i was already staring at it right smack in my face because i've had clear skin all through my teenage years & early 20's... see?
And even in my early blogging months...
My acne just started when i really got into make-up application.
I was so into it that i don't even have any idea if the products that im using are meant for my skin or what. Or maybe i was just too lazy in stripping ALL the make-up off of my skin after every application?
*sigh*
Regret really comes at the end,no?
but then... "Failure is the stepping stone to success" as what the saying goes so what i consider as a failure is something that worked good for me because i got so familiar & in tune with my skin that now i am finally able to say "been there,done that!".
So after that little peek into my & my parent's teenage years, i guess you can say that i was spared from the "hereditary acne", though that's not in my brother's case.
Even if acne is hereditary or not, we just simply need to find a way on how we can work that out. I found my own way after getting to know my skin. I listened to what my skin tells me & had acted on it. What my mom may have done during her adolescent years is most likely different with what i did. Ask your parents first how they addressed their problems. It's worth looking into what worked for them. There's no guarantee that that could really work with you but it's something that you have to reconsider.
The gist is this... Your skin is your own. Do not be fooled with what everybody is telling you to do. You need to work with what you have. Again, i stand with what i believed in. I did not follow any of those "SOP" that people had been telling me that i ought to do. I did what i think is best for me, not saying that im a pro or what,ok? I'm just working with what God has given me.
Things are very different from years ago.. our diet, activities, environment, etc. all contributes to what we are.These are some factors that you have to consider.
Ask yourself these questions to help you analyze what are the things that could be affecting your acne.
1.What kind of lifestyle do i actually have?
2.How about my diet?Am i eating healthy food?
3.Do i effectively manage stress? Am i getting enough sleep?
4.As to hygiene talk, am i able to make it a point to keep everything that touches my face clean?
5.What products do i use?
These are just some sample questions that you have to ask yourself in order to know what kind of skin you have, what factors that contributes to your acne & how you could find a possible solution to it... what things agree with you or not, not with the things that you "YES" for but your skin says "NO".
As what the saying goes, if there's smoke,there's fire. I guess that's also the same with acne, if there's acne, there's a cause. Find out all the possible factor, then act on it. You can bust acne with proper knowledge. I did it, so can you!
On my next post, i'll be talking more about the "acting" part.
For now, what i want you to do is to think about what i said. Start your journey as i go along this blog campaign. Don't forget to check my next entry on my acne diary this coming saturday.
Have a blessed Saturday!
Jaa ne~!
^_^
ps:
I didn't deliberately watermarked my pictures because i don't want anything marring my/their memories through these pictures. I don't think that someone would have the guts to actually use my own pictures for their personal use.
I'm gonna end this post with a picture of my parents earlier on.
And a little note to myself a few years from now...
Remember how happy they are in this picture, im sure you will be able to find happiness as well in every step of the way together with the person that you chose to be.
^_^
