Having great skin has never come naturally for me. I have had to work VERY hard to get it where it is today. I think it’s so difficult in our world to find people who share tips and products, but have also had a history of troubled skin. I wanted to start from the beginning and share my story and then give you all the tips that have really been the most transformative for me.
I started getting breakouts right around 6th grade as my skin started to get more oily. They naturally occurred in my t-zone area, but quickly started to spread. This was before I consistently ate clean, whole, foods and exercised. I tried every product, did tons of “research”, and continued to do all the wrong things for my own skin because I thought what worked for someone else would help me too. The products I was using were full of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid which were extremely drying and harsh. With nothing working, I finally started going to the dermatologist to see if she could help. I never did Accutane and actually refused to use it as a treatment after learning how detrimental it can be for your hormonal health in the long run. I started using prescription topical products, but I always thought the answer was what I put on my skin, not underneath it. Finally, as I started to clean up my diet, drink WAY more water, and exercise consistently I started seeing a difference. I stopped using the prescription creams because I always believe there is a way to holistically treat everything, and I’m so glad I did. Does it take longer? Yes. Did I have to be more patient? Yes. But is it worth it? Of course.
The one thing I can’t stress enough is this: to keep being confident. Yes, I have my days where breakouts bother me, and I want to cover them with makeup. But, I never let my skin dictate my confidence. I hear so many stories of people feeling so ashamed of their skin or even because of one hormonal pimple. The way that I look at skin is this: it’s natural and NORMAL to have imperfections. In fact, it means you’re body is functioning properly if it knows when to send you signals to make a change. Our skin is a big indicator of so many crucial functions that we cannot ignore the signals it’s giving us, whether that be stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, poor gut health, dehydration, too much sugar, etc.
I have had numerous facials in my life, talked to many beauty experts, and everyone has told me something different. The two biggest misconceptions I received were the following: dry out breakouts or hydrate them and use essential oils. I can’t believe it took me until winter of 2020, when I went to my first facial at Heyday in NYC that my facialist finally gave me one tip that changed it all for me. Breakouts are a form of inflammation. We have to treat them the same way we would treat a cut or wound on our body, We need to be gentle with them, spend time with them, and heal them. By combining my healthier diet and this tip my skin does still have occasional hormonal breakouts, and I still have scarring from the past, but it has a glow. A glow that actually makes me smile. It makes me feel warmer inside and out and I wish that for everyone reading this.
So here are the things I do daily and the products I love:
-No consumption of refined sugar, gluten, or dairy, no red meat, corn or soy (obviously I do have treats every now and then)
-Drink at least half your body weight in water everyday ( I drink about 90-100oz, especially because I do hot yoga regularly)
-Speaking of hot yoga, my skin LOVES it. Sweating is such a good way to release toxins and open your pores. Just remember to bring your own towels and wash your face soon after!
-Wear sunscreen!! The number one thing that worsens scarring is exposure to sun. I apply a basic, oil free sunscreen everyday.
-Facial sculpting: Lymphatic drainage is not only great for the body, but also helps the face by pushing healing tissue towards breakouts that need a little extra help. My favorite by far is this roller. I apply my serum and rub the excess on the roller before rolling my skin, so it goes on smoothly and lets the product really sink in. It also really helps with allergies by relieving sinus tension.
-Take a daily probiotic. I take 2 of these Seed capsules everyday and they are amazing. The gut has direct connection to EVERYTHING in the body. Treat it right and prioritize its care.
-This mask! I started using this twice a week and its a GAME CHANGER for sure. Seriously brings out the glow, plus a little goes a long way :)
-Use a cleansing milk: I always used cleansing gels or basic cleansers, but milks are so much more gentle and hydrating on the skin. This really helped me! It’s important not to use a gritty exfoliant because it can break open breakouts and cause bacteria to seep in.
-Change your towels and pillowcase every night! I always use my bath towel for my face, never my hand towel. I also make sure to change or flip my pillowcase every night. I started using a silk pillowcase, and didn’t believe it would do much, but I really do think it helps with getting the glow! Amazon has good ones which are cheaper too, just make sure they are 100% silk :) Plus, you don’t have to wash as much because silk doesn’t hold onto oils like cotton does.
-Eat avocado at least once a day. We’ve all heard how good they are for skin, but seriously I do notice a difference if I consistently eat some form of avo everyday!
-In addition I use this moisturizer and this serum, both of which are SO good and remember, CALMING!