From Cystic Acne to Clear, Glowing Skin (My Updated Skin Journey)
Who would’ve thought that the thing I’d be most proud about at 37 years old would be my skin?
If you’ve been here for awhile (especially since 2017) then you already know that it’s been one hell of a journey. To refresh your memory or if you’re new here, read this post first that talks all about my cystic acne and how I treated it to stop the growth. If you want the Cliff notes version, you can see my Instagram post which summarizes my journey.
BUT that was just the start to understanding my skin and what I truly needed. Here are the steps I took to keep my skin acne free since 2017 with links to products that have made the most impact for me. Reminder that everyone skin is different so what works for me, may not work for you, but feel free to try and see what does!
Threw everything out after my third session of Resurfx. The laser helped stop the growth of the pre-existing acne but now it was my turn to continue to keep it away. After the 4th month, there was no new acne popping up and the leftover spots I had left were slowly fading away. I’d say by the 6th month was when my skin became clear enough that I felt comfortable enough to reintroduce products, but slowly -one by one, and no mixing of products for awhile (especially mixing brands). Over time, I found some key products that I still use to this day such as the OSEA mist, CocoKind Vitamin C serum, Then I Met You cleanser and their award winning moisturizer, and I absolutely love Ultra Violette and Everyday Human’s sunscreen (no white cast and goes on so smooth, absorbing quickly).
For years, I stuck to just a handful of products that my skin trusted. I barely switched it up, only going between the brands I loved and have proven to help keep my acne away. However, I wasn’t focused too much on texture and I wanted my skin to be smoother so I added in a few facials from OSEA Skincare Studio (they’re located in Venice) and began analyzing my diet. I was so bad at drinking water and it’s been a battle trying to ensure I stay hydrated enough, but of course once I fixed that, my skin started glowing. However, I wanted my texture to improve and I wanted my skin to be glowing even more because on some days, it still looked dull despite my water intake.
I worked out regularly until I got pregnant, and then I had to take a break because I did not have an easy pregnancy but even with the sweat/workouts and stress, my skin was still looking good. I had that pregnancy glow and I loved it. I had a facial during my pregnancy and learned what was safe to use during this time. Luckily, I didn’t have to cut back on much because all the products I was using were already safe. I have a whole post about my pregnancy safe skincare routine here.
Stopped wearing makeup altogether except for very special occasions, but even on my wedding day, I opted for a tinted moisturizer and a bit of canceler and that was it — and we had two wedding ceremonies (elopement and a tea ceremony). To be completely transparent, I was never good at makeup anyways so it wasn’t a big deal for me to forgo it. I also never had the patience and didn’t like how it felt on my skin. Maybe I just didn’t find the right products, but even when I got it professionally done (for shoots or when I was a bridesmaid a few times) I just didn’t like it. So what you see is exactly what you get with my face.
Medical grade skincare? I’m going to be real, it’s expensive AF and the ONLY reason I’m using it right now is because I tried a sample that my best friend (who is a FNP and works in aesthetics) gave me and saw the results within 2 weeks. The texture of my skin improved just by a switch of Vitamin C and HA. Now, I’m balling on a budget so yes $150 for a serum is steep BUT if I’m only using a little at a time and switching between my trusted Cocking Vitamin C and OSEA HA, then it’ll last twice as long. And honestly, you can mix and match with high and low, as long as your skin is fine with it. I think my skin benefits between the two because the texture today is unmatched to what I’ve ever in my life. Like the confidence I have walking out with just my bare skin and getting complimented on it, yeah I think the investment is worth it for me.
Note: While I do handle socials and content creation for a medspa (one of my clients), I do not get any injectables (botox, fillers, etc) because I am afraid of needles and am a sensitive person when it comes to pain. I can watch it all day, film it, edit and talk about it, but I have not had any work done. Everything you see is all me :)
