Acne scars?

For those of you who suffer from past acne marks, you know those annoying dark spots which get left behind, so if you're looking for a solution definitely try The Alpha Hydrox 12% Glycolic Souffle she recommends.

First of all, The Alpha Hydrox Soffle has 12% Alpa Hydroxy Acid (which may be a bit strong for some, so you might want to use only 2-3 times a week). I read somewhere that Alpha Hydroxy in percentages of 4%-10% isn't effective for inhibiting melanin production and therefor will NOT lighten skin discolorations. Luckily the soufflé has a 12% of AHA. It also has a PH of 4.

Now, about 4 years ago before my acne cleared up, my pimples were gone but the dark marks remained.
After I tried pretty much any products available I went to the drug store and bought this: the results where amazing. I would wash my face; put the Alpha Hydrox Souffle on, let it set for about 5 minutes, and then put my moisturizer (which included sunscreen of course). After about a month, most of the marks on my face had lightened to the point where they were hardly visible, plus my skin glowed. I'm in no way being payed to endorse this product, but I definitely recommend it. It's available for only $15.99 in drugstores.

Product review: Tea tree oil blemish fade lotion

While in London I tried to get my hands on as many beauty products as possible.

One of the few products I got my hands on was from The Body Shop: Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion.

A lightweight, soothing gel crème that sinks into the skin to help
improve the appearance of blemish-damaged skin, equalise oiliness and replenish
moisture while you sleep.

I used to have acne but thanks to Proactive, the problem lessened ALOT and any scars I had faded too. But my skin can always use any help it can get in that department.

I found this product pretty amazing. I don't know if it was the cool London weather, or the lotion itself, but for once in my life I had clear skin- without having to do much! I felt like shouting it from the roof tops (;if you have been struggeling to achieve clear skin for years, you know what I mean.) Tea tree oil is a anti bacterial so it would make sense that this stopped my break outs.

Before bed I wash my face and use toner. Then slather a few dots of this all over my face.
In the morning I also wake up with a much less oilier T zone- and my skin seems to glow. I don't care much for the smell, but honestly, if it keeps my skin clear I couldn't care less.

Source: http://www.thebodyshop.com.au/Product.aspx?Id=356
Community Trade Tea Tree Oil from Bunjum Aboriginal Cooperative in Australia - Has natural antibacterial properties.

Tamanu Oil - Sooths and helps improve the appearance of
blemished skin. Is extracted from the nuts of the Polynesian
tree.
Glycerin - An effective Moisturiser.

Shrink That Pimple By Tomorrow!

Yes folks.. that age old question "how do I get rid of this pimple in 1 day?"
I can finally say that I think I have the answer. I love trying out products - beauty and make-up, but especially those claiming to fight acne. You name it, I've probably tried it (mostly during my teen years). But even though I'm in my 20's and have it under control, I still get the occasional pimple.

Clean n Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment ($6.50) claims that "100% of people showed clearer skin in just 1 day!" Too good to be true? I put it to the test on this one zit which refused to shrivel up and die and... it worked! I'm never going back to any other acne-on-the-spot treatment until this one fails me of course (or unless an even better one comes out:p).

This miracle in a tube contains 2% Salylic Acid and won't over dry skin. Within 8 hours it reduces pimple redness, size and swelling. And what's even more baffling is that it's so cheap too. Definatly one of my new fave beauty products.

Side note: after trying this spot treatment I took a look online and saw Clean n Clear also has a whole 3 step kit available. (Check out my other post about 3 step kits "say bye bye to acne for good"). For those of you looking for an alternative to, let's say Proactive, this one seems perfect, and only costs $18.

Drink your way to clear skin. (No! I'm not talking H2o)

Here is a yummy treat which will also give wonderfull results. Multi tasking:)! A friend of mine told me she tried it and she ended up with such clean, glowing and clear skin. It's called a Creamy Mango Smoothie.

Ingredients:
1 mango
1 bannana
wedge of fresh coconut
1 orange (freshly squeezed)


Instructions:
Blend the mango, banana and coconut. Add the orange juice, mix well and serve. That and use a good acne face wash/regime.

Also: Drinking hot water and half of a freshly squeezed lemon first thing in the morning before eating is a really good way to boost the metabolism and clear your pallette.

How To Get Bacne Free

If you suffer from occasional body acne break outs you're not the only one. I occasionally get em too and envy those who have perfect skin.

After searching for various products (Clean & Clear was one of them) which never really seem to work I think I found a better solution: NEW! St. Ives Clear Pore Body Wash.

You can get it for only...
/drum roll
a few bucks!! ($4.00).

On the front of the bottle, St. Ives claims that “this oil-free formula clarifies pores to keep skin fresh and clear ”... “pores all over your body can get clogged with dirt and oils. St. Ives Clear Pore Body Wash with tea tree is naturally effective and 100% oil-free, so it keeps skin fresh and clear from head to toe.”

Tea Tree is a pure oil that is primarily found in Australia. It's widely known to have antibacterial properties and is recognized as an antiseptic by the FDA. It also used as a topical agent for the skin for minor cuts, rashes, stings, & blemishes. Tea tree oil is very similar to benzoyl peroxide, but doesn’t leave the skin as dry.

I was am also so pleased with the nice refresing scent of it since so many other products which contain tee trea don't smell as nice. It also foams up so well to boot and my skin is left feeling soft. So far it's been keeping my acne in check and I use it on my face too if I'm in a hurry and in the shower.
Sooo.. I definatly will be buying this again and I recommend it to any of you who wanto to keep your skin clear.

If you have more severe acne look into Neutrogenas Rapid Clear treatment pads. I tried em and it worked really well too.

Acne Fighting Egg Mask

Most home remedies and tips will prevent future pimples from forming which is great. But if you want to try and clear up existing acne and dry up existing blemishes, for oily skin try an egg white mask. It's also extremely cheap and who doesn't love that right? (costs about $0.25-$1.00).

Use it as an extra along with any other acne regimen you are using.

Crack an egg and seperate the yolk and the white... Then beat the egg wite. Use a cotton pad to dip into the egg and apply generously to face or any area. Leave on for 15-20 minutes.

Your face will feel tight while the mask is on. Wash it off and your skin will immediately feel soft and rejuvenated. The mixture should stay good for 2-3 days.

Like I said in another post, don't use this every day! Your skin does get immune to it and you don't want that happening until your acne clears up.

The only con of this mask is the smell, but I think you will get over it pretty quick.

Click here for reviews from hundreds of other users of this method.

Also: want to get rid of blackheads?? Your perfect choice for a face mask is adding a few drops of lemon juice to the egg white. Just keep in mind (for dry skin) that these 2 ingredients do have a drying effect. Lemon contains natural astringents.

Say Bye Bye To Acne - For Good

As someone who has suffered in the past from acne I will provide you with some vital tried and tested tips.

***CLEANSE your skin***

It's really, extremely important to wash your face twice a day- morning and night- with a gentle, oil and frangrance free cleanser. Don't wash your face with the same body soap while in the shower as it will dry out your skin and clog your pores causing more pimples.

As you know there are 4 skin types: oily, dry, combination and sensitive skin.
I have oily/acne prone skin, so I always use a cleaner with either: benzoil peroxide or salicylic acid.
I also use a very gentle scrub (rounded mini beads which are not grainy and will hurt your skin.. I mean I know it's called a scrub but your not trying to scrub your skin OFF.) Scrubbing too hard will irritate and dry out skin making the pimples and pores redder as well.

I also use a toner because of my oily face. I used to use an astringent (from Clearasil, Clean & Clear, etc. I've tried em all) but found them way too drying.

My tip: Believe it or not.. Before bed I have started using witch hazel (my fave: HUMPHREYS Maravilla Witch Hazel available at most drugstores for a few bucks) on my face. I was extremely skeptical about using it when someone told me about this.

All you do after washing your face is: rub a cottonball drenched with witch hazel over your entire face and let dry. It acts as an astringent and helps eliminate impurities and will help dry the skin (so it is only to be used on oily skin really) and shrink the pimples.

Applying it before bed is the best idea. As you sleep your body goes through a lot of things: you're skin, metabolism and other organs are all restoring and naturally repairing. It is also noticable that if you do your beauty regimens at night, you will wake up pretty pleased after a good nights sleep.

***TREAT your pimples***

Apply an acne treatment containing benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid over your entire face, not just where you have whiteheads and pimples. It takes pimples about 2 weeks to show up, so by applying to your whole face you stop future breakouts from forming.

If you wear make up, apply an oil free moisturizer with SPF of at least 15 (higher is better!) in it and then apply all your make up. At night I do the same. I also apply some moisturizing eye cream under my eyes.

Actually I used the Proactive system for about 4 years. It's only recently that I stopped (since I started using Witch Hazel). But the Proactive system helped break my break-out cycle and reduced my acne remarkably, I can't complain. It takes 2 weeks to clear your skin up though, it's not some overnight miracle as some people claim.

***CONCEAL your pimples***

If I have a pimple I use some foundation over my moisturizer and and make up powder. I apply the foundation with my fingers or with a small make up brush/sponge onto and around the blemish. Use your clean fingertip to wipe away excess concealer around the blemish and, if necessary, apply another coat of concealer. Then brush powder (I use a big make up brush) on top of the concealer.


*Extra tips/home remedies:
-Apparently Visine (eye drops for red eyes) helps calm down red blemishes. Also ice cubes/cold compress.

-Keep your bed linens clean: dead skin, oil, cosmetics, hair products and dirt on bedsheets will be picked up by your skin while you sleep and will clog pores. -Keep your hands away from your face or other affected areas. They contain oil, dirt and bacteria that promote acne. Wash your hands often.

-A high-fiber diet of whole grain breads and cereals, bran, legumes (beans, lentils and split peas) and lots of fruits and vegetables is a good way to minimize eating the wrong foods. Often skin problems are rapidly improved when more fiber is added to the diet. Reduce your consumption of junk food and limit your total fat intake to no more than 20% of calories. Cut out hydrogenated oils. It helps give you a healthy digestive system and it's also believed that diets high in refined carbs promote acne.

-(!) It is very tempting to pop whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. Whiteheads are clogged pores below the outer layer of skin and should not be squeezed. By following the program outlined above, the whiteheads will disappear in a few weeks. Pimples may be squeezed when they are infected and have yellow pus if the proper procedures are followed---> Apply a warm compress to the area for a few minutes to open the pores, then squeeze with a clean tissue until all the pus runs out. This will allow the pimple to heal properly. Using fingernails will promote scarring and may be covered with bacteria that will enter the area and cause inflammation making your pimples worse. Lol, If I have a pimple I just stay far away from mirrors whenever I can for a few days till it dries up.:/

-Egg white mask: Clean your skin thoroughly and apply egg white with a cotton swab. Let it sit for 15 minutes. The egg white tightens pores and helps dry out your pimples. Don't do this every day though. Try it at the most twice a week since your skin will eventually just become immune to it.

-And of course: Never ever(!) sleep in make up. Drink your H20/water.

-Try to not wear makeup when you aren't leaving the house or are doing something like going to the beach or exercising; makeup may cover up bad skin, but I am convinced that it also makes it worse.