Today's segment of the Body Talk series is about something that we all deal with, but no one wants to talk about: skin and all of its problems.
I have problem skin, but it was at its worst when I was in 10th grade. My mom and I went to Paris, and I never put up any of the pictures because I was so embarrassed by how my skin looked. I wore a ton of make-up, which only gave me the Jersey Shore effect and some spotty coverage. Looking at the picture below now, I can say that my skin wasn't that bad, but it used to make me burst into tears.
Waking up in the morning with a fresh, angry break-out can still put me in a bad mood, but it no longer makes me doubt the quality of my personality. A zit doesn't stop me from talking to someone. I put on a little concealer and go about my day.
If you haven't guessed, my skin is very sensitive. I've managed to find two products that work well for me:
I think there's no point in just covering up the problem; you should treat it, too. The Neutrogena product is better if I have a large area to cover, and the Almay one works great when there are just a couple of trouble spots. When I have an skincare emergency, I dab on a little Benzoyl Peroxide Gel from Walgreens. That will zap my zit, but it really irritates my skin (which is why I use it so sparingly).
Sometimes cosmetics aren't enough, and that's when you can get a dermatologist involved. I've used Finacea and Differin, which were both prescribed to me, and I had medium results. If topical creams don't work for you, you can also try a birth control pill specially designed to help your skin out. Going on the pill is what it took for me to get my skin at a level I can comfortably manage.
In drastic cases, you may decide to take a more aggressive position against your acne. I was actually preparing to go on Accutane (why I started the birth control pill), but it turned out I didn't need it. When it comes to your skin, it's your call. Waking up and feeling good about your face is important. It's up to you to decide how much time and money you want to invest.
I also wanted to touch on some of the products I use to clean my skin.
1) Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser (daily)
2) St. Ives Apricot Scrub with Elder Flower (every other day)
3) Sephora skin scrubber
The little pink skin scrubber is what I use to apply both of the products. I got it at Sephora for $1, and it was one of the best dollars I've ever spent. When I'm done using it, I always clean it with hot water and soap (just to make sure it doesn't turn into a bacteria breeding-ground). I use both of these products in the shower. As a word of advice, when you get out of the shower, do not judge your skin. It will look redder than it ever would normally. Just put on some lotion, and chill out. Then come back a few minutes later and do any touching up that you want to do.
Here's a picture of me today without make-up or any editing. As you can see, I do not have prefect skin because everybody breaks out. You, me, Jessica Alba, and that really cute guy in your math class.
Forgive your skin, and cut yourself a break.
To be cliche, it's underneath that matters anyway.
