Being Dazzled and Fabulous is not just about adding a chunky statement necklace to a neckline, its about feeling fabulous on the inside and out, and adding some dazzle to complete the package and because your skin is your largest organ, its important to take care of it.. Just recently, I received a compliment that I have never received before, “Your skin looks so good, what do you do?”Huh what, who me??
I have always struggled with my skin, however, once I became an adult, I did notice my acne flare ups and break outs start to be a little less frequent, and then, something happened around age 27 and my face EXPLODED… What I later found out was that I had some hormonal issues because, well, my ovaries were being attacked by low grade cancer cells, which led me to the hospital which lead me to surgery, hence my Stage 1-C ovarian cancer diagnosis. After having both of my ovaries removed and not being able to use HRT, I was placed on low dose birth control pills that made my skin look terrrrrrrriiiiiiible. So I found myself a 30 year old woman with persistent adult acne that, no matter what I did, would not clear up.
Trust me, I have tried every over the counter acne product and some prescription products as well, and nothing ever worked. Imagine my defeat and self consciousness being a professional that was afraid to put her best face forward, because it was covered in acne scars, pimples and oil. From the neck down, I was always dazzled and fabulous, but my face, well, it was dazzled in acne marks and fabulously ruined. So, I decided to take matters in to my own hands and get persistent back. So, I am about to get real transparent here and show you a before picture….
Uggggggghhhh and now after… All smiles and aglow.
No retouching, and no concealer, or powder... Only eye shadows... And these pictures were taken on June 18, 2011 with the same camera... 3 months time frame. And so far, my skin is looking better than it ever has and I know you will probably say, you still have some light scarring, however, for me, I will take this any day over my before.
So here is what I did.
One of the first things I tried was brown sugar and honey as a scrub. The coarse texture of the sugar acts as an exfoliant and the honey acts as a natural humectant to replenish your skin naturally. All you need is a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of brown sugar, mix it together in your hand and gently scrub it over your face and you will honestly notice a difference. Especially if you have oily skin because the sugar will help to shed some of those dead skin cells that can sometimes hang on to your skin (the oil acts just like glue so the dead skin cells, dirt, make up and everything else tend to cling and clog pores, which was one of my problems.) Once I discovered this little treat for my face, I was able to start the exfoliation process. Then I decided to go the CHEMICAL route and this is where it got tricky… So, I started with 2 products, Exuviance’s Performance Peel AP25 and Olay’s MicroDermabrasion Kit. Both great products but still, not enough for me because my skin was so severly acne damaged and hyper-pigmented. So, on to the Glycolic Acid 40%... Now, I am NOT suggesting that anyone follow my regimen with regards to at home chemical peels because you can burn your self, and I did just that. A big burn down the side of my face that looked like I had been drug face first along the asphalt…. However, I treated it, let it heel and tried it again. Once, I got the hang of it, and recognized what worked and how my skin responded, the glycolic acid began to transform my skin. I then moved on to a mild TCA Peel, and whoa….. I looked like a lizard for 5 days, but OMG, after the peeling, I saw a difference and got excited… I used the TCA for a little less than 2 months, gave that a break and then moved on to Mandelic and Salicylic Acid. I am using this as an every so often peel to maintain my results from the Glycolic and TCA Peels that helped me achieve my initial results…
My everyday regimen now includes AHA Glycolic Acid Foaming Face Wash and Aveeno Clear Complexion Face Pads. I tone with a 10% Glycolic Acid Toner and Use Ambi’s Daily Moisturizer with SPF. I have a spot treatment that I also use that contains Alpha Arbutin, Hyalurnic Acid and Vitamin C Serum…Makes me glow…
Acne is such a tough subject, especially for adults, however, I wanted to share this with everyone because my skin kept me from pursuing my dreams (starting Dazzled and Fabulous for one) for a long time and I wish that I knew then what I know now, and that's how to treat my condition and I hope that this helps some one else along their journey to clear skin....
-Dazzled and Fabulous
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