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Thursday, February 2, 2012

My skin story and pre-makeup skincare routine

Every time I receive a compliment on my skin, I think to myself, "if only you knew."  Then it hit me. You would know if I shared my skin story, so here we are.

Even to this day, my skin is FAR from perfect, but with a little self-tanner and make-up, it won't haunt you in your sleep.  However, there was a period of time when it might have.  Not really. I'm being dramatic.  But there was a time when I was REALLY self conscience about my skin.  Ahhh, the middle school awkward years, I don't miss you at all.
In case you are wondering, yes, that is a jean skort.

I started seeing a dermatologist on the reg at around 10-years-old.  I have been on almost every antibiotic pill there is for your skin, used every topical treatment, tried Proactive, given over the counter products a whirl and finally, my most extreme measure was going on Accutane in the 9th grade.

Prior to going on Accutane, I had several sessions of "acne surgery".  Basically this witch of a woman aka my dermatologist would clean my skin with this horrific tool.  I had tears streaming down my face the entire time because it hurt so bad and she would snarl, "Calm down, I didn't tell you this wasn't going to hurt."  OK mam, but I'm allowed to cry if it feels like someone is taking an ice pick to my face.  I hated her and switched dermatologists shortly after.

Accutane has some severe side effects, but it was the final measure after exhausting all other options and I was willing to do whatever it took. Accutane worked, but the results didn't last forever. I still suffered from breakouts all throughout college and almost went on Accutane again. I discontinued using prescription medicine for my skin a few years ago because it seems as though I've finally outgrown my acne days.  Knock on wood.

Don't get my wrong, I get breakouts from time to time.  However, I have to be very dillgent about how I care for my skin, and this is what I swear by. 

I've mentioned this before, but I use Johnson & Johnson's Purpose Cleansing Wash to wash my face every day and night without exception NO MATTER HOW TIRED I AM.  I force myself.

I love it because it is soap-free so it does not dry your face and it won't ever sting your eyes, so it's ideal for removing your eye make-up. I rarely ever have to use eye make-up remover.  Seriously, I have not used any other face wash since middle school and I refuse to waiver.  You can find it at Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, etc.






I don't religiously use toner, and I definitely try to lay off of it in the winter.  When I do use it, I love Clinique Clarifying Lotion in Level 4 for very oily skin or Level 3 for oily skin.  I use Level 4 during the day because it's stronger and helps control oil longer.  My skin is VERY oily so I like toner for helping to control the shine.  I really don't think toner is a skincare necessity, but I'm no expert.  Just my opinion.

For the longest I used Purpose Lotion too, but it was too heavy and greasy for my skin, so about a year ago I made the switch to Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel and I've never looked back.  This stuff is amazing.

This gel is designed to balance moisture in the cheeks but control oil in the t-zone.  The only downfall to this lotion is that it contains no SPF, but I use foundation with SPF instead.

If I know I'm going to be out in the sun for any prolonged period of time, I apply sunscreen because my skin is so, so, so fair.  During the summer I am psychotic about staying in the shade if I'm ever by a pool and I always wear a big floppy hat and a towel over my face if there is no shade available.  

I swear I've been burnt through a car window on a car trip before, but people tell me that's impossible.  I see your side-eye too, but I promise it happened!

My favorite sunscreen for the face is Neutrogena's Age Shield Face Sunblock in 110 SPF.  Yes, 110.  I am petrified of wrinkles and skin cancer.  I've found this sunscreen is the most lightweight formula with the best protection.    

That is my pre-makeup skin routine!  All the products I use are very affordable and my skin stays in fairly decent shape.  Please let me know if you have any questions or skin care secrets that you swear by.

I will share my face make-up and nightly skin care routine in upcoming posts.
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48 comments:

  1. I get sunburned in the car too! OMG

    OK, going to try some of your goodies. Need a new routine myself!

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  2. The FIRST time in my life when I didn't have horrible acne was when I got pregnant with B... it seems to have calmed down since then. My skin got cranky a little afterwards but not NEARLY what it was before. This just confirms that mine was hormonal and that I have a hormonal imbalance (which my husband would agree with - ha). But after being preg it was like my body was like "Ooooh, shoot, that's how I'm supposed to act? My bad" and voila!

    I still have my issues but I'm able to keep it under control fairly well. And now that I'm preg again? Hallelujah! I am not that scary woman when I don't wear makeup :) A tan used to hide the grossness but I'm FINALLY to the point where I can be pale and still rock decent skin. I never thought the day would come.

    I'm thinking of going back to Clinique. I waivered for a long time because it didn't help with my skin issues, but that was a long time ago. My skin is dry instead of greasy for the first time ever this round and I need a heavier (but still not clogging) moisturizer, and I think Clinique surely has something with my name on it.

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  3. Oh, and you're welcome for the novel. Oppsies.

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  4. I used to work in a skincare center where we tried to help people with their skin (acne, sun damage, anti-agining, etc.) without medicines and they would say it is absolutely possible to get burned through a window! If you can get tan the same way, why would people not be able to get burned? Thanks for sharing your process.

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  5. I must look for that face wash and try it after this new stuff I am trying..where do you get it?

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  6. OOh I want Johnson and Johnson face wash I didnt know they made face wash. I love there baby body wash. OOps I prob shouldnt have shared that.

    You are such a beautiful natural girl!!! And my fav Texas blogger!!!

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  7. i used to use the clinique toner as well and i loved it. i wish i could get it at an affordable price over here.

    i used to hit up the dermatologist like nobody's business as a middle schooler. i couldnt understand why i had such horrid skin...but once i realized it was becaues i was playing sports so much and always sweating, i became better with it. then my skin became awesome in highschool up until i turned 27. it was a BAD year on my face but a good year in my life. since moving to norway things have become better on the skin front. perhaps it is because i dont have a job so im semi-less stressed. but i dont shower anymore than i used to...so who knows!

    good to hear how your skin has become a success (i dont care what you say...it still glows!) after overcoming all of that puberty messss. and wearin skorts. because i had to mention that.

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  8. I too am very fair and deathly afraid of the sun and wrinkles. Last summer at the beach I used Aveeno SPF 90 on my face and broke out into a TERRIBLE pimply rash. I went (ran) to the nearest ULTA and got a calming facial. The Esthetician told me that all of the chemicals in the higher spf's are what caused me skin to freak out and that I really only need an spf 30 (no higher than 50) and to REAPPLY. I use Dermalogica products which are so pricey but I swear my 29 year old skin is loving every day that I use the Age Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery Spf 30. I am in love with this stuff and it may just be my Desert Island product.

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  9. Just added the purpose cleansing wash to my list. Definitely going to try it out. I need something gentle.

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  10. these are stories i've obviously heard before. but i'm trying to get better about washing my face at night (i mean i usually do it on the reg but i get tired) and in the morning. i need to try this purpose jazz.

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  11. I too am ghostly pale, and I'm so happy that you embrace the paleness to protect your skin. I'm too afraid of self tanner, do I'm like Casper year round and I don't care. I'd rather be Casper than get cancer. I'll have to try that face wash. I use cetaphil, but sometimes it doesn't feel like its cleaning anything.

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  12. Ok, I still have nightmares of the dermatologist poking/pushing my face with that scary/very painful tool. Then putting something on my entire face that burned so bad, they had to put a fan on your stomach while you were laying there ha!

    And then there was the time my sister and I went without one of our parents to supervise and the man wanted us to buy like $600 worth of stuff. Psycho.

    I swear by the St. Ives apricot scrub. I came to realize that most all products made my skin break out even more. This is about all I can use, along with the clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion.

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  13. Of course it's possible to get sunburned through a window...um- that's why pilots have one of the highest skin cancer rates!
    I swear by Cetaphil, Eucerin and SULFUR. I know it smells really bad, but you put that on a break out area and bam those bad boys are gone! I love that your skin routine comes with affordable products. :)

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  14. I am such a skin cancer phobe too. I am all about the SPF 50 and up and always prefer the shade to the sun. When my husband and I go to the beach, I'm under the umbrella while he is out tanning like a girl (and I hope he reads this, but probably not). So glad you are past those scaring scraping middle school days, and thanks for all the tips!

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  15. Thats my favorite sunscree too! Im super white burn WAY too easily as well and my mother had skin cancer so Im super paranoid too!

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  16. Hiiiii! I've been a follower of your blog for awhile now, but wanted to say hi to a fellow Choose To Be Happy sponsor!!

    Sam
    http://petitefemmejolie.blogspot.com

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  17. Ummmm... I'm pretty sure I had the same jean skort. We were SO cool! :) And I'm gonna have to try that face wash.

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  18. Ahaha, too funny on the SPF 110. I thought I was bad with the SPF 90, also by Neutrogena (for my face). I use Water Babies SPF 70 for the rest of my bod.

    I've been known to proclaim that I'm probably the only one in the world that can actually look WHITER after a day or a week at the beach (prob cause after using the Water Babies I have to exfoliate the crap out of my skin)!!

    Your skin is lovely, miss. :)

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  19. I'm addicted to Kate Somerville, which is NOT affordable. But if you ever have a zit, which it doesn't look like it, I have never found a better product than Eradikate, which is not too expensive. Super fast zit shrinker!

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  20. I love my Clinique face products! I just started using the toner and wash two days ago and can already tell a difference!

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  21. i get so frustrated with skin care products!!! i just started going to the dermatologist and they gave me some anti-biotics that they said would take about 3 months to start working!

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  22. I had that same outfit in middle school!! LOL You were a cute kid, and a gorgeous adult. Your skin looks amazing. Thanks for the tips! xo style, she wrote

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  23. I adore clinique! I use both of those products and seriously don't think I would ever venture away. And dang girl you look gorgy!! Thanks as usual for the awesome advice!

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  24. I used to use the Clinique moisturizer for years. I didn't know they had it in a gel.

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  25. now if you do a post of how you maintain dat hot azz. por favor and gracias.

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  26. Love this post! I have struggled with acne since I hit puberty! I hated the way I looked. Luckily my mom was willing to go to all extremes to help. I was on accutane as well but hated the way it made me feel and peeling layers of my skin off in my awkward years was horrible add braces to the mix and I was super hot! Luckily I have mostly grown out of it as long as Im religious with what I use. Although I am sporting a super huge zit on my chin today, ugg!!

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  27. My skin is a HOT mess. I cannot get it under control to save my life. I've been going back to my dermatologist for about a month now and it's getting a TINY bit better but still getting breakouts...it's ridic. What gives?!

    You, on the other hand, have fab skin missy!! Whatever you're doing is definitely working! (I would have had to picnic the crap outta my face if I took a pic like yours...)

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  28. I think its really great that you shared your skin story! As someone who has always had bad skin as well, I think it is really brave of you.

    I also wanted to let you know that I nominated you for a blog award on my post today. Check it out!

    www.AdventuresWithAlexandra.blogspot.com

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  29. you seriously are so gorgeous;
    i cant even take it =]]

    and jean skort; i dont judge you ;))

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  30. I like your skort. I had the same one. Surprise, surprise :)

    I always love reading about people's routines! I force myself to wash my face everyyy night as well. You're gorgeous in that picture and your hair is super cute :) Can't wait to read about your other routines soon!

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  31. thanks for sharing! So gorgeous!

    girl. I need help. My best friend uses that stuff that supposively "goes to the skin color of yours" when you put it on. Well she says we are both the same skin type, I think I am a slight darker then her. Andw well it got to the bottom of it and I applied anyways, I SUCK SUcK SUCK at makeup applying. I do not know how to blend well or nothing. I need a makeup torturial badly lol. My friend from class we were sitting having snack on break and she asked what happened to my face. SHe said it looks like I am wearing an "orange mask" HOW EMB. lol :( help! how do I find right color and how to blend correctly and what not!?

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  32. I am obsessed with the dramatically different moisturizing gel-would never switch to a different product. I am also in love with cliniques anti-aging night cream. I have always had horrible skin but over the last 6 months it finally seems like I've grown out of the acne phase thank god!

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  33. I love that facewash! I ran out and picked up the nonscented neutrogena one and it works well too. I've heard good things about the thayer brand witchhazel (no alcohol) for toner. I also discovered the most amazing "quick" facewash for those extra areas where makeup wont come off from Lancome. Its the rose "cleaning water". Amazing.

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  34. I swear by my Clinique and Neutrogena products. That moisturizing gel is heaven!

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  35. Thanks for sharing your skincare routine! Kudos for using sunscreen when you know you'll be out in the sun a lot. I work at a Plastic Surgeon's office and we treat skin cancer patients all the time. It's nice to see younger people being conscious and taking care of their skin early. I've been looking for a sunscreen to apply with makeup so I'll have to give that one a try!

    Also, what's your self tanner routine? I've used a lot of products but I was wondering which you think are the best.

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  36. Purpose is my go to for my nighttime face wash! Thanks for sharing your other tips :)

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  37. Clinique is amazing! It's the only stuff i use! Well and st Ives!

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  38. Thanks for sharing your routine! I love Clinique moisturizer. It's one of my favorites! I like the Neutrogena Microdermabrasion kit-sooo much cheaper than the Clairsonic-and very good.
    I'll have to give Purpose a try.
    Have a great weekend!!!

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  39. I never had bad acne as a teen but i would break out what seemed like a lot. i went to the dermo a few years ago and she suggested neutrogena face wash. the orange one. i too have oily skin. she also gave me a script for 2 acne meds, one for the morning and one at night. i used to use them, but as ive gotten older my skin rarely breaks out THANK GOD! Usually its if im stressed out or dont wash my face. Also, birth control helps a lot. i have also noticed that the better i eat, the less i break out. :)

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  40. oh and p.s. i read somewhere that when you're older you will be so happy you have oily skin bc you tend to have less wrinkles than people with dry skin.

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  41. Great post! I think you skin looks beautiful! And isn't it just a great feeling to have products that really and truly work?? I have a friend that is going through really rough skin issues and it's so hard on her. I'll pass along this post and maybe some of your products will help her too!

    Jayme @ Her Late Night Cravings

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  42. HAHAHA! Throwback pic! Alisha and Kaitlin?! I die.

    I'm definitely going to try this stuff, esp the toner! My face always looks like a McDonalds grease pit by noon if I don't blot (BTW, ELF has some A-MAZING oil blotting sheets with Green Tea and Aloevera)!

    PS. I totally believe you about getting sun burned through a car window- its happened to me too! One arm and half your face redder than a lobster? Yeah, that one was fun to try and explain. :)

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  43. I use purpose cleanser too (I think I even learned about it from you a long time ago!), and recently I bought the purpose moisturizer (cause I was tired of spending an arm and a leg on moisturizers). I'm so fascinated by your anti-sun stance given that you're a Texas girl and always so tan (self-tanner, you say)! I'm a sucker for laying out by the pool/beach/etc. and I know I'm gonna pay for it when I'm older.

    Tell me your self tanning secrets. I know you have on the blog before but I can't remember what you use. I'm deathly afraid of them b/c I'm terrified of looking splotchy and orange. But since you don't, I wanna know what you use!

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  44. I get sunburned in the car too! And people often don't believe me, but it totally happens! Thanks for the great skin advice.

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  45. I love the PURPOSE cleanser.. I never see any reviews on it & I thought it was strange because some of my best friends tried everything to get rid of their acne && nothing worked until they used that everyday. I never have a lot of breakouts and I would like to think its because of the cleanser too.

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  46. I use the moisturizing GEL too! That stuff is the ONLY thing that doesn't make my skin go crazy!

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