Zits happen! Tried, Tested & True products that really work to combat your mild to moderate adult hormonal acne.
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Some days I feel like i'm 37 going on 15 because of the horrible cystic breakouts that I would experience like clock work each month. I've been pretty lucky to have had great skin most of my life including my teenage years. Of course now I can appreciate how great my skin was after experiencing almost a year straight of out of the blue, out of control hormone issues. Ladies, we know our hormones fluctuate but mine went absolutely berserk! Unfortunately I began to develop large, painful cystic breakouts which are very different than your normal pimple. These you can feel under ground a few days before they surface and makes its debut on your face with a huge presence, usually before a really important event!
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So after going to dermatologists, medical (nurse) estheticians and my gyno I finally got my hormone issues under somewhat control. I'm still getting a few monthly hormonal breakouts but not nearly as bad as they were last year. But in the process i've discovered a few new products out of the thousands out there that really work and a couple of old ones that are worth repeating for all of you who may have missed my previous raves.
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The first product is The Clarisonic. After all these years (5? 6?...i've lost count) it's still my #1 must-have skincare tool for anyone with a face. Do you have a face? Then you need one. Whether you have nearly perfect skin, dry, breakout prone, oily, congested types you need this! It will help thoroughly yet gently cleanse and exfoliate your skin. It's gentle yet effective and with daily use your skin will look more radiant, feel softer and look smoother. This tool is a lot like exercise. It has a positive cumulative effect with regular use. For more details on why I love The Clarisonic check out my previous blog devoted to it: http://coachglitter.posterous.com/skincare-bootcamp
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The next product is great for anyone who is starting to see the signs of aging; fine lines, wrinkles, crepiness, sun spots, age spots, etc as well as mild breakouts. It's Help Me by Philosophy. It's an over the counter Retinol which is much more gentle for your skin if you're not ready or don't need Rx strength Retin-A. It helps to exfoliate the skin and clarify. This is a night time use product and once you start any AHA, Glycolic or Retinol/Retinoid product you must use sunscreen during the day. Do not depend on the sunscreen in your makeup products alone. You have to use sun protection because your skin is much more sensitive and prone to burns. It's like you have brand new baby skin and you would never expose a baby without SPF to the sun, right?
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For on the spot treatments Rare Minerals Blemish Therapy by Bare Escentuals is still my absolute fave! It has worked for me for years on just about every normal pimple but on the really crazy, huge, painful, undergrounder, extremely stubborn cystic type breakouts it would barely shrink them. If you're lucky and don't have the extreme type of cystic breakouts then this will be your Holy Grail pimple killer. Keep it on hand for yourself, your husband & your teens if you have any. They work with ZERO pain, "sizzle" factor aka burning, peeling, drying, etc. It's a lightweight loose powder that you apply with the brush that it comes with and you treat the spot as soon as you feel it come up on the skin. I have used this on set on breakouts that I see on the talent in the AM and literally by the afternoon it has either shrunk considerably or disappeared altogether. It's seriously amazing! Here's my previous blog for more details on this product: http://coachglitter.posterous.com/my-secret-sauce-for-cystic-hormonal-breakouts
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My last product discovery is my newest and most exciting one yet and it's for those of you who have tried everything like me, and nothing worked for those very stubborn, very large, very painful, out of control, hormone pumped up cystic breakouts. Sounds super sexy, huh?! Well, take it from me that this works and I couldn't be more thankful that it does. As a freelance makeup artist I work just inches away from other people's faces and people expect you to have great looking skin as well as makeup application. I know new clients judge my face. I would do it too! So having a giant, pea sized breakout on my chin is not a boost to my confidence when i'm working with a new high powered business executive, politician or actor.
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So what is this mircacle in a bottle? It's Jan Marini's Age Intervention Transitions Serum. I am not kidding. It's like this product was sent to me from heaven. It was designed for those who suffer with adult, hormonal, cystic acne. The really stubborn kind that would make you run for the dermatologist for an emergency cortisone shot right before an important event like your 20 year high school reunion or wedding day! Since most of us can't get shots regularly (and by the way, that has its risks too), this is your next best thing. Your skin's new BFF!! For me personally, I saw a difference in my skin's texture and a very noticeable decrease in the soreness from the breakouts overnight. With continued use (going on over 4 months now) it has lessened the severity, number and size of my cystic breakouts greatly. I can't say i'm 100% breakout-free but the one or two that I do get are much more manageable, easily concealed with makeup and I don't feel as self conscious that I have a giant 3-D object portruding from my face. One word of warning! This product stinks! A lot of skincare products stink especially cosmeceutical and Rx strength because they don't mask the natural scent of the active ingredients with artificial fragrance. But i've never smelled anything quite like this. It smells like a mild eau de skunk. I'm not kidding but guess what! If you can get over it after the first night of use you'll actually get used to it. It doesn't even bother me or my poor hubby any more. He did notice it too and asked if I smelled skunk, ha! I think it's worth getting over the stink factor because it works so effectively! If you can't stand the smell trying putting a dot of a light fragrance oil under your nose but I promise you that the smell won't bother you after the first few nights and of course after looking at your greatly improved skin!
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Now I've been around long enough to know that when it comes to skincare, the old adage "YMMV" or Your Mileage May Vary is very true. I know how it feels to want to cancel plans and hide in your house because your face hurts and you feel so self conscious from horrible cystic breakouts. I hope that at least one of these products will help and work for you saving you time, grief and money! Please share with me your results and any of your own Holy Grail products!
xoxo,
Tiffany :)
