skincare journey

My Experience on Accutane!

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About a year or two ago, when my skin was at it’s worst I decided to try accutane. I was on it very briefly for about three months before I decided to stop taking it. I didn’t have a horrific experience or anything like that, for whatever reason I just decided to go off of it.

For anyone who is interested in trying accutane, I always suggest to try absolutely everything else first such as natural remedies, diet/lifestyle changes, and other prescription medications. It definitely takes a toll on your body unlike any other medication I’ve ever tried so you want to be 100% ready for it.

Today I’m going to share a quick bulleted list of all my symptoms I experienced during my couple of months on accutane.

  1. DRY LIPS – This is the number one side effect I’m pretty sure everyone who goes on accutane experiences. Accutane stops your body from producing oil so literally EVERYTHING dries out. It wasn’t bad though, but then again I wasn’t even four months into taking the pill yet. Aquaphor was a lifesaver and I carried it with me everywhere!
  2. DRY SKIN – My skin got pretty dry after about week 2 or 3 I’d say. It wasn’t horrible but I did have a few flaky spots here and there. Definitely invest in a nice moisturizer and use it morning and night! If you have oily skin like I do, and wear makeup, you’re going to love it because your makeup will last literally all day long! Definitely one of the perks haha!
  3. ECZEMA – Something I never experienced before. My eczema was pretty mild and started at the end of the first month. It was pretty manageable and was only on top of my hands so it wasn’t too bad. I used a bit of Aquaphor to keep it moisturized and it went away after about two weeks!
  4. FOLLICULITIS – This side effect was super annoying and I ended up having to get a topical lotion to clear it up (clindamycin, worked great!). I had these nasty huge pimple looking bumps on my legs that would get all yellow and pus filled (I know super gross) they would always appear a day or two after shaving my legs and made me super insecure to wear shorts. They were pretty itchy as well.
  5. MOOD SWINGS – When I first started the pill I remember being really happy and optimistic, I’m not sure if that was because I knew my skin would get better, but as time progressed my mood went to shit. I was always super irritated over the tiniest things and got a bit depressed. I struggle with depression here and there, it hasn’t been bad in a little bit, but for anyone concerned about that I would say it was kinda mild, my irritability was way more intense. Of course everyone is different, so keep that in mind. Your doctor will definitely keep checking with you on your mental health, so if it becomes an issue be sure to speak up!
  6. BLACK OUTS – Now this is something I wasn’t going to include but it’s definitely important. So one of the warnings that is almost just as important as not getting pregnant while on this medication is drinking alcohol. Accutane is super harsh on your liver which is why you get bloodwork for it every month, doctors suggest not to drink whatsoever. Well, there were about 3 or 4 occasions where I got drunk. I started the pill around the holidays so there were a few times that I REALLY wanted to drink. What I experienced from this was blacking out at only about two drinks in, and also waking up with THE WORST hangovers. To this day I experience hangovers now pretty hard, this is something I never used to get when I was drinking way more often during my college days.
  7. TIREDNESS – Accutane used to make me super sleepy! I remember I would always come home from work and be in bed asleep usually by 8pm. I wouldn’t say it was a negative thing because I didn’t feel groggy or anything the next day but it definitely made me feel worn out by the afternoon.

 

Another thing I wanted to note was that during my time on accutane I never experienced a purging stage. I was super concerned about this because when I started this medication my skin was horrific. Luckily from the start of the pill it just kept getting better and better! The one thing I loved was that I could get away with using almost any skincare product and sometimes even sleep with my makeup on and not have to worry about a new break out the next day. Amazing!

Some of you may be wondering, if my skin gets bad would I try it again? I’m definitely not against it but it’s a huge commitment. You have to be ready for the doctors appointments and bloodwork every month, and of course the lifestyle changes that come along with it. I’m able to deal with tiny pimples here and there that I still get, but if my cystic acne were to come back full force I think I would definitely go back on it.

My Skincare Routine 2018

/ glowbaby / 5 Comments

Now that my skin has been pretty clear of acne and crazy rosacea flare ups, I try to keep my skincare routine pretty basic and minimal. I find that with my skin personally, the more products I use, the more my skin breaks out and goes out of whack. Remember that everyone’s skin and body is different, so something that works for me may not work for you!

 

MORNING ROUTINE

1.  Water

In the morning the first thing I will do is rinse my face with just water. No cleansers or anything crazy just water to rinse away any serums or moisturizers I slept in the night before. I find that in the morning a cleanser is unnecessary when I haven’t worn makeup or done anything to make my skin super dirty. Remember less is more!

2. Serum or Moisturizer

 

After rinsing my face with water, I like to apply a light serum or moisturizer next which will be the only step before I apply my makeup for the day. I’m a huge fan of the Skin Deva 100% Hyaluronic Acid Serum. It’s lightweight, doesn’t cause breakouts under my makeup, and makes my skin super soft and hydrated!

If my skin is feeling dryer than usual (I have pretty oily skin so this isn’t often) I will opt for a moisturizer instead. I tend to lean more towards serums though because I find that they aren’t greasy under my makeup and never cause me to breakout. However, one that I’ve been loving, which is nice when I want to feel super hydrated is the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. I love it because it has great ingredients, and the packaging is super sanitary. Also a little bit goes a long way so I only use half a pump!

 

NIGHTTIME ROUTINE

1. Cleanser

Now before I cleanse my face I ALWAYS first remove my makeup using makeup removal wipes. My favorites are the Clean & Clear wipes, and the Neutrogena makeup removal wipes in the light blue or purple packaging. Next I go in with my cleanser to remove anything I may have missed with the wipes. I’m not too picky when it comes to face cleansers, it just needs to be fragrance free and super gentle (no exfoliating beads!). The one that I have been currently LOVING is The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser. Its simple and gets the job done. I’m not a big fan of tea tree oil scents but this one isn’t super over powering and it definitely keeps my smaller on the surface acne under control.

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2. Masks

I try to do a face mask 3-4 times per week. This is something that if I don’t do it makes me feel a little guilty and I can definitely tell my skin gets more dull without them. As I’ve said in the past I struggle a lot with acne scars, hyper pigmentation and uneven skin tone so face masks make a huge difference! My absolute holy grail face mask is the Mario Badescu Whitening Mask. I’ve been repurchasing this for I wanna say five years or so, it’s a product that I feel always needs to be in my skincare collection. It’s a reasonable price, smells amazing, and really helps lighten any acne scars! Sometimes I’ll even spot treat and sleep with this mask on as well. A little bit definitely goes a long way with this product.

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3. Serum

After rinsing off my face mask, to complete my night routine I like to end with a nice serum that does some great work overnight. My night serums are the one thing that I constantly switch out because there are so many ones out there that I want to try. As of right now though I’ve been switching between two different ones. When my skin is feeling a little bumpy or just not 100% texture wise, I like to opt for the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. It has a 12% blend of AHA/BHA, that doesn’t irritate my rosacea either. With this product I only use half a pump, otherwise it can make your skin feel tacky and gross when sleeping with it on. It makes my skin feel incredibly soft in the morning and feeling back to normal! I’ve also heard amazing things about it improving skin texture and fine lines overtime.

When my skin is looking pretty damn good, and I just want something to help brighten my complexion and lighten up those acne scars, I love using my Skin Deva 20% Vitamin C+E + Ferulic Acid Serum. These vitamins are great for acne scars and brightening the skin, it also makes me face feel so soft and plump in the morning. I use about three drops on my entire face!

 

And that’s my daily routine! Super simple and straight forward. Skincare is one of my favorite obsessions, I’m always switching up my products and changing my routine. So if there’s a new product that I’m loving I’ll be sure to make a post about it!

An Introduction

/ glowbaby / 3 Comments

I have spent majority of my life dealing with troubled skin, and not just your average acne spot here and there. I have gone from hell and back multiple times, having rosacea and severe cystic acne. It definitely has not been easy, and I’m still battling with it, finding confidence in myself everyday.

I’ve created this blog to share my personal experience with acne, different skin conditions, and my plans for the future. I want to share reviews of my favorite products/treatments, things that have worked for my skin and things that haven’t, from medications, to crazy diets and exhausting routines. Skincare has become such a huge and important thing in my life that I’ve decided to focus my education and career around it to help as many people as I can who are going through the same struggles I have.

Not only do I want this blog to focus on my skin journey and stories, but I also want to share some of my other interests like my love for beauty and improving my lifestyle.

My goal is to make this a positive place to visit that’s relatable yet inspiring.