Yesterday was a busy one! Between coaching Girls on the Run, working and a blog event, I was out and about all day and happily crashed in my bed when I arrived home a little after 9 p.m.
Dr. Kulbersh/ Katie / Jen / Kseniya / Me / Brittany / Jen
Last night I headed to Dr. Kulbersh’s office to learn more about skincare and left with a sampling of Image skincare products I’m excited to try. As a I briefly alluded to in a past blog post, I feel like my skin hasn’t been the best lately (truthfully it’s the worst it’s been in years), so when Jen organized the happy hour meet up at Dr. Kulbersh’s office, I immediately marked it on my calendar and knew I wanted to attend. Plus, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet some Charlotte-area bloggers (and see Brittany again)! When I lived in Orlando there was such a great community of bloggers and I’m thrilled to be back in a city overflowing with bloggers again. (FYI for any Orlando bloggers out there –> Definitely check out the Central Florida Lady Bloggers Facebook group. They organize tons of fun meet ups!)
If I notice any positive changes with my skin following the use of the Image products, I’ll let you know! And if you’ve had great experiences with certain skincare products, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I recently went off birth control (no, not trying to get pregnant – just didn’t like the way I felt on it and I’m not crazy about the hormones) and my skin totally freaked out. I’ve actually talked to quite a few friends who had the same thing happen with their skin, so I’m hoping some of you out there may have experienced something similar and may have some skincare recommendations for us! I’m looking to up my skincare regimen to try to get my skin back to a good place.
Workout + Breakfast
Today’s workout was another Pure Barre class. I’m determined to get my 20 classes in this month and complete my studio’s challenge! I want that discount next month!
Once I made it home, I prepared a bowl of cinnamon banana egg white oatmeal.
Served with some sparkling water on the side!
Yum!
Question of the Morning
- If you have a skincare regimen you love or use certain products that you would recommend, please let me know! I’m in the market to switch things up and get my breakouts under control.
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I have recently discovered a brand of skincare products called Kiehls…. It is amazing! They use all natural ingredients and I have found that their products not only help with acne, bu the overall look and feel of my face! The Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner has really helped with the overall tone and look of my face. I hate how much hormones plays a role in our skin (and everything else!) 🙁
I love Kiehl’s too. The Ultra Facial Cream and Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque are my absolute faves. For facewash I just go for the cheap stuff, since it’s only on your face for a short time. Moisturizers are where I’m okay splurging. 🙂 Kiehl’s is definitely not the spendiest out there, and they offer samples so you can be sure your face likes it before you buy it!
Does anybody else use Paula’s Choice to check out the validity of product claims? It seems pretty legit and also lists ingredients, which can be tough to find (I’m allergic to some essential oils, total bummer). If you’re on the fence about a product, check it out!
http://www.paulaschoice.com/beautypedia/
I’ve heard great things about Kiehls too but haven’t tried their stuff yet! I use the “Yes to…” brand (yes to carrots, yes to cucumbers, etc) and it works really well for my sensitive skin.
I definitely need a new skin care regimen as well. My baby girl is 8 months old, and just now my skin is starting to freak out on me. I don’t know if it is because my hormones are trying to regulate themselves, or what, but it is bad! If you find something that works well for your please let me know! I am feeling pretty desperate!
Anti-acne products are the worst for acne–they are super drying and in return cause too much oil and therefore more breakouts. The Alpha Hydrox line (super cheap and can be found at the drugstore or ULTA) is amazing for not only acne, but brightening and evening out your skin tone. I’ve had so much success with the AHA souffle and Retinol Resq and helps with hormonal breakouts as well.It feels like you’re using high end products, but everything is under $20! I would invest in a good quality moisturizer to counteract the dryness these products can cause. But these products + moisturizer= glowy and clear skin 🙂 I use beautypedia.com to find reviews on good skincare products with quality ingredients and it has changed my skin care routine for the best!
Love this! I agree about acne specific products.. soooo dang drying!!
As someone who has suffered from acne as a teenager and still to this day (33 now) I suggest the following:
– less is more
– wash with cold water always
– in the morning if you can, don’t use any products to wash your face, only water & moisturizer, no scrubbing, it only irritates your skin
– in the evening use a gentle pH balanced cleanser like Paula’s choice or MD Forte. If your skin is squeaky clean after washing, then your chosen product is too harsh
– eat right and drink lots of water (but we know you already do that)
Your other best bet is to visit a dermatologist where you can get:
– RetinA (I’ve had no problems getting insurance to cover this when my doctor fills out a prescription authorization form because it is for acne)
– Benzaclin
or
– Tazorac
Your last resort is Accutane which I know is a hot topic for a lot of people, but it worked for me in my mid 20s and I highly recommend for any disfiguring Acne, which happens to run in my family.
I found that proactiv worked well, however it COMPLETELY dried out my skin, and i had to moisturize nonstop. I feel like your skin will probably mellow out once the hormone balance gets back to normal though 🙂 Good luck!!
Also! I just found this article (it popped up on my Facebook news feed) from Greatist. check it out!! http://greatist.com/grow/acne-myth-busters?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=opengraph&utm_campaign=acne-myth-busters
I noticed that my skin was going a little crazy not too long ago and my sister (who is works in the beauty world!) recommended that I go “back-to-basics” because I had NEVER had skin issues before. I stopped trying anything crazy and went back to the facial scrub and makeup wipes I used back in high school and my skin has been great ever since!! Not the most profound recommendation, but it worked for me! Sometimes I think keeping things simple is best 🙂
Love this post! You definitely have to let us know how your skin is liking the new products. I went off birth control for the exact same reason as you and my skin is the WORST! 🙁 IT’s super upsetting… so any tips will help! I’m also going to read through your comments because it looks like a lot of the readers have some good tips too!
And you go girl!! Get that 20!!! 🙂 I’m on day 8!
I have always had trouble with my skin! I’ve been on several different oral antibiotics and topical creams. My dermatologist in Austin said my skin wasn’t as bad as I thought it was and it was more of the uneven texture I was seeing. She recommended purchasing a Clarisonic and I love it! I use it in the morning in the shower with a Burt’s Bees wash. I also just use simple Dove soap to wash my face at night after removing my makeup. I’ve run out of my prescription topical ointments so I have been using some of the Burt’s Bees facial cleansers, toners, under eye creams, and acne spot cream and they have actually worked surprisingly well!
Perfect timing! I went off BC a few months ago and have noticed a huge change in my chin. I have so many breakouts now, especially in the chin area. It was so helpful reading through the comments to get other ideas (and to not feel so alone). 🙂 I am excited to see what you find out!
I went off birth control for the same reason and popped out a baby about a year later. As I get older I am always on the lookout for good skin care products. I live near Houston and run daily so the humidity keeps me sweating and pimply like a teenager :/ Can’t wait to read your reviews. Good luck girlie!
I have cystic acne as a result of menopause … I clear it up with the Honest Company’s Belly Balm … I know it sounds insane but it is the only thing that gets my skin to calm down.
I love Arbonne–I am sure you can find a consultant in your area….
I totally understand what you mean about not wanting to rely on birth control solely for skincare. Since it is such a recent innovation, the long-term side effects are unknown and it is almost a little frightening how much it can control. Since I went to college and started birth control, my skin cleared amazingly! So I can see how the opposite would also occur. But good luck with your routine and I commend you for not relying on the pharmaceuticals!
Also, I LOVE that you are meeting up with Jen. Your two Peanut Butter blogs are my absolute favorite blogs, the only ones I read regularly. Makes me want to visit Charlotte to see what you both love so much 😉
My facialist recommended buying the clarisonic and wow it made a huge difference! My skin is so soft and it allows the creams to get deeper into the skin. I’ve suffered for years and years with cystic acne on my chin and jawline. I tried everything. Finally, I realized that dairy was the main cause of it! I’ve drastically limited dairy and my face is soo much better! I’ve been going to a medical spa the last couple months to get microdermabrasion and peels to get rid of all of my scars. Spending a fortune, but it is totally worth it to me! I hope you can find a solution!
Thanks for the link to the Central Florida meet up. I’m moving there soon and I can’t wait to check out that page!!
I recently went off birth control too and have had the same issues. I’m so sorry, I know how annoying it is! I had actually never had acne before and completely freaked out at my sudden unhappy skin.
I went to a dermatologist who wrote me a prescription for Finacea and a pill (something like amiocillian) which has helped a lot. I also switched my makeup routine from a tinted moisturizer to products geared towards oily skin and I have been using the orange Neutrogena face wash (although I actually use the Target brand version) which used to be way to harsh for my skin but now is helping a lot to control the extra oil that I guess my hormones are producing.
I hope that helps, good luck!!
After I got a facial, my aesthetician gave me a sample of the Image Daily Hydrating Moisturizer with SPF because I had complained about being shiny after applying moisturizer. I had my doubts about a “matte moisturizer,” but this product magically did the trick! I did get shiny later in the day, but that was from my face being oily, not from the moisturizer I applied in the morning.
Oooooo ALSO, I use a homemade facial scrub because spa facials are hella expensive. I mix granulated sugar with oil(s) of choice (jojoba, tea tree, coconut, olive, etc.). Add oil little by little to prevent the sugar from dissolving from having too much oil. At night, scrub face with the facial scrub (without wetting face first), rinse off sugar scrub, and wash face as normal.
Skin issues are the worst– they affect how you feel from the inside out! Have you ever heard of Rodan + Fields? It is a new skincare line developed by the doctors who created ProActive– Dr. Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields. What they did for acne they are now doing for aging and other hormonal issues!!! Their goal is to bring dermatology to the home. I have always struggled with my skin and it got even worse after after getting off BC and then hormonal issues with pregnancy…. anyway, nothing has helped my skin like this stuff. I have truly seen some miraculous before and afters… Check it out! 🙂
https://schicks.myrandf.com/Pages/OurProducts/GetAdvice/SolutionsTool
I love Paula’s Choice! I’ve been using her products for years now! I even have her book : Don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me. You’ll learn what’s good to buy and what’s all hype. She has a beautypedia where you can look up her reviews on products and read all about their ingredients. I wash my face with Natural Beauty Bar (not paula’s) or Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Skin Wash. You just need a gentle cleanser because most cleansers with acne treatments will end up getting washed down the drain and not absorbed into your skin. Then I use her Hydralight Toner, followed by her 2% BHA liquid (it’s a great exfoliant of salicylic acid!) She also has extra strength exfoliants like a 9% BHA for stubborn zits and or 2.5 up to 5% Benzoyl peroxide lotion. Lastly, during the day I’ll use Olay Complete spf 30 sensitive skin moisturizer. Check out Paulas…. www. paulaschoice.com
I have oily, breakout prone skin and I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser right now. I also love the Simple line–I have used the gel cleanser in the past and find it very similar to the Cetaphil I am using now. Also, Trader Joe’s brand moisturizer with SPF is amazing!! One of my girlfriend’s uses the one that does not have SPF and she loves it but I like to wear SPF daily.
Yay R+F!! I love it too!
I love products from my local boutique called Olivu 426. They ship nationally too! They’ve got a great story and have received some really cool coverage in the last few years. I’ve always struggled with acne and my skin cleared up almost immediately when I used their stuff. I love it! http://www.olivu426.com/
ugh julie, i understand your pain! the same thing happened to me. i have been off birth control for 4 or 5 years now. my husband and i don’t plan on having children but like you i didn’t like ingesting synthetic hormones into my body. it also just made me feel somewhat “off.” my dermatologist prescribed this medication for hormonal acne about a year/year and a half ago called Aczone. it is formulated for this type of acne. i was getting pimples on my chin and neck area, plus the perimeter of my face. i read an article about women’s hormones changing every 10 years and this being very typical for women in their 30’s. anyway the product works great, and i noticed an improvement within a month or two. i am supposed to use it twice daily but sometimes it does make my face a little dry. when this happens, i only put it on once or my derm said to just spot treat blemishes. he said to get the real benefit to always do the twice a day application. hope this info helps.
I love Paula ‘ s Choice skincare. It’s reasonably priced and they provide the medical research to support the ingredients.
When I stopped birth control I had to stop eating dairy as I discovered it was causing crazy breakouts. It might be worth going on an elimination diet and slowly adding foods back in. It will help you know if certain foods are triggering your breakouts
Good luck!
I love Dermalogica face wash/toner spray/moisturizer, Clinique sun block, and Channel make up. But even with a good regimen, my skin is not immune to hormones from my period…even at 31 🙁 To be frugal, at times I’ll use Cetaphil cream on my face, instead of my Dermalogica at night. Hope those help! xoxo, ganeeban
Just offering another opinion/experience here: Acne was never an issue for me until I turned 26. Very frustrating! I tried antibiotics; I tried Rx creams; I tried oral meds other than BC; etc. Nothing worked for me except BC. Fast forward 3 years and I started to notice discolored patches (melasma) on my face and decided to take a break from BC. Worst idea ever. More acne plus hair loss. Ugh. I gave it 5 months and within those 5 months tried everything under the sun, including Tria, a blue laser device. I concluded my acne is hormonal, not topical. I’ve been on a different brand of BC ever since. My hubby and I don’t want kids, so my doc says I’m fine to be on it until I’m 55. Then what will I face at 55? I don’t even want to think about it…sigh.
I wish you luck. It’s a journey of trying this and that and not every product works miracles for everyone.
Curious what brand of birth control you switched to? I have a similar story and am researching what to take as I am not happy with my current switch that has turned my hormones crazy!
Brooke, Yaz caused my melasma. I switched to Ortho Lo for a while, but still had skin issues. My GYN switched me to Kariva and I’ve been on it (or the generic Viorele) for 18+ months now. The choices are overwhelming, huh!? Good luck!
I had the same problem a few years ago when I had to go off the pill due to a DVT. I swear by getting regular facials… I use the glo therapeutics line of skin care products in addition to using the clarisonic Mia twice a day! It has seriously changed my skin!
Look into Oil Cleansing. I did it for a year straight, moisturized with coconut oil and my skin improved like crazy within a month. It’s a bit time consuming, and my skin did break out for a week while it adjusted to the oil. Aside from that I loved the results, way better than any commercial cleansers. I’ve since switch to carbolic soap (for time saving) and breakouts are at an all time low.
Rodan and Fields completely changed my skin! I found out about it at a church fair a few years ago, and decided to give it a shot since nothing else worked on my sensitive, acne-ridden skin. Now my skin is so clear that strangers ask me if I’m wearing makeup! I probably sound like a spokesperson or something but it’s all true haha! Seriously, if you need something for sensitive skin, try this – its the only hardcore-type skincare product that didn’t make my face red and irritated.
I have struggled with acne all my life unfortunately but it wasn’t until I started working at a health food store that I took a more natural approach. I have done a few blog posts about it but the best things I can recommend are taking evening primrose, it helps balance your hormones which might be why you are breaking out now and I use alba acne dote as a face wash and it is fabulous!
I just use a Neutrogena Naturals cleanser and use coconut oil for moisturizer. I probably should be more proactive with serums and things, but I don’t really have the time or money to do it right now. Hopefully I don’t regret it in a few years!
My skin went crazy right around the time I turned 30. Long story short, two huge things got it back under control: Murad skin products and cutting out a lot of dairy. I cut the dairy for my asthma (turns out it was a major trigger), but in the process, realized that it also cleared up my skin!
Yeah, the same thing happened to me recently. I went off the bc for insurance reasons, and my skin totally freaked out on me in the last month with a ton of breakouts. It wasn’t pretty. Sorry I don’t have any recommends for a solution; I’ve mostly just upped the use of prescription stuff that I have and that’s seemed to help a little.
I had horrible hormonal acne until last year. What really helped me was cutting out dairy. and this Illumask! you can get it at Ulta. http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6400298
Regarding the Egg-White Oatmeal recipe, I was wondering if the recipe still works without using a banana?
I used to use Arbonne Clear Advantage which I loved but stopped using it when I was pregnant due to the salicylic acid. I use Trader Joe’s 5.99 cleanser and moisturizer and they have really cleared up my skin.
Gosh, skin problems are the worst. I feel your pain!
You may already have tried this, but do you have a Clarisonic? It’s a magic worker for me! I keep the products pretty simple (my dermatologist recommended Cerave, so that’s what I use) but I feel like consistently using my Clarisonic makes the most difference. It’s worth the investment! 🙂
Always, Anita
Getting off dairy is essential. Many women cannot break down the dairy components as they age. It is not natural for a mammal to consume another mammals milk (cow).
I have been going to Dr Kulbersh’s office since June and see his aesthetician Dede. I use the image products and can’t say enough good about them, as well as Dr K, Dede and their team. They are awesome. My skin is so clear and I feel glowing!
I also started the oil cleansing method about a year ago and have had great luck with my skin. I stopped for a weekend (and used a friends normal face wash) because I forgot the oil on a trip and broke out terribly for the first time since starting. It confirmed that this is a great method for me. It took me a while to get the proportions of oils right, but there are a lot of great tutorials online. I use roughly 50% castor and 50% grapeseed oils.
I’m going through the same exact thing!! I just stopped taking birth control and my face is back to its teenage years. I’m trying to figure out a skin care regimen as well. It’s been 2 months and it hasn’t calmed down yet. I’ll take any recommendations I can get! I’ve heard the essential oil Frankenscence is great for acne…mix it with coconut oil and use as a light moisturizer.
I have always struggled with mild-moderate facial acne and have combination skin that is dry around the edges but can look like an oil slick at the end of a work day! I’ve noticed that my face has also become a little more dull as I get older and I have tried many, many products (including dermatologist prescribed medications) throughout the years. I finally decided to try Mario Badescu products as recommended by Jaclyn Hill, a professional makeup artist who is all over YouTube (she has great makeup recommendations and does great tutorial videos…You should check her out!) and have been using them for almost 2 years now and can never turn back because all my problems are finally under control! Anyways, long story short I have tried many products from that line and loveee every single one. My favorites are the orange cream cleanser, glycolyic acid toner or alpha hydroxy toner and the acne cleanser. I also use the drying cream on the side as spot treatment. The best part about this line is that they do an online personal skin analysis (www.mariobadescu.com) and then they’ll send you a sample of the majority of the products they’ve recommended based on the questions you’ve answered for free!! Also, if you decide you like the samples, you can buy the products at ulta or Nordstrom and most are priced right around $15 and last 6 months easily. Sorry for carrying on about this, but everyone I’ve recommended this line to loves it just as much as me so hopefully you’ll feel the same too!
My face started to get weird bumps on it that weren’t red but it just made my face look bumpy. The ONLY thing I found that helped it was unblemish by Rodan and Fields (the creators of Proactiv). I still can’t get my skin to be completely smooth but this helps tremendously. Idk why my skin just started freaking out in my late 20s when it was never bad before. Lame.
Hi Julie – I highly recommend the “cosmetics cop” and/or “paulas choice”- who wrote book after book called, “Don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me.” She was on Oprah, she’s been everywhere – she hires independent labs to test products etc. She spent years recommending many drug store products (and still does) through the above book (updated regularly), but only after much pressure (and because of her connections to the labs) did she decide to come out with her own skin care line. It works well – and she explains in great detail WHY you need this or that regimen based on your skin type. And also how to get your TRUE skin type figured out. And then how to use either her products, or drug store products, to get the skin you want. Also what type of products to avoid and WHY. I recommend it HIGHLY. Her site also has articles describing myths and truths about skin care (based on science).
Also, I know my doc, skin doc, and hormone doc have all put women ON birth control to control extremely bad acne/skin conditions, so it’s no surprise that you (and everyone else) end up with flair ups when you go off birth control. However, it doesn’t mean that you (or anyone) has to stay on it just to have clear skin. I went through my own skin flare up just a few years ago (including my wedding day! 🙁 ).
Without going into great detail, let’s just say I know more about hormones and their affects on the body than the average person, based on massive research, doctor meetings, seminars, books, and so on (for reasons I don’t care to go into). And hormone changes = skin changes (which is why puberty is such a tumultuous time for the skin.) Late 20’s/early 30’s is another type of “hormone” event, and birth control pills exacerbate the problem. (Menopause is another event that causes this.)
Really like Neutrogena for face wash and Clinique for moisturizer/BB cream. They’re both really gentle for sensitive skin.
Facials with extractions about 4x a year and a Clarisonic have made a massive difference for my skin. I just cleanse with a Vanicream facial bar and use Vanicream or Aveeno moisturizer. Both of those keep things pretty clear/non-irritated and are also very affordable (to make up for the cost of the facials and Clarisonic!)
I wash my face with Philosophy’s Purity cleanser and I love it! I also have a Clarisonic that I use at night, which I’ve noticed definitely makes an impact on the appearance of my skin. I use Philosophy’s Time in a Bottle serum in the morning and at night, the vitamin C has helped fade any lingering red marks left over from any random breakouts. However, I really owe my behaved complexion to Epiduo. It’s a combination of Differin and benzoyl peroxide and it’s AMAZING. I used Differin in college and hated it because I had to use a topical antibiotic too and it was a major pain to apply everything.
Anyway, it’s prescribed by my dermatologist and it rocks. I recently went off of my hormonal birth control for similar reasons and expected my face to go wild, but surprisingly it didn’t. I would definitely make an appointment with the dermatologist and get their opinion about prescription products along with skincare lines! Hope that helps 🙂
Amazingly enough I recently went through a very similar situation. Went off BCPs and went from having great skin to issues. I tried the Clinique line for Acne and in a matter of a month my skin actually looks better than what I started out with before I went off BCPs! I live in WI, so did add a nice moisturizer.. .but that may be worth a try. They have different lines and sell them in 30 day supplies (mine lasted about 60 FYI) so you don’t have to commit to full size products.
I use Image products and love them!! PS I FINALLYYY tried the cinnamon dolce cap from Starbucks thanks to you and it’s already becoming a mild obsession. Sooo good!!! : )
Hi Julie! Sorry to hear that you are having issues with your skin! I am a consultant with Rodan + Fields which is run by the dermatologists who created ProActiv. My customers have had awesome results with our Unblemish line! I just recently heard from one who is able to be make-up free for the first time in years after using it! I fell in love with the products before becoming a consultant and can say that I truly haven’t tried something that I don’t like. Feel free to email me dviolaRD@gmail.com with any questions or check out my website http://daniellev.myrandf.com. Good luck!