Beauty Tips For Body Care
Happy Holidays, all!Background:About 1-2 months ago, I stopped taking birth control (Ortho Tri-Cyclen) and, over the past few weeks, have noticed a significant decline in my skin. It began with some new little white heads and small cystic acne on my chin and jawline, and is now spreading to my back, chest, neck, and forehead.I've had acne for nearly 19 years (beginning around 9 years old), but have had a good grasp on a consistent routine that works for the past 4-5 years.I had been on the pill on and off (mostly on) for nearly 10 years, and have experienced breakouts from going off it before. The way I combated it in the past was by...not combating it, giving up and starting back on the pill (lol). Funnily enough, my skin actually does really well for the first 1-2 weeks off the pill, and then all hell breaks loose. So here I am with painful zits, bumpy skin, and red marks all over, feeling like a dorky middle school kid again. (Although I feel that pang of embarrassment every time I look in the mirror, I'm grateful that my confidence is a lot higher than it was in the past, otherwise I'm not sure I'd ever leave my bedroom.)Current routine:AM - Gently rinse face with cool water, pat dry with new towel, moisturize with CeraVe PM face lotion, apply Paula's Choice AHA or BHA gel (alternate every 1-2 days; some days with AHA, some with BHA, some without either), let dry, cover up spots only with NYX concealer.PM - Gently rinse face with CeraVe Facial Foaming Cleanser, pat dry with towel, moisturize with CeraVe PM face lotion, apply Paula's Choice BHA gel (nightly), let dry before going to sleep/laying down.Other helpful info:- I eat 80-85% vegan, 15-20% vegetarian (a.k.a. I eat chocolate and cheese now and again). I very rarely eat dairy products, although my diet has been slightly off since getting a stomach bug a week ago and then, admittedly, indulging in holiday junk food over the past few days. I'm now reincorporating more vegetable juices (not fruit-based) and kombucha into my routine, and I'm cutting out dairy and reducing my processed sugar intake (goodbye to chocolate, my one true love, for a while).- I shower every 2-3 days and use Neutrogena's Oil-Free Acne wash with salicylic acid on my neck/back/shoulders/chest after shampoo/conditioner. This was working really well while I was still on the pill, but has been less effective since stopping the pill.- I wash my clothes/bed sheets/towels with All Free and Clear detergent.- I use Biore UV Aqua Rich sunscreen (SPF 50+), which has been a good fit for my skin.- I take a vegan multi-vitamin, B-12 supplement, and a magnesium supplement daily. (None of these have ever made me break out before.)- I use SLS-free toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner.- I avoid touching my face outside of my skin care routine (i.e. no popping, picking, wiping, or leaning on anything).- I'm regularly active, but have taken a few weeks off from going to the gym.- I drink a lot of water.Now:My current routine was working brilliantly when I was on the pill, but hasn't been nearly as effective since stopping the pill. Fortunately, I've noticed that my acne, though worse than usual, has still been responding positively to the BHA gel. It seems the BHA is healing some of the spots in a few days and seemingly keeping some of the cystic/hormonal acne to a minimum, but there are still new pesky buggers that pop up overnight on my face, and my back and chest are going a bit berserk.I'm committed to staying off of the pill for good this time, even with the understanding that this may take a few months to settle down and get back to normal.I'd love to establish a set of tools to get rid of this damn acne without stocking my entire bedroom and bathroom with things that I really don't need (can't tell you how many times I've added, then deleted, silk pillow cases from my Amazon list).I've heard great things about some supplements and oils (spearmint, primrose, zinc), but don't have much experience with any outside of my daily vitamins (listed above).What are your suggestions to combat this post-pill acne? Which nutrients is my body in need of now that the pill may have depleted? What helpful foods/supplements/oils/witchcraft can I add to my diet/routine? (FYI, I'm not above performing a seance if the dead have any skincare advice.)TL;DR: Zits and hormonal acne taking over after stopping birth control pill. Advice needed!
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by Prettydamngreat
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