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Oh man. Where do I begin? Maybe with “Happy First Day of Fall” ?! I like to begin each new season with an update on skincare, as the seasons bring different focuses an issues. This one is particularly interesting, because right after I shared my summer skincare update, my skin legitimately freaked out. I think it occurred (and is still occurring) for multiple reasons. Side note, if you subscribe to my monthly beauty edit, you already know some of this, thanks to that newsletter! Sign up for it here!

Madewell Central Shirt | Madewell Jeans | Aerie Sunglasses | Kendra Scott Ellington Earrings (c/o) | Vince Heels

1. The first reason being that I incorporated some new products in last season that I thought would help some clogged pores. They had salicylic acid in them, which is supposed to help, but I think I may have a sensitivity to it. I used the Indie Lee Clearing Mask once a week and the Juice Beauty Blemish Serum every other night. I ran out of my other serum, so I began using the blemish serum more frequently, as more blemishes began to pop up, andddd here we are. From here on out, I will be not be using these products and will avoid salicylic acid all together. I also changed my face wash at the start of summer, which I now wish I hadn’t done. Nothing against the new products, but In think even though the older products had coconut oil, they were good for me and my skin.

2. The second reason being travel. June through September included a lot of travel. I was gone at least a week during each month, which can wreak havoc on skin, especially if issues are already forming. This also doesn’t usually bode well for me regarding a good diet and exercise.

3. The third reason being stress. I’ve gone through a lot of change lately. I’ve held two jobs this year, was let go unexpectedly, and am moving across the country!

4. The fourth reason being environment. This kind of goes hand in hand with number three. My last job was not a great workplace, so that attributed to stress, but I also was in a warehouse, so I sweated a lot. I try not to sweat with makeup on, so I know this didn’t do anything to help my skin either. Also, living in Texas, it has been super hot and humid as per usual. I broke out this time last year, so I guess it kind of makes sense?

5. The fifth reason being birth control, or rather lack there of. I think a lot of my acne stems from the fact that I got off birth control this year. It’s a common symptom to have an increase in oil, whichhhh can and will clog your pores. More on this another time.

So YEAH. Not a lot of great things, though the past couple of months have been some of the most memorable! What has been hard for me is that I’ve never dealt with it this badly. I did have a big breakout last year that I solved by quitting coconut oil and limiting sugar, but it hasn’t been as easy of a fix this year. I’ve never been an all makeup, all the time girl, but I’ve slowly turned into someone who didn’t want to wear makeup most of the time. This has been hard, because it has shaken my confidence. When I don’t wear makeup, I feel like everyone is looking at my blemishes and can barely look people in the eye.

SO, what am I doing now?

• Limiting gluten and red meat. When I had my facial last month, my esthetician recommending limiting gluten to see if that helped my breakouts, as most were really clogged and inflamed pores. I have watched my intake, but I could probably do better. I will probably enter try it out for 6 weeks or so like I did with sugar. It’s kind of hard with traveling and when a bunch of people are making you goodbye meals. It’s also hard to explain when you don’t have an allergy. I think my biggest thing is that I’ve had some people be like “oh reallllly” and that is hard to hear, when I’m just trying to do the best thing for my body. I’m also limiting red meat, as it is not amazing for your digestive system, so I’m hoping that will help too. My esthetician recommended a form of the the candida diet, so I’ll probably look into that too.

• Keeping hands off my face. It’s really hard, but I know what is best for my face. This includes just randomly touching and trying to get rid of zits. If there is a clogged pore that is basically coming out on its own, I’ll get it, but that doesn’t involve any squeezing really. Popping my pimples can spread the bacteria and increase the breakout on the surface, but also under the surface. Popping pimples can can a bigger disruption deep in the pore and cause more to come later and increase the healing time.

• Icing when I can. I was initially using heat and ice, but my esthetician recommended that I just use ice, as heat brings the infection to the surface and it is better when she can do that for me. Ice decreases swelling. It can also decrease redness, but you’ll need time to let the redness from the cold subside.

• Simplifying my routine. We cut out all oils and serums from my routine to see where that got me. I see my esthetician again October 4th, so we’ll see what she says then! That being said, here is my current routine.

MORNING

One Love Organics Easy Does It Foaming Cleanser. I incorporated this back in, even though it has coconut oil. It should help exfoliating my face and such. When I want to double cleanse now, I just use this product twice.

Primally Pure Everything Spray. I’ve been toning with this for a while! See my whole post on it here. Get 10% off w/code ELLEMULENOS.

Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream. I’ve used this for almost a year now. When I noticed my skin was kind of oily, I actually stopped using it, which was a rookie mistake. Your skin still needs to be moisturized, even when it is oily, so don’t give this up!

I also still love to jade roll in the morning, but have to be careful, so I don’t aggravate my acne.

EVENING

One Love Organics Easy Does It Foaming Cleanser.

Primally Pure Everything Spray.

Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream.

Patyka Energising Eye Gel. I’ve begun incorporating an eye gel back into my routine and I love this one! It is cooling and feels really good on my skin.

I LOVE using my gua sha at night, but it’s harder to do it without oil and it’s really hard to do it with cystic zits.

MASKS (I do about one a week)

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel. This is great for my acne, anti-aging, and helps reduce redness, which I need right now! It also exfoliates. One of my original face mask purchases and I love it!

Biossance Squalane + Tea Tree Mask. Tea tree is calming which is one I desperately need right now.

Mahalo Petal Mask. It is hydrating and also has calming aspects. I expect this to be great for the dryer climate of LA!

My next beauty updates newsletter will be sent out after I have my appointment with Amanda at Eleven Wellness in two weeks. If you want to hear how that goes, be sure to sign up for it here! We move to LA this week, but are flying back next Thursday evening, because we have a wedding to attend. I used this time to slip in an appointment with her. Hah!

A couple other things to address… these photos aren’t my favorite, but they really interpret how I feel. The picture of the pumpkin over my head is how I wish I could walk around. It’s embarrassing and on top of that it hurts! Both physically and mentally. They also aren’t my favorite, because I’ve been trying to be more creative with my shots and these are 100% basic. Oh well. Next time they’ll be better! Can’t wait to get settled into our new home and start back up with my routine. That being said, LA is a new climate, so I’ll have to adapt to that and adjust my routine there too. PRAY FOR ME. That being said, I’m taking the rest of the week off to focus on moving, so my next post won’t be until we are there. Nick, Dino, Cat, Elliot, and I are trekking out starting Wednesday morning. See ya on the road!

Overall, I know my acne is definitely a first world problem and I know I could have it much worse. It’s just hard looking at pictures of myself 6 months ago and my face was basically crystal clear. I do consider it something that I can use to help me be more sensitive to others though. I wore a back brace in middle school and it definitely shaped me (pun intended) and my view of sticking up for others. Acne is something that helps me be more compassionate and I’m thankful for that. How can you use your issues to help others?? A verse I’m clinging to right now is Hebrews 12: 12-14.

“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will se the Lord.”

P.S. I recently shared my Follain Favorites and new items I tried. I tried these for about two months. I don’t think any of these were the problem with my skin, but per my esthetician’s advice, I went back to things I knew. I did keep the eye gel in the routine, because I LOVE it and didn’t have one in my lineup otherwise. Read my other review of it here.

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