Ahh, it is time to subject you all to my face....bare

Notice the horrible cystic honkers, the constellations of comedones (my fine lines are looking better than usual thanks to the Clarisonic) the enormous pores, and yeah, this is actually better than usual. I also started using Philosophy's Purity cleanser in the past few days, and though I don't feel it cleans any deeper than anything else, I have yet to see it's long term effects. So far, almost a month into the use of my Clarisonic, I am beyond impressed. Usually my face look like a bunch of craters surrounded by mountains of zits. That thing makes a difference. So yeah, here begins my skin chronicle. Stay tuned because I will continue to visually update as I slowly weave other products into my regimen.

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Also other things to look forward to:
1. Mini-profiles of my favorite fellow beauty bloggers.
2. Full ingredient breakdown reviews on the following products:
-MakeupForever HD makeup and HD powder
-Skinperfekt gel
-Philosophy purity wash
-Frederic Fekkai protein Rx shampoo
-Rene Furterer Curbicia scalp treatment gels
-Oscar Blandi dry shampoo
-Frederic Fekkai technician mask
-Sephora face eye makeup remover
-Almond oil as an eye makeup remover
-Tanda acne system
-Sephora glass nail file
-Benefit brow zings
-Sephora 4 sided buffer
-Guerlain Shalimar
-Stila Creme bouquet
-Robert Piguet Fracas
-Bvlgari pour Femme
-Gaultier 2 perfume
-GoSmile B1
-And various different Serge Lutens fragrances

The roundup: Everything you can do to minimize acne

So I've already griped and moaned about all the trouble I've gone to over the years for clear skin. Oh if only if only I had something to show for it.

So now I will lay out every single type of treatment I've attempted and will tell you my thoughts.


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1. Toners, astringents, cleansing foams: These are of the "dry it up" variety. Basically what they do is temporarily sap all oil from the skin surface, which can help minimize comedones in the short term. However, long term they make the condition worse, because any time the skin is so stripped, it receives a signal to porduce more oil to moisturize itself. And off course more oil leads to more zits. This is part of how I have so permanently destroyed my skin.

2. Sulfur: For some it's a godsend, for others like myself, after each and every sulfur mask and treatment, there is just plain disapointment afterward. Sulfur is also a dry it up type of thing, but it's more common in spot treatments (Proactiv's refining mask, Mario Badescu's drying lotion, DDF's sulfur mask) because it REALLY absorbs oil. But for some reason only on certain people. It has never done a single thing for me, besides smell really bad. However you may luck out so definitely try it at least once, because it irritates very few people.

3. Benzoyl Peroxide: Benzoyl is an antibacterial that is particularly effective on p.acnes and is used in a wide variety of over the counter and drugstore acne products (the Clean and Clear line is pretty much based on it). It is effective and the results are quick, however for some of us there are too many down sides. It's not preventative, it's a spot treatment. I've used it in face lotions to prevent and I found it creates a horrible texture on the skin and makes any makeup cake. However it also bleaches sheets (and your eyebrows). Over time it leads to oxidation in the skin and dehydration, which encourages skin to age prematurely. For the vast majority of people it is also irritating and leads to some degree of tightness, redness and inflammation. It is available in concentrations between 2 and 10%, however past 5 it just irritates more than it does disinfect.

4. Salicylic acid: One of my personal favorite ingredients. It too works very quickly to reduce any current pimples however it also prevents. It's a BHA so it is actually capable of going inside the pore to exfoliate and clean it out (Neutrogena's acne line is almost entirely based on it, which is part of why Neutrogena is my favorite drugstore brand). It is also used in some anti-aging formulations because of its exfoliating and clarifying properties. However many people find it irritating in the usual 2% formulation, which is why it may be worth it to look for 1% concentrations. For those who like me are lizards and react to nothing, layering salicylic products may be the solution, starting with a cleanser, than a spot treatment and then a lotion. I have found this to help me at times. However this BHA is also somewhat drying (not nearly as much as Benzoyl or toners) so I would only layer in emergency situations.

5. AHA's: These are primarily used in anti-aging formulations because they increase sluggish cell turnover, brighten skin tone, deliver moisture to the skin cells and over time increase collagen production. The most common ones are Glycolic and Lactic acids. I blogged about Mandelic Acid recently and I am very excited to try it because it's an AHA but also an anti-bacterial. Their use in cleansers can help acne sufferers too. A cleanser with exfoliating properties can be a great way to skip a step in the morning and something that overall cleans up the dead skin on top of the skin is a great pre-cursor to a moisturizer with another acne ingredient. AHA's too can be irritating and I've actually found that skin gets "addicted"to them. As in after constant use for an extended period of time, skin becomes dependent on it's exfoliating action to renew itself and seems to get confused and disoriented trying to exfoliate itself. I am a personal testament to this, even though I've switched to scrubs a year or so ago, without a lot of aggressive cosmetic help, the dead skin cells just pile up on top and seem to glue themselves with my oil and stick there. I am still trying to get rid of the horrible breakout spree my skin went on when Neutrogena's Microdermabrasion cream was temporarily taken off the market this past year. So if you're going to try AHA's tread lightly unless you want to be dependent on them for the rest of your life.

Retinol and prescription Tretinoin: Both are derivatives of Vitamin A that are useful for both aging and acne, because again, chemical exfoliant (but also one of the very few cosmetic ingredients that have been proven, time and time again to increase collagen production, which is why all of Olay's various lines are based upon it). Retinol is the over the counter version found in a wide variety of lines, from dirt cheap to astronomical. Tretinoin needs to be prescribed by a doctor in the form of one of the many many different types of treatments (Renova, Retin-A, Differin, etc etc). My skin just says pfft to retinol, it's too tough for that, though many many people find it very irritating. Prescription Renova is the ONLY thing that's ever caused a reaction in me (I was so scared that I immediately threw out the tube, my skin reacts to nothing, seriosuly) and it was a bad one. Redness, peeling, tightness, inflammation. The worst thing was the fact that I could not use anything on top to moisturize unless it was a pure oil, because any tiny little thing set off the burning (for a moment I knew what it was like to be one of the unfortunate women who react to anything, preservatives, sulfates, synthetic sunscreens). Both retinol and tretinoin cause ridiculous photo-sensitivity, which requires a broad spectrum sunblock with as high an SPF as you can find, with only physical blocks (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) because synthetic sun products are very irritating to spuer sensitive skin. If you have tried everything else and are desperate, go see a derm for a tryout of a tretinoin product, it just may save you. But be veryveryvery careful with every other product you use.

Topical prescription antibiotics: These are basically ultra strong versions of OTC antibacterial products. My favorite is clindamycin because it's clear, absorbs like water and has no side effects besides slight stinging and irritation (and on me, nothing). They are very potent against bacteria themselves, but may be drying for those with normal or drier skin. Still worth a try, because it's the most side effect free prescription treatment.

Accutane: Another prescription product and the only one that has ever completely cured acne. How? Because it is a pill that you ingest and it saps up every single little bit of oil in the body. If there is no oil, skin cannot clog. It is also the only acne treatment on earth I have never tried. This is because it's been strongly linked to increased depression and thoughts of suicide (and many actually HAVE killed themselves while on it). Considering I've been battling depression since the age of 12, I thought it best not to do anything that might send me over the edge. I will never recomend this, to even the happiest person. Nothing is worth the torture a family goes through when someone close commits suicide, least of all something as trivial as clear skin, and the risk is just too high. Try something else.

Laser skin resurfacing: A type of treatment available at a derm's office that is most frequently used to fight aging, but is also commonly targeted to acne. There are many many different types of lasers and only a proffesional can determine what kind would be most appropriate for each type of case. What they all do however is exfoliate, renew collagen formation and basically let you start out with a new face. The side effects are many, like prescription retinoids, skin can have a red, tight, burnt, flaky finish and find itself irritated by anything and everything. However, for many people the benefits are worth it. This can get veeeerrrrryy expensive, because it is literally thousands of dollars and it needs to be repeated. If you have a bottomless pocketbook (adopt me?) try it out at least.

Light therapy: There are certain wavelengths of light that can have different effects on skin. Blue light has been proven to kill p.acnes and help prevent future accumulation. This is the technology that the Thermaclear, Zeno and Tanda acne systems are based on. It is available in derm's offices and certain medical style spas and it is one of my favorite treatments due to the low incidence of irritation. I mean it's literally gliding a light over the face and the light kills zits. The results can be very fast, when I had a facial which incorporated the light I walked out with half the zits that I came in with. Which is part of why I want to get the Tanda or the Thermaclear system at home

Chemical peels: These are derm level AHA treatments. There are varying strengths available but all of them exfoliate to a ridiculous degree. Off course the side effects can get pretty bad too, like all the other exfoliating treatments I described there will be redness, sensitivity, peeling, tightness etc etc.

Manual exfoliation/scrubbing: This is my favorite method of treatment (my skin was at it's very clearest when I scrubbed day and night with Neutrogena's Microdermabrasion cream and then applied prescription clindamycin, while moisturizing with primer). There are vary vary varied levels of treatment. The harshest would be getting proffesional microdermabrasion, then at home microdermabrasion products, than hard grain types such as apricot kernel and the gentlest being buffing/jojoba bead additives in cleansers. The great thing about scrubbing rather than using acids, is that there is less of a chance of skin addiction and pressure can be controlled. If there are particularly rough spots, that's where you would concentrate your scrubbing efforts and only lightly graze anywhere more sensitive.

Tea tree oil and other essential oils: Any essential oil that has antibacterial, cleansing, clarifying, detoxifying or antifungal properties can help with acne, but tea tree oil is the most famous and beloved because it's the strongest. Like any synthetic acids or treatments it should never be applied to the skin on it's own because it can cause severe reactions. But when diluted with moisturizing ingredients it's potency is still strong, however the incidence of irritation goes waaayyy down. Other essential oils with similar properties include rosemary and all the citruses. Adding a few drops of one of these to an inflammatory and moisturizing cream is my recomendation for anyone that considers their skin sensitive. Experiment with different concentrations and see what your skin likes best. If this doesn't make a big enough difference see about some other options, but always make sure to monitor reactions very carefully.

I hope I've helped de-mystify some of these treatments for the un-initiated and reminded others like me (long time cosmetic obsessed sufferers) of some treatments they haven't yet tried.

And don't do Accutane.


Image courtesy of bam.gov

Things you could do to worsen acne that you never thought of

I call a lot of things the bane of my existence. Living in Calgary, my hair, living in Calgary, my cellulite, living in Calgary, my poverty, living in Calgary, everything about my body.

What is truly the bane of all banes is my acne. It was that first fateful zit that sent me into the cosmetic coma that I am still suffering from (and clearly now blogging about). I still have a scar on the middle of my nose that I can attribute to a thousand incidences picking that zit.

I get zits everywhere, face, neck, chest, back. I am even fortunate enough to be extremely prone to their cousin, the ingrown, wherever body hair may grow (so prone that I paid for laser hair removal on my bikini line, and am at least free forever in that zone).

I have had times when they get horrible, times when I get almost clear. But for 9 years I have not been without a single one. So you can imagine the amount of bogus treatments I have tried (all astringents, let me say this, I despise you) and the amount of myths I have heard. Here is my definitive list of all the things you and I need to stop in order to get clear:


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1. The classic: STOP PICKING! Oh I know, it is my #1 beauty sin that for some reason is to this day a compulsive sickness of mine. The only thing that stops me is having a full face of makeup on, because I fear ruining it. Other than that, there is truly nothing on earth that will control my wily fingers. Tell me, if there is a home hypnosis product that can make me stop.
2. Overusing drying stuff. Alchohols, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, AHA's, toners, highly foaming cleansers, lack of moisturizer, prescription acne treatments, bogus acne "systems", clay masks, sulfur. All things that I and any other acne sufferer have employed in great amounts. For so long I refused to give up on this method of acne treatment that to this day, 3 years later, my skin is still suffering the after effects. What these types of products do is temporarily relieve acne which makes you think that the effects will be cumulative. But what they actually do is strip skin's natural protective acid mantle (sebum, what we most definitely suffer in excess) which actually CAUSES more zits in the future because it "tells" the skin it needs to produce more oil to protect itself. STOPPP!
3. Not considering skin's sensitivity when exfoliating. Overexfoliating or underexfoliating is one of the toughest balances to pinpoint, but believe you me, it's necessary. The only thing I can recomend is to watch you There was a time when my skin was normal except for all the zits. But after years and years of all of the previously mentioned treatments on top of all the over exfoliation I would employ manually has led me to crocodile territory. At this point my skin's natural cell-turnover and oil regulation is so wonky that I am completely dependent on harsh scrubs and drying washes to get it looking somewhere close to normal. If I skip even a day of vigorous manual scrubbing, I wake up to a horribly rough texture, full with hard comedones, especially across my forehead and a reflector shield instead of a complexion. I have tried for the past few months to go the more gentle route, which I still recomend for almost anyone else, but it has for me returned the face of being 14 -translation-COVERED in zits. Cysts, whiteheads, blackheads, hard comedones, pustules and scars galore. But if you like me, have permanently destroyed your own face, break out the at home microdermabrasion scrubs.
4. Not moisturizing enough. It sounds counter-intuitive but I am telling you right now, Creme De La Mer was the second most effective acne treatment I have ever tried. How, because after the first month of crazy mad inflamed cysts, my skin started to get this...calm down.... No joke, applying such a heavy heavy cream, day after day, taught my crazy skin to regulate some of it's own production. Skin is a living organ, it is responsive to any treatment you give it. I swear to you hand on heart, to this day, more than a year after my bank account discontinued my use (no not me, my bank account did) my skin is still 25% less oily than it was. That's 25% less reflector shield. That needs to be celebrated, because I promise you my hormonal production and teenage insanity is no less than it was two or three years ago, it's just chanelled into obsessions that aren't boys and parties now.
5. The sun. There it is again, aging's #1 culprit is also not good for those suffering from acne. Yes, dipping in salty sea waters and baking in the sun can feel incredibly relaxing (and we all know that stress causes EVERYTHING, but especially acne) and provides temporary relief. But guess what, the sun also dries skin. And as we saw above, drying the skin temporarily will only tell it to produce more in the end.
6. Germs, bacteria. The icky grossies. Yes you get them from touching and picking the face (I know I KNOW) but there are also a 10001 other sources in life. Pillowcases that go more than a week withut laundering. Makeup brushes that are not regularly cleaned. Bacteria in cosmetics themselves (pot creams are the worst for this, ALWAYS wash hands before using one). Dirty phones and cell phones. Greasy hair products. And I don't think I should have to tell you to wash your hands (and get underneath the nails) each and every time you go to the bathroom or use your hands for any other icky tasks (washing frying pans...remember your gloves). Eliminate these and any other unhygenic practices you can think of and I can promise you a difference.
7. Comedogenic cosmetics. Here is when I get contentious. There are certain ingredients that CONSISTENTLY make me break out. And there are some that never do. You will be amazed that my list is opposite of everyone else's. Mineral makeup always makes me break out. Everytime (but boy am I addicted to the glow). What doesn't, is what everybody else blames, heavy petroleum and oil based balms and creams (my skin LOVES these). Silicones, yes in primers and almost everything else. They have such an anti-inflammatory action. Anti-aging products (actually I have found most anti-aging creams and serums to HELP with my acne, go figure). The moral of the story, everyone's skin is different. In the lifelong battle with teenage and adult acne, one cannot simply buy a kit and hope for salvation. Each and every step of the way must be carefully monitored and controlled, with each change in season, climate, age, prescription medicine, etc etc, the skincare routine must be tweaked.

I hope to have enlightened you with at least one of these points.

Image courtesy of nataliedee.com

Bitchin' Ingredient: Mandelic Acid

So you've probably heard of Glycolic and Lactic Acids, they are wildly popular AHA's in use in cosmetics these days. Mandelic acid is far less well known, partially because up until recently it wasn't studied much for effectiveness. In 1999 The Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser center published their conclusion. It wasn't a double blind controlled study (the gold standard) but it was conducted over the course of 3 years with a myriad of patients.

The reason they decided to study Mandelic Acid in the first place was not just because of it's AHA action, but also because it's been shown to be very aggressive toward gram negative bacteria (which includes p.acnes, the bane of my personal existence). So I can definitely see how they went into it expecting the best, because other AHA's have been shown to be excellent exfoliating, collagen creating and moisturizing agents. When combined with an natibacterial property, well you have an ingredient that rivals Retinol in it's treatment of a broad scope of conditions.

What they found was the following:


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-It improved fine lines in the face much like Glycolic acid does, but with less irritation and peeling
-Used as an in office Chemical Peel it again produced similar results to Glycolic acid with less irritation, crusting and peeling. The onset of it's effectiveness was more gradual (read, slower) and therefore more predictable
-It improved abnormal pigmentation as much as 50% (as a 10% solution in a simple algae gel) and hastened the resluts of traditional bleaching agents like Kojic Acid and Hydroquinone with less irritation
-The biggest deal was that they had found remarkable results with patients of darker skin tones, for whom other bleaching agents had failed or caused adverse effects. Mandelic acid proved helpful in alleviating their pigmentation issues without causing additional issues.
-Acne was markedly relieved as long as it was inflammatory pustular, comedonal and papular acne (which includes the regular pizza face zits, little underbumps that feel like ingrowns and for that matter ingrowns and inflamed whiteheads, does not include cystic acne, small whiteheads or blackheads).
-Patients who were resistant to topical and oral antibiotics showed a good response to Mandelic acid and many patients responded extremely well to using Mandelic Acid products alone (so they got great results without Salicylic or Benzoyl).
-It also helped prevent infections in post Laser Resurfacing patients and aided in gentle cleansing procedures.

So what is this wonderful stuff? It's an extract of Bitter Almonds that has also been shown to interfere with melanin transfer, oil production and buildup of dead skin cells. So who is the lucky ideal candidate for this stuff. Well it would make the biggest difference in a mildly sensitive, darker skin toned woman who suffers from mild acne and signs of aging. If this is you find yourself some Mandelic Acid and report back with the results.

The only products I've found with Mandelic are the following, and only available on the web:
Nucelle available from Dermstore.ca
Vivant 15% serum available from Diannayvonne.com
MaMa (malic and mandelic) available from Skincarerx.com



Image courtesy of vivantskincare.com