I always felt I should write about having acne even before starting my blog. Having acne seriously affected my self esteem and my mood (my mum and sister can vouch for this). In a world full of airbrushing and skin smoothing apps we are embarrassed and ashamed of our imperfections. I was obsessed by my spots and constantly trying to find anything that would help or hide them. I can empathise with anyone who is suffering with acne or any skin related problem. I feel like no one can really know how much it affects you until you have it.
I remember when I was around twelve I started to get a few spots here and there. They were minimal but back then it felt like everyone had perfect, angelic skin whilst mine looked dirty. At the time I reacted like any young teen by putting copious amounts of concealer on them in an attempt to camouflage them. I wore makeup from a young age but very little, light foundation at most. I don’t feel like that contributed to developing acne. I broke no rules when it came to cleansing, toning and moisturising. I’m no expert or scientist but I don’t blame anyone’s skin regime or any beauty products for the development of it.
It wasn’t until a year later that my skin began to resemble ‘acne’. It was absolutely awful. Even now, I am acutely aware of how my skin made me feel and think. I constantly stared in the mirror looking at my sore red face. My mum and sister repeatedly said ‘you’re at that age, it will pass’. I was sure that it wouldn’t. People always said to me ‘you don’t look like you have bad skin’ but that was hours of practising how to camouflage it best without it looking ‘cakey’. So much so that even my doctor questioned the validity of my claims. I was not giving up as I had already tried every available option on the NHS aside from Roaccutane.
I started a ‘Skin Diary’. I took photos of my skin everyday and then brought them to my doctor. He couldn't believe how well I could hide it or the severity of my skin. It was constantly sore, red and stingy. It wasn't just how they looked but I couldn't touch my face it was so sore and sensitive. I can’t really say anything on the NHS particularly helped my skin but it didn’t hurt it either. It wasn’t until I was 17 that I felt I really got rid of acne. I still have quite bad scaring around certain areas but it is definitely not as bad as it used to be. I can totally handle some scaring in comparison to the sore spots (cystic acne), I use Bio Oil regularly to help the scaring. When my skin was at worst I would avoid going out and sometimes even wore a scarf to school.
Since having acne I’ve definitely become a lot more knowledgable about skincare. I am conscious of the fact that my skin is an organ and needs care. I still have breakouts at least once a month but they are so much more manageable. Nothing like I was used to. Now I have mechanisms and products to fight spots or hide them. I wish that I could have read more 'real life' stories about acne when my own was at it's worst because I felt like I was the only one.
My most common break out area is my chin, I don’t really get them anywhere else (hormonal). Here are my favourite products past and present for my skin.
Acne Out Active Lotion £7.97 (here)
I've talked about this product time and time again but I really am in awe of it's results. I have tried everything on the market, both from the doctor and over the counter and this product definitely get results. I am not saying it is a complete fix but it is a quick fix. From my experience, if you get a spot and apply this lotion, it will be visibly reduced if not gone hours later. It doesn't dry out the area too much or damage the skin afterwards. My experience of using this product has been amazing. It is an inexpensive product in comparison to other skincare products of this nature and is definitely worth a try!
Kiehls Blue Herbal Moisturiser £26.50 (here)
I am always on the look out for acne specific products by high profile and reliable brands. They are not easily found but when I saw this product I had to try it. I was not disappointed and have re-purchased three times. I use this product nearly all the time normally applying it at night or when my skin is particularly bad. This moisturiser is oil free but the key ingredient is Salicylic Acid which reduces the appearance of blemishes and pores. It really does leave the skin more even and prevents new blemishes. It is a really mattifying cream which is perfect for anyone with really oily skin. This product gives quite quick results and is a good base before applying makeup, especially for people who want it to last that bit longer.
MooGoo Blemish Cleansing Moisturiser £12.50 (here)
My mum got me this product when my skin was at it's worst. I was sceptical at first because of the smell (you don't buy it for it's smell). However, I found it really good for soothing the skin and fighting spots. A lot of acne products are quite harsh on the skin but this product has all natural ingredients. It is a cleansing cream but also works as a leave on moisturiser. It is full of anti-oxidants as opposed to chemicals preventing excess oils on the skin becoming rancid which can be the cause of acne. I believe this product worked over a longer period of time and regular use, it's not a quick fix!
The next product is a given but I have to mention it.
Sudocrem £2.99 (Here)
This product is known and loved by girls everywhere. The sudocrem mask is famous! I have to say this did help heal most of my spots but more importantly helped sooth my skin.
One thing I would be weary of is using very perfumed products. I had to change shampoo because of the effect it was having on the skin on my chest and back.
I really did master camouflaging my spots. This was after I went through the concealer addict stage. Where to start?
1. Green Colour Corrector
£17.50 (here)
$14 (here)
Cheaper Alternative
Natural Collection Corrector Stick £1.99 (here)
2. Full Coverage Concealer
Amazing Cosmetics Concealer £19.50 (here)
This product appears very very expensive for a concealer but it is absolutely amazing and could last you a full year. It is so full coverage, it could cover anything! It is dubbed 'The World's Best Concealer' and won best concealer at the 2015 Cosmo Beauty Awards. There are ten different shades available.
MAC Pro Longwear Conceal - NC25 £18.00 (here)
This concealer is very full coverage, a little goes a very long way with this product. It is very long-wearing, I never need to top up during the day. It is water-resistant and ideal for someone who can't touch up or will be busy all day. It hides any blemishes or imperfections.
L.A Girl PRO. Concealer HD £5.00 (here)
This concealer is so affordable and amazing quality. It comes in 30 shades. It is so long wearing and brilliant for hiding any blemishes or imperfections!
3. A translucent powder
Sometimes when you have a particularly bad blemish, concealer won't even stick! I learned that if you put a bit of powder on your spot before applying your concealer it will look more flawless and completely cover the redness. This is not the case for every spot so you can just apply translucent over concealer to ensure that it is long lasting and full proof for the day. Most of the time I use a translucent powder but I also have used a medium coverage powder aswell.
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder £29 (here)
MAC Mineralise Skin Finish - Medium Golden £24 (here)
NYX High Definition Finishing Powder £8.00 (here)
I hope this helps even one person suffering from skin problems. I know I would have tried anything! Everyone's skin is so different, and what worked for me may not work for everyone but this is my experience. If you are suffering from acne or any similar skin problem I would recommend visiting your GP for any advice as it is helpful to have a professional opinion.
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