Since starting my journey to healing my skin naturally, it has been a constant roller coaster ride of wins and losses. Some things have worked, some have worked initially, and then for whatever reason my skin decided not to cooperate any longer and some things have been epic fails.

I’ve battled the acne “beast” for the past 36 years, and over that time I have learned quite a lot! The biggest is to never give up, never stop hoping that one day the breakouts will cease and the scars will smooth out. Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but this is how I choose to think. I’m a “my glass is half full, not half empty” kind of gal! 😉

Anyways, I wanted to share these 5 little tidbits (among the dozens, which I will continue to share) I’ve learned in my journey and though you have probably heard these before, it never hurts to be reminded to help keep us on track to reaching our goal!

1. There is no “quick fix” to healing acne – I know how hard this one is to hear. When your skin is covered in ugly, angry blemishes, you want them gone and you want them gone yesterday! But when going the holistic route, patience is definitely a must. Nature doesn’t want to be rushed – she wants to get to the root of the issue and solve that problem for you the right way and that takes time. Frustrating, yes, but so very worth it!
2. Not all products/ingredients will work for everyone – I need to stress this one greatly. What works for one person, may not necessarily work for you. Just as our skin is unique, so is our acne. One person may have breakouts caused by the products they are using while for another person it is their diet, and yet still another it is hormonal. The key is to figure out what is causing your acne and go from there.
3. Diet does indeed matter – I know that there are some people out there that feel diet really doesn’t affect their skin in any negative way, but eating certain foods, like sugar and dairy, seems to definitely have an impact – especially on skin that is already acne-prone (not to mention that sugar contributes to accelerated aging!). Other culprits can include sweet wines (high in sugar), processed meats & foods, and even soy. It seems that anything that can cause inflammation in the body can also trigger acne. If you suspect any food(s) are causing you to break out, try eliminating them and slowly re-introduce them to see if that is the case. I’ve learned over the years to listen to my body (and my skin) and I cannot begin to express what a difference it has made! Our bodies constantly tell us what it needs to function and be healthy, we just need to listen!
4. What you put on your skin matters too – Once I learned this, it was like I was set free from a prison I had been kept in for far too long! I could never understand why my skin kept breaking out – even in my late 30’s for crying out loud – until I had an esthetician ask me what products I was using and once I told her, she explained how what I was using was contributing to my breakouts. Think ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, bismuth oxychloride, dimethicone, mineral oil..the list goes on! Horrified, I threw everything out, started researching, and went 100% green and clean lickety-split! I’ve since learned, though, that even certain natural oils can aggravate acne..so be sure to research what oils/ingredients will work for you. Sometimes it comes down to trial and error before getting it right. I’d also like to add that the nasty ingredients I was using can not only make your acne worse but can speed up the aging process too!
5. Visualize yourself healed – This one may be the hardest, but it can definitely help. Imagining yourself with clear, healthy skin can certainly help to motivate and keep you doing the right things to help you achieve your goal. If you need to create a mantra to stoke the positivity fires, by all means do so! For me, I use certain biblical scriptures that pertain to healing (Psalm 30:2 & Isaiah 53:4-5 are a few favorites), but whatever works for you, go with it!

What things have you learned on your journey to clear, healthy skin? Share below! 

Chat soon,

Brie xo