So I mentioned in an earlier post that I was nine when my skin was taken over by acne. I’m not going to go on about how cruel kids were, or how I spent the majority of my life deeply depressed, wondering if I could ever be considered pretty, blah, blah, blah. Anyone who has or has been at one time in their lives plagued with this disease knows how it is. I’m not looking for a pity party, I’m here because I want to help other people.

Which brings me to today’s topic – how the hell do I beat the acne beast?

First off, let’s take a look at some of the causes of acne.

1) Hormones – pregnancy, menstruation – these can cause the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, which can result in blocked pores creating breakouts.
2) Diet – acne is an inflammatory skin disease, and any foods that cause inflammation in the body can cause acne breakouts. Diets high in processed, refined foods, dairy, and sugar are most likely to produce acne breakouts or make them worse if you already have acne.
3) Stress – stress can also cause an increase in sebum production, which again, can result in acne breakouts.
4) Toxic ingredients – makeup and skincare products that contain pore-clogging or oil-stripping ingredients can not only cause breakouts but actually make them worse.
5) Detoxification– as you clean your body of built-up toxins, some of those toxins may be released through your skin in the form of breakouts.

It may seem like a no-win situation, especially since some of those causes are virtually impossible to avoid, but by changing the things that you can control, you will see a difference. Here are a few things that I changed in my own life that helped my skin.

1) Cut out/back on dairy – there are many delicious, more healthy and easily digestible alternatives out there to cow’s milk. I personally love Almond Milk. There are also almond and coconut yogurts which are amazing as well (Silk and So Delicious are my favorite brands). I also cut out processed/refined foods and meats as much as possible and increased my raw fruit and veggie intake.
2) Switch to more natural makeup, skincare, and personal care products – Lack of funds has me using a very simple beauty routine: Dr. Bronner’s Un-Scented Castile Soap as a face & body wash, organic coconut oil as a body moisturizer and leave-in hair serum, local honey as a mask, baking soda as an exfoliant (add a few drops of water to form a paste), raw apple cider vinegar & water as a toner, jojoba oil mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil as a daytime serum/moisturizer. At night, I use a mixture of argan & tamanu oils mixed with an essential oil blend that is specifically for acneic skin (plus has anti-aging and scar healing properties). I’ll post some DIY recipes in a future post. For make-up, I prefer mineral makeup that is bismuth oxychloride free ( a skin irritant known to cause acne ) such as Faerie Organic, Lucy Minerals or Everyday Minerals Jojoba Base.
3) Focus on hobbies to decrease stress – I started playing piano and singing again and created this blog, all of which help to keep me from dwelling on whatever issues may be going on in my life at the moment.

Just by making a few simple switches to my diet and lifestyle, I noticed a huge difference, which encouraged me to keep on the path I found. I’ve had acne since I was 9 and I recently turned 42, but my skin looks a million times better now than I ever dreamed it could. It may take some time, but the results will come. Remember, if you take the more natural route via diet and lifestyle, you’re allowing your body to heal and healing takes time. Just don’t give up. 🙂

Until next time. Peace and Love.

Brie xo