Clay Masques and Why You Must Use Them

I have been using the Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Masque for about 3 years now. I started using it upon the recommendation of a Sales Assistant at Ken's Apothecary in Empire Shopping Gallery in Malaysia. I had actually been gifted the mini tube version of the masque when I was an undergrad in Canada. This was during the heyday of my most severe acne breakouts and it did NOT work. I was told to put it on my blemishes, leave it overnight and it would help? It didn't.

Fast forward to 2 years later and my early twenties acne having self was ready to give it another go.

How I use it now is a little differently than before in the following 2 ways:

1) I actually use it as a masque - twice a week for about 30 minutes or so. The instructions say 10-15 minutes but WHATEVER. I wash my face with cleanser and then I use put a thin layer of the masque on. I wash it off with water and generally if I'm going to sleep I'll just apply moisturizer or if I'm going out I'll use my toner, moisturizer followed by the rest of the products I usually use on my face. I do this as a deep cleaning routine for my pores.

2) Then I also use it as spot treatment when I get those especially stubborn ball type acne - you know the - I don't know what the hell is going to happen to you acne. I just cover them with a big goop of the masque - I try and form a little mountain of clay and leave it there the whole night. My reasoning behind doing this is that the clay just cools it down.

In number 2) I just described a process similar to what didn't work during my undergrad and the thing is if you're expecting a quick fix this is not it - fosho. BUT if you're willing to just let your face calm down and use the masque I find that it really does. It's what I call an LTC (Long-Term Cure)

The bi-weekly masque flushes out the impurities and the spot treatment just calms the spot down. Takes a few days for the spot to really go but it does work.

So try it! Alternative masques that are less expensive could be Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque.

Acne Causes: Overheating

Right now - my skin for the most part has really settled. AND THEN. After a weekend of me moving house, having a friend from out of town visit, little sleep, fairly hard partying and just unhealthy food has led to some fairly unattractive acne on my jaw line. 3 of them! All at once! AH! Now when this happens, I might be irritated but I'm never surprised. Clearly not the most scientific of reasons for acne, basically my body has overheated and now I have acne! I also usually get eczema on my lips at the same time. I do a couple of different things when this happens to make my body calm down and of course for the acne to go away.

Oral medication: Currently I'm only taking Diane-35 which was recently banned in France (so I might stop - but I'll discuss that in another post) and will continue to take it to the end of this cycle.

Topical medication: I'm continuing with my nightly Dalacin-T and I'm making sure to use the Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti-Blemish Mask. I use this as a nightly mask - like a big dollop covering whatever issues I'm having at the moment. Sometimes it can really do the trick but for the most part I think it just calms down the acne.

Food: See list below:-

Coconut Water: People swear by coconut water - so I try and drink some when my skin has issues. I can get fresh coconut at my workplace so its fairly easy for me. I think this can also be bought in the supermarket.

Water: Just drink a lot of this.

Berries: Antioxidant rich - this is basically supposed to be good for your skin. I sometimes just get strawberry juice at work and its so yums!

Coffee/Tea: Stay away. Overheats you even more!

Alcohol: Def stay away! I had wine yesterday and my face is TOTES regretting it.

Yogurt: Another food believed to cool down your body. Definitely have some.

Behaviors: See list below:-

Exercise: Ok it seems weird, but I believe that sweating out your heatiness makes you less heaty? You may or may not agree with me but I think it totally works!

Sleep: The only thing that will really heal your body and acne is sleep. I know. I hate it when people tell me obvious things too especially when you're like - but that's why I'm coming here -for alternative acne therapy. Yep I got that covered, above. But YOU know and I know that the only way to get rid of it is to sleep and...

Stress: Stop stressing out. About whatever. Your job. Love life. Lack thereof. Family. Try and stop. Read a book. Go for a run. Watch a movie. Do more work. Be productive. Stop procrastinating. Hang out with your friends. But try to, as much as you can to relax!

And maybe do some breathing. Gluck!

What's going on with my skin right now

My skin goes through these phases. Good, ok and bad. Right now its at the bad > ok phase. Namely because I was a little stressed out for the past couple of months with my finals and life and etc. etc. SO - what happens is it can get bad - as in I get surface acne type things and I deal with it topically - as in creams to calm it down. Sometimes it gets a little worse - and the sign that its worse? First of all just more acne and secondly - my period goes off cycle. I'm one of those girls whose acne is affected by their hormones. Actually maybe everyone's is. I don't know. And I don't really care. What I care about is controlling it.

Right now I'm controlling and trying to make it go away by dealing with it through oral medication, topical applications of medication and general skin care and also concealing my skin on a daily basis so that I feel confident enough to face the world.

Here's the rundown of oral medication.

I'm currently taking Diane 35 and tetracycline.

Diane 35 is an oral contraceptive - so I take it to regulate my period which leads to clearer skin. You take it for 21 days (start the first tablet on the first day of your period for the first cycle) and then 7 days of no tablet, during which time you're supposed to get your period. In terms of skin, you produce less oil/sebum/whatever = less acne. Also if your acne is hormonal like mine, you obviously just have to take it to regulate. Side effects for me is dry eyes (contacts intolerance at times), dry lips (lips eczema) and thats about it. There are other side effects - I suggest you ask your doctor.

Tetracycline is an oral antibiotic, twice a day type deal. It basically fights the bacterial infection so that your acne goes away.

You don't have to take both - I just am.

Topical medical applications - Dalacin-T and Differin.

Dalacin-T is applied in the morning, right after toner and before moisturizer. It is an antibiotic, antibacterial type deal. Differin is a skin peeler - its applied at night, again after toner before moisturizer. It is very effective.

General skin care - ok this is complicated so pay attention:

In the morning I wash my face with the Vichy Normaderm Gel Cleanser (Green Tube). Its got salicylic acid in it, which is good for the mornings! Then I use the Dr Brandt No More Blemishes Intensolution as a toner, wait for it to dry (it has a great tingly feeling), use Dalacin-T wait for that to dry and use the Vichy Normaderm Tri-Activ Moisturizer (been discontinued and replaced with Intensive Blemish care) which has all kinds of acid peel type ingredients. Anyway I noticed a big difference after I started using it in terms of acne scar lightening. Then I use the Dr. Brandt sunscreen. At night I use the Eucerin Gentle Cleansing Gel, use the same Intensolution in the morning for a toner, apply Differin and then I use the Dr Brandt Blemishes No More Oil Free Hydrator. This is because the Vichy night cream has Vitamin C in it which causes breakouts for me. I use both the Avene Lip Creme and Eye Cream for the night and day.

Concealment - now this takes a lot of products and a bit of skill.

So here's all the stuff I use to get my face looking from the before pictures to the after.

I started by using Urban Decay Primer Potion on my eyelids (super oily lids), then I moved on and used TheBalm's Liquid TimeBalm Spot Concealer in Honey all over my spots and on some of my scarring with my finger. I then went back to the eyes and used Revlon Colorstay's quad in Charmant (actually it was my first time using it - I don't think the color payoff is very good) and then I used Revlon Colorstay's liquid eyeliner in Brown Black (nicer for daytime looks) and L'Oreal's Voluminous Mascara. After that I set the make-up with Jurlique's Silk Dust Loose Powder in Citrus. I finished it off with my HG daytime blush - Givenchy Le Prisme Blush in Vintage Pink and combed my eyebrows through with Maybelline's Clear Mascara.

I know you can still see the acne and the scarring but I can't do full foundation for daytime, I think its bad for my skin, looks cray-cray and unnecessary. Of course this is for my moderate acne. I'll be doing more posts in the future on specific things I've used in the past and my take on them.