Update :)

Hey guys! 
Sorry it has been so long, but here is an updated routine:

Morning: 

Cleanse- Aloe Cleansing Gel from Naturopathica 
Then apply Lavender Honey Balancing Mist also from Naturopathica 


Night:

Cleanse- Aloe Cleansing Gel OR Oat Facial Scrub (1-2x a week always with a couple days between uses, also use the oat scrub in the shower! very important that your skin is warm and hydrated)
Apply a mixture of Naturopathica's Cassis Ultra Replenishing Cream and the Botanical Brightening Serum


Treatments:
White Tea Antioxidant Mask (for dry skin, use as a mask for 20 minutes)
Moss Blemish Cream (this is a mask but I use it more as a spot treatment when I need it)

So that's the treatment from a skincare line, now I do still use some creams from my doctor. One happens to be a light glycolic peel which is great. It's about 10-15% and it works great to shed all that dead skin. I currently use it twice a week Tuesday and Friday. This is a great way to make your skin more even both in texture and color. 

Now food, I try to stay away from wheat and dairy and will be going on a cleanse as well soon (for two weeks) I will update how that goes and make sure to let me know if there is anything else that you want me to talk about! 

Until next time!

xx
Abbey 

Update and Good News

Hello Readers! 

Seems like it has been forever since I posted, I've been very busy with school but I've finally declared my major! (International Studies and Italian Studies Double Major with an Environmental Studies Minor) Anyways I have some VERY good news! My skin is the absolute best it has been in years, I can't remember a time when it was this clear and even toned (and not red).

This can be attributed to a couple of things:
1. My amazing hormone specialist doctor who has been working closely with me for the past three months, she even went so far as to give me her home number!
2. Dietary changes 
3. Vitamins
4. Makeup changes 

So firstly I always knew that my problems were hormonal and could be cured from the inside out, it was never that I had "dirty" skin. My doctor listened to my complaints, looked at my skin, and prescribed a regime of topical and oral hormones to balance my body. WOW has it worked, I have seen amazing changes in my skin and health. 

Second, I have cut out wheat and dairy for the most part. This is crucial for me because I have always had a sensitivity to both. It has greatly brought down inflammation and redness. 

Third, vitamins. I take a protein shake in the morning as well as Neem, Tumeric (for inflammation), Probiotics, Vitamin D, Vitamin B, and Potassium. 

Lastly, makeup. I have very very SENSITIVE skin so most makeups really break me out. I have found one that I love that has no gluten, GMO, titanium dioxide, mica, talc, bismuth oxychloride, etc. You name it. The brand is a small one based out of Missouri called EpicMineralBeauty. I HIGHLY recommend them and had the chance to talk to one of the gals who runs it. So sweet and helpful! Their brand is honestly amazing and I can't thank them enough for what they are doing. I use both the powder foundation and powder blush. 

As for scarring, the doctor I am working with has me doing a round of glycolic peels with TCA. I have done 2/3 now and the results are pretty unbelievable, it even gets rid of the pitted scars. Definitely recommend! 

So I can safely say, my six year journey is coming to a close. No more cysts at all, tiny breakouts if I get them at all. Can't wait for the end results. As for my blog I will keep posting about products I like and past experiences. 

xx
Abbey 

Food Allergies and Skin

So this is the "inside" of my blog title, which is sometimes the most important to get the outside looking the way you want. 

So I used to be allergic to wheat/gluten, dairy/casine, soy, peanut butter, it was miserable as you can imagine. The most often question I would get was "so... what DO you eat??" The worst was seeing other kids eat all of the things I wasn't allowed to have, because as a kid you really can't comprehend that you're not allowed to have something that everyone else gets. So yes it did suck, but my parents (mostly my mother that cooked) tried to have alternatives for me. However as I got older and we went out to eat (especially at italian restaurants) I kept hearing the phrase "just eat a salad." Now don't get me wrong I love salad, but it definitely made me angry that they would suggest that I just have a plain salad while everyone around me had decadent pizzas and pastas and various desserts. 
Anyways, getting to the point. Food allergies have a lot to do with our skin and affect our skin in a major way. If you are allergic to wheat (for example) and you eat it, it can cause inflammation which shows up in our skin, and anything you can't process will be let out through the skin (which is where most of our toxins that our body can't process end up being excreted{in the form of acne}).
Now getting to the real main point, four years ago- after doctors had told me I would NEVER outgrow my allergies- my tests came back clean. I was beyond excited, I didn't really indulge in dairy because I never had it and it just didn't look or smell appetizing. But wheat... being italian I went crazy, I indulged every once in a while in pasta and pizza and such, it was delicious. Now four years later my doctor told me it may be causing inflammation in my skin and back (wheat/gluten and dairy/casine), after being a couple weeks clean I have no back pain (which is great) and I think my skin is a bit better, I will have to see after 60 days how it looks. It definitely sucks but I'm working on getting alternatives to have at college and I am working with dining services to have more options (because it is somewhat impossible to eat in the caf with my food allergies).
If you haven't been allergy tested and have acne I would really recommend it, food plays a big role in our skin and body in general. Also if you suspect digestion issues (not just food allergies) then I would recommend digestive enzymes. I know people who swear by them. 

Until next time! 

xx
Abbey

Upcoming:
Makeup
Top Tips
Hormones and their role + my treatment

My Acne Story- A Six Year Journey

So over the years my skincare routine has changed so much, I've tried home remedies, natural products, and even medicated/prescription products. I've literally tried them all, or at least it feels that way.

Let me share with you what DOESN'T work
(For me anyways)

So for me nothing the derm ever prescribed or tried worked
this includes:
proactive
clean and clear
neutrogena
benzoyl peroxide
clindamycin
epiduo
tazorac (tazrotene)
spironolatine
tetracyline
doxycycline 
cortison injections
beta peel

As you can see it's a pretty comprehensive list, the only thing missing is accutane (isotrentinoin)which I was not about to use after my terrible experience with the other oral medications.

It was at this point I took skincare into my own hands 

products I tried that didn't work:
tea tree oil (too drying)
regular bar soap (too drying and not effective on acne)
tata harper (too abrasive)
tatcha (too abrasive and not effective)
first aid beauty cleanser (not effective) 
murad products (not effective)
Asian brand cleansers (I can't even remember the names but not effective)
Vampire facial
Chinese medicine
various vitamins and supplements
dermologica 
skinceuticals 
obagi (nightmare!!!)
kiehls
ole henrickson
origins


and then I tried the caveman routine, literally didn't do anything to my face except wash with water and put aloe on, even THAT didn't work! 


So you can imagine I was pretty fed up

I then tried birth control, which made the situation much worse. 


Now, what has worked?
Well nothing has quite worked completely (YET) but it has gotten so much better with my current routine. 

First I saw a hormone specialist, because I new hormones were probably at least part of the problem (and I was right)
From that doctor I am taking some hormones that will specifically address my personal deficiencies and abundances of certain hormones. 
Second, I consulted an esthetician that I trusted. The woman in question has had very bad eczema for much of her life. And in addition to recommending products she also recommended digestive enzymes, because food has SO MUCH to do with our inner and outer health and it really does affect the skin.
And third, I stopped using my makeup, and my skin improved SO MUCH. I have found out that I am allergic to a lot of ingredients found in most makeups (mica, bismuth oxychloride, talc, titanium dioxide, and parabens)

So my current routine is this, they are all Naturopathica products (by far my favorite and most trusted brand)except for the creams from my doctor.

Morning-

Cleanse:
Aloe Cleanser
Apply:
Cream from doctor
Calendula Moisturizer
Lavender honey balancing mist (optional)


Night-
Cleanse: 
Sweet Lupine Cleansing Cream 
Apply:
Cream from doctor 
Cassis Moisturizer 
Botanical Skin Brightener
Moss Blemish Treatment (overnight)

I also take a couple of supplements: Iron, Vitamin D, B12, and something called Hormone Protect. 

I have ordered a makeup from Epic Beauty Minerals that contain none of the things I'm allergic to, I will update on how it goes! 

Why has it worked? My skin needed natural but effective products that would calm my irritated and sensitive skin. I mean if I was my skin I'd be pretty irritated at me for throwing all of those products at it that were completely wrong. Anyways. 

Until Next Time!!

xx
Abbey 

Up Next:
Makeup Talk
Do's and don't of sensitive acne-prone skin

Review: Naturopathica Botanical Skin Brightener and Naturopathica White Tea Antioxidant Mask

So as promised I'm doing a review of the Naturopathica Botanical Skin Brightener. I really do love this stuff and think it works great! 

It is supposed to even out skin tone (if you have dark spots/scarring/etc.) and so far it has been great. It doesn't promise to lift out pitted scars and does not work as such but I think it is great to get rid of surface imperfections. In the beginning I used it just at night to make sure my skin would be ok with it and now I use it morning and night. I will definitely continue using it. 

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Now the Naturopathica White Tea antioxident Mask, I also am liking this! I have found that my skin tends to be dry, especially in the winter months at college. The mask is supposed to be used twice a week but I have found that it is best for me to use it ever other night because my skin needs the hydration (and it will depend on how dry you are and trial and error how often you need to use it). I leave it on for 10 minutes and then wash it off and my skin immediately feels more hydrated and softer. I think it really helps lock in the moisture for the next day, definitely recommended! Also this does not replace a daily moisturizer (which is very important).

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More reviews to come!

xx
Abbey 

Update

So for the past couple months I've been pretty fed up with my skin, I just want to be completely clear! And hey doesn't everyone? I know it can be frustrating when you have literally tried EVERYTHING and nothing has worked (trust me I know..)

But I've gone back to Naturopathica (mainly because it is the most natural brand I can find and I don't think I really gave it enough time before)
Also I believe I wasn't using the right products the first time. 
I really need to work on MOISTURIZING and if you have oily/combo/prone to breakout skin this is super important! (Also it is important to use natural products and not a ton of products either) I know that moisturizing seems so silly since your skin is already so oily, but if you use products that dry it out and don't hydrate it then your skin will only produce more oil in response (which means more breakouts). Also I have figured out that my skin is very sensitive, and I think it might be better for everyone if they treated their skin as very sensitive (even if it isn't) because harsh abrasive or drying treatments/products aren't good for anyone. 

So my current routine is as follows:

Morning:
Wash with Aloe Cleansing Gel 
Apply puremedy's acnefree (trying this out and so far like it, will give detailed review in a couple of weeks)
Apply Naturopathica Botanical Skin Brightener (trying this out, will give detailed review in a couple of weeks)
Apply Tarte Amazonian Clay powder [Makeup] (trying this out as well, will give detailed review in a couple of weeks)

Night:
Wash/take off makeup with Aloe cleansing Gel and warm washcloth
Every two days apply Naturopathica White Tea Antioxidant Mask (very hydrating, will give review in a couple of weeks)
Apply acnefree
Apply Tarte Maracuja oil (ONLY for night, very moisturizing, good for winter) 
Spot treat with fav charcoal mask (still the holy grail!)

Some of these products/treatments are old but I will review the news ones after I have used them for a little while. Also I recently talked to a professional facialist who uses the Naturopathica products, she looked at my skin and gave me some recommendations and told me a few things that I was actually doing wrong (because I was ill advised). So we'll see if she was right and if this finally clears me up!

Also, winter break is coming woo! I think I might try no makeup for a month-ish and see where that gets me. My skin (though not perfect) is pretty glow-y from the maracuja oil and natural products. I might try the oil cleansing method eventually. 

As always more posts to come, comment any questions you have I will do my best to respond appropriately! 

xx

Abbey 


Coming soon...
Reviews of:
Tarte Maracuja Oil (did not like, returned)
Puremedy acnefree (did not like)
Tarte Amazonian Clay Powder (allergic, returned)

Comments/advice on:
If your skin is already good...
How to switch from harsh chemicals to all natural 

It's fine, I have a skincare blog...

So to start this out, I live in a dorm. This means I share a floor with tons of other college students, boys and girls (yay..) Now the rest of this post will make sense.

So, I hate having to answer the door after I shower.
Why? 
Because normally after I shower I'll do my skin routine before bed and continue to work before I go to sleep.
Why is this a problem?
Well... my skin routine includes a charcoal mask, and well, charcoal is black. This contrasts highly with my skin tone and basically makes me look like an idiot.
Then people knock on my door, sometimes it's friends (which is fine because they know I look like this and love me anyways) {kinda}. Sometimes it's just acquaintances and then the response is holy s***! what the hell is on your face?! which is ALWAYS fun... and sometimes it's random people looking for my roommate, and then they just have this look of shock on their face and I'm just like.. yeah, my roommate isn't here *shut door* and think well there goes my self esteem (not actually)

So to sum this up, I have a skin care blog, my face looks weird after I do my routine, I will continue to use "I have a skin care blog" as an excuse to look like this (and to justify it) 

xx 
Abbey 

PS: I have been trying some new products and my next post will be reviews! 

Spot Treatment, Healing, Update

So I'm going to share a few things in this post:
1. Best natural spot treatment 
2. Best natural way to heal an old spot/scar
3. Update on washing with salt/things I've tried with it
4. How I wash and care for my skin

1.
So first, the best spot treatment I have developed is similar to my charcoal mask

First you make a smaller portion of the mask (1 charcoal capsule, a small amount of aloe, and one drop of grapefruit oil or tea tree oil) 
Next you dab it on the spot and when it is still wet put a bit of salt on it
Let dry and repeat the next day (and so on)

However, if you have dry or very sensitive skin I would recommend using bee magic (something I've been loving lately) and the salt, you don't want to kill your sensitive or dry skin

Why this works: the charcoal draws out impurities, the aloe heals, the salt also acts to draw out impurities, and the grapefruit oil heals and smells good! 

the bee magic works because it is very healing and prevents the salt from completely drying out your skin 

2. 
So you're clear but have the after effects of the spots (UGH!), you may even be experiencing some scabbing. What I find works for me is using bee magic and aloe mixed together to dab on the scab or scar, then get some moleskin and cut a small piece to put over the scab/scar. This is ultra healing and the moleskin locks in the healing goodness. Why not a bandaid? Because a bandaid allows air in and this (for some reason) is not as effective. I would not suggest keeping it on for too long because air needs to get to it eventually. Normally I will sleep with it on and be able to see a huge improvement in just one night, depending on how bad the scab/scar is it could take up to three or four nights to completely heal. 

3.
 So I have been using regular salt to exfoliate my face with at night. I have tried several different things. 
a. wet face and rub salt on and wash off (beware this does sting if you have open wounds!)
b. wet face and pack salt on and let sit (my face was on FIRE with this, I wouldn't recommend it)
c. wet face and pack salt on and put hot washcloth on to sit (my face was less on fire but I still wouldn't recommend this)
d. slather bee magic over face in a thin layer and pack on salt (this was the absolute best!)

For me option D was the best, it did not sting and allowed me to leave it sit for 5-7 minutes and then rub in small circles and wash completely off. It was also very moisturizing because of the bee magic. However option A was not bad, just beware that it will sting a little. 

4.
So when I last updated I was just using my sappo hill soap, which is still the case! I absolutely adore this soap and just bought 9 bars for college. However I now use my clarisonic brush head to get extra lather. I wet the brush head and the soap and then rub the soap on it till I get a nice lather to put on my face. And then after that I use my aloe mixed with a drop of grapefruit essence and a drop of lemon oil. I have the same routine for morning and night except for the salt mask/wash(which is only for night). The only other things I will do are the charcoal mask or spot treatment. I don't use any other products for my skin and all I use for makeup are my Jane Iredale powder and blush, I have been using this since 7th grade!!!! I really hope my roomate in college doesn't think my skin care habits are too strange, at least I have the excuse of this blog. 


xx
Abbey

Makeup, for guys too?

Women have always had the monopoly on the makeup industry, which of course makes sense right? Women are the ones who actually use it. Well wrong, they may be the majority but men wear makeup too! People always say well only the gay guys wear makeup, real men don't wear it. I resent that comment because it is NOT true! Men have the same insecurities as women, they worry about their facial acne just as much. Some may not care, others may care but not enough to resort to makeup. But there are plenty of guys on youtube who have makeup tutorials, are some of them gay? Maybe, but why should that matter. I think it's perfectly fine for anyone to wear makeup. I think we women could actually learn something from the men who do makeup, they wear it to cover imperfections (mostly) and sometimes you cannot even tell that they have any makeup on. To me that is the right way to apply makeup and how I have always done it, no one ever believed me when I said I wore makeup and probably the only time they noticed is when I had my makeup done for an event. It was way over the top but everyone insisted how gorgeous I looked, and you know what? I absolutely HATED it!! It felt heavy and gross. But really to each his own, it doesn't matter what gender you are or how you like your makeup done, sure I have opinions but that only influences how I apply my own makeup. And of course if someone asks me I will share my opinion but they may choose to follow something different which is perfectly fine! My brother is a great example of this, and may I say he looks fierce in his pictures and youtube videos!

Also I'm not sure I will be making the facebook page, however I have been toying with the idea of a youtube channel and videos. We'll see... 

Update

Ok so I haven't posted in a while, I decided to do an update on my routine for my skin and just in general. In my last post I was doing pretty much nothing and since then I have changed some things. I tried to start using my clarisonic again with disastrous results, I think it is just way too harsh for my semi sensitive skin so I am not going to use it again. So my routine now is as follows:

Morning-
Organic Sappo Hill Oat Soap (there are literally three ingredients in this)
Aloe Vera mixed with a drop of grapefruit essence (not oil)
Mineral powder and mineral blush [Jane Iredale] (for the day, sometimes I don't wear makeup at all)

Night:
Organic Sappo Hill Oat Soap
Salt wash (ok this is really new, I will explain about it down below)
Aloe Vera mixed with a drop of grapefruit essence

So the salt wash I heard about from a youtube video or other blog, I forget which. But basically you take some sea salt and rub it on your hands for a few seconds (and make sure you have splashed your face with warm water already!) and then very gently massage it into your skin for 10-15 seconds and wash off with warm water. Salt is really great for your skin, you may notice that your skin looks a but better after being in the ocean, it's because of the salt! The salt cleanses the excess oil away and also gently exfoliates dead skin and gets rid of any build up. I think this is an awesome thing to do at night and I'm sure every night would be ok, I'm just newly trying this out so I will update on it!

Also, I am still using my charcoal mask once a week, it is my absolute go to mask and you can even switch up the oils you use, instead of tea tree I've been using grapefruit essence which has been really great for my skin!! I also have been making a lesser amount of the mask to spot treat, which dries up any problem spots really well!


As for any other updates lately I have been really conscious about the ingredients in all the products I use, hair care, lotion, etc. I now use an all natural shampoo (or as close as I can get right now) which means no sulfates! Also instead of lotion I have been using coconut oil to moisturize my body, not only does it smell sooo good but it moisturizes for days and makes your skin look really toned! I am really analyzing what things I put in and on my body and trying to eliminate things that I know have synthetic ingredients or chemicals in them. More updates to come!

HUGE update post

Hello there!! Remember me? You probably have been wondering where I've been. Vacation! For the past couple of weeks I have been in Italy and Sicily. So there is a rather large update. So before I left I went to see my naturopath, things with my skin were just not going well and it was at the point where I literally did not know what to do anymore or what products to use for my skin. I was on the verge of giving up, throwing in the towel and just starting accutane. I was so fed up with my skin and wasn't understanding why it was getting so bad, it didn't seem fair! I thought I was doing everything right and it just seemed like everything I was doing was for naught and I was just one of those people who had persistent skin issues and nothing would ever work besides accutane. I'm sure many of you have been in this place before and let me tell you, not enjoyable. There were really two routes to go with this and of course I went the more difficult route. My naturopath suggested that I stop using all of my products, I think when he said that all of the air went out of my lungs. No cleanser, no toner, no moisturizer, no treatments, NO ANYTHING. And what's more he said NO MAKEUP. No products? Well ok I guess I can do that but no makeup? That's every girls worst nightmare when all you want to do is hide and cover up. Honestly it was one of the best decisions of my life. I know crazy right? There were some emotional words in our conversation and he explained that my parents, he, and my other Chinese medicine doctor were all there for me and would be supporting me when the going got tough. And let me tell you, things got real tough real fast. Especially when I was packing and all I had for face toiletries were a bar of oatmeal soap (Sappo Hill Unscented Soap) and a bottle of 100% unrefined Aloe Vera in case I got sunburned. Yes that's right I wasn't even allowed sunscreen, I had a hat and was advised to not spend more than two hours in direct sunlight. However your skin NEEDS vitamin D, and when you cover your face in layers of product you are robbing your skin of essential nutrients and time to breathe. So the not having products was ok, but no makeup was tough, and I admit I cheated a little in the beginning with some powder, but my skin was just not having it. I have very sensitive skin and right now it can't really handle even the most natural of products, so that mineral powder was out the window. So no makeup may seem not that difficult when I'm not a huge fan or user in the first place, but when your face isn't clear you perceive that everyone on the streets is staring at you and all of your imperfections. In some cases people were actually looking at that, and it's like really? Can I help your with something? Would you like to make a comment? No? Ok just move along and try to be more considerate. And of course it was the tourists who cared, the local Italians could not give less of a hoot and didn't even notice, my kind of people! So in the first weeks of vacation it was tough going outside with my makeup clad face, but as vacation went on I shed the hat, would take pictures (given that we fix any problems later haha), and was a teensy tiny bit more confident in my appearance. Now my face has a very healthy glow and I have not had anything rear it's ugly head for the most part. At first I would see a mirror in a shop and would be like oh dear is that what my face looks like right now? Where is my hat?! now I look in the mirror and am amazed how much it has improved. And to put things in perspective a little, I don't remember the last time I didn't have something new every day. I'm still healing FOR SURE, but at least that's the biggest of my problems. I'm happy to say (and still crossing my fingers) that I will be starting college exactly how I wanted, clear! And as an added bonus I don't have to bring a slew of products and figure out the best lighting and mirror to do my complicated makeup routine in. So a few closing remarks to my novel (yes this post is long sorry haha). I will be skyping with an Eco makeup specialist soon, and there will definitely be a post on that! I will also be starting micro needling (yes there will be a post on the as well) that treatment is more for aftermath of loveliness and hopefully is not as painful or medieval torture like and it sounds. Also something that has really helped me (in addition to corresponding with my naturopath for guidance and support) was watching and reading The Love Vitamin, Tracy is awesome and I highly recommend people look her up! If you want to get clear and NOTHING has worked I suggest trying exactly what I have done, talk to your friends and family and I'm sure they will be a good support system for you. And what better time than summer? That's basically what my naturopath told me, what better time than now when you're going off to a foreign country with no one that you know. AND you will probably never see any of these people ever again. Consequently I managed to make some local and tourist friends, but that's just how I am. As always feel free to email me, I know how all this feels and if there's anything I could do for someone else to make their situation a little better I would be happy to help. Don't take this post as my last just because I've changed my routine, I will still be posting natural makeup and Skincare advice!! You haven't gotten rid of me yet ;) also I will be starting a Facebook page soon where you can post any questions or requests for posts from me. It will be titled the same as my blog, and you can inbox me on Facebook if you don't want to post right on the page. 

xx

Abbey 

Tea Tree Oil

So I've begun to discover the true magic of tea tree oil 

On a boring day I decided that I would combine a few drops with my normal cleanser, WOW has it done wonders (knock on wood)

I'll have to be careful not to use too much (because it can be very drying) but in the right amount it can keep oily and acne prone skin in check (remember to moisturize!!!). If you have dry skin I wouldn't recommend this because it will take too much moisture out of your skin. If you have oily, acne prone, or combo skin like me I would definitely recommend trying this out! Only use 2-3 drops though. It is good to use it both morning and night, which is what I have been doing. If you find its too much stick to what works best for you. Experiment, otherwise you won't get anywhere. Also if you find it dries out certain areas but not others, avoid using it in the areas that you get dry patches in. 

I may someday try the oil cleansing method, but I'm not quite that daring yet. 

I hope this is helpful!

xx

Abbey

Sulfur vs Sulfates

So I decided to make a mini post about something. 

Sulfur and sulfates may often be confused or thought to be the same thing, they are two very different things! One is good and one is bad. 

If you see sulfates on the ingredient label I would not use that product, sulfates are bad! However sulfur is not bad and is not the same thing as sulfates. 

Sulfur is shown to drastically improve skin blemishes if used correctly. If you see a product with sulfur in it, it is good! Sulfur is a mineral found in both natural hot springs and in the old Roman baths. It has healing qualities and also will help blemished skin. However be careful! Sulfur is toxic if ingested orally (in large quantities) do not let your pets lick your face if you have a product with a high sulfur content. This may seem silly but it could be a real risk. 

Hope this clears some things up for people and helps those looking to clear their blemishes :)

xx

Abbey

Tata Harper and Space.NK Apothecary

Ok so I just had to make this blog post today.

I got a new product today that I happened to also try for the first time tonight. I found it in a little store called Space.NK Apothecary that was in Bloomingdales. I've wanted to go check this place out so many times but I've always ran out of time and made a note to do it next time. Well finally next time came today and the very nice saleslady told me all about their history. It is a UK company and it first started out in London and now it has over 60 stores. 

Of course I was intrigued by "apothecary" at first because I try to only use natural products. They sell a lot of brands but one stood out, Tata Harper (yes this is actually the name.) Tata Harper is an all natural brand and feel free to look it up for a history and philosophy (it's pretty awesome.) 

Long story short I've been looking for a cleanser for my mother (because why wouldn't she come to me haha.) We ended up deciding on the "Refreshing Cleanser" for her because it is all natural, good for sensitive skin, and good for dry and mature skin. We'll see how she likes it and how I did at recommending something for her. I got a different cleanser (because I'm such a skin care o'holic and will not stop streamlining my regime and looking for better products), the "Regenerating Cleanser" that is good for combination skin. Because of the small exfoliating beads it is great for getting rid of dead skin cells and improving cell turnover rate (getting rid of scars essentially.)

Ok so now down to what I thought of my purchase.

Price: well... quality is important

Ingredients: I have to say I am pretty impressed with the natural ingredients, thumbs up!

Packaging: alluring because of it's bright colors, also they make recyclable packaging which is pretty cool 

Effectiveness: although it is WAY too early to tell how this will work for me I'd say I pretty much love this product already. I've used it once and all I can say is RAVERAVERAVERAVERAVERAVE. Ok yea I like it, it has a GREAT scent to it and it is all natural (no perfumes added.) It also has a great feel to it! After I used it my skin looked rather glow-y and radiant which was pretty awesome. It gives you a super clean feeling without you feeling like it has just stripped your skin. (I also did use it with my clarisonic if that makes a difference.)

In essence I really like the philosophy behind the line and the product itself, I will update on it in a week or two!

xx

Abbey

Update and Advice with Abbey

Ok so I know I haven't been blogging as much anymore but hey AP testing, I am sorry though because I love sharing my two cents with you guys out there. 

So I believe this is a much needed post that I've been a bit hesitant to do, I also wanted to update you on my skincare routine. 

So I give advice to people about their skin woes, and obviously I've had some of my own. Basically as soon as I hit my teen years (13) is when it started. So I thought the right thing to do would be to visit the dermatologist. Well, it might work for some people but definitely not me. It got to a point where my last option was accutane, I was so ready to sign the release because I was just FED UP. I was done, I was BEYOND done. At this point I wouldn't have cared if the treatment was jet fuel, exaggeration but you get the point. Thankfully I did a little reflecting and pulled out at the last minute to get accutane. There have been times where I have been SO GLAD (when my skin has been good) and so MAD (when my skin has been pretty bad). I just wanted to level with you guys and say I UNDERSTAND! I understand that you're angry, sad, depressed, unhappy, (fill in adjective here) with your skin situation. I know a lot of people go the accutane route but personally I do not advocate it, I have been searching for other ways which is what this blog is about! I try to share everything I find that works, and trust me not everything does! There have been some bad things that I've tried and tossed. If anyone ever wants any support or advice please do not hesitate to email me!!! abbeyfisler@gmail.com or beautifulswimmer5713@gmail.com

Now as for the update. My naturopath has been trying out different herbs with me, and there have been good and bad reactions to them. We are streamlining it though and it's been getting pretty good. I'm happier with my skin as of late. I also have been trying to do less. Only use masks a few times a week, cut down on # of products I use daily, and also use my clarisonic once every three days. Something I've also found that helps is that when you are taking off makeup use a washcloth! It will ensure all the bits that get left behind are washed away. Also, a big cause of acne is stress, so one of the herbs I've been using deals with stress related breakouts, and that seems to be working very well for me!!

I am no expert, I've tried so many things and failed so many times. I only hope that people will come to me and ask whatever is on their mind. I don't want people making the same mistakes I did. Also understand that your skin may not be the same as mine so different products may work for you that didn't for me, this is just my experience with things and advice!

Thanks for reading :) I'll try to get the BB cream post up soon!

xx

Abbey

BB Creams- COMING SOON

So I have been getting a lot of people asking me what BB creams are good for them, what kinds I've tried, and which are the best etc. 

Let me start out by saying I am no guru (yet!) and don't know every type or what will be best for you. I also don't have an unlimited budget to try all of the kinds and don't want to confuse my skin. It also all depends on skin type and personal preferences. 

So I have a few tips for right now:

1. research! look up youtube videos of people trying and swatching different kinds. Also look on google for any helpful articles (this is exactly what I did)

2. Take into account your skin type (dry, combination, normal, oily, acne-prone, sensitive)

3. Make a hard list of what you want out of a BB cream

4. Look at the ingredients (you don't want to be putting weird chemicals into your skin.

Also I will be doing a ton of research for you and putting it in a post soon! What I recommend for dry, combination, normal, oily, acne-prone, or sensitive skin. 

this requires a lot of research and I still may not have perfect answers for you if you have different personal preferences. I will list different BB creams that do a certain thing (cover, heal, protect, etc.)

I promise to try my best!!

xx

aBBey


note: apparently swatching is not a word, how silly is that!! Oh english language how you confuse me.... 

Skin Care - Plane

So I thought since I was traveling I would take the opportunity to describe skincare for the plane

This is one of the subjects that even I have trouble with, and I've done so much researching online and every time I travel I hate what the plane does to my skin

finally I feel as though this time I did something right on this trip!!

Ok, so the plane obviously has recycled air with little to no moisture content, so it pulls ALL (and I mean all) of the moisture out of everyone's skin, which results in dry, angry skin and sometimes if you are blemish prone a whole mess of spots. 

so some of you may be thinking wait... if you said it draws out moisture why would that cause breakouts? Well your skin responds to the dryness by producing MORE oil and therefore clogging your pores. Seems like we just can't win!

Some people say to bring a small spray bottle with water to replace the moisture, DO NOT DO THIS!!! It will only make the plane draw out more moisture and make a big mess of everything. 

Also do not wear any makeup, it will only clog your pores and dry out your skin even more. I do not have fantastic skin but I do not wear makeup on the plane. The only thing that would help would be an ultra moisturizing BB cream, which I did wear on the last flight because I did not want a completely bare face. 

So what I did on this trip is brought two different types of moisturizers (Sisley Flower Gel and Naturopathica Lavender Moisturizer)

I applied the flower gel right away on the plane and reapplied a more generous coating once the first layer had soaked in. I would periodically feel a patch of my skin and determine whether I needed more moisturizer (this will vary from person to person) and for this I used the Naturopathica moisturizer. I also had blotting papers to get the excess off (after a few minutes) or any oil produced by my face during the flight. 

For the second half of my flight I brought a moisturizing mask, this is an actual mask that you buy pre-packaged from any Asian store. Sure I may have looked a little strange with a black cloth mask on my face but it's worth it if I don't have to deal with super dry blemished skin after the flight. Confidence is key, I really didn't care what I looked like and if you care that much bring a sweatshirt and put the hood up. I use the Kracie brand and sometimes I will branch out and try another mask if it looks good. These masks work because they have hyaluronic acid which is uber moisturizing. 

So I definitely did the regime right this time around because my skin was not too dry and did not break out at all, yay!!

I really hope this helps you guys :)

xx

Abbey

Sorry! + Clarisonic Discovery

So I was at the lovely Coachella all weekend, hence the absence of posts.

Anyways the late nights definitely helped me realize a few things about my extensive skin regime

1. Using the Clarisonic every day is NOT good (at least for my skin)
it actually was causing a lot more irritation than I thought and causing unnecessary breakouts because it was stripping my skin of all it's essential natural oils 
I will now use it every two to three days

2. LESS IS MORE
Do not for one second think that you should use 5 billion products to make your skin do this or that or stop doing that thing you hate. It will probably cause more issues, stick to a few products at night 

If you use toner in the morning you do not need it at night, also avoid anything with sunscreen because you don't need it, also invest in a lighter moisturizer that will not make your skin too oily at night

Just a few tidbits of advice :) 

xx

Abbey

Makeup- BB Cream vs Foundation

Ok so I've given a lot of advice on skincare, but it takes a really long time to change a regime and your skin. This is where the makeup comes into play 

First BB cream versus Foundation 

Most would say this is no contest (in favor of foundation) however I say different!
Personally I have never used foundation in my life, I've always been an advocate of tinted moisturizers. That is, until I found BB creams (basically the holy grail)

First a BB cream is short for blemish balm or beauty balm, it's somewhere in between a product, a foundation, and a tinted moisturizer. Traditional BB creams (Asian and German) were intended to treat, repair, and give light coverage. However the American interpretation is basically a foundation with no added benefits (my opinion)

I use the Aura Luminous Goddess BB Cream (Korean) and I love it! I think it does a good job of healing, moisturizing, and giving pretty good coverage (evening out skin tone without covering your natural "glow")

Now I do not have perfect skin, no where NEAR perfect. So all you skeptics out there saying there is no way it will cover anything trust me it works. I also use this with a cover up (for spots which I will discuss later so it's not like it's the only thing I am using. 

I did A LOT of research to find my "perfect" BB Cream and I would suggest you do the same. Different kinds work for different people depending on what your main concerns are, however I would definitely recommend you guys look into the Asian BB creams because I think the quality and benefits are overall better than the American versions of BB cream. 

If anyone has combination skin like I do I would definitely recommend the one I am currently using. 

xx

Abbey

Confidence

My blog is mostly about Skincare and really getting your complexion in a better place. However, this will take time, even I'm not totally happy with my own skin yet (and it's been years). 

I thought I would do a post about confidence, it is the greatest product you can ever have. You have to be confident in the skin you're in, even if YOU think it isn't pretty. Sure products can help but I think what makes this industry terrible (sometimes) is that it preys on your lack of confidence so that you will buy their products. 

If I could tell my younger self anything it would be to have confidence and don't try every product out there in order to fix minor imperfections, because honestly it probably made my situation a lot worse. 

Please please PLEASE listen people, whoever is reading this please take it to heart. You are all beautiful you just need the perspective to see it.

xx

Abbey