I used to have gorgeously clear skin - I was that asshole in high school that might get the odd PMS-zit once a month. My skin was honestly the only thing I was complimented on, so to go from that to this is hard (I took pictures, but I seem to have deleted them... whoops!). I know it makes me vain, but vain girl is vain. (And if this is sounding familiar, I've written about it before.)
I currently have a ton of teeny, tiny skin-coloured bumps (clogged pores?) all over my chin (mostly on either side of my mouth). They LOOK poppable, so I'll squeeze them. Sometimes it works and that particular bump dies down and goes away. Sometimes it doesn't, and I'll either end up with a scab in its place, or worse, I'll force the clog deeper down and it will morph into an under-the-skin zit. Yeah. You'd think I'd learn, right? Naaaaaaaah.
I decided yesterday I'd make an effort to keep my hands off my face: hands-off = no picking. However, I had NO CLUE how often I touch my damned face. I did great until the afternoon and then all bets were off. And today? Fugeddaboutit. It's like a compulsion: as I'm looking in the mirror, bemoaning the state of my skin, an offender will catch my eye and it's like I'm powerless against picking at it (again) EVEN AS I'M ALL "AH MAH GAWD! MAH SKIN IS GROSSSSS!" Dipshit.
I bought a Clarisonic brush before Christmas, but haven't seen the miracle results so many people seem to have. I paid $70 for a Philosophy exfoliant peel per my doctor's suggestion (she didn't suggest Philosophy itself, just a chemical peel). I've used a mud mask every three days. I tried the Oil Cleansing Method, but I didn't tinker with the oil ratios, so that might be why it didn't seem to work for me. I tried Proactiv years ago, but it's too harsh for my stupid skin (that being said, I'm *still* tempted to try it again - I'm THAT desperate).
Honestly, I have a feeling I'm throwing too much at my face too fast. As frustrating as it is and as hard as it is to look at my face in the mirror, I'm going back to basics: Cetaphil cleanser morning and night followed by a LIGHT application of Cetaphil moisturizer.
I hate hating my skin, my face, my appearance. I hate being ashamed of leaving the house. I hate not knowing what to do or how to fix the problem. Blarg.
ETA: Picture of skin DOOM...
We're skin twinsies. Except mine is now covered in brown patches. Uber sexy, I tells ya.
ReplyDeleteI'm *awful* about this. I can't look in a mirror without picking something. Thank you whacked out postpartum hormones for always giving me something somewhere that needs attention. It even happens on the back of my arms, which of course, leads to always wearing long sleeves. It's compulsive and I hate it. If you try harder to stop, so will I. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I was totally that asshole in high school with great skin. Worse, I'm a redhead, people used words like "porcelain". However, I hit 25 or so, and I started breaking out like crazy. WTF! Now I'm in my 30's, ahem, late 30's (f*ck), and I still haven't found a solution and am starting to contend with wrinkles. What to fight!! I have the Neutrogena microdermabrasion thing and those other little scrubby things you can use with it too but I am far too lazy to be consistent. By the time I think of it, I'm in bed. That's it, tonight I'm doing it.
ReplyDeleteTriplets with you and schmutzie, apparently. What I've found is nicest is simply goat's milk soap scrubbed with a wash cloth, with a follow-up of aveeno daily moisturizer. I also use a kind of heavy anti-redness eye creme from Lisa Watier. But I have dry, sensitive, flaky skin that's prone to redness and dark circles. Point is, the less I do, the better. And if you're going mask-y, go natural, love. Seriously, it seems that the more 'correcting' stuff we put on, the less our bodies know how to take care of themselves and react.
ReplyDeleteI have this issue...with my nails, my skin, my cuticles, you name it. I have a scab on my arm right now that is from a mosquito bite from LAST SUMMER. I just keep picking it. My son's therapist even saw me picking my cuticles one day and gave me a toy to pick at instead!
ReplyDeleteApparently this is more common than we thought, add me to the group of pickers. Any kind of bump has me scratching it and what's worse is I have those on my arms (keratosis pilaris) so keeping my hands to myself is HARD.
ReplyDeleteAs for my face it's pretty sensitive so I use the Philsophy Purity facewash & the hope in a jar/tube moisturizer combo. Through in the St. Ives apricot scrub once a week and my skin is finally happy. A few pimples during PMS time and that's it.
I'm a skin picker too, it sucks and I am quite scarred (though it hides well with makeup). For me, at least, manual exfoliation like clarisonic exacerbates my acne big time. Anything really, that irritates my skin, causes bumps and actual pimples that I have an almost impossible time not touching,
ReplyDeleteI do a retinoid (differin gel) and a benzoyl peroxide wash, just using my hands for face cleansing and NO exfoliation. The retinoid has made most of my scars and redness fade, remarkably improving my skin's texture and tone. The benzoyl peroxide keeps bacteria colonization down so I don't break out with anything new.
That's me, anyway. Solidarity for not picking!
Oooooohhh I like the new blog look! When did that happen?! Prob months ago.... sorry I use a blog reader.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I too am a picker. As well as my face I also pick my scalp!! Dandruffy kind of thing. I didn't have such perfect skin as a teenager however but I really don't understand why I still need to suffer as a thirtysomething!
You won't like this but what I think/find works better than anything.... drinking lots and lots of water.
I definitely think the less crap we use on our faces the better. In saying that I also use a very gentle organic face scrub every morning in the shower. I think it helps to clear away the dead skin and clogged stuff in the pores which helps reduces the blackheads and so on. I also use a very simple, scent free moisturiser.
I have to say though a good spot squeeze is a great stress reliever !!! :)
Now we need to do a post on facial hair removal!! What crap we women have to go though eh!
Hmmmmm I wonder can I comment through my blog reader !!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI use this scrub (http://global.burtsbees.com/natural-products/face-exfoliants/peach-and-willowbark-deep-pore-scrub.html) but I must say that I don't have perfect skin by a long shot but I still think it just helps to give my face a good clean once a day. Dunno if you can get it over there though. It's a bit pricey here but I only use it once a day and a pea size amount is plenty so it's lasts.
I use Elave moisturiser which is for dry sensitive skin. I have dry skin with a oily t-zone I think it's called!! :|
I think this is it: http://www.echemist.co.uk/p-elave-intensive-cream. As you can see it isn't terribly expensive but I do have some Clinique moisturiser with spf 15 built in which I try to use in the summer.
Just realised the scrub 90 something % natural as opposed to organic! :) Dunno where I got organic froom! Duh.
ReplyDeleteI just use the bars of... god... It used to be Camus, but it's changed brand-names I think... It comes in a box with maroon and like, taupe on it. You'd be able to spot it at Shoppers or London Drugs in a heartbeat. I use the plain kind, but it also comes in Lavender and Olive Oil varieties.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Aveeno moisturizer is seriously awesome for keeping the irritation at bay, without being too rich - even after I've scrubbed the crap out of my face.