The Cost of Picking Pimples and Not Wearing Sunscreen

Whoa! It's been such a long time since my last post (which was made when I lived in British Columbia). I am back home in Toronto and have a lot to share. But first: The Cost of Getting Rid of Scars.

I got a lot of scars from picking at pimples and I never realized it (because they were the same shade as the scars from what I can tell), was that I also had sun spots. My advice to you now is: Wear sunscreen every day if you don't already. Preventative care is so much easier than dealing with the consequences when they come.

My ultimate goal was to remove these scars so I won't have to hide them with foundation and powder anymore.

Through a suggestion, I went to do glycolic chemical peels. I did one every three weeks for four times. The complexion of my face became better; it was glowing instead of looking dull. On my fourth visitation, my esthetician told me to consider photofacials. The scars I had seemed pretty deep and even with chemical peels, it wouldn't remove all my scars. So through the honest recommendation of my esthetician, I went in search of photofacials.

The thing with social buying sites (group buying pages like GroupOn, Living Social, Team Buy, etc) is that they offer cheaper prices for what would be steep dents in my pocket. I know some people don't trust these places because of the prices but remember it's just regular spas that are offering this deal in hopes of bringing in more customers.

I luckily came across a spa that was offering two photofacials for $50/each. It was a nice place (nothing sketchy) and the esthetician there was very knowledgeable. It was an IPL photo facial and if you've done laser hair removal, you would know that there is a bit of pain that comes with it. It's kind of like flicking an elastic band on your skin. There were some places that hurt more than others. For example, my forehead was the most painful area for me.

I have done two photo facials as of today and will be going onto my third session later this month. I have also added microdermabrasion to the equation at another spa which they both separately recommended. Microderma would be for the top layer of the skin and photofacial works underneath. Apparently the results would be faster.

Overall, I still have scars but they've lighten and my overall complexion has improved. I've learned that my scars aren't just scars, some of them are sun spots, which could have been prevented by wearing sun screen when I was younger! I now wear sunscreen everyday even if it's cloudy out (plus I have to because of the treatments I'm doing or it'll just be useless), but preventative measures is so much better and less costly.

WEAR.
SUNSCREEN.

EAT WELL.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

PROTECT YOUR SKIN.

/end rant

Sk1n Probiotic Systems - Night Cream

I was first introduced to the Sk1n Probiotic Systems when I was checking out an online sale. Probiotic (beneficial bacterias) are commonly "used as ingestibles to help replenish and maintain the balance of healthy and harmful bacteria regulating our internal health."

Anywho I did my research on the product line using MUA and googling up reviews. There weren't a lot of reviews but the ones I could find were positive - a little too positive. Call me a skeptic but some of the ratings gave me that unsettling gut feeling. It screamed COMPROMISED to me.

A couple days later I was shopping around Winners and saw a Sk1n Night Cream on the shelf for a few dollars so I decided to buy it and write a review on it.

What it claims:
Night Cream An exclusive combination of natural probiotics and minerals that absorbs quickly and includes a time-released moisture booster that oxygenates and hydrates your skin while you sleep. This all-natural cream is an intensive anti-wrinkle treatment that improves cell metabolism and vitality. Dermatologist tested.

I put it on at night and when I woke up, my face was oily looking. It looked oily but moisturized nonetheless. I've used it every day for a couple of weeks and I'm stopping its use. My forehead is full of zits. And my forehead is the only spot that's blemish free on my face. Now I feel like I'm back in grade 7 with a zit infested forehead. I've also developed some milia here and there around my eyes and face.

The verdict: Yes, your face may be more moisturized (you'll see that in the mirror the next morning) but for me, it came at a price: zits and milia. It retails for about $40 (I got it for a steal, by the way) so no, I would never buy it again.

Happy Holidays!

On December 20th, I was going through beauty products and samples that I have yet to touch and thought, what better way to celebrate the holidays than to share it with my lovely readers! I randomly picked a reader that left a comment on my previous post and sent her a package that arrived just in time for Christmas. The lucky reader was Natalie of NaTGN. Congratulations and I hope you liked the package!

And to everyone else, thank you for leaving comments and subscribing to my blog. There will be more surprise giveaways in the future.

Until then, best wishes and have a fantastic holiday.

Chocolate and Your Skin

I am a chocolate feen. I eat out of a jar of Nutella - yes, I'm that disgusting. Remember that acne commercial back in middle school that pretty much linked chocolate to bad skin? Some people say I eat too many chocolate bars or that I don't wash my face... But that didn't scare me, I still ate chocolate anyway. I love chocolate and it's about time I shed light on the real deal behind chocolate and the skin.

I saw a book today and the title was: Why Red Wine and Chocolate Will Cure Your Heart. Okay, I got the red wine part down, now let's see the benefits of chocolate.

The good news: There is no evidence that chocolate triggers blemishes.

Cocoa actually contains more antioxidants per cup than red wine or green tea and if you really want to head down to the healthy route with chocolate, eat them dark. Dark chocolate protects the skin from UV light and therefore, fights aging.

It also has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system and helps your body recover after a hard workout. In a recent study, people who drank chocolate milk between workouts scored better on fatigue and endurance tests than those who had sports drinks.

The antioxidants in cocoa are known as flavanols, which increase blood flow and prevent cell damage and inflammation.

What does seem to cause acne are diets heavy in high-glycemic foods—including highly refined carbs like white bread, pasta and potatoes, as well as sweets like doughnuts and jelly beans.

So eat up, my chocolate feens, but skip the bread.

Second-hand Smoke and Your Skin

My boyfriend is a smoker and believe me, it bothers me. He tried to quit on multiple occasions but always falls back into the same routine and while it is his life, it does affect mine. I'm sure we've all heard about second-hand smoking and how dangerous it can be for our health. I know it causes premature wrinkles and can make your skin look dull, but I wanted to take it one step further and learn the biology (sort of) behind how smoking damages the skin.

Ever go clubbing and come back smelling like a pack of cigarettes? Smoke sticks to your clothing, hair and even skin and sometimes the smell takes a good couple washes before it's finally gone. And if it sticks that badly to hair and clothing, imagine the abuse our skin is taking.

Cigarettes are made up of over four thousand chemicals. One main poison that is used is formaldehyde, an adhesive that can be found in our everyday house-cleaning products. When formaldehyde is released into the air and is absorbed by our skin, it can cause skin rashes, promote scarring and make your skin smell (as noted above). Note: I will never overdose on cleaning products again.

Smoke damages the surface of your skin by changing the way skin cells move - it slows down the healing process. I've read somewhere that there is a certain amount of days when we can help promote skin healing and reduce the scar intensity before it leaves a deep scar. If the healing process slows down, the amount of healing days will be reduced and your skin is more susceptible to deep scars that will take longer to fade away.

Smoke also breaks down collagen and elastin (which are fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity) and does not allow blood vessels to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to the skin's surface. This will therefore create premature wrinkles and a dull looking complexion. In a nut shell, oxygen helps cleanse the body and if the amount of oxygen is reduced, more filth will remain in your body.

And while I'll keep pushing my boyfriend to stop smoking, know that there is no glamour in smoking. No one wants to look ten years older than they really are.

Sunday Tip: Drink Red Wine for a Glass of Antioxidants

We've all heard the benefits of red wine, but what does it do for our skin?

Red wine contains antioxidants, which help prevent the absorption of hazardous chemicals. Whether if it's household products, second-hand smoke or even someone's sneeze, antioxidants will clean it up before your skin and body absorbs it.

It's as simple as that so drink up.

Cheers.

Does Swimming Cure Your Pimples?

I've been swimming at my gym pool and started to wonder what it did to my skin, specifically to my pimples. My skin has been pretty clear but milia and as of late, pimples, started to pop up. Was this the case of chlorine water?

I typed in "swimming" and "acne" into google and was surprised to come across articles claiming that swimming can pure acne. Was I the exception? If so, how do I become the rule?

Chlorine disinfects the skin and kills bacteria on the skin surface, thereby reducing the amount of oil your skin, and thus minimizes the amount of pimples on one's face and/or body.

Swimming is a good form of exercise. Recall my entry about exercising and its benefits on your skin. If you are healthy, then your skin is healthy, too. Deep breathing allows more oxygen to be processed and circulated by the body assisting in the removals of toxins and dead cells from the body and promoting the regeneration of cells.

The absorption of water is also part of the equation. It's recommended to drink a couple cups of water a day. Why? Because it flushes your toxins out and keeps you hydrated. If there are no toxins in your body then guess what? You'll probably end up with clearer skin. In the same way, swimming detoxes your body. It exudes harmful toxins through the skin and the excretion system for blood circulation is greatly improved.

So with all these great news about how swimming reduces pimples, what the hell happened to my skin?

I came across an article and while it agrees that swimming will cure your acne, the effect is only temporary. It goes on to explains that too much exposure to chlorine will make one's pimples and blemishes much worse. The area becomes dry and itchy and will become irritated. I guess it's kind of like oily hair. If your body thinks your hair or face is not getting enough oil, it will pump out more oil. = Pimples.

SO IN CONCLUSION,

Swimming is not an absolute cure to acne. Just like 2342423 other products and other methods, it's 50/50. It will either work for you or not. And in my case, it doesn't. So does this mean that I will stop swimming? Nope. I'll just find a way to battle the acne out and get that paparazzi skin.