The great battle for perfect skin and how I eventually got there Part 3: Discovering the secret Weapons

Before my radical diet changes and researching into acne I pretty much tried every skincare product under the sun to heal my skin. I was trying to heal the outside without really looking at what my body was trying to tell me on the inside. I could have saved myself a fortune if I knew what I discovered at 31 at 14. But perhaps my posts will help somebody else who is battling acne fix their skins without resorting to spending a fortune on skincare products and doctor appointments. It was during my quest for clear skin that I discovered Paula Begoun, also know as the cosmetics cop. If you don know who she is I strongly suggest reading up about this fascinating and intelligent woman. Paula is a skincare specialist who doesn't take any nonsense from big cosmetic brands. She tells it like it is, so before you spend your hard earned cash on that ultra-expensive cream all the celebrities are using have a look at what she says about it. 

Paula has her own review site called Beautypedia where you can read up about pretty much every product under the sun. It is also quite scary to see how many products we are told are brilliant often end up receiving bad reviews due to their ineffective or irritating ingredients. It is sad when you realise that a lot of cosmetic counter salespeople are only concerned with the content of your wallet rather than your general well-being. I have often succumbed to impulse purchases only to regret them later for numerous reasons. Educating yourself about products and ingredients will not only empower you to stand your ground with often uninformed salespeople but also help you save money on products that don't work. So you can spend more on the ones that actually do work.

I became a massive fan of the Paula's Choice skincare range. Finally I found a skincare range which not only worked but didn't cost an arm and a leg. After years of fine-tuning what ingredients work best and which ones do not Paula invested all of her knowledge into her skincare range. The skincare range launched recently in South Africa as well which makes it super convenient for us South Africans as well.

I have 2 products from Paula's Choice which became lifesaving items in my skincare regimen, I can not live without these at all. They are the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant http://www.paulaschoice.co.za/products/skin-perfecting-2-bha-liquid-exfoliant.htmland the Skin Perfecting  8% AHA Gel Exfoliant http://www.paulaschoice.co.za/products/skin-perfecting-8-aha-gel-exfoliant.html.

I love both of these products for different reasons. The 2%BHA I use to gently exfoliate my skin daily as I find that my oily skin tend to have a very rough and uneven texture if I only exfoliate once a week (Like most skincare gurus recommend). So I use it religiously at morning and at night. The liquid itself has the ability to penetrate the pore lining and dissolve stubborn clogged pores, it also rapidly smoothes out your skin's surface. I am not kidding-my skin is baby smooth since I started using this little miracle worker. It is also been proven that beta hydroxy acid stimulates collagen production and also has anti-bacterial properties. Oh and did I mention it obliterates blackheads like a charm? The 8%AHA on the other hand is suited towards evening out my skin tone which can be quite red and ruddy at times. It also aids in fading sun damage, improves collagen production and creates beautiful, radiant and even skin. I find that because my skin is oily in the t-zone I apply the BHA in those areas whilst I apply the AHA on my under eye are and forehead. Combined these two give me smooth and clear skin. I suggest if you are interested in the range to visit the website. It is extremely user friendly and will guide you to the correct products and treatment regimes for your specific skin type.

So now you may be curious what my skincare regime entails? Well here follows what I do on a daily basis. Also remember that these are the products and tips that work for my skin and all the challenges it brings me. I do hope that they might help you find some relief or even bring some magic back to your skin in some way. Also please comment and let me know what you think or even give me some tips and advice which worked for you. I would love to hear from you. 

Here we go

Wash:

I wash my face with a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and Vitamin E oil. I love exfoliating my skin but I do not like abrasive scubs or hand mitts which irritate my skin. I do know that if I skip exfoliating my skin tends to become dull looking, rough, uneven and patchy. I teach at a make-up school so I pretty much wear foundation and concealer everyday and it is a nightmare to apply if your skin is not in tip top shape. I find that the bicarb exfoliates the skin like a dream, it doesn't scrape or cut the skin but by itself I find it is too drying on the skin. Which is why I combine it with Vitamin E oil. Vitamin E Oil acts as an antioxidant, and prevents the formation of free radicals on the skin cells. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. I find it aids in making the exfoliation process a soothing and moisturizing event.

Tone:

After washing my face I us my very own home-made Apple Cider Vinegar Toner. I drink Apple Cider Vinegar twice a day and I love the benefits it has for the body as well. All skin needs to be slightly acidic in order for it to perform at optimum capacity, a Ph level of 5.5 to be exact. ACV has a pH of 3 and when diluted, the acidity from the toner helps bring your skin's pH back to its normal levels. By restoring your skin's balance, apple cider vinegar helps your skin function optimally, warding off bacteria and shedding dead skin cells at the proper rate which helps skin remains healthy.Remember when you buy Apple Cider Vinegar to get the cloudy liquid one, which contains the "mother". All the good stuff is still inside where the clear ones are too diluted and chemical for my liking. 

The recipe I use is as follows (Thanks to Acne.org http://www.acne.org/): 

1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup  Water

4 bags of Green Tea

1 bag of Chamomile Tea

10-15 drops of Tea Tree oil

10-15 drops of Jojoba oil

10 plain aspirin pills

Directions:

Pour the Apple Cider Vinger into the container of your choice.

Heat the water to a boil, set aside and steep the tea bags in it for at least 30 minutes. When cool, remove tea bags and be sure to squeeze them (your own washed fingers work best) to get the trapped bit of tea liquid out. Add to the ACV.

Add the Tea Tree oil and Jojoba oil. The 10-15 drops is just a basic amount... add more or less to your liking.

Crush the aspirin pills into a fine powder and mix well into toner. Strain the toner through a strainer or mesh coffee filter to filter out the left-over aspirin bits.

Shake your container good to mix it all up. After cleansing, apply this toner; after it dries, apply your moisturizer if you use one.

After applying the Apple Cider Vinegar Toner I apply my 2%BHA liquid exfoliant to my skin and let it dry. This helps in keeping my pores clean and my skin smooth. At night I will apply the 8%AHA to restore my skin while I rest. Keep in mind that liquid exfoliants will make your skin more sensitive so make sure you use a sunscreen with the correct SPF protection daily.

Moisturize:

With my skin being on the oily side I have to be super careful what I apply to it in terms of moisture. Oily skin is not a sign of having enough moisture in the skin but actually a sign that the skin needs more moisture. Often people tend to strip away the oils by using alcohol laced toners and mattifying creams only to find they become ten times more oily. The secret to keeping oily skin moisturized is to use lightweight gel or liquid formulas which are absorbed into the skin quickly leaving minimal residue. This is why I adore Aloe Vera Gel combined with Jojoba oil as my moisturizer of choice. It is super light on my skin, keeps my skin well moisturized and it is 100 percent natural too, which means you can eat it too. Due to aloe’s high water content (over 99% water) it is a great way to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin. Aloe also increases the elasticity of the skin making it more flexible through collagen and elastin repair. Jojoba Oil on the other hand is so similar to the natural oils that our bodies produce on a regular basis, it’s particularly effective as a moisturizer. It’s easily absorbed and leaves the skin feeling soft and supple. Jojoba oil is often used by masseuses because it’s non-greasy and pleasant smelling. Combining these two creates a powerful skin combo which works wonders on my skin. Just remember Jojoba Oil can be expensive so use it sparingly. A little goes a long way.

Blemish Busting Skin Saviours:

When I do have the odd pimple or breakout I reach for two miracle products always. Castor oil and Bentonite Clay. I have never seen quicker results with any other products I've used before. Truly miracle workers.

Castor Oil:

Castor oil is fantastic at drawing bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells, excess oil and other nasty stuff lodged in your pores, and the bonus part is, it does not clog pores. It may feel extremely thick when you apply it but you will wake up with completely matte skin in the morning. Magic stuff. I use it in two ways. If I have a bad breakout I will apply it like a mask and sleep with it on. If I have the odd pimple here and there I usually add a drop or two to my moisture blend of aloe vera and jojoba oil.

Bentonite Clay Mask:

This stuff is so good its scary. I have seen pimples fading completely overnight after using this mask. It is quite uncomfortable to apply and your face will become rock hard while it dries and it might leave your skin a bit dry, red or sensitive. But the results are so worth it. It is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities, and chemicals. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound. I apply a paste made of bentonite clay and water on my skin and I leave it on until it dries and wash off. I try to this about 3 times a week. Important to remember: do not let your bentonite clay come in to contact with anything metal, is this will reduce the effectiveness. I mix my mask with a wooden spatula and also apply it with one.

Phew that was a little bit more than I expected to write. I do hope this helped you discover some new skin saviours and tips for better skin?

The great battle for perfect skin and how I eventually got there Part 2

Ok so in Part 1 I described my tragic past of being an acne riddled teenager as well as an acne riddled adult. (Yes it carried on well into my 20's and even into my 30's). Now lets talk about the time I disocvered the root cause of my acne and the amazing things that helped me clear my skin.

I am a massive fan of researching subjects I'm interested in. Whether it is  make-up products, tutorials, fashion or beauty editorials, films or music videos. Such was the case for acne as well. I hit Google hard. I researched and read up about acne non-stop. It was liberating seeing so many people suffering with the same problems and reading through their stories, sharing in their stories of success or failure at curbing their acne. It was during this feverish Google hunt that I discovered the following book:

http://www.acnefreein3days.com/

I Know what you're thinking right? Is that even possible? 3 Days to clear up acne. How could this possible be? I went to 7 different dermatologists in 14 years and they couldn't clear it up. So what made Chris Gibson's method different?I bought the book and started the programme. I followed it religiously and started seeing a difference on the second day already. Not a subtle "Oh it's a little better" difference but a "Holy beard of Zeus my skin is clearing up" difference. This was when I realized where the big problem lies. And to be honest I always expected it to be the root cause of my acne. It was my diet and the food I ate. When I fasted on the 3 day programme I saw incredible results. My skin was crystal clear and looked like a toddler's skin. The minimal amount of products applied to my face during this programme also made me realize that skincare doesn't need a million things to become better. You need to look at what works and why it works? After the 3 days I returned to normal eating, cutting out most of the bad foods that were described in the book. After a few months of strictly eating a super healthy diet  I started slipping back into my old eating habits and before I knew it my skin was back to it's old tricks.

That's when I had my light bulb A-Ha moment.Through a process of elimination I started cutting certain foods from my diet. Closely observing the results on my skin. After a few months it was clear that the biggest culprits were dairy, sugar, meat, wheat and caffeine. I also researched it quite extensively and was quite shocked about what I read. Especially about milk and its devastating results on skin. You can read more about it here:http://www.clearskinforever.net/milk-acne-does-milk-cause-acne/

I knew I had to make some drastic changes to my diet. I quit the foods that made my skin worse cold turkey. I've never believed in doing things slowly so I went in full blast.Perhaps this was the not the best idea because I had such massive withdrawals from cutting these foods out of my diet that I couldn't stand up straight on the second day of detoxing due to nausea and migraines. I knew that if my body reacted like this to cutting these foods from my diet that they probably weren't that great to begin with anyway. After the detox I felt much better andI started on my journey of becoming a raw food loving vegan. I know what most of you are thinking now? Isn't that the most restrictive diet in the world? Where do you get your protein from? How can you live off only eating raw vegetable  and fruits? Believe me these thoughts all ran through my head as well. Luckily I discovered a few amazing people and books who made the transition period and adjustment so easy for me. They include:

https://www.rawlicious.co.za/item/the_magic_of_superfoodssoftcover

 http://www.markusrothkranz.com/healfacenews/healyourface.html

I quickly discovered the magic of green smoothies, the abundance of delicious recipes and also the powerful healing properties these superfoods posses. I have been a raw foodie vegan now for almost 4 months and my skin is glowing. A lot of other minor symptoms I suffered from also faded away including fatigue, blurry vision, allergies, excess phlegm, dry eyes, itchy scalp and some chest and back acne.It saddens me to think about all the money I could have saved, all the emotional stress I could have avoided if somebody just told me to make this change sooner in my life. I am not advocating for anybody to become a raw food follower or a vegan I am simply stating the success I've had with this lifestyle change. After trying everything on the market the one thing that changed it all was my diet. After all your skin is the biggest organ of the body and a barometer of what is going on inside. If your skin isn't clear it means that somewhere inside your body something is out of sync. Once you have discovered what it is you are well on your way to re-establishing the balance from within so that the outside can match the inside.

Once I established that diet was the main ingredient missing from my clear skin recipe I then turned to fine tuning my own skincare routine. Being a product junkie at heart I loved the idea of researching products and ingredients and quickly discovered that the cosmetic industry is really a lot shadier than what I initially believed. More of that however in the final part 3 of my clear skin journey.

End of Part 2. Stay tuned for Part 3 where I share how my skincare lifesavers and why they really work.

The great battle for perfect skin and how I eventually got there Part 1

Anybody who has ever been the victim of acne prone skin will know the havoc it wrecks on your self-esteem and the extreme lengths we go to in order to combat acne. My own battle started when I turned 14 in 1996. My skin changed from baby smooth into a battlefield of oiliness, cystic acne bumps, and blackheads galore. I was fully aware it's all part of being a teenager but somehow my skin was way worse than my fellow pubescent friends. Being a boy as well put me in the unfortunate situation of not being able to cover up my imperfections with concealer and foundation like all the ladies were doing in my high school. Though most of them never did a very good job at creating a foundation base-flashing those caked on pinky ash foundations with the tell-tale mask line around the jawline way too often. 

The added pressure of having a blood red face riddled with acne is probably the worst thing that can happen to any teenager trying to fit in. So of course I ran for the counter products. You name it I've tried. I had the mindset that the more a product burned the better it was. That burning sensation and sting I felt every time I lathered my face in benzoyl peroxide or alcohol laced products gave me the false sense that I was fighting a winning battle. How could a pimple win against something that burned like a mofo I thought? Of course soon after starting my skincare battle plan my skin became dry and flaky and the oil production tripled over night. I didn't understand. Why wasn't it working? Why are all the ads on television telling me to buy these products which didn't seem to work? 

I was beyond depressed. I couldn't look at myself in a mirror, I would switch off the bathroom light when I took a shower or bath to avoid looking at my face. I drank antibiotics and vitamin A supplements, I slept with mud masks on my face, I even covered my face with toothpaste before I went to bed. In my panic stricken state my parents intervened and made an appointment at a dermatologist for me. I was so relieved, finally an expert will tell me how to fix it all and give me a magic pill that will take it all away. or so I thought.

Like most dermatologist I've encountered in my 16 year battle with acne (yes it's been that long) the first one I went to assured me my eating habits had nothing to with my acne (big mistake I later discovered it has everything to do with what you put into your body) and secondly he prescribed a dose of the controversial Roaccutane drug. Now for anybody who has ever taken the drug you will know it comes with a plethora of side-effects including:

Not a lot of fun if you're a teenager but when you're desperate for clear skin you will endure all of these temporary side-effects. Whilst taking it I never experienced suicidal thoughts or depression I did suffer from very dry skin, chapped lips and dry, itchy eyes. My skin cleared up like magic however, it was like a scene from a sci-fi film. Watching the oil dry up and the pimples disappearing almost moved me to tears. The thought of never battling another pimple once I finished my cycle was a foreign and freeing concept and I couldn't wait for my new life with clean and clear skin. 

I finished my first cycle and I stopped taking Roaccuatane. Within a month of quitting it the acne and oil returned with a vengeance. Even worse than before-I was devastated . Why is this happening to me again? Am I being punished ? This awful setback was to the beginning of a decade of back and forth of taking Roaccutane. I lost count how many times I've taken the drug. But it would be somewhere in the 20's. Many people warned me about the dangers it posed to my liver but I couldn't be talked out of it, in that panicked state of mind I pondered who ever sees my liver? Nobody. Everybody sees my face and that was worth risking my health in the long run. Only now do I realize how immature and foolish my mind set was back then. I am by no means badmouthing Roaccutane, it is indeed a miracle worker for acne takien in the right amount under the supervision of a professional dermatologist. I was just one of the small percentages of people whose skin would bounce back to an acne state once you quit the drug. I decided it was time to look at alternatives to fixing my skin once and for all.

End of Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2 where I share how I finally kiced Acne in the comedone.

My very first post on Pixeblend

I've been contemplating for a long time to start a blog where I can express my views on cosmetic products, post tutorials and incorporate my own skills as a photographer and retoucher into the mix. I finally took the plunge and made the decision to start it and thus Pixelblend was created.

This blog will be an eclectic mix of things that make my heart beat faster and I hope I can share all I've learnt so far in the exciting world of cosmetics, skincare and photography with you. So if you're an aspiring make-up artist, portrait photographer or just somebody who loves make-up join me in my journey in the quest for that perfect product, technique or secret that will get you there.