3 Steps Taken to Clear My Adult Acne

If you’ve seen me in person, you would have seen those red “battle marks” on my face from adult acne. Dealing with sensitive acne-prone skin is definitely not fun because it is almost impossible to conceal those protruding bumps on my face with makeup at all. These pesky acne appear whenever the older ones subside and they flare up when it’s the time of the month.. It’s just frustrating.

My Adult Acne Story

My adult acne problems started to haunt me when I was preparing for my wedding almost 3 years ago.

They started off as tiny bumps on my face which I took no notice of them as I was busy preparing for my wedding.

Soon, these bumps littered my entire face here and there and I have been trying to get rid of them but to no avail.

During the span of 3 years, I’ve tried solutions ranging from affordable drugstore skincare products that promise to get rid of acne to exorbitant facial services. I’ve visited 4 different dermatologists for my acne issues but all of them left me disappointed, broken and broke.

My face back in June 2016

I used to get those angry red bumps on my face approximately 1 year ago and they contain puss that can be really gross when they burst.

I totally lost my self-confidence during this time and sales promoters would always “corner” me with my skin issues as I walk pass drugstore counters. I’ve ever spent over SGD6,000+ in a beauty salon that turned out to be a nightmare as the staff would hardshell me their products & services every single time I visited them. I even had to report the salon to CASE about their hard selling but still failed to obtain refund for what I paid them.

At the same time, I tried out treatments such as Q-Switched Laser with a dermatologist which was a painful process as my face would feel hot and uncomfortable during the treatment. At the same time, I was on oral medication – doxycycline which made me feel nauseous and sick all day that I gave up on them totally. Also, I realised that taking oral medications for acne can be harmful for my health especially if I were to plan for a baby in near future. My baby would risk the chance of deformities & I wouldn’t want to feel guilty my entire life to sacrifice the wellbeing of my child in the name of beauty.

In addition, I was applying prescribed products containing harmful chemicals topically onto my skin & they do not really help as they dry my skin pretty badly.

I was on Q-Switched Laser for slightly more than half a year before I decided to call it quits because I don’t see much progress from the treatment. My acne problem worsened when I returned from my Korea Trip in November 2016 – you can see my skin condition in my Korea Travel Series here. My skin was practically rotting when I was in Korea due to the dry climate.

Getting to Know SkinLYcious

I was so frustrated with my skin that I decided to take things easy & continue using mild skincare products to take care of my skin. I stopped using sunblock as I felt that my skin gets clogged easily when I use them on a daily basis. My skin was still very rough to touch & highly dehydrated even though the bumps have shrunk in size…

Back from Korea Trip In November 2016 & the Acne persisted till April 2017

So this was the time that I decide to give SkinLYcious a try. SkinLYcious is a Singaporean brand founded by Jasmine, a sufferer of acne for 14 years. All products manufactured by SkinLYcious are of the highest possible standards as Jasmine uses them on herself as well. I went ahead to try their products after reading all the positive reviews & testimonials provided on their Facebook Page. In addition, their products are very affordable as well.

SkinLYcious Anti-Acne Trial Kit, Micellar Cleansing Water & 8-in-1 Whitening Sunscreen

So I started off with their Anti-Acne Trial Kit (SGD24) containing trial sizes of their Anti-Acne Wash, Anti-Acne Solution & Hydrator Serum as well as their Micellar Cleansing Water. I didn’t really get to try the 8-in-1 Whitening Sunscreen though as the trial bottle had issues pumping the product out.

So below is a video demonstration of how I use their products:

Their products feel very gentle on my skin and I’m still using their Anti-Acne Wash & Hydrator Serum till now.

(Update wef Nov 2017: I have switched to DIY my own skincare products using natural ingredients and Therapeutic Essential Oils as I realized that my face doesn’t react as well to synthetic chemicals found in skincare products over time.)

However, their Anti-Acne solution made my skin flare up as it contains Salicylic Acid and my skin did not react well to products containing Salicylic Acid.

As our skin differs and react to products differently, my Acne journey did not stop with SkinLYcious as the end solution so I began to explore other ways to treat my acne problem. I have summarised what I did to clear up my skin fast into 3 simple steps as below.

Step 1: Do Something I Enjoy

Stress plays a BIG part in our overall health. I was previously in the customer service line & I get frustrated with my work as I took the work stress personally upon myself.

So in May 2017, I left my employment of 3+ years to take a long break from work & to explore what I should do next. It was a leap of faith because this means I will be earning much lesser than I would.

Breakouts are tiny outbursts of anger ~ Khairul, my friend Click To Tweet

If your current employment is causing you undue stress & frustration, you can consider compromising your income and do something you truly enjoy in order to be free. We all have a choice, but we just have to take a leap of faith & choose what is best.

Taking a break and doing something I enjoy – sharing my experiences with others & adding value to the lives around me is definitely helping me feel better mentally and my cleared up a fair bit after I left my previous employment.

I am currently working on educating others on the importance to live toxic-free & affiliate marketing on the Personal Development niche.

Step 2: Get a Professional Beautician

I almost gave up on visiting beauty salons till my bestie – Samantha approached me one day to share with me her awesome experience with Glomax Aesthetics. As their first-time trial offer was irresistible, I signed up for it and tried their services.

I was impressed with their knowledge on skincare and their services were friendly. Most importantly, they are never pushy with their sales and hence I was convinced to take up a facial package with them.

I took up a 10x Acne Medic Facial Package with them at a promotional price and bought some of their recommended products home to try as skincare is very important to maintain clear skin.

I know most dermatologists advise against facial extractions but somehow extractions work better on my face than just plainly going for chemical peels, laser treatments and applying chemicals like Stieva-A.

My face cleared up pretty fast upon my third visit to Glomax Aesthetics & I’m currently using their prescribed skincare products religiously.

Step 3: The Right Skincare Routine

Skincare is very important as they are the products we put on our face on a daily basis.

I am still exploring for more toxic-free & natural alternatives but right now these are the products that suit me so far.

Makeup Remover: Avène Gentle Milk Cleanser

Avène Gentle Milk Cleanser (SGD37.70)

I take extra caution to remove traces of makeup and sunblock with the Avène Gentle Milk Cleanser on days I wear makeup / sunblock.

This cleanser is very mild on my face & removes my makeup effectively without stripping it of it’s natural moisture.

I will then cleanse my face with a gentle facial wash afterwards.

(Update wef Nov 2017: I have decided to use the all natural V-6 Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex as a makeup remover instead of this.)

SkinLYcious Anti-Acne Wash

SkinLYcious Anti-Acne Wash (SGD31)

Ingredients: Aqua, Calamine,Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetrimonium Bromide, Xantham Gum, Lactic Acid, Lactoserum, Fragrance, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Unlike most Anti-Acne products you find in drugstores, this Anti-Acne Wash is non-stripping and gentle for your skin.

It contains Calamine to soothe my skin & reduce redness. I feel clean & fresh after washing my face with this.

Anti-Acne Wash contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) as surfactant & is considered gentle & effective according to SkinLycious. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths on the internet perpetuating that SLES is not safe. The safety of SLES has been reviewed by numerous industry experts and deemed safe as used (Sources: International Journal of Toxicology, Supplement, July 2010, pages 151S-161S; and Food and Chemical Toxicology, March 2001, pages 279-286).

Lactic acid and lactoserum help to regulate the skin pH to regulate back to the acidic range. When we have acne, our skin pH shifts to become more alkaline, allowing bacteria to proliferate. By regulating the skin pH back to the acidic range, it helps to contain the spread and growth of bacteria on the skin. And of course, using the right surfactant counts too.

Therapeutic Essential Oils

Ever since I laid my hands onto essential oils, I’ve been using these 3 essential oils on my skin religiously – Tea Tree (aka Melaleuca Alternifolia), Lavender & Frankincense.

Tea Tree oil has anti-inflammatory properties & I’m using it for spot treatment as it can be too drying if applied to the entire face. In addition, I use Lavender oil to calm and soothe my face.

Frankincense is a precious oil – it is often used in anointing or embalming back in the biblical times. I will apply 2 drops on my palms, rub them together and pat it all over my face to prevent blemishes & wrinkles. I cup it around my eyes and press my eye area gently to improve the blood circulation around my eyes & to protect my eyesight.

The painful bump under my face has flattened itself after applying these 3 Essential Oils religiously over a course of 3 days.

WeCoMed Magic Water

After applying Essential Oils onto my face, I will tone my face with the Magic Water from WeCoMed. This facial mist was recommended by the beauticians at Glomax Aesthetics & it helps to reduce redness after extraction.

Loofah Water

Guang Yuan Liang Loofah Water

After spritzing the Magic Water all over my face, I will proceed to pat some Pure Loofah Water all over my face to give it an extra hydration boost. This Loofah water is a popular skincare product from Taiwan & it is very inexpensive too (below SGD20).

Nardia Laboratory W.B Control

Nardia Laboratory W.B Control (SGD92)

Ingredients: Glycerin, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, *Methylparaben, *Propylparaben

The W.B Control is also recommended by the beauticians at Glomax Aesthetics to reduce whiteheads & blackheads. It helps to unclog my pores & is an amazing product because it contains potent botanical extracts and Essential Oils such as Tea Tree Oil that helps to kill acne-causing bacteria. I used this when I was in Europe for 2 weeks and my acne was under control. The price, however, is on the higher side – I’m forced to repurchase it because it simply works!

*Update (Oct 2017): It seemed that Nardia Laboratory changed the ingredients in their W.B Control as I realized that my new supplies contain extra ingredients – parabens (Methylparaben & Propylparaben). These 2 ingredients were absent when I visited their website much earlier and I was utterly disappointed with them since I was paying the same price for products laden with parabens! Moreover, I felt very cheated because the ingredients list were different from what I see from the product itself VS the website.

What you see on the physical product itself

SkinLYcious Hydrator Serum

SkinLycious Hydrator Serum (SGD38)

Ingredients: Aqua, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

I realized that my face breaks out whenever I use cream-based moisturizer. So this gel-based Hydrator Serum from SkinLYcious works best to hydrate my skin without making it sticky/greasy.

The key ingredient in the Hydrator Serum is Sodium Hyaluronate – a smaller molecular size than hyaluronic acid (making it especially penetrative), is found naturally in the body and is a critical component of skin that helps retain moisture, keeps the skin firm, aids in tissue repair, and helps create a protective barrier against microbes. In the presence of SH, collagen and retinoic acid production is also increased.

Hydrator Serum works by regulating our skin. Often, acne skin is oily but dehydrated. Our skin can’t really differentiate that, thus thinking that it’s dry, it continues to secrete sebum/oil. Once we are able to sufficiently hydrate our skin, our skin will regulate itself to produce less oil.

Less oil = less clogs= less acne.

Sun Protection – SRS Skin Perfect Balm (SPF 36 / PA++)

SRS Skin Perfect Balm

Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ethlhexyl Methoxycinnmate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hexyl Laureate, Mineral Oil, Cyclomethicone, Arbutin, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Polyethylsilsesquioxane, Portulaca Oleracea Extract,Dimethicone, Chamomile Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ultramarines, Adenosine.

The SRS Skin Perfect Balm is a tinted sunscreen recommended by Glomax Aesthetics. I love that the coverage is buildable & a little of it goes a long long way!

As it’s name suggests, this product serves its purpose to conceal red marks on your face to give you the flawless skin look. However, do be careful not to apply too much of it as it can be a little over-drying for your face.

I just did a research on the ingredients in this sunscreen and it is a mineral sunscreen as it’s main active ingredient is Titanium Dioxide unlike the chemical ones which can be harmful for our skin.

Updated Skin Situation (July 2017)

So this is how my skin looks like after implementing the 3 steps.

My breakouts have reduced significantly though I still have red marks to clear.

July 2017

I’m currently exploring for more natural / organic skincare products that can work on my skin.

Till then, I will continue using the above skincare products that work on me in the meantime 😉

Aldora x SkinLYcious Giveaway (Now till 31 Aug 2017)

In collaboration with SkinLYcious for Singapore’s National Day month, we will be giving away a Hydrator Serum worth SGD38 to 1 lucky winner based in Singapore!

HYDRATOR SERUM (WORTH S$38) GIVEAWAY
Follow both @Aldora_Muses & @SkinLYcious on instagram
Subscribe to my Beauty & Wellness Newsletter @ AldoraMuses.com/Subscribe
Comment below to let us know you have completed the steps & state a reason why you want to win the Hydrator Serum 🙂

Contest closes on 31 August 2017 & the lucky winner will be contacted via email on the next day.

May the odds always be in your favour!