Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Skin Dilemma Pt 1: Skin Timeline

***WARNING: This post contains visuals that may not be appealing to the eyes. None of the pictures where Photoshopped except for the cropping and text. Also, please note that this entry is based entirely on MY experience and opinion, and what has been effective for ME. I'm NOT in any way a skin expert, aesthetian, or dermatologist. I never had extensive knowledge about the skin. Please REMEMBER that different techniques and products have different effects on people. Before you try anything that you might get out of this post, be aware of the ingredients you might be sensitive or allergic to.***


This post will be a two part series: Part one will show you few stages that my skin had gone through for an introduction, and part two will be tips, recommendations, and steps that I did in order to get to how my skin looks like today.

When we were younger, pretty much everyone was all blessed with clear skin. The type of skin we always want: no pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads. Just a nice clear and soft skin.


But then, we hit puberty or just get older, and sometimes things just don't work out like we want to. We notice a pimple here and there. What about the blackheads on your nose that never seem to go away? But some of us just have it really bad. Bad to a point that your acne takes a toll on your self-esteem. It might seem to be in a shallow end, but acne does change how your visually and mentally perceive of yourself. I know because I've been through it and experienced it


Here are some pictures of what my face has been through in the span of 3 years.

Trust me. I'm really embarrassed to even show half of the following pictures.

Click on the images to enlarge:


This picture was around the end of my freshman year of college. I never really needed any foundation or concealer to cover up any pimples or scars. Never wore any makeup except for eyeliner. My face was really that clear, and it's not Photoshopped (Aww, look at the symbol of my rebelliousness. I was so bad ass with my nose ring heehee).



Now fastforward to a year later. After using Bare Escentuals (I swear that's the work of the devil!), My face insanely brokeout! At this point I've met with my dermatologist twice already. I was prescribed Tazorac, had a facial, and steriod injection to help minimize the size of a huge, stubborn pimple on my left cheek (which was really composed of four small ones. I know gross). I swear that pimple never went away for the longest time. Anyway, in high school my usual breakout area was my forehead, but after using Bare Escentuals I started getting them on my cheeks. Big, red, ugly pimples. You can't even really see all of them. There's more of them somewhere but the picture is a bit blurry and my angle hides most of them, I've also tried Proactiv for the first time.



Sorry, I had to block out eyes and my mouth because I really had a silly expression. Anyway, my skin was not getting any better. I actually had foundation in this picture. It didn't really do much covering since you can still see the pimples. At this point, I've tried out Proactive AGAIN, Neutrogena, Clean&Clear, Clinique 3-step Acne Solution, Shiseido Pureness, and some other things I can no longer remember. Not to mention I've always made it a habit to to put foundation and concealer on to cover my acne.


Very minimal breakouts. But my previous acne problem left horrible scarring on my cheeks. My skin has actually improved. The Lyna Pearl Cream has faded most of the scars and prevented the cystic acne. The Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque minimized the breakouts. I was actually able to go out bare face most of the time.



And, my bare face as of today (the scar on the left picture was from my chicken pox days). Scarring almost gone, and been breakout free for about a month now. I haven't really used foundation. Seriously.

So, how was the last picture even possible? Stay tuned for Part two!

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19 comments

  1. ohhh! what is your secret? :)

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  2. wow what a difference...i'm so glad your skin is doing better now...i can definitely relate...my skin was soooo bad in high school...

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  3. can't wait for part 2! very interesting post. i took a picture of my nasty face when i was breaking out horribly, but i can't remember where i put it! haha. sucks what BE did to your face! i used to use it when it first came out, and it wasn't so bad, but i stopped using it after hearing all the horror stories. also, i felt discriminated against everytime i went into the stupid BE store at topanga. even though it's available in other stores, i still wouldn't buy it.

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  4. Your skin is great now! Unfortunately, I'm still battling acne.

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  5. You are gorgeous no matter what! Thanks for sharing your story, I personally haven't had any acne issues but I know how detrimental it can be as I have had bacne and just not being able to wear or go out, or take pics....but your skin looks awesome now!

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  6. Wow...I have to commend you for showing us your skin timeline. I would have never done that in a million years. But I am happy that your face is clearing up! :)

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  7. I went thru the same thing you did. I just wasn't brave enough to take a picture without cakes of makeup on...I'd rather look like clown that let my acne show! But now my skin is clear with light scarring too and tried practically all the products you tried and more!

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  8. i'm glad to see that your skin is improving - my skin never really got that bad, but I dealt with breakouts all the time from hs until recently, so I can sympathize with how you must have felt. Curious to read about Part 2 :)

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  9. WOW! that's great! thank you very much for sharing pictures and what not! i can understand how you feel because i get my boughts of acne on and off... but when it's one it's ON. :( i have HORRIBLE scarring on my forehead so i hope this ly-na cream helps out. :) i may just have to try that queen helene mint julep masque. thank you again for sharing. :)

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  10. Woah mad props for your bravery in showing these pics...Lookin forward to part two!

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  11. wow! i'd really like to know! Can't wait for the next part!! ASAP pleasee! I know waht chu mean about the self esteem thing. GOsh, I scrub my face LIKE crazy because of my acne, I know I shouldn't do that but acne drives me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  12. i give you so much kudos for having the guts to post pics like that over the internet. i'm breaking out like never before right now and i can't even fathom the thought of going to my local grocery store sans foundation. i cannot wait for part 2! you got me shaking from anticipation!

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  13. anne: yea man, thanks for sharin' this story of yours. i know what you been through, really. your face is lookin' good though so yay for that. the last photos remind me of my sis' skin now... some scars but very smooth skin.

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  14. WOW! Look at that transformation! Not that your skin was THAT bad, but WOW! Please do tell what you did that made your skin GLOW!! BTW, your smile brightened up my day!

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  15. wow, so was it just BE that broke you out? or was it a combination of that and other things? Well you skin does look a lot better. I can't wait to see part 2. very interested!

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  16. your skin has improved vastly! look forward to your pt. 2!

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  17. wow! it really wasn't as bad as others i've seen but thank you for sharing. you've made me iffy about my B.E. now lol. i use it on and off but when i do use it, it does make my skin a lil itchy. but i really like EDM. ;)

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  18. wow, I'm amazed at how brave you are to post this! I used to have horrible acne too and I'd never post those pictures. Yuck. So glad your skin's gotten better. Mine has too but only since I start going on birth control.

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  19. Okay Im a believer now. Cuz Ive gone though most of what u mentioned!!

    going to google and buy it now

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