My Recovery from Acne
This is my skin back in High School. I noted my lifestyle below which was pretty typical teen neglect of my own health, wellness, and well-being. To escape from my home stress, I attacked my face with a habit of picking. I wouldn’t talk to therapists about it, my life was so on track for college and big societal goals I didn’t voice what was really bothering me.
In the first photo, there is a lot of scarring and hyperpigmentation. In the other photos, my face was blotchy and textured. My face was often rough, bumpy, and flaky. I remember trying many typical three-step lines that included an active ingredient in a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. I was so focused on taking away all the bacteria and dirt that I felt like I had to clean my face constantly with soap, extract the dirt out, and disinfect my face with alcohol but it created this really bad spiral.
I was eating foods that were contributing to breakouts like sugar, dairy, and packaged food. To feel motivated in life, I participated in arts programs. I studied dance, film, and museums, and hung out with artist friends who were always working on projects. I was quite the social butterfly but I was hiding this pain that felt overwhelming to heal.
Products
Brands like Clearasil, Oxyclean, Neutrogena
Aztec Clay Mask
Home remedies like yogurt and lemon
Poor Habits
Picking
No sunscreen
Diet
Junk food, fast food, packaged food
No vitamins, whole foods, or nutritional balance
Lots of processed sugars and carbs
Exercise
Dance Classes 15 hrs/wk
Stress Level
High, worried about college standards, home, financial and emotional troubles
Stress Reduction Habits
Participating in the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts
Museum Internship
Hanging out with friends
Spa Therapies
None
This is me between High School and 2020. A good chunk of time when my skin was also on the back burner. I was trying to figure out my identity and my career path as I traveled and lived in different cities. At this time, I started to experience Crohn’s disease, an auto-immune of the digestive system, so my life was super focused on healing, being able to eat, and getting out of depression. My friends were graduating college, starting careers, and establishing relationships and I was slowly getting back to part-time work, going to community college, and then getting my degree.
For my skin, I just had a junk drawer of facial cleaning products. I didn’t know how to read labels or what active ingredients were so I kept trying new things. I really felt overwhelmed because I was focused on Crohn’s and figuring out what to eat and what was causing my stomach aches.
Products
Generic Drug Store
Different three-step acne treatments
Poor Habits
Picking
No sunscreen
Diet
No vitamins, whole foods, or nutritional balance
Lots of processed sugar and carbs
Exercise
Yoga practice 30 min daily
Hikes and nature walks a couple of times a month
Stress Level
High, going through Chron’s disease, and playing catchup with life
Stress Reduction Habits
Worked at a hydrotherapy spa and a float canter
Meditated here and there
Hanging out with friends
Spa Therapies
Hydrotherapy once a month
Floatation Therapy once a season
Infrared Saunas once a season
At the beginning of the Pandemic, I really started to break out. I used to live by the University Village in Seattle so when businesses started to reopen, I would walk to Sephora and befriend the Beauty Advisors. Talking about acne can be a very emotional trigger and the skincare experts there understood and treated me like a good friend. They taught me how to detox from my skincare regime by taking away all the active acne-killing ingredients and simplifying it to a cleanser and moisturizer. I let go of attacking my face with harsh chemicals and letting it breathe for a week.
My skincare research was basically my full-time job. I would go to Sephora, discuss a healing approach, take home samples, and watch youtube videos on every product and brand. It was fun to work on myself because I was starting to understand my body and see results. I tried one product at a time and gave it three days to react to my skin type and lifestyle. I watched out for immediate reactions like redness or irritation and delayed reactions that could surface from a lower layer.
I started to research how to build a smoothie with special powders that were good for my health. I also started a daily meditation practice of an hour each morning and tuned into what made me feel good and healthy. Healing my skin wasn’t solely an external process, it was a process of trust with products, procedures, and listening to my gut. Meditation also lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, and activates the Vagus Nerve which is designed to put the body in a state of rest, digestion, and healing.
I was beginning to take more care in how I was treating my skin and would be really ritualistic about it too. Instead of scrubbing, I would gently apply each product with a very light hand. I think the meditation practice helped me transform my self-hate, aggression, and depression. I was no longer escaping from the stress of life and Corhn’s, I was actively taking care of every aspect of it. I took photos to document the progress of each new product and I’m glad that I did because look! I am soundproof!
Exercise
Yoga practice 30 min daily
Walks in nature
Stress Level
High, pain and lifestyle changes from Crohn’s disease
Stress Reduction Habits
Started a meditation practice 1 hr daily
Drawing post every other week
Spa Therapies
Float therapy 1 hr daily
Sauna therapy 30 min weekly
Products
Sephora Clean Products:
Tatcha Oil Cleanser
Youth to the People Cleanser and Moisturizer
Mechanical and chemical exfoliators
Dr Dennis Gross Acne Wipes
Sunday Riley Luna Retinoid Oil
Supergoop! Sunscreen
Poor Habits
Picking
Diet
Diet cleanse:
No sugar, gluten, dairy, or fried food
Meat on special occasions
Custom Smoothie twice daily:
Fresh, frozen, and buttered fruits
Veggie, Protein, and boosters in powder form
With a dedication to my skincare and wellness routines, within a year I started to see results. Once I learned how to treat my skin at its worst, I had a new skill to tailor my skincare regime to what it needed. I took notes, reduced the active ingredients, and tracked how often to exfoliate. I observed my skin through different seasons, humidity, and conditions, and tried to keep the rest of my lifestyle consistent. I started my 100 hr float practice which helped me heal my mental health and emotional traumas. I started writing about the benefits of floating which jumpstarted my blog for Spa Research.
Exercise
Walks in nature daily
Started muscle training and running at the gym daily
Stress Level
Med High, my family was taking care of me during job hunting
Stress Reduction Habits
Drawing post every other week
Writing about Float Therapy
Spa Therapies
Floatation therapy 1-2 hrs daily
Sauna weekly
Hydrotherapy once a month
Products
Farmacy Makeup Remover
Youth to the People Cleanser and Moisturizer
Mechanical and chemical exfoliators
Dr Dennis Gross Acne Wipes
Sunday Riley Luna Retinoid Oil
Supergoop! Sunscreen
Poor Habits
Picking but trying to stop
Diet
No sugar, gluten, dairy, or fried food
Meat on special occasions
Custom Smoothie twice daily:
Fresh, frozen, and buttered fruits
Veggie, Protein, and boosters in powder form
I’m really grateful for my communities in meditation at the Mindry, float therapy at Float Seattle, and the Beauty Advisors at Sephora which really helped me get out of depression. Currently, my skincare is a very simple yet thoughtful hygienic practice. It’s a ritual that I treat as a meditation, being gentle with my face, and sending loving energy through my fingers and at my reflection.
The way that I feel about my skin now makes me feel happy. I am amazed by the universe and its ability to heal wounds, scares, and emotional traumas. I feel confident that I can pursue my goals and be fully present. Acne caused a lot of sadness that I couldn’t get away from and now I’m no longer hiding any secrets, discouragements, or anxieties.
My training as a Meditation Teacher and Reiki Healer is guiding me to help others in the most honest way that I can. I’m interested in studying esthetics and becoming a Licensed Esthetician. I believe that healing the skin is a holistic approach that would benefit from the foundation of these ideologies.
Sharing my skincare journey is a self-reflection for me and my ability to heal and hopefully inspire others who have or are experiencing beauty traumas. I truly hope others will see their desired results as I have.
Exercise
Walks in nature daily
Stress Level
Med High, family taking care of me during job hunting
Stress Reduction Habits
Meditation Teacher Training
Reiki Healer Training
Spa Therapies
Hydrotherapy a few times a month
Red Light Therapy a few times a month
Crystal Therapy
Products
Coconut Oil makeup remover
Youth to the People Cleanser
Cetaphil Moisturizer
Youth to the People Exfoliator weekly
Supergoop! Sunscreen
Poor Habits
None
Diet
No sugar, gluten, dairy, or fried food
Meat on special occasions
Custom Smoothie twice daily:
Fresh, frozen, and buttered fruits
Veggie, Protein, and boosters in powder form
February 14, 2023
