Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

Skincare struggle

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with my skin.  I have naturally oily skin and high levels of stress, which always led me to break out.  I also have hormonal acne (which camps out on my face about once a month, you know what I’m sayin’?)  Today is the perfect day to talk about skincare and current struggles for Blogger, May I.

I've struggled with skin issues for so long, I almost gave up trying. With clean(er) eating and new skincare products, I finally have skin I'm proud of.

I have tried just about every skincare solution on the market (except Proactiv) all throughout high school and college.  I really tried lots of things in college; that is when my skin was the worst it has ever been.  I blame it on the awful water in the PSU dorms.  Ugh, just terrible.  I even tried washing with purified water from my Brita, that’s how bad the water was there!

And of course, makeup makes a difference.  The worse my skin got, the more makeup I used, and the less it could breathe and heal itself…and we begin again.

Fast forward a few years.  I finally have skin that I’m getting proud of and I attribute it to eating fresher, drinking more water, and finding the right things for my skin.  Oh it was a struggle to find, but I did it.  And I did talk about some of my favorite skincare items recently – they still are, but I added a few new things to the mix.

A while ago, a fellow Local Levo leader, Kelly, sent me a message asking if I could help her with something she does on the side, Rodan + Fields.  Developed by two dermatologists, there are specific product lines for adult skincare concerns: acne, aging, dark spots, and overall skin health (look up).  I haven’t really ever committed to only using one line (I still mix and match), but I was definitely interested because her before and after pictures are crazy-awesome.

After taking the skin profile quiz and going back and forth with Kelly, I decided to try the Redefine line.  This line is made to diminish the appearance of fine lines, large pores, and loss of firmness.  Now, I don’t have tons of lines, but sometimes my skin looks dull and I want to get ahead of the curve and start giving my skin good things now before it is too late.

In the Redefine line is a cleanser + mask, pore minimizing toner, treatment + spf day cream, and a restorative night cream.  I’m not a huge fan of the cleanser + mask because when I wake up in the morning, I don’t want to spend 2+ minutes letting it sit on my face first before I actually wash, but I do love this at night.  And when I do use it, I notice an instant brightness in my skin.

The toner is so refreshing and gentle; it doesn’t tingle or sting (sometimes I actually like that because you know it’s working).

The creams are what I love most.  They actually get the job done but they aren’t greasy or heavy.  I feel super moisturized throughout the day without having extra oil production.  There’s a before-and-after skincare progression at the bottom.  Damn, that camera picks up ev.ery.thing.

Kelly warned me that the Redefine line isn’t for treating acne, but I do notice that if I get a breakout, it’s definitely not as long-lasting as it used to be.  Another benefit of the Redefine line is that spots fade quickly now that I’m using something with a little oomph to it.

She also warned me that I may notice an increase in breakouts right after I started to use this.  I’ve been through enough with my skin to know that any skincare switch will always “get worse before it gets better.”  I honestly didn’t notice an increase in breakouts when I started to use these products, so we’re in the clear there.

In addition to Rodan + Fields, I have been loving the Mary Kay Botanical Effects line.  There’s a gel cleanser, toner, gel “hydrator,” and a mask.  The gel cleanser is great in the summer to really tackle oil and makeup.  And the mask..oh the mask.  Mary Kay made a clay mask years ago that’s been pretty much my only skincare constant and they discontinued it.  The Botanical Effects mask has finally replaced that.

Guys, I’m seriously all about the masks.  I have Lush’s Mask of Magnaminty and I just bought Cupcake.  I can’t say good enough things about how they’ve made my skin feel bright and pretty.

And of course, I’m still forever in love with Philosophy.  Their Microdelivery Peel is my weekly treat to myself – my skin feels smooth and fresh after I use it.

I love makeup, but I love having to use less of it, especially in the summer.  The less I can do to a) get out the door and b) feel not caked in makeup all day long is a victory in my book.  Right now, I’m just down to wearing concealer and MAC Mineralized Skin Finish or a light dusting of Bare Minerals.

Just a little makeup and clear skin. It's possible!

There’s still some work to do, but I’m happy with the progress.

What are your skincare struggles?  Please tell me I’m not alone!



Rodan and Fields skincare transformation.

Need the prompts for the Blogger, May I challenge? Gotcha covered. Want to use your own prompts? No problem! Just grab a button to show that you’re linking up with myself, Katy, and Meghan. Oh, and use #BloggerMayI on Twitter/Instagram to keep the fun going even after you hit Publish!

Kelly sent me Rodan + Fields Redefine kit at a reduced rate, but I wouldn’t be sharing it if I didn’t use it, love it, and believe in it.  Other products mentioned are just because I love them and they work!

What’s in my makeup bag – skincare

I love watching videos on YouTube where you get a peek inside someone’s makeup collection: how they store it, what their must-have items are, etc.  I have amassed quite a collection, but there are some things that I use every day.  It is ridiculously hard not to go on and on about my most loved products.  Heads up guys, this one isn’t for you (sorry, Dad).

Because I do reach for a lot every day, so I thought I’d break it down by category.  Today is the base layer: skincare.  It’s gonna look like it’s sponsored by Philosophy, but it isn’t I promise.

There are so many good skin care products, it's hard to know what's good. Check out these skin care staples!

Before we get in to it, let me tell y’all a little about my skin.  It’s pretty oily.  If diners run out of grease in the summer, they just come find me because I’m like a walking oil slick.  You may think that the winter is my skin’s time to shine, but no.  It gets patchy dryness, which I moisturize, and then break out because of the heavy moisturizer.  So I use drying treatments and we begin again.

I think I finally broke the cycle this year.  I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or I’m using better products or I’m eating right or…who knows.  Some of these skincare products I’ve used for a long time, others are recent discoveries, but all of them have done wonders for my skin right now.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple and Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash

I use a combo of Philosophy Purity Made Simple and The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash.  Usually I’ll use the exfoliant in the shower in the morning and Purity at night, but I also will mix the two together if I need a little extra somethin’-somethin’.

I will use Purity Made Simple at night with my Clarisonic to really get everything off.

Philosophy makes the best skin care products! Paird with my Clarisonic and it's heaven. The Triple Acid Peel Pads are a holy grail.

Philosophy The Microdelivery Triple-Acid Brightening Peel

I’ve talked about these before.  I’m so in love with them for a little extra oomph in my skincare routine.  I use them once a week to brighten and even my skin tone.  Used in conjunction with Yes To Grapefruit Dark Spot Correcting Serum, and the acne scars I always battle are fading away nicely.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar Moisturizer

I never tried this before I found a kit on QVC with this and some other products that I’ve wanted to try.  This moisturizer is light and has AHAs so you get a little exfoliation at night (when I use this).  A little goes a long way.

I’ve also used and loved Philosophy Take a Deep Breath moisturizer.  It’s a light-weight gel that is so soothing.  It feels like you’re splashing water on your skin.  Love it for the summer.

They have a version with SPF, but I have not tried that.  I was going to and then I discovered…..

Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

Okay, I have to give it up to Jonathan for this one.  I’ve been mentioning skin troubles on and off and he’s always said that I should use what he does.  Well, I have a lifetime supply of Purity Made Simple (thanks QVC super size auto-delivery!) but I was getting towards the end of my supply of Hope in a Jar moisturizer.  So I tried this.

Even though it’s “formulated for a man’s skin,” my skin is in love.  It sinks in quickly, feels amazing, and the SPF in it doesn’t get greasy or heavy.  It also is unscented and doesn’t irritate my eyes if I get it too close.  All wins in my book.

 Acne treatments

I know that treatments don’t help hormonal acne very much, but I still like to try to prevent things that may be more environmental.  I used Clean and Clear Persa-gel 10 (among other high end and drugstore treatments) and then I discovered the Target generic knock-off and it does the same thing.  I use this all over, especially in the summer.

If I need to spot-treat, I reach for Origins Super Spot Remover.  This. is. amazing.  I picked this up in college after a friend recommended it to me and holy balls, is it good stuff.  Dab it on at night and wake up with a greatly-reduced (sometimes entirely gone) spot.

Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Regenerator Moisturizing Gel-Cream

This is a sample that I have rediscovered and loved.  I use it at night and I’m pretty sure this in tandem with the Jack Black moisturizer is how my skin has escaped dry patches during this recent cold streak.

This is totally different than any moisturizer I have used.  It says it’s a gel, but it has that “silicone” feel when you’re applying it.  Y’know, it gives your skin that slip that you typically get with primers.  I am really loving this sample, which is a shame because it’s expensive stuff!

Philosophy Hope in a Tube

Also in the Hope in a Jar line is Hope in a Tube.  It’s a great eye cream.  Very thick and heavy, though I wish it was as smoothing as they say.  I sleep with my face smushed into a pillow and I’m convinced that is why I need to use a heavy-duty eye cream. I also wear contacts so I’m tugging at delicate skin almost every day when I put them in.

I wish I had something that would stick with me more throughout the day.  I feel like by mid-morning, my under eye area looks dry and crepe-y.  Do you have any recommendations for good eye creams?

GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment

I’ve mentioned this mask before, so I’ll try to keep this short.  I was so upset when I didn’t use this all up when I discovered it had dried out on me.  I ration this stuff because it’s expensive, but so worth it.  When you feel your skin needs a good deep clean, this is what you need to turn to.

I’ve also been loving Bliss Steep Clean mask for a once-a-week skin vacuuming, but it’s totally different than the GlamGlow mask.  The GG mask is a clay mask that you can see sucking out the gunk.  The Bliss mask is more of an enzyme peel.  Still good, but in a different way.

Very favorite skin care products..Clarisonic, Jack Black, Yes To, Origins, Peter Thomas Roth, Up and Up, and Bliss

So those are the skincare products in my makeup bag that I reach for every day.  I know I seem super-high maintenance now, but a lot goes into looking this good (joke! That’s a joke guys).

What do you reach for on a daily basis when it comes to skincare?

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