August 29, 2014

Let's talk about clear skin

Or, in my case, not clear skin.

I haven't struggled with really bad skin since I was a teenager, maybe 13 or 14.  My skin hasn't been bad at all for the last 5-10 years.  Not perfect, but definitely not terrible.  However, last fall, my skin suddenly decided to act up in a way that I've never experienced.  It started in September-ish and by spring I was dealing with this.

May

For a frame of reference, this was December 2012.  A nice, make-up free close-up.


I could tell you the list of products I tried in order to make this better.  I could talk about the amount of time, effort, money, and hope I put into products.  I could write about the theories I developed on why my skin was behaving in such ways.  But I don't want to talk about that.  I can give that laundry list another day.  What I would like to talk about is what worked because that's what's important here.

At the end of May, I started using Rodan + Fields Unblemish.  Two friends I met in Alaska sell the products and I'd found myself wondering if I should try them. By the time I was getting ready to leave Missouri, I knew that I had to try something with the real potential to work on my skin because I was sick of being disappointed.


Now, if you like the idea of using Rodan + Fields, who are famous for their anti-aging product lines, you can go straight to the website and use the Solution Tool to find what line may be right for you:


It's an easy, interactive online quiz that helps you decide on a product: Unblemish, Reverse, Soothe, or Redefine. There's also an Enhancements and Essentials lines, and I'm hoping to try out those products too.  I knew I needed Unblemish, but I'm looking into the idea of switching to a few Soothe products in the future because I generally have really sensitive skin.  

I started out using the sulfur scrub to cleanse, followed by the clarifying toner.  I didn't want to try every product in the line at first simply because I do have sensitive skin and I wanted to make sure I didn't react badly to the products.  The best part was knowing that there was a 60-day money back guarantee, so I didn't have anything to lose.  I also ordered the moisturizer with sunscreen and I use it when needed, but not everyday.

After a month, I ordered the Dual Acne Treatment.  This was the actual medicine that was supposed to heal my skin, in addition to the others that were cleaning it.

By last week, 6 weeks into using the entire regimen twice a day, this is what my skin looked like.



I can't believe it's worked so well. Is my skin perfect?  No.  Is the redness and most of the bumpiness gone?  Yes.

If you've never struggled with bad skin, you might have trouble understanding what it feels like, but confidence is ripped away from you in every aspect of your life. It becomes the number one thing you think about when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you regret over before you fall asleep. It's terrible.

I do say that the only thing that held me back from jumping on the Rodan + Fields bandwagon was the price.  It made me hesitate not because I wasn't willing to pay for a product that would clear my skin, but because I've spent a lot of money on products that didn't clear my skin.  I will say that the 60-day money back guarantee gave me peace of mind when I was ordering.  It also made me feel like the product was more likely to work.  If you are having troubles with you skin, I can 110% recommend these products for you.  I would love to direct you to my consultant Jami's webpage if you're interested in trying R+F.  I do recommend becoming a Preferred Customer because there is the perk of 2-day free shipping, which will save a lot of time and money in the end.


Jami sent me a few free samples of the Enhancements Micro-Dermabrasion Paste to try out and I liked it so much that she offered to send me the full-size version.  I love the exfoliating element this adds back to my skincare routine...I've really missed that!


In the end, I would have to say that these products are worth it.  I will continue to use them and I hope that by spreading the word, you might give them a try too.

All opinions are 100% my own and I am buying my own Unblemish regimen each month. 

15 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you found something that works!! I had HORRIBLE cystic acne as a teenager/young adult, so I understand how it makes one feel, especially when the only option is to cake on makeup and hope nobody notices. Thankfully I have decent skin now, but it took years to get to the point where I don't have a constant breakout somewhere on my face.

    That said, I currently have FOUR pimples on my chin and it's driving me crazy. I'm positive it's stress.

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  2. Your skin looks great, I'm glad the product is working for you.

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  3. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

    **Also, I think I changed my no-reply setting. Thanks for letting me know!**

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  4. Wow that looks like a fantastic product! I have a close friend who struggles a lot with acne and is always looking for something new. I will definitely have to share this with her.

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  5. Ugh. My skin FREAKED OUT last winter like it hadn't since I was 14. I feel your pain.

    I'm glad you found something that works so well. What a huge change.

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  6. I'm a Mary Kay consultant (and loyalist), but I've heard good things about R&F. I say go with and stick with what works for you. Glad you've found something!

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  7. I'm really happy that this worked for you!! According to my consultant with the info I provided about my skin, I "needed" to use Unblemish. I followed the schedule to building myself up to the twice a day routine, but it SUPER dried out my skin. Then I started to break out worse than before. I've gone back to using in once a day in the morning, and it's working much better for me now.

    I do need a break from it because of the cost investment, but I think I would also try a different product line next time. I really don't think that Unblemish is the perfect one for me.

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  8. Glad you finally found something that worked and that you like. I generally have "good" skin, but I can absolutely understand how stressful this probably was.

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  9. I've always struggled with finding a good product. I've been using the It Works skin care line right now and it seems to be doing the trick, for the most part. I still get random breakouts on my chin... but I blame my eating habits for that!

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  10. I'm so so glad this is working for you!!! Your skin looks so great! Thank you again for sending me the clinique stuff--I don't know why that stuff works so well for me, but it really does. I was talking to my brother on Tuesday (he's 40 and also dealing with acne) and we just...sigh. Aren't we too old to be dealing with this shit? hah

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