Now that break is over I finally have to face reality. I have two more semesters left till I graduate. Therefore, I have to make some lifestyle changes.
Like waking up.
And going outdoors.
And interacting with humans.
Although all that sounds very, very difficult, I know I need to start somewhere. And I decided to make some skincare and other updates to my jet-set, riveting life.
The weather is now colder. It literally happened over night. One day it was 15C and the next day, it was 0. I guess it's officially winter when you can't open your window to let fresh air in because you're scared you'll die of pneumonia. My skin freaks out every time the seasons transition, be it back home or when I'm away. When it gets colder, my skin gets drier, therefore (bless it) it overcompensates with producing oil which gives me zits. It's a lovely cycle. There isn't much I can do when it starts, but I've gotten better at making sure it doesn't happen after the first couple times.
The first thing I'd like to talk about is the Vernal Spot Corrector. I don't know what N-E means but whatevs. It's a serum that is meant to erase acne scarring of which I have a bit thanks to my lovely zits. It's a slow working product but after three weeks of use, I saw results. I use this at night, under my moisturizer to even out my skintone.
I'm sure you've all heard of the whole stigma attached to how you shouldn't use oils on oily skin. Boo. It's all a lie. I find that when I use my deep pore cleanser, my skin dries out. And I need to put some oil in to kind of balance it out. I jumped on the Rosehip oil bandwagon months ago and I haven't looked back. It's a light, barely scented oil that absorbs really quickly and is brilliant for multipurpose use. I put it on my skin, my face, my hair and my nails. I got mine off Amazon (woot for Prime) but you can find it almost anywhere these days. I highly recommend it. It also dulls scarring so if you can't get your hands on a spot - correcting product as such, use this. I dislike the fact that a lot of the anti-scarring products have bleach - so thing is a nice, natural alternative. I don't know enough science to tell you what in Rosehip oil removes scars. Google it. And PM me.
I've been using charcoal and mud masks/products from the time I was a teenager and they've always, always worked for me. I jump between oily and combination skin, and charcoal is good for both. One thing I will say is that, never overuse charcoal. It's something that sucks all the crap out of your pores and dries you out. While that all sounds satisfying, using a charcoal based product every day will leave your skin feeling like a piece of paper. There are two products I've been using in particular, but of course, there are tonnes of alternatives. This Liora Organic Dead Sea Mud Mask Treatment is one of my favorite masks. It's almost like a mud-serum (trust me, it isn't as gross as it sounds) that goes on super light and dries, giving you a nice, light mask instead of those cementy ones where you feel like you'll crack your face off if you smile. It always leaves my skin feeling smooth and bouncy. I commit to using this around once a week and it works really well. This again, is off Amazon but you can find so many dead sea/charcoal masks on the market that work just as well.
Now, to the thing that my mother called a dish sponge. The Konjac Sponge is a natural exfoliator made from the Konjac root. Fun fact: another name for the Konjac flower is Voodoo Lily (I LOVE THAT). It's one of those Japanese beauty trends that has gone global. I have two - a white one and this black charcoal activated one. The white one is for every day use and this one is meant for a couple times a week. I first thought it'd be gimmicky as hell but NO. I cannot tell you how amazing my skin feels. I wet it, put my cleanser in the center of it and gently buff it into my skin. It removes EVERYTHING. Definitely on my holy grail list of Shit That I Put On My Face.
Lastly, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the number one rule to save your skin and fix your life is water. Hydration is basically the best thing that you can do to your skin. No amount of fancy cleansers, masks or serums can even level with the things that flushing out your system with those 6 or 8 or whatever the number of approved glasses is. I drink tea a lot too, which is a great anti-oxidant. I'm hooked to this fancy artisan tea that I treated myself to which is Ginger-peach. No milk, no sugar.
Also, being a dog person that lives in NYC, I know that it's going to be a while before I ever get a dog. So I bought a plant instead. Meet Cindy. She's a succulent and she can basically never die. Also, having plants around me keeps me calm and happy. Placebo? We'll never know.
