The Godsend Treatment: Vitamin E Oil for Hormonal Acne and Allergies

Hurray! I found it!!! For many many months, I have been suffering from hormonal breakouts around my mouth and chin area every single month as my period came close and whenever I'd eaten any hormone-laden food, like milk, beef and soy - all my faves...And when it hit, it went quite out of control. 

Prayers granted as I popped into a health food store near my place and came across this booth displaying natural vitamin E oil of different dosages. I bought the one that contains 32,000 IU of vitamin E, originally meant for eliminating stretch marks and scars. But hey, acne and allergies are in a sense inflammation, which could be remedied by the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and repairing properties of natural vitamin E oil. 

I layered the vitamin E oil generously over the affected areas and a little over the good areas, massaged it in and leave it on as a sleeping mask. Believe it or not, it worked wonders overnight! After washing it off the next morning, my skin was tamed, soft and supple. The best part is, the angry pimples are calmed, bumps subsided and I even thought the pimple scars shrank a bit as well! Since then, I repeat this routine every night to replace my facial moisturizer - the very last step. I would still highly recommend you to hydrate your skin as per normal before using the oil. After all, this last step is supposed to lock in the moisture of your well-hydrated skin. That said, I still treat my skin with toner, essence and hydration cream-gel before massaging in this oil. My hormonal acne is pretty much in control these days, with only mild acne which dries up significantly faster and the blemishes diminish significantly faster than ever before...erm alright, since my teenager years. 

Skincare Review for Acne-Prone Skin: Eau Thermale Avene Anti-blemish Trio

My skin has been hypersensitive since the beginning of August with exposure to a cocktail of acne-boosting factors (e.g. overexposure to the sun, skin allergy, stress, etc.). My latest skincare routine has included a handful of hypoallergenic products, which I will review in two separate entries. They have done magic to my irritated skin within days. I recommended Dermalogica Overnight Clearing gel (see review HERE) some weeks ago, but it's no longer enough to fight the battle. This is the second time my skin breaks out so badly in my 30 years of life. It's a hard battle indeed, but surprising the golden rule of thumb is: Go simple and mild! It doesn't only apply to what you apply after your facial wash, but also to what you use to wash.

I see a stark improvement in my skin condition after using 3 items from Eau Thermale Avene, one of the brands commonly recommended by dermatologists. 

1. Clean-Ac Cleansing Cream

I have combination-dry skin, which means my cheeks are rather dry even under this humid spring/summer weather. So I opted for this cleansing cream for better hydration. It is a misconception that the oily T-zone needs no hydration since it is actually oily because of dehydration! What makes this cleansing cream great for sensitive skin is that it's soapless! It's utterly gentle, but it can also remove sunscreen and grime without overstripping your skin. My skin feels clean and calm after the wash.

2. Cleanance K Cream-Gel

Thanks to the effectiveness of AHAs (glycolic acid and lactic acid) and BHA (salicylic acid), Cleanance K can exfoliate, hydrate, and balance the sebum-secretion of the affected areas. I have to stress that it is indeed very effective in treating acnes and blemishes. But I have one note of caution: Don't be greedy!!! Apply ONLY a thin layer to the affected areas as it may burn your skin if you layer too much! It may sting a bit even with a thin layer. My skin actually turned red when my pimples were really inflamed. The redness subsided after like 10 minutes...and I haven't experienced much stingy sensation and redness since the inflammation was treated after two nights of application. But in any cases, you do really need to spare that 10 minutes for the formula to sink in for better results anyway. I think this cream-gel is the crux of the entire skin rescue. My pimples were dried up, or at least partially dried, the next morning!

3. Clean-Ac Hydrating Cream

The moisturizer is specially formulated for blemish-prone sensitive skin. As it vouches, it does hydrate and soothe my irritated skin. It also instantly calms the stingy sensation brought by Cleanance K. It provides the nourishment and protection my blemished skin needs for recovery. The only thing is, it's apparently heavier than my usual moisturizers and I just can't make myself use it over my T-zone area (on which I'm still using Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner - HERE). Other than this, it's a brilliant moisturizer, especially for the upcoming fall season. 

Overall, with these 3 Avene Products, my skin is now tamed, my face is clearing...everything's on the right track!

   

Today's Experiment: Garnier Pure Active Anti-Imperfections Cooling Roll-on

I had a relatively serious breakout as part of my usual PMS symptoms last week. For your information, I only started experiencing acne problems at age 22 when I was exceptionally depressed for some reasons. My guess is, the depressive events must have switched on the dormant bits of my puberty genes...at my twenties...! But even so, it used to take me only like 3 to 4 days to get rid of the zits completely, including the marks. Those were the days...cell regeneration is obviously slowing down year by year. It's been over a week, and I still have 4 unwanted bumpy pimple scars along my jawline...

Seeing this new ad on TV, I purchased Garnier Pure Active Anti-Imperfections Colling Roll-on at Watson's today with a bit of hope and great desperation. What's more, it's such a deal - HKD63 (USD8)!!! Why not?! 

The roll-on serum features Salicylic acid in maximum concentration and their trademarked HerbaRepair. Salicylic acid is known as one of the most efficient anti-bacterial agent that improves the skin's barrier functions and collagen production. It's also an exfoliant which helps reduce blemishes, and therefore is widely used in anti-blemish products. HerbaRepair is an active ingredient extracted from blueberry that provides regenerating and repairing properties for faster skin renewal. 

I have just tried it for the first time. It truly feels cooling and smells like a mixture of antiseptics and mint, which is perfectly acceptable (at least for me) as the refreshing sensation and scent induce a feeling that it's immediately doing its work! According to the information printed on the packaging, imperfections will be soothed in 5 hours. And in 2 days, imperfections and marks will be visibly reduced. I'm going to apply it in the mornings and evenings. Let's experiment it and see how it goes in a few days!!! Updates pending...*wink*

A 2-in-1 treat: Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner

My face always suffers at this time of the year when our relative humidity goes up and down like a yo-yo. My T-zone becomes so oily that hardly any oil control and hydrating products can curb the active oil secretion, while my cheeks are slightly more dehydrated than usual. This is so super annoying! Although my regular facial treatments are doing a great job, it's still not good enough! Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner is my ultimate solution! It's a superb toner that clarifies my complexion, calms my skin and restores its natural pH level without the use of alcohol. My T-zone becomes less oily and my face plump and (comfortably) moist after use. It's perfect for acne-prone and combination skin.

The toner contains lavender extract (which is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory - good for getting rid of your acne or even insect bites), Quillaja wood (a natural soap), and Sweet Betty Flower (a natural clarifying component that retains your skin's natural oils). It comes with a spray nozzle which makes it a handy facial spritzer!

Applying this toner is a pleasant, mind-soothing experience (not only skin-soothing!). It quickly penetrates through my skin, leaving it soft and supple without any grease. My T-zone and cheeks feel instantly calmed and balanced. The fragrance of lavender also works like aromatherapy, adding a little tender touch to my mornings and evenings...look, I'm actually getting 2-in-1 treat!...BUT the best part is yet to come! What really delights me most is its antiseptic property. My face's very sensitive and I'll get a couple of unknown itchy red spots from time to time. No worries! With this toner in my closet, all I have to do is to dab more of this toner on the affected area/spot, and my 'headaches' will be gone in a short while...Yes, it's almost like a magic potion to me!