The absolute best sunscreen ever....all people with acne check it out!

This SPF! The best ever!

I have been searching for a sunscreen that will not cause any acne, pimples, blackheads, cysts...and my friend this is it!!

I have tried probably a hundred over the years and nothing compares too this one. I use it every single day on my entire face and neck. One and a half pumps total. 

I use it when it rains, in winter...every single day of my life this goes on my face and I have had zero issues! 

How I finally "fixed" my acne and oiliness Part 2

I learned so much working with the most knowledgable physicians and fellow aestheticians. I learned how to use hair removal lasers..  how to treat rosacea, spider veins, hyperpigmentation, how to  use every kind of Glycolic, salicylic, jessner, enzyme peel solution, speed wax, brows, bikini wax, leg and back wax, treat acne, oily skin, dryness, wrinkles, how to give facials...the list goes on and on...

I also learned that Accutane does not last forever and that I needed another round of at least 6 months to really fix my skin...to permanently shrink my oil glands...yes permanently! Or I was going to have acne for life. So I did just that...6 months full round of Accutane as a licensed aesthcian. It was not as bad as the first time. Being that I was wayyy more knowledgable about dryness..the I importance of water...and nutrition....

After the 6 months....the peeling the incredible dryness...the nose bleeds...the blood work....it seemed as if I was cured...

Now I needed to find a way to keep my acne at bay...I needed a consistent daily home routine...

I was lucky in that I was able to try out every product that I used on clients on myself first. And I figured  out a routine that worked for me. I realized that home skin care is more important that just getting a peel once a week.

The light bulb moment was.....

realizing I had to treat my acne BEFORE it actually erupted. I had to pre treat it...I had to 
prevent it from happening.

I am thankful that after approximately 23 years of dealing with pimples I can officially say I am acne free. Have been for about 8 years now. While yes, I still have a breakout every now and then...I am very happy with the look of my skin.

Here's my routine: 

Daily makeup grime sweat removing foaming cleanser
Cleanser 2x a day

BPO cleanser 2x a day....life changer!
Salicylic toner 2x a day

Glycolic toner
bpo topical treatment

Retinol at night

Best SPF ever!! Every single day!!

My secret....Foundation SPF for daily glow!!!!!!

How I finally "fixed" my acne and oiliness Part 1

I started having acne when I was 12.

I suffered for the majority of my life with acne. Blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, oiliness, cysts...you name it I have had them all. I started seeing a dermatologist at 12 followed by dozens more...with the same routine...buff puffs, retin a, harsh scrubs, and a round of tetracycline. 

I started frying myself in the sun and tanning bed around age 14 thinking it would help my skin clear. Which it didn't and I was left with worse acne...which was now super red, peeling, dry, and scars from all of the tanning plus harsh meds I was on PLUS hyper pigmentation from the old heeling acne that was now burned and tan and now more acne...

It was a vicious cycle.

Tan, burn, peel, acne, red, dry, more acne, more peeling....

Not to mention the havoc I was wrecking on myself from picking....poking...digging..squeezing...

My skin looked like raw meat for so many years. 

As you can see here...overly tan..red...trying to hide my acne.

You can read Here about my past tanning habit.

And Here how I now safely self tan instead. 

After I finally stopped tanning I still had acne. 

Cystic acne came in college for me...oh the joy!  Plus all the rest of still stayed with me....

At this point I had been to countless dermatologists, tried every product, every makeup, and nothing seemed to work. 

I then heard about the very serious drug Accutane. It was 1996.  I discussed it with my then Derm and I went on a 4 month round of Accutane. It was Sooo amazing!, My skin had never been clearer! It was the miracle I had been looking for! Within just a few short weeks my oiliness had completely gone, all my zits were gone, blackheads gone, cysts gone....everything gone! I loved it! I was finally able to not think about my skin!

Yes I had a bloody nose daily from Accutane. Yes, my lips were so dry if I went without Chapstick for 30 minutes it was a catastrophe. Yes, I had to drive 2 hours every other week to have blood drawn to make sure my lipids were ok and that my cholesterol had not raised (it was elevated one time...) 

BUT I HAD CLEAR SKIN!

Which lasted about 2 years post Accutane...and then it came back. 

So I started having Glycolic acid peels at my Derm office (this was back when insurance paid for them)....they would keep me clear for a couple of weeks and then I would break out again. I did this routine for a couple of years. 

But my skin was still very oily, many blackheads, not as many cysts, but still a ton of just gross zits all over.  Makeup was out of the question...everything broke me out! Everything! I tried powders, minerals, liquids, expensive, cheap...I read articles, books, magazines...anything I could to help me but nothing helped! 

So in 1999 I went to Paramedical Aesthetics (medical skin care) School.  I wanted to learn as much as I could about acne. I wanted to solve and fix my own skin as well as help others.  

I loved Aesthetics School. It was so wonderful! I learned so much about the health and integrity of skin. I learned how to wax eye brows...I met dear friends...

I finished school and went to work that very same day at a spa. 

Since then I have had the pleasure to work in different realms in the skin world..... I was the head of aesthetics for the Vanderbilt Cosmetic Surgery Center, I worked for Élan Skin and Laser Center, I have worked with dermatologists, plastic surgeons, fantastic innovative aestheticians...I worked for Wax Nashville...I have been a licensed Aesthetician for over 15 years.