Week 24: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back lovely people!
Back at cha with another skin transformation update!  I know these are all sort of coming all at once and that is because they have been sitting in my "Drafts" section of my Blogger Dashboard waiting to be uploaded.  I know a couple blog posts back I said I would be uploaded a lot more over the next couple months so I am trying my very best to get out as many blogs as I can!  

I'm also trying my best to not sound so damn repetitive in all these weekly posts regarding my Banish Acne Scars journey so hopefully I'm not sounding like too much of a broken record.  Also trying my best to increase the amount of greens that I'm eating everyday as well as increasing my water intake.  Does anyone else get super bored of water and forget to drink their 8+ cups a day?  Hopefully it's not just me...

 If only the rest of my face could transform the way my forehead has.  I mean, look at that before & after! Holy crap, I'm even impressed by it!  The results from the Banish Acne Scars system are right there in front of you.  Pretty crazy to think that the before picture was taken only 6 months ago!

 Another great batch of evidence that displays the wonders that the Banish Acne Scars system (the M sized roller and the Vitamin C, E, Ferulic Acid Serum) has done for my skin!  Also, I just want to point out again that none of these photos have been edited, re-touched, photoshopped, etc!  This is the real, raw footage straight from my camera (the only thing I do to my photos is crop and zoom in/out, that's all!).  The red scars that were once near my skin tag are now practically gone!  Also, take a look at my chin!  Some of the bigger red spots are now smaller and hopefully will fade completely in the near future!

 I think the pictures above are some of my favourite before & after sets that I have posted to date!  Like I have said in my updated YouTube video, you're not going to see results overnight using the Banish Products because it's not a crazy miracle product (let's be honest, what product IS an overnight miracle product?? If there were such a thing I'm pretty sure we'd all be using it and we'd all have perfect skin haha)!  HOWEVER, you will 100% see significant improvements overtime!  That's the only shitty part about fading acne scars, it takes a lot of time and effort.  But after seeing these photos, I'm more motivated than ever to see what another couple of months using the system will do for my skin! 

 

 Just thought I'd highlight the main differences that 6 months using the Banish Acne Scars system has provided me with!  I mean, if that doesn't completely sell you on the product I don't know what else will!  Trust me, you will not regret purchasing anything from their website, ESPECIALLY their kits!  I have listed below all of the other weekly blog posts leading up to this one so that way if you've missed a week you can easily get to it by clicking the link!  Again, thank you for all the love and support!
♥

Click here for my Week 23: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 22: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 21: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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Click here for my Week 2: Banish Acne Scars blog post! 

Click here for my Week 1: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here to purchase products from Banish Acne Scars!

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"When you fail you learn from the mistakes you made and it motivates you to work even harder."

Natalie Gulbis 

Week 23: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back beautiful people!
I know it has been a long one and for those of you who have been keeping up to date with my journey and have been following, I just want to say thank you so much for the love and support.  It really does mean a lot to me, more than you know :)

When looking through my old photos, I came across the pictures that were taken at Week 11.  Of course my skin is a lot more pale in those pictures because they were taken in March and let me tell you I don't see too much sun in the winter months.  You'll notice in the after pictures that I have actually developed new freckles/beauty marks on the right side of my forehead (left side if you are looking at the picture) which were from a terrible sunburn I got in Cuba.  Note to self: Do not fall asleep under Cuban sun.

 

 Some dramatic differences can also be seen in the pictures listed below.  My skin still has many stubborn spots but overall my cheeks have gotten a lot better!  Can we also appreciate the cleanliness of that brow... freshly tweezed is how I like 'em ;)

 Taking a look on the other side of my face, the spots in between my beauty mark and chin have also faded nicely.  However, you can still see the stubborn spots that seem to be taking forever to fade (on my chin/jawline and upper cheeks). 

 As always I look forward to seeing your feedback and any questions you may have I am here to help!  You can also send personal questions to my g-mail account (glynnj95@gmail.com) if you don't feel like posting them on this blog for the whole world to see! (If you don't want to g-mail, you can always click "Anonymous" under the comment section of this blog!)

Click here for my Week 22: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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Click here for my Week 2: Banish Acne Scars blog post! 

Click here for my Week 1: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here to purchase products from Banish Acne Scars!

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."

Confucius

Week 22: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back darling people! 
Comin' at cha with an update on my Banish Acne Scars journey!  

To those of you who are new my name is Jessica Glynn but you can just call me by my last name :)  Also, for those of you who are not new, welcome back loves!  Hope you all are doing well and enjoyin' the warm summer months (that is, if you are currently experiencing the warm summer months).

Gosh, this feels like such a long journey now being at 22 weeks! Of course I know that fading acne scars takes time but man I didn't think it would take this long!  However, I am of course staying optimistic and hopeful that one day, whether its Week 55 or Week 105, my face will be as scar-free as possible!  A girl can dream :)

The time difference between the photos that I have included in this blog post are actually very far apart.  The pictures on the left were taken back in February so roughly 6 months ago!  Now, this was when I had first started using the Banish Acne Scars system.  As you can see, the scaring on my forehead and chin has dramatically decreased which is always good to see!  The reason why you may be seeing new spots shown up in the after pictures is because along my journey I had to deal with some active acne popping up on my face due to a number of reasons (unhealthy eating, staying up late, sleeping with make-up on, stress, you name it!) 

The scars near my beauty marks on my cheek have also faded!  Of course there is still some discolouration there but nothing like what it was before.  I know many people out there dealing with acne scars feel embarrassed of their spots and want to hide them as much as they can with make-up, and scarves (I'm guilty of doing this), but you gotta be confident in the skin you're in!  They are just red marks!! And if people have a problem with red marks on your skin, then you may need to readjust who you hang around and associate with.

 

The most important thing you can do during your journey of healing your skin and getting rid of your acne scars, and it's an old one... FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT.  I know it isn't the best motto to live by but if you can't find the courage and strength to love your scars, just fake it!  Trust me, if you've got a killer personality and you're funny and nice, people aren't gunna give a shit about the stupid red marks on your face.  And again, I will reiterate, if you have people in your life right now that DO give a shit about the scars of your face, chuck them to the curb.  I know it sounds harsh, but you don't need those kinds of people in your life.  In this type of journey you're gunna need friends that stick with you no matter what and will be there for you to laugh with, hang out with, etc. etc. no matter what you have on your face!  

Click here for my Week 21: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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Click here for my Week 19: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
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Click here for my Week 1: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here to purchase products from Banish Acne Scars!

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"What you do today can improve all your tomorrows."

Ralph Marston

MILK Causes My ACNE!!

You indeed read the title of this post correctly.  Do I know that milk 100% causes my acne? No.  But it is definitely a trigger for my active acne!  Let me fill you all in on a little background knowledge/story of my love for milk...

Ever since I could remember, I always, always ALWAYS ate Cheerios with milk.  As a child, I actually remember only eating my Cheerios with milk in a specific pink bowl that everyone knew not to touch because it was my designated bowl.  In my adolescence and teen years I would consume at least 3 relatively large bowls of Cheerios with milk a day!  We were going through Cheerios and milk as if it was nothing.  What can I say, I just loved the taste of ice cold milk and crunchy little O's.  Eventually, leading up to my late teens I noticed that dairy (specifically milk) was taking a toll on my acne and I knew I had to either cut down on the Cheerios or cut it out completely.  One day I went completely cold turkey and was done with the Cheerios with milk days.  It was a sad moment and I do miss eating 3 bowls a day, but it was ruining my face so I knew it was for the best.  Kind of like a relationship that you know is not good for you but you know you have to end it for the better of both partners.  Now I am just rambling, back onto topic...

While I was still eating 3-5 bowls of Cheerios with milk a day, I had noticed I had a lot of active acne as well as tiny little bumps that were always under the surface and never came up.  I tried a bunch of different treatments and creams and finally realized that it was all the milk that I was consuming that was causing my skin to freak out.  As soon as I cut out milk, I noticed my acne getting significantly better.  Majority of the active acne (those nasty white-heads) was gone and the bumps began to disappear.  I had not had milk in a long time and since coming back home for summer holidays I was tempted to try a bowl of Cheerios and milk.  Because I went cold turkey, I obviously missed my tried and true meal of the day.... 

IN SUMMARY, MILK TRIGGERS AND CAUSES MY ACNE.

 How do I know this?  

Simple.

I ate a couple bowls of Cheerios and BAM!

Instant acne.

 Don't believe me? I will prove it to you...

The pictures below were taken 2 days before I consumed milk.  As you can see, I do have acne scars but no active acne (white-heads).  Aside from the discolouration and hyper-pigmentation, my chin/jawline looks relatively clear.   

 

Here's where the proof lies.  These next couple of pictures were taken the next day after I had consumed about 2-3 bowls of Cheerios and milk.  As you can see, about 7-8 new pimples showed up on my chin and decided to stay a while since they had found such a lovely home (sarcasm very much intended here). 

 

As I have said many times before, this was just my experience with milk and dairy products and how it reacts with my skin.  There are however a ton of articles on the internet explaining why milk is actually doing more harm than good to your skin (i.e.: tons of hormones in milk, excess product of sebum, insulin spikes, etc.).  If you consume a lot of milk and your skin is clear, good for you!! Keep doing what you're doing, I'm just giving you my feedback/experiences on what milk has done to my skin.   
 

 Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,

Glynn  

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."

Ayn Rand

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil DUPE!?

I'm sure you are all familiar with the brand Equate, which is sold exclusively at Walmart?  If not, it is basically like the "no-name" name brand at Walmart that sells tons of different items ranging from skincare to hair products.  What's unique about this brand is that they are somehow able to create almost the exact same products as many other popular/well-known brands sold in Walmart (i.e.: Pantene, Olay, Neutrogena, etc.).  I had popped into my local Walmart a couple of weeks ago and was looking in the make-up/beauty isles.  I stopped near the body/facial oils because I am absolutely obsessed with oils.  One skincare oil that caught my attention was the Bio-Oil Skincare Oil which I am sure you have all seen and/or heard of.  It's known to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and uneven skin tones.  Interestingly enough, right beside the Bio-Oil was, what looked to be, the exact same product only a different brand name... the Equate Skin Treatment Oil!  After examining both packages of oils, there are many similarities between the two oils (i.e.: same packaging, same bottle size, almost the exact same ingredients).  The only huge difference I could find was the price!!  Now I don't know about you, but if I can save a couple bucks here and there by buying the inexpensive dupe, you know I will! 

I created a chart below which compares the claims, directions, ingredients, and prices of both skin oils so that you can see how similar they really are!

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil	Equate Skin Treatment Oil
Claims: Boi-Oil is a specialist skincare product formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and uneven skin tone. It's unique formulation, which contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil, is also highly effective for ageing and dehydrated skin.	Claims: Skin Treatment Oil helps to improve the appearance of scarring, dry skin, uneven skin tone, and stretch marks.  It contains Vitamin A and E, Rosemary, Calendula, Lavender, and Chamomile oils to rejuvenate the appearance of the skin.  It is hypoallergenic, contains no preservatives and is suitable for all skin types and can be used on face and body.
Directions: For the best results use twice daily on affected areas such as, scarring, stretch marks or uneven skin tone for a minimum of 3 months.	Directions: For the best results use twice daily on affected areas such as, scarring, stretch marks or uneven skin tone.  Individual results may vary.
Ingredients: Paraffinum Liquidum, Triisononanoin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, BHT, Bisabolol, Parfum, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol. Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI 26100 (Red 17).	Ingredients: Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Triisononanoin, Isopropyl Myristate, Anthemis Nobilis Oil (Chamomile Oil), Lavandula Angustifolia Oil (Lavender Oil), Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil (Rosemary Oil), Calendula Officinalis Extract (Calendula Oil), Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), BHT, Bisabolol, CI 26100 (Red 17).
Price: $11.97  for 60 mL (at most drugstores)	Price: $7.99 for 60 mL (anywhere Equate is sold, i.e. Walmart)

I have been looking for a facial oil that can replace my Banish Acne Scars Vitamin C, E, Ferulic Acid Serum on the days when I do not use it.  The Banish Acne Scars serum is quite expensive ($39.00 for about 15 mL) but is definitely worth every penny.  However, I only like using it after I use my Banish Acne Scars O.5MM roller.  I figured the Bio-Oil/Equate Skin Treatment Oil would be great to use every day/night in place of my Banish Acne Scars serum because it is so inexpensive.  So far I have noticed nothing but great results using the Equate Skin Treatment Oil both day and night when I have not used the roller on my face.  Of course with fading acne scars comes patience so in no way are either oils miracle products.  However, if you did want to save some money while still seeing the same results as the Bio-Oil, I would definitely recommend the Equate Skin Treatment Oil!  As always, I am not a dermatologist nor a skincare specialist, these are just my opinions and what works for me.  

The pictures above are exactly 4 months apart (Left side: April 7, 2015; Right side: August 7, 2015).  Obviously these are not the results of the Equate Skin Treatment Oil alone because I have only been using it for a couple of weeks but you can see the difference that both the Equate Oil and the Banish Acne Scars System has made.  I will be going into more detail on my actual Banish Acne Scars updates in future blogs to come this month but just thought I'd include a quick before & after reference for you loveys.

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn  

"Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts.  This is the secret of success."

Swami Sivananda

LUSH Cosmetics: Cupcake fresh face mask

 Welcome back babes! 

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed LUSH Cosmetics' "Cosmetic Warrior" fresh face mask and received great feedback from you folks!  This time around I will be reviewing another one of their fresh face masks.  This post is going to seem repetitive only because it is my review on another fresh face mask marketed towards problematic skin (which I of course have!)  The mask that I am talking about today is their "Cupcake" fresh face mask!  I have been testing out this product for a little over 2 months now and I must say it works wonders on my oily, problematic skin.  Basically, Cupcake is one of LUSH's fresh face masks which can only be bought in stores because they are handmade with fresh ingredients that do have a shelf-life (as opposed to products that have parabens, sulfates, dyes, etc. which preserve and pro-long shelf-life). 
Fun Fact: At the time, the inventor’s daughter was a young girl having slumber parties with her girlfriends every weekend, so he whipped up a chocolate mint mask for young, oily skin (officially solidifying him as the coolest dad ever)!  With spearmint oil to cool, vanilla absolute to calm redness and Rhassoul mud to deeply cleanse- Cupcake is a sweet savior for young faces :)

LUSH's fresh face masks only last a couple of weeks and must be kept refrigerated because they are made with fresh ingredients, thus why they can only be bought in stores and not online.  Speaking of ingredients...

Cupcake's ingredients:

Rhassoul Mud, Glycerine, Linseed Infusion (Linum usitatissimum), Talc, Cocoa Powder (Theobroma cacao), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao). Fresh Mint (Mentha Piperita), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill and Fusanus spicatus), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Spearmint Oil (Mentha spicata), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), *Limonene, Fragrance (safe synthetics).

* = occurs naturally in essential oils 

So I'll just go over a quick Pros & Cons list:
Pros

• Cleanses and soothes troubled skin
• Inexpensive ($6.95 CAN)
• Can easily be applied with clean fingers as well as a foundation brush 
• Works well at reducing the oil production throughout the day
• Gives the skin a nice cooling sensation 
• Who doesn't love the smell of chocolate!?
• LUSH Cosmetics is a wonderful company who does test on animals!

Cons

• Somewhat difficult to remove as in it takes a few splashes of water and a generous amount of rubbing to get the entire mask off, however, it is nothing excessive. 
• Small amount of product (60 g) which is equal to about 5-8 applications depending on how much you use
• Since it is one of LUSH's fresh face masks, you have to buy it is stores rather than buying in the comfort of your own home online

Application Process:

1. Start with a clean face. 
• As with any face mask, you want to make sure you start off with a clean face.  If you plan on using this first thing in the morning, I'd suggest just wetting your face with water.  However, if you plan on doing this before bed, take off all your makeup or anything you have on your face with a gentle cleanser, wash off, and pat dry.
2. Apply.
• Application is super easy with this product!  You can use your clean fingers to take a toonie-sized amount and apply it all over your face.  You can also use a foundation brush to apply which is my preferred method because it is less messy that way.  I use my Real Techniques pointed foundation brush to apply a thin layer of the mask all over my face making sure to avoid the eye/eyebrow area.
3. The waiting game.
   
   
   • Now is the fun part.  Put on some Netflix, watch some YouTube videos, listen to music, read a book, etc., etc., etc.  Now's the time to do whatever you want while you wait for your mask to almost completely dry.  I usually leave mine on for 10-15 minutes but I have left it on for longer and nothing bad has happened.  You'll know when your mask is ready to be taken off when you notice it starting to flake off when you make certain facial expressions.  The colour and texture of the mask also changes which indicates that it's time to wash it off!
4. Wash off the mask to reveal cleansed and soothed skin.
• The best way to wash off this face mask is to apply lukewarm water to the skin and gently massage off.  You'll notice the first few massages won't get everything entirely off, this is normal.  Just keep applying water to your skin and eventually it will all rub off.  Once it's all off, simply pat dry with a clean towel.  Apply your favourite moisturizer if needed and you're good to go.

 The pictures above show the Cupcake fresh face mask freshly applied to my clean skin.  As you can see the texture is quick thin and the colour is an opaque light-medium brown colour.  The pictures below show the mask 15 minutes later.  As you can see it has hardened and began to crack where certain facial expressions were made. 

 *Click here to find a store near you in order to try this one and other LUSH Cosmetics' fresh face masks that you see below!* 

 

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn   

"We believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not conduct or commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans." 

LUSH Cosmetics