Week 34: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back beautiful people!
Side note from the actual blog post.  I challenge each and everyone of you reading this to go look in a mirror and find 5 things you love about yourself and actually t e l l  y o u r s e l f.  If you find 6, or 7 things, then that's even better!  And if you can only find 1 thing that's fine too!  I hear so many girls comparing themselves to other girls out there when they are already beautiful (and boys too).  Self-confidence and self-love is such a beautiful thing and definitely something I think we should all start having a lot more of.  

Now that that little ramble is over, onto this week's acne scars progress!  So I think I've mentioned this before, but whenever I'm having a really good skin day or week, I always end up getting some sort of issue either the next day or the next couple of days.  But I don't even care anymore, I'm not afraid to say that my skin has been doing amazingly this past week!  Aside from the pimple I got underneath my lip and on my cheek, everything else has been super smooth and super clear (which makes me very happy).  I don't know, something about a good skin day/week for an acne sufferer can really just change their whole mood. 

I've gone back to my old routine of using the Dove Beauty Bar as well as using my Proactiv+ and I think the two combined are the perfect pair for my skin.  Again, it may be different for your skin, but I'm hoping either one or the other will help you in your journey!  If you do use either method, just be sure to moisturize afterwards as both products tend to dry out the skin.  I will usually use my Cetaphil and/or Equate Moisturizing Lotion (dupe comparison blog post here) or my CeraVe  Moisturizing Cream.  Now onto the before & after pictures...

We are looking at a 14 week difference here between these before & after photos (before photos taken from Week 20's blog post).  If this is the first blog post that you've stumbled on then I will inform you that I do not edit or re-touch any of my photos.  The most I do is crop them and zoom them in.  For those of you who have been following me for a while, that probably sounds like such a broken record and I'M SORRY (please forgive me), just informing the new folks that have stopped by.

I love looking at drastic differences like the one today because you are able to see the huge difference that the Banish Acne Scars products are making for my skin in the long-run.  If I were to post before and after pictures from week-to-week you probably wouldn't notice that much of a difference.  Nonetheless, the products are working wonderfully on my skin and I know I say this in every post, but I can't wait to see how much better my skin gets.  To all my acne and acne scar sufferers out there, know this... you are not alone!  There are so many of us out there, including me!  Hopefully my journey through this blog is showing you not to give up and to keep fighting this battle!  See you all in Week 35!

Click here for my Week 33: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
Click here for my Week 32: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 31: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
Click here for my Week 30: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 29: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 28: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 27: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 26: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 25: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 24: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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!

Click here for my Week 20: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 19: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
Click here for my Week 18: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 17: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 16: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 15: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 14: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 13: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 12: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 11: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 10: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 9: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 8: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

 Click here for my Week 7: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 6: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 5: Banish Acne Scars blog post! 

Click here for my Week 4: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 3: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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  

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

Ralph Marston

Week 33: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back lovely people!

I hope your 2016 year is off to a great start and glad you could make it back!  Yes folks, we are onto a new year, which means more opportunity to dermaroll!  Recently, I was talking with a friend of mine about how my "acne scar journey" was going.  I had told her the same thing I tell you, it's going well, but it takes time.  This would obviously come as no surprise to all of you, seeings how we are now at Week 33!  Over the past couple of months I have been sticking with my skincare regimen as well as trying my best to eat as healthy as I can.

  I'm still using the Proactiv+ 3-Step System, but I've actually gone back to using my Dove Beauty Bar on and off (I forgot how much I actually loved that bar)!  As for birth control, I have now switched over to Tri-Cyclen lo.  Don't get me wrong, Alesse did wonders on my skin, however, the switch was mostly due to issues with my menstrual cycle!  Now, onto the before & after pictures....

  The pictures on the left were taken from Week 5 (which was posted in February 2015).  Can we just take a moment to appreciate everything that the Banish Acne Scars system has done for my skin!?  Looking at the before and after pictures myself, it's even hard for me to believe that that was my skin before I started using these products.  Again, I've mentioned it before and I will say it again now, I do not edit or retouch any of my before and after pictures; I simply crop and zoom in.  So basically what you are seeing here is what my skin looked like back in February 2015 and what it looks like now in January 2016.   

 

 So excited and happy with the results that I've received from using the system!  In no way am I completely scar-free as of right now, however, my skin has come a very long way!  If you too are using the Banish Acne Scars system and are getting discouraged about how long it's taking for your acne scars to fade, don't give up!  Stick with it and you will see the results!  If you would like to catch up on any of my other "Banish Acne Scars" related blog posts, I list every single one at the end of each of the posts!  So if you've missed a week, or just want to recall some of my earlier weeks, all the links are down below! 

 

Click here for my Week 32: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 31: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
Click here for my Week 30: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 29: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 28: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 27: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 26: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 25: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 24: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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!

Click here for my Week 20: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 19: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
Click here for my Week 18: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 17: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 16: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 15: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 14: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 13: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 12: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 11: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 10: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 9: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 8: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

 Click here for my Week 7: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 6: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 5: Banish Acne Scars blog post! 

Click here for my Week 4: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

Click here for my Week 3: Banish Acne Scars blog post!

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 feel like quitting, think about why you started."

Unknown

Dove® Beauty Bar: Miracle Soap!?

No, your eyes don't need fixing. 

Yes, you read the title correctly.

 

I just want to start off this post by saying that this is just MY own personal experience using the Dove Beauty Bar. It may or may not deliver the same results for you. Obviously I'm hoping that it will work wonders on your skin like it has on mine, but I have seen many mixed reviews on the product (some hate it, some love it).  With that being said, I hope you enjoy my thoughts on the product.  

I always like to start off these posts by explaining the 5 W's (and how) of the product:

WHO: The original white Dove^® Beauty Bar

WHAT:  "The ultimate beauty bar. Pure and simple."  In other words, it is a bar of soap made with 1/4 moisturizing cream.  
Ingredients include: Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Tallowate or/ou Sodium Palmitate, Lauric Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Aqua, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoate or/ou Sodium Palm Kernelate, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, CI 77891

WHERE:  Can be bought at all major drugstores and online as well (Amazon, CVS, RiteAid, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, and anywhere where Dove^® products are sold).

WHEN:  I use this beauty bar twice a day; once in the morning and once at night.  I will also use it more than twice a day if I have make-up on or if I have been working out/excessively sweating that day.  

WHY:  In order to cleanse my face of any dirt, oil, make-up, or residue and to keep my acne at bay (yes, it has helped tremendously with my active acne which I will discuss in further detail a little later).

HOW:  I wet my face with warm water to open up the pores and rub the soap between my hands under the water creating a lather.  Once a good amount of lather is created, I take the bar directly and quickly run it over my cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose.  I then put the soap down, and with whatever lather is on my hands, I begin to work that into my skin.  I be sure to rub the product in my face for at least a minute, in order to ensure a proper cleanse.  Nothing harsh, just gently massage my skin with the lather.  Then, with cold water, I wash the soap off my face and pat dry. 

Pros and Cons of the Dove® Beauty Bar
Pros (+)	Cons (-)
Cleanses away all the dirt, oil, make-up, and residue effectively  It is a very basic and mild cleanser which allows many different skin types to use it (even sensitive skin)  Fresh/“clean” scent  Helped cure my active acne  Works better at keeping hormonal acne at bay than other products (i.e.: Spectro, Cetaphil, etc.) Also helped tremendously with the little tiny acne bumps that I used to have (the ones that you can't pop/pick at because they are just under the skin) Super inexpensive ($2-$8 depending on the different sized packages that you get) Readily available at all major drugstores and even some grocery stores in the health/beauty aisles!	Can get a little messy (vs. pump-style cleansers)  Leaves the skin slightly dry/tight feeling  Light fragrance (I actually don’t mind the fragrance but some may not like fragranced products)  Towards the end of its life, I find the product harder to work with (since it is a bar of soap, they get very fragile when used up until the end) You must buy a separate container to hold the soap in because it does not go well with the cardboard/paper packaging (wet bar of soap against dry paper.... you see where I'm going with this)

Well, that just about wraps up my testimony of the original Dove^® Beauty Bar. As always, be sure to do your own research and read up on the thousands and thousands of reviews that are online before you try out any of the products I mention.  And keep in mind that this is what works for my skin; what works for my skin may not necessarily works for yours (although, I do hope it does). 

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

"Do something wonderful, people may imitate it."

 Albert Schweitzer