One Year Ago Today

Welcome back new and old people!
I state "new and old" since we have now approached 2016, so for those of you who are new to my blog, hello and welcome!  And to those of you who are familiar with me and my blog, welcome and thank you so much for coming back!  2015 was such a crazy year for my "Skin Transformation Journey."  I never would have thought I'd come this far in it and still be trekking along.  It has been a very long journey, a year to the date believe it or not.  My very first post on this blog was posted exactly one year ago today on January 6, 2015 and it was a brief little introduction of who I was and the purpose of creating this blog.  I have decided to go back and take a look at that post and reflect on it (my reflections will be in the bolded font).   I have included the entire post below as well as the original link here if you'd like to check it out! 
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“A little introduction...”

Hello there,

A little about myself?

My name is Jessica Glynn and my birthday is on June 9th, 1995 which makes me legal in Canada (woot woot!) and a Gemini (yikes). I am in my second year of university and I am currently a full-time student and working at McDonald's on the side (hey, you gotta start somewhere).  Let's see.. what else can I tell you guys.....

I absolutely LOVE YouTube and have been watching beauty-related videos for probably 8 years now? AND I'm actually obsessed with Instagram. To be honest, I could probably spend hours and hours on both of those social media sites.

Yes, yes, and yes.  This is all still pretty much the same.  My name hasn't changed, was still born on the 9th of June, and I am still a Gemini.  I am also still a full-time student, only difference is I'm in my third year now in university.  I do still work at McDonald's, part-time, on the side and l o v e watching YouTube videos (especially the beauty related ones).  Still obsessed with Instagram, for those of you who already know me, that won't be a surprise to you ;)  I do still spend hours and hours on social media websites which I'm not exactly proud of but hey, we all have our flaws!

  

But yeah, like I said, the name's Glynn and welcome to my own personal blog related to my "Skin's Journey."  About 3 months ago I posted a collage comprised of three pictures of my natural skin on my Instagram.

At first, this was a very hard picture for me to upload for two reasons: 

1. At that time I hated the way my natural skin looked and it made me feel alienated 

2. I did not know how my friends and family that follow me would react to such a thing

Jessica, Jessica, Jessica... where the heck was your damn confidence back then!?  Your skin doesn't even look that bad!  I won't lie to you though, I hated the way my natural skin looked and I was sick of seeing all these people on Instagram posting these overly edited/filtered photos so I decided to take the plunge.  Posted the damn thing.

Eventually I brought up enough courage and just posted the damn thing.  The caption read:

Alright let's be real for a second. Yes, this is my skin freshly cleansed, toned, and moisturized. This is it. This is what it looks like without any make-up, filters, photoshopping effects, or whatever else you can use nowadays to change the way you look. (Some days are better, some days are worse) I thought about posting these pictures for two reasons. One, to show that no one is perfect and two, to learn to be fucking comfortable in your own damn skin (even on public social media sites). Yes I have redness, visible pores, and visible post-acne scarring. So fucking what? Honestly I hear so many people complaining and worrying over stuff like that (myself included) but who the fuck cares, you know? As long as you're comfortable and accepting with what God gave you, WHO CARES!! And if you're not accepting and grateful with what God has given you then you need to reevaluate your shit. (This took an unexpected-religious approach which was not what I intended.) Let's get back on topic. This is me, this is who I am, and I honestly (and I do mean honestly), could care less about what others think of me; redness, pores, scarring, n' all. And if I want to wear foundation and concealer to cover it up some days or in Instagram pictures then that's what I'm going to fucking do. If that bothers you then please excuse yourself by unfollowing me or not associating with me anymore. As long as I keep myself healthy and happy, the rest will eventually fall into play. Anyway, I apologize if some of you found this annoying or preachy but if you did you really shouldn't have read on up until now.. lol. In short, love what God gave you and fuck what everyone else says or thinks. Don't be afraid to show the world who you really fucking are. Again, I apologize for the length and any crudeness that may have been "unnecessary." #loveyourself

I remember re-reading the caption over and over again to make sure there were no spelling mistakes and that everything I needed to say was said.  Even today, I'm pretty proud of that caption.  A lot of truth went into it and that caption was one of my proudest moments of 2015.  I was so glad to finally show people the real me, unedited, not filtered, just me.  And the feedback that I received sent me over the moon.  Of course after it was posted my nerves got the best of me because you never know what people are going to say.  However, I was shocked to see so many genuine (in my mind anyway) and positive words of encouragement.   

I poured my heart and soul into the rather lengthy and at times crude caption and to my surprise received tons of positive feedback:  

It was the feedback that I received that pushed me to create this blog.  Basically this blog will provide information, feedback, advice, tips, tricks, etc. all things skincare (and make-up too) as well as pictures of my own skin's progress.  I also have a YouTube channel that will soon go up and I will add links and what not onto the blog as well.

I do believe that this blog has provided you all with tons of information, feedback, advice, tips, and tricks in  regards to skincare (as well as some make-up too!).  I invited you along my journey of 52 weeks (32 of which were documented) of my progress using the Banish Acne Scars system as well as other products from their brand.  I've replied to comments stating my opinions and advice to those of who who have commented.  The YouTube channel was a bit of let down for myself and others I'm sure.  Making videos for YouTube is a hard task and is definitely not as easy as it looks (as I learned that first hand).  I was able to upload two videos in regards to my progress and hoped to upload more but it just wasn't completed.  I do hope to upload some more for you this year in 2016.  I was thinking of uploading a couple videos to go along with some of the posts that I've posted throughout this year since I know not everyone enjoyed reading about it and would rather watch and listen to me discuss it.     

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care, 

Glynn

"Once you've accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you."

 George R. R. Martin

This is also something I have continued to do on every single blog post that has been posted this year, which is to add in a few words of encouragement and motivation to the end of each post.  These quotes can be found on many of the popular "quote" websites that are out there on the internet.  I wanted this quote in particular to be the very first motivational quote because it is one that resonates with me and one that I think everyone should live by.  Martin states, "Once you've accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you."  I don't know about you, but whenever I hear that quote, it's as if this huge flow of confidence just surges through my entire body and mind.  A little deep for such a small quote, I know.  But if you think about it, it does make sense.  I'll give you an example: I personally think and know I have a big forehead, I usually call it a five-head to be honest.  My forehead used to bug the crap out of me in my teenage years, but it wasn't until I actually accepted the fact that this is the size of my forehead and there is nothing I can do to change it (apart from cosmetic surgery and what not) but I didn't want to take that route.  God created my forehead a little bigger and if that was his plan than that is that.  I don't want to get too religious here, but I think you are born exactly the way you should be born.  Once you are able to accept that, you will start to see how beautiful you really are.  And yes, it's true not everyone will find you attractive and that is o k a y.  We were not put on this earth to please everybody.  As long as you are able to accept the person you are (flaws and all), no one can bring you down because they have nothing to bring you down with.  If someone were to tell me that I have a big forehead, I would agree and say "well yeah, no shit."  Then that person doesn't really have much to say afterwards.  People target weaknesses and vulnerability because they want to get a rise out of you, but if you've already accepted your weaknesses/vulnerability, no rise will come from their words.  I hope that made sense to all of you reading this.  I really didn't mean for it to get all preach-y, just my opinion on the matter.   

Now that my reflection is done, I sit here trying to figure out how to wrap all of this up.  I'll start by wishing you all a happy and healthy new year filled with happiness, laughter, joy, and even hardships and sadness.  Before you think I'm a complete and total bitch for wishing hardships and sadness in your 2016, hear me out first.  If you do not go through any hardships or struggles within your life, you aren't really experiencing life the way it should be experienced.  I will leave you with a quote from the Rocky Balboa movie which puts a lot of this into perspective.  

Rocky tells his son, "The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!"  

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,

Glynn  

"No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings."

William Blake

Tips to Keeping Your ACNE Under Control

Hello beautiful people!

My name is Jessica Glynn and you know what sucks?

Mhm, that little four-letter word that takes a toll on all of us at some point in our lives (and if it hasn't then consider yourself very fortunate).  But yes, acne sucks.  Of course there are a number of other things in the world that suck even more than acne but let's be real, having acne is not a fun time.  However, all hope is not lost!  I've complied a list of tips to keep your acne at bay.  You've probably heard most of them before, but hopefully there will be some new ones that jump out at you!  Oh and the tips aren't in any particular order, just writing them down as they pop into my head.  Happy reading :) 

1. Pillow cases. Change 'em. At least once a week.

Think about it.  You drool on those bad boys, you sweat on them, the oils from your hair get on them... need I say anymore?  What I would suggest (if you can), is change your pillow cases every 2 days and flip your pillow every day.  I know that's a lot of pillow cases, and ultimately a lot of laundry, but I'm just trying to help you out.  As the very least, change your pillow cases once a week!  ALSO, don't forget to change your sheets once a week as well!  

2. Sleep on your back, if possible.

This goes hand-in-hand with the pillow case tip.  When you sleep on your side, that whole side of your face is exposed to the nastiness that lies in your pillow.  And don't even get me started if you sleep on your stomach.  It's actually been proven that if you sleep on your side/stomach, you're more likely to show signs of premature aging, and nobody wants that!  So try your best to sleep on your back!

3. WATER. Drink it.

I'm not talking about a glass a day either.  You see those disposable water bottles, you know the ones with 500 mLs?  Yeah, you should be drinking about 4 of those per day.  Also, make sure this is distributed evenly throughout the day and not chugged right before bed. If you want to drink more, more power to you!  It's no surprise the effects that water has on our bodies and more importantly our skin!  So drink up, buttercup.

4. Avoid touching your face.

For obvious reasons.  You touch thousands of things every day and imagine taking all of those things and slathering them all over your face? Wouldn't be the smartest thing to do.  If you are going to touch your face though, at least make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial hand soap before hand.

5. Keep your hair out of your face as much as possible.

 

This sort of goes hand-in-hand with the last tip.  Your scalp produces tons of natural oils that aren't meant to be interacting with your face.  As well, if you put a ton of products in your hair like I do (i.e. mousse, gels, hairspray, heat protector, etc.), you really don't want all those products touching your face either.  My suggestions, tuck your hair back behind your ears or tie it up in a ponytail if you can.  Obviously you don't have to wear your hair in a ponytail everyday but try your best to keep it away from your face. 

6. Sanitize your phone screens/cases if you're a talker.

This should hopefully go without saying... If you are texting or swiping your phone screens with dirty fingers (because I know you don't wash your hands every time you text or swipe your phone screen) and then placing that screen up against your cheek, uh-un. Not good.  You can wipe your screen/case with a moist baby wipe then dry it off with a paper towel at least once a week, but I would suggest doing this once a day if you can.   

7. Stop drinking milk and avoid as much dairy as possible.

Yes, I know this tip sucks. Especially coming from a girl who loves milk, cream cheese, yogurt, you name it, however, the short-term benefits as well as the long-term benefits are so worth it.  There are 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 (hormone IGF-1), excess product of sebum, insulin spikes, etc.).  I even made a separate blog post talking all about this if you'd like to read you can click here! 

8. Use make-up sparingly.

I know this is going to be a tough one for all you make-up lovers out there and trust me, I'm with you on this one.  However, it is something to keep if mind if you are battling acne.  Make-up that isn't labelled "non-comedogenic" contains ingredients that are known to clog your pores.  Clogged pores = unhappy skin.  If you are going to wear make-up, try not to make in an everyday thing (tons of make-up everyday has been show to cause premature aging to the skin and ain't nobody want that!).  As well, make sure the make-up you are wearing is oil-free and non-comedogenic. 

9. Do not, I repeat, do not sleep with make-up on!

Yes, we've heard it all before and yet we still fall into the trap of actually doing it (I'm so guilty of this one, I know it's bad).  Think about it, all that crap that is on your face continuing to seep into your pores as you snore away and then you wake up regretting not taking it all off before you went to bed.  It is a known fact that the skin renews itself at night.  Going to bed with makeup on your skin can actually interfere with the skin's natural healing process and cellular turnover.  So at the very least, if you really are that tired/lazy to get out of bed and thoroughly wash your make-up off, take a baby wipe and wipe away as much as you can.  It's still better than nothing, but either way get off your lazy butt and remove all of it (talking to myself as well)!

10. Exercise daily, or at least try to.

 

 Again, another tip that requires a little bit of work on your side but is totally worth it not only for your skin, but for your overall health and body.  I'm not saying you have to go out and buy a fancy gym membership or buy a ridiculously expensive workout machine.  However, you can exercise for free in the comfort of your own home or even in the community.  Whether it's running on the spot, squats, lunges, burpees, push-ups, crunches, etc. etc. etc, at least do something to get the blood flowing, heart pumping, and body sweating.  Exercise helps decrease stress levels and increases blood circulation which carries more oxygen to skin cells and gets rid of any cell waste.

11. Swap out the junk food for healthy food.

Junk/processed food has a ton of sugar and sodium in it, not to mention a crazy ton of fat which is not good for your body or your skin.  I know we've all had a cheeseburger and fries or chocolate and then woke up the next morning wondering why we have new pimples, well that's a good reason why.  try to incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your diet as well as whole grains and nuts.  Really go crazy on the dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, green beans, and swiss chard.

12. Cut out alcohol entirely, if you can.

Not only will this benefit your wallet, it will also greatly benefit your skin and your body, who would've thought?  Alcohol changes your hormone levels and one direct cause of acne is the imbalance in testosterone and estrogen levels.  Alcohol also dehydrates the skin which makes it look less plump and appear dull the next day.  Like Tip #3 suggests, just stick to the water and your skin will thank you later!

13. Chill the heck out!

 

This is a tip for people in general (not even for those who are suffering from acne necessarily).  When your body is stressed, there is a hormone fluctuation that causes an increase in the amount of oil your skin secretes, which can cause acne to form or worsen.  Yes, sometimes stress is inevitable, however there are tons of things you can do to de-stress (whether it's listening to music, having a nap, watching tv, yoga, meditation, massages, and the list goes on and on).  It's important to work hard, but try not to work yourself too hard as it will only lead to increased stress levels.   

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,

Glynn 

"I am so beautiful, sometimes people weep when they see me. And it has nothing to do with what I look like really, it is just that I gave myself the power to say that I am beautiful, and if I could do that, maybe there is hope for them too. And the great divide between the beautiful and the ugly will cease to be. Because we are all what we choose. "

Margaret Cho

Week 32: Banish Acne Scars

Welcome back extraordinary people!
Yes... you are extraordinary whether you see it or not.

I hope you are all doing wonderfully and for those still finishing up finals/exams, I hope this time isn't too stressful for you.  I only have one more exam left which is on Friday and then I get to go home for the holidays (which I am super excited about)!  I can't wait to see my family and friends and I also can't wait to talk to you guys more!  Now that school is over for the winter break, I'll have more time to post on here!

Looking back on my journey using the Banish Acne Scars system, I have noticed a ton of changes in my skin.  It will be roughly a year in January since I first started using Banish Acne Scars products (such as their M roller, serums, masks, etc).  Is my skin completely scar free now? Nope. However, it has come such a long way since last year.  The reason I am not completely scar free now is because I do still get the occasional pimple(s) which tend to leave scars and if I am trying to "banish" my existing scars while new ones keep popping up, it will take a longer time.

The pictures on the left-hand side are from Week 25 (way back in September) and as you can see there are some pretty decent-looking changes on the right side of my face, especially near the chin and jawline as well as the cheek area.  The left side of my face however has been giving me some trouble, still some changes to note (near the sides of my mouth/jawline area).  I still have a long way to go though before I am completely scar free on both sides. I am totally fine with using these products for another 3 years if I have to!  It's something that I will continue to keep in my skin care regimen for as long as need be.

As for what I am doing recently: still using Proactiv+, still taking my Alesse (birth control) pills everyday, trying to incorporate more greens into my diet, trying to eat less fast food, and working out regularly.  

I hope you have enjoyed my journey thus far and I do hope you continue to follow along as I am still trying to get rid of all these acne scars!  It's a long process, but one that will be so worth it in the end.  If you are also suffering from acne scars, trust me I know what you are going through.  However, it is important not to give up.  K e e p  g o i n g.  I know it's super cheesy to say but "Rome wasn't built in a day" and you have to keep at it!  Yes, you may not see results over night, but baby steps and you'll get there (slow and steady wins the race).  Okay... I feel like this has just turned into me stating a bunch of quotes now... I should go.  
Talk to you soon babes! xo

Click here for my Week 31: Banish Acne Scars blog post!
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Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,

Glynn  

"Either you run the day or the day runs you."

Benjamin Franklin