Sunday, October 27, 2013

Exfoliating While on Accutane

Hey guys, I have been busy with midterms lately but I had a little bit of time to talk about exfoliating. One of the biggest DONTs when on Accutane is exfoliating your skin. Because Accutane tends to thin out the skin, exfoliating will not only thin it out even more but make you more prone to scarring if you use scrubs. Those beads and scrubs may just leave you with permanent scarring.

So what do you do? Your skin is flakey and dry and no moisturizers would ever work! Well, you need to exfoliate, but you can't. I have found several tricks that could exfoliate your skin gently! 

A very gentle exfoliate is Cure Natural Aqua Gel. Cure is made in Japan and has been the best selling exfoliator in Japan.  A bottle is sold every 20 seconds! Amazing right? What makes Cure so popular are the ingredients, 90% water! Who knew that water could exfoliate your skin? Unlike scrubs which do as they sound, Cure gently removes dead skin cells without drying or thinning your skin. And it's preservative free, coloring free, mineral oil free, and artificial fragence free!

You could purchase Cure Natural Aqua Gel through Amazon, Yesstyle, Immoko, and other asian beauty websites. But my personal favorite is getting free samples from the direct site themselves! I never want to push a product. Rather, I want you guys to try it for yourself and do it free!! Plus, you can read more on how cure works. The links are listed below:


Cure Natural Aqua Gel

http://www.amazon.com/Cure-Natural-Aqua-Gel-250ml/dp/B001ABLKK2
http://www.imomoko.com/cure-natural-aqua-peeling-gel.html
Request samples: 
  • http://www.japalang.sg/cure/About_Cure.html
  • http://gemboxtrading.com/cure/index.html
  • http://www.beautycarousel.com/brands/cure/cure-natural-aqua-gel-sample-pack.html

How to Use Cure:
I like to use Cure on one of those days that I do not wear any makeup, just moisturizer and lip balm kind of day.
  1. Clean your face and dry well. This is important because Cure does not work on wet skin, the added water would make the removal of dead skin cells hard to remove.
  2. Pump a small amount of Cure and put onto desired area such as nose, cheeks, forehead, and so on. Work in small areas in order to remove the most dead skin and dirt from your face.
  3. Gently massage in circular motions for 30 to 60 seconds. This is the fun part! You can actually feel and see the dead skin cells collecting on your fingertips as you massage your face.
  4. Rinse with lukewarm water and remember to moisturizer after you exfoliate!

Another natural exfoliate could be sitting on your counter right now. Can you guess what it is? Oatmeal!!  Simply, place a handful of oatmeal in the palm of your hand. Add warm water in order to make the oats softer and to draw out the nutrients-loaded water! 




I like to do this when I am in the shower and this has become an essential part of my cleansing routine. Not only will oatmeal exfoliate your face, oatmeal is a great alternative cleanser that will really hydrate and moisturize your face without all the added chemicals! Perhaps one of the best cleansers for sensitive, over-worked, acne-prone, all types of skin!



Love,
Sweet&Bubblicious


Disclamier: This post is not sponsored. All products were purchased by me. All opinions are my own and completely honest. Thank you for reading!

Friday, October 11, 2013

WARNING! Toothpaste for Pimples!!

I want to take some time to discuss home remedies on treating acne.  When you google "ways of getting rid of acne overnight" or "home remedies for acne," there are over 30+ ways that people have tried and worked for them. Let's discuss the most popular ways and how and if they even work.

A common way of reducing inflammation and the size of pimples is ice. Ice could shrink the size of the pore and constrict blood flow to the area. Ice does not decrease the size of the pimple, but rather reduce redness, temporarily. Your skin actually tries to warm itself back up and that redness comes back as quickly as it can disappear because blood rushes to that spot once you stop applying ice on it.

Another way of reducing the size of the pimple is toothpaste. People have said how toothpaste has dramatic changed the size of the pimple. Yes, I believed it as well. It did reduce the size of the pimple drastically and I was super excited that I continuously used toothpaste on my spots. HOWEVER, TOOTHPASTE IS NOT MEANT FOR YOUR FACE! IT'S FOR YOUR TEETH! Yes, toothpaste has silica, a drying agent in it that could "dry" up the pimple but toothpaste can burn your skin. Below is an image of the aftermath of my toothpaste disaster. 



My chin was 10 times redder and more painful than the picture above when I washed off the toothpaste. My skin was so thin that oil and bacteria easily spread and pimples just kept appearing and appearing. It was uncontrollable. Before I was able to get approved for Accutane, I struggled so much to keep the pimples under control. I turned to expensive acne systems, but the only treatment that worked for me was facial. To pop all those pimples at one time was so agonizing. But I had to release the pressure of the pimples. I went to get a facial biweekly to remove the bacteria from my face and prevent pimples from forming.

This blog post is to warn people about toothpaste for treating pimples. If you use toothpaste, do not use gel and minty toothpaste. Try to find a natural toothpaste. Also, do not leave on for more than 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the toothpaste. In addition, localize the toothpaste. Put a small dab on right on top of the pimple. Do not spread the toothpaste. If you feel that there is an unusual burning sensation, immediately wash off the toothpaste and put on an ointment for burns. 


Love,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Monday, October 7, 2013

Update! Week 2 Accutane

Hi everyone :) Fall is quickly approaching and it's sad to say that it is already October. But I have Thanksgiving and Christmas to look forward to! A psychologist once said that women who are happy have things that they anticipate. When we anticipate things that make us happy and excite us, we are put into that happy mood and have something to look forward to. What are you looking forward to this month?

Week Two is here and I am starting to feel the change in my lips and nose. I totally jynxed it! I am starting to get those nose bleeds and/or dry bloody nose in the morning. With the season change, my allergies are starting to act up. During spring, I hardly felt the symptoms of allergy. But this fall, my eyes are itchy and patchy. My nose is super super itchy and stuffy. I would blow my nose and specks of blood would be present. 



In turns of side effects of Accutane, my nose is extremely flakey and dry just like it was the first time I took Acctuane. My lips are extremely chapped and peeling more than usual. I have had one pimple on my chin but that was a reaction to the vaseline on my lips. Interestingly, vaseline does not break my out on my nose but breaks me out on my chin. I have had inflammation on the keloids on my body. Other than the dry skin and lips, I do not see any change from Accutane. 


Love,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Lightening Acne Scars, Redness, and Dark Spots

Over the course of two months, my acne scars and redness around my chin and nose area have dramatically lighten. I could walk out of my home and not worry about people staring at my "sunburn" like face. What's the secret? 

There are several ways of lightening up scars and redness. One of the best methods is wearing sunscreen every single day. Not only does wearing sunscreen prevent wrinkles, it protects you from sun damage. For those on Accutane, your skin becomes very sensitive to sunlight. If you were to say get a tan or get a sunburn, you could be permenantly scarred because your skin is already thin from Accutane and the UV rays have penetrated through that thin film of skin and damaged your skin cells. By then, there is no way to lighten scars, no even surgery. 

I have been using sunscreen every single day (minus a day or two when I am late for class :X) and I have seen a dramatic change to the redness on my skin. A tragedy happened one and half years ago when I was still doing home remedies for acne I burned my skin with toothpaste, which by the way does diminish the acne but you risk burning your skin which have caused me a big red scar around my chin. I applied ointment for a week, which broke me out. But I am left with a deep red coloring on my chin all the way around to my lip. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture but you could see how red my chin area is after that toothpaste disaster. But you could see here how my skin has changed.  



I have several options for sun protection for the face, ranging from different needs and prices. My favorite is the Shiseido Sun Protection Lotion+ SPF 50+. I know the whole big controversy about how much SPF you really need, but hey I am on Accutane! I need as much SPF as I can. Shiseido have over 130 years of research and skincare knowledge. I think they know what they are doing! And it does not break me out. LOVEE!


My other option would be Neutrogena Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer SPF 35. It is a moisturizer with SPF, which saves you double the time so you do not need to put on a moisturizer and wait for that to soak into your skin and then put on sunscreen. Killing two birds with one stone I call it! Plus, CVS offers 100% beauty product returns, which is huge because I am a acne-prone skincare hoarder. I will try anything to get that zit of my face. And knowing that if the product is not for me, I could return it and get my money back. 



At night, I like to do a little something call "healing." After torturing my face with moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup, and cleanser, I like to use something gentle. Clinique's Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector is my choice of lightening scars and redness. Clinique is known for its products to be allergy tested, 100% fragrance free, and 100% paraben free. Big pluses for your skin! If you are looking for immediate results, this is not for you. I find that other lightening spot treatments are packed with harsh chemicals that are merely just stripping your skin layer by layer, which can make you dry, flakey, and even more prone to sun damage if you do not apply sunscreen religiously. Although many reviews say that they buy three bottles and see no change, this is one of the most gentle and most effective skin corrector I have used. And it is perfect for Accutane users because your skin is already dry and vulnerable. Why put more chemicals to make your skin more damaged? 


I would take a pea size amount and massage it gently into areas of redness. I like to let the serum soak in before I put on my night moisturizer. A little warning tho - results will not be immediate. It may take up to a couple of months, but the key here is gentle. Plus, this is hydrating, which can keep you moisturize. And it does not break me out or irritate my skin. I am on my second bottle and I just love this. 

Another tip! I know this is an expensive product. I almost died when I bought it. So I have been going to different Sephora's monthly and asking for samples. If you are not sure if this is for you, feel free to go to Sephora and get samples! Samples of scar treatments from Murad (very very effective and immediate), sunscreen (most important!!), and even foundation! I have been using Make Up For Ever HD Foundation at no cost at all. All you have to do is be brave!

Good Luck,
Sweet&Bubblicious


Disclamier: This post is not sponsored. All products were purchased by me. All opinions are my own and completely honest. Thank you for reading!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Week 1 Accutane (Again)

Hi everyone! So I am super excited about starting Accutane again! But not for that dark spot on my nose :( So i have not figured out how and when that came about, but it was only a scar! Now it is a dried blood scar that I cannot cover with foundation or concealer. Have you ever had spots you just cannot conceal no matter what you do?




I have the worst self control ever! I just need to get that acne or spot off my face the next day. But this time, I was being a good girl and it paid off!! I understand the whole "don't pick your pimple," but sometimes when you get the monstrous size ones you just want it to flatten and disappear right away.  I did my regular skin routine, which I have added new products to. I will be doing an updated skin care routine hopefully soon!

I would say that I do not have many side effects yet. My lips are not chapped nor is my skin flakey or dry yet. Maybe because I am on a lower dosage. I hope that it will stay that way throughout my regime!


Love,
Sweet&Bubbilcious

Monday, September 23, 2013

Starting Accutane Again

Sorry for the very very late blog update. I have been having trouble with school work and side work for my study abroad. So during my visit to the dermatologist, she hesitated to allow me to take Accutane again. She had asked me to take antibiotics that do nothing for me for several more years and my acne should be less severe. However, after careful discussion with other dermatologists at the office, she had agreed to monitor my progress while undergoing a lower dosage of Accutane. 

Excited to say, I am taking Accutane again. I believe that my acne has gotten much better. I have experienced less inflammation on other parts of my body. Even though I have to deal with the excessive dryness and horrible makeup, I think in the long run I would be happy with the results. I am just hoping that Accutane does not damage my liver. That just means going back to trying a different antibiotics or medication each month. 




So my acne has not been severely horrible as it was. BUT there was several small pimples around my lip and jawline. They are not yellow nor "ripe." I couldn't pop them, but I was afraid that it would spread. The area is rather rough and bumpy, probably from the benzoyl peroxide cream I used. 





  
The box looks pretty much the same, except it is a lower dosage of 20mg. The pill is a different color, but it is pretty much the same. I am still continuing my birth control, which I felt was actually keeping my acne along my jawline under control, definitely not the antibiotics. 

So the second time around, I think I am going to find ways to improve my liver health. Perhaps, alcohol is not a good idea to have during these next few months. And maybe a diet with more dark leafy greens. Any suggestions?

Love,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Newest Update: Stopped Accutane Due to Potential Liver Damage

I have not updated the blog for a long time because I have stopped Accutane for about three weeks now. My dermatologist told me that my blood test did not go well. There was an increase level of something, indicating that I am reacting to Accutane. More specifically, Accutane is harming my liver.

During the first month of Accutane, I threw up once a week. At first, I thought it was probably from drinking alcohol. My dermatologist said that drinking alcohol while on Accutane is not an issue. However, I was not drunk nor tipsy. I was sober, throwing up. This occurred for two weeks, both times following drinking alcohol. The next week I felt sick suddenly over dinner with my girls, but I have not touched alcohol that day not even during dinner. I thought it was food poisoning, but considering what my dermatologist told me about my blood test, it could be my liver reaction to Accutane.

It has been three weeks since I have stopped Accutane. For the first two weeks, my body acne have flared up. I guess I should mentioned that I have hidradenitis suppurativa, which is keloids around the crotch area, and keloids on the back of my neck. I know it may sound very nasty, but it is far more uncomfortable to have a keloid. I could not walk or sleep or lie down. Keloids are so painful and unfortunately, there is no cure for it and if you were to do surgery for it, there is a high chance that the keloid will come back and it will be worst. But the Accutane has controlled the keloid from growing more painful, but since I have stopped I am in so much pain when I wake up. 

Interestingly, the acne on my face has not changed. The redness have somewhat calmed down and the dryness on my lips and nose have gotten better. However, I still feel that my lips could be chapped from time to time. My nose has been dry still, but that might be from the change of season here in New York. I have the worst allergies :(




I am currently on a different medication, which I have taken before. However, it does absolutely nothing for me. Tomorrow, I will be getting monthly blood test in order to make sure that my liver is functioning correctly. The next week I will be returning to my dermatologist to discuss what may be other options for me. One possibility may be to decrease the dosage of Accutane, which is the most optimal choice considering how much my acne has changed since being on Accutane.

My skincare routine has changed slightly. I have included more acne-targeted cleanser, rather than my oatmeal cleanser. I am currently using the Biore Steam Activated Cleanser [http://www.target.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/p/biore-steam-activated-cleanser-5-oz/-/A-12174335] This was a rave by Hollyannaeree. She is just so beautiful and her reviews are straight to the point and honest! Love Love Love!!! I am still using the same moisturizer and using my sunscreen everyday. I have also switched up my foundation and primer and it is wonderful for dry skin. I will be trying the new foundation routine when and if I start Accutane again.

Final thoughts of the day: I really hope to return soon to my dermatologist and get my keloids under control. I just wish to get acne over with and start doing peels to get rid of the redness and scars. Someday, I want to not wear makeup and not have people stare at me. And to not wake up in pain anymore.


Love,
Sweet&Bubblcious

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Newest Side Effect of Accutane

For the past month on Accutane, my nose was relatively itchy and sometimes I would wake up with a dry bloody nose. I have not had a nose bleed for over ten years! But, I did not think too much into the dry blood in my nose. I thought it was because of the new change in my body.

After much googling, Accutane not only causes dry cracked lips and dry skin, but even dry nose. The body becomes dehydrated as we sleep. Because of the lack of moisture in the nose, the nose starts to bleed and thus, wake up to a dry bloody nose.




Excuse the tissue, but this was the first time when I realized there was blood in my nose. I was shock, but did not think too much into it until it became a repeated event. In the past month, I woke up to three occasions of dry bloody nose. 

But there is help, my holy grail - VASELINE!!! I know it may sound disgusting, but moisturizing the skin and lips are not enough, but moisturizing the inside of the nose as well! Now, I take a Q-tip and apply vaseline inside my nose each night. It may feel uncomfortable, but just applying for the past week my nose feels so much better! And since I am no longer rubbing my nose, my nose is no longer dry and flakey. I have also read that getting a humidifier could also retain the moisture in the room, but I do not have that kind of money! 

Hope this helps!!! 

Love,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Skincare Routine for Accutane

Since being on Accutane, my skin has been intensely dry and my lips are peeling. Makeup appeared very patchy. But have trying all kinds of product, I have found my holy grail products!


I cannot go out without makeup because I have too many scars and deep redness on my face. I would feel like people are focusing on my acne, rather than who I am behind all that. 



My first holy grail product is oatmeal. Oatmeal has replaced all my cleansers and trust me I have tried so many products over the past year. However, these products are no longer fit for my skin being on Accutane. They are all too harsh, even the cream cleansers. Even my favorite Biore cleanser has become too drying for my skin. The idea of using oatmeal as my cleanser came from Bubzbeauty. [http://youtu.be/7e5_RVBwNjE] She shared her story of her skin being extremely allergic and sensitive. Skin under acne treatment, especially something like Accutane, should also be treated gently. Oatmeal makes your skin feel hydrated and a perfect spa treatment for your skin and even your drying peeling lips!




Before I take my shower, I put a handful of oatmeal in a plastic container and fill it up with warm to not very hot water, almost just a palmful of water only.  In the shower, I like to take off my makeup with the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. Before Accutane, I loved loved lovedddd the Clinque Rinse-off Foaming Cleanser because of how gentle and effective it is to take off my makeup. But it has been a bit dry as well. The oil cleanser does not do as good of a job removing foundation, but it is fabulous to remove eye makeup! Sometimes, I like to switch up my routine by using the deep clean cream cleanser. I do not love it, but I guess it will do for now.


 AHHH!!! Sorry for the scary picture, but I take the oatmeal that has been sitting in the container and I massage it into my skin. I like to take this time as my spa time, doing an oatmeal mask. I massage my chin and nose area longer because those areas have been excessively dry and peeling. I also focus on my lips because they do peel. I let the oatmeal soak in for about one to two minutes and gently rinse off the oatmeal. Don't need to rinse thoroughly. Sometimes, I like to leave the oatmeal water on my face because it just feels so hydrating.


I pat my face dry with a paper towel and apply my Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector. I like to massage over areas where I would like to lighten the scars, mostly on my old acne marks, chin, and my nose area. Then I apply my Ren ClearCalm 3 Replenishing Night Serum. For skin under acne treatment, moisturizers are not enough. You would need a hydrating serum and Ren is an excellent brand for acne-prone skin.






















My second holy grail product is Vaseline. It was the only product that kept my skin from being dried out and peeling. I have tried moisturizers, argan oil, coconut oil, and many many more. Do not be alarm! My skin did not break out from using the oils, but rather it was not hydrating enough for my skin because of Accutane! Vaseline has been my life savor. I love putting it on my nose, chin, and lips and waking up the next morning feeling hydrated, rather than frustrated!!!


The white jar with the blue and red letterings all worn off is a jar of Egyptian Magic Cream. It use to be too oily and greasy for me, but now it helps make my makeup even more flawless. I like to apply Egyptian Magic Cream after apply my Clinique corrector, Ren Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream, and sunscreen. I find that Egyptian Magic Cream blends better with makeup than Vaseline. Egyptian Magic Cream have so many uses - hair treatment, treatment for scars, cuticle treatment, and many more! A trick to draw out the full benefits of Egyptian Magic Cream is to warm up the cream between your fingers or in your palm before massaging it into the skin. The warmth helps the cream from being too oily or greasy on the skin. 

DO NOT use face moisturizers with salicylic acid or beta hydroxyl or harsh chemicals. Try to pick moisturizers that are more gentle and ideal for dry skin, rather than acne prone. The Accutane is fighting the acne for you already! Your skin needs moisture!! SO DRINK UP!!

Hope this helps those of you struggling from Accutane! 

Love,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Newest Updates on my Accutane Progress + DO's and DONT's of Accutane

Sorry for the late posts, but I had finals and went on a small road trip to Cape Cod. I had a lot of lobster and lobster rolls. There goes the diet :( I have to admit that I have not been the greatest at keeping with my diet rules, drinking enough water, or even moisturizing my lips. 

On my way to Cape Cod, I have forgotten my birth control and Accutane medication with me. I was panicking and did not know what to do. Luckily, the doctor was still in the office. She assured me that missing two to three doses of Accutane was okay. However, I am not to make up for the doses of Accutane when I return back home. During my trip, my skin did not feel as dry nor did my lips feel as chapped. 




My face is clearing up, no new acne appeared. I was getting better, even the redness is slowly disappearing. However, I did the worst things I possibly could have done while I was on Accutane.

There is a list of "DONT'S" for those on Accutane:



  1. Tanning
  2. Waxing
  3. Get a facial
  4. Get a chemical peel
  5. Get a microdermabrasion
These actions will lead to permanent scarring on the skin because the skin is undergoing such an abrasive medication. The skin is fairly thin and any of these acts will cause the skin to scar. Unlike popping a pimple, these scars can become permanent. I have tried to not pop pimples or extract blackheads with a needle, in order to avoiding any scarring. Please be very very careful!

I also have a list of DONTs that would help avoid any breakouts during Accutane. These suggestions are from my personal experiences of acne and while on Accutane.




Things To DOs/DONTs:
  1. DO NOT Eat Beef
    • Beef sold in the market today have all been genetically modified to be fat and beef itself contains a lot of hormones. When these hormones enter our body, there is an imbalance of the hormones in our body and the cow's hormones. This is often what causes acne along the chin and jaw line, which is associated with hormonal imbalance or often called hormonal acne.
  2. DO NOT Eat trigger foods like pizza, chips, bbq, all that bad food
    • You already know, they are bad bad foods. Deep fried foods trigger acne!!! I do not know why, but if I eat chips the very next day I will have three new pimples. Not a good sight!
  3. Eat less white foods like rice, white bread, potatoes, pasta --> switch to only whole grain
    • White foods are also a major cause of hormonal acne because white foods are packed of sugar and considered "bad carbs"
  4. Avoid soy sauce and high sodium foods
    • In my culture, soy sauce can darken scars and in turn make them last longer. High sodium foods also cause our hormone levels to go off balance and make you very thirsty. Your body needs the water to cleanse out toxics and keep your skin hydrated. When your skin is dry, your body secretes more oil and that oil could cause acne. That's why moisturizing is important and so is drinking water.
  5. Avoid processed foods (anything that comes out of a factory, refined grains like white bread, etc)
    • My new rule of thumb is anything with a commercial is bad for you. Think about it.  Commercials are to sell their product, but they are just packed of sugar and sodium. Try cooking your own foods and pack ahead of time. You will see a clearer complexion and feel more alive once you break out of the cycle of processed foods.
  6. Avoid sugary foods (coffee, breakfast cereal, froyo, spaghetti sauce)
    • Sugary foods can also increase hormones and hormones, in turn, trigger acne. At each sugar spike in the blood, our hormones are trying to balance the sugar levels. Each time our hormones are out of whack, we break out. Acne could be consider an indication of what goes on in our body

Excuse the long list, but hope this helps with the "Accutane acne" or for those more fortunate acne. 

My skin looks so much better. I will be sharing my new skincare routine since I have been on Accutane, which has helped a lot to combat dryness and breakouts. This picture was taken two hours after I showered and the redness is not as visible. Back then, the redness would last for hours and hours. It was just horrible to look at. Thank you Accutane!




Love, 
Sweet&Bubblicious

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Accutane Day 9

Hey guys! I forgot to take a picture for Day 8, so I am going to just jump to Day 9. So I have started to put on vaseline on my lips when I sleep and after I eat my breakfast. 

There is no more pimples on my chin, but acne has migrated upward. Two pimples have appeared on the bridge of my nose and between my eyebrows. Those do not hurt as much as the ones on my chin, but I just want to stop breaking out.


I apologize for the lighting, but you can see the dryness on my nose and chin. My shirt is full of dry skin crumbles from my nose. My lips are peeling as we speak and I have already put on vaseline on them. I have also moisturized my face with Egyptian Magic Cream, which makes my skin very soft and less dry. It actually helps with my acne scars and could even be a great hair treatment and lip balm, but sometimes I feel it is very oily on my face. 

I have been doing a lot of research for a new moisturizer ideal for dry and acne prone skin. The trickiness of finding a new moisturizer for my new skin type is that I might break out if the moisturizer is too greasy but I need that thick moisturizer for my dry dry skin due to the Accutane medication. I will be trying different products to see which one works best with me. 

Sincerely,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Friday, July 5, 2013

Accutane Day 7

A week has passed and I definitely feel the effects of Accutane. My lips are very dry to the point where I feel like they are cracking. I have never felt this dry before, not even in the winter time. My nose and chin are very flakey and dry, skin peeling. The pimple on my nose is calming down, probably from the clay mask I placed on for the last two days. But it is still bright cherry red and dry that makeup doesn't even cover it. I hate those pimples that I cannot put makeup over. 


As you can see, the pimples that were on my chin has disappeared but my lips have become very very dried. I was actually heading to a BBQ at my friend's home and I noticed that my lips were very very chapped. I could almost peeled off the skin on my lips. Not my best day! A cherry nose and dry dry lips. 

Sincerely,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Accutane Day 6

Happy July 4th everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful BBQ and enjoyed the fireworks! It is super humid in New York City. Although I was hoping for 90 degree weather, it is way to hot for an outdoor BBQ. So I BBQed at my boyfriend's home. 

The acne is still present on my chin and the one on my nose is very very painful. It is bright red and tender to the touch. I hate the ones that are red, where it is not yet ripe but glaring out. Unlike the yellow ones, I cannot make it go away. It is basically the waiting game to see if I blow up first or the pimple pop first. 

Today is also no makeup day. What I love the most about my boyfriend is that he does not mind if I wear makeup or not. He actually said that It looks as if I was healing already. The redness is fading slowly, but the pimples on my chin are no longer there. It makes me so happy that there is another place in the world besides my room that I can be where I do not need to wear makeup and not be judged for my acne. 

Sometimes, when I watch YouTube videos and see these girls with one blemish, I do not see why they pack pounds and pounds of foundation, concealer, and eye makeup. I am so jealous of their blemish-free skin. It is so hard to wake up every morning and see a new pimple again and again. And makeup just makes me feel so uncomfortable such that I am very aware that I have makeup on. I also worry if my makeup becomes cakey or my blemish peeps out of the foundation. And then it happens all over again the next day. I think that is the reason that I decided to take Accutane. It took me a month after I was approved and given the medication to actually take Accutane. At the end I felt that I would rather break out and be dry for six months than to break out inconsistently for a couple more years. 


Sincerely,
Sweet&Bubblicious

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Accutane Day 5

Day 5 is reminding me very much of Day 1 of my crazy breakout. As you can see, more pimples formed on my chin. The weather is getting more and more humid. I do not want to go out, I do not want to go to school. Aside from the yellow pus-filled pimples on my chin, there is one developing on my nose, the same spot as that large pore couple years ago. It is very very red and cannot be covered with makeup. Not a good day for me.



I could not resist! I popped them, but I put on a clay mask to draw out all the bacteria, dirt, and makeup. Hopefully by tomorrow, I will not have any of these horrible pimples on my chin! It's July 4 and I want to hang out with my friends. I hate to put my life on hold because of acne. :(

Sincerely,
Sweet&Bubblicious


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Accutane Day 4

It's Day 4 and nonetheless, it is painful!!!! Sorry for the second picture of the oozing pimple but I did not pop that on my own! One point for me for being good!  


I also love love love rice noodles with fish balls in peanut butter sauce. It is the cheapest but one of the best foods ever! I only ate half of it for breakfast because it was very filling and there rest for lunch. And this whole pint only cost me $2.50! The best part is the rice noodles with peanut butter sauce, sweet and savory! 


I had night class again and needless to say, I had to munch on something for class. Eating and drinking Starbucks (even though coffee does not keep me awake) somehow gets me through a torturous two and a half hour lecture at 8PM. I was super hungry :(

I feel my lips feeling drier than usual, but not necessary for lip balm yet. However, I have not found a on-the-spot treatment yet that will clear my pimples. So all I can do now is just let it heal on its own :( 
Sincerely,
Sweet&Bubblicious 

Monday, July 1, 2013

Accutane Day 3

Its Day 3 and I have to say I feel very uncomfortable. You can see several small pimples on my chin. I have a temptation to pop the pimple. I feel as if the pimple heels faster after I remove the pus and bacteria. However, there will be scars which last longer than it takes for the pimple to heel on its own. But the temptation..... :(





It is extremely humid in New York City and the acne situation does not help at all. Because of the weather, I decided to have congee, a porridge in Chinese cooking. I like it very watery, much like a soup. Since the congee has no seasoning or flavor, I love to pair it with spicy cabbage. I could it this everyday! And I ate it for breakfast and lunch :D



I had a night class and couldn't wait for dinner. So I bought a salad near my school. It is a spinach salad with tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, kidney beans, and chick peas in a balsamic vinaigrette. 


My chin is rather uncomfortable although it was not as bad as it was back in February. I just pray to God that I do not get as bad as that time. Please please God :(

Sincerely,
Sweet&Bubblicious