How I cleared my acne AND bacne in ONE WEEK!!!

My skin is a finicky little organ, similar to my son's. Or more so my son's is similar to mine. THANK YOU GENETICS! 

In a prior post I talked about my son's extensive sensitive skin (you can see how I cured his eczema and deal with his sensitive skin HERE) and about how my skin quickly reacts to anything it extremely dislikes. While I've spoken and shown the true extent of how bad my face can become (see post HERE), I realized that I never explained how I got my skin to clear up again. So, in an attempt to help anyone struggling with cystic, severe, or lingering acne - and bacne - I thought I'd share will you all now what I did (and still do) to combat the pesky, painful, and unwelcomed bumps. 

When I would get break-outs, they would consist of multiple types of acne. Deep cystic bumps throughout my back and jawline - the kind that would make you cringe at the thought of chewing anything, because the pain on your jaw was horrible -, along with tiny little bumps that would never come to a head. Of course whiteheads and blackheads would join the party and absolutely love to spread around anywhere my skin was clear. So fun... After years of trying prescription medication, popular over-the-counter face washes, and even a very well-known product that can be found at mall vendors and through subscription, I had given up the idea of having clear skin. 

Once I gave birth to my son and my hormones settled down, I regained the will to fight my acne once and for all. I re-tried all of the previous products, just in case, then I sat down and created a plan. I changed my diet - less sugars and greasy foods, less dairy, and more water. I know you've probably heard all that before, but it's true. If you don't think your "crap food" intake isn't that bad, try a little experiment I partook in. Go an entire week with absolutely no added sugars, no fast food or pre-made food, and stop all the other drinks. JUST drink water. After I completed my week, I realized that I really did depend on late night sweets way too much. I will admit that I have a burger every now and then, and I still have sweets, but no where NEAR as much. When it comes to the dairy, I stopped straight milk altogether. While I don't necessarily recommend cutting it cold turkey (even I still have cheese, yogurts, and ice cream),I do recommend maybe taking it down a notch. I drink Rice Milk with my cereal and as my "other" drink. I also carry around a filled water bottle with me, everywhere I go. I do the same with my son and now he's gotten to the point that water is his go-to drink. 

Once I got a healthier diet down, I realized that many of my blackheads - and even a few cystic acne spots - had disappeared. I still had too many, but it was a small step. The next step was to find a good face wash/back wash regimen. I knew that salicylic acid didn't work for me and only agitated my skin, so I chose to try benzoyl peroxide. I opted for OXY's benzoyl peroxide face wash, but instead of using as a wash, I used it as a mask. I also found that Suave's body wash was sensitive enough for my skin. As a moisturizer I chose to use jojoba oil, as it's sensitive and actually helps aid in cleansing the skin. Also, when you're first starting out with this routine (if you choose to use mine) you HAVE to use a sensitive sunblock for your face (and any exposed skin that you're washing with benzoyl peroxide...really all the time) or else you can burn your skin. So without further ado, here's how I did it! Besides the diet...

Nighttime:
1. If I wore makeup that day, I remove my makeup with THIS amazing cloth, that is chemical free
2. Wash face with OXY
3. Apply a THIN layer of OXY's face wash all over face AND back acne, then dot a small amount on top of stubborn and/or cystic spots
4. Let dry fully before going to sleep and/or putting on a t-shirt

Morning: 
1. Wash off the previous night's OXY in the shower (or at the sink) with warm water
2. Apply jojoba oil generously to the face
3. If going outside in the sun, apply a sensitive sunblock to the face (and back if it will be exposed)

After a week of rigorously sticking to this routine, I cleared up after only 7 days!!! I was so thrilled. Now if I have a breakout, I don't apply a full thin layered mask, I simply put a thick drop of OXY onto the spot, let dry, and sleep with it on over night. 

KEY TIPS:
1. NEVER sleep with makeup on!!!!!!!!!
2. NEVER go to sleep after sweating! Whenever you sweat, try to rinse it off ASAP
3. Avoid super smelly body washes (again, Suave's has been the only one sensitive enough for my skin, and I change between the Sweet Pea scent and Honey scent. Plus they're super cheap)
4. Wash your body AFTER you shampoo and condition your hair. The chemicals from your shampoo/conditioner can stick to your freshly scrubbed skin, causing breakouts
5. Change your sheets EVERY week
6. Wear a fresh nighttime shirt EVERY SINGLE NIGHT
7. If you sleep naked, sleep on top of a new clean towel every night for a week (yes, that's 7 towels)
8. Drink water like a mad person, not only will you feel better, but you'll save money too
9. Avoid harsh makeup and chemicals (check out my sensitive skin makeup HERE)
10. If you decide to extract your own pimples, be aware that the harsher you are to your skin, the more likely you are to not only cause scars, but spread the bacteria as well

And there you have it. My one week healing routine. I do upkeep by washing my face with OXY every morning and applying a dot to each spot when they show up (as previously mentioned), but other than that I don't do much. I've seen a huge improvement and now I'm finally confident in my own skin! Hopefully this will work for you too! Not only is it awesome and easily accessible, but it's relatively cheap! 

Happy Wednesday everyone! Only 2 days left ti'll the contest is over!!! Haven't entered? Click HERE to find out how you can be a winner!!!!