acne

April 2018 Favorites

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April 2018 FavoritesApril 2018 Favorites
1. The Laundress Signature, $20 / 2. Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer, $8 /
3. Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion, $19 / 4. Clarisonic Smart Turbo Body Brush Head, $32

Thanks for bearing with me through technical and scheduling difficulties that delayed the April 2018 Favorites from its usual posting slot. Details on them, including two reappearances, after the jump.

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Biotin and Blemishes

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biotin gummies

First things first: Remember, I’m not a doctor or a medical professional. I’m not qualified to dispense medical advice. My experiences are not gospel, and you should always do your homework and consult a doctor about supplements and whatnot.

Last Summer

I started taking these yummy Biotin gummy supplements to help get some excessive shedding in check before I took the plunge on haircolor. I mentioned those gummies in my August 2016 Favorites post.

After three weeks of use, I started to see desirable results. My shedding slowed back to a normal rate. and over the next month my hair seemed to be in overall better shape. Beyond the hair on my head, my eyebrows have actually fleshed out pretty well – that wasn’t my original goal with the supplement, but a welcomed effect nonetheless, as it means I can spend less time and product on my brows.

It has been nearly eight months, and my hair is happy!

Biotin and Your Skin

My skin, however, is not. In that favorites post, I mentioned that I had read that acne-prone individuals experienced an increase in breakouts. I wouldn’t describe myself as acne-prone, but I didn’t get away scot-free. Just as I thought my skin had stabilized, I started to experience blemishes unlike my usual ones about eight weeks in.

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Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser

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Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser

Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser

 

Normally, my skin is relatively cooperative. I break out once a month or so, small, just whiteheads. Lately, I’ve taken on a bit more stress than normal between wedding planning and some extra projects at work, and my skin is paying the price. Using a ton of salicylic acid (a common ingredient in acne treatment products) causes my skin to freak out, so I reached for this Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser. I use it on days upon which my skin feels like being sassy or on days where I feel like I just need to start fresh, about 2x monthly.

This cleanser contains the antibacterial agent Triclosan – that doesn’t bother me personally, but it is important to know what you’re slapping on your face. The cleanser itself squeezes from the tube as a thick cream that applies smoothly and produces an indulgent lather (I usually use Cetaphil Gentle, which does not lather). My skin feels very clean afterwards.

Being an antibacterial facial soap, Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser is relatively drying. Moisturize thoroughly with a non-comedogenic (which you should be using anyway) moisturizer. I’m still using my Josie Maran Argan Oil, but CeraVe makes a nice one, too. If I have a really stubborn blemish like I do right now, I dab a bit of a benzoyl peroxide spot treatment to it before moisturizing.

Though I highly recommend this product, I also caution against using it as a daily cleanser – it is far too drying for that. Even those with oily skin should not use it daily as you run the risk of oil over-production to compensate. Noxzema Triple Clean Anti-Bacterial Lathering Cleanser available for $5-7 in all the usual places, including Amazon.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – this means I may get a very small percentage of the sale if you decide to buy something. I’ll only tell you that something is awesome if I have verified it myself!