Acne Causes + Acne Fighting/Curing Tips for Summer! Oily & Dry Skin Acne Skincare

Hey guys! Today I'm gonna show you guys some tips to cure/fight against the annoying acne during the summer! As you guys all know, it's really hot outside in Boston right now so my skin tends to get oily during the day, this is why pimples started to form on my skin's surface recently. I used to have really bad acne condition when I was younger but I have successfully cured it myself. Whenever I find myself having a breakout or a new pimple, I would immediately feel insecure (who wouldn't, right?) because I'm afraid that the same thing in the past would happen to me again... So if you're having a bad acne condition or just a few pimples that you need to get rid of, keep on reading and I'll show you a lot of useful acne fighting tips! :)

Acne Causes

External Causes: 

Hot weather will easily lead to the openings of hair follicles which will allow bacteria to enter our bodies. Bacteria grow in these clogged follicles and causes blackheads/whiteheads on the skin's surface. Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. When your body produces an excess amount of sebum (oily substance) and dead skin cells, it can create a perfect environment for the bacteria to thrive. Moreover, hot weather also makes you sweat more and makes your skin produces more oil than it normally does, which also known as overproduction of oil; this is the main cause of acne during the summer.

Weather-changing is also a cause of acne. Changes in environment - humidity or weather can trigger breakouts easily. Especially when you're traveling, changes in atmosphere can really worsen your acne.  But there's actually nothing you can you about it because it's nature! So just keep yourself hydrated.

A lot of people think that Dirty Skin is the main reason of causing acne. Partially, yes but not always. People tend to scrub their skins harder and cleanse their skins more regularly when they have acne  but it actually doesn't help! Scrubbing or over-cleansing the skin with strong chemicals or soaps would only irritate the skin and can worsen acne. In fact, a little bit oil is required because it would maintain the skin's texture and smoothness.

Internal Causes:

Your diet plan and body dehydration! You are either lacking of one of the essential nutrients or your body is not hydrated enough. Those are usually the main reasons to acne. Moreover, if you're a fan of fast food or fried/oily/greasy products, I have a bad news for you: You need to get rid of these food immediately. I know they are yummy but they would worsen your acne condition because they are extremely bad for your skin; they will give you uneven complexion, blemishes and breakouts easily.

There are three main types of food that cause acne: Dairy, Sodium and Sugar.

1. Dairy: Milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, basically any type of cream. 

2. Sodium: Salt products such as Chips, French fries, nuts, etc.

3. Sugar: Soda, Chocolate, Juice, Candy, etc. However, Sugar is not as big a factor as Sodium and Dairy so you can still consume some Sugar. 

*Also avoid eating chili peppers, hot sauce or spicy food because it will stimulate the growth of acne, especially during the summer time*

Acne Fighting Tips

1/ Separate the acne zone and non-acne zone 

Acne is infectious so you need to separate acne and non-acne zones. When applying toner, use 2 different cotton pads, 1 for the acne zone and 1 for the non-acne zone. Even if you have acne almost everywhere on your face, please still use this tip because it'd spread out easily to the non-acne zone. I used to have a lot of acne on my forehead but non on the rest of my face; this trick worked well for me.

2/ Don't touch your face regularly 

Yes, this might sound a bit ridiculous but every single thing, even your own hands are full of bacteria and dirts.
Please avoid touching your face at all costs because it can inflame the skin and increase the oil production. Especially, don't pop your pimples! I know that your skin feels lighter after popping pimples but please don't do it ever again because it'd worsen the acne condition and leave acne scars afterwards. I used to pop my own pimples and let other people pop my pimples when I was younger but I realized that it was absolutely not a good idea. To be honest, I think it's nasty and hurtful. Your skin will be irritated and inflamed after popping. Even though the pimples seem to fade away after a few days, more pimples are on their way.

*And, don't sit down on a wet bathing suit during the summertime, because it would increase the chance of developing butt acne!* 

3/ Clean makeup equipment/tools after using

Please clean your makeup brushes and sponges after every single usage with brush cleanser. Makeup brushes are constantly collecting leftover makeup and gathering bacteria, which can lead to acne. If you don't have time, clean it once a week. But if you have a bad acne condition and you need to put on makeup every day, clean your makeup tools right after to keep them bacteria-free.

4/ Clean your cellphones with Alcohol/Clorox wipes 

Cellphones gather all kinds of dirt and bacteria throughout the day, it is the biggest hidden cause of acne on the chin and around the mouth. You should clean your cellphone every day with alcohol or Clorox wipes to keep it clean and to protect your face from bacteria.

5/ Clean your Workout Gear + Yoga Mats regularly

When you're going to Yoga class where you have to use communal yoga mats, consider all the people who have came before you! You're using a mat that other people have been on and imagine the sweat and everything... urgh. And it's yoga, you will be dripping with sweat and oil and rubbing your face against the bacteria on the mat, this will definitely lead to breakout. So, place a clean towel on the end of the mat where your head and face will be, even if you're using your own yoga mat.

Workout gear/clothing will also cause frictional acne as it constantly rubs against your body making you sweat. However, your skin ends up being irritate and eventually develop tiny little red bumps which are actually body acne. I don't know about you but I actually prefer working out in loose athletic clothing!

6/ Use anti-residue shampoo once a week 

Forehead acne is usually caused by bangs. Yes, they might be stylish but they're also acne-prone skin's enemy. Even styling products or dandruff can all trigger acne along the hairline and on the forehead. So use an anti-reside shampoo once a week (it's really strong so it will really dry out your hair, so use it only once a week). It will remove buildup, sweat and excess sebum that regular shampoo won't. Some recommended products are: Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo and Bumble & Bumble Sunday Shampoo. And most importantly, please pin your bangs up whenever possible!

7/ Use your own facial towel! 

If you're sharing the bathroom with another person, use a separate towel of your own. Acne is infectious, if you have pimples, it's likely that your housemate/roommate will get them too if you guys are sharing the same towel. Moreover, if you're in the process of curing acne, it's highly recommended to use your own CLEAN towel. Never use a strong soap/shampoo to wash your towel, use a gentle skin cleanser product such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser instead!

8/ Drink a lot of water & Supply Vitamin C to your body 

Acne is caused by both external and internal forces so you need to hydrate your whole body during the summer to accelerate the acne curing process. Drink at least 1-2 liters of water per day. You will feel like you wanna pee every 15 minutes but that's actually good because your body is removing all the bad things out. Drinking a lot of water will also help you lose weight easily! You should also supply Vitamin C to your body regularly such as drinking more orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice or taking Vitamin C supplement tablets. Meanwhile, minimize the consumption of oily/greasy food and dairy products. Your skin will thank you later on!

OILY SKIN vs. DRY SKIN Acne Skincare

This is based on my personal experience. I used to have oily skin when I was younger but my skin eventually changed to dry skin ever since I moved to the United States.
According to my experience, oil skin's acne is more intense and harder to cure. However, dry skin's pimples tend to be bigger and more hurtful.

Oily Skin:

For people who have oily skin, you guys can use almost any acne fighting products such as Proactiv, Clinque Acne Solutions, Dermalogica MediBac, Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, etc. because these products are made for oily skin, they will reduce the excess oil, making your skin appears to have better texture.

Exfoliation doesn't help oily skin at all! It actually stimulates the skin to produce more oil, making it worse for your acne condition.

You guys should also find suitable skincare products for oily skin, especially oil-free products. From what I know, Kiehl's provides a whole oil-free skincare collection: oil-free toner, oil-free moisturizer, oil-free gel cream, oil-free lotion, oil-free BB Cream, etc. I've used some products from the regular collection of Kiehl's and I absolutely love it! I'm actually using Kiehl's facial cleanser for all skin types and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. They are very light-weighted and gentle. I will do a review about Kiehl's products soon!

Plus, if you really need to put on makeup, apply a layer of oil-free moisturizer or any acne-fighting product on before putting on makeup to protect the skin from dirt/chemicals. One more small tip is to carry oil-blotting papers around because oily skin will constantly produce oil so it will definitely be really useful! :)

Dry Skin:

For people who have dry skin, I do not recommend you guys to use these acne-fighting products because they would make your skin very very dry. They will remove the oil on your skin. But your skin is already dry so it will end up irritating your skin and worsen the acne condition. Remember, regularly exfoliating is not good for both dry skin and oily skin! Use it only twice or four times a month, don't overuse it because it would irritate and break down the collagen in the skin - making your skin aging faster.

Moreover, pimples on dry skin tend to be red, so I recommend you guys to use Etude House Aloe Moistfull Soothing Gel. This gel contains enriched Baobab Tree extracts and Organic Aloe which will supply moisture to the skin; you should apply it when you feel extreme dryness or right after washing your wash (pimples tend to be really red after cleansing). Moreover, I also recommend using Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX because it's extremely lightweight, refreshing and hydrated. It's a gel-textured overnight mask with Beta-glucan & Snow Water to deeply hydrate, restore clarity and vitality to fatigued and dry skin (1-2 times/week).

According to my own experience, if you have dry skin and a bad acne condition, don't put on heavy-weighted foundation or loose powder because it will only make your acne more visible. Instead of putting on thick makeup, try a light-weighted tinted foundation or BB Cream! It will make your face look more natural and partially cover your pimples.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15 - a perfect tinted foundation for bad acne condition skin

Clarins UV Plus HP - Tinted Foundation & Sunscreen. Light-weighted and easily blended. Highly recommend for dry skin, but not for oily skin. Because this product contains sunscreen and high SPF, it tends to get really oily during the day. 

In general, you CANNOT cover all of your pimples by makeup no matter which skin type you have. You can only make them less visible by choosing the right products or concealing the pimples. You cannot make your pimples face become clean, glowy face using makeup. The things you can do right now is to treat your skin gently and supply water to your body constantly.

One more product that I would recommend for both skin types is the Clarisonic Mia2 Skin Cleasing System with Acne Cleansing Brush Head. It will keep your pores clean and fresh, reducing the chance of getting pimples during the summer. If you don't have this machine, it's still okay! Just remember to wash your face in circular motions and do not scrub because it will only spread the infection around the face and cause more irritation.

Pheww...! 

Such a long post today. I hope you guys enjoy and good luck keep your skin healthy during the summer time. 

Cher Vo

July 6, 2013

Chanel CC Cream :)

What is CC Cream?

CC Cream, also known as correction complete/color control cream, is the all-on-one complexion perfecter that acts as both a skin-care and makeup product. 

The difference between CC Cream and BB Cream is that the texture of CC Cream is lighter so it's smoother when applying and it would give you a less oily/greasy finish. 

Chanel CC Cream

This time, I would have to say that I'm fully satisfied with this Chanel CC Cream! It's the best CC Cream that I have ever used! It's even better than the Dior BB Cream that I thought was the best! It beautifies your skin at the same time as nourishing it. It blends out really quickly and gives you a great covering. I wouldn't say it's a light-weight product but it is currently the lightest CC Cream/foundation that you can find on the market. 

Moreover, CC Cream is just imported to the U.S. a few days/a week ago because I got it on the first day it got to the U.S. And the only available tone was 20 Beige, which is the lightest one. Fortunately, it's perfect for my skin tone! And I'm totally in love with this product after 1-2 weeks of using it. I now use it every single after putting on the Elizabeth Arden facial anti-aging serum as a base. It really compliments your skin tone a lot. It does brighten your skin but not like ghost-white! It's more fair and warm. 

The reason why I prefer CC Cream is that it provides more coverage while nourishing my skin. And this CC Cream from Chanel also offers SPF 30 and PA+++ which also acts as a sunscreen! This will protect you from the damaging UVA and UVB rays, especially in the summer when it tend to be more sunny outside. When I use this CC Cream, I don't need to put on any concealer, highlighter or skin corrector because it also treats and covers uneven skin tone effectively! 

This is how the packaging looks like! :)

Chanel CC Cream combines 5 actions in 1 single step:

1. Soothes sensitive skin
2. Moisturizes and gives skin hydration
3. Protects skin from the damaging UVA-UVB rays
4. Prevents external aggressions
5. Evens out imperfections

This is the swatch of Chanel CC Cream and how it looks like after applying. It blends, evens out my skin tone effectively and gives my face that natural look. For some reasons, it just doesn't show up on pictures, at all. But it really works for me!

And the one thing that surprised me after all is that my skin looks even better after removing makeup. It gives my skin a glowy effect and a flawlessly radiant complexion every single time. It's really hard to see in the pictures because of the light (And my skin is not that yellow!)

The things that I love about Chanel CC Cream:

• Perfume scent upon application but will soon fade away (still smell really good after all)
• Long-wearing - makes it a good choice for summer!
• Nourish your skin while giving you that perfect natural look! 
• Packaging is travel-friendly, thin squeezable tube. 
• Gives your skin a lot of hydration
• Evens out our skin tone effectively (say goodbye to concealer/long-wearing foundation)

Down sides:

• Even though it's the lightest CC Cream you can find on the market, it's still somehow a little bit heavy-weight
• It tends to get a bit greasy at the end of the day but it's still better than other BB Cream products that I have used so far
• You cannot really use it for the nighttime because it has SPF in it... and it's just unsuitable. 
• If you don't have pale skin, you would find this product to be a little bit light. However, I was talking to the Chanel saleswoman the other day and she said Chanel would be selling 2 darker tones very soon, so be patient!

Etude House CC Cream

This is Etude House CC Cream. As you can see, the texture is very glitter-like and TOO white. I don't know why it doesn't show up on pictures but it looks uneven/too light on my hand. 

I have tried Etude House CC Cream before and unfortunately it was a bad experience. The texture was glitter-like and pretty sticky when applying on the face. Moreover, there is only one color which is TOO light for me as an Asian (even though Etude House is a Korean based company). If you have super duper bright/pale skin, Etude House CC Cream is a good choice for you. 

So hopefully you've had a good idea of what CC Cream is and how Chanel CC Cream has worked for me! :)

06/17/13

- Cher

My Nighttime Skincare Routine!

Soooo... Today I'm writing this to show you guys my daily skincare routine! :) My skin is very sensitive so I always stick with the same products that I have been using for years. However, I have changed my skincare routine ever since I moved to the U.S. because the ingredients in the products here are different from what I have always used in the past. I actually really like my skincare routine right now because it helps my skin a lot! :) Last winter, I went back home to visit and the weather there caused my face to breakout so I was freaking out at that time. And when I got back to the States, my skin was still in a really bad condition... But after doing some researches, I finally found some products that actually suit my skin so I decided to try them out. Fortunately, they worked! :) Okay I'll get straight to the point now! Below is the steps of my nighttime skincare routine: 

1/ After washing my face with VICHY Purete Thermale Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser, I apply this thermal spring water by spraying it all over my face then start massaging in circular motions (Sometimes I use my Lancome toner instead of thermal spring water)

2/ After that, I use a cotton pad and apply this Aloe Moistfull by Etude House to reduce any redness around my face; it also soothes your pimples effectively.

3/ Then, I use Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Face and Eye Serums. The bigger box (left) is the Daily Youth Restoring Face and the smaller one is the Eyes Serums. :)

There are many small capsules inside; I usually use 1 capsule a day (half for daytime and the other half for nighttime). I always massage my face and around the eyes in circular motions after applying this on. 
This serum is super awesome, it is made for all skin types. It's lightweight, silky and non-greasy! It absorbs really really quick and makes your skin feel soft immediately after applying. The difference is visible after only 3 weeks! :) My skin appears to be more youthful, smoother, and firmer. It also improves your skin tone, reduces roughness/dryness, and reduces wrinkles. I'm so in love with this product! :) Oh and it doesn't really have any smell (it actually smells a bit like oil at first but the scent will disappear after a few seconds). If you use this in the morning before putting on your makeup, it will give you that radiant, glowy, and healthy skin look!

4/ Next, I apply this Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector on my face to help eliminating any imperfections on my face. This product actually works for me; I used to have a lot of pimples which left a lot of scars afterwards. However, after one month of constant use, all the dark spots on my face started to fade and finally disappear! :) 

5/ Finally, I apply about 2-3 bean-sized dots of VICHY Aqualia Thermal Moisturizer all over my face and massage gently

In the winter, I use this Calrins Creme Riche Desalterante for Very Dry Skin because my skin tends to get really really dry in the winter. To be honest, this cream is not that comfortable when applying because it's not light-weighted. However, it really helps hydrating your dry skin so I have to bare with it! :)

I'll be posting about my daytime skincare routine really soon! :) And also, a 'CC Creams Review' and a 'Summer Most Wanted Products' are gonna be posted soon so keep your eyes on my blog! :)

June 3, 2013