Skincare

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June 8, 2019

My Latest Skin Savers for Acne

The acne struggle… if you know it, I feel you!! Personally, I have had an ongoing battle with acne since around 17 years old. Back then, the breakouts were minor and really not a big deal (I was dramatic. What I wouldn’t do to get that baby face back!). Fast forward to adulthood- you have been told your whole life up to that point your skin will get better once you are done with puberty… BIGGEST LIE EVER. My skin only kept getting worse after I turned 20. There have been times where my skin calmed down, and there have been times where my face has become a red, inflamed mess! Six years later, we are still sloshing through the trenches figuring out how to treat it from the inside and from the outside.

After all that I know about nutrition and wellness, I would be very reluctant to go on any oral medication/antobiotic, and therefore my MO has been to treat it naturally with clean skincare, no harsh chemicals, and with intentional supplementation. Hormonal/PCOS-driven acne (which is what I deal with) is one tough cookie. Every time your skin settles down, that monthly hormone cycle causes breakouts right around PMS week. WHYYYY?!

Those who have dealt with acne understand how annoying it is to have others think you don’t know how to “take care” of yourself. Of course I wash my face, yes I eat vegetables, and NO, I didn’t ask for unsolicited advice about what crazy thing has worked for your face. I’ve tried it all, thank you very much. Have you had that experienced before?? Let me know in the comments! Solicited advice is amazing, unsolicited comes off as condescending, ya know? Just a PSA.

I could write a million posts about the tips and tricks I have learned along the way, but today I wanted to share some current standouts that have helped regulate my skin, keep it calm, and fade the scars from the cystic pimples and unfortunate skin-picking episodes. What’s worked for me may not work for you, and that’s ok! But maybe just one thing will stick and make an improvement for you. And that is why I’m sharing- by no means do I have perfect skin, but I’m in a better place with my skin than I have been in a while. The following are some standouts that I believe have helped me calm my face the heck down.

Pimple Patches

These are great for two reasons: One, they help “suck out” and shrink a blemish, and two, they help me keep my hands off my face. I’ve caused way more problems by picking my skin, and it’s a habit I am trying to shake. If I have a painful pimple or a whitehead, I pop one of these on, sleep with it on, and take it off in the morning. MAGIC- that zit doesn’t stand a chance! Some require a few days of “stickering”, but it works way better than a lot of pimple spot treatments and helps to prevent a scar by keeping the skin hydrated.

They are clear little stickers, and I have been known to wear them out during a last-minute poké run for dinner. They are super popular in Asia, and people wear them around normally, and no one bats an eyelash. Sigh, I wish they were a bit more normal here in the US cuz I would rock them all day haha.

My tip for maximizing their powers- pop one on a pimple you picked because it will pull out any extra pus (gross and satisfying at the same time), or take a sterile needle or lancet and poke a little hole in your pimple, then pop the sticker on. Having an opening in the pimple makes the stickers work more effectively in my opinion.

A few brands I like can be found here, here, and here.

Exfoliate and Moisturize

Everyone can benefit from exfoliation. Especially if you are acne-prone, getting the dead skin off a couple times a week prevents clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads, and all those tiny under-the-skin bumps that you can really only see up close or at certain angles. Lately I’ve been using the Pixi Peel and Polish. It only takes 2 minutes, so it’s great if you are short on time. It contains lactic acid and fruit acids to help brighten the skin, which is a bonus for speeding up the healing of any post-acne hyperpigmentation. What I love is that it’s not an extreme peel. Your skin isn’t red and inflamed after you wash it off. Your skin looks glowy and calm, and I actually have less redness after I use it than before. Quick, effective, affordable-yes,yes,yes! This was a gift from my momma, and I’m so glad to have received it!

Ok now for the HOLY GRAIL cream: Berlin Skin Sandalwood Cream. I have my friend Brit to thank for recommending this one. I have always been super hesitant to moisturize, as most of us acne-sufferers are. Somewhere along the way, we had it engraved in our mind that moisturizers, creams, and oils would make us oilier and break out more, but the opposite is true. Now, I am a moisturizing fiend! I can’t go without it, morning or night. It is a bit more expensive, but a little goes a long way! This hydrates perfectly without feeling heavy and it brings down any inflammation. My skin is instantly soothed after smoothing it on, and I’m a girl who is prone to redness, so that says something. It contains hyaluronic acid, sandalwood, turmeric, lavender, thyme, and sage. Berlin Skin is one of my favorite clean beauty lines and this cream is, well, the creme de la creme! The fact that it hydrates, calms redness, and heals acne? I couldn’t ask for more!

Beauty Tea

All those skincare products are great, but good skin starts on the inside. There are so many dietary factors that dictate skin health, but I’m putting a spotlight on this tea from Republic of Tea. I add it to my spearmint tea (another acne-busting tea) to make a dynamic duo. It contains the up-and-coming trendy blue butterfly pea flower, which is high in antioxidants like anthocyanins which help support collagen production. Hibiscus hydrates, while rosehips contain vitamin C, (also VIP for collagen production and wound healing, ahem, picked pimples). Lastly, schizandra berry makes an appearance, which is pretty revolutionary in the tea world. I haven’t seen many brands adding that to their proprietary blend. Schizandra has been an adaptogen shown to improve skin health and clarity for centuries. Talk about a beautifying cocktail, right? It also tastes delicious. By itself, it’s a deep blue/purple color, but if you add a squeeze of lemon, it turns pink! That’s all thanks to that blue butterfly pea flower, which I predict will become very popular in the wellness circuit. Sip some for good health, and good skin!

Have you tried any of these products before? I would love to know if you have any products that have changed the game for you, whether internal or external skin helpers. Let me know! Share, share!

Have a great weekend!

XO, Alexandra

May 18, 2019

Safe Sunscreens for Face, Body, and the Environment

Summer is right around the corner, so I feel that this topic is very appropriate: SUNSCREEN. And not just any sunscreen from CVS will do. Just like with food, it is so critical to check the ingredients, because not all sunscreens are created equal. Sun protection is key every single day to protect your skin and prevent signs of aging- (dermatologists/ estheticians will 100% agree that daily SPF application is the number one way to prevent aging.) Number one!!! So why aren’t more of us using it?

In the past, sunscreens have been thick and make you look chalky, feel sticky, and if you’re like me… cause serious breakouts all over. BUT sunscreen tech has come a long way, and I have personally found some gems that make it easy for me to keep a sunscreen routine on the daily.

I’m not a skincare expert by trade or education, but I sometimes feel like I would be an esthetician if I weren’t a dietitian because I cannot learn enough about skincare. I listen to podcasts about it, I follow instagram accounts of some amazing dermatologists and estheticians. I always want to learn the latest and greatest about skin. I’ve learned along the way from the fabulous experts out there, and now I’m sharing from personal experience which products work for me, keep my toxic load lower, and help preserve our environment. So throw on your sunhat and grab a lounge chair while we dive into sunscreen (figuratively and literally).

A quick note about sun exposure- Sun provides us with the gift of producing vitamin D when it hits our skin. Vitamin D is important for many reasons, from bone health to hormone production, and unfortunately, most of us don’t get enough. Depending on the season and location you live in, sun exposure can’t produce enough vitamin D on the skin all the time. Check this map to scope out your area and how much sun time you need to get sufficient vitamin D. For SoCal, we can get enough vitamin D from 20-60 minutes WITHOUT sunscreen (the time length depends on skin color- lighter skin needs less time). This window should be the only time you got without SPF. Get your half hour or so, then slather one the sunscreen.

Drunk Elephant SPF 30- Goes on sheer and doesn’t clog my pores. It also has ingredients like algae extract and sunflower sprout extract to protect against oxidation from environmental damage.

OK, so now that we know the sun can be a good thing to provide us with vitamin D (when we are not wearing SPF), let’s talk the importance of using a physical sunscreen rather than a chemical sunscreen when we are protecting ourselves from the rays.

There are two types of sunscreen- physical, which contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient, and chemical sunscreen, which uses a slew of actives like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. I’m not here to judge you on your sunscreen choices, but I do want to take the time to educate and inform in case this is news to you!

Why physical sunscreen? It’s better for you, and better for the environment. Physical sunscreens work by sitting on top of your skin reflecting the sun’s rays like a shield. The molecules of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are too big to be absorbed by the skin, so there is no risk of harmful side effects! They are just natural minerals that sit there and do their job. SO ideal.

My daily ride or die- Suntegrity Impeccable Skin!!! I’ve gotten my mom and sister on this, too! It’s got vitamin C and E- great for antioxidant protection, brightening, and anti-aging. Not only does this one block the sun’s rays, but it also blocks blue light from phone/computer screens, which is being found to be as aging as the sun!

Chemical sunscreen, on the other hand, works by absorbing the sun’s rays and then turning them into heat. Essentially this heats up your skin on a micro-level (which can be very inflammatory, especially for those with rosacea, melasma, or who are prone to redness.)

Lab studies show certain chemical blockers could be endocrine disruptors. One full body application of a chemical sunscreen has enough estrogen-mimicking properties to be equivalent to a dose of hormone replacement therapy required for a menopausal woman!! Chemical sunscreen can also be a contributor of breakouts for those who are acne-prone. And if you’re someone who struggles with brown spots, definitely avoid them because the heating of the skin will only make matter worse. Thank you, next!

The last reason I do not support chemical sunscreen is the environmental impact. Chemical blockers oxybenzone and octinoxate (among a few others) bleach, damage, and KILL coral reefs. So much sunscreen ends up in our oceans adding stress to the ecosystem. Coral gets damaged at the DNA level so they cannot reproduce and die starving for nutrients because they become incased in their own skeleton. This is so devastating, as so much aquatic life depends on the thriving ecosystem coral provides. In fact, in an effort to protect the reefs and all of the life they support, places like Hawaii, Key West, and parts of Mexico have all banned the selling and use of chemical sunscreens. Unless you have a medical condition that requires chemical over physical sunscreen use, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!

Pacifica Mineral Bronzing Sunscreen adds a perfect beachy bronze tint while you spray. Who doesn’t love a little extra summer glow?!

I hope this post educates you and gives you hope that there is something you can do (a very easy switch, IMO) to care for your skin while protecting the environment. We can all make a change that adds up to make a big difference. I would love to know if there are any physical sunscreens you have tried and loved- please share!

Have a great weekend!!

XO, Alexandra

October 15, 2017

K-Beauty on a Budget

Hi! I wanted to do a little quickie informative post on some skincare products I have been loving lately…from CVS of all places! I know, I know CVS isn’t as classy or cool as my fave Sephora, BUT, they have recently started featuring a really trendy Korean-Beauty section, and it is just slaying the game in the world of beauty products (and on a budget, I might add). Just goes to show that not all of the most effective products have to cost your whole paycheck. #babeonabudget

Have you dabbled in the world of K-Beauty? As a skincare obsessee, I’ve got a sheet mask for every day of the week! Korean beauty, aka K-Beauty, has been getting major hype in America for the past few years. (And honestly, it’s a trend I don’t see going away anytime soon!) If you’re not familiar, K-beauty refers to all the skincare and makeup products hailing from South Korea. They combine the best of innovative skincare technology while also paying attention to use of natural and plant-based ingredients. Plus, the products are guaranteeeed to be the cutest and most easy to recognize on the shelf- they are known for their colorful packaging and cute little cartoon shapes and graphics.

Most of the products I get are focused on acne-prone skin, calming inflammation, brightening skin tone, reducing hyper pigmentation, and a little preventative anti-aging on the side. (LOL is that everything?!) The K-Beauty section in CVS came throuuuugh, and they have a lil something for everyone. Here are some of my current faves in rotation.

Peach Slices shrink pores mask, 7 days lemon mask, 7 days aloe mask

Sheet masks are so only fun and easy to use. The fun part is that you look super creepy wearing the mask over your face (not a cute look, but maybe good for Halloween?) The easy part is that there is no mess like there is with a traditional face mask- you just throw the sheet over your face, wait 15-20 minutes, then boom, throw it away. No washing, no rinsing, no scrubbing little green flecks off your face in the sink. Whatever gel or essence is left on the skin can just be patted in for your skin to absorb the ingredients. Very efficient.

I do have a confession… I don’t really listen to the directions on the mask, so you can either do as I do, or don’t haha. I wear my sheet mask overnight. WHY you ask???

Ya wake up looking fancy fresh. Just think about it- having the mask on while you sleep, not only is your skin doing its reparative thing, but all those active hydrating, restorative, clarifying ingredients are seeping in as much as humanly possible.

The mask eventually falls off when it dries and you roll around in the night, which makes for a great scavenger hunt in the morning. I don’t find socks stuffed at the bottom of my blankets, just sheet masks haha. I do the overnight masking when my skin reaaaally needs help. Makes such a difference.

Peach Slices Acne Dots

These are the holy grail for pimples!!! They are little transparent stickers you put on pimples overnight, and when you wake up, you take em off, and the pimple is either significantly smaller or even completely healed! I have been super impressed by these time and time again. They are especially miraculous for those pimples that you just had to pop. NOT saying it’s good to do that, but we can’t all resist the urge every time.

A tip from an ex-popper (though I’m not immune to relapse): Before I go in to pick at anything on my face, I put a sticker over it. Not only is it preventing me from doing something I will regret, it helps the pimple to go away. Like caution tape for your face.

Lazy & Easy Holika Holika Smooth Egg Skin Peeling Gel

This one is a bit of curve ball. It is adorable AF and that was the main reason it caught my eye. Nothing on the product is in English, except the very non-specific instructions, so I had to do some googling to get the scoop. It’s an egg gel that you use twice a week. According to the company, the eggs are from Jiri Mountain, the second tallest mountain in South Korea. I couldn’t find any reason as to why the eggs are special here, but it’s nice to know where your eggs are sourced from, I suppose. Just trust in the power of the magic mountain eggs!

Basically it is a gel/mask/exfoliating hybrid. You put it on after cleansing and drying, and as you rub it in circular motions, it literally lifts off the dead skin cells, which is both kinda gross and satisfying. Wash it off, and your skin feels smooth and looks brighter. I have seen an improvement in my post-acne hyperpigmentation from using this guy. The egg proteins help to tighten skin, lessen whiteheads and blackheads, and there is also lemon and orange extracts that help brighten the skin. There are no bad days when you start your morning with a smiley egg, am I right?

Have you peeped the CVS K-Beauty section? What are some of your faves? Always love to hear a product recommendation! Have a fabulous week!!

XO,

Alexandra

April 23, 2017

Current Obsessions in Natural Skincare

Hey, hey, hey! Currently having a relaxing Sunday night catching up on my DVR (anyone a fan of The Arrangement??). It has been an amazing Earth Day weekend here in San Diego- the weather was flawless. I spent plenty of time enjoying the sunshine and walking barefoot on the beach while watching the sunset. SUCH a rare occurrence for me cuz I’m normally crazy busy, but it was just too perfect outside to do HW indoors.

Now I’m craving summer like crazy! Just gotta get through 2 more months of school. 5 million projects and tests. ahah. I’m fine. (Send help!)

Now let’s talk skincare and makeup. I have shared some of my skincare life savers before, but not all of them were natural. I’ve switched several of the products in my regimen in the past few months, and I have had great results. It is so important to know what ingredients are going on your skin, because many ingredients have a small enough particle size that they can get absorbed and enter the bloodstream. Hence, keep it natural as much as you can. Buh-bye endocrine disruptors and carcinogenic garbage.

It’s easy for me to think very carefully about what I eat to take care of my body, but the world of natural skincare and makeup is another beast. Gotta be honest, sometimes the natural stuff doesn’t work too well. I can think of soooo many times a natural face serum has made my skin worse, or a natural concealer made me look like a pale zombie and then slid right off my face an hour later (no coverage, which is not ideal when the whole point is to conceal!) The struggle is over, though, because I’ve found the ride-or-dies you need in your arsenal of natural skincare and makeup.

Don’t even get me started on natural deodorant. I was convinced that a good, natural deodorant did not exist. Would there ever be one that minimized perspiration and actually kept you smelling fresh through a sweaty workout? The answer is a hallelujah YES!! I found the holy deodorant grail, and I’m sharing that today.

Found this beaut at a boutique in Venice Beach, but you can totally find it online. TMI maybe, but I am a sweat-er. My gym babes can vouch that I sweat, er, sparkle like crazy. I also get nervous for tests. SO between both of these occurrences that happen very often (tests and working out), this deodorant is the only one that has ever held up. I smell amazing alllllll day, and I actually don’t even remember what BO smells like??! GAME CHANGER.

One of my besties introduced me to 100% pure. All of their products are organic and 100% natural, toxin-free, and cruelty free. Love it! This serum contains a stable form of vitamin C and other antioxidants like vitamin E to boost collagen production. I have seen a major improvement in my skin tone and post-acne discoloration from using this. Bonus is that it goes on very light and does not cause breakouts.

Pimples. They are straight up awful . Blackheads. Also straight up awful. I smear a dot of this magic mask and it makes all the woes disappear. I literally threw away all the chemical-filled drugstore spot treatments. No more benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid drying out my skin cuz this stuff works even better. The craziest part is that it’s made from 2 ingredients: rasul clay and distilled water. My theory is that the distilled water comes from a magical well in Sweden with healing properties cuz there is just no scientific explanation to how this works so dang well.

Last, but definitely not least is this little power couple from 100% pure (did I mention I loved this brand). Natural face makeup is notoriously awful at covering up imperfections, evening skin tone, mattifying shine, staying in place, or even just making you look better-HA. After I tried this foundation powder (made from fruit pigments, with SPF nonetheless) and this concealer stick, I was sold. As in tossed-all-the-other-makeup sold. Stays in place, hides what needs to be hidden, and actually makes me look like a better, more flawless version of myself, naturally. #goals.

My whole objective with today’s post was to just share the natural products that I’m obsessed with right now because they work like no other, and they do it without a nasty ingredient list. I’m a picky, picky lady when it comes to skincare and makeup, so I only vouch for the products that work miracles.

What are your holy grail skincare products? Any natural gems I need to check out! Let me know.

Talk soon! XO,

Alexandra

January 20, 2017

Spearmint Tea: Major Skin Saver

Hello, hello hello! It has been raining a whole lot in SoCal lately, which has me reaching for the biggest cup of tea, cozy socks, and all the blankets. Does anyone else feel like snuggling up with a good book and an oversized sweater when it’s raining out? Don’t ask me to be productive, because it simply won’t happen. Grad school life vs rainy day life: ughhh, basically it’s trouble if they fall on the same day. Sometimes I feel like I’m solar powered, and grey skies literally drain me. Please give advice if you have a way to get over this!!

Anyway, if you are a major tea lover like me (especially on rainy days), today’s post is gonna be right up your alley. We are talking about the benefits of spearmint tea. Technically it is a tisane, or an herbal tea, because there are no tea leaves and no caffeine. Let’s dive right into the benefits and research, and then I will fill you in on this game-changer of a tea based on my personal experience.

Why spearmint tea?

First, let me stress that this applies only to spearmint tea. It has to be spearmint. Not peppermint, not citrus mint, not winter minty mocha (teas are getting really fancy these days haha). Just plain ol’ organic spearmint tea. My go-to is this one.

Spearmint tea is such a rockstar because it has been shown to have anti-androgen affects. Androgens include hormones like testosterone and androstenedione. Both men and women make these hormones, but when they are in excess, hormonal imbalances and undesired physical symptoms can arise, especially in women.

Elevated testosterone in women can lead to excess hair growth (formally called hirsutism), hair thinning and loss where you actually want it (your head, obvi), and increased sebum production and acne. Basically all the things no woman wants to deal with. Wasn’t puberty enough?!

Of note, those who may struggle with these problems and benefit greatly from spearmint tea are women with PCOS. Do your research and find a good endocrine doctor who can advise you. Get your lab work done so you know where your hormone levels stand. If free/total testosterone is high, get on the spearmint tea train ASAP.

Spearmint tea is still being researched, but some initial studies have found it to be quite affective at androgen-suppression. This study found that women who drank spearmint tea twice a day for one month compared to a placebo group had significantly reduced free and total testosterone levels as well as increased LH and FSH. Patients also subjectively reported improvements in their hirsutism.

Another study in women found that drinking spearmint tea twice a day reduced hirsutism, and free testosterone, and increased LH, FSH, and estradiol. The studies both looked at small population sizes, but the results prompt the urgency to keep researching across large groups of women, since the improvements for the women were clinically and subjectively notable.

Something as easy as drinking tea should not be overlooked as a way to help combat androgen-heavy hormone imbalances. It is gentle on the body, and can not only improve several really shame-filled symptoms, but it can boost self-esteem once you start to experience the improvements. Every sip of spearmint tea is going straight to the soul, making you feel better and more balanced from the inside out. #plantpower

Having dealt with hormonal imbalances, hirsutism, and hormonal acne, I can tell you drinking spearmint tea has made a major difference and improvement for me. I have been drinking spearmint twice a day since May 2016, and it has definitely earned its rightful spot in my arsenal against all things hormone imbalance-related.

It has been a long, uphill battle for me, but the consistency has paid off, and I am not breaking out to the degree and quantity that I was a year or two ago. My pimples are less “angry” when I get them, and the sides of my face and chin (notorious areas for hormonal breakouts) are not as spotty. I’m gonna keep on sippin’ while I suppress those excess androgens!

I highly recommend drinking spearmint tea twice daily for at least a month if you find that your struggles are androgen-related. It’s completely safe and natural, and very inexpensive, so you really can’t go wrong. PS, you don’t have to drink it plain- I always add another tea of some sort while it’s steeping to mix up the flavors.

I guess skincare has been on my mind a lot lately, but this tea tip is just too good not to share it with you. I know how many women are going through similar struggles, so share this post with your girlfriends/sisters/daughters, because the information could be super valuable for them to learn about!

Any natural hormone-balancing tips and tricks you have been loving? Let me know! Talk soon!

XO,

Alexandra

Psssst…Shop my chic insulated tumbler here.

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