Here at my in-law’s, *everybody* falls asleep by 9. I’m a night owl by nature, so I’ve been staying up after they’ve all gone to bed, watching MTV shows on my laptop in the dark.
Last night I watched an episode of True Life that featured young people dealing with severe acne. It chronicled their journeys through various acne treatments and the emotional trauma caused by bad acne.
The show got me thinking about how appearance can affect self-esteem.
I remember going through a terrible bout with acne on my cheeks and forehead at age 19. It undermined my confidence and left me so emotionally sensitive that I’d cry whenever my mom or a close friend would even bring it up.
My skin eventually improved (it was Accutane that finally worked), but I’ll never forget the way I felt over that trying time in my life.
Because knowledge is power, I’m always looking for new skin care tips. Here are 21 more tips to go with the ones I posted last week.
I hope you find them as handy as I did. 🙂
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like…
- Flawless Looking Skin: In this awesome video, YouTube member kandee describes how she cares for her skin, her favorite tips and product recommendations.
- Aubrey’s Skin Care Routine: YouTube member Aubrey lists the products she uses to get her gorgeous, glowing skin.
- What is Laser Skin Resurfacing? Wonder what a laser peel is? This article answers some of the most important questions.
- How to Exfoliate the Nose: It’s a tough area to work around, but the tips in this video can help.
- Substitute with Soy Milk: Having trouble with acne flareups? A simple switch from dairy to soy milk may help, and here’s why.
- What to Eat for Glowing Skin: To steal a quote from 30 Rock, one of my favorite TV shows, “Tracy, science is what we make it.” LOL! Not quite, but this post does have some scientific answers to why certain foods can help to heal and brighten a dull or damaged complexion.
- Natural Skin Care: Here’s a list of nutrients commonly used to treat skin care problems.
- How to Have Great Looking Skin: Here’s another basic overview of skin care and what you can do to get healthy, happy skin.
- Celeb Skin Secrets: Find out what your fave stars are really doing to pamper their faces, though some of these secrets may not be so secret…
- More Celebrity Skin Secrets: We know they’re up to something — those celebrities who look decades younger than they should. It can’t all be camera tricks and surgery.
- Great Skin from the Inside: Garbage in, garbage out — that’s what they say about computer data entry, but it applies to skin care as well.
- Get Great Skin from the Outside: This is the sister post to the above one on getting great skin from the inside. It’s a great article on anti-aging, sun protection and more.
- How to Use Essential Oils for Oily Skin Care: Contrary to what I once thought, essential oils won’t necessarily worsen oily skin. Used correctly, they can actually clear oily skin.
- Celebrity Acne Treatments: They get breakouts too. Take those uber-closeups of Jessica Simpson’s pimples in her Proactiv commercials, for instance.
- Conceal Under Eye Circles: I can never have too many tips to conceal dark under eye circles.
- 7 Secrets of Celebrity Skin: Get leading lady skin with the help of these tips.
- Hollywood’s REAL Secrets to Looking Younger: This article doesn’t mince words. It credits chemical peels, lasers, Botox and injectable fillers for some of Hollywoods hottest skin.
- MORE Celebrity Skin Care Secrets: AKA Red Carpet Confidential. Ever more celebrity tips and tricks.
- How to Maintain Healthy Skin: More basic, basic skin care tips, but I like the paragraph on vitamins A and E.
- Drugstore Skin Care Routine: I really loved this video from YouTube member AllThatGlitters21, with its list of drugstore products (she shops at Target a lot) and how to use them.
- Acne Solution: Kick acne to the curb once and for all with some help from Pursebuzz.com
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. If you’re new here, thank you for visiting. Makeup and Beauty Blog is a makeup blog with daily product reviews, beauty tips, giveaways and the random shenanigans of a crazy cat lady/makeup enthusiast named Karen (that’s me!). 🙂
Shiny says
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:15 pmI love these package segments you do Karen, I always find at least a couple of useful vids out of a set!
Karen says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:04 amHi Shiny,
I am glad you like them and find them useful. 🙂
How have you been? Congrats on your research gig, btw! When are you leaving?
Nicole15 says
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pmI want to thank you Karen for posting these videos & skincare tips. I have acne prone skin & have had issues with breaking out since I was 14 yrs. old. I am now 31 so you can imagine how frustrating it has been through a good portion of my life to have to deal with these issues. I feel like I have tried everything under the sun from prescription to over the counter, but am always open to knew advice. It means a lot that you took time out to think about those that weren’t blessed with flawless skin. Thank you!!!! 🙂
Karen says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:07 amHi Nicole15,
Sure! I’m sorry to hear about your skin frustrations. I still periodically break out and it feels like a never-ending battle with acne… I sometimes can’t believe I’m in my 30s and still dealing with this crap, LOL!
Have you found anything that’s helped? I alternate between 2% benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid and that seems to help a lot.
Marcela says
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:38 pmGreat post, Karen!
I’ve been dealing with acne for the past two years and it sucks…At the moment I’ve got a face full of nasty red scars and there isn’t a day that I don’t put on foundation to get out of the house. It’s just sooo embarrasing 🙁
I went to the derm and she said a certain variety of Accutane would work best but I don’t really like taking pills…another doctor that works with natural medicine gave me a strict diet with no dairy foods, fatty foods and processed foods and I’ve been sticking to it (sort of) and my skin has improved greatly but I really do miss chocolate, LOL
Anyway, I’m with Nicole15, it’s amazing that you cooked this post up, so we can do a bit more research about skin care. So yeah, great post!!! Thankyou!!!
Karen says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:10 amHi Marcela,
I’m sorry to hear that it’s been rough for you. I’ve been there and I know it’s really hard.
It’s interesting that you mention diet. I’ve noticed that if I watch what I eat and drink it does make a difference. Drinking enough water seems to help a little bit, along with getting enough sleep and not stressin’ too muc.
Hang in there… hopefully you’ll find something soon that will work for you.
Kate & Zena says
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:04 pmGreat videos and post, Karen.
It’s great to see other tips and regimens other than the Proactiv line. I used it three times at a friend’s house when I forgot my cleanser (I chronically forget it when I’m traveling) and I came home peeling, raw and red. My mom would spend the next hour doting on me and putting tubes of hydrocortisone. Apparently, I’m highly allergic to the Proactiv treatment. Differin is my best friend.
Karen says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:11 amHi Kate & Zena,
I’ve heard Differin works great for many people. Glad to hear it works for you! 🙂
Lee says
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 pmI too started breaking out at about 13 and after giving birth to my 1st child I broke out with the cystic nodules and had to get on accutane. When I was a kid, classmates used to always make fun of my face…someone even called me pizza face! 🙁
Lee´s last blog post..Class of 2009
Karen says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:12 amHi Lee,
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that! Kids can be so cruel. 🙁
How is your skin now? Has the Accutane helped?
Heidi says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:40 amKaren, I also broke out suddenly and severely at 19. My self esteem and self confidence plummeted until I also took accutane. That drug worked so well, even though it’s not a cure. I’m just so grateful that I took it early on because I feel LOADS better about myself.
Meream says
May 24th, 2009 at 7:38 amThese are amazing, Karen. I don’t have the most flawless skin and I appreciate any help.
Kate & Zena says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:15 pmKaren,
When I first started the Differin (I was 14), I was really skeptical. At that point, I had tried every OTC treatment and four other prescriptions. My acne isn’t caused by stress and hormones alone but genetics as well. I do have to use nose pads for my blackheads once a month, but the Differin tones down my hormonally charged breakouts to two pimples which is easy to deal with. Even under stressful times in my life, I may only get four pimples over the two months instead of twenty when using it.
I don’t know why I decided to try the evil Retin-A Micro when the Differin had been working for a year at that point in time. I had to wait ten months after my Retin-A Micro allergic reaction from Hell to go back on Differin. The reaction was just that severe.
Yvonne says
May 24th, 2009 at 12:16 pmI unconditionally love my husband who took me in with my 3 children and has loved them unconditionally for the past 11 years……I love you unconditionally Tony!
Lee says
May 25th, 2009 at 7:41 pmKaren, the accutane definitely helped. I no longer have pimples or acne (well I still break out a bit here and there when stressed but that’s about it). Yes, kids are cruel.
Lee´s last blog post..Earrings for A Wedding
bea says
May 28th, 2009 at 8:45 amdoes accutane really get people depressed? im thinking of trying it.
Karen says
May 28th, 2009 at 9:44 amHi Bea,
It’s been years since I’ve used it, but when I was on it I don’t recall having any issues with depression and mood.
The hardest thing for me was the dryness and resisting the urge to pick at my pimples.