My Skin Care Routine Part 2: Holy Grail Alert for Acne Prone Skin!!!

Part 2 of my skin care routine, which I am going to share with you today, is the post that you CANNOT miss if you have been battling (unsuccessfully) with acne.

The regime that I am about to disclose completely healed my skin of unsightly pimples and I HIGHLY recommend you give it a shot. Unlike so many other brands that have let me down, these products actually WORK. My skin is now calmer, less sensitive and consistently CLEAR. Look out for the 'Before' & 'After' photos at the end of the post!  :)

Ok, now to put you guys out of your misery, the brand I wholeheartedly endorse is none other than...

*Drumrolllllllllllllllllllll* ... ...

... mySKINBAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just to give you a little background about the company:
mySKINBAR is a Singapore brand (yay for going local!) founded in 2010 by Eva Soh. The range of products cater to problems such as acne, aging, sensitivity and pigmentation via non-invasive solutions and work to boost the skin's natural ability to heal itself. The company believes in a simple 3 step process - Prime, Treat & Protect.

Most acne fighting products in the market are really harsh and drying on the skin. What I love about these products is that they are all really gentle with no 'bad' ingredients. Let's go through them one by one, shall we?

(I previously wrote about makeup removers in Part 1 of this series, including mySKINBAR's Youth Revitalizing Milk Cleanser which I LOVE. Read about it here)

Cleanse / Tone with - Moisturizing Foam Gel & Toner Sebum/Bacteria Control

I love this cleanser. It's soooo gentle and non-drying, yet cleanses effectively. I also like that it doesn't contain SLS or any soaping agents so it doesn't disrupt the skin's natural barrier. Do note that this cleanser has minimal lather. If you enjoy products with lots of foam, this probably isn't for you. I foresee myself sticking to this for a loooong time. <3

Next, I apply the toner by patting it on with my hands. I don't use a cotton pad because I feel it's such a waste of product. This toner is blue in colour and contains probiotics to strengthen the skin, antibacterial witch hazel and allantoin for hydration. It feels comfortable on the skin and absorbs quickly.

Treat with - Corrector Gel

This, for me, is the star product of the range. It is a thick, orange gel that has a cooling effect when applied to the skin. Some of its ingredients include willow bark, ginseng, garlic and peppermint to fight acne bacteria. I believe it has some exfoliating effects due to retinal palmitate (vitamin A). This gel is significantly gentler than typical retinoid products and does not dry out the skin. I use this twice a day and before sunblock in the mornings. It prevents new pimples from forming and maintains clear skin.

Protect with - SunProof Aqua

For years I've tried countless sunscreens, both physical and chemical ones. ALL, and I mean ALL of them have either clogged my pores or caused breakouts. As such, I've not worn sunscreen for 27 years of my life.
*cue gasps of horror*   :o
Enter this baby. Since mySKINBAR products work so well for me, I decided to go with Eva's recommendation and try this water-based sunscreen. Did you notice it does not have an SPF rating? That's because it contains nano zinc spheres which form a shield on the skin to reflect UV rays, providing TOTAL protection against aging. SunProof Aqua has a light, watery texture and rinses off easily at night with the Moisturizing Foam Gel. This has caused neither clogged pores nor zits for me, which is AMAZING!!! Love it!

Supplemental products....

At the beginning when my skin was really congested and constantly plagued with pimples, I used the DRX toner after cleansing and before mySKINBAR Toner just to get that extra exfoliation so that the Corrector Gel treatment could penetrate the skin better. I found that this helped to clear the initial breakouts quicker.
The Corrector Lotion from mySKINBAR is supposed to be dripped on swollen, painful pimples to speed up healing. It works by pushing the bacteria to the surface of the skin where they will be killed by the Corrector Gel. I used this rather generously and regularly at the beginning but now that my skin is clear, I use it only when I get the few large zits before that time of the month. I have not decided how much I like this lotion, as it doesn't seem to heal pimples that quickly.
Both the DRX toner and mySKINBAR corrector lotion contain acids such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid (DRX) and lactic acid (mySKINBAR) to exfoliate the skin, so if you have similar products you can try to use those instead.
Dalacin T is something that I'd rather not use given the choice, as it is a topical antibiotic. However, it does get rid of monster zits VERY quickly. I use it after the Corrector Lotion and only on really big pimples. Given that I don't constantly apply it to large areas of the face, the acne bacteria shouldn't develop resistance to it.

That is pretty much how I cleared my skin.

Oh, if you've noticed the lack of a moisturizer above, that's because I was advised by Eva not to use one whilst working to clear the pimples. I guess it's due to my oily skin. And no, my skin has not shriveled up like a prune.

Some notable pros and cons of mySKINBAR range:

Pros
- Definitely, definitely DEFINITELY works to clear skin
- Heals skin and helps it to regain balance, rather than attacking it
- Gentle and non-drying. Can be used for sensitive skins
- Products are not exactly cheap, but some of them last a LONG time (Quickest to run out is the
  Corrector Gel)
- Has free local delivery for total purchase of $200 and above (in 1 receipt)
- Good service and NO hard selling

Cons
- My skin seems to get oilier since starting this??? Also the products don't have oil control despite their  
  claims.
- Expect an initial breakout whilst the products work to clear the acne bacteria inside the skin
- The products take time to work. Expect to persist for 3 - 6 months, depending on your original skin
  condition, to see full results. (For me it took about 1 month to get mostly clear, and 3 months for full
  effects)
- Does not totally prevent blackheads/whiteheads although mine have significantly decreased. I plan to
  go for facial extractions once in a few months. (Yes, I don't really need facials anymore!!)
- Isn't good for spot treating big pimples, takes quite long to get rid of them
- Only sold in Singapore for now, so overseas readers may find it hard to purchase

Oh yes, let's not forget the long awaited 'before'/'after' shots!!


BEFORE - Taken 2 Nov 2013:

Right Cheek                                           Left Cheek

AFTER 1 MONTH - Taken 2 Dec 2014:

Right Cheek                                           Left Cheek

AFTER 4 MONTHS - Taken 2 Mar 2014:

Right Cheek                                            Left Cheek

Aren't the products great?!? If you only wish to purchase a few items to try, I would highly recommend the basics of Youth Revitalizing Milk Cleanser (as makeup remover), Moisturizing Foam Gel, Toner and Corrector Gel. The milk cleanser really helps to lighten old acne marks and even out the skin tone as you can see from the before and after shots!

If you are interested to try their products (and after all that you should be), I suggest that you head down to their shop at Park Mall Level 8 so the staff can recommend products suitable for your skin condition.

To learn more about mySKINBAR, you can visit their website here.

Good luck!
PockMarkFats

Disclaimer:
I came across this brand by accident and I am not paid to do this review.
I purchased all products mentioned above.

My Skin Care Routine Part 1: Makeup Removers

I've been M.I.A. for over a month now because I have (finally!) been enjoying my clear skin.

This is the best my skin has looked in YEARS. Except for the monthly hormonal zits (which I will be dealing with soon, and will keep you guys updated), my skin rarely breaks out anymore.

Today I am finally getting down to sharing with you my skin care routine that has been working so well for me.

At last, my search for the 'Holy Grail' skin care is over (as over as it can be, till my hands get itchy again. No no no I must not think like that). YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

Because there are quite a few products, I'll be breaking it down into several parts.

Today's post is about my makeup removers:

1. CHANEL CLEANSING WATER - FACE & EYES (SGD 58)

This is actually the first Chanel product I purchased. I bought it on a whim after the sales lady told me it was oil free. I've scrutinized the ingredients list for any pore cloggers but they looked harmless enough.

Pros: Very watery and light in texture with no sticky feel whatsoever.
Cons: Only sufficient alone for light makeup.
          Can't remove waterproof/smudge proof eye makeup.
          Can be expensive and runs out quite fast (150ml for $58 in Singapore)

2. NEUTROGENA DEEP CLEAN EYE & LIP MAKEUP REMOVER

Do you see my dog scratching in the background?

I use this on my eyes and lips as it gets everything off quite easily. You can also use this to remove makeup on your face. I don't because I dislike the slightly oily slip.

Pros: Effective in removing even stubborn makeup
         Relatively cheap (around $12?) and can be purchased at any drugstore
Cons: Slightly oily feel

3. MYSKINBAR YOUTH REVITALIZING MILK CLEANSER (SGD88)

I've recently come across this local brand and I must say their products work really well for me. I've since added this into my routine to double cleanse especially during the work week. My pores clog really easily so I am quite paranoid about getting all the dirt and grime off my face.

Pros: Has a nice milky texture on the skin, feels quite luxurious
         Does not clog pores even though it has some oil content
         Removes makeup well
         Has anti-aging benefits and does not dry out the skin
         Does help to slowly even out the skin tone (my skin has gotten lighter over time)
Cons: Expensive (but it can last around 2-3 months and you get 200ml of product)
          Can only be purchased in Singapore. The company does not do overseas shipping as yet.

Another product that I used to use is the Fancl Cleansing Oil. It is probably the most effective makeup remover of the lot and it didn't break me out despite it being an oil. However as Fancl prides itself on having no preservatives in its products, you have to finish the cleaning oil within a certain amount of time (I think it's 1-3 months?). Also, all the Fancl stores are pulling out of Singapore so it is also convenient to switch to another brand. I've since replaced this with the milk cleanser from mySKINBAR as mentioned above. If you like cleansing oils, I highly recommend Fancl's :)

Notes:
- I can't use cleansing wipes, they tend to dry my skin out or feel oily
- The products mentioned above work for me, but you'll have to test them out to see if they work for your skin
- You don't have to use all the products above, like I said, I'm paranoid and like to feel clean.

That's all for my makeup removers.

Until next time!

xoxo
PockMarkFats