Skin Struggles

So we all think we know what acne it, or at least we know it's the bane of our existence.  Really it is sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria that's built up and plugged the hair follicle.  That's it.  Those three little things ignite the most fierce and desperate problem solving skills in all of us.  Acne, to me, seems to be my number one self-esteem killer.  It's a huge bummer and for the past four months its been really out of hand.  I thought I'd share my story with y'all so that when you read it you'll know you aren't alone in that boat of yours.  So here is the story of my skin struggle.

I personally think I have always had a little acne.  Growing up I bought the over the counter cleansers for acne prone or oily skin.  It wasn't ever anything serious.  Nothing to warrant dermatologist visits or even self-esteem issues.  It was just my skin, and by about the age of 23 I felt like I had it managed.

In the past three years I have become increasingly interested in skincare and esthetics, so I thought I'd try to make a career out of it. It's not like I'm using my History degree.  So anyway, I'm currently enrolled in esthetics courses at The Salon Professional Academy. That's the other reason I'm sharing: hopefully this battle will make me a better, more knowledgable, and relatable esthetician.  So back to the story.

In 2012 I was prepared to invest in Jane Iredale make-up, a professional mineral make-up line, but I wasn't ready to spend the money on professional skincare.  If you've ever looked into professional skincare lines you how expensive they can be.  Because I wasn't buying professional skincare, my esthetician recommended Cetaphil.  Of course I bought the Oil Control line for acne prone skin.  The line consists of one foam cleanser and one moisturizer with SPF 30 which I loved.  The combination of Jane Iredale Purepressed Powder and Cetaphil was doing pretty good things for my skin.  My breakouts were down to a minimum and I wasn't having to blot the oil from my T-zone anymore.  I was pretty happy with my skin, but I had (and still have) flesh toned bumps on my forehead.  In my esthetics courses I have learned that the technical term for these "bumps" is papules.  They didn't usually come to a head (unless I tried, and failed, to extract them) but just hung out up there, ruining the texture of my otherwise considerably smooth skin.

So in February 2014 I took the plunge.  The medicated acne line of a well-known and highly respected skincare line was recommended for me to clear up any lingering papules and pustules and to prevent any new ones from popping up.  The first month was pretty predictable.  I felt like my skin as purging.  I had expected that.  But after about a month I began to get very large, very red, very inflamed papules all over my face, even my cheeks!  I had never had serious acne before so I didn't know what to think.  I did know that what I was experiencing couldn't be normal.  But I had spent so much money!  I thought maybe I needed to add to my regimen to control these new breakouts.  I bought a gentle exfoliant and then a spot treatment.  Nothing improved and the condition of my skin continued to worsen.  It was terrible.  My confidence had plummeted.

At the end of May I was getting desperate.  I changed up my medication but to no avail.  Around June 22nd I finally went off the professional skincare and right back to the Cetaphil Oil Control line.  The Cetaphil calmed my acne down but wasn't healing it.  I wasn't getting the nasty, red, painful papules and pustules anymore, but my acne wasn't really going away.

So on July 11th I was ready to try professional skincare again.  I was fearful but I was tired of waiting.  I needed to get proactive about my skincare again.  I chose Clinal Care Skin Solutions because it came highly recommended.  CCSS is also the professional line we use at school, and since I will be using CCSS products on and selling them to actual clients in two weeks I thought it would be a good idea to try them out myself.

After using the CCSS Conquer(Zit) line for about three days my skin began to dry out.  If I'm being honest, my skin was a little too dry. I have gotten a few little pimples but I expected nothing less.  On July 13th I added CCSS Later Alligator Vitamin C Moisturizer to my nightly routine to help replenish the moisture the harsher ingredients in the cleanser is taking out of my skin and hopefully even out my skin tone.  Its been about a week since I started using the CCSS product line, and all is well so far.

I'll keep you updated on the progress of my skin, and if it ever clears up I'll post before and after pictures.

If you've had a similar experience I'd love to hear about it!  I like to feel like I'm not the only one, you know?

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Six Days in Maui

We spent last week in Maui with his family.  I know, I couldn't believe it either!  But the timing was perfect.  I desperately needed that vacation.  I don't know that I can put the Maui experience in to words so check out some photos instead.

The Grand Wailea Resort and the condo where we stayed (and the view from it) were beautiful.  There wasn't a moment that I didn't feel like I was in paradise.  The landscaping was exceptional and the people were so friendly!  Everything was over the top wonderful.

One morning we woke up before dawn to watch the sunrise from the top of Mount Haleakala.  It was breathtaking.  Seeing the colors of the sky change and brighten above the clouds has been unforgettable.

...And the volcano crater on the mountain was unlike anything I had ever seen.  It made me feel a little like a Martian. :)

All week I admired ocean, beach, and mountains views.  The island had it all! 

The black sand beach we visited was very cool.  Beware though, traditional lore warns that taking a lace rock off the island will cause years of bad luck.

People watching =)

We found a little time to stop along the Hana Highway and watch the waves and the wind surfers.  We were transfixed.

On our last night we attended a luau and heard a little Hawaiian folklore.  My eyes were glued to the hula dancers.

I'm so grateful I got to visit Maui.  My only regret is that I didn't come back with more photos. I hope that I can go back someday and explore all the parts of Maui I'm sure to have missed.  You should go sometime too! 

Until next time.

Love, Arkansas  

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Back Tracking

With all the fuss surrounding the holidays, I've been sadly out of touch with the blogosphere. Rather than making up each individual post, I thought I'd just create a single post of snapshots covering mid-October through the beginning of January.

Well first thing's first.  In the middle of October we got a puppy!
Meet Max, our adopted runty Rottweiler.

Of course he's grown since then, but wasn't he the cutest, littlest thing? 

We attended a very interesting Halloween party at a our friends' home.

I caught up with friends at a wedding that felt more like a college reunion.

… and we took a short road trip to Memphis, TN to join the droves of people there to see Justin Timberlake perform in his hometown!

I read and loved Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister for the November book club… 

… and baked a few homemade pies for Thanksgiving with my family.

And we finally saw Third Eye Blind perform at Juanita's in Little Rock at the end of November.

In the beginning of December, I bought myself an early Christmas present and proceeded to use it to bake lots of goodies. =)

Like wheat chocolate chip cookies and a variety of Christmas cookies for friends and family.  As well as a homemade pumpkin crunch cake for Christmas dinner.

To kick off the new year right, we took a girl's trip to Eureka Springs.  Unfortunately we didn't think about January being the beginning of Eureka's off-season so many of the restaurants and attractions were closed.  No matter though, we had plenty of fun in our horrendously decorated hotel suite, having dinner and cocktails at Local Flavor, and on the Crescent Hotel Ghost Tour.  We also had time to walk the streets and hit the small shops before we had to leave early to avoid getting trapped in the mountains by the snow and ice.

Apologies for the blog negligence.  I promise to never let it happen again.  Scout's honor.  

I just know exciting adventures and nifty pictures are in our future.  Love, Arkansas.

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Fearless by Eric Blehm

Last month’s book club choice was Eric Blehm’s Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown.  The title is not something I would have chosen on my own, but it was suggested to me by one of the club members.  I was surprised at how much I liked and got out of the book.  I definitely shed some tears, but more than that, the story of Adam Brown’s life really made me think.

Adam Brown grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Throughout Brown’s childhood he showed his kind spirit by standing up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves.   He exemplified driven and determined behavior through his performance in football and his unwillingness to ever give up.  Most importantly Adam was a trustworthy and giving son, brother, and friend.   No one would have expected Adam to fall in with the wrong crowd or to betray their trust, but when he did, he found it within himself to turn his life around, overcome his addiction, join the Navy, and be the man he and his family and friends always believed him to be.  Adam Brown lived a life unique unto himself, as do we all.  But Adam’s drive and his sacrifice make his a story worth publishing.

  

Personally Brown’s story spoke to me about self-motivation.  He over came so many obstacles to achieve his career goals.  He always pushed through the hardest times, he never gave up and, he did anything and everything he could to fulfill his personal goals and take care of his family. 

So when I don’t want to get up and go to work, take the dog out, exercise, or do any other number of minor daily tasks, I think about Adam Brown and his unwavering dedication to self-improvement.

Who would I recommend this book to?  Anyone and everyone.  

Still not sure?  Check out the book trailer or website.  You can also visit Eric Blehm's site for more information.

Note: The writing style is not what I’m used to, so it took a little getting used to for me.  I typically read fictional literature, and Blehm’s writing style is more on the journalistic side. 

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