Friday 11 May 2012

Is Your Skin Misbehaving?

I keep mentioning how my skin has been driving me crazy. My cheeks were inflammed, itchy, dehydrated, and lumpy bumpy under the skin. My chin area had bumps under the skin too and some spots were even starting to appear. I've never suffered from acne and I wouldnt say what I've been experiencing is acne but I have no doubt that thats where I was heading!

I dont want to get too personal but my monthly visitor (or once in a blue moon visitor rather)  is a bitch, theres no nicer way to put it. So after going back and forth to my doctor because I knew something wasnt right, she finally done a couple of blood tests and my hormone profile came back 'back to front' which I was told is usually a sign of PCOS. I'm just waiting for scans to make sure for definate but if I do have PCOS then that explains a lot of things, including my nightmare skin.

I've been using  three products lately and they've made such a huge difference! When your skin plays up it can really make you feel horrible so I just had to share.

A couple of months ago I received a bottle of Dr Bronners Tea Tree Magic Soap in a Glossybox. I was less than thrilled, it looks like nothing special but it really is! Tea Tree is a natural antiseptic, it prevents infection and does a brilliant job of stopping spots from spreading. I'd been using this as a cleaser but after a few days I found it too drying on my cheeks and nose so kept to using it just on my chin. Its dried out any lumps and bumps and stopped new ones from appearing. The smell is lethal, its so bad but luckily it doesnt stay on the skin. I use Magic Soap as shower gel, shampoo, brush cleanser, face cleanser. It has so many uses and isnt going to break the bank.


After cleansing I do a few sprays of Vichy Thermal Spa Water, allow it to sit on my skin for around a minute then gently pat dry with my finger tips. After cleansing is when my cheeks would flare up really bad, the heat that came off them felt like really bad sun burn and the pores in the centre of my face were like pot holes. There was  lot less redness from the first use and any heat I do get now is minimal.


Barefoot Botanicals SOS Face & Body Rescue Cream* was sent to me not long ago. Barefoot Botanicals is a brilliant brand so I was really excited to give this a try. Used on my cheeks it combats any dryness, itchyness, soreness. It leaves the skin feeling like velvet and calms down any irritation then I can go ahead and use my usual moisturiser on the rest of my face/neck.


My skin is by no means perfect, its still not back to normal but its a million times better than it has been. If you suffer from acne, PCOS, irritation or your skin sounds even slightly similar to how I've descirbed mine then I urge you to give all three a try or pick out what you think would benefit your skin most.

Dr Bronners Organic Tea Tree Castile Liquid Soap - 236ml 5.49 (link)
Vichy Thermal Spa Water - 150ml 6.30 (link)
Barefoot Botanicals - 50ml 8.90 (link)

All three are reasonably priced, act fast and best of all, free of nasty chemicals :)
*PR sample

10 comments:

  1. My skin has gone mad recently too! It's definately hormonal for me as I'm breaking out like mad either side of my chin and along my jawline, it really knocks your confidence doesn't it, especially for me as I'm a beauty therapist and I feel like people expect me to have perfect skin all the time :( I'll have a look at those products, great post! Hope your skin clears up soon! :) xx

    http://beautybyemma.blogspot.com

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    1. It does, going out without any makeup on never bothered me before but now it does.

      Hope yours clears up too. :)
      xo

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  2. Thanks for doing this post and thank you for your comment on mine. I will definitly be checking these out. I looked up the systems of PCOS, not sure if it could be that. My periods are like clock work and the only symtoms I have is the acne and I am over weight. I will go to the doctors to check and see if it can be anything else, as I am positive its something on the inside that effecting it. I have given up dairy to see if that makes a difference as well. Only time will tell. Sorry if this is too much info, us girls do like to share don't we. lol. Thanks again hun. xx

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    1. Theres so many symptoms but you dont need to have every single one to have PCOS. I've read lots about girls having no pain at all but I'm in agony most of the month so its still worth having a blood test.

      I'm cutting down on dairy too, and carbs, I'm a carb addict but apparently it makes PCOS worse.

      We do, we like to share everything. lol
      xo

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  3. The Barefoot SOS range is so good, I use the body lotion and body wash for when my eczema flares up and it always works a treat with calming it down. Sorry to hear about your pains, I was only just reading about PCOS this morning because a work colleague has recently been diagnosed with it and I didn't know much about what it was. Anyway, hope you get your results back soon! x

    http://wewereraisedbywolves.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Thanks! :)

      I didnt know much about it either. I'd heard of it before but didnt know it affected your skin etc.

      I havent tried the SOS cream on my body yet but might give it a go tomorrow.
      xo

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  4. I've used the barefoot sos cream before but it made my skin really greasy :(

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    1. The new SOS Rescue Cream? Thats the only one I've tried from the SOS range and havent had any greasiness but I only use it on my cheeks. Their Rosa Fina range might suit you better, I've been using a few different things from that range, its lovely :)
      xo

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  5. Sorry to hear you've been having problems :-( I've not tried any of these but have been keen to try the Vichy for a while, and I think I'll give it a go next time xxx

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    1. The Vichy Water is a funny one, if you dont have any skin problems you probably wont see any benefits from using it but its great for sensitive skin.

      Thanks for voting :)
      xo

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