Glow up your skin and look radiant today

Acne Skin April 9, 2022

Top 3 Products To Treat Acne Scars Effectively

Do you know what is the next “painful” problem you face when you have acne?

It’s dealing with acne scars that take a long time (or never) to go away.

Do you agree?

I was trying to manage my hormonal acne which appeared in my mid 30s. To find out more about my journey, you can read it here.

How acne scars are formed

Acne scars form when acne has penetrated the skin deeply, damaging the skin and tissue beneath it. The body repairs the damage by producing collagen. If the body doesn’t produce enough collagen, acne scars form.

How to treat acne scars

Prevention is better than cure. One way to prevent acne scars is to reduce inflammation in the body. Junk food and sugar causes inflammation to the body and should be avoided as much as possible.

The next way is to treat acne as soon as it forms. We should not squeeze or pop the pimple as it will only further agitate the skin. We should not over cleanse as this will strip the natural oil glands that moisturize our skin.

Here are 3 affordable and effective products I used to treat my acne scars

1. Skinceuticals CE Ferulic

Our skin repairs itself by producing collagen.Vitamin C serums stimulate the skin in production of collagen. I highly recommend the CE Ferulic serum as it contains 15% pure vitamin C. I use about 4 drops in the morning for my whole face and my skin texture and scars have lighten tremendously.

2. Differin, Adapalene Gel 0.1 % Acne Treatment*

Differin contains vitamin A which helps regulate cell growth and the skin to repair itself. It repairs the damaged skin cells that caused the scarring. It is a retinoid that works on both the surface and middle layers of the skin. It has helped to smooth my acne scars, improve my overall skin texture after using it consecutively for 2 weeks.

3. Life-flo, Pure Rosehip Seed Oil*

Rosehip oil is a dry oil that is easily absorbed into the skin and is non comedogenic. It contains linoleic acid that reduce hyperpigmentation in scars. I use this weekly when I give myself a Gua Sha Facial.

Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese technique that involves scrapping the skin at certain meridian points and helps to remove toxins and improve blood circulation. I have been doing Gua Sha for some time now.

Click here to find out more.

* You can use my discount code QJC066 at the check out for additional savings.

All products are not sponsored

Acne Skin April 2, 2022

4 Must Have Products For Acne Prone Skin

Are you looking for affordable and effective products to treat acne?

Here are 4 products I used that prevented my acne from reoccuring.

1. California Gold Nutrition Vitamin D3 softgels

Acne occurs when bacteria attacks our blocked pores, causing it to be inflamed. Vitamin D has anti- inflammatory properties which can help address the inflammatory symptoms of acne. The recommended dosage is 1 capsule per day, there are 360 capsules in bottle, so it lasts you for almost a year!

2. Aveeno, Active Naturals, Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

Personally I prefer a foam cleanser. I find that it doesn’t give you that “artificial squeaky clean” feeling compared to gel or cream cleansers. This cleanser removes excess oil well and does not leave your face feeling dry after washing. A small pump is enough for the whole face, so a little goes a long way, another economically friendly product.

3. Life-flo, Pure Rosehip Seed Oil

This has always been my go-to skin care whenever I am feeling lazy. A few drops of oil is all you need to keep your skin moisturized.

Oil is important even for acne prone and oily skin as it helps to keep the skin natural oil balanced. Rosehip oil is a good option as it is a ‘dry’ oil and is easily absorbed into the skin. If you are worried it is oily, you can apply a few drops when your face is still a little moist for easier absorption. I use Rosehip oil when I want to give myself a mini gua sha facial massage. To find out the benefits of gua sha, you can read more here.

4. Differin, Adapalene Gel 0.1 % Acne Treatment

This product is a total life changer for me. Since having acne, my skin had a lot of blackheads.I use this every night for 2 weeks and they were gone. The most significant change is the texture of the skin. Differin contains Adapalene, an active ingredient which can specifically clear acne. Differin is a retinoid (a form of vitamin A) which can reduce inflammation, unclog pores and regulate skin cell growth.

If you are looking for products that are result and and cost effective to treat your acne, I highly recommend these 4 afforable and effective anti-acne products.

You can try treating acne internally (by taking supplements) and externally (by facial products).

iHerb.com offers a wide range of supplements and health care products for your selection. I have been purchasing from them for many years and there are always new surprises. They ship worldwide and offer affordable international shipping for overseas customers.

You can use my discount code QJC066 at the check out for additional savings.

*Disclaimer: Affiliate links provided.

5 Ways To Glow From Inside Out

You are at a reunion party with classmates you have not seen for years and saw a familiar face.

You recall your classmate used to look old and tired.

Now, they glow from within. You wonder how they did it.

Has this happened to you before?

Want to know the best part?

You too, can acheive the same results.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Cut down the Sugar

Sugar destroys collagen.

It makes the elastin in our collagen stiff, dry, and brittle causing fine lines, wrinkles, and saggy skin. Our aging process speeds up when we consume more sugar.

Cut back on the soda and replace it with Kombucha tea which contains more probiotics. Replace sugary desserts with fresh fruit, plain yogurt, and dark chocolate which are higher in antioxidants.

2. Wear a sunscreen

Do you know that the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun cause major damage to the skin?

The outer layer of our skin is protected by a cell that contains the pigment melanin. Without sunscreen, the melanin will burn the skin and reduce its elasticity causing premature aging.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Studies have shown that eating a high nutrient diet helps to regenerate skin cells, reduce wrinkles, and help the body to fight against UV rays.

Load up with high Vitamin C-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables and reap the benefits today.

4. Increase your resistance training and exercise regularly

As we age, our body loses muscles and strength. This is a condition known as Sarcopenia. This is why older people tend to have issues maintaining their daily activities. We can do simple resistance training to maintain our strength and power. When we perspire through exercise, it also helps to remove toxins from our bodies and reduces our susceptibility to diseases.

Get moving today!

5. Give yourself a facial Gua Sha in the comfort of your own home

If you have not heard of it, Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese technique that uses a scraping tool to improve your blood circulation.

Do you know that every point on our face is related to a certain organ and reflects our health condition? For example, having crow’s feet wrinkle may mean there is insufficient Qi in our blood.

By massaging these points, we can activate our facial muscles, improve blood circulation and bring a natural glow to our face to look younger.

Click here to find out how you can reap the benefits of Gua Sha.

How To Revive Dull Skin And Bring The Glow Back

You follow the latest skin care trends and try products that hit the shelves, yet your skin condition doesn’t improve?

Has this happened to you before?

As we age, our skin loses collagen and elasticity. At the same time, our skin loses hydration. With these factors combined, our skin will look dull and we appear to look older than our actual age.

The good news is there are ways to bring the glow back!

Here are some common causes of dull skin and how you can revive it.

1. Your skin is clogged

You wash your face, apply brightening serums and creams but your skin is still dull. You might have missed out on the most important part- Exfoliation.

By exfoliating, you remove excess oil and dead skin cells that have oxidized on your face over time. This creates a fresh canvas for your skincare products to absorb better.

Solution: Using a peel mask and facial scrubs can help to remove blackheads and dead skin cells. Use a facial scrub weekly and a peel mask monthly to avoid excessive irritation.

2. You are dehydrated and it reflects on your skin

Our skin is the largest organ of our body. Hence, we need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. When our skin dehydrates, it will appear to be dry, itchy, and form wrinkles. It will give us a dull and uneven complexion.

Solution: Keeping ourselves hydrated throughout the day is important. We should reduce our intake of caffeine beverages such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks. They are diuretics and cause the body to produce more urine resulting in greater water loss.

3. Your blood circulation is poor

Our overall well-being is reflected through the signs of aging on our faces. Certain points on our face relate to different organs of our body. Massaging those points can help to detoxify the body which in turn brings a glow to our face.

Solution: Facial Gua Sha is a technique that involves scraping the skin in an upward motion to enhance blood circulation. When we detox our skin, it helps to lift up our facial features, reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

I have created a course with a step-by-step guide on how to use Gua Sha on your face and neck here.

4. You are not eating a healthy diet

As the saying goes, “You are what you eat”.

The food we eat reflects our facial complexion. A diet high in sugar, fat, and salt is generally low or has no nutritional value. It does not stimulate our cells to promote collagen growth leading to dull skin.

Solution: A balanced diet is vital to our well-being. We should avoid sugar as it damages collagen production. We can substitute them with antioxidant-rich foods such as berries. Foods that are high in healthy fats, such as salmon, nuts, and avocado are anti-inflammatory for the body.

5. Environmental factors

Environmental conditions such as air pollution and excessive sun exposure cause dull skin.

The germs and bacteria in the air can clog our pores. UV rays can penetrate the outer layers of our skin which in turn hits the deeper layers and damage skin cells.

Solution: Washing and exfoliating regularly prevents clogs in our skin. Applying sunscreen helps to shield against UV rays and pollution. Using an antioxidant serum can help stop free radicals in the environment from harming our skin.

Try these remedies and bring the glow back to your skin

How To Manage Acne Emotionally

In my teenage years, I was “lucky” to have acne only on my back and forehead. While it didn’t feel good, at least I could cover it with my hair and clothes. My doctor prescribed me with antibiotics and cleansers which helped to heal eventually.

But this time, things were really different.

First, I didn’t expect myself to have acne again in my mid 30s, let alone hormonal acne, which has a more complicated root cause. While I consider myself “lucky” again, that it was mainly on my jaw area, less obvious compared to getting it on my cheeks, it still gave me insecurities. I felt more self conscious of how people will look and think about me, embarrased to take off my masks to eat with friends and colleagues.

I remember the day I visited my dermatologist for the first time, I almost burst into tears when I had to take off my mask to show him my acne. One part of me felt so ashamed to have acne at this age and the other part of me was worried if I could get cured. But I told myself I will be in good hands.

The most common question I get is “What happened to your face” , “Did you cleanse your face properly”, “Why didn’t you take care of your skin”, “You must have ate alot of fried and unhealthy food”.

It felt as if having acne was wrong and I wasn’t doing enough to prevent it from happening. Unfortunately, social media mostly portrays the good side of things and more often that not, people are embarrassed to talk about it.

Here’s my advice on how to deal with acne emotionally:

1. Know that you are not alone

Acne is a common skin disorder around the world. If you are also dealing with acne (whether regular or hormonal), my advice to you is to first know that you are not alone and accept the fact for what it is.

You have to accept yourself for who you are and believe that seeking professional advice will help. Sure, it will take time to heal but you will make progress.

2. Seek professional help

If you struggle to deal with acne, consider seeking professional help. A dermatologist can advice on the best treatments and skincare regimes most suitable for your skin condition. While skin recovery is a process and acne doesn’t go away overnight, getting professional advice can speed up the course of recovery.

3. Stay positive

Only when you remain positive in a bad situation, you focus on things that you can change. Try eating a healthier diet and exercise. Eating nutrient dense foods and reducing sugary foods helps prevent inflammation in the body. Exercising produces endorphins, a feel good hormone that is important for one to remain positive.

Ultimately, skin recovery is a process. Stay positive and trust the professional help you are getting.