New Year, New Skin

It has been a while. I started a few drafts in 2018, writing on notebooks, scratch papers, here, and anywhere I can put my thoughts on. But as an excuse, last year was crazy which then made me opt for channels that can be accessed easily. Though there is an obvious lack of updates here, I am glad we were able to survive 2018. It is a definite proud moment for us all.
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​In light of the new year, new you theme, I wanted to write something personal, my skin. I am well aware that I do not have an ideal skin, considering that I work in Marketing. Although over the years of being in the industry, I managed to get the confidence boost needed to not shy away because of my skin imperfections, I still want to take care of it. Not for anyone's approval, but for my own. After all, we only have one body, might as well take care of it, right?

Ishan @seefromthesky

My skin has been through a lot in the past two years. From stress to getting burned by products not suited for it aka ProActiv. A lot of celebrities are endorsing the brand, but man having Benzoyl Peroxide as an active ingredient is just too strong for me. My face was red all the time, extremely itchy I wanted to use a sand paper on my face, and had major breakouts. Although that happened to me while on their kit, I am not saying that it will not work for anyone else. It might work for you, your doctor might recommend it, but just not for me.

I know that my face has seen worse, but it also experienced better days. My very nice dermatologist was able to salvage it years back, and I was faithful to a 4-step regimen that she prescribed: a gentle PHA cleanser, a clindamycin solution for a toner, an AHA lotion for an exfoliator, and a sunblock gel. Cut the story short, the products calmed my face after the Benzoyl Peroxide horror story, and prior to that. One might ask, if the products from my dermatologist were effective, why try something else? Well, fact is, they are not always available. There was even one time I went to two of their branches to be able to secure a bottle, which happened weeks after they were not available. They are always on demand so I had to look for alternatives. At one point, or more for me, we tried products in hope of being better versions of ourselves.
 
As I was browsing YouTube, between binge watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo -  amazing show by the way, I came across the channel of James Welsh. Having skin care and hair as focus instantly hooked me up. Not to mention that his skin is goals AF. I agree when he mentioned that all skin types are different, but by simply saying that his skin is oily, I wanted to try his routine. I took screenshots of the products he mentioned on his channel and things that worked for him. Some are not always accessible, shipping might be needed, but this one video that he made months back, saying that it has been the best routine for his oily skin was "possible" to remake. I am not talking about a week long of watching videos, but just this Saturday until Sunday morning kind of watching

​Popular Korean beauty brand, Innisfree officially landed on the Philippines last quarter of 2018, a timely arrival for people buying for Christmas. My sister has been waiting for it, as she immediately bought the Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam. I asked her and she said that although she did not feel some kind of magic while using it for two weeks now, she noticed that her face improved.
 
Going back to James, he mentioned in that particular video that Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum and Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream worked him. So I went to the Innisfree store yesterday and bought the gift set instead of just one bottle of the serum, because the former had some freebies: 15ml Innisfree Green Tea Seed Skin (toner), 15ml Innisfree Green Tea Seed Essence-in-Lotion, and Innisfree Green Tea Seed Cream, to lock everything in. I think it is easier to know if the products would work for me if I incorporate an entire set to my next-to-nothing routine.

​I started using the gift set next to washing my face with my on-board gentle PHA cleanser, and was surprised that even after putting 4 other products on my face, I did not feel tight and greasy nor turned red. Good start, if I may say. I am excited to see how this regimen will turn out. Might write an updated entry after a month or so. However, I also want to try the COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream and Lush Tea Tree Water, both were mentioned in the video I stated earlier.
 
Other things that I am still doing for my skin and health in general is my daily intake of Vitamin C, went back to drinking fish oil, went back to doing daily WODs after a breathing exercise, and still have no vice - even after working for a beverage / liquor company. I still love tea though. I am still not into soft drinks, junk food and fast food, and try to eat fruits and vegetables everyday. These I know are also important should I want to take care of my skin. You are what you eat, as the saying goes.
 
We do not have to wait for the new year to change ourselves, that one is certain. While mastering the art of contentment, we must always assess our current state, see what can be improved, and pursue the vision of how we want to live our lives moving forward. Change may not always be the easiest option, but it is an inevitable journey worth taking.
 
What is new with you this year?
 
Stay inspired and later days.