You know, I'm really tired of spending money hand over fist because of a few pimples. Unfortunately, after my fiasco a year ago due to basic drugstore brands, I felt I needed to try the more expensive products. Sure, they haven't harmed me one bit. But have they helped? That question is harder to respond to than I'd like.

Short answer? No. Long answer? Still no.

Maybe cleansing my face everyday has helped a tiny bit. However, any basic cleanser could do that. From my readings on r/SkincareAddiction, I learned that there are safe and gentle drugstore brands for skincare. Ones that didn't cost hundreds of dollars. I mean, in total over the last year I spent more than $1200 on skincare products. Worse yet, I don't think my skin looks any different that before I started Lush last May. YIKES!

I feel a bit scammed. Skincare is such a tricky thing and it's very subjective. What works for one person doesn't for another. I understand the need for variety, but preying on people who are desperate for solutions and vulnerable due to self-esteem issues is pretty crummy. Thanks capitalism.

Well, I think I've learned my lesson. No more trying brands in a sweeping manner without tons of research. I've read so much about my skin type and conditions via SCA and I will continue to do so. Over the next month, I'll be phasing out most of my Kiehl's products (except the Vitamin C serum. I can only order that online from other brands). In their stead, I'm switching to Cerave cleansers and moisturizers. As for a toner, it's really up in the air right now. Maybe I won't use one at all for a while and see how I fair. Still, I'm going to keep my eye out for something soothing and cheap!

Setbacks are normal, but this is a bit rough. I'm only two months into truly pushing myself on skincare and to lose a whole year's worth of work really sucks. Maybe this spring will go better.

-Dana.


What products did you feel scammed by? Did you buy anything that you later felt was overpriced? Do you find expensive skincare routines worth it? Leave me a message down below!

I bite the bullet today and dug deeper into the world of skincare. There are some pretty obessed communities out there that I've been avoiding because I knew I'd get swallowed up by all the information. Still, it's been more than a year on this journey of mine. It was time.

Yes, I finally decided to join the r/SkincareAddiction forum.

SCA is a popular subreddit that boasts a plethora of skincare information. There recommendations for every skin type and lists for "Holy Grail" products for each type. You can post pictures and discuss different conditions. The routine help section is probably the part I was most interested in. It was there that I found out a lot of the steps I was missing from my routine.

I had the basics down, but I was missing key serums and moisturizers. (Did you know your skin shouldn't feel tight after your routine? That means it's too dry!) A standard routine would look like this:

AM

• Cleanser
• Toner
• Light Serum
• Moisturizer
• Sunscreen

On television, often when celebrities or the rich elite are depicted, you'll see women getting expensive facials at spas rather than at home face-masks. I always thought those were a little ridiculous. If I can do this at home for cheap, why would I pay someone else to do it?

Oh, am I sure eating some crow now.

Over the Christmas holidays, my lovely partner bought me a day of pampering at a local spa. This was so sweet of him and, with my current obsession with skincare, I was super excited.  When I arrive at the spa and began my other treatments, the whole time my mind was focused on the facial. Was it going to do anything? Was it a gimmick? Would I look like a fresh faced baby?

The treatment I selected was designed for acne and involved chemical exfoliation using fruit enzymes. (You know how pineapple tingles when you eat it? It's because the pineapple is breaking down the cells on your tongue. It can be used to exfoliate skin too!) When I laid down for the experience, I was really pleased with how many steps were involved. My boyfriend had paid over $100 for this treatment and I definitely wanted it to be worth it. We spent about half an hour steaming and rubbing and extracting. Then came the actual facial. We did the chemical exfoliation first and the esthetician mentioned it might tingle... Wow, what an understatement.

It didn't tingle. It didn't feel fresh or even itchy. No. It BURNED.

I mentioned this to the esthetician to which she said, "Yep, that's normal." Normal to feel like my face is melting off like the cheese sliding off a slice of pizza. Okay. Sure. Then I had to sit there for 10 minutes with that shit on my face. When the woman left the room, I said a few choice words to myself. The lava began to settle into my pores and I started to accept that this was my life now. I would be fire face. Maybe you could cover up exposed muscle with foundation.

Time ticked by slowly and I spent the majority of the time screaming internally until she returned and took it off. Once the chemical exfoliation was removed, I shivered in pleasure. It was so nice to not feel the burning I was relishing in it. Next came the soothing oatmeal mask, which felt like ice after the magma treatment. When all was said and done, I got up from the table and swore to never come back. Those rich ladies on TV were nuts, this was awful. Only insane people who had killed all the nerve endings in their face with plastic surgery would do this.  Then I looked in a mirror...

Damn. I looked good. Smooth, clearer. I still had skin, really good skin, even though it felt like I left it on the spa floor. I thanked the esthetician and tipped well, noticeably quiet as I contemplated what had just occurred.

The following month, I had some of the best skin of my life. Clearer than usual and so soft. I even felt confident enough to not wear make-up. The only difference was the expensive facial. It felt like a revelation and I realized that maybe facials were worth the money. Eventually, my skin went back to being it's naughty self and I longed for another face-melting that drained my bank account.

So was it worth it? Yes and no. I didn't like the experience of the burning exfoliation, but I loved the results. If it weren't so expensive, I'd do it more often.  However, it's nice to know that it's a viable option when I can afford it. Doing regular upkeep for it would be a big hit to my wallet as they recommend you do it every six weeks (which is when my skin started to freak out again). So, maybe I understand how these wealthy women do this regularly if it shows such good results. Beauty is pain, apparently. For good skincare, you start to become a masochist if something works. You want the burning just for the results.

While this facial won't be a regular addition to my routine, I'm pleased to have tried it. I will definitely keep this in mind if I ever have a skin emergency again.

-Dana.

Have you ever tried chemical exfoliation? Did you get a strange facial at a spa? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments!

Yeah, I already have enough doctors and specialists in my life. I don't need another, and I especially don't need one not covered by my government health plan. If you think cleanser is expensive, try seeing a specialist for five minutes. Anyways, I dug deeper into the hormone angle. This lead me to remember my PCOS and how I had been neglecting it for a while (2 years-ish?). Like I said before, the symptoms weren't really my top priority with my other health issues in the spotlight. It didn't seem like a really big problem, though maybe I was ignoring the obvious. So I took a step back for a moment. I cut out the extras in my Lush routine, and just observed my skin for a while. When only using a cleanser and toner, I noticed my skin was decent (not great, but not awful) for a few weeks at a time. Then, like clockwork, my skin would breakout terribly and get all inflamed for a two week period. The cycle would restart and I was keeping track of it all in my period app. This went on for a couple months and I had to come to terms with the fact that my hormones were contributing to my acne problem.

This meant it was time to go back on a daily medication, one I had taken before briefly, but not a task I was looking forward too. I have trouble taking medicine and vitamins every day (there's a reason I got an IUD for my birth control), and I hadn't been on a medication for anything since the summer because everything was making my Fibromyalgia fatigue worse. Still, I begrudgingly made the appointment with my doctor to go back on Spironolactone. It's original use is as a heart pill to lower blood pressure, but its biggest side effect is helping eliminate the nastier symptoms of PCOS like Hirstutism (I have a tiny blonde beard that I can wax or shave easily. Like I said, I'm a lucky patient really.) by lowering the amount of androgens in my system which are caused by my high levels of testosterone. The best part is that by lowering my androgens not only does my tiny goatee go away but so does my acne. It can take a very long time to work, from three months up to a year, but it was truly time to take this step. I may not see results for a while, but I can't keep ignoring my PCOS.

The second supplement I'm adding to my routine is a lovely little spinning face brush. Like I said above, this is more of a pampering item than a big decision. It's certainly an upgrade for my twice daily face wash. A lot of the well-advertised brands are super expensive, but I got a spin brush for cheap through a cosmetics company at which my mother used to work. You can get one on Amazon, or any drugstore really. All it really needs to do is have a soft brush and twirl it's little bristles. You don't need bells and whistles. Adding this to my routine has been great as I use far less product and still manage to lather my whole face. The gentle exfoliating is also quite lovely. It makes cleansing a little more fun too, which definitely makes me want to follow my regimen. I'm hoping to continue using it for the remainder of my Kiehl's routine and for any future products if I decide to switch it up.

My only real complaint about the spin brush is that it can take a few minutes of cleaning after use. The soaps really nestle themselves into the bristles and that can be a pain. I'm sure I'll get it down to an exact science after repeated use though. Fingers crossed that the new year brings me some relief in the skincare department! Shortly after my birthday next month, I will have reached the one year mark in my journey to achieve clear skin. Hopefully, I'll have some positive things to report by then.

Dana~

Do you have hormonal acne? Have you ever taken pills for your acne? What do you think of spinning brushes?  Am I nuts for trying so many things at once again? Sound off in the comments down below!

Last time I checked in about my journey into the expensive and overwhelming world of skincare, I discussed how my Lush routine was working and what I changed after using it for most of the summer. Well, Autumn came and went, taking with it my Lush routine. By November, I was just plain fed up.

At that point, it had been almost 10 months since I started this crazy ride, and my skin honestly wasn't looking any better! Sure, with each new product I'd go through a period of adjustment that felt like it was making a difference, but then after a month or two my skin would get angry again. I'm turning 24 in January, and I feel like I have the skin of a middle school outcast

The Lush routine did last the longest, partly due to the fact that it was gentler than the other methods I tried, so I had less side effects. Also, I felt super guilty for how much money I spent on them and didn't want to throw in the towel too soon... However, after 6 whole months of consistent use with no true change in my issues (acne, oiliness..etc), I knew it was time to change things up.

During the summer, I heard good things about a place called Kiehl's. They take a more dermatological approach to skin care and even do little swatch skin tests in store. Now, I'm a sucker for little gimmicks that tell me more about myself so this felt like it was right up my alley. Even better was that my closest Kiehl's was right across from the Lush store in my local mall, Metropolis at Metrotown (I just imagine the shopkeepers, one in a black apron and the other in a white lab coat, walking out into the atrium to shake their fists at each other). When I walked in and mentioned the little skin test, I was seated and tested within in seconds. It didn't seem as cool as it looked in the video I watched previously, but it was neat nonetheless. The little test papers told me I was "normal-to-oily". Honestly, I think it lied because I had done a face mask earlier in the day which skewed the results, but whatever. After about 10 minutes of chatting, I walked out of Kiehl's with a two-step, twice daily routine and a once a week face mask.

The products include Blue Herbal Acne Cleanser Treatment, Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, and Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask. Now, I only bought three things, and only in the smaller sizes, because the sticker shock was a bit painful. Even with the smaller products, I still racked up a $65 bill. Lower than the bill I got from Lush the first time, but still a decent assault on my wallet.

It's been a month since I purchased the Kiehl's routine, and so far I'm enjoying it. This is much simpler than the initial Lush routine. I don't feel like I have to cut things out or rearrange any steps to make it easier. Also, the toner doesn't dry out my skin nearly as much as some of the Lush products. (We also won't talk about the month of April after I tried out OXY and Nivea.) I've been feeling cleaner, and fresher than before. The redness hasn't really changed, but my pores aren't pumping out oil like before. I'm optimistic about this routine, and I'm fond of how it feels.

I'll give it another couple months before I make my final decision, so for now the Kiehl's routine receive's a 7.5/10.

Before the new year starts, I have a couple ideas as to how I can supplement my skincare regimen. This will of course get it's own post, but it'll be a few days before I have everything set up. For now, Happy Holidays and I wish you the cleanest, freshest skin possible.

Dana~

What do you think about Kiehl's? Do you like their products? How do you feel about the price of skincare? Have you learned any easy or cheap hacks to beautiful skin? Let me know in the comments!

Wow, time has honestly flown by for me. It's been over a year since I was officially diagnosed with Firbomyalgia (May 2016, initial Diagnosis, August 2016 Confirmation of Diagnosis by Rheumatologist). Like always, I've spent much of my time reading medical journals and searching for treatment options. Below I will list all that I've learned in this last year about how to treat the pain and other symptoms of Fibromyalgia. A few of them I have tested myself and there's one that I can honestly say is my absolute favourite so far.

CBD Oil
This is a big one amongst the "all natural" crowd. However, even those who don't care where something comes from rave about it. Cannabinoid oil is an oil derived from the cannabis plant that can contain little to no THC (the ingredient that makes you high) while providing extensive pain relief and acting a sleep aid.

(I have yet to try this one out myself as I'm waiting for the Cannabis Act to pass next summer, but you can find out more from WebMD, the US National Institute of Health, and CBD Oil Review.)

Low Dose Naltroxone
This one I have only really heard rumors about in my fibromyalgia communities. I think more research needs to be done, but from what I hear it is provides both pain relief and alleviates the symptoms of depression.

(Here is a study on the effectiveness of LDN on fibro patients and here is an article breaking down said study.)

TENS Machines
Did you ever think that electrocuting yourself was a good idea? Yeah, I didn't either until I learned about using TENS units for muscle and nerve pain. I originally was looking into getting physiotherapy, but then I found out that many physiotherapists use TENS units on their patients and charge $80/hr. I could buy my own unit on Amazon for less than that and use it whenever I wanted! So, I did just that.

After owning one for over a year now, I have to say I don't regret that purchase one bit. The TENS unit sends little shocks to your muscle in rhythmic patterns to help loosen them and get them to release any tension. On some of my worst days, I've found it to really help the cramping in my arms, legs and back.

(You can learn more about it here or check out the ones available to buy on Amazon.)

Trigger Point Injections
I saved the best for last as this is currently my favourite treatment out of everything I've researched. After the intial diagnosis from my doctor, I asked to be referred to any specialist who specifically treated Fibromyalgia. It took seven months of waiting, but in December of last year I was finally allowed to join a special pain clinic in my area called CHANGEPain. They offered classes in fibromyalgia and how to live with chronic pain as well as a variety of treatment options. After my introductory class, I was recommended to start the trigger point injections. This is basically a Western medicine version of acupuncture that the BC government has recently agreed to cover under their provincial insurance plan.

Now, I know. The name of the treatment sounds a bit scary. It does use needles, which concerned me. But when you're struggling with chronic pain, the desperation for relief can push you through any fear. Either way, it isn't as bad as it sounds. Trigger point injections are a simple procedure, often performed by accredited Anesthesiologists, occasionally general practitioners may offer the service in more remote locations. The treatment is really basic: the doctor will take a small dry or slightly medicated needle and poke it into the fascia (the tissue surrounding your muscles) to decrease pain and release tension in the muscles. While yes, the experience can sting, I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  I get the needle treatments about every two weeks now, and I have definitely seen improved function and movement. My quality of life has improved drastically since I began TPIs. This is something I recommend all Fibromyalgia patients try to see if they too can improve their every day ability.

(To learn more about trigger point injections, are two studies (A & B) as well as an article discussing how TPIs can help.)

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These are all of the new treatments I discovered this year and hopefully this list can be helpful to other fibromyalgia patients out there who may not know about all of their options. Next year I hope to try even more treatments and I will report back on whether they've turned out to be helpful.

Dana~


"Have you tried any of the above treatments? How did they work for you? Do you have more suggestions for treatment options? Post down in the comments below to let me know what you think!"