Category Archives: Women

Acne Cosmetica – a fancy term for how makeup can break you out

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acne cosmetica

What it is: Makeup is so well known for causing acne that it has its own term in dermatology, acne cosmetica. While this problem has subsided somewhat in the past few decades as large brand name manufacturers have become more careful with their ingredient choices, it can still remain a problem for some people. Acne cosmetica is often misdiagnosed as run-of-the-mill acne, but it shows up in different ways and can often be treated simply by no longer using the offending makeup. As opposed to acne vulgaris, cosmetic induced acne tends to show up as lots of little bumps on the skin instead of red, inflamed papules and pustules. It can take up to six months for makeup to cause this reaction, and people will often react by using makeup to cover it up, thus perpectuating the cycle.

What to do: In an ideal world, I like to see people forgo makeup until they get completely cleared up with the Regimen. When makeup is used at the same time as the Regimen, it presents an external variable that is hard to control. Once a person is completely cleared up on the Regimen, then it’s safe to add in makeup, one product at a time. I realize that many people feel that they absolutely must wear makeup. In that case, you can do a few things to reduce the chance that your makeup is causing problems:

1. Avoid well known pore clogging ingredients including anything that starts with “isopropyl”, “isostearyl”, or “myristyl”.

2. Choose a large brand name makeup. Large brand names have more at stake and do not want the reputation of breaking out their customers. Almay in particular is well known for keeping acne-prone customers in mind. Their makeup is normally light and pretty safe. Almay blog post here.

Bottom line: What I want to leave people with here is that makeup can cause problems. If and when it does, it can show up a little differently, as smaller bumps that come “out of the blue”. In fact, it isn’t out of the blue. The makeup has been taking months to cause the issue. If this sounds like something you’re encountering, cease using your makeup, get on the Regimen precisely, and then be patient. It may take a while to get your skin back to its balanced, natural state.

Combating stress: Women, Food and God

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I’m always on the lookout for ways to combat stress. Stress can wreak havoc with hormone levels and, especially in women, can aggravate breakouts. This is because stress activates the adrenal gland. The adrenal gland is where we produce adrenaline, which the body pumps out in response to stress. Well, it just so happens that women make much of their testosterone in the adrenal gland as well. So, that means stress can alter testosterone levels in women more radically and inconsistently than in men. Voila…breakouts. Even though the stress/acne issue may be a larger issue for women than for men, I heavily suspect it is also of real concern for men.

So on comes Oprah talking about how she’s done with endless dieting and declares that her war with food is over. My interest was piqued, partly because I have so many women in my life with food issues (don’t we all…), and partly because I had a sneaking suspicion that the food/stress psychology that Oprah says was liberating her might be of interest to all of us, regardless of our stressors.

So I bought the book she was speaking about, Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth, and read it. At first I read it just keeping in mind women whom I care about who have food issues, and it rang true. Then I read it again, trying to imagine that Ms. Roth was speaking about stress in general. It made good sense again.

In a nutshell: Stress, and its subsequent outgrowths of overeating, overworking, overthinking, overdrinking, drug use, etc. is precipitated by “leaving ourselves” many times a day. She means this quite literally. We become so afraid that our emotions in our bodies will “kill us” that we escape into our chosen method of flight from what is happening inside our bodies. The remedy is to stay with whatever we’re feeling in our body, bringing curiosity to it, and giving it the time to expand and unwind. Feelings, Ms. Roth contends, simply want the attention and room to dissolve on their own. She urges the reader to practice living a new, embodied life in the moment through eating guidelines, and a process she calls “Inquiry”.

If you guys read this, let me know if it affects your stress levels. Thanks!