Acne.org Products
I love the Dermalogica line! You will be done with your course a few months ahead of me- keep is posted on how those products work for you. I'm TERRIFIED of my oily skin coming back- why a glorious change this has been....I love not having my makeup slide of my face or leaving smudges everything I touch with my face. Good luck with the end of your course 
I love the Dermalogica line! You will be done with your course a few months ahead of me- keep is posted on how those products work for you. I'm TERRIFIED of my oily skin coming back- why a glorious change this has been....I love not having my makeup slide of my face or leaving smudges everything I touch with my face. Good luck with the end of your course
Awesome! What have you used from the dermalogica line? Yes, dry skin has been glorious. I wish I could stay on this longer just so I don't have to deal with oily skin.
I was religious about their Active Moist moisturizer and their spray toner - its like a delicious drink of water for your face!
Their daily microfoliant is also awesome! I mixed a little in my cleanser and it was so gentle. I definitely recommend either of those for sure
PMalaska, thanks I'll check them out.
Pill 111.
Great news! My triglyceride is now 226! Down from 515! So proud of myself. Can't wait to show my derm the results tomorrow. I bet she will boost me up to 80mg but of course that will mean my course will end sooner. =( We'll see.
I still the same clogged pores that just refuses to come out. 80mg might just be the thing I need to give these guys an extra push.
Pill 113.
I got bumped up to 80mg every other day. Yay. Probably better this way because when I was on 80mg everyday my back was just killing me. My derm told me that when my course is done she won't take me off claravis completely but will ease me off slowly. I'm guessing if I'm on 80mg then it will be 40mg then the next month will be 40mg every other day. Sounds like a better idea than just stopping abruptly.
Still no new zits but I've had some tiny clogged pores popped up around my jaw line. Last month felt really slow in terms of progress like I had plateaued in terms of improvement so hopefully the extra boost this month will help get rid of those inflamed clogged pores.
Congratulations on your lower triglycerides! That is a huge improvement. I'm curious to see how well you tolerate 80mg every other day; hopefully it will be just the balance you need. I wonder how much of a difference it makes to taper off of accutane instead of just continuing the normal dose until it's gone and stopping abruptly... How much longer do you have? Do you know yet?
Jesoli, she wasn't adamant on a time frame but merely said most people go on it for 6 months and I seem to be going on the right track. If that's the case then I'll prob be "done" in 2 months with an additional 2-3 months to ease off the mediciation.
Pill 115.
Everything is still the same. I was feeling kind of down yesterday because I felt my face looked like shit. It's dark, dull, sallow and ridden with red marks. It also seem very blotchy and I just don't feel pretty at all. Even though I was super careful to always wear a hat when I was in Bali and Vietnam for the 2 months this year, my face is still about 3-4 shades darker than my neck. Didn't help that I took a roadtrip to the Salton Sea this past holiday where the sun was glaring and people had astroturf in front of their homes instead of grass. Curses!
Well to rectify this problem I'm going to try
Naruko Magnolia Brightening and Firming Serum- for evening skin tone, brightening, and lightening acne marks
Naruko Magnolia Brightening and Firming Night Gelly- for the moisture and attributes listed above
Naruko Total Defense Fundamental Serum- for anti-aging and intensifying all other serums/products
Naroku is a Taiwanese skincare brand that is relatively cheap. I hope the products work. I don't want to be super pale white. I just to get back to my original shade and have my face match my neck.
Pill 117.
Starting to get a lot of these tiny bumps from new clogged pores. I wonder if it's the medication pushing everything out or because I'm on my period. Taking 80mg every other day has been fine so far; haven't felt anything new. My back isn't hurting like when I was on 80mg for my second month. My skin really needs the extra effort to push all the deep white heads out.
Pill 118.
Washed my face tonight with my new Clarasonic Mia. The brush was a bit rougher than I thought but it did a great job of cleansing my face. Totally squeaky clean. This will probably help me fight acne later when I'm off accutane. I also got my new skincare products!
Here's my new regime:
wash face with Mia and Cetaphil cleanser
apply Naruko Narcissus Fundamental serum
apply Naruko Magnolia Brightening serum
apply neosporin to the inflamed clogged pores
appy mederma to acne scars
apply Naruko Magnolia Brightening night gelly to seal everything in as well as moisturize
Pill 121.
I have not felt any changes from the dosage increase whatsoever - perhaps I'm ready for a full 80mg everyday. Face is still the same (no new zits - just blackheads and whiteheads) except now it's super smooth and supple! Not sure if it's the Clarasonic or my skincare but I am definitely going to continue what I've been doing. The Naruko serums are fantastic and dry quickly so I'm not left with a sticky heavy feel on my face. I understand why people use serums instead of creams.
Still waiting for the healing zit/clogged pore on my cheek to go away. It looks like a zit but it's not at all. I swear it's been there for months. Last zit standing.
In unrelated news, I bought some Michael by Michael Kors pump just to wear everyday and not worry about messing them up and I've got to say they were a waste of 98 bucks. I went shopping in them for maybe 2 hours in SF, which is the ultimate test for any pair of pumps, and I came home to several blisters on my toe knuckles. Bloody hurts but that's what I get for going cheap. I'll stick to Cole Haan and Isaac Mizrahi (completely underrated shoemaker - his shoes are like satin gloves for your feet) for comfortable heels next time.
Pill 122.
Paid a visit to my mom today who asked if I had anything on my face then commented on how clear and fair my skin is starting to look. =)
It's been a good week since my dosage increase and I have not felt any changes. No joint pain after my run and surprisingly no back pain. Lips and face are not any more dry than before. Looking forward to the dosage increase on the 31th... that is if my triglyercides remain low. Gotta keep running!
Pill 125.
I feel like I need a higher dosage because my face is not getting any better at all. One clogged pore got pushed out but the main one on my cheek is still there - I can see the white head underneath but it refuses to come out. I'm running out of time and it scares me a bit. I want to at least have smooth skin at the end of my course with no more bumps. Redness I can deal with but the bumps drive me nuts.
It's raining where I'm at so I have skipped running for 2 days. Must find an alternative way to exercise.
I went to Target today for fun just to look at some makeup. Bought my first elf brush ($1) and a Maybelline quad in mocha motion. Not sure how good the eyeshadows are but they were dirt cheap. The Sonia Kashuk neutral palette looked nice too, however at 20 bucks I would rather just splurge and get the Naked Palette 2. Never bothered with Naked Palette 1 because I felt it was a bit too warm for my skin but the second one is a lot cooler. Anyways I'm rambling...adios.
Pill 128.
Dang my pores are freaking huge! I've never been blessed with tiny pores but I don't remember them being this big. I can't use my mac foundation powder anymore because it would just look really cakey around my t-zone where the pores are most obvious. For now I'm only applying bb cream on my cheeks (most noticeable problem areas) and then using sephora matifying compact foundation to even out skin tones. So far it looks okay but I'll have to find another alternative later.
Still waiting for my skin to completely smooth out; the white heads are not budging.
Pill 129.
Ohs poo I didn't run again today. Promise I will do it tomorrow. I can run for about 25 minutes now non-stop before getting tired. That's a lot better than running for only 10 minutes but having to stop every 2. Haha.
I find my foundation routine doesn't offer enough coverage these days (red marks are pissing me off!) so I'm switching to Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation. It's a UK brand but I found it at the dermstore for 29.95 with a coupon for $5 off + free shipping. I think the code is fblike. I heard it offers amazing coverage and one tube should last for a long time.
That's it for now. Annoying old zit on my cheek is still there as well as the other clogged pores but I haven't looked this good in a looooooong time...maybe 1.5 years. =)
side note*
I've been using Maybelline Mocha Motion quad a lot with my latest addition - Wet n Wild Silent Treatment palette. Going to drugstores to buy cheap makeup is a fantastic way to de-stress for me.
Hey girlie,
How did the Naruko stuff work out for you? I just started Duac and Tazorac combo and my face is just exploding at the moment. So dry, red and painful. I used Cerave for a few days but it burned like hell. My mom has the Naruko Magnolia Night Repair Cream and the serum. I used it for a couple of days and it helped a lot!! I'm just scared that it's going to break me out. How did they work out for you? I can't seem to use anything else, all the other stuff I've used like cetaphil, cerave, olay and everything has some alcohol in it and it burnsssssss. Let me know what you think about Naruko. I don't want to invest money in it and then have it break me out. The ingredients seem pretty natural though but my skin is horrible at the moment. Argh...
G
Hey girlie,
How did the Naruko stuff work out for you? I just started Duac and Tazorac combo and my face is just exploding at the moment. So dry, red and painful. I used Cerave for a few days but it burned like hell. My mom has the Naruko Magnolia Night Repair Cream and the serum. I used it for a couple of days and it helped a lot!! I'm just scared that it's going to break me out. How did they work out for you? I can't seem to use anything else, all the other stuff I've used like cetaphil, cerave, olay and everything has some alcohol in it and it burnsssssss. Let me know what you think about Naruko. I don't want to invest money in it and then have it break me out. The ingredients seem pretty natural though but my skin is horrible at the moment. Argh...
G
I try to use a product for at least a month before I can pass judgement but here are the pros and cons of having used the products for 2 weeks.
Magnolia Night Gelly
pro:
super moisturizing(better than cerave)
sinks in quickly unlike cerave pm which just sits on my face
smells nice
has not broken me out
good deal - a scoop is enough for my face and neck
only $16.99 right now on amazon and it's prime eligible
con:
no brightening effect yet but it's too soon to tell
I don't know how different the cream is to the gelly but Naruko products seem to be good all around. My Narcissus and Magnolia serum are also nice and sinks in quickly. I heard the tea tree serum helps with acne and oil control so I might try that next. Hope this helps.
I have the tea tree set with the oil cut hydrator which I used to use after toning. I also have the night gelly. I don't think the night gelly was that useful, I didnt really see any improvement but I do love the oil cut hydrator. I keeps my skin nice and matte all day long and I have super oily skin. I've stopped using it since starting the meds though because I wanted to keep everything at the minimal at the moment and my skin is super raw right now to use that anyways.
Pill 132.
Today, after my run, I noticed my skin had a nice, healthy glow and just an overall clearness in appearance that I've never noticed before. Perhaps my skin is reaching a new level...
Got the Vichy Dermablend in the mail today and promptly tried it out. I first applied a very light layer of bb cream just to even out skin tones then dabbed some of the vichy dermablend foundation on the red marks congregating around my cheek areas. I decided to treat it like a concealer because it's thick and I don't want to feel too made up.
So final verdict? It covers well without feeling heavy, blends easily, and a little goes a long way. I would purchase it again but not for a long time since this tube will last me a while.
I also went out to get the naked 2 palette(yay!) tonight at sephora then hopped on over to Target to get the revlon fire and ice lipstick everyone is talking about. The lipstick is quite pigmented and moisturizing; I was able to wear it for 2-3 hours without my lips feeling dry. It's an orangy red and completely wearable for daytime. I've only tried 3 colors from the naked palette but I may already be in love. So easy to apply and the colors just look fantastic, it's almost idiot proof.
Sorry I have disappeared for a few weeks, my account was broken and I couldn't post anything. I still read your progress, I just couldn't comment. That's so exciting that your skin is having a beautiful glow after running! Just wait, soon it will look like that all the time
I was looking at the Naked 2 palette also! I am currently using the Smashbox Hazel Eye palette and love it (I have green eyes and it just makes them pop!). I also have the Sephora mini shopping bag palette to carry in my purse.
I need to go to Target today so I'm going to look for that lipstick as well. I normally use gloss - Smashbox limitless longwearing gloss SPF15, but I want something less shiny for the times I don't want shiny lips. The benefit of that Smashbox gloss is that its longwearing properties keep my lips moist for hours. It's the only gloss that will last until lunchtime if I apply it in the morning.
For your oily skin comment - my skin was also really oily before, so if it oils again when I'm done I want to try Smashbox Anti-Shine. It has some sort of magnesium stuff in it and is supposed to be really awesome at absorbing oil. (I promise I'm not obsessed with Smashbox, they do have several products that work really well for me though).
I went to Sephora yesterday to buy a big train case for my makeup and some blush. I really wanted the new Tarina Tarantino blush palette, but it is very fragrant 
The colors are so beautiful and would have worked so nicely on my pale skin. My skin doesn't like fragrance, so I bought the Tarte 12 hour Amazonian clay blush. It stays bright and beautiful all day! I know I bought the right color for my skin because I put a little too much on and looked sunburned 
I have the Tarte bronzer too, but I won't need that until the late spring. I like to keep the pale porcelain look in the winter.
Hi! I was wondering where you had disappeared to. Thought you might be busy with work or school.
Wow, hazel eyes with pale skin...how purdy. I think the Naked 2 palette would go especially well with your eyes and I'm guessing you have cool toned skin.
Since we're on the topic of ligloss, there's this one I wanted to check out - YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains. The YSL counter lady at Neiman Marcus said they weren't getting it until April so I think it may only be available at Sephora at the moment. I was trying to find a replacement lipgloss I had lost and stumbled upon this little find. It's supposed to leave a nice stain after the gloss wears off and should be very pigmented. Perfect. For 32 bucks it's kind of pricey but I deduce that if I wear it everyday it will pay for itself in no time. Oh a woman's logic.
I have the Tarte bronzer and Sephora traincase too. =) The train case was a gift to myself the summer before college and 6 years later, it still pretty much looks like new. Excellent purchase!
Pill 136.
Wow my pores are gigantic! I desperately hope it's just the accutane causing it and I will return to only having semi-big pores when this is over. At the moment my nose looks like it's a bit clogged with some blackheads...weird...It's been maybe 2 weeks since I've started using the Clarasonic Mia and for my skin's sake, it better be as good as people say it is. Could the Clarasonic be the cause of my huge pores? Hmm I think I was complaining about enlarged pores before I started using it.
I'm having second thoughts about the Vichy Dermablend. It is really too thick and doesn't blend that well into my skin. I got the lightest shade that's supposed to be for people with yellow and pink undertones but it showed up way too yellow on me. Another fail purchase. Perhaps it's time for me to stop spending money on more makeup crap and just focus on taking care of my skin. I'm going to stop wearing makeup too unless I'm meeting someone important or going to an event. Time to be natural.
Tomorrow is my sixth appointment with my dermatologist and I'm hoping she will bump me up to 80mg. My lips will probably be a lot more dry but I'm willing to deal with it just so I can get rid of some clogged pores/ old zits.
One thing I'm really looking forward to post-accutane is being able to wear lipstick again.