I had pretty normal skin growing up. Occasional breakouts usually around that certain time of month.. I was clear all throughout college.

THEN...

In December of last year, I was about to graduate college with a degree in Chemistry. I was extremely stressed and I was breaking out more than usual. Nothing to fret about though. I did not change my routine of washing my face with Cetaphil AM/PM, 1:1 ACV toner, and an aveeno moisturizer. My skin wasn't flawless, but I could handle it.

Now out in the real world per say for the first time in my life, this is where my skin took a turn for the worse.

I had huge, deep, painful pimples all along my chin and on my forehead, and huge papules along my cheeks and around my mouth. I could barely look in the mirror without starting to cry.

I tried facials, oil cleansing method, pro-active, dermalogica, etc. I tried everything. I was eating right, working out regularly, I couldn't think of anything else I could do to change the way my face looked. Then I was research the newest routines for sudden adult acne when I came across the regimen. It seemed so great. It also made sense to me... At the time.

I started it, and was on it for about 4 months.. No change. Extremely frustrated, I pretty much gave up the strict routine and started researching more.

I started to read about what the real cause of acne is. It all started to make sense after I did my research more thoroughly.

Now, if you read the first part of this post, it's a dead give away for my cause of acne. STRESS. I was just graduating college in 3.5 years with honors, and I just started a full time job as an assistant chemist. I had so much stress and it was all new to me. I had no idea how to deal with it! My body freaked out and it came through on my face. I didn't gain weight or anything like that, just huge pimples that left giant red scars behind. The regimen was also no help to me!

It might work for some people, but my acne was almost like you couldn't see most of it, unless there was sun shining above me, and you could start to see all of the tiny little skin colored bumps everywhere.

HELLO! Clogged pores alert!!!

When you're on the regimen, you have no way of exfoliating except for glycolic acid. Once I started using the glycolic acid, that's really when my skin started to change.

SO! What's the routine I use that cleared my acne and unclogged my pores?

First, I started off using the Aztec healing clay mixed with ACV (unfiltered and organic) about 1-3 a week depending on how oily my skin was.

• This really helped to just bring all the crap that was stuck under my pores to be brought to the surface.
• Yes it made me break out, but the next part of what I did to change my routine is huge when it comes to this....

Second, I STOPPED PICKING MY PIMPLES!!!

• This is HUGE. Stop it. It's sooooo so hard I know, because you feel like that is literally the only thing people see when they look at you. Who cares, if it means you'll be clear in the next month, JUST DO IT! *Shia Labeouf voice*
• I also stopped wearing makeup on a regular basis, which I think helped a lot to reduce the inflammation on my face.

Third, I started using a 2% Salicylic acid and glycolic acid cleanser.

• This was a real game changer for me. The one in particular that I used was the Ain't Misbehavin by DERMAdoctor. I know there are other ones, but this one was perfect for my skin because it didn't leave the "tight" feeling after I washed it off.

Fourth, I started switching between using The Regimens BP at night, and a 0.5% salicylic acid lotion in the morning.

• This worked beautifully with my skin because at night the BP could work to kill all the acne causing bacteria, and the salicylic acid worked just to keep my skin acne free all day.

Fifthly, I use a 10% glycolic acid lotion and an oil-free moisturizer mixture at night.

• This makes my skin feel so baby butt smooth. It also helps a lot with the scarring that occurred...
• Be careful if you do this though, because it can be irritating. I eased my way into it VERY slowly.

Sixthly, witch hazel changed my life.

• A lot of people don't believe in toners, but I have NEVER had this small of pores before. I truly believe it is because of the witch hazel. I like it a lot more than the ACV toner I was using previously.
• Some mornings I don't use the witch hazel because yes, it can be over-drying. But it works beautifully to get the remainder of my makeup off at the end of the day.

Seventhly (should've re-thought this numbering system), I take time every day to RELAX and DESTRESS!!!!

• I do yoga, prayer, read, or just sit on the couch and stare out the window. It's so important to just be able to relax at the end of the day. It took a face full of zits to realize this sadly. Take care of your mind, soul and body!!!
• Eating right is also huge! I juice at least 4 times a week now, and I think that has helped my body to rebuild itself with nutritious building blocks. (:

Some of these steps seems like a crap ton to do, but it's what works best for me and my skin. It took me a few months, and I'm still working out the kinks, but I hope this post can help you!!

The photos I posted were a difference from June to August!