I decided it's finally time to share my story here, since my journey with hormonal acne is coming to an end! YAY!! I spent countless hours on these forums when my face exploded back in June. It took me 2 months of trying everything under the sun to finally find my fix (found on these forums actually!). And 2 months since then to feel human again. Here's my story:

5 months ago I had clear skin. CLEEEEAR.

Boom. Hormones went nuts in June. I had a breakout on my chin, then another one, then they just kept on coming for about 6 weeks until my face was COVERED. My face was inflamed and hot to the touch at all times. I had new breakouts and new whiteheads forming every day. Talk about embarrassing - I didn't want to look in the mirror, let alone leave the house most days. Covering up with makeup was a friggin joke at that point. But I work 6-7 days a week, so I had to suck it up & hope to God that people wouldn't look at my face and think I was a drug addict or something.   

Long story short, I tried it ALL. Cut out carbs & dairy, loaded up on vitamins, tried every imaginable topical wash & cream, the regimen, hydrocolloid bandages, sulfur mask, light therapy, steaming, & all the natural stuff too (tea tree oil, lemon, yogurt, turmeric, ACV, etc)... Lots of time spent staying up at night on forums & blogs, and way too much $$ spent, and an embarrassingly large bag full of face washes to now take up storage space.

3 things saved my freakin life, in this order:

1) Good hormonal supplements: Not just good for acne I might add! "DIM Plus" & "Vitex," both by Nature's Way. DIM is basically made from broccoli, it helps flush out the bad form of estrogen. Vitex (aka Chaste Berry) helps balance the hormone levels. These two completely shut down my acne the first week. I started taking them August 3rd, just a few days before the first pic shown. You can see how my acne started drying up by the 2nd pic- 6 days after I began the supplements. Bonus: PMS is much better now too and periods are regular and light. I take one of each pill, both morning & night.  Also added a 1000mg Milk Thistle supplement once a day, since liver support is an important part of detoxing out the excess hormones. All 3 total, was maybe $40 on Amazon, for well over a month supply.

2) Good Skincare: I'd been taking the supplements for about 2 weeks, I was no longer getting active breakouts (seriously, not even one), but my skin texture was still HORRIFYING. So get this - I used to sell cars and FIVE YEARS ago, on my very first day at the dealership, my very first car sale EVER, was to a sweet, young couple. I hadn't talked to her since then, & didn't even know she had my number or remembered me, lol, but she texts me out of the blue, (now, at the one moment in my life that my skin is a complete disaster) about her R+F skincare business. Me being the jew that I am, have never splurged on expensive/quality skincare. Right at that moment though, I was nearly willing to blow through my life savings to clear up my skin. So I bought an Unblemish regimen (which thankfully didn't cost my whole life savings, it was $165 for 60 days) and started it on 8/17  really noticed a difference around 3 weeks into the regimen. I'll just say I am an R+F believer if there ever was one. My skin texture is better than ever & clearing every day. Since then I've added lashboost & their awesome eye cream & lip serum cause I'm getting to the point where I can sort of feel pretty again. Can't say enough good things.

3) Good Makeup. The bumps took about 6 weeks to flatten out, but unfortunately redness & scars were taking their time to go away. Enter Dermablend. I purchased at Ulta for about the price of any other foundation.. $39 I think. It's used professionally for covering up tattoos, so, sweat & waterproof, serious coverage that goes on really light, doesn't look cakey, and it stays all day. Holy crap. Yes this exists. Thank you to the Ulta lady who showed me the Dermablend aisle does helped me match my skin tone. I wish I knew your name cause you belong on my Christmas Card list forever.

So yea... life is back to good. Hormonal acne is a bitch and it was looking sorta iffy there for a bit, but I got it covered now. 

The last pic is from last night... after 12 hrs sweating outside at work, with 14hr old foundation on plus a few dirt smudges... still a work in progress but I'll take it.