Acne and Other Insecurities

Since middle school, I've struggled a lot with acne, scarring, and generally sensitive skin. I'm not quite sure whether my skin is "dry" or "oily" since it seems to vacillate between both states quite regularly, sometimes being both simultaneously! My hands and elbows, for instance, tend to be very dry and cracked, but on my face I have issues with clogged pores and frequent breakouts. Our skin is our largest organ, and for me, it's the first to react to allergens, stress, or lack of sleep. If I'm really worried about work or school, I'll wake up in the morning with a lovely red mark on my cheek or forehead. It's like a little reminder that I need to chill out.

While my skin has improved significantly over the years, I still have scars, and whenever I get a breakout, it not only hurts physically but also causes me a lot of insecurity. I look in the mirror and feel ugh because my nose is red and my face has puffed up around acne spots. 

From The Care and Keeping of You, a book my mum got me in middle school 

When I was thirteen and my acne was at its worst, a younger relative walked up to me and suggested that I "wash my face." Though this child meant well, their advice wasn't incredibly helpful because I already did wash my face. I washed it, I slathered creams and masks on it, I covered it in burning ointments, and I did my best to avoid things that aggravated it (dairy, lemon rinds, gluten, dust, and mold*). I also wore concealers and powders to make my acne less noticeable. 

Long story short: I put a lot more effort into my skin than most of my peers did, yet many of them had clearer skin than I did, and when my relative told me that I needed to "wash my face," he was basically suggesting that my acne was entirely in my control. It wasn't, it isn't, and it never will be.

I'm not writing this to complain about my skin woes or anything like that . . . I'm writing it to point out a major flaw in how we perceive others. Because of all the products, diets, programs, and remedies that we see in ads, we've come to believe that appearance is pretty much entirely dependent on how "hard" we work and how much "effort" we put in. There's this myth that if I follow a celebrity's diet and fitness plan, I'll wake up looking just like her one day, but the truth is that I will never have Taylor Swift's long legs no matter how many leg lifts I do.  I'm 5'2". She's 5'10".

Yes, lifestyle can have an impact on health. Exposure to toxic chemicals, antibiotic-laden meat, and major pesticides isn't "good" for any creature, human or otherwise. Getting some sort of fun, joyful activity--whether that's walking with your kids or dancing to 1980's pop music--benefits your mood and fitness. Washing your face helps keep it clean. By all means, treat your body respectfully.

But don't get caught up in the lie that appearance is a direct product of effort. The shapes of our bodies, whether or not we get acne or cellulite, and how symmetrical our faces are don't fall under the realm of our control. We're born who we are. It's not our responsibility to become Cindy Crawford.

<3 <3 <3 

*Please note that these are what cause me breakouts. Everyone has different sensitivities, and products with dairy and gluten can have amazing health benefits for some people! Don't fear food. Learn what works for your body!

Matching Foundation

I haven't written anything here in a while, but I've managed to write elsewhere.  Short stories and essays and homework have gotten most of my attention this spring break, but that's been really nice for me because I'm not exactly the "let's make a lot of plans for spring break!" type.  The thought of packing a suitcase or venturing somewhere over this seven-day respite period exhausts me, and if anyone else feels that way, know you're not alone! 
One interesting (albeit insignificant) discovery this week has been that my foundation doesn't exactly match my skin tone.  The foundation I use is lovely and sweet and feels very good, but my pale skin has some yellow undertones that make me pull orange, and since I've been trying to get rid of my scars with retinoids, my skin has been very dry and all the orange has been exacerbated.  My mum took notice of this, and we found that, wow, there is a foundation shade that works with my face!  I'm a very pale "neutral," apparently, and now when I cover my scars up on my face, I don't have to worry about oxidation or color-shifting or scar visibility.  Yay!  If you're struggling with acne scars or cover-up issues, too, I strongly recommend making sure that you've got a foundation that matches your skin tone. It makes a very big difference, and I feel a lot better now even despite insecurities brought on by peeling retinoid skin.
Also . . . here are two songs for today:

Florence + the Machine: "St. Jude"

 

 

The White Stripes: "Blue Orchid"



<3 Frances

3 Big Ways Stress Wereaks Havoc in Your Life

Dramatic title, right?  But it's totally appropriate.  We're taught all this stuff about how to lead "healthy, happy lives"--eat this, never eat that, always work out, count your macros, get strength and cardio, work all the muscle groups--but the whole "reduce your stress" thing is a trend that, while popular, is particularly difficult to subscribe to.  Meal-prepping seems markedly easier to accomplish than lowering your cortisol levels does, especially in our fast-paced world of PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE. (Okay, maybe I overdid it on the capital letters.)
The thing is, even with all these "wellness rules" that are designed to help make our lives more, well, lively, stress continues to be a major contributor to chronic un-wellness.  I know you've heard this a million times before, but this time, please listen.  It's almost springtime.  Spring clean your life this year!  KICK. STRESS. OUT.

• Stress damages your skin.  There is a direct correlation between my forehead and lower jaw and exams.  I can actually feel myself actively breaking out when I'm taking a test. When your body releases cortisol (the hormone stress causes), your immune system activity is reduced, and you need a high-functioning immune system to keep blemishes and inflammation at bay. But stress isn't just connected to acne.  Long-term stress can also affect the length of telomeres, the caps at the end of DNA that protect if from degradation.  If telomeres decay, then cells decay and age, and that means wrinkles and lines.
• Stress messes with your metabolism.   When you're stressed, your body enters "fight or flight" mode, which is great if you need to outrun a zombie but not so great if you're just trying to have a happy day.  To give you energy for fight or flight mode, your body pumps glucose into your blood stream, and insulin resistance ends up impaired, so you're blood sugar goes on a wild ride that can leave you fatigued and metabolically down: "even if [people] don’t actually comfort-eat to deal with stress, their metabolisms slow down, their energy expenditure decreases, their hormones get all off-kilter, and their blood sugar regulation goes down the drain."
• Stress can make you miss out on quality sleep.  We all know how important sleep is for everything from encouraging cell growth and repair (#beautysleep) to helping you process and store things you've learned (#studying)., but when we're stressed out, getting the quality 7-9 hours we need to function at our best is a lot more difficult.  Our minds are racing with all the things we need to get done, so we can't drift off into that wonderful REM space of recharging and restoring, and we're so full of stress hormones that our bodies don't relax enough to be refreshed in the morning.

I've been paying more attention lately to just how easily I get stressed out and just how prevalent stress is in my everyday life, and I'm encouraging those around me to do the same.  My mum, for instance, is one of the most hardworking and caring people I know, but stress is a big issue for her because she has a tendency to give give give and never rest rest rest.  But you can't expect to be well if you don't try to prioritize health!  

<3 Frances

Study Corner: Writing Timed Essays (and Why They Make My Skin Break Out)

I had a timed essay in my English class today.  At the end, I felt good about what I'd written, but I also had a breakout of hives on my chin from the anxiety of the experience.  Skintervention setback! I guess I broke out because writing a timed essay is stressful, kind of like riding a roller coaster.  Once you're in your seat and the ascent has begun, you know that there's no going back and that you have to get through the ride now, but you can't quite imagine how.  It's a bit terrifying, really, and, unfortunately, I can't give you much advice in the way of the inevitable "drop" without passing out because riding roller coasters is not something I have much experience with.  Writing timed essays, though . . . that's something much more familiar to me.  I'm no expert, but I definitely have some tried-and-true tips for making timed essays feel less like timed essays (if that makes sense).

I definitely did not take this picture, lol, but it goes well with study time :).

• Take a deep breath.  
• Read the prompt over once to familiarize yourself with it and then again to find its main point.
• Ask yourself what the prompt is asking for.  Usually, it wants you to take a stance on something and defend your position with evidence, but there are nuances in the way a prompt is written that can change the way you're supposed to present your argument. 
• Also--think of your rubric (if you have one). You want to make sure you hit the big points on the rubric.
• Decide.
• Once you've figured out what the prompt wants, think of your resources and come up with a general idea for what you want to say.
• You need to have a general idea of your argument in order to write a cohesive paper.  Find your focus! Center yourself on it, and let your ideas for your body paragraphs stem from it.
• Make your skeleton.
• Come up with the "key three."  These are the main body ideas for your essay.  Put them in boxes on your brainstorm paper to help you organize what you're going to write about. You have limited time, but it might help to write a few bullet points in these boxes if you can.
• Make sure all your boxes relate in some way to your argument!
• WRITE!
• Your thesis will go at the end of your intro, but don't get too caught up in the introduction. If you're getting caught up in it, get your thesis down and start your body paragraphs.  
• Each body paragraph needs 1) an opening, 2) examples, 3) supports, and 4) a conclusion to tie it up (and relate it to the argument).  This is the simplest formula, and it works.
• Once you get your three (or however many you end up with) body paragraphs down, work on your intro (if you haven't already) and write your conclusion.  Make sure your conclusion doesn't just summarize but instead also carries your argument forward, but remember that the intro and the conclusion aren't as crucial as getting in the key arguments of your essay and your main point, so don't freak if you're running out of time to make the conclusion super fancy.
• Check it over.
• Read over your paper (if you have time) and make sure it hits at least most of the points on the rubric.  If you have time, try to get all of them, but if you're running out of time, try to get at least the big ones.

Good luck, loves!!! I hope this is a *bit* helpful. Coming up with a skeleton is probably the tip that helps me the most.  Let me know if you have any study or writing questions.  I'm not an expert, but my tutoring work has helped me come up with some ideas to make school more manageable.

<3 Frances

Link Loves and Must-Reads 1/26 (Plus a Beauty Mishap)

Last night I had a rather unfortunate incident with my right eyebrow.  To avoid getting into too much detail, let's just say that it's not entirely there anymore and that I'm incredibly grateful for my mum's touch-up skills.  #oops 

My little accident aside, though, here are [some of] today's Link Loves and Must-Reads . . . .

• Amy Rosoff Davis: Actress, Celebrity Trainer, Producer + So Much More... by Robin Shobin
• Amy Rosoff Davis is, as the title of this article suggests, a woman of many vocations, one of which is trainer for people like Selena Gomez and Emma Roberts.  What I like the most about her interview with Charlotte's Book, though, is her refreshing perspective on wellness.  Instead of preaching the "harder, faster, longer" dogma that so many of us are used to hearing nowadays, she talks about flexibility, doing something different every day based on how you feel, and having a "healthy relationship with your body and your mind" because "to obsess over any detail--that's not healthy." Thank you!!
• 10 Actions You Can Take Today to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by Zoe Fox
• We can't keep denying the fact that humans are playing a major part in climate change, but we can do something about it.  It's actually really empowering to think that by reducing how much time you spend driving or by buying second-hand clothes you can make a difference for the sake of our sweet planet's health and well-being.
• The Pantry (Yes, Pantry) Products Nikki Reed Uses for Luminous Skin by Nikki Reed
• My "skintervention" is a continuing process, and I'm experimenting right now with yogurt masks, MSM, and Vitamin A because, more so than breakouts, my biggest issue right now is scarring. I'm even versing myself in special acne scar terminology.  I didn't know there were so many kinds of scars, and I'm hoping to get mine at least a little bit better because they've been around for a while and I'd love to part ways at some point.  I know I probably will never have 100% scar-free skin, and I'm okay with that, but if there's one thing I've learned form this skintervention process is that it's important to take action while you can. Anyway, I like this article by Nikki Reed because of her advice about all-natural, cruelty-free, chemical-free beauty hacks (eg. avocado in your hair and jojoba on your skin). With the current state of the planet (see my second Must-Read, lol), reducing the chemicals we put into the environment (and into ourselves!) is so crucial for everybody's health.  

Cyber hugs for your Thursday!

<3 Frances

Link Loves and Must-Reads (Again)

I know some of these articles aren't exactly new, but they're still meaningful reads, and if you get the chance, you should definitely check them out.

• Emma Stone is Not Buying Your Perfect Instagram Life by Shannon Carlin
• Emma Stone, who just one a Golden Globe last night, is famously not a very big part of the social media scene.  While social media platforms can be awesome ways to share with and connect to others, it's important that we don't let them get in the way of life, and we always need to remember that what's shared online is often not an honest portrayal of reality.  So when you're looking at online pictures or seeing someone's posts, pull away for a second and check yourself before making any judgments about your life or the lives of those around you.
• Obama Bans Oil Drilling in Arctic, Atlantic by Paul Rauber
• This is a WIN for Mother Nature.
• Sustainable Promises You Should Make to the Planet This Year by Emma Loewe
• Make 2017 the year you show Earth you love her.
• Everything you need to know about acne in 3000 words by Stefani Ruper
• I'm doing a "Skintervention" for breakouts, and reading about acne and all its causes has been helping me do that.  Hormones.  Stress.  Etc.
• How Marianne Williamson advocates for mindful activism by Valli Herman
• Marianne talks about moving past the meaninglessness and making a conscious effort to be aware and active with "love, tolerance and pluralism."

<3 Frances

In the Beauty Cabinet

Happy post-Thanksgiving Friday, dears!  I hope everyone had/is having a sweet holiday <3.  With it being wintry outside again, my skin has decided to do its annual get-dry-and-cracked routine.  I'm also still dealing with my acne and acne scars, and I'm trying to find skincare and makeup products that are moisturizing, brightening, healing, and cruelty-free.  The no-animal-testing part is really important to me. I know that there are a lot of other people out there who care about animals and who are also struggling with skin-related issues, so hopefully some of the beauty cabinet favorites I'm sharing today may be of use to you :). Financially, it can be very difficult to afford a lot of skincare and makeup products, and I can't always have these products on hand because it just gets too expensive, but given how awful acne scars and dry, peeling skin can be, it's sometimes worth it to invest in long-term solutions.  Hopefully some of them will be able to help you, too!

For Dry Hands
As soon as it gets cold outside, BAM, my hands turn into a palette of dryness, redness, and peeling. They also burn and hurt a lot, and my mum has been really on my case about taking care of them.  She has work-worn hands from long days and a demanding job, so she's particularly wary of hand-care, but I tend to forget to put moisturizer on, and the soap at school has been eating away at my skin. Deep Steep's Peppermint Vanilla Argan Oil Hand Cream has been a life-changer! It smells like peppermint candies (which I haven't been able to have in a long time due to food sensitivities), and it's so much fun for the holiday season! It's not tested on animals at all, it's affordable, and it's full of natural goodness like shea butter and aloe vera.

For Coverage and Sun Protection
I've been trying to use products without dimeticone lately, but it's very difficult to find foundations and BB creams that don't include it.  REN's Satin Perfection BB Cream has made a major difference in my skin coverage. It has no silicone ad adjusts to your skin tone, and it protects from UV rays and oxidizing agents while providing you with a soft, smooth glow. I use a very small amount every day because it is expensive, but it is so soft and light that I get excited to put it on in the morning.


 

For Foundation
Zuzu Luxe Oil Free Liquid Foundation is silky, soft, cruelty- and gluten-free, and a little goes a long way (which is good because I really can't afford it, lol).  "Zuzu Luxe" is a really fun name to say, too, so that's an added bonus.  The coverage provided by the foundation is very thorough, and it does an amazing job making my acne scars less obvious--a true miracle!  It also gives a natural glow that isn't oily, thick, or shiny.  Yay!

<3 Frances





Superfood Protein Breakfast Smoothie

I LOVE this pumpkin seed butter.

I know breakfast smoothies are more of a summer thing than a winter one, but I was tempted to try one this morning anyway, and it was really quite an exciting venture!  Usually, I love having rice cereal, but it's good to have variety sometimes, and it's easier to have vegetables (I'm trying to have more for my skin) as a part of a shake than it is to put them into porridge.  

Ingredients (for one tall serving)

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 other fruit (banana, raspberries, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seed butter (or another nut butter)
• 2 scoops protein powder (brown rice, pea protein...all work!)
• 1+ handful(s) spinach and/or other green vegetable 
• You can also add flax seeds, carob powder, soy lecithin, or soy milk :)

Insructions

• Put ingredients in a blender.
• Blend everything together, add toppings, sip, and feel happy!  

The great thing about this (and other breakfast beverages like it) is that every single ingredient has health benefits, so there are no "empty" ingredients.  It's nutritionally dense!  The blueberries are powerful antioxidants that help your skin and your immune system, the nut butter has healthy fats, the protein powder is a protein boost, the spinach is full of nutrients like calcium and Vitamin A, and flax seeds help with digestion and add Omega-3's. Plus, you can edit the ratios of ingredients to change flavor, etc.  Just make sure that, if you're having this as your breakfast meal, you add fats and protein.  You won't really feel satisifed without them because fruit and vegetables on their own are awesome but not meal-worthy.  #superherobreakfast

<3 Frances 

Product Reviews

It's the first Monday back after Spring Break (aka my week-long study period), but let's not talk about work today.  Let's talk about natural health and beauty instead! #waymorefun


100% Pure Cocoa Kona Body Cream
I have *incredibly* dry skin during (and after) the winter, and this moisturizer is amazing!  It is not at all greasy (that's right, you can rub it in and not have to worry about destroying everything you touch), it's very lightweight, and it smells like a chocolate-coffee confection beyond your wildest dreams.  At the same time, though, the scent is all-natural and therefore does not cause migraines, even in the terribly migraine-prone individual that is Iris.











Benefit Roller Lash
Story time!  A few weeks ago, Iris and I both somehow managed to rip half our eyelashes out with our eyelash curlers.  Not our proudest accomplishment...
All that said, though, we were then looking for a mascara replacement and stumbled across Benefit's new "Roller Lash" mascara, which is supposed to not only highlight but also curl your lashes.  That's right--it's an all-in-one tool.   And the best part is that it actually works!  No longer must my lashes live in fear of being torn out by me and an intimidating metal contraption.


SheaMoisture Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Renewal System Hair Masque


Goodbye, dry hair!  This hair masque smells really yummy, goes on easily, washes out well, and leaves hair smooth and shiny...for several days.  It also works with multiple hair types, and it naturally fortifies strands with marula oil and biotin.













<3 Frances

Skintervention Spotlight: 4 Favorite Concealers

As someone with acne (woohoo!), I am well aware of the importance of a good concealer.  Even for people who don't consider themselves makeup-minded, cover-up can be a very special product, and in my years wearing it, I've picked out a few favorites.  These babies are not tested on animals and have been kind on the sensitive complexions of people like me and Iris.  Plus, they've worked for me on days when my skin has been oily and on days when it's been dry.

 

Derma E BB Crème 

I've been using this one a lot lately.  It's very, very lightweight and smooth, and it leaves your face looking dewy, bright, and fresh.  It's also moisturizing, so you don't have to worry that your hurting your skin when using it, and it has SPF 25.  

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup 

Aside from coming in a really cool bottle, this concealer by Urban Decay is, as its name suggests, practically weightless.  It also comes in 18 shades and has green tea and anti-wrinkle peptides, and its "light-diffusing spheres" blend into your skin in such a way that it appears totally flawless.  Not that it isn't already ;)...

Origins Smarty Plants CC SPF 20

This product has an adorable name (Smarty Plants!) and is designed to help "neutralize skin damaging effects of city smog and pollution."  It's like the environmentalist of skincare, and it's both hydrating and rejuvenating.  Like the other concealers I've mentioned, it also feels very lightweight.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof 12-Hour Concealer

When it comes to touch-ups, Tarte's concealer stick takes on the role of a magic wand.  I have one in my purse because it works so well in emergencies.  (You know...that moment when you realize you have a lovely red spot on your forehead?)  It isn't chalky, and it blends in easily.  Also, a little goes a long way, so it'll last you a long time.

<3 Frances

Dry Skin!

I realized it was officially winter when, halfway through third period, my knuckles started bleeding. Fortunately, my sweater sleeves were long enough that I was able to disguise the desert that is my skin, but the whole cracking/bleeding/burning thing was nevertheless not fun at all.  

www.prevention.com 

My mum actually had to bring emergency moisturizer (*cue superhero theme song*) with her in the car when she picked me up after school, and now I carry a lovely little bottle of Shikai hand cream in my backpack.  #becausebleedingisbad

www.iherb.com 

But the great thing (and I'm not being sarcastic here) about dry skin is that moisturizer isn't the only solution!! As it turns out, it can be combined with a multitude of other things to help make flaky flesh less disturbing and painful.  Without further adieu, here are some tips for saving your skin, one dry-skinned person to another:

• Use warm water instead of really hot water.  This can be especially difficult during the winter because the idea of hot water is particularly enticing when it's really cold outside, but hot water isn't very good for the natural oils of your skin and therefore will prevent it from staying hydrated later on.  
• Apply moisturizer immediately after washing your hands.  Even if you're at school, wash your hands and return to class from the bathroom to put on some moisturizer.  This really does do a lot for the skin.  It's saved me from bleeding during many a lecture period.
• Gloves!  I actually have a pair of cute little arm warmers that I wear sometimes when my skin is particularly bad.  They're fun to look at, soft, and not only protect my hands but also disguise the fact that they look like California during a drought.  
• Gloves at night!  Take some moisturizer, put it on, and then pull on a pair of gloves.  They'll trap the moisture so you wake up to nice, soft skin in the morning. Spa time, anyone?
• Drink more water.  This is one of those suggestions that you hear all the time.  (Headache? Drink water.  Bloated?  Drink water.  Irritable?  Drink water.)  But it's also a really good suggestion.  I actually have two reusable water bottles with me at school today so I can be sure that I don't run out.  Having a dry throat and dry hands is just way too much dryness.
• Be gentle.  Don't dry your hands off roughly.  They're in a very fragile place and need to be treated as such.  Pat them dry.  Don't scrub too hard when washing them.  

Hopefully some of these tips will be able to help you deal with your chronic dermal dryness!  Best of luck to you and your skin!

<3 Frances 

May the Force Be With You

Yesterday was the last day of Winter Break, and when the clock radio alarm went off at 5:18 this morning, it woke me up with a very loud version of "Eye of the Tiger."  I'm not sure if I was supposed to feel energized or freaked out, but I decided to try and "channel" that song today on my first day at school of 2015.  I've made it a point to be equal parts focused and cosmic this semester, if that makes sense at all, so to live up to that idea I'm dressed in 1940s writer girl pants and second-hand Birkenstocks with knit socks.   I also put a whole lot of concealer on over the painful pimple that decided to appear as soon as I started stressing over school...fun!

She was queen of a freaking planet.  I can handle school, right?

It's sort of an odd feeling to be back at school again, learning about everything from 19th century industrialization (thank goodness for Upton Sinclair) to thermodynamics (I'm still trying to understand this....), but I guess I'll get *somewhat* used to it again.  At least my perspective this semester is different.  As part of the new year, I'm going to try and be more positive, less nerve-wracked, and even more focused (if that's at all possible, LOL).  Does anyone else have any resolutions as to their outlook for work/school?  I also am finding it helpful to sort of "role-play" a bit.  I'm a total writer introvert and live in my mind a lot, so it's sort of fun to go into this semester telling myself that I can do it.  I just have to channel Lois Lane and Quan Yin and my grandmother and Padme and Leia.  Diana Prince and the Charlie's Angels wouldn't hurt, either, LOL.

Survivor: "Eye of the Tiger"

<3 Frances

A Healthy 2015 Starts with Water

 If you read any celebrity interviews or dietetics forums looking for advice on how to get fit, healthy, and happy, you'll start to notice a trend towards one secret little tool that really isn't so secret.  It's not a pill.  It's not an injection.  It's not even a spell (sorry, Harry).
It's water.

ocw.tufts.edu

 

 

 

 

That's right--H2O, that  awesome clear liquid that is so crucial for existence.  That's the thing, though--water isn't just a bare necessity.  It's also the key to achieving many of your personal healthy living goals.  It's a freaking genie in a bottle. 
What may it help you with, you ask? 

• Acne.  Water is a major detoxifying agent, and a lot of our blemish friends (zits! pimples! blackheads!) are caused by toxins that enter our system both internally and externally every day.  Drinking water will help flush out these toxins.  Adios, pollutants...
• Migraines.  Dehydration is the culprit behind many headaches, and even if it isn't the primary cause, it can certainly worsen pre-existing cranial pain.  But don't quench your thirst with a soda or a cup of coffee.  These don't help!  Instead, reach for water!
• Slow metabolism.  Drinking water in the morning will help to boost your metabolism.  All.  Day.  Long.  Drinking it throughout the day will do even more.  Bam.
• Brain fatigue.  Your brain is about 90% water.  Yeah, enough said.
• Muscle cramps.  Water makes up about 75% of our muscles, so depriving them of it is just plain cruel.  Plus, more water = stronger muscles = faster results.

WATER IS AWESOME.  Take this knowledge and make magic happen.  But, while you're at it, don't forget about those who don't have access to water.  It's a resource so many of us take for granted, but in some places it's unattainable.  For more information on how you can help to bring water to those who don't have it, please visit charity:water.  Spread the love.  Spread the agua.

<3 Frances

Acne, Anxiety, Autumn

It's a November Wednesday, and the weather is exactly like something out of the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving episode. Speaking of Thanksgiving, by the way, it's only three weeks away, and I'm possibly too excited about seeing the giant Hello Kitty balloon take over NYC,...

Holidays aside (I am totally not listening to Bruce Springsteen's Christmas album right now, lol...), I wanted to talk a little bit about stress/nerves/all-around general anxiety because of the massive impacts it can have on our lives.  I've been stressed about assignments, etc. lately, and it's taken a bit of a toll on my skin.  Currently there's a breakout on my forehead, both sides of my face, and my chin.  Anyone who has ever suffered from acne will know that it's really frustrating to wake up one morning covered in little red volcanoes.  

When I get a breakout

But this post isn't so much about acne as it is about one of its biggest facilitators: stress!  The crazy thing is that, retrospectively, a lot of the things I get nervous about will mean nothing to me in the future.  There's so much more important stuff going on right now (as I'm so often reminded by the news and Mother Jones magazine) that it shouldn't be necessary to "sweat the small stuff."  It's the start of a new month (or at least it was four days ago), so let's make a resolution to stress less, appreciate more, and be all-around more contributing citizens.  Stop worrying.  Wear your happy shoes.  Sign that animal welfare petition.  Make the most of your November--2014's almost over.  

<3 Frances 

Skintervention: Kate Somerville

Left to right:
Toner, D-Scar Stick,
Detox Cleanser, EradiKate

I mentioned the Kate Somerville line for acne-prone skin in the post about my blueberry obsession, and I wanted to talk a little bit more about it because of the wonders it has done for my face. In the several years that I've suffered from severe acne, I've tried diets, supplements, and a slew of products.  While I think all the products I've used are wonderful, it's been hard to find ones that are both cruelty-free towards animals and also strong against blemishes.
Enter Kate Somerville.
The LA-based skin expert's line of skin serums and creams have managed to do the impossible: clear my skin up!  Being the sort of person who can only afford thrift-store shopping, I understand that they're expensive, but, if you have skin like mine and any money saved up that you'd be willing to put towards complexion clearance, it's worth it.  Think of it as a medicinal investment as opposed to a splurge.
I get breakouts mostly on my cheeks, forehead, and nose (oh, my, that's a lot), and they leave scars on my face. Since I started using Kate Somerville's Clarifying Treatment Toner, Detox Daily Cleanser, and EradiKate Serum (a sulfur solution) in February, though, I've had a significant reduction in the number of active breakouts, and the D-Scar Stick is working like a magic wand for my scars, reducing redness and depth.  I'm optimistic, and I'll keep you updated about progress with the scars.

<3 Frances

Skintervention: Blueberries

SO MANY BLUEBERRIES!

My favorite food is, hands down, the blueberry.  It's adorable, accessible, delicious, and has been like a freaking superhero as far as my skin is concerned.
That's right--my skin.  Pale and freckled, it plays host to a wonderful little friend named Acne.  Safe to say, I've been trying to evict Acne from my face for several years now, and I just recently discovered the benefits of both Kate Somerville's cruelty-free complexion line and the blueberry.  I find that my skin is significantly better after I have blueberries, and now I horde them in the freezer and refrigerator.  They're more than just fruit to me--they're a prescription for my skin.  For more on how the blueberry can save your complexion, visit the article on it at LiveStrong.


<3 Frances