Wonderful You | Fashion and Style Blog: Acne

Showing posts with label Acne. Show all posts

Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Kicking Acne's Butt with Courthouse Clinics: THE BEFORE & AFTER!

BEFORE: 23rd January 2014

What seems like yesterday, I shared something pretty damn personal – my naked face and the acne that covered it. Putting myself out there, with one of my biggest insecurities exposed was a big deal for me. Any girl or guy that has suffered with acne, no matter how severe, will understand that letting people see you at your most vulnerable is no easy feat. But the response and support I received after beginning my journey with was insane – you are the inspiring ones, that make everything worth it’s while.

And here we are 4 months later, treatment completed and results at the ready. And as I sat down to take the ‘after’ pictures, I felt sick. What if the world hated my face, even though I was so happy with it? What if this was a bad idea and I’d be better off wearing a little bit of makeup to cover up those remaining imperfections?

But I took them, because that’s what you do when you commit to something…

AFTER: 3rd June 2014

All photo's are taken with natural lighting and are NOT edited - no makeup was worn in either set.

So, there I am, makeup free and for the first time ever, I looked at my bear face on a computer screen and smiled. Regardless of whether my skin looks perfect to the rest of the world, the journey I have travelled to get to today makes me happier than anyone else’s point of view.

To see no spots, be oil free and have minimal scarring is something I could’ve only dreamed of last year. No more waking up with a face so sore I cried, or fighting the urge to cake my face with high coverage foundations. A few weeks ago I rolled over in the morning and the first thing Daniel said to me was ‘have you got makeup on?! Your skin looks so clear’ – No, no I haven’t *does happy dance with smug face*

There is no price you can put on confidence, feeling comfortable in your own skin will never be overrated Tweet this

8 sessions of and over an 8 week period are the reason I’m so darn happy. came in to my life when I needed them most, as if somehow the universe just knew I needed a helping hand. They’ve been absolutely incredible from beginning to end – from initial contact arranging my free consultation to booking in my 8 treatments with complete flexibility. The Birmingham clinic ladies were so friendly and full to the brim with information. There was never a promise that at the end of my treatments my skin would be acne or scar free, just that it would be greatly improved – remember, this isn’t an invasive treatment (and it's pain free!). The way the Omnilux and Peels work is that that they continue to penetrate under the skins surface weeks after they’re applied, meaning results aren’t instant and even after your final treatment it can still be a month or two before the results become more apparent - for me it's been 2 months of treatment and 2 months post treatment to get to this stage.

What you need to remember is that your skincare routine will also play a huge part in this treatment becoming a success. On my free consultation, my consultant advised what products she thought would be best for my skin and since that day I’ve pretty much used nothing else. They’re the only skincare products I’ve found that my skin doesn’t become immune to after a few months use, not to mention that they’re reasonably affordable, meaning maintaining it won’t be an issue.

Now, every day I wear a mineral foundation to work and can reach for dewy, lightweight foundations for evenings out. Saving your skin may not be cheap but it’s certainly worth the investment, non?

Who doesn't want to look in the mirror everyday and think: 'GOD DAMN I LOOK GOOD?!' Tweet this

I know I do - I mean selling a few items from my wardrobe and taking advantage of payment plan would mean I could enjoy this treatment all over again and I would recommend it in a heartbeat.

Don’t be scared of taking that step, because I swear I'm a new woman - and feeling like you can take on the world with your confidence is a force to be reckoned with.

To find out more about Courthouse and the treatments they offer click .
To read my full story, follow these links:
Finding Courthouse
Skincare Routine
The Treatments

Friday, 25 April 2014

Kicking Acne's Butt with Courthouse Clinics #2 | THE TREATMENT

I’ve spent the past few months travelling up to Birmingham, visiting my favourite people – . If you’re not familiar with my journey, click , then and get up to speed – once you’re done, come back and we’ll get started :)

So, I thought it might be quite interesting for you guys to see what actually happens when I go in to the clinic for my treatments. In my previous posts I’ve briefly discussed what sort of treatments I’ll be having, but I’m going to take today as an opportunity to get down and dirty with you – what am I having done? What is it doing? In a few weeks time I'll be posting my 'before and after' images, but for today it's the nitty gritty.

First up is the :

THE TREATMENT:

Looks pretty funny, right? But boy is it amazing. You perch your little toosh under what seems to resemble something from I, Robot and relax for approximately 30 minutes. Omnilux therapy pushes the boundaries of skincare...it’s a new approach to treating acne and offers an alternative to topical or oral medications.

It works it’s way underneath the skin, targeting specific cells to stimulate collagen and deeper skin rejuvenation – therefore minimising redness and increasing blood flow.

Working underneath the skins surface means you’re not going to see instant results (although it is an amazing one-off treat for incredible luminosity), it’s something you have to be patient with - a course of 6-8 treatments is recommended, with a cost of £55 a time depending your individual needs. It’s completely pain free, in fact for pretty much every session I’ve fallen asleep because it’s so relaxing.

Following that it’s the :

THE TREATMENT:

Unlike any skin peel I’ve ever heard of, the PRIORI peel is left on the skin for a small 3 minute window. 'How can that even do anything' I hear you say? Well, let me tell you. As with the Omnilux, it penetrates the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production – but it’s also a highly effective skin exfoliation, which helps those dead, grotty skin cells to flake off the surface. One things certain, it’s not your bog standard facial - when it’s been removed the ingredients have already penetrated the skin and continue to work to improve it’s condition for weeks afterwards. The peels are available in various strengths and I’m currently working with the highest perecentage. Sarah (my lovely Aesthetician) applies the peel with a brush and rubs it in to the skin with large clinic cotton buds.

The peel itself is reasonably uncomfortable, but not painful. It’s stings slightly and tingles, but it’s bearable - and because it’s only on for such a short period of time it’s nothing to be worried about at all. You’ll experience a little redness on your first peel, but after that the downtime is pretty much zero (obviously this depends on each individuals skin type). Like with the Omnilux, a course of 6-8 peels is recommend: results are not instant, with skin, we have to be patient.

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Both treatments work in harmony – Omnilux helps to reduce aggravation and redness in the skin, whilst the peel helps to improve the overall appearance and complexion and both work together to increase collagen production, in-turn increasing the likelihood of improved skin going forward. Which equals less acne breakouts and smoother, healthier looking skin.

So, let’s talk about the money side of things. I know, spending just over £100 per session seems pretty pricey, doesn’t it? But let’s take a second to think about how much we are spending on skincare each month, to try and get our skin to where we want it to be. I know that I spend at least £1,000 a year on new skincare products, in a desperate search for the ‘right’ routine - excessive? Perhaps, but it seems completely necessary when you're struggling.

There is so much on the high-street (and high-end) that is just full of crappy ingredients that wont do anything for your skin, apart from probably make it smell like a garden. I think we take for granted the opportunities that are right there in front of us sometimes, just because they come with a slightly higher price tag, doesn't mean we can't achieve it. Especially when there is the potential for to help us along the way - when it comes to personal confidence and sorting our skin out, it's up to us to grab life by the balls and say 'I CAN DO THIS'. Stop faffing with those daily adverts promising perfect skin that we all know aren't doing much of anything and take it seriously.

You'll see the results in my next acne post - I don't want to give anything away, so I hope you're looking forward to my 'before and after'...I sure as hell am!

Visit Courthouse Clinics here to find out more

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Courthouse Clinics Skincare Review & GIVEAWAY!

I’m quite excited about today’s post, for two reasons. Firstly, you may have read my blog relating to my acne issues, and how Courthouse Clinics and I were working together to kick it’s sorry butt? (If not, you can see that ). I mentioned in that post that I would be writing up a separate review on the specific products they’d recommended I use, so today that’s what I’m going to do.

I’ve never before been SO uber excited to share beauty products with you, they have seriously changed my life and for that reason alone Courthouse will be my BFF.

Vitage Revitalising Daily Cleanse: RRP £24

This is the softest, silkiest cleanser I’ve ever used – it’s super gentle so is great for sensitive skin, but boy does it do it’s job. I use it as a makeup remover on an evening (and follow with a second cleanser from Courthouse that I’ll be reviewing at a later date), I just need one pump (yay for pump applicators!) to remove an entire face of makeup and apply to damp (not wet) hands and a dry face. It’s quite thick, so a little goes a long way and it literally melts away makeup, even those stubborn mascara’s. It’s an anti-ageing cleanser so it works to soothe and hydrate the skin with a mix of antioxidant vitamins, which in turn equals supple, soft and radiant skin. But the very best bit is that it manages to control my excess oil – I’ll usually try a cleanser and for the first month or two I’m super impressed, but after that my skin goes back to misbehaving. I’ve been using this since the end of last year (still on the same bottle FYI) and my skin is absolutely loving it. And for £24, it’s a certainly a keeper guys.

PRIORI AHA Perfection Gel: RRP £29

This little bottle is a complete life saver. With adult acne we need active ingredients in our skincare to help maintain breakouts, that’s where AHA’s come in (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) which help to improve the overall condition of our skin. The Perfection Gel contains 16% LCA complex and 1% Salicylic Acid which helps to unblock pores, giving a more even skin tone. There are no oils, fragrance, colourants or parabens in this product and it even works to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. I use it in the morning after my cleanser, just concentrating on the areas that need it: my T-zone. It has helped improve my complexion a tremendous amount – and because my pores aren’t as blocked I’m not experiencing half as many breakouts. It’s bloody perfect.

PRIORI AHA Barrier Repair Complex: RRP £41

At a slightly higher price, this baby is certainly more of an investment, but it’s definitely one worth making. A moisturiser/serum is essential to a skincare routine and this one is my absolute favourite in the world EVER.

Why is it my favourite you say? Because it’s the only one I’ve ever found that works to actually improve the skins condition long-term. Whether it be from the sun, spots, drinking or smoking our skin is constantly fighting against nasties and this product works to repair that damage over time. It’s jammed packed full with anti-oxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids that work to rebalance problematic skin – whether it be oily, sensitive, dehydrated or combination. I use this in the evening and when I wake my skin is perfectly calm – something I could’ve only dreamt of in the past.

PRIORI AHA Daily Defence SPF30

SPF, I’ve learned, is essential to our daily routine. And no, I’m not talking about rubbing suncream on our faces before we leave the house – we need an actual SPF, specifically made for our face, and not just a foundation that includes it *slaps wrists*. This one is lightweight and contains 3% LCA Complex (a unique blend of pH-balanced lactic compound (Lactic acid + sodium lactate) that delivers optimal anti-aging results) to ensure our skin is intensely moisturised whilst providing UVB and UVA active ingredients to protect from sun damage (even when the clouds are out ;)). I use this every morning as a moisturiser, under my foundation – it absorbs in to the skin almost instantly and isn’t at all greasy, it’s actually the perfect base pre-makeup, I haven’t been reaching for a primer half as much these days.

FYI. None of the above products have a fragrance to them, they are all very neutral in scent, which just goes to show you don’t need a bunch of flowers in your skincare to make it lovely.

I cannot explain to you how much these products combined have changed my skin and my life. It may sound hugely dramatic but if you suffer with your skin, in any form, you will understand where I’m coming from.

My skin isn’t oily anymore, yup – my makeup stays in place all day and actually looks nice rather than clumpy after an hour’s wear. It’s amazing what a simple consultation can achieve and that even after months of use my skin is still loving all the products.

Now the second bit that I’m excited about. Courthouse have been lovely enough to offer you guys the chance to win 4 products tailored to your skin needs. I know, they’re pretty lovely aren’t they?

There are a lot of reviews about skincare out there, but I hope you guys can believe when I say that these are so, so incredible.

I’m going to be running this giveaway for a week and will host it through Rafflecopter, to make it nice and fair :) – N.B. you must like Court House’s if you want to win (I’ll be checking ;))

A winner will then be picked at random and contacted via email by the gorgeous Laura where you’ll then discuss your skincare needs and after consulting a CHC skin specialist she will recommend products that will be right for your skin and issue instructions for use.

Towards the end of April I will also be posting my ‘post treatment’ blog post, including before and after pictures of how my skin has changed and progressed since starting my skin peels. I’m really looking forward to sharing that with you guys, but in the meantime, have a look below and we’ll see if we can get you some lovely new skin!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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