MY ADULT ACNE STORY
Written and Experienced by Caroline McLean
My background is as a Beauty Therapist working in salons and managing Spas, before working in medical clinics and eventually going completely on my own with Skinology in 2017.
I currently work solo treating a lot of skin concerns and conditions such as rosacea, pigmentation and photo damaged skin - but predominantly acne and its variations. I'm a results driven therapist and get the greatest joy in helping turn skin conditions around and maintaining those results for a client.
I treat Acne conditions the most and consultation is the most important factor in getting started. I treat skin holistically in that I won't just advise on topical skin care but also address lifestyle, diet, sleep, triggers and explore gut health and stress levels.
A lot of the time it can be stripping things back as skin is over treated with common 'acne' products/ingredients that are not helping. Treat the skin first and the symptoms after is my ethos.
I have had adult acne myself - I understand the psychological feeling of the breakouts and how it affects your daily life, how it makes you feel about yourself. This applies to having a couple spots, to greater inflammatory acne. The feeling is there regardless and it can take over.
I'm 37 years old and for the most part I have maintained my skin health BUT life happens, and I still get breakouts. My skin flared up recently and I could see it was becoming angry and inflamed and spreading (see photo above).
This is when I started taking the Radiance Powder, eventually followed by the Reforming Liquid. This is a 6 week course and after a couple of weeks I could see the inflammation reducing and my skin responding to the treatment.
Due to how I was feeling about the supplement I decided that a lot of my own clients would also benefit from this, so I recommend it often. I love that it's not something that you take every day forever. It's a course that you use when you need it. You can see the before and after effects of my experience with the products below.
BEFORE
AFTER
AFTER 6 WEEKS - RADIANCE POWDER FOLLOWED BY REFORMING LIQUID
Stress is the biggest trigger for my own skin . It's a common trigger for many and one we sometimes don't realize is happening.
Prior to using Klarskin products I took Symprove - (addressing and looking after your gut health is important with any inflammatory skin condition) and I found the results more effective and I think there is zero complaints on the comparison on taste. If you know, you know.
My own skin care routine works for me (naturally haha). Everybody's skin is different and what works for me may not work the same for you.
My core routine is cleansing, hydrating (I use creams and a lot of misting - LOVE mists) and SPF 50+.
I use Retinoic Acid (Vitamin A) 4/5 nights a week - Excellent for acneic skin and general ageing but needs prescribed in the UK (which I can do for you).
I use an AOX day time and only recently started using a separate eye product as I am reaching late 30's and want this area to be well plumped and hydrated.
I have access to a lot of skin care being in my position and I love a variation of cleansers which is great as your skin doesn't always need the same thing and cleansers can do so much ( exfoliate, hydrate, soothe). I use the odd skin care mask but have recently invested in a FaceLite LED mask for home use which is a game changer. You'll find me doing the hoovering or helping my daughter whilst sporting this mask!
My best tip to keep your skin healthy long term is to find a skin specialist and gain education and advice on skin, skin care and products - your routines will be developed from there. They can then be tweaked as skin changes. You will understand your skin more over time, and how what you are applying is doing for your skin.
A good therapist will work with your budget also - Both Skin Care and Supplements can be overwhelming and make incredible changes to your skin which is wonderful - but it should never put you in debt.
Ultimately keep the basics in place - treat skin from within, Cleanse, Hydrate and SPF 50+.
