NICOLE CAMPBELL-WATSON
Creator of Guided Facial Massage Sessions | Facialist
One of the most common skin complaints I receive from my clients is hormonal acne – there has been an overwhelming surge recently.
I would say that 8 out of 10 clients are suffering from hormonal acne (cystic spots, whiteheads mainly over the jawline and chin area). I have a lot of theories as to why, that I won’t even attempt to go into because I might be typing until 2025.
One of the more obvious reasons I think that more people (specifically females) are dealing with hormonal acne is because of stress. Change of diet, routine & lifestyle… it might not be obvious stress but there is an element of stress that your body subconsciously can feel when all of a sudden you have to adjust to a brand new version of yourself (referring to the pandemic).
I myself have suffered from acne in the past. In fact my passion for the industry that I’m in came from having skin issues. I think I’m at a point in my life (I’m turning 29 in June), where I can now say that I’ve pretty much had every skin condition. From eczema, to a host of dermatitises and most recently hormonal acne. Of course there are separate reasons around each of these conditions but it always comes back to inflammation, diet & stress.
I now understand that my skin thrives when my skincare routine is consistent, gentle and minimal. My skin doesn’t love fragrance and it hates being over exfoliated - I stick to a chemical exfoliator twice a week (max). I know that sugar and dairy breaks me out but I’m not prepared to give them up… all in moderation!
In fact, routine is really important to me - I can lose my way/focus without it. Lockdown has definitely shaken it up a little but I’m hoping to get back to my normal ways soon seeing as lockdown is starting to ease up here in Scotland :)
Facial massage has always been a huge part of my facial treatments, and a staple in my own self-care routine. Facial massage is completely overlooked in terms of relaxation. Not only does it brighten the complexion and plumps up facial tissue, but it’s also a sacred moment of human touch. Once the pandemic hit and I could no longer see clients in person I knew I had to create something to keep that self-care momentum going, especially in a time where that was greatly needed. I think my GFM sessions really created a moment of calm and routine amongst chaos and the unknown for a lot of people.
Making the bed as soon as I’m out of it really helps to clear & tidy my mind. If the bed is unmade then I can’t gather my thoughts properly. It’s like ‘tidy house tidy mind’ but bed for me haha.
Then before breakfast I take all of my supplements, liposomal vitamin C, iron (I’m anaemic), an algae based omega-3 and of course, the Klarskin radiance powder. Healthy skin means looking after your skin from the inside out! I sip hot water throughout the day to help with digestion, I rarely ever drink cold water, and I have done so now for almost 8 years. Lastly, and of course, as you can probably guess the most consistent thing in my life is my skincare routine - ha! I always look forward to applying my skincare in the morning and waking up my face with facial mists, and I enjoy the ritual in the evenings of cleansing and removing ‘the day’ from my skin. Lots of long, relaxing massage movements before bed.
I suffered a bout of breakouts recently and the Starter Pack was so crucial to my skin healing from the inside and out (first picture below was taken on the 24th of March and the one below on the 4th of April). I applied the Universal serum every morning after cleansing and would then follow it with another hydrating serum & moisturiser. I love the simplicity of the serum and how pro anti-inflammatory the formulation is.
The Radiance Powder was a huge success for me. After using the powder for 2 weeks I noticed that my recent hormonal breakout had dramatically calmed down. I was getting sore cystic spots over my cheeks and jawline. Within those 2 weeks the cystic spots had flattened and I was no longer getting any new ones popping up (excuse the pun), whereas before I was getting a new spot every other day. Having experienced the positive effects of the radiance powder on my own hormonal acne, I now can't wait to start recommending to my own clients! I'm now half way through the reforming liquid and feel that my skin is more vibrant than it has been in a long time. This pack really is the whole package.
Also if you're a stationary snob like me then the wellness journal is the dream. The layout is perfect for noting down what you put on your skin that day, your thoughts and favourite moment of the day, and this way it's that little bit easier to see what's working for you and what's not. Plus it's precious time away from technology!
Finally you asked me if there were any routines I see in my clients that don’t benefit their skin long term. My answer is Acids. In. Every. Step. See ya later skin barrier - nice knowing ya buddy! There is a HUGE pressure to be using absolutely every skincare buzzword you can think of in your routine. I get it. I hear of trendy new ingredients all the time and I often think… well I should probably chuck that into my routine too.
Believe me - the simple and minimal approach is always best. I see a lot of the younger generation (ok, Grandma) on TikTok following skincare trends (usually 57steps) that will only cause irritation and nothing more. If you’re reading this tiktok-ers: strip it all back. Health-wise I believe in balance and I am not here to judge. I discuss supplements, diet and lifestyle within my skincare consultations and all I want to know is if you feel as though you get enough nutrients from your diet. Do you have any nutritional deficiencies, and are you physically active? I think trying to be 100% healthy every single day is detrimental. We’re human. We need balance for our mental well-being.
