Desert Essence face wash Archives

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about my acne dilemmas. And there’s a very good reason for that. Over the past 3ish months, my acne has gone from prominent and painful to nearly nonexistent.

Yes, that’s correct! I have (for the time being at least) cured my face of constant breakouts. Of course, I’m still prone to the occasional pimple here and there, but it’s not a regular thing anymore! And the pimples I do get disappear in days versus weeks.

I honestly don’t know what to attribute this wonderful and exciting development to. My mom and Vishnu think it’s because I’ve been working on reducing my stress levels. Personally, I think it’s due in part to that and in part to my new skincare routine. And in particular, a new product I added to my regimen – the InstaNatural Scar Gel.

Before I tell you all about this magical potion, I have to share how I came across it.

At the end of May, Vishnu suggested I use Mederma (a scar lightener) on the scars I have on my legs from the Tough Mudder race I ran last year. I said I would look into it but never did (oops!). When he realized this, he took matters into his own hands and did a little research on scar gels/creams. That’s how he came across InstaNatural. And without telling me, he bought a bottle.

When it finally arrived in early June, I asked Vishnu if he thought I could use it on my face too. Ultimately, I decided to give it a try (because why not?!) and started with a couple of the more prominent scars on my face. Over time, I started applying a thin layer to my entire face. And I kid you not when I say that it has made all the difference in the world. Not only are my scars (both new and old) fading, but my skin is smoother and brighter than ever before.

You guys know I’ve tried everything under the sun to address my acne – I took antibiotics and used a prescription grade cream, I tried going dairy-free, I used Proactiv, and we can’t forget about my ACV fiasco. And this is just scratching the surface. I’ve been experimenting for YEARS! And now, I have finally found something that is the real deal (for me)!

InstaNatural Scar Gel is made with Epidermal Growth Factor which helps speed the healing process. It also includes green tea, moisturizers, etc. Whatever it is, it’s truly magical! And while the price point compared to the size of the bottle is on the higher end of the spectrum, I can vouch for the fact that the product goes a LONG way. I’ve had the same bottle for almost four months.

The gel itself is light brown in color and has a runny but spreadable consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin. I use one full pump for my entire face. Some reviewers say the smell is off putting, but I honestly don’t smell anything at all.

Here’s exactly how I incorporate it into my skincare routine

My New AM Skincare Routine

Wash my face with Desert Essence Thoroughly Clear Face Wash
Apply a thin layer of InstaNatural Scar Gel to my entire face
Dab a drop of Tea Tree Oil to any existing bumps (and ONLY to those areas)
Apply two pumps of Trader Joe’s Oil-Free Moisturizer to my entire face

My New PM Skincare Routine

My PM skincare routine mirrors the above with one small change. Instead of using the Trader Joe’s Moisturizer, I apply a nickel sized amount of the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for Dry/Sensitive Skin to my entire face before bed.

Clarification – I also use coconut oil every PM around my eyes, on my eyebrows, and on my lips.

I’ve been taking pictures of my face to monitor the progress, and if I wasn’t such a wuss, I’d share them with you guys! But trust me when I say that my skin on June 12 looks completely different than it does now. In fact, when I went home this past weekend, my sister thought I was wearing makeup when I wasn’t! If that’s not something, then I don’t know what is!

I’ll post an update in a few months to share how this new product and routine are going. Fingers crossed that I don’t have to add this to my long list of acne experiment failures!

Let me know if you decide to try this scar gel. While I can’t guarantee that it’ll be just as life changing for everyone, I do think it’s worth a try!

No portion of this post is sponsored! However, there are a few affiliate links sprinkled throughout. Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Back in October, I blogged about my experience with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and its effects on my skin. To sum it up, let’s say the experience was horrible…and painful. Because of a so called purging effect, my skin broke out more… and more…and more. After three and a half weeks of trying, I gave up. I was left with more pimples than I started with and quite a few more scars. I promised y’all an update on my new routine, and after 3.5 months, here it is.

Since the whole ACV fiasco, I’ve made quite a few changes to my skin care regimen. I no longer use homegrown products. Instead, I broke down and bought a three month supply of Proactiv. I say “broke down” because I was adamant about not using chemicals to treat my acne. I really wanted to go the natural route. But we know how that turned out. So in early November, I started using Proactiv. Given a little bit of time, I knew it would work on my skin. Back in high school, this stuff was the only thing that cleared up my acne. And I do plan to wean myself completely off of it sooner than later, but for now, I feel like I need to stick with what’s working.

So for about six weeks, I stuck with the 3 step Proactiv formula. And my skin slowly started to improve. Albeit, a lot slower than I had hoped. After seeing some positive changes, I decided to alter my routine a little bit. I still use the Proactiv cleanser in the morning, but at night, I use the Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean face wash (one of the best face washes I have ever tried) because it gets rid of all my makeup and leaves my skin super clean. I follow up both cleanings with the Proactiv Repairing Lotion where necessary. I also use the Proactiv Toner at night, as it helps to remove any residual traces of makeup.

In addition to this regular routine, I use the Clarisonic brush my mom bought me over Thanksgiving 2-3 times a week (usually at night). I’ll do a full review of the brush later, but after using it for a few months, I can definitely tell that my skin is a lot softer (less flakiness, rough spots, etc.). And it may be helping with the acne, but I want to give it more time before I say that with any degree of certainty.

Before I share how my skin has benefited from these changes, I should mention a few more things.

1. We bought a set of 12 pillowcases off of Amazon. Vishnu made a great point about how using the same pillowcase every night was probably a major contributor to my acne. Now I switch it out every night before going to sleep. So far so good.

2. When I started breaking out more so than usual, I touched my face a lot. I just couldn’t help it…there was so much going on. Now I do it less (almost never) and have noticed a major difference in how long the acne I do get sticks around.

3. And finally, I bought a new moisturizer that’s formulated to work with acne prone skin and acne medications. It also has the added benefit of SPF. I’ve been using it for 1.5 months and highly recommend it.

I am happy to say that all of these little changes have added up to a much clearer face. While I still get a few blemishes every now and then, I’m no longer getting a new pimple or two every day (yes, it was that bad).

And to be completely honest, I just feel a lot better about myself now that the acne has subsided. As silly as it may sound, this whole experience really started to affect my self-confidence (probably a topic for another day).

What’s next you ask? Well, if I continue to see improvements over the next few months, I want to find something to help with my scars. Will keep y’all posted.

InstaNatural Scar Gel + My New Skincare Routine

My New Skincare Routine

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