WHAT'S MAKING YOU BREAK OUT | BEAUTY

I always wear an SPF of 30 (or more) on my face!

It's FINALLY summer! Although it's pretty apparent that everyone has been feeling the summer-vibe way before this point, the fact that it's actually official, made me want to recap a few details on SKIN. We all have it and most of us aren't lucky enough to walk around flawless on the daily SO if you fall into that category of gals that just don't have the perfect skin without some effort, then this blog is for you!

Before I get into the good stuff, I want to fill y'all in a little bit about my skin - long story short, it's oily and acne-prone. I've always had to take extra precaution with every. single. thing. that I put on my face. My face craves routine - plain and simple.

Recently, Devon and I have made a true lifestyle change - Our diets.

  We really watch what we put into our bodies, pay close attention to our caloric and fat intake and make every. single. meal.
And let me be the first person to say that I never thought that I would be the type that owned a food scale to weigh my food but... this is who I've become. A meal-prepping, protein drinking lunatic. And I actually really love the routine of it all.

But besides the food that we put into our bodies (which is better saved for an entire blog post on its own) I've been downing water like a fish for the past month and a half ( as you can expect) and one of the greatest things I started to notice was my skin. It looked glow-y. Without effort. And let me tell you, that is NOT like my skin at. all. - or at least what I've been used to for the past few years, anyway.

I knew my diet had to be the reason (since beauty actually starts from within - as we've all heard) but I had no idea how many other factors were causing my skin, to not only have breakouts, but were causing my skin to look so completely dull. So I wanted to list a few things that can cause dull and simply unglamorous skin, geared towards anybody that's like me and has tried everything under the sun, to no avail. 

DAIRY: We've all heard how dairy isn't good for us... Yada, yada, yada.. but truthfully, I can't disagree. Even organic milk. Why? Because of HORMONES. 

Now, I know you're thinking HOW? I drink ORGANIC. But the truth of the matter is that most milk, regardless of being organic or not, actually comes from pregnant cows that are filled with pregnancy hormones that will inevitably seep into the milk we drink... and just like that, our very own systems get out of whack. So how does this effect your skin? Well, all of those hormones (such as excess progesterone) cause an increase in inflammation and therefore will come out in your skin in the form of acne.

SUGAR: If you're experiencing skin issues, this could actually be your number one reason. Sugar increases sebum, which is what causes your skin to be oily in the first place, and it also causes inflammation of the skin, which in short means; you'll most likely struggle with acne if you drink sugary drinks and eat sugar-based foods regularly.... and by regularly, it could only mean drinking one to two sodas PER DAY. You almost drink that much just by getting a large size drink. So be careful and mindful of the liquids you put into your body. If in doubt, water, water, water.

GLUTEN: According to Dr. Mercola, in an article he wrote titled "Foods To Avoid If You Have Acne", he goes into detail about how gluten could also be a direct cause of acne breakouts by stating that "Gluten makes the gut more [absorbent] which allows proteins to get into the bloodstream that would normally be filtered out, causing your immune system to become more sensitive and promote inflammation, which inevitably causes acne." So what has gluten? Wheat, rye, barley, oats and even rice and corn. Although cutting these things out of your diet may seem impossible, just remember: Moderation is key.

So what if you're eating right, drinking a lot of water and still - nothing.
Then give a good exfoliator a try! This will help cell production and smooth the surface of your skin for a more even skin-tone.
This one by ACURE is my all-time favorite because it uses natural exfoliants rather than micro-beads, which in-return, allows you to exfoliate even the most delicate of skin.

But what if your skin is too sensitive for most exfoliators? No problem. Give a Glycol Acid a try. Glycol acid is actually derived from cane sugar and due to its nature, it easily penetrates the skin to help reduce fine-lines, acne and excessive oil. After about 4 weeks, you should see a huge improvement in your skin after you've added glycol acid to your skin regimen.

(Watch my YouTube video HERE to see some of my recommended face products!)

Oh, and always wear at least an spf of 30 (or more) on your face, neck and body to help reduce early signs of aging.

I hope y'all have a good weekend - l'll be filming my makeup routine, stay tuned for that next week!

xx, tbp