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| Day 110 AM |
Saturday 30 May 2015
Week 17 - I love my skin!
Day 109 - I've done over 100 days on the regime. I am so happy with Obagi, my blackheads has improved by 90%. I still have some, but they are so small and I'm convinced they will go away. My enlarged pores are also significantly improved. I rarely wear a full face of make up anymore as I love my skin now. As tough as this was in the beginning, I would do it all over again knowing what I know now and seeing the results! I went for a check up with Dr Sarah this week as well and she's very pleased with my results, I may not need the blue peel. I'm going to see how I go over the summer and maybe take the plunge in September or October if I want to. We are changing me up a little and I'm cutting back on the Exfoderm to once per week but still continue the clear once per day and the Tretinoin every other day. I also use the Clenziderm products every other day now. Plus I love the Elastiderm eyecream. I don't look my age! I'm not only saying that but have been told this by several people over the last few months. Hurray!
Sunday 17 May 2015
Week 15 - I think the Elastiderm cream is working!
Day 96 - My skin has recovered from the holiday now and I'm back on the routine. Noticed this morning that my under eye wrinkles seem to have improved significantly. They seem to have evened out a lot, that's amazing news! The skin looks so much smoother. I started using the Elastiderm cream in week 7 and it's now week 15, so results didn't happen overnight but now I see a significant difference! I have forgotten to use the Tretinoin cream twice this week so I'm sure I will peel a little as I'm now compensating by using it two days in a row. I really love how my face looks using Obagi Nu-Derm! Will upload some pics asap.
Monday 11 May 2015
Week 14 - Recovering from holiday slacking.
Day 90 - I went to NYC on holiday for a week and kept up with the regime with the exception of two nights and the skewered time difference after flights. I'm not sure what happened but coming back I had two spots come out and my skin is now flaky again as I've been going a bit hard with the Clenziderm products to counteract the breakouts. It could be due to the bad diet and increased cocktail consumption I guess...
Wednesday 22 April 2015
Week 12 - Getting very comfortable in my new skin.
Day 78 - It's interesting to see that the addition of the Clenziderm Pore Therapy toner can have such an effect on my skin. I've dried out a little so have to cut back on use as I've done too much too quickly. Skin felt tight today so I will take a days break from the Clenziderm face wash too. So coming into week 12 I should really start to see the benefits now. Apparently week 12 onwards I can "expect skin to become firmer and tighter with improved clarity and healthy glow." I'm in agreement on the glow already, it would be great if it got firmer around the eyes. It's so hard to tell if the Elastiderm eye cream is working as I feel like I'm staring myself blind at my face daily. My wrinkles are definitely not worse though!
Day 82 - Got my skin back on track again after overdoing the Clenziderm Pore Therapy. When I met some friends over the weekend they were very complimentary about my skin and said it's very plump and one of them couldn't believe my age, as I've never met him before I was very pleased with the compliment. I'm off to NYC soon so will see if the face freaks out with flight dryness and different water quality!
Day 82 - Got my skin back on track again after overdoing the Clenziderm Pore Therapy. When I met some friends over the weekend they were very complimentary about my skin and said it's very plump and one of them couldn't believe my age, as I've never met him before I was very pleased with the compliment. I'm off to NYC soon so will see if the face freaks out with flight dryness and different water quality!
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| Day 82 AM |
Wednesday 15 April 2015
Week 11 - Skin seems back to "new normal".
Day 71 - The last week has seen improvements but I still have enlarged pores and blackheads, just much less than before. Peeling has now calmed down to minimal and this is the most normal I've felt since starting Obagi Nu-Derm. My skin looks very good, just not perfect. I've been able to wear make up but keep it to blusher and mascara, maybe some eyeliner although I can finally put on a full face of mineral powder if I want to. I feel better about my skin for sure! I wonder if more improvements are to come or if this is as good as it gets? Will ask Dr Sarah tomorrow.
Day 72 - Met with Dr Sarah again and she said my skin is looking good. She said I can cut down and use Obagi less if I want to but I said I'm happy to keep the regime up like it is as I'm coping well and peeling/flakiness is less and I want to be more aggressive. So we have agreed I go to 18 weeks keeping this up. I'm adding another toner as I said I still want to blast the blackheads and pores, now I will use Clenziderm Pore Therapy toner every other day. It contains salicylic acid so will help with the blackheads. I suspect I'm in for a week of adapting again but that's ok. Dr Sarah also reassured me I will see more results in the coming weeks as my skin cells keep renewing. Yay! I will also think about adding a blue peel at the end of the 18 weeks.
Day 74 - I looked a bit pink yesterday morning after using the Tretinoin over night and the new toner in the morning. It did calm down during the day though. My friend today said my skin looks very good and I was out in the harsh daylight / lovely sunshine without any make up on, so it made me happy to hear.
Day 77 - I have used the Clenziderm Pore Therapy twice per day so now I'm peeling a bit again and my skin feels tight. It's just that I like it when it tightens the skin and pores as blackheads aren't visible but now I have to cut down to once per day until my skin adapts.
Day 72 - Met with Dr Sarah again and she said my skin is looking good. She said I can cut down and use Obagi less if I want to but I said I'm happy to keep the regime up like it is as I'm coping well and peeling/flakiness is less and I want to be more aggressive. So we have agreed I go to 18 weeks keeping this up. I'm adding another toner as I said I still want to blast the blackheads and pores, now I will use Clenziderm Pore Therapy toner every other day. It contains salicylic acid so will help with the blackheads. I suspect I'm in for a week of adapting again but that's ok. Dr Sarah also reassured me I will see more results in the coming weeks as my skin cells keep renewing. Yay! I will also think about adding a blue peel at the end of the 18 weeks.
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| Day 73 AM |
Day 74 - I looked a bit pink yesterday morning after using the Tretinoin over night and the new toner in the morning. It did calm down during the day though. My friend today said my skin looks very good and I was out in the harsh daylight / lovely sunshine without any make up on, so it made me happy to hear.
Day 77 - I have used the Clenziderm Pore Therapy twice per day so now I'm peeling a bit again and my skin feels tight. It's just that I like it when it tightens the skin and pores as blackheads aren't visible but now I have to cut down to once per day until my skin adapts.
Wednesday 8 April 2015
Week 10 - The stubborn blackheads are finally showing good improvements!
Day 64 - It seems my persistent Clenziderm wash and clarisonic face brush efforts are finally paying off. In the last day or two I've seen great improvements in the blackheads and pores on my chin. This area has been so stubborn so far that I was beginning to wonder if it would ever happen so when I inspected my face this morning and saw the blackheads diminished I almost did a happy dance. I'm going to continue the 3 minute routine with Clenziderm as many evenings in a row as my skin can take. I'm still peeling so it's mostly two days on and one off as it's strong stuff. It's now week 10 and I've been patient waiting for these results. Obagi Nu Derm definitely keeps delivering the longer you use it.
Day 66 - My face is such a nice even pale colour now and no pigmentation issues at all. I think in the last week it's dawned on me how great and healthy it looks. I'm still peeling a little but it's calmed down from last week. I think my skin is slowly adapting to the Clenziderm wash. I rarely use any of the hydrate cream anymore, only on dry spots if I'm at work and want to minimise the flaky look. This week I can wear a bit of blusher and concealer but sometimes the under eye skin is peeling still.
Day 68 - My routine is working pretty ok, flaking is slowing down and I've used Clenziderm quite a lot this week but kept the Tretinoin to every other day alternating with the Exfoderm. Next week I'm back to meeting Dr Sarah again. I'm considering the dermarolling as I am not 100% happy with the pore size yet and my small scars on the nose are still visible. I will see what she says before making drastic decision.
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| Day 66 PM |
Day 66 - My face is such a nice even pale colour now and no pigmentation issues at all. I think in the last week it's dawned on me how great and healthy it looks. I'm still peeling a little but it's calmed down from last week. I think my skin is slowly adapting to the Clenziderm wash. I rarely use any of the hydrate cream anymore, only on dry spots if I'm at work and want to minimise the flaky look. This week I can wear a bit of blusher and concealer but sometimes the under eye skin is peeling still.
Day 68 - My routine is working pretty ok, flaking is slowing down and I've used Clenziderm quite a lot this week but kept the Tretinoin to every other day alternating with the Exfoderm. Next week I'm back to meeting Dr Sarah again. I'm considering the dermarolling as I am not 100% happy with the pore size yet and my small scars on the nose are still visible. I will see what she says before making drastic decision.
Wednesday 1 April 2015
Week 9 - Excited to see more results.
Day 57 - I've come to grips with the Clenziderm and Tretinoin combination but still adjust a little depending on how my skin feels. I see a lot of improvements in pore size and blackheads too. Skin has settled and doesn't get oily or too dry. Still peeling though and struggling to use make up as a result.
Day 59 - My skin looked good yesterday and I even managed to wear powder and I wasn't flaky or dry. Wohoo! Today I'm back to peeling however. I'm getting a bit paranoid about my under eye wrinkles from all this close up scrutiny of my face for the last eight weeks. I'm hoping the Elastiderm eye cream will improve wrinkles or else I'm off to get Botox!
Day 62 - My forehead and part of my chin are still stubbornly fighting my efforts to eliminate the blackheads and large pores but considering I don't wear make up my skin looks good. Met a friend for lunch yesterday and she couldn't believe I didn't wear make up and looked so fresh faced. I guess I might be staring myself blind at the remaining "imperfections" rather than appreciating the even skin tone, fresh glowy skin and overall improvements in pores everywhere else. Although I might give dermarolling a go and see if it helps me along further. Can't believe I've made it 9 weeks on this system and it's now part of my routine. Even slathering on three or four creams in the morning takes no time and is like second nature.
Day 63 - Today I have a two tiny spots coming and I blasted myself with the Tretinoin and Clenziderm wash over Easter weekend so I am looking a little pink this morning. My skin is also a little dry around the mouth but I'll recover quick if I give myself a day off the Clenziderm. I'm really trying to get the stubborn areas as much as the face can take....
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| Day 58 AM |
Day 62 - My forehead and part of my chin are still stubbornly fighting my efforts to eliminate the blackheads and large pores but considering I don't wear make up my skin looks good. Met a friend for lunch yesterday and she couldn't believe I didn't wear make up and looked so fresh faced. I guess I might be staring myself blind at the remaining "imperfections" rather than appreciating the even skin tone, fresh glowy skin and overall improvements in pores everywhere else. Although I might give dermarolling a go and see if it helps me along further. Can't believe I've made it 9 weeks on this system and it's now part of my routine. Even slathering on three or four creams in the morning takes no time and is like second nature.
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| Day 63 AM |
Day 63 - Today I have a two tiny spots coming and I blasted myself with the Tretinoin and Clenziderm wash over Easter weekend so I am looking a little pink this morning. My skin is also a little dry around the mouth but I'll recover quick if I give myself a day off the Clenziderm. I'm really trying to get the stubborn areas as much as the face can take....
Wednesday 25 March 2015
Week 8 - Getting to grips with the Clenziderm face wash...
Day 50 - I must say I thought by now I would be looking amazing but instead I'm getting to grips with how much I can use the Clenziderm face wash. So right now I'm dry and flaky in the t-zone and forced to use the hydrate cream which feels like it defeats the subject. Oh well, another week or two won't matter if it does help my pores and blackheads diminish. This is a marathon, not a sprint...This is a marathon, not a sprint....This is a marathon, not a sprint....;)
Day 51 - As much as I moan about the Clenziderm face wash I do think it's working. It has brought impurities to the surface and skin is tighter and pores smaller. I basically use it with my Clarisonic face brush for 3 minutes in the evening. Then leave the skin for 15 minutes before using the toner, eye cream and Tretinoin. Tretinoin only alternate days with Exfoderm as otherwise I will be too dry and flaky....if I'm feeling too dry I use the regular Obagi face wash. It's a week of experimenting!
Day 54 - I had a bit if a late night on Friday so didn't wash my face with Clenziderm or apply the Tretinoin cream. My skin is not dry or tight anymore from the Clenziderm so I'm back to just being a bit flaky and peeling. The Clarisonic face brush is great, my skin is so soft it really does help and it's so easy to use. I am definitely a fan. My skin feels glowy still and with the risk of repeating myself my large pores and blackheads are improving. Even some of the stubborn areas seem to show progress after using the Clenziderm. Yay! My only downside is that I'm still peeling quite a lot the day after Exfoderm application. Forget wearing more than mascara as when I've tried to put concealer or mineral powder on it still shows the dry peeling skin a lot. I honestly can't believe it's been 8 weeks without wearing a full face of make up. I caught myself staring longingly at the Bobbi Brown make up counter on way to work as I am dying to wear foundation and blusher for some reason. I was told though by a male friend that I don't need to wear make up as my skin looks great. :)
Day 51 - As much as I moan about the Clenziderm face wash I do think it's working. It has brought impurities to the surface and skin is tighter and pores smaller. I basically use it with my Clarisonic face brush for 3 minutes in the evening. Then leave the skin for 15 minutes before using the toner, eye cream and Tretinoin. Tretinoin only alternate days with Exfoderm as otherwise I will be too dry and flaky....if I'm feeling too dry I use the regular Obagi face wash. It's a week of experimenting!
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| Day 51 PM after using Clenziderm |
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| Day 54 AM |
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| Day 54 AM |
Wednesday 18 March 2015
Week 7 - Mixing it up with addition of another cleanser and eyecream...
Day 43 - So I have endured two days straight with Tretinoin as I forgot the Exfoderm cream when I went gym at very early hour yesterday. Skin peeled and looked pink all day and I applied Exfoderm this morning, so expecting peeling to continue tomorrow. I don't care so much about how I look anymore as nobody has said anything, although I had flakes all over my dress today at work and was distinctively pink. Tomorrow I'm seeing Dr Sarah for another follow up and I'm excited to hear her opinion.
Day 44 - Had my second follow up today. A few changes as I mentioned to Dr Sarah that I want to blast the stubborn blackheads and pores on my chin and nose. I've got the Clenziderm face wash to use in the evenings with the Clarisonic face brush for 3-4 minutes and focus on the t-zone. We also said I can use the Tretinoin cream in the t-zone every day if my skin can cope. I'm going to cut back on using the clear to once per day (mornings) and keep the Exfoderm to every other day. I also got the Elastiderm eye cream as I want to have a proper cream for my eyes. Another follow up in four weeks and if I'm not happy with the pores next step is dermarolling! She said I look quite pink still so I had to explain my few blasts with Tretinoin. She said keep it to alternate days outside of the t-zone.
Day 45 - Used the Clenziderm last night and it was quite minty in smell and tingled a bit on my face. After using the toner and the new eye cream, I put Tretinoin on in the t-zone. This morning my pores are definitely tighter and clearer but it could be as my skin has tightened from the wash. It did bring some impurities to the surface and I look a bit pink again today. Let's see how I get on with this over the next week. First signs are definitely promising. I do think it will dry my t-zone out so might have to go easy with the Tretinoin to start off.
Day 47 - I decided to use the Clenziderm every other day for the first week as it dries out my skin particularly around the mouth. It's tight and feels a bit like it did back in week one when it was peeling like crazy. As I don't wish to return to that I'm being a little careful. My eye area has now returned completely to normal, even if I apply the Tretinoin around it every other day. I'm happy as looking more wrinkly wasn't much fun and I'm not happy with my under eye laughter lines as it is!
Day 48 - Wow, super peeling today again.The day after Exfoderm applications is definitely hardcore for peeling all over my face. I can pull thin sheets of skin off! The Clenziderm is strong so it dries me out a little. I'm using the hydrate cream again where needed. I hope my skin adapts to the Clenziderm as it has to the rest of this system. I'm starting to wish for less peeling to be honest. Seven weeks of constant peeling isn't for the faint hearted that's for sure. Although it's not bad every day. I've even been on dates and the lovely guy is either too polite to say anything or has genuinely not noticed. Who knows with men...
Day 49 - I used the Clenziderm twice in a row and now I'm cracking dry and I'm getting a few spots. Definitely every other day for this dynamite stuff! I guess normality is another week around the corner now....
Day 44 - Had my second follow up today. A few changes as I mentioned to Dr Sarah that I want to blast the stubborn blackheads and pores on my chin and nose. I've got the Clenziderm face wash to use in the evenings with the Clarisonic face brush for 3-4 minutes and focus on the t-zone. We also said I can use the Tretinoin cream in the t-zone every day if my skin can cope. I'm going to cut back on using the clear to once per day (mornings) and keep the Exfoderm to every other day. I also got the Elastiderm eye cream as I want to have a proper cream for my eyes. Another follow up in four weeks and if I'm not happy with the pores next step is dermarolling! She said I look quite pink still so I had to explain my few blasts with Tretinoin. She said keep it to alternate days outside of the t-zone.
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| Day 45 AM |
Day 45 - Used the Clenziderm last night and it was quite minty in smell and tingled a bit on my face. After using the toner and the new eye cream, I put Tretinoin on in the t-zone. This morning my pores are definitely tighter and clearer but it could be as my skin has tightened from the wash. It did bring some impurities to the surface and I look a bit pink again today. Let's see how I get on with this over the next week. First signs are definitely promising. I do think it will dry my t-zone out so might have to go easy with the Tretinoin to start off.
Day 47 - I decided to use the Clenziderm every other day for the first week as it dries out my skin particularly around the mouth. It's tight and feels a bit like it did back in week one when it was peeling like crazy. As I don't wish to return to that I'm being a little careful. My eye area has now returned completely to normal, even if I apply the Tretinoin around it every other day. I'm happy as looking more wrinkly wasn't much fun and I'm not happy with my under eye laughter lines as it is!
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| Day 47 AM |
Day 48 - Wow, super peeling today again.The day after Exfoderm applications is definitely hardcore for peeling all over my face. I can pull thin sheets of skin off! The Clenziderm is strong so it dries me out a little. I'm using the hydrate cream again where needed. I hope my skin adapts to the Clenziderm as it has to the rest of this system. I'm starting to wish for less peeling to be honest. Seven weeks of constant peeling isn't for the faint hearted that's for sure. Although it's not bad every day. I've even been on dates and the lovely guy is either too polite to say anything or has genuinely not noticed. Who knows with men...
Day 49 - I used the Clenziderm twice in a row and now I'm cracking dry and I'm getting a few spots. Definitely every other day for this dynamite stuff! I guess normality is another week around the corner now....
Wednesday 11 March 2015
Week 6 - Hoping for normality!
Day 36 - Start of week six. Slowly getting there week by week. Met a friend today who hasn't seen me since I started the Obagi system. She said I look like I've been on holiday rather than looking bad and weird pink. I think I'm my own worst critic. I went gym today and trained hard and my face got red but not purple red like in the first few weeks, very reassuring as I was very self conscious back then as it took a while for the face to go back to normal. There's no more spots coming (big relief!) but I'm still a bit dry and flaky, especially around the nostrils and mouth. Also a bit near the eye area. Nothing that can be noticed unless you are up close however.
Day 39 - Today I'm peeling everywhere and as I was a little too vigorous rubbing skin to get it off this week I've got a scab in my chin area. The spot on my forehead is dried out but weirdly also peeling. Not much else to report. I will go back to using Tretinoin every other day as I dried my skin out a lot and was so pink, it's finally feeling less dry so I want to keep it this way. No more experimenting! I miss being able to wear powder and foundation, especially with my ugly spot on show but I guess it's good to be make up free.... Skin at least is glowy and looks fresh (even after a night of wine drinking!)
Day 40 - I'm really pleased I bought a Clarisonic face brush as my face is so soft after using it and when I'm not flaky and peeling, it does feel like the creams go on my face easier and I can use less. I do think I'm seeing more improvements in my pores and blackheads. The pores around my nose look smaller and cleaner. The ones on the nose are subsiding but are still there. The blackheads and pores on my chin seems to show the least improvement so far, but the areas where it wasn't so bad seems to have pretty much corrected itself. I will be patient! One of the small scars on my nose also appears to be less deep, which I observed a few weeks ago was starting to happen. There hasn't been a moment so far where I wake up and think "wow" my skin has changed so much which I know happens for some Obagi users. Maybe it will come... My skin tone is much more even and it seems finally my under eye wrinkles are getting back to being more as I remember them, rather than worse. Plus as I'm not dry now I don't use the hydrate cream at all, only in emergencies if I look very flaky at work and need to cover it. That's a good sign as my skin is now learning to not be dependent on creams for moisture, and it's supposed to happen.
Day 42 - I looked at my skin this evening before washing and it looks better. Definite improvements in pore size and blackheads. I keep going on about it but for me this is my key problem now the pigmentation issue is gone. I forgot the Exfoderm this morning as I went gym and left it at home. Oops! I will apply Tretinoin again tonight and Exfoderm tomorrow and see what happens. I guess I'll peel extra as a result, but I hope not!
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| Day 39 AM |
Day 40 - I'm really pleased I bought a Clarisonic face brush as my face is so soft after using it and when I'm not flaky and peeling, it does feel like the creams go on my face easier and I can use less. I do think I'm seeing more improvements in my pores and blackheads. The pores around my nose look smaller and cleaner. The ones on the nose are subsiding but are still there. The blackheads and pores on my chin seems to show the least improvement so far, but the areas where it wasn't so bad seems to have pretty much corrected itself. I will be patient! One of the small scars on my nose also appears to be less deep, which I observed a few weeks ago was starting to happen. There hasn't been a moment so far where I wake up and think "wow" my skin has changed so much which I know happens for some Obagi users. Maybe it will come... My skin tone is much more even and it seems finally my under eye wrinkles are getting back to being more as I remember them, rather than worse. Plus as I'm not dry now I don't use the hydrate cream at all, only in emergencies if I look very flaky at work and need to cover it. That's a good sign as my skin is now learning to not be dependent on creams for moisture, and it's supposed to happen.
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| Day 40 AM |
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| Day 40 AM |
Day 42 - I looked at my skin this evening before washing and it looks better. Definite improvements in pore size and blackheads. I keep going on about it but for me this is my key problem now the pigmentation issue is gone. I forgot the Exfoderm this morning as I went gym and left it at home. Oops! I will apply Tretinoin again tonight and Exfoderm tomorrow and see what happens. I guess I'll peel extra as a result, but I hope not!
Friday 6 March 2015
Week 5 - Flakiness continues, experimenting a little with how many days of Tretinoin I can take without getting too pink.
Day 31 - I've been busy working so struggled with updates. The day after Exfoderm application is bad as I'm completely flaky and weird looking. I think my skin has gotten a bit worse but it could be my imagination as I think I'm more conscious with being at work again. Still waiting for the large pores and blackheads to improve much more. Hopefully this will happen! I'm experimenting a bit with how much to use the Tretinoin cream without getting too pink.
Day 32 - I read some online reviews from other Obagi users and some said their skin got slightly worse again around week five and six before achieving great results. Maybe that's where I am at as it feels worse and quite dry again. I'm still flaky everywhere. Not like in the first few weeks but I can't wear make up and I carry the moisturiser with me to work in case it gets very dry and flaky during the day. Today is Exfoderm application day so I don't look too bad, however I expect peeling snake face to resume tomorrow. At least it's weekend so I can hide away! My plan is to use Exfoderm every other day and alternate with Tretinoin except for Friday to Sunday when I will use the Tretinoin every day. Let's see how that will work, the back up plan is to alternate them as before.
Day 33 - As expected my entire face has peeled today. It started last night after the evening routine. It's easy to pull it off as it's thin skin sheets, with the help of a tweezer. The problem is it's time consuming but if there's still skin hanging after the careful washing and attempt to remove it, tweezers is the only way forward! I also have two red small spots on my forehead, which is why I was saying I feel like I'm going backwards. In some areas my blackheads are better, in others worse. I'm also drier where I've most likely put on too much Exfoderm. Time to cut it back around the mouth and nostrils again. It's frustrating but all part of the process I guess. I'm still only at week five so I need to be patient as this is a marathon journey, not a sprint. Patience is a virtue....
Day 34 - A spotty pink face greeted me this morning. It was Exfoderm application day again and it did sting a bit to apply today as I'm a little dry. I will put on the hydrate moisturiser tonight as I'm giving the Tretinoin a break. Hopefully "the getting worse" phase I'm in doesn't last long. Today my face also felt hot but I blame myself as I blasted my skin with three days of Tretinoin application. As you can see I'm still glowy but I did feel a bit greasy and shiny on my nose at the end of the day.
Day 35 - The spot is annoying me but there seems to be no more spots coming through. Thankfully! Seems like things are getting a bit better again as I wasn't greasy in the t-zone today at all. This week really has been up and down with the skin behaving a bit crazy and flaking / peeling. Hopefully week six means it gets better again and I continue to see improvements over weird spots and flakiness or oiliness. Fingers crossed!
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| Day 31 my dress full of flakes |
Day 32 - I read some online reviews from other Obagi users and some said their skin got slightly worse again around week five and six before achieving great results. Maybe that's where I am at as it feels worse and quite dry again. I'm still flaky everywhere. Not like in the first few weeks but I can't wear make up and I carry the moisturiser with me to work in case it gets very dry and flaky during the day. Today is Exfoderm application day so I don't look too bad, however I expect peeling snake face to resume tomorrow. At least it's weekend so I can hide away! My plan is to use Exfoderm every other day and alternate with Tretinoin except for Friday to Sunday when I will use the Tretinoin every day. Let's see how that will work, the back up plan is to alternate them as before.
Day 33 - As expected my entire face has peeled today. It started last night after the evening routine. It's easy to pull it off as it's thin skin sheets, with the help of a tweezer. The problem is it's time consuming but if there's still skin hanging after the careful washing and attempt to remove it, tweezers is the only way forward! I also have two red small spots on my forehead, which is why I was saying I feel like I'm going backwards. In some areas my blackheads are better, in others worse. I'm also drier where I've most likely put on too much Exfoderm. Time to cut it back around the mouth and nostrils again. It's frustrating but all part of the process I guess. I'm still only at week five so I need to be patient as this is a marathon journey, not a sprint. Patience is a virtue....
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| Day 34 AM |
Day 35 - The spot is annoying me but there seems to be no more spots coming through. Thankfully! Seems like things are getting a bit better again as I wasn't greasy in the t-zone today at all. This week really has been up and down with the skin behaving a bit crazy and flaking / peeling. Hopefully week six means it gets better again and I continue to see improvements over weird spots and flakiness or oiliness. Fingers crossed!
Wednesday 25 February 2015
Week 4 - Starting to really see the benefits!
Day 22 - I'm still a little flaky during the day so I'm looking forward to cutting the Exfoderm to every other day now. I also bought myself a Clarisonic face brush today so will try it once it's fully charged. Hoping that this will help remove the flaky skin more so I can wear make up, not that I really need it with this glowy skin but I want to wear some blusher and concealer at least on top of the mascara. Overall very happy with what's happening improvement wise. Can't wait to see my blackheads and large pores shrink and disappear even more.
Day 23 - I decided to skip the Tretinoin yesterday evening and will start using it every other day, alternating days with the Exfoderm. For some reason my face was feeling hot and flushed yesterday after a day of shopping so I figured cutting Tretinoin might help fight that. I used my Clarisonic face brush this morning for the first time. My skin is silky soft now! Still a bit flaky in certain areas though. I feel I look so much fresher now, although the under eye wrinkles are still worse than normal.
Day 24 - Make up is looking ok now as flakiness is minimal. I think the Clarisonic face brush is amazing, my skin feels so soft and it's supposed to help the cleanser penetrate the skin better. I think it's working although I've only used it three times so the jury is still out on long term benefits. I'm using the soft brush head as I don't want to agitate my skin whilst getting used to it. I've been inspecting my skin in a 10x magnifying mirror and my large pores and blackheads have improved. Still a way to go but it's getting there for sure! I am officially a fan of Obagi Nu-Derm, that's for certain.
Day 25 - Doing the Exfoderm and Tretinoin alternate days is working for me as my skin is more "normal" in both colour and less flaky. Although today I am peeling a lot in the eye and forehead area, even my eyelids are flaky. It looks a bit weird! It has also got worse as the day goes by so today has turned into a full on flakiness day. I try not to use the moisturiser except for on the eye area and where I'm dry, which is around the nose and mouth mostly. I can't even see the two annoying sunspots anymore. Now my face is back to normal colour too so they are definitely gone. This is great news!
Day 26 - Less flaking today which is reassuring. Today is Exoderm application day. I applied the Tretinoin last night and this morning I was a little pink. My neck is starting to show another small dry spot so back to intense moisturising until it's normal. I'm really not using a lot of the moisturiser at all, unless super dry and flaky. My skin is looking so glowy but it seems it's still going to be up and down with peeling for the time being. I'm definitely over the worst and now I'm getting impatient to get better results on my large pores and blackheads. I can't believe the changes I've seen in only four weeks, it's very impressive. I'm doing this for 12 weeks so I'm not even half way through yet. I'm excited to see what the end result will be!
Day 27 - Today was my first day in my new job and I was hoping my skin would look fantastic. No such luck. I was peeling a lot and had to do some gentle exfoliation with my fingers when the skin was wet to make sure I got most of it off. I'm also getting a red spot on my nose again. I think it may be the Clarisonic face brush bringing impurities to the surface. All that said, one of my new colleagues did say she's envious of my glowy looking skin so it can't have been all bad! I couldn't wear any make up at all except for mascara. As I don't want to get spotty I'm returning to Tretinoin cream and blender every night to help dry it out. If I get too pink I'll reduce it again, maybe do two days on and one day off.
Day 28 - Less peeling today and skin is getting a bit pink again from the increased use of Tretinoin. I can't wear any make up and the flaking was visible in the afternoon. It's not too bad but obviously as I'm new at work I'm a bit self conscious. I have another little spot on my cheek so I do think the Clarisonic is doing a good job getting more impurities to the surface. My face is also very soft. I've had a busy week but I will upload another pic tomorrow. It feels like things are adjusting and even more normality is around the corner once the final impurities are gone. Quite happy still!
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| My Mia 2 from Debenhams |
Day 23 - I decided to skip the Tretinoin yesterday evening and will start using it every other day, alternating days with the Exfoderm. For some reason my face was feeling hot and flushed yesterday after a day of shopping so I figured cutting Tretinoin might help fight that. I used my Clarisonic face brush this morning for the first time. My skin is silky soft now! Still a bit flaky in certain areas though. I feel I look so much fresher now, although the under eye wrinkles are still worse than normal.
Day 24 - Make up is looking ok now as flakiness is minimal. I think the Clarisonic face brush is amazing, my skin feels so soft and it's supposed to help the cleanser penetrate the skin better. I think it's working although I've only used it three times so the jury is still out on long term benefits. I'm using the soft brush head as I don't want to agitate my skin whilst getting used to it. I've been inspecting my skin in a 10x magnifying mirror and my large pores and blackheads have improved. Still a way to go but it's getting there for sure! I am officially a fan of Obagi Nu-Derm, that's for certain.
Day 25 - Doing the Exfoderm and Tretinoin alternate days is working for me as my skin is more "normal" in both colour and less flaky. Although today I am peeling a lot in the eye and forehead area, even my eyelids are flaky. It looks a bit weird! It has also got worse as the day goes by so today has turned into a full on flakiness day. I try not to use the moisturiser except for on the eye area and where I'm dry, which is around the nose and mouth mostly. I can't even see the two annoying sunspots anymore. Now my face is back to normal colour too so they are definitely gone. This is great news!
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| Day 25 AM |
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| Day 25 AM |
Day 27 - Today was my first day in my new job and I was hoping my skin would look fantastic. No such luck. I was peeling a lot and had to do some gentle exfoliation with my fingers when the skin was wet to make sure I got most of it off. I'm also getting a red spot on my nose again. I think it may be the Clarisonic face brush bringing impurities to the surface. All that said, one of my new colleagues did say she's envious of my glowy looking skin so it can't have been all bad! I couldn't wear any make up at all except for mascara. As I don't want to get spotty I'm returning to Tretinoin cream and blender every night to help dry it out. If I get too pink I'll reduce it again, maybe do two days on and one day off.
Day 28 - Less peeling today and skin is getting a bit pink again from the increased use of Tretinoin. I can't wear any make up and the flaking was visible in the afternoon. It's not too bad but obviously as I'm new at work I'm a bit self conscious. I have another little spot on my cheek so I do think the Clarisonic is doing a good job getting more impurities to the surface. My face is also very soft. I've had a busy week but I will upload another pic tomorrow. It feels like things are adjusting and even more normality is around the corner once the final impurities are gone. Quite happy still!
Wednesday 18 February 2015
Week 3 - Finally the peeling starts to slow down.
Day 15 - My friends are starting to think I'm slightly mad for putting myself through this skincare system as all I keep saying is how much I'm peeling. I'm very glad to have time off in between jobs to do this, although finally I think I would be comfortable in a professional setting. My nose is looking better in some places and worse in others with the pores and blackheads either improving or looking a lot worse. The neck area is settling and peeling. No more itching! The worst peeling is around the eyes from cranking up the Tretinoin and blender there for the last days.
I saw Dr Sarah Shah today for my follow up appointment. My skin is looking great and adapting well to the system. As I'm peeling a lot around my mouth I can stop using the Exfoderm there for a few days (Hurray!) to allow some recovery. Next week I will start using the Exfoderm every other day as I'm starting my new job and want to look as normal as possible. I'm also free to moisturise my neck as much as needed until it has recovered. She also said I could cut back on the Tretinoin to every other day if I wanted to reduce the pinkness, but I'm going to try to keep it up. My next appointment is in 4 weeks time, when I will have completed phase 1 of the system. Then we will also see how the small scars on my nose are looking as I may need some dermarolling to get them off. Exciting!
Day 16 - Not much change today. Applying less Exfoderm as avoiding the mouth area. Hopefully I will peel less in the afternoon as a result. Peeling starts around 2 or 3 pm otherwise so avoiding that would be great! Maybe I can reclaim my social life a bit more. :) My neck is looking better today too since I've been moisturising it like crazy yesterday evening. The Spa Manager at my gym said as my face is settling it only looks like I'm wearing the wrong colour foundation at the moment, with the pink stopping at the jawline. I'm thinking that's progress!
Day 17 - The peeling is slowing down slightly and I'm not so flaky everywhere when I wake up in the morning. I will try wearing make up soon but the skin is still peeling and isn't completely smooth so I'm worrying the mineral powder will highlight it rather than conceal it. Skin around the mouth is very dry so I'm putting extra moisturiser there as I've stopped using the Exfoderm in the area. I did still peel around the mouth yesterday but it was significantly less. My neck is still unsightly but the redness is subsiding although it's flaky and peeling. No new spots on my nose, just the one that popped up days ago. I'm still using Tretinoin every night and my face does go more red after application. I'm getting used to a pink face staring back at me in the mirror!
Day 18 - I'm definitely less flaky this morning so peeling is calming down a lot! My neck has improved significantly from my efforts of hydrating it more throughout the day. I'm very happy. The pink colour is also fading more after the morning routine. This is definitely the most "normal" my face has looked since starting using Obagi Nu-Derm. The large pores and blackheads on my nose are improving, they are still there and I want to see them improve significantly still. As my nose is the last to peel it's probably going to take a bit longer.
Day 19 - I tried wearing make up yesterday evening, a bit of mineral powder and blusher. It wasn't great looking as the flaky parts were showing much more than without make up. At the moment my flakiness is on the nose and around the eyes plus a little bit around the mouth still. My skin looks very even in colour and glowy now though. I even got a compliment from a complete stranger at the gym! Wohoo! I get bright red when exercising still, it's a bit annoying but small price to pay given the positive changes overall. I've also got in to a routine of the morning and evening regime now so it doesn't feel complicated anymore. I leave a few minutes between each step so the cream can really penetrate the skin and it still takes about 10 minutes or so.
Day 20 - I'm starting to feel really happy that I embarked on the Obagi Nu-Derm system now. It's also nice not to wear make up as normally I wouldn't leave the house without foundation or powder, blusher, mascara and eye shadow. The time spent doing the morning routine is clawed back from not applying anything but mascara. Not much changes today to the skin. The part of my face (around the jawline and cheek) that looks a bit more red in pictures is where I have more sun damage. It was the last part to come off and peel when I did the TCA peel almost two years ago now. It's good to see that it's taken to the Obagi as well. I suspect it's a few weeks behind the rest of my face in the transformation to glowy. My neck is pretty much healed up now, finally. Wohoo!
Day 21 - The morning flakiness is very limited now and my skin tone is almost back to normal. I am seeing improvements in my blackheads now, there's definitely less of them. I've stopped using the moisturiser on my nose and forehead in the mornings as they don't feel dry. I have an oily t-zone so I don't feel I need the hydrate cream there as it's very rich. Overall I am starting to feel "normal" again and hopefully I'll be able to pull off mineral make up soon as I'm starting work in 5 days and it would be nice to look fresh faced on my first day, and flake free.
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| Day 15 AM |
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| Day 15 AM blotchy neck |
Day 16 - Not much change today. Applying less Exfoderm as avoiding the mouth area. Hopefully I will peel less in the afternoon as a result. Peeling starts around 2 or 3 pm otherwise so avoiding that would be great! Maybe I can reclaim my social life a bit more. :) My neck is looking better today too since I've been moisturising it like crazy yesterday evening. The Spa Manager at my gym said as my face is settling it only looks like I'm wearing the wrong colour foundation at the moment, with the pink stopping at the jawline. I'm thinking that's progress!
Day 17 - The peeling is slowing down slightly and I'm not so flaky everywhere when I wake up in the morning. I will try wearing make up soon but the skin is still peeling and isn't completely smooth so I'm worrying the mineral powder will highlight it rather than conceal it. Skin around the mouth is very dry so I'm putting extra moisturiser there as I've stopped using the Exfoderm in the area. I did still peel around the mouth yesterday but it was significantly less. My neck is still unsightly but the redness is subsiding although it's flaky and peeling. No new spots on my nose, just the one that popped up days ago. I'm still using Tretinoin every night and my face does go more red after application. I'm getting used to a pink face staring back at me in the mirror!
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| Day 17 AM |
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| Day 17 AM |
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| Day 17 neck update |
Day 18 - I'm definitely less flaky this morning so peeling is calming down a lot! My neck has improved significantly from my efforts of hydrating it more throughout the day. I'm very happy. The pink colour is also fading more after the morning routine. This is definitely the most "normal" my face has looked since starting using Obagi Nu-Derm. The large pores and blackheads on my nose are improving, they are still there and I want to see them improve significantly still. As my nose is the last to peel it's probably going to take a bit longer.
Day 19 - I tried wearing make up yesterday evening, a bit of mineral powder and blusher. It wasn't great looking as the flaky parts were showing much more than without make up. At the moment my flakiness is on the nose and around the eyes plus a little bit around the mouth still. My skin looks very even in colour and glowy now though. I even got a compliment from a complete stranger at the gym! Wohoo! I get bright red when exercising still, it's a bit annoying but small price to pay given the positive changes overall. I've also got in to a routine of the morning and evening regime now so it doesn't feel complicated anymore. I leave a few minutes between each step so the cream can really penetrate the skin and it still takes about 10 minutes or so.
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| Day 19 AM |
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| Day 19 AM |
Day 20 - I'm starting to feel really happy that I embarked on the Obagi Nu-Derm system now. It's also nice not to wear make up as normally I wouldn't leave the house without foundation or powder, blusher, mascara and eye shadow. The time spent doing the morning routine is clawed back from not applying anything but mascara. Not much changes today to the skin. The part of my face (around the jawline and cheek) that looks a bit more red in pictures is where I have more sun damage. It was the last part to come off and peel when I did the TCA peel almost two years ago now. It's good to see that it's taken to the Obagi as well. I suspect it's a few weeks behind the rest of my face in the transformation to glowy. My neck is pretty much healed up now, finally. Wohoo!
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| Day 20 neck update |
Day 21 - The morning flakiness is very limited now and my skin tone is almost back to normal. I am seeing improvements in my blackheads now, there's definitely less of them. I've stopped using the moisturiser on my nose and forehead in the mornings as they don't feel dry. I have an oily t-zone so I don't feel I need the hydrate cream there as it's very rich. Overall I am starting to feel "normal" again and hopefully I'll be able to pull off mineral make up soon as I'm starting work in 5 days and it would be nice to look fresh faced on my first day, and flake free.
Wednesday 11 February 2015
Week 2 - My face is settling to a pink colour but is still peeling a lot.
Day 8 - I'm so glad to have completed my first week! Unfortunately the redness is getting worse and parts of my face are very sore, my upper lip and area between my eyebrows especially. Applying the Exfoderm this morning was extremely uncomfortable and even the moisturiser was burning. My plan is to go for a run later but I'm slightly worried the sweat will sting and that my face will go even redder... (it shouldn't be possible!) I think today is the worst day so far. My neck has gone blotchy red too over the last few days, but I understand that's normal as the Tretinoin travels in the skin.
Day 9 - I feel a bit better today. The Exfoderm application was stingy and uncomfortable this morning but my face feels a bit better. It's still bright red but overnight I've peeled everywhere and my "new" skin feels smoother. Neck is still blotchy. I'm seriously considering getting a clarisonic face brush as I think it will help wash off the flaky, peeling skin better. A nurse I met yesterday asked if I had a peel as the skin looked so smooth. Yay! I told her about Obagi and what's going to happen to my skin and the rigorous regime.
Day 10 - I'm excited as a dried out spot I've had for about 2 months near my mouth is now almost completely gone. I've been watching it shrink over the last few days. This stuff is definitely working (not that I ever doubted it with all the peeling going on!). The Exfoderm is still the most painful application in the mornings. Stings! I've attached some pictures from this morning, before washing my face. I'm very, very flaky. No sign of the redness disappearing either yet. My neck currently looks the worst. I noticed during the day my nose has a few tiny red spots on it and my blackheads look worse than before. I take this as a good sign, everything gets worse before it gets better! Dr Sarah told me to avoid using the moisturiser in the evening unless red and peeling. Well, I'm red and peeling all the time but I stopped using the moisturiser a few days ago on my face. The reason for avoiding it is that the skin will learn how to moisturise itself as the new skin comes up to the surface so the less of moisturiser you use, the better.
Day 11 - Maybe it's my imagination but my face felt less flaky this morning, after washing it was more pink than red but after about 30 minutes it starts heating up and getting red again. After a few hours the redness has eased back to more of a pink colour. This is small but welcome progress! I have a red spot on my nose and the nose is getting worse with blackheads and pore size being more prominent. My neck is still blotchy but less angry red and settling down a little bit. I have put moisturiser on the neck in the evenings as it's been so itchy and flaky. My social life is suffering, as the peeling is bad in the afternoon and evening around the mouth and nose, I don't really want to go out for dinner and drinks and put loved ones off their food.
Day 12 - I have a few tiny red dots on my forehead and along the jaw line. Not sure what they are as too small to be spots. The spots on my nose has disappeared with the exception of one that is now drying out. Worst part of the morning routine is still the Exfoderm as it stings. My neck is still blotchy and the redness is spreading a bit down to the upper chest. The neck is still itchy. I've been putting the Retinoin and blender under my eyes over the last few days again and my wrinkles are therefore a lot worse, adds about 20 years to my age. My skin is still flaky once the sunscreen (final cream to go on) has dried. I will say that my skin is more "glowy" and looks fresh. I'm also looking at two sunspots that have annoyed me for years and I can barely see them, I can't wait for my face to be less pink so I can see if they really are disappearing.
Day 13 - My skin definitely has a glow to it and is more pink than red now. I feel like I've turned a corner! Even applying the dreaded Exfoderm this morning didn't sting. Hurray! My nose is now peeling too, the last part of my face to do so. The pores and blackheads are looking slightly better. The only downside is that the redness keeps travelling down my neck to my upper chest and it's itching quite a lot still. I am yet to wear any mineral make up on my entire face as I'm so flaky. Hopefully I can start wearing make up in the next 3-5 days if the improvements continue. Most of all I wish the unsightly neck would stop itching.
Day 14 - My skin feels quite dry and flaky today, even after applying the moisturiser. There is a new little spot on my nose this morning and the nose is continuing to peel. My nose is the last part to really take to the regime so I'm excited to see if the pores and blackheads will improve in the coming week. The blotchy neck is very dry now so I hope it's going to get better soon as the itching is annoying and it's unsightly! I'm really happy my face is pink now as I'd rather peel than be bright red all the time to be honest. I'm much more comfortable being seen in public for the last couple of days. I still get bright red during exercise though but that's not too bad. Tomorrow I'm meeting Dr Sarah for my follow up consultation to see how my skin is adapting to Obagi. To sum up the end of week two, I can definitely see improvements in my skin tone as it's glowy and the pores on my chin and around my mouth look smaller. My two sunspots that I've despised for years have faded significantly as I can barely see them. I can say the same for the tiny sunspots that were dotted around my hairline. I'm looking forward to see what other improvements I will see going forward!
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| Day 8 red blotchy neck |
Day 10 - I'm excited as a dried out spot I've had for about 2 months near my mouth is now almost completely gone. I've been watching it shrink over the last few days. This stuff is definitely working (not that I ever doubted it with all the peeling going on!). The Exfoderm is still the most painful application in the mornings. Stings! I've attached some pictures from this morning, before washing my face. I'm very, very flaky. No sign of the redness disappearing either yet. My neck currently looks the worst. I noticed during the day my nose has a few tiny red spots on it and my blackheads look worse than before. I take this as a good sign, everything gets worse before it gets better! Dr Sarah told me to avoid using the moisturiser in the evening unless red and peeling. Well, I'm red and peeling all the time but I stopped using the moisturiser a few days ago on my face. The reason for avoiding it is that the skin will learn how to moisturise itself as the new skin comes up to the surface so the less of moisturiser you use, the better.
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| Day 10 AM before washing face |
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| Day 10 AM before washing face |
Day 11 - Maybe it's my imagination but my face felt less flaky this morning, after washing it was more pink than red but after about 30 minutes it starts heating up and getting red again. After a few hours the redness has eased back to more of a pink colour. This is small but welcome progress! I have a red spot on my nose and the nose is getting worse with blackheads and pore size being more prominent. My neck is still blotchy but less angry red and settling down a little bit. I have put moisturiser on the neck in the evenings as it's been so itchy and flaky. My social life is suffering, as the peeling is bad in the afternoon and evening around the mouth and nose, I don't really want to go out for dinner and drinks and put loved ones off their food.
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| Day 10 AM blotchy neck |
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| Day 11 AM neck getting better |
Day 12 - I have a few tiny red dots on my forehead and along the jaw line. Not sure what they are as too small to be spots. The spots on my nose has disappeared with the exception of one that is now drying out. Worst part of the morning routine is still the Exfoderm as it stings. My neck is still blotchy and the redness is spreading a bit down to the upper chest. The neck is still itchy. I've been putting the Retinoin and blender under my eyes over the last few days again and my wrinkles are therefore a lot worse, adds about 20 years to my age. My skin is still flaky once the sunscreen (final cream to go on) has dried. I will say that my skin is more "glowy" and looks fresh. I'm also looking at two sunspots that have annoyed me for years and I can barely see them, I can't wait for my face to be less pink so I can see if they really are disappearing.
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| Day 12 AM |
Day 13 - My skin definitely has a glow to it and is more pink than red now. I feel like I've turned a corner! Even applying the dreaded Exfoderm this morning didn't sting. Hurray! My nose is now peeling too, the last part of my face to do so. The pores and blackheads are looking slightly better. The only downside is that the redness keeps travelling down my neck to my upper chest and it's itching quite a lot still. I am yet to wear any mineral make up on my entire face as I'm so flaky. Hopefully I can start wearing make up in the next 3-5 days if the improvements continue. Most of all I wish the unsightly neck would stop itching.
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| Day 13 AM blotchy itchy neck area |
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| Day 13 PM more peeling |
Day 14 - My skin feels quite dry and flaky today, even after applying the moisturiser. There is a new little spot on my nose this morning and the nose is continuing to peel. My nose is the last part to really take to the regime so I'm excited to see if the pores and blackheads will improve in the coming week. The blotchy neck is very dry now so I hope it's going to get better soon as the itching is annoying and it's unsightly! I'm really happy my face is pink now as I'd rather peel than be bright red all the time to be honest. I'm much more comfortable being seen in public for the last couple of days. I still get bright red during exercise though but that's not too bad. Tomorrow I'm meeting Dr Sarah for my follow up consultation to see how my skin is adapting to Obagi. To sum up the end of week two, I can definitely see improvements in my skin tone as it's glowy and the pores on my chin and around my mouth look smaller. My two sunspots that I've despised for years have faded significantly as I can barely see them. I can say the same for the tiny sunspots that were dotted around my hairline. I'm looking forward to see what other improvements I will see going forward!
Saturday 7 February 2015
Week 1 - Red, hot, itchy and flaky!
I started using Obagi this week after a visit to Dr Sarah Shah as I wanted to address my pigmentation and sunspots as well as large pores and blackheads. I'm in my 30's and have been fairly lucky as I never had much spots or acne, only the occasional hormonal or stress related breakouts.
In the past I have tried glycolic acid products and mild salicylic peels from Bravura London and also Retriderm retinol serum. I also had a TCA peel 18 months ago, as such I am no stranger to strong skincare products. However, Obagi is prescription only so different to any of the other things I've used. I'm scheduled in to meet with Dr Sarah Shah again in two weeks time for a follow up consultation. She's also said I can get in touch in the meantime, if I have any questions or concerns.
I'm also fortunate enough to have a few weeks off in between jobs so it seemed like the ideal time to start a skincare regime like Obagi. Especially since I was told I will be peeling and very red for the first three to four weeks. I guess my social life will suffer a little depending on the severity...
I'm using the oily to normal Obagi Nu Derm kit with the 0.1% Tretinoin cream. It's an investment as the kit isn't exactly cheap but from the reviews I've read it's worth it. The kit contains a lot of different products, some used only in the morning and others in the evening. Either way it's simple enough as they are numbered and have am and pm written on them. Dr Sarah said I would need 15 minutes morning and evening to apply the entire regime. Ideally I should also use a clarisonic face brush for the face wash and wash for 3-4 minutes.
Day 1 - Washed my face for 3 minutes with the face wash and went through all the steps as directed by Dr Sarah. I started in the evening so applied the Tretinoin cream with the blender.
Day 2 - Woke up and my face felt a little warm and was slightly pink. Nothing much changed throughout the day except for feeling a bit tight.
Day 3 - When I looked in the mirror after waking up the peeling had started overnight, especially around my eyes and mouth. I was also very red around the eyes. I had to go to the hairdresser so I applied some mineral powder around the eyes to try and cover up the redness. It worked ok, but the flakiness still showed through. After the evening regime I was completely red, the skin was itchy, felt very tight and now most of my face was peeling with the exception of the area below the cheek bones.
Day 4 - I woke up with a snake face....almost felt like I had dandruff as I kept seeing flakes coming off my face. The good news is that the red / pinkness is more even across the face. Bad news is my laughter lines are so dry I look about 20 years older. I expected this to happen so I guess I'll put some Vaseline on it to soothe as it's very, very dry. The pores on my nose and chin appear smaller already which is the second piece of good news! I went to the gym and met my trainer, he said it looked like I had a sunburn. Maybe I don't look as bad as I think?! The flakiness is bad though and gets worse as the day goes on....
Day 5 - My face isn't feeling so hot anymore. My lips however are SO dry and I don't even apply any cream there so it may just be the cold weather. After I applied the moisturiser to my very dry under eye area and eyelids last night it is feeling much better! I find that my face is much redder just after the cleansing and application of creams and it calms down within the half hour.
Dr Sarah said to leave the stuff on for at least three hours before washing my face again if I go to the gym, or use the products after gym if I go in the morning. I decided against going to the gym today after seeing the crazy peeling on my chin.
Day 6 - I'm continuing to peel A LOT and my face is feeling a little tight and itchy. A couple of friends told me I look like Samantha in SATC after her chemical peel....I can only agree.
I did some YouTube watching for Obagi Nu Derm and also found this website which outlines the phases. I have it in my kit as hardcopy but here's an online version with some before and after pics. I am staying indoors again today but tomorrow is gym time!
Day 7 - Last night after applying all the creams I was redder than before (if that was even possible) and this morning I'm also extremely red. My entire face is peeling now too and my neck is itchy. It did sting to apply the creams and my face feels hot again. I'm going at this the hardcore style using the Retinoin cream every night. Since the flaking is worse in the afternoon I'm braving the gym before lunchtime. I'll let you know what my trainer says about my stoplight red face. :(
In the past I have tried glycolic acid products and mild salicylic peels from Bravura London and also Retriderm retinol serum. I also had a TCA peel 18 months ago, as such I am no stranger to strong skincare products. However, Obagi is prescription only so different to any of the other things I've used. I'm scheduled in to meet with Dr Sarah Shah again in two weeks time for a follow up consultation. She's also said I can get in touch in the meantime, if I have any questions or concerns.
I'm also fortunate enough to have a few weeks off in between jobs so it seemed like the ideal time to start a skincare regime like Obagi. Especially since I was told I will be peeling and very red for the first three to four weeks. I guess my social life will suffer a little depending on the severity...
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| Here's me before... |
Day 1 - Washed my face for 3 minutes with the face wash and went through all the steps as directed by Dr Sarah. I started in the evening so applied the Tretinoin cream with the blender.
Day 2 - Woke up and my face felt a little warm and was slightly pink. Nothing much changed throughout the day except for feeling a bit tight.
Day 3 - When I looked in the mirror after waking up the peeling had started overnight, especially around my eyes and mouth. I was also very red around the eyes. I had to go to the hairdresser so I applied some mineral powder around the eyes to try and cover up the redness. It worked ok, but the flakiness still showed through. After the evening regime I was completely red, the skin was itchy, felt very tight and now most of my face was peeling with the exception of the area below the cheek bones.
Day 4 - I woke up with a snake face....almost felt like I had dandruff as I kept seeing flakes coming off my face. The good news is that the red / pinkness is more even across the face. Bad news is my laughter lines are so dry I look about 20 years older. I expected this to happen so I guess I'll put some Vaseline on it to soothe as it's very, very dry. The pores on my nose and chin appear smaller already which is the second piece of good news! I went to the gym and met my trainer, he said it looked like I had a sunburn. Maybe I don't look as bad as I think?! The flakiness is bad though and gets worse as the day goes on....
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| Day 4 |
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| Day 4 |
Day 5 - My face isn't feeling so hot anymore. My lips however are SO dry and I don't even apply any cream there so it may just be the cold weather. After I applied the moisturiser to my very dry under eye area and eyelids last night it is feeling much better! I find that my face is much redder just after the cleansing and application of creams and it calms down within the half hour.
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| Day 5 AM |
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| Day 5 AM This is crazy peeling... |
Dr Sarah said to leave the stuff on for at least three hours before washing my face again if I go to the gym, or use the products after gym if I go in the morning. I decided against going to the gym today after seeing the crazy peeling on my chin.
Day 6 - I'm continuing to peel A LOT and my face is feeling a little tight and itchy. A couple of friends told me I look like Samantha in SATC after her chemical peel....I can only agree.
Day 7 - Last night after applying all the creams I was redder than before (if that was even possible) and this morning I'm also extremely red. My entire face is peeling now too and my neck is itchy. It did sting to apply the creams and my face feels hot again. I'm going at this the hardcore style using the Retinoin cream every night. Since the flaking is worse in the afternoon I'm braving the gym before lunchtime. I'll let you know what my trainer says about my stoplight red face. :(
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| Day 7 PM peeling is very bad |
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