I was so overwhelmed by the amazing support I got from you guys and the messages I recieved were just so beautiful. It was also such a weird feeling to be able to chat with so many different people... males, females, young, old... all going through the same thing as me, all at different stages in their journey. Some had never heard of cutting out excess fats to help with acne, some had resorted to Accutane and others were just about to lose hope. I'm not perfect, but I want my story to impact someone, somewhere, and I know it has and will, which makes me so so happy because I was blessed to discover some amazing vegan youtube channels that helped me along the way and I owe it to everyone to help someone else along the way, even if they just accidentally stumble along this little space on the internet.
I've been terrified to post to instagram of what I was really going through behind the pictures of watermelon with #vegan under it... it really was time to share my story.
{And whattaya know... I tagged Nina and Randa in my instagram post, hoping they'd see what a difference their advice and influenced made in my life and beautifully enough they not only saw it but left some really sweet comments. Give these guys a follow, my young generation is so lucky to have role models like them promoting a healthy ethical lifestyle rather than a superficial, negative one. Love these two!}
Okay, Ive spammed you with enough tragic acne pictures, onto the real deal: what's the best tips for getting rid of super cystic acne? I will, again remind you that my skin is not yet 100% clear, but it is definitely better than it was 6 months ago eating a higher fat diet and my breakouts are very minimal if at all. YOU CAN HELP CONTROL YOUR ACNE, I believe in you! Which is more than I gave myself for a while there... I know you can help get rid of your acne, and here are my best tips I followed personally to do so <3
#1 CUT OUT ALL ADDED DIETARY FATS AND OILS
This is the most important tip of them all, in my opinion. Eating too much fat affected my skin more than anything else: over sugar, over gluten, over any other food that gets blamed for causing acne... nothing else terrorised my face more. But that's okay! Coz with practice it's not as hard as you think to make fat free meals easily that taste sooo good. But yes, you will have to bid farewell to the beloved avo. "Is it too late now to say sorry?? Oooh oooh"
When you remove animal products, oils, nuts, seeds, avocado and other overt fats from your diet, you will see the biggest improvement in your skin. It won't feel as clogged or muggy or 'thick', the oiliness should begin to settle a little, though I do still have reasonably oily skin. But this benefits me, as I will explain in a few seconds (of reading) :P
I'll post a tonne of fat free recipes but start by loading up your plates with heaps of fruit, veggies, starches, beans, rice, legumes etc. That's the stuff that'll really keep you going so you're not 'missing' that satiating fat that would usually make your meals a bit heavier. It definitely becomes more like second nature all the time
#2 EAT HEAPS AND HEAPS OF FRESH RAW FRUIT
YES! Load up your plates and load up your blenders because fruit is the new bae... even if it is from the reduced shelf at Woolworths. Hashtag no shame?
Fruit is the most cleansing, refreshing food on the planet and you can be sure it's going to cleanse your bod from the inside and detoxify your skin. I honestly don't feel the same if I haven't had a morning full of fresh fruit to kick start my day. I love it so so much and my digestion and therefore the rest of me loves it too.
Fruit is so quickly digested that it doesn't sit in your stomach for ages putrifying and rotting. Nutrients are quickly and easily absorbed and you're going to feel motivated to...
#3 MOVE IT MOVE IT
Of courseeee exercise is going to play a key role in your skin health. It gets everything pumping, improves your digestion and metabolism, enduces sweating where you can detox through your skin and will make you feel energetic and uplifted. Doing huge cardio sessions and sweating just felt amazing for my skin, especially having a cool shower afterwards!! Sweating opens up your pores and really gives your skin a good clean by pumping out all the nasties.
#4 GO MAKEUP FREE! GET NAKED (kinda)
Show that beautiful naked face of yours! It was terrifying for me to make the decision to not wear makeup after 4 years of compulsive application every morning without excuses, and when you have acne I know it's the LAST thing you ever want to do. But makeup isn't natural for your skin, it's not meant to be covered in a paste or a fluid or a powder. It's meant to be freeeeee.
Though I use INIKA mineral powders which are totally natural without chemicals, oils or synthetics, I wear makeup probably 1-2 times per week if that, and only for work. Along with the tip on exercise, please please please try not to exercise with makeup on, Your pores are opening and closing, sweating and absorbing while you work out and makeup can really irritate the crap out of it. Exercising without makeup always left my skin glowing after a shower and it just felt so fresh.
As well as makeup, keeping your hair off your face is also beneficial as there's a lot of oil and bacteria that each hair strands picks up that you're then placing onto your face. Not saying you have to ballerina bun it (or man bun it for the lads) but I know I used to try and hide the acne behind my long hair when it was really bad but your skin just wants to breathe!
P.S If you are going to wear makeup, opt for an oil free one! I used to use an oil based mineral makeup that always gave me little patches of acne but since switching to INIKA mineral powder foundation my skin is just so much happier.
#5 CLEAN UP YOUR PRODUCTS
So you've cut fats from your food, you're not wearing makeup... but I can still use an organic oil based cleanser right? WRONG.
Please don't make the mistake I did of oil cleansing or using a face cleanser/moisturiser that is oil based. The bacteria living on the skin eat vegetable oil too! Most oils will be comodogenic (pore clogging), especially if you're acne prone. Trust me, your skin will never feel fresher when you switch to an oil free cleanser. I'm currently on the hunt for a new one, however, as I want a really natural one as mine was bought by my mother from the chemist. Any suggestions? Aha
I only wash my face once a day, at night, and my makeup is light enough to just be washed off with the cleanser, I don't use a makeup remover. In the morning my skin usually has just enough moisture from it's own natural oils to not need to cleanse and moisturise, I just either get going or apply my mineral powder straight on if I'm going to wear makeup.
#6 DON'T PANIC
It'll be okay!
I know acne is a horrible thing to go through... my life literally came to a grinding hault and I felt like I was worthless and that I was stuck, but you can do something about your acne. All it takes is a lifestyle change. That can be the scariest thing, stepping up and making some different food choices, but feeling your best is everything: your health is your wealth. It doesn't matter how good you've got it, if you feel sick and unhappy none of that equates to anything because you stop enjoying this incredible world surrounding you!
These are my basic acne tips (highly requested as soon as I posted my acne story) but any questions you can email me at glowinggreenpeace@gmail.com
Facebook: Glowing Green Vegan
Instagram: glowing_green_peace
Twitter: @teamrawesome
Or just drop a comment down below! Only too happy to help and I will respond to all comments/questions as I have xx
Lily x
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