Acne and Assmilk

Okay, the question for today is....do you know how to wash your face? Like for real? I used to have a really hard time keeping my skin clear because I never had a serious regimen in place. I would just wing it and wash with whatever kinda soap i was using, and my skin would feel ska-weeky clean. Too clean. Washing your face with the same soap we use to wash our daily grime dries the face out. And then our faces counter that dryness but sending our oil glands into overdrive. Which means shiny noses and whiteheads galore. So, with that said, how do you wash your face? You go to Walmart and see aisles and aisles of cleansers, toners, astringents, moisturizers, scrubs, peels, lighteners, etc. Where the hell do you start, and do you need one of each of these? And if so, which ones are the best? Um, no. They throw all that stuff out there and expect us to find our way to Victoria's Secret Angel skin. Let me be real with you for a minute...


The first step to clear skin is cleansing. You don't need anything too expensive or with a big name. I use Cetaphil's Daily Facial Cleanser. Super cheap (about 9 bucks for 8 ounces at your local Walgreens) and gets the job done. 


I personally don't use a toner. They're used to get makeup and stuff off your face, but to me that's just too much "clean" right after you've used a cleanser. If you do have heavy makeup on and are trying to take it off, I recommend Pond's Cold Cream. French women swear by it. Just rub it all over in circular motions and wipe off with a clean towel. The makeup comes off like magic. :)


I swear. A good moisturizer is key to beautiful skin. Just like ashy knees and elbows, our faces get dry and need tending to. I LOVE a good natural product, and Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Daily Moisturizer gets my vote. Not only is it 100% natural, but the lightness of the product doesn't make me feel like I put grease on my face. And it smells divine! 


Now once a week, I exfoliate my skin. Exfoliating gets all the dead skin off and opens pores. It leaves my face feeling brand new and smooth. Of all the exfoliaters I've tried, I have fallen in love with Dollar General's Apricot Scrub. Yes, Dollar General. On the bottle it says compare to St. Ive's Apricot Scrub, but after buying this one, I never felt the need to. I apply this scrub to my dry face after putting a nickel sized amount in my palm and wetting it a little. I rub in circular motions all over my face and rinse all the icky dead skin off with lukewarm water. Now if you just don't want the Dollar General label on your scrub (girl,please) go ahead and get the St. Ive's. I'm sure they're very similar and just maybe $1.50 or so more. 


As a dark skinned girl I've had problems with acne scars. Heck, still having problems. But I'm using Ambi's Even and Clear Targeted Mark Minimizer now, and the marks seem to be letting up. I apply it after I use my moisturizer to finish off my face. It's zapping these acne scars, boo. And for about $10 for the itty bitty one ounce tube, it better be. 




To finish up the blog, here's one of my favorite Odd Future tracks, Assmilk. Mmhmm, I know. But the song is really good. I know you've heard of Tyler the Creator and his roach eating fiascos, but you probably haven't heard of his fellow Wolf Gang friend, Earl Sweatshirt. Listen to this while you try your new face washing regimen and feel extra hood-like. :)