Sky finds beauty

When using any acne treatments, sun protection is a must as skin is more sensitive and sun can cause more damage, especially if you have any spots from acne trying to heal. Well overall sun is not a friend for skin, so I apply SPF50 every day. Re-application throughout the day is something I need to work on though... But it can be quite difficult to find good sunscreens that work well with oily skin and not be the cause for more acne. So I've tried quite many different sun protection creams and overall I've had no issues with them, so this review is more based on the texture, feeling and finish on skin. 5.  Babe Facial Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF50+ Dry Touch This fluid absorbs fast without leaving a white cast, even adds a bit of a glow, while remaining lightweight and matte. I even apply a bit of moisturizer afterwards, which I think says a lot about this sunscreen for my oily skin. The Babe sunscreen hasn't caused my skin to breakout or any sensitivity, it has only protected ...

How to get rid of acne scars? This product might actually be the answer. Dermaceutic Radiance Brightening Cream contains Kojic Acid, Arbutin, Niacinamide, Salicylic and Mandelic Acids - the ultimate skin brightening combo! This brightening cream gently exfoliates the skin and thus helps with uneven skin texture and skin tone. This cream is a bit different from your usual skincare products as it is recommended to use as a treatment for 3 months at a time and slowly introducing it to your routine. Dermaceutic Radiance Brightening Cream   I got this in a small tester tube, but it lasted for at least 8 uses and results appeared already the next day. Every morning after using this, my skin had a lot less redness, pigmentation was less noticeable, acne had calmed and my complexion had a nice glow. I am definitely putting the full-size product on my wishlist, this seems like a miracle cream for my scarred skin.

My seemingly never-ending battle with acne has led to try many things, but when you finally take step back and acknowledge that no external product is going to help, then it's time to focus on internal issues. I have hormonal acne - I know that because my skin gets usually worse before a period and it fluctuates a lot throughout the year as my hormones either calm down or brew up a storm. Also my hormones are all over the place as my periods tend to be irregular and cause other health issues. I've taken antibiotics for my skin before, but that didn't do anything, so I guess it's time for a different approach. 1. Hormone balancing diet Before any drastic measures, I decided to try clean eating for my hormones. So after googling "hormone balancing diet", this is what I found out. Foods to avoid: white/processed sugar, wheat flour, white rice, potatoes, dairy, cacao, fried/processed foods. Nothing is more motivating for avoiding sugar, when your body is inflamed ...

To try something different for my skin, my cosmetologist introduced me to Dermaceutic. The Light Ceutic Skin Toning Night Cream contains 8% Glycolic Acid, 4% Phytic Acid and Vitamin C, which are more targeted towards irregular and dull complexion. For my acne-prone skin with acne scars this should also help and lighten them. Price 41€ I apply this serum-like toning cream after cleansing and before moisturising. One pump is enough to cover most of the face. At first the toning cream felt a bit strong/harsh due to the Glycolic Acid's exfoliating properties, but hasn't caused any sensitivity. The Glycolic Acid and Vitamin C both have a brightening effect and make my skin feel smooth. While I quite like this product, this is still not a match for my hormonal acne, but helps with acne scars and my skin heal faster. So I'd suggest this to anyone dealing with a dull and/or irregular complexion and acne scars, but it won't do much to keep acne at bay.

While a glowy dewy look would be a dream, my oily skin is there to remind me that matte is better for me. It's my first time ever using Shiseido's products, but let's just say that this powder really set high expectations for them. I usually don't spend this much on a mattifying powder, but for a no make-up day, I'd like to keep my oiliness away with a powder that has SPF, is super mattifying and provides a light coverage. So after reading the good reviews, I had to splurge for this.  Shiseido Pureness Matifying Compact Oil-Free I got the shade 'Light Ivory', which is a bit dark for me, but still manages to look natural. I'd say the coverage is buildable to a medium. I don't like to use the applicator that comes with the package, so to keep powder fallout to a minimum, I lightly tap a kabuki brush on and then press onto my face. This has a lot of fallout, so I'd suggest being gentle and careful.  I couldn't believe how matte this kept my supe...

Sun is out and summer's heating up, so another sunscreen review only seems right! This time I purchased the BioNike Acteen Sun Cream-Gel SPF 50+. My main reason for choosing this was that it is targeted towards acne-prone skin with sebum-regulating active ingredients. The cream-gel formula has a dry and mattifying feel, so it's perfect for oily skin. Another plus is that it's water-resistant!  Price 14,85€ While the texture isn't my favourite for spreading, the sunscreen's matte, but slightly glowy finish won my heart. It feels really lightweight and doesn't leave a white cast. Probably one of the best sunscreens for dealing with acne. After a few hours my oily skin still comes through with the warm weather, but this keeps my face feeling comfortable. BioNike as a reputable pharmacy brand has my trust for high protection from UVA, UVB and IR rays. I would personally love to explore more sunscreens, but this is definitely on my repurchasing list.

This product deserved a separate post, because it has been here for me for almost two years and I couldn't be more grateful. My cosmetologist swears by Inika's products, saying they're a bit cheaper alternative to Jane Irendale. Currently I own two of these mineral foundations and one travel-sized version.  The first shade I purchased was Unity P1, which was a bit darker than my natural skin tone, but it was perfect for summer. The travel-sized foundation is shade Unity N1 and I can say that they are quite different. The P1 is more pinkish (hence the P) and for me it seemed a bit lighter, while N1 seems darker with its more yellow undertones. The second time I bought a shade lighter Grace P1 that is my perfect match. Inika Organic Loose Mineral Foundation SPF25  I love that this powder builds, so you can choose what kind of coverage you'd like. For those simple days I like to just apply a bit on my more problematic spots and any redness areas. If my skin is looking bett...

With long-awaited summer approaching, I thought it's only appropriate to write about sun protection. Sun is still extremely harmful for your skin, in case you forgot, and applying SPF daily is recommended for a reason. So if you don't want to look 20 years older in the next 10 years with wrinkles and dark spots, I'd suggest you get on it asap. I religiously apply SPF, so using one that is great for my acne-prone oily skin is of high importance. Babe Facial Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 50+ Dry Touch  I always opt for and suggest buying SPF from a pharmacy, because most of the products sold are high quality and sensitive enough that they shouldn't cause any issues. This time I decided to try the Babe Facial Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF50+ Dry Touch. This sunscreen is also supposed to be water-resistant, colourant-free, hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. The formula is enriched with soothing active ingredients and antioxidants (like vitamin E), so your skin should be happy. T...

So about a year ago when the pandemic began and I had to sit at home, I found my way to TikTok (and actually posted a few). Though in the beginning it was mostly entertainment, now most of my feed is about advice, hacks and product recommendations. So of course I've tried out some of those products and I have to say I'm really impressed. These items have become essentials for me.  Here are the things TikTok made me buy: 1. Ariana Grande Cloud perfume This is apparently a cheap dupe for the famous Baccarat Rouge 540. I've never had the chance to smell it, but this Ariana Grande perfume lives up to the hype. It is so different from the floral and sweet I used to go for, but I love this burnt sugar scent that is so fresh. A bit more masculine, but I absolutely love it and I've even gotten a few compliments. Ariana Grande Cloud 2. Simple Modern Tumbler Cup This cup from Amazon is amazing. Used by Victoria's Secret supermodels, so why wouldn't it be. I love this cup ...

Went to my regular facial treatment when my cosmetologist turned to me and said "What if we try alkaline wash for your acne scars?". Since my skin has been doing so much better lately and I didn't really have any active acne, so why not try something for my scarring. However this alkaline wash isn't exactly a relaxing treatment. It's gonna take about two weeks for my skin to fully heal, because this alkaline will cause burning sensation and sensitivity. She warned me that I might have to get blisters just like when you burn your skin. So it wasn't the most tempting offer, but I have many acne scars, so might as well try and get rid of them. Also right now is the best time for me as I can stay at home and not show my face. At first I couldn't really tell anything when she applied the alkaline, but later when she moisturized my face, ouch that was painful. For the rest of the day my face was a little tight and slightly red, but nothing too drastic. Few areas...

I haven't been in the Christmas mood. Maybe it's the no snow and staying at home for me, but I still need it. So why not write a little festive blog post!  At Christmas I quite enjoy making presents. Brainstorming gift ideas, planning out the purchases within the budget and creating something to make someone happy. Also it means I get to do some shopping and it's nice to not buy things for myself all the time.  Whenever someone asks me what I want for Christmas I always come up with a list. Even if I don't need anything. I guess I just don't like it when I say I don't know, I don't have any wishes and then I am unhappy when I get a gift I don't like. So to help myself and others, I always come up with options. This year my Christmas wishlist is quite short, because I did my retail therapy in November. But these are a few things I can expect under the Christmas tree. This could also be used as a gift guide for self-care lovers. Satin pillowcase I'd sa...

If you've read my blog before you know about my struggles with acne. Throughout the years I've tested many products, but my still skin isn't clear. It still has its better and worse days, but this has been my skincare routine for the past year that has helped me keep it somewhat under control with my almost monthly facial treatments. Currently I mostly have acne scars on my chin and cheek area and on average three bumps that come and go. *The links lead to my product reviews. AM 1. Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water This micellar water is a staple in my skincare routine and I love to use it to remove all the oiliness that has surfaced on my skin by the morning. 2. pHformula A.C. Recovery I put only a little of this on my problem spots if necessary. 3. Babe Sunscreen or pHformula SPOT ON Moisture Balance moisturizer Babe Sunscreen SPF 50 was my must-have during the summer. Now that there's not as much sun and I don't spend so much time outside, I prefer to use the pHfo...

This Dermaceutic Oil Reducing face mask contains 15% Glycolic Acid, Bentonite and 2% Salicylic Acid, so it's pretty powerful when it comes to ingredients. Depending on the supplier this mask costs around 30–40€ for the 50 ml pot. The description claims this face mask should remove dead skin cells and excess sebum, purify oily and combination skin, which it is recommended for. Introductions say to leave on for 2–4 minutes and use twice a week. This is another product recommended to me by my cosmetologist to help reduce inflamed bumps that still appear on my chin. Looking at the ingredients list it seemed like it should do at least something. I did as I was directed, which was wait two weeks after the facial and then apply on problematic spots for 20 minutes. This has a quite high % of Glycolic Acid and a powerful clay, so my skin was feeling the heat. For the last few minutes I applied the mask all over my face. The next day my inflammation and some pimples were actually reduced. My...

Suggested by Hyram. I think that's all there is to say hahah. Hyram is a skincare specialist and a Youtuber and he has recommended this product a lot. I've used Simple Skincare's products before and they really are as simple as they claim. Which is why Simple doesn't suit my complicated skin. But a cleanser on the other hand should be fine. They don't sell the Micellar Gel Face Wash in Estonia and there aren't many ways to order it online. Fortunately for me, a friend lives in the UK and she occassionally sends her family some stuff and I finally got to try this cleanser.  Like Hyram has said this gel wash is incredibly gentle, but still effective. It's lathers just enough and washes off easily, not drying out my skin, but still leaving me feeling fresh and clean. I don't think there's really much more to it. It seems to suit every skin type and the price is great, so I'd recommend it to everyone. 

Since I don't tan my face and use SPF 50, I have to play catch up somehow and this Ten Minute Tan for face and body by Vita Liberata seemed like a good solution. I'll be honest though, I don't think I would've bought it, I got it for free.  At first the scent caught me off guard. It's not really pleasant, but luckily it disappears quickly. For body I'd definitely use an applicatior mitt, but for my face I didn't. The texture is pretty sticky and it isn't easy to apply, especially a hefty amount like it says. Also it seems that if using for your whole body, you'd run out of the product pretty fast. I somehow managed so spread this evenly across my face and I left this sticky yellowish/brownish film on for about 12 minutes before rinsing. It says that it takes 6 hours to develop, I saw results the next day. The next day I could also smell the DHA signature scent a bit. A lot of reviews said that this mask didn't work. For me it did, but probably be...

Who doesn’t want to stay pale while still wearing SPF 50 on your face daily? My two hands are in the air, can’t you see? Another product that promises to fix my issues and give me a nice sunkissed tan/glow. These Lumene concentrated drops are meant to be mixed with a night time moisturizer, so you can wake up with a nice little tan on your face. I simply mix 3 drops of this in the palm of my hand with my moisturizer and evenly apply on my face and blend down my neck. At first I was hesitant if the vitamin C would mix well with my anti-acne products, but I haven't had any issues yet. Since I use a minimal amount of moisturizer on my face, I wasn't sure how this would work, but still I woke up with a nice sunkissed glow on my face. I haven't tried building the tan up with this, because of my acne fighting regimen, but this could possibly work as this contains the classic self-tanning ingredient DHA, which left a mild self-tanner scent. I accidentally left a drop of this on my...

PHformula came out with this new mattifying moisturizer, which is perfect for the summer. The Spot On moisturizer is for oily, acne-prone skin, hence it being mattifying and containing anti-inflammatory ingredients. I didn’t expect this to be that mattifying, so that surprised me a little. I mostly use the phFormula P.O.S.T. Recovery moisturizer during the night, but during the day, especially now with the warmer weather, the Spot On moisturizer is definitely more fitting with its lightweight and fast-absorbing formula. The consistency reminds me a little bit of PVA glue. Price 28€ I really don’t have much more to say about it. This is a nice lightweight mattifying moisturizer, just like it is supposed to be and does everything it says. My face still does get a bit shiny throughout the day, but a bit less than usual. A moisturizer can’t really do anything about super oily skin. Other than that there really isn't anything more to it, while it's still good, I kind of expe...

Hey, it's me! Pale again this summer. I feel like no matter how long I'm in the sun, I just don't really develop a tan. Or it's possible that I mostly sunbathe for 20 minutes and just can't anymore, cause it's too hot lol and I also have to wear SPF 50 on my face sooo... But I feel that the pale look doesn't really work for me. So after reading many many reviews, I decided to try the Vita Liberata Invisi Tanning Water, which seemed to be the most fool-proof tanning foam. Well, since reading the reviews lots of people said that the light shade didn't give them much of a tan, but more of a glow. But I wanted a tan, so I purchased the light-medium shade. Also don't forget the tanning mitt, which I also bought from Vita Liberata, which I found to be pretty good. The word Invisi is in the product name for a reason, because that means there is no colour guide when applying the foam. So while "tanning" the water doesn't transfer onto...

When the darker times began (autumn, not whatever is happening now), my cosmetologist suggested it's the perfect time to start using retinol for my acne-prone skin. Unfortunately for me, my skin is mostly affected by my hormones, so it's almost impossible to control the breakouts and there is constant inflammation on my chin. Getting monthly skin treatments has definitely helped, but that by itself doesn't solve the problem. Retinol has proved to be good for not only aging skin, but also for treating acne, because it contains vitamin A, which helps skin cells regenerate faster, so the dead cells shouldn't build up as much. Retinol's downside is that it's increases skin's sensitvity to sun exposure, so it shouldn't be used during summer and sun protection throughout the year is necessary. Also retinol products are expensive AF. This pHformula cream cost me 85€ and apparently I got a discount. But the good thing with this and overall with pHformula...

A year ago I decided to get help from a professional to deal with my hormonal acne. I've gotten 11 facial treatments from my cosmetologist and spent almost 550€ on them. And now I'll talk about the results. Getting a facial treatment for something as serious as my hormonal acne isn't going to "cure" my skin right away. It's more of a journey unfortunately. And the facials alone won't do the trick, you need a certain skincare routine as well. So how has it worked out for me? The first few times my skin wasn't really sure what was going on, but there actually were improvements. I had less inflamed red bumps on my chin and my cheeks and forehead started clearing up. I thought that this was it, the solution I had been searching for! Well, not exactly. Through the summer my skin wasn't actually that bad, it only started getting better. Then I mostly had to deal with acne scars and we (me and my cosmetologist) were actually looking into trying differ...