Thursday, July 31, 2014

Last Day of Freedom

Today was my last day of freedom. 
I say that a bit tongue in cheek. I do adore my job, my lead teacher, and I know I will love the 22 new babies in my class this year, but there's no denying that 
summer=freedom. 

Goodbye, freedom!

But I do think that most of us, myself definitely included, work best on a schedule. 
Here's a great example. Today, I had the day off of my part-time job at the bra and panty store, the name of which shall remain a "secret". I don't start back at the school until tomorrow. I spent most of the day eating and watching Sex & the City. 

See what I mean? Bored tv eating just will not do. 
So tomorrow, I'll be waking up early, making myself look presentable, and heading to work. I'm excited to start a new year and meet my new precious faces. Though it is hard knowing I will be leaving them in October, I'm also quite excited to get to know them for the short time I will have them. I have shared before how much I love working with children. 180 days with them did not change that. I'm anxiously looking for jobs in Kansas that will further fuel this love for sculpting and molding the life of a child. 

Apart from school, the next 85 days will be a flurry of wedding planning and preparations. Today, I accomplished quite a bit. I made a schedule for B and I to finish up our premarital counseling book. I ordered a few wedding party gifts and our precious cake topper. I made a payment to the makeup artist, scheduled my makeup and hair trial, and gathered some inspiration for upcoming DIY projects and decorations. I'm very excited. As the days pass, I realize how close it is getting, how close I am to marrying the love of my life, and how close we are to being able to leave the title of long distance relationship in Georgia. 

There is certainly much more to be done-dress fittings, bridal showers, invitation stuffing, the list could go on and on. But I'm happy to be busy and happy to be getting back to the classroom, back to the schedule, and back to the happiness of knowing what to expect from my days...well I teach Pre-K so that's not going to happen weekdays from 7:30-3:30 :)

Are you sad to wave goodbye to summer or excited to get back on track? Or both? 
Let me know in the comments below! 

{Next week: August Faves!}

Thursday, July 24, 2014

My Experience with Isotretnoin

I have taken a very long time to write this post...eight months to be exact. 
That's not to say I've used this as a draft for that long, but the research has taken me that long. We are back from a nice family vacation and I'm ready to spill the beans of my "new life" that has me bursting at the seams with confidence. 



First of all...what is isotretnoin? Isotretnoin is the drug name for what some of you probably know as Accutane. Actually, accutane was a brand name that was used many years ago and, due to it's bad repuation, they no longer make that brand. 



I have had acne for a long, long, LONG time. 








I dealt with it mildly in high school and brushed it off because I thought every high schooler went through it. 
I dealt with it in college, writing it off as my "late blooming". 


But now, two years after my college graduation, I was sick of it. I was sick of having to buy heavy, thick makeup to cover up redness and giant bumps on my face. I was sick of having to wait until the very last minute to was my face before bed because I didn't want anyone to see what was under that cakey makeup. I was sick of letting something so out of my own control have control over how I felt about myself. 



I wanted to deal with it before engagement pictures and wedding pictures. Many a dermatologist had recommended this treatment to me, some after looking at all of my skin care products and routines and trying lots of other options, and some with just one look at my face.  I had heard the risks of this drug. I knew the side effects and the possibilities of this treatment. I heard it could make you infertile, that the long term effects outweigh the clear skin. I heard that it doesn't always clear up your face, and worst of all, I knew you had to have monthly blood tests-something that terrified me to my core. 



In November of 2013, I finally gave up and gave in. I was sick of it. I was ready to kick my acne to the curb. 


I saw the dermatologist in November, went back for my pre-test in December, and started the drug on January 1st. 


During my seven months on isotretnoin, I was on two different brands of the drug: Claravis and Absorica. Claravis required that I take it twice a day, each time with a high fat meal. This was troublesome for a gal trying to lose a bit of weight for her wedding. So in the last two or three months, my dermatologist switched my to a newer brand called Absorica. With Claravis, if I didn't take it with a high fat meal, I would only absorb 1/3 of the drug. But with Absorica, I got all of the medication, even if I took it on a empty stomach. It worked well and it worked fast. 



Let's talk side effects. First of all...they emphasize over and over that you cannot get pregnant on this drug or your children will have cone heads, and other more serious birth issues. This is one of the reasons for the blood tests each month. 



Then there is the main side effect: dryness. Your lips, arms, legs, eyeballs, pretty much everything will be dry. I never had issues with my scalp, but I've heard it from other patients. The dryness is definitely significant, sometimes almost unbearable. I lived with a tub of aquaphor and a bottle of lotion nearby. Other minor issues were mood swings and lots of muscle soreness, none of which were nearly as bad as I expected them to be.

There was also the issue of sensitivity to the sun. I had to wear sunglasses while doing anything outside. If I was outside for more than about ten minutes, I would get red and my skin would physically hurt. Luckily, I always wear an SPF so I never actually got burned from that but I did experience heavy sensitivity to the sun. 

super chapped lips! Yuck! but worth it! 
So where am I now? 


I took my very last pill on July 13th. There is still a bit of redness, but that will fade as time passes. The dermatologist says it should be gone by October at the latest. I also have a few dry patches that are healing, just from the sheer dryness left from the medicine. Symptoms like dry lips, mood swings, etc. are slowly fading as well. I haven't had an actual pimple in MONTHS. 



NO makeup! What is this life?!



How do I feel? 



I feel...amazing. My confidence is through the roof. I love the option to wear makeup...or not! I love how soft my face is, because there aren't bumps. I love that I feel confident taking pictures. My skin is no longer oily or painful. It's calm, clean, and I feel pretty. 






Maybe this picture doesn't show a lot of change to you, but it's a world of difference for me. I plan to do another update when the redness is completely gone. I'm thrilled. The rough journey was worth the final destination. 


Top: Before
Bottom: After



Wednesday, July 2, 2014

July Faves!

Happy Independence Day everyone!


Well...I'm a few days early on that but it's coming up quickly. I'm spending my July 4th in Wichita with my fiance. He will have a few days off of work and we are excited to spend some time together! 
Summer is one of the most beautiful times of the year in my opinion-but it can wreak havoc on your beauty routine. But I think I can help! 
There are a few products that I am loving for the summer and wanted to share with you! These are all products you can find at your local drug store, Ulta, or Target. 
**I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster in their #VowVoxBox**


July Faves!

Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream
{$30.99}

This is my new favorite beauty staple. I deal with quite a bit of redness on my face, due to acne issues in the past. This cream has really done a great job of reducing the redness and perfecting my skin tone, and I've only been using it for about two weeks! It is super moisturizing and it smells really great too. Think of it like your grandmomma's cold cream, with a fresh new update. I use this twice a day when feeling really dry. Otherwise, I just apply to clean skin liberally before bed. I'm really please with the results and I can't wait to see how great it works as I continue to use it for the recommended 8 weeks. Also, I realize that $30 is a little pricey for the size of the pot, but I have found it on Amazon and at Ulta for several dollars cheaper. 

Pure Silk Moisturizing Shave Cream 
{$1.49 for 5 oz., $2.19 for 8 oz.}


Remember last week when I recommended the shave cream from Lush? Pure Silk is a great alternative if you're not near a Lush and/or don't want to spend as much on shaving cream. This shave cream has extra aloe and moisturizers to keep your legs silky smooth and to moisture and protect them from razor burn. There are lots of different varieties and scents too! If you choose to shave, then this is a great summer staple for you. And the raspberry mist is a great smell!  

EcoTools Pure Complexion Sponge for Sensitive Skin 
{5.99}


THIS is the BEST if you love starting each day fresh! Combined with the Olay Regenerist Tone Perfecting Cream and of course a great SPF, I have the best skin I've ever had. 
It is smooth, clean, and hydrated-exactly how I want my skin to be for my big day
 in a few short months! 
I love the way this product cleans my face. When you buy it, it will look like the package on the right, above. You can also buy a black one, made from charcoal, for skin that can handle a bit more than mine. I need the sensitive sponge. When you unwrap it, it will be hard like a rock but as soon as you wet it, it will soften. It is handmade with 100% natural ingredients, like Konjac, which is a vegetable fiber. The teardrop shape allows for you to get the places on your face where you need to be a bit careful, like around your eyes and hairline. I use this with a gentle cleanser, and I really use it for about a minute straight of scrubbing and it doesn't aggravate my skin. I really love this product. It's one of those things that I don't think I'll ever go without. It is recommended that you replace the sponge every one to three months. But at such a great price, I can handle that. 



~Honorable Mention~
{$7.99}
The idea behind this polish is that you have all of the benefits of a manicure at the salon in one bottle you use at home:
-Base Coat-
-Strengthener-
-Growth Treatment-
-Color-
-Top Coat-
-Chip Resistant-
-Gel Shine- 
Now, I am always skeptical when something claims to "do it all"...and unfortunately I have to report that this is a product that didn't blow me away. I did not hate this product. In fact, I have received the most compliments on the color-Barracuda blue {shown above} but it comes in 56 shades and all of them are fabulous. I like the brush a lot. Its one of those thicker brushes, which makes it a lot easier to cover your nail. It is also easy to remove, doesn't cling to or stain your nails like some other polish. I don't feel that my nails sustain any damage while I'm wearing the color. 
Now for the negatives...The bottle claims 10 day wear. I experienced about three days before the polish chipped or just started to look crummy. If you do a lot of swimming in a chlorine pool, I would not recommend this product. The minute I got into the pool, it went from a shiny, gorgeous gel-like color, to dull and chalky. I am also very impatient so I didn't care for how long I had to wait for my nails to completely dry. 
All in all, I will continue to use this product, definitely in the winter when I'm not swimming at all, but I won't be buying another bottle of it. I would also recommend it to people, but tell them exactly what I've just told y'all.

So there are my must-haves for this summer weather. 
How are you celebrating July 4th? What will you be wearing? Who are you spending it with? Tell me in the comments! 

**I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster in their #VowVoxBox**