I asked a friend at work the other day, when do you actually start to feel like a real adult and what is it that makes you feel that way all of a sudden? The reason I asked this question was based on a number of things but mostly because after choosing to stop taking the contraceptive pill I have what I consider to be adult acne. I feel like a teenager again!

Now I’m sure there are plenty of scientific and very technical explanations for what ‘adult acne’ is, and I’m certainly not going to provide it to you. I was however encouraged by the response that I received on instagram after my post about my ‘adult acne’ and so I thought (with the coercion of a few of my friends who believe I’ve got something to share) that I would repost or blog the tips that I’d been given to try, and how I’ve gone with them.

Let me start by saying every single person is different so what works for me may not work for you, but what I’ve heard rather unanimously from those who took the time to read my post is that I’m not alone. There are a LOT of women, some famous, who have experienced this adult acne phenomenon. Some have had so much trouble with it that they have chosen to go back on the pill because they were so upset about the state of their skin and their self-confidence was shattered. I agree with them, and if it weren’t for me being so adamant that I will heal this as naturally as possible I would totally get back on the pill. I mean I don’t plan to have babies any time soon, I simply chose to stop taking it because I’d been doing it for long enough and there really was no reason to continue.

But every single month (so far 6 in a row) since I went off the pill I begin ovulating and all of a sudden my skin just loses its shit (pardon the French). And sure, my adult acne may not be as bad as others, I get that, but I resonate with every other women, or even person who has experienced acne in any of it’s forms, because it sucks, walking into work or school or uni and feeling uncomfortable in your own skill is THE WORST feeling, no denying it.

So in true HR/yogi fashion, I decided I had a choice, I could wallow and hide it or I could put myself through a myriad of natural therapies to try to fight it from the inside out.

In no particular order, here are some interesting things/facts I’ve found, so far…

Your skin is considered your lymph system in Ayurveda terms, so each month when your uterus and ovaries are clearing out its only natural that your lymph system does too. Your lymph system removes the toxins from our bodies hence why at that time of the month our lymph pushes nasty stuff through our skin. Even those of you who are still taking the pill can concur that when you stop taking it for your ‘period’ each month, your skin does the same. Stimulating and clearing the lymph system throughout the month can help to prevent a build up being pushed out of your skin around your menstrual period. Stay tuned… this is on my list of things to do and share in April.
To aid your body being as clear as possible each month (see above) you ensuring it is as alkaline as possible – think green juices – are the way to go. Next month I’m going to give this a go and fill you all in on how, what I thought and whether it made a difference.
One handy hint I was given was that bone broths are apparently amazing for making your skin glow (sorry anyone who is vegan or vegetarian). Bone broths help to increase and repair your gut and if your gut is healthy your skin and, well, most of your bodily functions will be healthy. Even stress and anxiety can be attributed to stomach problems or vice versa. So ladies drink up. Oh and stay tuned, I’ve got more info on that one coming in the next few weeks.
Chaste tree herbs or Vitex agnus-castus is a herbal tablet that you can take to help regulate your periods, diminish menstrual symptoms and reduce acne experienced at the time of your menstrual cycle. I can take between 30 days to 3 months to see an effect, and I’ve almost been taking mine for 30 days so stay tuned for updates on that one… read more HERE (I’ve been using the Fusion brand off a recommendation from a friend on instagram).
Acupuncture, I saw a post by Ashy Bines where she spoke about using acupuncture to help heal her acne after coming off the contraceptive pill, I love acupuncture and totally agree this could work.
Legs in the air… and no that doesn’t always mean headstands! But if you refer to point number one, the best and easiest way to get the lymph system moving is to get your legs in the air and coerce your lymph (which doesn’t have it’s own pump by the way) back down to it’s processing centres (the nodes) to dispose of the waste that is being held in your body. There are a few ways this can be done, lots of inversions, dry body brushing and even lying on the ground or over a prana wheel with your legs in the air.
Natural clay facemasks definitely work a treat for some instant relief for sore pimples and when your skin gets super oily. Always follow up with an organic skin oil (rosehip is amazing, and I use a Grown Alchemist one) to ensure you’re not simply drying out the skin, because if you do you’ll find that it will respond by becoming oilier to compensate.
I don’t mind a good scrub… particularly if it smells like peppermint and is infused with green tea. This also helps to remove the excess / dead skin from your body, stimulates the skin which can also work deeper to help remove toxins from your blood stream by moving it through the body quicker and in general makes you feel good.
Tiny Tea – Skin Magic Tea. I was recently sent a box of Tiny Tea to try and I chose the skin magic tea to test it out and see how it goes. So far I’m only a couple of days in, but I can tell you I 1) like the taste and 2) the fact that I have a reason to drink some beautiful tea out of a cute cup each day… full review to come in 30 days!
Meditate! I know for a fact that this one is hard, it’s kind of like ‘how can I possibly find 15 minutes in my day to sit still without falling asleep?’ I hear you! But one of the easiest ways I’ve found, particularly when I’ve had a HUGE day is to listen to Melissa Ambrosini’s meditations (her Mastering Your Mean Girl ones are awesome) and Elena Brower (after seeing her at Wanderlust Thredbo I’m convinced she’s a living angel, honestly, she is captivating!).

So as you can see I’ve been doing A LOT of research and have a whole heap of ‘stuff’ I’m trying to beat my adult-period-induced-acne. Keep reading my blog and checking into my social media for updates on how I am going.

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