Scarf Attack! How Your Winter Breakouts Can Be Prevented

Do you have new jawline and neck breakouts that are bad enough to have you running to your doctor?  Don’t go making an appointment just yet… This winter is cold but the weather keeps fluctuating.  Sometimes it's humid with snow, sometimes bitter cold and dry. Nothing else bears the brunt of freezing cold like your skin. But you know what, while everyone is familiar with the drying and chapping effects of frigid winds, very few people take into account how the weather might affect adult acne.  What makes winter different, why would adult acne breakouts be any different than now?

The answer is friction.

Do I need an eye cream with oily skin?

One of the first things I was taught in Beauty School (where I went in my early 30s in 1997) was that at that time, just in the United States alone, the skincare industry boasted $3.2 Billion in sales annually.  The reason stated?  "It’s incredibly easy to sell moisturizer."  I’m not kidding, that’s really what they said.  Frankly, I think it’s extremely impressive.  Everyone needs moisturizer.  There’s a reason there are so many out there to choose from.  Like I always say, “Everything works for somebody, nothing works for everybody.” 

My job in specializing in Adult Acne is to make sure my clients are getting adequate healing and hydration in their lotions while avoiding pore clogging and irritation.  In addition, my job especially is to make sure they’re getting anti-aging concerns taken care of without clogging pores and causing breakouts unnecessarily.  Prevention is a big part of anti-aging consciousness these days, and it comes up a lot in my practice.

So what about eye cream for prevention?  

Gimmick, or necessity?

What does Comedogenic mean?

For those of you with Adult Acne, this is real information you don't want to miss!

I’m sure you’ve seen this term before.  
Comedogenic.  
Let's break it down;  

comedo = an impaction of varying size containing a mixture of sebum (fancy name for our skin’s oil) and dead skin cells, often known as a “blackhead”;  

genic = creating.  

 

Kitchen Esthetician or How to Navigate Acne DIY

Working on my Adult Acne Online Coaching program, helping people adjust their home routines to clear their breakout issues, coming across some kind of DIY facial oil, mask or cleansing oil is an almost daily occurrence.  Between Instagram, TikTok, and beauty blogs, the skincare consumer is bombarded with all sorts of advice on how best to deal with acne in general, but particularly on how to save money and health by making your own products right in your own kitchen.  I can’t blame anyone for trying these things.  Who can possibly object to saving money and guarding their health?

There are three problems with the logic here.

Why your skincare routine for Adult Acne needs these products

Why do we need so much in our skincare routine?

Last week I touched upon the multi-masking idea of treating different areas where your skin is having different parties on multiple parts of your face. 

This week I'd like to address the importance of each category of products I recommend to my clients to help clear their acne.  

The truth is, properly clearing and soothing adult acne and sensitivity is actually more difficult with just a “three-step” Cleanser-Toner-Moisturizer program.  

How to Control Oil During Summer

How do we Control Oil During the Summer? Plus my very first ever book review.

Who doesn't love laying out under a tree, shaded from the beautiful summer sun, reading a good summer book?  Surrounded by flowers, enveloped by warm breezes, listening to kids playing in the park with their dads.  Spending an afternoon like this with a bottle of ice tea? Pure. Bliss.

Does a Change in Weather Mean a Change in Skincare ?

This is SO typical me.  Yes, it’s confession time. 

Nutrition that Might Help your Adult Acne?

With summer coming, Adult Acne sufferers know there are two types of “glow”...

There’s the glow of better health from finally getting outside and into fresh air and exercise, more fruits and veggies in one’s diet since it’s no longer uncomfortable eating cold foods, and the rosy glow that can come from sun exposure (we want to avoid that, though, don’t we!). 

The other glow is one we don’t like so much.  The glow of excess oil from increased exercise, heat, and goopy SPF lotions that clog pores.  Not to worry, though, I’ll be discussing solutions to all of those in upcoming blog posts !  In the meantime, you can check out the best SPF product in the world that I carry at my web store, which is not only guaranteed non-clogging, but is hydrating and really comfortable to wear.

Spring Break: After College?

I used to do a lot of bikini waxing.  I mean, like, 16-24 clients per day, several days a week.  I currently do quite a bit less, now that I’m so much more focused on Adult Acne. 

Back then I was located two blocks from Depaul University, so I had a fair amount of students in my client base, many of whom continued to see me well after graduation.  Some still do.  

The majority of my waxing clientele, however, were actually 20-30-40something college grads, mostly professionals working in the corporate world in one capacity or other.

Dealing With Acne Scarring & Hyperpigmentation

Since I specialize in adult acne, just about all of my clients, all of whom are in their late 20s all the way up to mid 50s, suffer from the lasting effects of pigmentation issues from healing acne blemishes, commonly called "scarring" but officially known as Hyperpigmentation. 

So how can you get rid of the scarring on your face from acne?  Well, we first have to specify what we mean by "scarring".

Skincare Q&A: Treating Adult Acne With Drugstore Brands

As an online esthetician, I'm always answering questions about adult acne, ingrown hair problems, rosacea, or general skin sensitivities. So! I thought that I would feature a skincare Q&A on my blog to address some of these issues.

There are some questions that are sent to me via email or through the now-defunct ChickRx, a site where anyone could ask questions that related to various lifestyle topics, and experts (like myself) could offer valuable advice or suggestions. If you have any questions that you would like to ask (or have featured on the blog), please don't hesitate to speak out in the comments below! If you would rather have a question be answered privately, I am always available by email. :)

This week's Skincare Q&A features questions about drugstore brands, why it's so difficult to find products that work for getting your skin clear, and how to pick the best acne treatment suited for your skin type.

How To Give Yourself A Great Facial At Home

The best way to maintain the results of your facials is with regular care at home. With the right products, you can achieve fabulous skin with this weekly regimen. This facial is also great right before a special occasion or an evening out, as it will ensure a more even and longer lasting makeup application.

The wonderful thing about this at-home facial is that most of the steps can be done in the shower or the bath. For extra relaxation, try an aromatherapy bath. Scented massage oils, or better yet, pure essential oils are perfect for a calming soak, especially when mixed with powdered dry milk beforehand to  better disperse the oils in the water. For the shower, simply place a few drops of essential oil with water in a small bowl and place it on your radiator or heating vent.  Try putting on some Celtic or Native American music, or sounds of nature, like ocean waves or thunder storms.

What To Look For In Anti-Aging Products

An often-asked question amongst my late-20s, 30s, and 40-year old clients is, "What's the deal with anti-aging products, and when should I start using them?"

Well, I'm here to tell you the Big Dirty Secret about anti-aging... 

Of all the anti-aging ingredients, there are only two that are preventative and corrective at the same time: broad-spectrum sunscreen and topical antioxidant serums. 

("Broad-spectrum" means that the sunscreen filters out both UVA and UVB rays -- and must say so on the product label.)

All other anti-aging products are corrective and not preventative, which means that if you don't have any fine lines or wrinkles yet, no corrective product will prevent them. The only thing that will prevent wrinkles, besides a broad-spectrum sunscreen, is something with multiple forms of antioxidants.  Having only one form of antioxidant in a product usually doesn't do the trick because different types of antioxidants interrupt the cascade of skin damage at different points. 

Some of the best antioxidants to look for are: 

Skincare Q&A: Birth Control and Adult Acne

As an online esthetician, I'm always answering questions about adult acne, ingrown hair problems, rosacea, or general skin sensitivities. So! I thought that I would feature a skincare Q&A on my blog to address some of these issues.

There are some questions that are sent to me via email or through ChickRx, a now-defunct site for women where anyone could ask questions relating to various lifestyle topics, and experts (like myself) could offer valuable advice. If you have any questions that you would like to ask (or have featured on the blog), please don't hesitate to speak out in the comments below! If you would rather have a question be answered privately, I am always available by email. :)


This week's Skincare Q&A will feature questions about birth control and its relationship to breakouts, adult acne, and more...

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Welcome To The Acne Whisperer Skincare Blog!

Hi! Welcome to my new blog. :)

My name is Daniela, and I am the owner of Daniela's Facial Studio, located in the beautiful area of Lincoln Park in Chicago, IL. 

As an Esthetician for over 15 years, I have been specializing in the areas of Adult Acne, Rosacea, and Sensitivity. You can read more about my background on my About page.

This blog is where I can share information and insights about skincare concerns for adults with acne -- including info about non-comedogenic products, how stress and hormones relate to this skin condition and what can be done to treat this often embarrassing problem. 

It is my belief that most of the battle with breakouts is accomplished at home, whether your issues are with Adult Acne, Rosacea, or Sensitivity. Facials are great for cleaning out pores, but are much more effective after the skin has been softened and calmed enough to let matter in the pores loose. Much of the time, skin clears up with just skin-safe products and a consistent, personalized routine.

As an esthetician committed to providing quality service and care, I carry my own skin care line, which can be found in my webshop. 

These products, along with Mark Lees Skin Care, are manufactured with the best, skin-safe formulations for adult acne and sensitivity in mind. They use the purist, most standardized ingredients using the latest scientific technologies at lab-consistent levels, all without any pore clogging ingredients.

I have recently developed a skincare consultation service, called Eval by Email® Adult Acne Clearing Program,  which has worked tremendously well for people all over the United States. If you're in your 30s, 40s, or even 50s and still suffer from Adult Acne, you've found the right place!

Anti-aging and sensitivity products that are appropriate for adult acne and oiliness issues are incredibly hard to find.  This blog, along with my website is where you can find out more about products that are suited to your skin type.

I'm here to answer any questions you have about your personal skin care issues and to tell you the truth about what works and what doesn't -- without treating your skin like it's 16 years old!