Cheek Breakouts and the Blush Brush Conundrum

Cheek breakouts?  It's not your brush, it's your blush !Have you ever experienced breakouts along your cheekbones that just don’t go away no matter what you do?  While there are several possibilities that could explain this annoying problem, my first go-to in diagnosing the problem is to look at your blush and bronzer.

You may have also come to a similar thought, but from a different angle.  After asking at Sephora, or perusing Pinterest, there's no doubt that you've come across the advice to wash your makeup brushes.  It only seems to make sense that your dirty makeup brushes would cause breakouts, right?


Actually? NO !  As I always tell my clients, "It's not the brush, it's the blush!"

Allergies and Adult Acne

The Acne-Allergy Connection


What is the Allergy-Acne Connection?  If you have environmental allergies or even food sensitivities, they could provide clues to your persistent breakouts.  Sensitivity in one area can contribute to sensitivity in another area.

As part of my online skincare coaching service, Eval by Email® Adult Acne Clearing Program, vital information about your skin’s history is gathered along with full names of all the products you use from head to toe. 

One section that may surprise you is dedicated to listing your allergies -- anything related to food, environment, cosmetics and even medication.  Why do I need such details about everything topical or ingested?  Is there a connection between allergies and acne breakouts?

Kitchen Esthetician or How to Navigate Acne DIY


Coconut and olive oils and baking soda used in DIY skincare make acne worse!
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.

Causes of Springtime Ingrown Hairs

As the winter weather transitions into spring, chances are that while wearing jeans, yoga pants, leggings, etc., you may find yourself perspiring just a little more than usual, most likely in an on-and-off kind of way. 

The cause of springtime ingrowns could be your clothes.


Since I began performing waxing services over 20 years ago, I have noticed that the frequency and severity of ingrown hairs along the bikini line and butt breakouts seem to increase during changes in weather, particularly from colder to warmer months.

Now, there are changes in weather other times of the year, why is spring so special?  

All About Blackheads plus Tips for Adult Acne

What is a blackhead exactly?  And why are they black?  Is it dirt?

No.  It’s not dirt.  If you have blackheads, it does not mean you have a dirty face.  And it certainly doesn't mean scrubbing the hell out of your face is going to do one bit of good.

Blackheads do not mean you have a dirty face.  Blackheads are dark because of oxidized oil and dead cells.  Find out all about it on the Acne Whisperer Blog.


Exactly what is a blackhead?

A blackhead is an impaction made up of various oils and waxes made by your skin, mixed with skin cells that have died and have dislodged from the very top layer of your epidermis.  The same top layer that makes up the surface of your skin lines your pores as well. 

7 Ways to Clear Adult Backne


Back and Chest Acne in Adults

Clearing back acne breakouts in adults by finding the cause first


In the 17+ years of experience in skincare and acne clearing, I have observed that chest and back acne in adults is often completely baffling to the person going through this. 

As explained previously, acne in adults often hits with little prior history, if there’s any history at all, which is why it differs from teen acne so much of the time.  It can be such a total mystery for them, their skin has become completely jacked up from all the wrong products and medications by the time they contact me.  Body acne in the average adult occurs in quite the same way - - with little to no previous experience with it.

I have found that there are a few surprising aggravators of body acne, besides the obvious stress factors and drastic hormonal changes of life. 

How to streamline your skincare routine for Adult Acne

Crazy busy? Multi-tasking Your Skincare Could Be The Answer!

Multi-tasking skin care - from lots of products to just a few


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

Multi-tasking with your skincare is quite different in that where we’re trying to use fewer products at a time to address different issues rather than using more.  

Having said that, properly clearing and soothing adult acne and sensitivity is somewhat difficult with just a “three-step” Cleanser-Toner-Moisturizer program.