I am completely overwhelmed by your comments, advice and sympathy on last night’s post about dealing with skin issues. I feel so lucky to be a part of such a smart and supportive network of women.

I have a lot to research and consider after reading all of your comments. There were so many helpful and interesting suggestions. Since so many of you seem to be dealing with similar issues, I thought it would be helpful to summarize some of the comments but if this is something you are experiencing, I highly suggest that you read through all of the comments.

Olay Pro-X  Advance Cleaning System

Coming in at just under $30, the Olay Pro-X Cleansing System is just a fraction of the price of the highly touted Clarisonic Mia. It promises to wash away much more dirt and residue than cleansing by hand. I haven’t tried it but I have read great reviews of the Clarisonic.

Avoid Dairy

I received TONS of comments suggesting that I forgo dairy. I did some preliminary reading (I still have much, much more to read before I eliminate dairy from my diet) and found this interesting article. My regular readers know that while I don’t drink a ton of milk, I do eat a lot of Greek yogurt and cheese. Giving up dairy would be a challenge for me but I’m not opposed to the idea. It’s definitely something I’m going to research further.

Find a good skin care routine.

I received numerous suggestions for various cleansers, moisturizers and treatment creams/gels. There are so many products that I’m going to read more about but I think that the biggest lesson here is that I need to find something that works for me and stick with it. One reader pointed me in the direction of an awesome site, Cosmetic Cop that helps you find the best product for your skin.

And when I find products that work for me, then it’s important to administer them properly. Check out “The Regimen” on acne.org.

Limit Stress, Rest and Drink Water

Some of the hardest hitting comments were those about acne being a way for stress to manifest in our bodies. It’s no secret that my life has been really crazy lately and I don’t get as much rest and relaxation in as I probably need. Maybe our vacation will help me turn that around a bit. I also heard that staying hydrated has helped many of you with controlling breakouts.

Natural Remedies

The natural remedies that were brought up were everything from tee tree oil to apple cider vinegar to homemade face masks to the oil cleansing method. I would love to find a natural solution. I’ve also been reading a lot on my own about evening primrose oil supplements.

See A Dermatologist

This one is a no brainer but I received many suggestions to visit a dermatologist. In the past, I have always had a dermatologist but since moving to Charlotte, I haven’t. The main reason for this is that I’m on a high deductible insurance plan and I haven’t wanted to deal with the expense of going but I definitely believe in the benefit of seeing a dermatologist. I saw one regularly the year before our wedding to keep everything in check. I have been hesitant to run to a dermatologist because I don’t want to be immediately put on antibiotics and strong medicines but it might be time to finally go.

And finally, here are the first ever NO MAKEUP pictures on PBR. Love y’all! 🙂

These are close but not close enough to see everything but I’m dealing with a few things here. 1) Breakouts and tons of bumps between the eyebrows. 2) Lots of the cyst-type bumps on my chin and jawline – hormonal! 3) Hairline blemishes which I’m guessing are due to the crazy amount of sweating I do.

I am the first to admit that things don’t look so bad in these pictures (I guess that’s a positive!) but trust me…the painful and angry bumps are there in full force! Like to the point where not even makeup has been able to hide them the past couple days. Big boo.

Enough skin talk…here’s what I ate today!!!

Breakfast was overnight oats.

Lunch was leftover pizza with a salad.

And dinner was more leftovers (so unlike me!), Herbs de Provence Chicken with Orzo. It was even better the second time.

Today’s activities outside of work included meeting my friend Sarah for a four-mile run after work and teaching yoga. Teaching was interesting tonight because the music wasn’t working. We always play music during class – you guys have seen my playlists! At first I kind of freaked out about the no music but I actually ended up loving the quiet. The sound of my students breathing was absolutely beautiful and I think it took the class to a more spiritual place. Thanks to them for going with it!

Off to bed…considering an early morning solo ashtanga practice in the morning but not sure yet.