Hey there Michael! Welcome to our blog. Tell us a little about your journey with skincare.
I’m from the Dominican Republic. I lived in the capital, Santo Domingo, where the weather is similar to where I live now, in Miami. When I moved to Miami, I had a cream I always used. But suddenly, out of nowhere, the company discontinued the cream. This was a tough moment for me. I had to find something else. It had to have sunscreen and moisturizer. I tried some department store brands, tried out a spray, a cream, and was looking forward to using them. But, then I noticed that I started getting these pimples, and I wasn’t sure which one was giving me the pimples.
Did you think it was the spray or the cream?
I never figured it out, but I did stop using both. I ended up changing my routine. I learned I needed an oily to normal cleanser, and so I started off with retinol. I also added in some additional sunscreen. I ended up buying two brands from more expensive companies, hoping this would solve this pimple problem. But this didn’t help either, I kept getting these break-outs from the new, more expensive cream I was buying. To top it off, the cleanser and the retinol I was now using started to affect my skin’s barrier, and now I couldn’t use anything else. My skin was so sensitive to anything I put on it. I was starting to worry that I had now made the situation worse.
This all seems to have resulted from a favorite cream being discontinued. Did you reach a solution?
I did. I found a super hydrating cream. It was amazing. I paired this one with an spf based off of natural ingredients. I was finally able to hydrate my skin and protect it from the sun.
The retinol, however, took about six months to fully remove my pimples. So I recommend that even if your skin is oily or dry, you should always use some sort of moisturizer to prevent your skin from drying out. Definitely use it before going to bed! We all lose tons of moisture when we go to sleep and wake up eight or ten hours later.
So Michael, you’re in great shape. Do you have a post-workout skincare regimen?
Yes I do. I like to lift weights and stay in shape. I’ve been lifting since I lived in The Dominican Republic, and it’s part of my lifestyle here in Miami. After working out, I use micellar water and sunscreen. I am somewhat acne prone, so I use Salicylic acid, which is a beta hydroxy acid, to clean out your pores and prevent impurities from building up.
With working out, the problem is body acne. I recommend you use creams for your skin to avoid the formation of acne and accumulation of sweat if you’re predisposed to body acne like me. This can help prevent breakouts in non-facial areas. Don’t use these products before going to the gym. That can be a waste of product and money since you’ll have to wash your face and body after a workout anyway, so always focus on post-workout skincare.
