Cruel Summer

It's no secret that the summer heat and humidity have never been friends to those of us with oily skin. In fact, ever since the balmy weather began this year I've found myself battling congested skin on a more regular basis. It can be brutally irritating, but with a little skin care adjustment you can definitely keep the congestion at bay. 

I should start off by explaining that I was recently forced to change my skin care regimen in order to rid myself of some mysterious perioral dermatitis. The dermatologist gave me a number of options:

1. Take a course of low-grade antibiotics for 3 months;
2. Apply a topical cream to temporarily calm the irritation; 
3. Eliminate one product at a time to locate the offending product; 
4. Throw everything I've been using away and start fresh.

Well, the first two options didn't sound terribly appealing, and I didn't feel like Sherlock Holmes-ing my way to the answer either. Instead, I decided to start over with an entirely different regimen.

So there I was, biding farewell and abandoning my old "go-to" skin care products {a sad day indeed}, and stepping into the land of all that is bright, shiny, new and unknown with my fingers 

crossed that I would find the right products for my skin type and sensitivity. 

Anyone who's done this before knows that it's a daunting process.

I had heard wonderful things about Pai skincare, a line that is free from irritating chemicals and alcohol, and is formulated to be gentle yet effective for sensitive, allergy-prone skin. This seemed like a great place to start. I opted for the Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream, a light, mild formula that leaves my face feeling velvety smooth and looking totally matte. For a girl who's t-zone becomes oily within 15 minutes of being outside or in any kind of heat whatsoever, this cream is miraculous! I was amazed that after a days outside in the crazy, ridiculous heat that I was coming home looking just slightly dewy  {and who doesn't love that fresh dewy look opposed to the oil slick you can become?!} BOOM. First cream I tried and it was FAB-U-LOUS! {Side note: I've also tried their Chamomile & Rosehip Sensitive Skin Cream and it is equally as wonderful, but doesn't have the same mattifying effect.}

So, Pai to the rescue!

My next fabulous find is by Tammy Fender, but before I proceed let me just ask you one thing - Have you ever noticed that most {if not all} clarifying, acne treating skin care products are insanely drying? The Clarifying Dermagel, most certainly is NOT! The dermagel purifies, 

clears and corrects without turning your skin into an arid, peeling desert 

{okay, maybe that description was extreme, but the peeling, that actually happens to me!}.

Within 1 week I was able to see a notable difference in my skin - faded blemishes and significantly clearer skin - Who doesn't want that?!

Now, if you've used Tammy Fender before you know that it comes with a hefty price tag, but keep in mind that it's a highly concentrated formula and a little goes a very VERY long way!

Skin is a finicky thing, indeed, and there are certainly different strokes for different folks, but if you are like me and battle congested, oily/combination skin way more often than you'd like, 

these two products are definitely worth your time to try. 

You can get a sample of Pai from Spirit Beauty Lounge, and if you've got Tammy Fender in a store near you, ask for a sample of the dermagel {try it out for at least 1 week. You will definitely see a difference}

Good luck to all, and good riddance congestion!