Written all over my face

Week 4

  I'm just going to dive right into discussing my weekly meeting with Dr. Josh b/c frankly, it's just too darn hot to beat around the bush (are you KIDDING me with this humidity?!?!?!)

  During my last meeting with Dr. Josh, he looked over my food journal and asked me how I was feeling.  Aside from sweating like a pig, I've been feeling pretty good lately.  No crazy cravings.  I was "thisclose" to a big pile of onion rings and I didn't want one.  He asked me if I've noticed any changes yet.  Because I just can't bring myself to get on the scale yet, I don't have any lb. changes to report.  I haven't had the guts to try on my jeans yet (I don't want to be disappointed and frustrated if they don't fit over my thighs yet) so I don't have any changes to report there.  But there is one thing that's changed ginormously. . . . MY SKIN.

  I have never had problem skin. It wouldn't be right for me to sit here and boo-hoo like I was worthy of being the "before" picture in a Proactiv commercial.  But, over the past year, my skin has started to look dull, bumpy, and gray.  I had come to the advanced scientific conclusion that clogged pores and the occasional fairly frequent blackhead were my karma for being gossipy in high school (Ok fine. . . . being gossipy until I was 29).

  But lately, my skin has started to glow (not comic book "I fell in a vat of hazardous waste" glow. . . but glow).  I haven't invested crazy amounts of money into face washes, scrubs or moisturizers.  I use Purpose soap and some generic moisturizer from Target.  But my skin hasn't looked this good in ages. Even more than when I could afford $120 facials every two weeks and $100 moisturizers. Turns out my skin was trying to tell me something all along.  The clogged pores and dull complexion were hints of how cruel I was treating my body by eating Chik-fil-A morning, noon and night and not drinking enough water.  My body's distress signal was literally written all over my face. It's possible that the signal was written in braille my skin was so bumpy. But I don't need an expert to tell me that my skin was P.O'd at me.

  Think about that if you're spending a ton of money on creams, facials, scrubs, etc.  EATING HEALTHY IS THE ULTIMATE BEAUTY SECRET.  If you can't afford the beauty regime of the rich and famous, that's ok.  Doesn't mean that the fantastic results will elude you just because you (or I) can't invest $3680 a year

($120 facials x 2 a month x12)
+ $600 in various products throughout the year
+ $200 face brush =

 my 2007 spendings on skincare related products and services.  Shall we all wince in unison? Aaaand. . . go.

 Try a month of eating super healthy and upping your water intake and see what happens.  It's definitely cheaper and less traumatic that sitting through pore extractions (by a large woman who had garlic and liver for lunch) during a facial. 

  I'm not saying all of the fancy products are bogus BUT you may not need fancy products to get the results you're looking for.  What's the worst that could happen if you try eating healthy to achieve better skin experiment anyways?? You'll save money??? You'll have more counter space in the bathroom than you ever dreamed from throwing out all the unnecessary face creams, gels, etc??  Like a lot of other aspects of this journey that I'm on I'm finding that improvement begins from the inside.  Why should skincare be any different?

Warning: If the idea of getting carded to buy lotto tickets is just too much, you may not want to try this experiment.  Looking younger can be such a hassle sometimes


One final note: I am not saying that getting facials is completely unnecessary. One of my best friends in LA is an amazing esthetician and she does an amazing job with people's skin.  I AM saying that if you take care of yourself nutrition wise, you'll find that you won't have to get "the works" when/if you DO get a facial. You can go for the "relaxation" facial instead of the "problem skin" facial that involves poking, squeezing, wincing and tears .  Imagine being the person that is the envy of everyone else in the spa because you have such amazing skin.  You might find yourself the subject of some gossip - What's her secret?? I heard she washes her face with dolphin poop! I heard she sleeps in a hyperbolic chamber! I heard she has a painting of herself in an attic that ages but she doesn't!  But don't look to me to participate in the gossip. . . I've kicked that habit for the most part  sometimes kind of.