Best Skincare Purchase Ever!!

It's my Michael Todd Soniclear Elite! I got mine in the color 'Mint Dream' (It comes in a variety of colors), if you are a follower of my blog you already know about my love for all things colorful🌈, especially green😁.

Source: theglamorousgleam

I bought this brush around Labour Day in 2015 along with some of their other skincare products (so i got a 25% discount, btw they always offer discounts) through my friend in the USA. However she wasn't able to send down the Brush till sometime in August this year and it has honestly upgraded my 'Face-Care' Routine (I plan to do a post on what i use and how they've worked so far so stay tuned for that). I have combination acne-prone skin but thanks to cutting out cheese and severely reducing my dairy intake, i only have acne/pimples when my period is approaching or when i eat certain foods i know i shouldn't like pizza, groundnuts,etc and the scars happen when i pick my face, which i 'try' not to do.

Sept 2015 (Thanks to Pizza cheese)                                    Nov 2015

November 2015

I try to keep my product use minimalist and simple (a.k.a lazy)and this brush was exactly what i needed to achieve that, i use it in combination with my Forever Alpha-E Factor, Aloe Sunscreen and Forever Living Sonya Skincare Kit  (which was my initial Best Skincare purchase before purchasing the brush, i have practically exhausted and dreading a re-purchase thanks to the current exchange rate situation *sigh). I currently use the Boots Traditional Glycerin & Rosewater as i'm out of my Sonya Aloe Refreshing Toner from the kit, its working out well thankfully.

Sonya Skincare Kit

Alpha-E Factor

Aloe Sunscreen

Boots Glycerin & Rosewater

Empties😢

I get a good cleanse for my face using this brush and love that i can decide how intense a cleanse i get plus i feel a lil bougie and pampered every morning after use.lol. It has really helped reduce the appearance of my acne scars and i'm done battling my white heads with ACV. I have also tried out the body brush and was surprised how squeaky clean i felt afterwards and how well it got rid of my pityriasis rosea scar dry skin peels but i think i'll need to purchase the Extension Handle to use it better.

I've been getting great comments from my friends on how clear my skin is and questions on what i'm using. For me personally its a big deal to have good skin 'cos i quite like being without makeup and i believe the skin is a reflection of how healthy we are so even though i can be quite lazy, i take pride in having somewhat clear (if only i'll stop picking my face!👀), firm, glowing skin 😉

August 2016

August 2016                                     Sept 2016

Sept 2016 (Compare to 2015 above)

Oct 2016- No Makeup/Makeup

The Brush came with a bigger body brush, its charger base and plug and a manual (which my friend forgot to include, thankfully they had thought of scenarios like this and have an online manual!)

The Soniclear Elite is Sonic powered • 6 Speeds, Rechargeable, Waterproof, has a built in timer to tell you when to move the brush to another area of your face(cool feature 'cos you can easily overscrub), has C-Boost™ Technology- an additional pulsating massage mode and claims to be the World's first antimicrobial protected sonic skin cleansing system brush that guards against 99.9% of bacteria that can form on brushes between use so the brushes stay cleaner and fresher longer.

It is definitely my all-time favorite skincare 'product' and i'm glad all my research and review reading paid off in helping me purchase the best brush brand. I intend to get some of the additional accessories i can use with it in the future such as the Extension Handle, Pedi Smoothing Disc, Infuser Head and maybe a Men's face brush 'cos of hubby.

Check out their Website for more info. There's also Worldwide Shipping and Free Int'l Shipping for Orders of $75 and above.

My office looks (Oct-Nov 2016). Check out my post on Chic Schooling.

                                     Oct 2016                    Nov 2016 (No foundation or Concealer)

Nov 2016

Nov 2016

Toodles!XooX

Apple Cider Vinegar is the truth!!

Quite a number of us know Vinegar, use it for improvised home cleaning, hair rinse, cooking, washing fruits, Weight loss etc. I just found out it can be good for the skin as well!! I went for a much needed facial recently and the therapist mentioned that i have a lot of white heads and  that's because my clogs are pored and advised that i use my face scrub more frequently to unclog my pores. After the facial my face was super smooth and soft 'cos my pores had been unclogged. I have had white heads most of my life, it occurs mostly on my chin and nose and its more obvious when i skip my cleanser or scrub routine, i did not really think it was something i need to combat 'cos i thot it a norm for the oily skinned. I decided to do a bit of research to find out what causes white heads and the best way to tackle it, I found a lottttt of useful information and after sifting through decided to go with one of the home remedies i found in which the person combined Apple Cider Vinegar and Rosewater to combat hers. I also went further to find a list of comodogenic (pore clogging) oils/butter (https://www.beneficialbotanicals.com/facts-figures/comedogenic-rating.html), this was brought to my attention by Youtuber Heyfranhey in the video where she talked about her reason for going with Almond oil for her oil cleansing skincare routine.

I use Moringa oil on my face daily and it has made quite some change to the smoothness of my skin and fading of my acne scars, although i did not find it on the list of comodogenic oils, i decided to switch from using it to using shea butter which can serve as a sunscreen and does not clog the pores.

I also started using Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) as a cleanser/toner, i use the Heinz brand as it is quite diluted, most people recommend the Braggs brand for other uses as it is organic and quite potent. I have very acne-prone skin and i'm telling u guys ACV is the ish!!! My acne breakouts are wayyyy less frequent and my acne scars are fading out, my skin is smooth and soft and the whiteheads are yet to return. It has also reduced the occurence of my bacne to the minimum and totally cleared out the breakout of Keratosis Pilaris (i will do a post on this soon enough) i had earlier in the month. I've been on this ACV treatment for about 2weeks now and i'm loving it. I've also been using Epsom Salt in my bathing water and i've been eating mostly healthy home cooked meals, so these may have also contributed to the fast results!! It kills bacteria, restores the skin PH balance, combats free radicals and all that good stuff (Google it for more info). I use it after washing and drying my face or cleaning my face with wipes on my lazy days, i poured it into a spritz bottle for easier use so i just spray it from the bottle to the cotton pad and clean all over my face, it stings very very slightly (especially when my hands have been picking at my face) and the smell is awful & almost choking ( i hold my breath when using it) but d smell fades out quick. I intend to still get the rosewater once i have some free time. Try it out guys!!It is sooooo worth it!!

I'm still trying to mentally prepare myself to ingest it as i have also learnt its very good for the body or maybe i'll just find a way to incorporate it into my cooking. I'll let u guys know how that goes eventually.

Toodles!XooX

Pityriasis Rosea (Skin infection) II

Here is the link to my first post http://tamikoadyms.blogspot.com/2013/05/pityriasis-rosea-skin-infection.html 

This is just a brief update of my present condition.

4^th week-the trunk rash is slowly fading away, still itches slightly, rash has moved to my arms and thighs.using moringa oil/coconut oil @ night.

5^th week-rash on hands and thighs are drying up and the trunk rash is totally gone and the spots are scaly and fading off. The itching is way less even when I sweat. Still sticking to my regimen. Please don’t peel the dry skin/scaliness off, you may end up hurtn and scarring yourself, especially if the spot is not dry enough.

6^th week-rash all over is completely dried, scaling and the spots are still fading out. The itching is at the barest minimum.

Toodles!XooX

Pityriasis Rosea (Skin Infection) I

Pityriasis Rosea is what my googlings and research termed the skin infection that caused these annoying papules on my skin. I love taking care of my skin and enjoy the fact that it responds well to the attention I pay it by being evenly toned, soft and supple. You can’t imagine how annoyed I am at this ‘herald christmas tree’ formation the papules formed mostly on my trunk region, Thankfully there weren’t too many discolored ones and the ones on my arms and upper section of my thigh were hardly visible except to my microscopic eyes of course! I racked my brain for what could have caused it, from my water supply, allergic reaction to clothes and bedsheets. There weren’t many culprits I could blame though, I was not the only one using the water and no one else had complained of any infections, also I wasn’t the only one who had slept on the bed, the only thing I alone use is my clothes. I can’t remember how I trailed my findings to finally figure out what it was but it was a long trip from a search on ‘spider bite’ ‘craw craw’ to ‘fungal infection’ which had a super long list until I used the signs and symptoms and many other articles I read to land on ‘Pityriasis Rosea’. I decided to do this post for the benefit of whoever might have it and decide to follow my route to discover what exactly it is. I would have been quite distraught if I hadn’t found the articles I did on it, with pictures and diagrams which really helped and also the knowledge that I was not alone and neither was mine the worst of the case.

It’s the 3rd week and some days now since I noticed it (although it probably started 1-2weeks before with the herald patch which I eventually found on my back), some of the papules have dried and are clearing up but the ones on my arms are spreading and becoming more visible though thankfully they are the same color with my skin. I am currently eating Moringa seeds and fruits (very nutritious-to help my immune system),  bathing morning and night with cold water and without using a sponge; I bathe with a soap that contains goat milk in the morning and use shea butter all over my body thereafter, at night I bathe with Dettol medicated soap and use some antiseptic in my bathing water and use pure coconut oil on my body before I go to bed. I made sure my office and home is cool as I noticed my body tends to itch less when it is, I also noticed the itching is less when I am in the sun i.e until I start sweating then it goes into a wild frenzy, I noticed that when I went partying and started sweating from dancing, it was like a million bites itching all over. I avoid wearing clothes that are too tight,I am not wearing any perfumes, body sprays or deodorant and I am not taking any drugs, although I was given Loratadine, as drugs tend to make it worse from all the articles I have read and I have no plans on helping the rash spread to my neck and face. I have read that it takes a minimum of 6weeks for it to clear up on its own so I’m patiently waiting, hopefully it’ll clear up before then. My mum said she had had it when she was much younger and she had used palm oil and calamine lotion on it to soothe the scratching and ‘chase’ the rash (those are not options for me though, as I have to go to work and can’t afford to stain my clothes and sheets). My fiancé has been very supportive all through and I’m grateful to him for that, he knows how finicky I can be over my skin. He says I should do my best to take my mind off it and try not to scratch when it itches, which is really hard to do ‘cos this stuff itches like crazy. I am trying to follow his advice though and I try to pat it through my clothes instead of scratching it although sometimes it’s so bad I just give in to scratching but carefully so I don’t open up any of them and end up scarring myself. I am sorry I can’t put up any pics up with this post, the pics I took didn’t show the problem and my fiancé refused to help take any as he felt it would just make over-analyze and obsess over it. Here are links to the articles and blogs that have helped so far and some contain pictures and diagrams, I hope they help whoever has this condition. Here's an update on my condition. 

• http://pityriasisroseapictures.net/
• http://drottematic.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/pityriasis-rosea-be-gone-itch-itch/
• http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/0101/p87.html

Toodles!XooX