Let me share a secret: There’s no such thing as perfect skin. But I want to share the skin care products I’ve been using for the past year and a half. I’ve finally found products that WORK and allow me to put my best face forward. 

There’s a few things I want to get out of the way before sharing my skin care routine with you.  First, skin is a tricky subject to tackle because everyone has different skin needs. I know what it feels like to find a “miracle product” that just irritates your face. I know what it feels like to read blogs and personal stories of a routine that resulted in “never dealing with acne again”. This isn’t one of those blogs. In fact, Let me just show you what my reality is at the moment.

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This is who I am. For as long as I can remember I’ve dealt with cystic acne, which can be really painful.

As you can see above, I chose two photos that tell very different stories. There have been times in my life when my skin is clear and acne-free, and other times when I’ve had painful breakouts. I chose these photos  on purpose to show you that skin has no before and after. 

Throughout my life, I have been on medicated skincare routines, experimented with too many products to count, and have received unsolicited skincare advice that I didn’t ask for from people I didn’t even know. It hasn’t been easy being the girl who faces always needed to be fixed. Without getting too in-depth here, my point is that it’s almost impossible to live the “perfect skin” life, especially if you’re a woman! Stress, hormones, sleep, nutrition, the environment, and so many other factors play a huge role in your skin health. The key is to find products and create routines that work for you and make you feel at home in your skin.

A year and a half ago my skin looked like this:

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Over 80% of people will have acne at some point in their lives, but only 1% of women will experience cystic acne. I can still remember how painful my cystic acne was. My skin was sore and inflamed, and I could barely touch my face. 

I clearly needed something to help me get my acne under control. This is also the time that TULA came into my life.

A short, very important blurb about TULA: This company was founded by Dr. Raj, who is a board certified, practicing gastroenterologist at New York University.  TULA’s products are cruelty-free and use natural probiotics, healthy superfoods like blueberries and tumeric, and targeted safe ingredients like AHAs and Vitamin C, to improve the look of the skin. Their products are 100% free from phthalates, parabens, propylene glycol, petrolatum, gluten, mineral oil, and other ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin.

These products are about $30 each, and are well worth the investment. I started using TULA’s probiotic skin care products and although it was definitely a slow journey to getting my acne under control, it seriously changed my life. Here are some of my favorite products and some important lessons I learned while using them.

Skincare Products I Use Consistently

To receive 15% off of your TULA order, use MIKZAZON at checkout.

1. Keep it Clear Acne Foam Cleanser: I use this morning, night, and after working out. If you don’t have oily skin, I would steer clear of this. I have very oily acne-prone skin, and this works wonders on my skin because of that! A great alternative to the acne foam cleanser would be The Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser that doesn’t dry out your skin or add more oils.
2. Clear It Up Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel: I use this morning, night, and after working out. It has salicylic acid to fight and prevent acne, superfood willow-herb to hydrate & soothe the skin, and azelaic acid to brighten the look of marks left by past blemishes. This is major for me since I’m fair-skinned and my skin can scar easily. 
3. 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream:! In my opinion, there is literally nothing worse than a moisturizer that makes your skin greasy. TULA’s day and night cream is the ONLY daily moisturizer I have ever used that doesn’t make my skin oily! I use this morning, night, and after working out to prevent dryness… This keeps my skin hydrated without feeling heavy or causing my makeup to slide off.
4. Beauty Sleep Overnight Repair Treatment: It says to wear every night, but if you have oily skin I recommend using it less frequently. I typically wear it 3x a week due to my oily skin. I was absolutely blown away by the improvements this has made on my acne scarring!

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Products I Use When Needed

1. ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish : Exfoliating products have always irritated my skin raw. I was recommended the exfoliating polish by an esthetician I trust and it did not disappoint! I only use this about 2x per week or less!
2. ZO Offects Sulfur Mask : This stuff is magic. Pure MAGIC! I use it as a spot treatment when I have a stubborn breakout and it typically calms the acne down within a day. You can also use this on your whole face!

My Skin Journey

After 7 months, my skin stayed consistently clear with hormonal breakouts here and there which was, as you can see, a huge change for me. Not only was my skin clearer than ever before, but TULA helped reduce the pain that was caused by my cystic acne. I could touch my face, smile, and laugh without constantly being reminded of my breakouts. 

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TULA helped reduce my cystic acne, leaving my skin feeling healthy and pain-free.

Finally, I want to emphasize that there is nothing wrong with having acne. It doesn’t make you gross or unattractive or dirty. However, if your acne causes pain or distress in any way, I recommend seeking treatment and finding a skin care routine that works for you. TULA helped me feel comfortable and confident in my own skin.

If you have oily or acne-prone skin and are looking for a product that works, I can’t recommend TULA highly enough.