Went to the high priestess of skincare again today and realized I’ve been over-exfoliating.  I attributed the downturn in my skin’s appearance to tremendous stress.  A demanding life taxes the skin for sure, but I shoulder partial blame as a result of my over zealous exfoliation routine.  Too frequent or vigorous exfoliation can cause inflammation and over-active oil glands.  This extra oil paired with extra stress results in extra unhappy skin. 

I learned my lesson, and I’m taking it easy.  The wise and generous Joyce Bunch of La Boe Salon hooked me up with an amazing array of products like Facial Cleansing Gélee, a Fortifying Toner, an incredible Daily O2 Optimizing Creme, an ALA Eye & Neck Lifting Creme, and a Calendula Crème for day.  After applying the products as advised, my skin already feels more balanced and less aggravated.

If you are experiencing a breakout resurgence, reevaluate your routine.  What worked at twenty years old may need some tweaking at thirty.  If you find yourself layering one harsh product over another and working a physical exfoliation program too, it might be doing you more harm than good.  Try dialing it back a bit and see if your skin doesn’t positively respond.