| Hey Bee-autiful!
One of our amazing team members began working for us September/October of last year 2023….
When she started, she had a form of cystic acne that had her feeling incredibly uncomfortable in her own skin (literally).
She would wear makeup to try to cover it (probably feeling like it was necessary when greeting customers at a skincare company).
After a little while, I told her straight up to please not feel like she needs to hide anything. And in fact, applying makeup everyday could be doing more harm than good.
So, she asked what I would recommend for her condition. Naturally my response was “What are you using currently? Tell me about your routine”!
She then told me about this lady named Sarah V…
Now hold it right there! I had a hunch that miss Sarah was part of her problem. As a side note – It is incredibly misleading when Sarah boasts that her products are great for acne, but their “hero” ingredient is ceramides – a heavy, occlusive oil produced within our own skin!
If you struggle with acne, then I’m sure you’ve read and heard it all. Use salicylic acid cleansers. Wash your pillowcase at least once per week. Avoid comedogenic ingredients. Buy whatever says “great for acne” on the bottle. Stop touching your face. Blah, blah, blah.
All of these things are merely addressing the symptoms of acne, rather than the root cause.
Even today’s most common treatments include high-dose retinoids to increase epidermal cell turnover and exfoliation to reduce sebum buildup at the surface.
And can unfortunately come along with some pretty nasty side-effects like extreme dryness, flaking, and even depression (yes, that’s a thing with pill-based retinoid prescriptions).
But how many people are taking a look at the bigger picture?
Have you considered how your acne is created in the first place?
And what you can do to stop it from the very get go?
Even though acne can be caused by SO many different things. Even combinations of things like: genetics, hormones, environment, lifestyle choices, comedogenic (pore-clogging) products, and sometimes the foods you eat, it’s important to remember one thing….
Acne is caused by excessive sebum production that then builds up at the surface!
This buildup of sebum creates an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment for the acne-boosting bacteria to thrive (the species is called Propionibacterium acne in case you were curious). Which then leads to inflammation and acne visible at the surface, which then proliferate the first two. And the cycle continues…
So, naturally you see treatments that can reduce the buildup of sebum on the skins surface and help the skin “breathe” by allowing oxygen to reach the surface.
Treatments like exfoliating and high-dose retinoids are most common along with at-home remedies such as washing your face when you get home and washing your makeup brushes often.
But I find it incredibly interesting that no one is talking about how to prevent the excessive production of sebum from the beginning.
I said “interesting”, not surprising.
So what can you do about it?
It’s not like you can give your sebaceous glands a stern talking to.
Or walk away from your toxic relationship with your skin.
Nope, you have to get down to the cellular level and look at the processes and pathways of sebum production and inflammation.
Which is exactly what scientists have been doing recently, even despite its taboo name…
I’ve talked to you before about the endocannabinoid system and the receptors that humans possess all throughout the body.
And while our body makes our own regulatory endocannabinoids, the extracts of the hemp plant (CBD & THC specifically) have the ability to interact with our receptors and regulate the system when our body needs a boost.
See for yourself:
But did you know that these receptors can also be found all throughout our skin??
And it’s not in the way that you would think!
Usually, CBD is praised for its pain and inflammation benefits. But studies have proven CBD to be a powerful regulator of our sebocytes (the cells that produce sebum in the skin)!
Check out what was discovered:
Not ONLY did they find CBD to be a powerful influencer on the reduction of sebum production from sebocytes, but was found to slow the growth of new sebocyte cells altogether!
And “due to the combined” action of reducing sebum production, reducing sebocyte cell growth, AND reducing inflammation, CBD could be considered a triple threat for acne and the bacterium Propionibacterium acne.
Now this is all fine and well to read it in a study, but wouldn’t you like to see it with your own two eyes?
Well, here it is…
FIRST, I told my dear employee her kick miss Sarah to the curb, she’s a fair-weather friend.
And let’s start implementing our CBD Facial Toner and CBD Facial Serum into your daily routine after cleansing with the 3-in-1 Foaming Wash All, one at a time.
3 months ago, in November 2023, she had officially began using all 3 products. Her starting point was shown in that first photo!
After a few weeks, I could tell she was discouraged that things weren’t happening overnight. So, I explained that (as with any new skincare regimen) we have SO many layers of skin need to “grow out” before you’ll really start seeing results.
I am so proud of her for sticking with her routine for the sake of her skin and her confidence.
Week after week, we began to see her skin looking happier and happier. And after 3 months, she felt confident enough to send me these:
Her message was followed up with “Thank you for helping me in my journey! I feel more confident in my face 🤍”
And when I asked if I could share her story, she said “Yes!!! I’m glad my journey can help others! I actually had someone on Sunday ask me what I use!”
What’s super awesome about these already amazing results, is that her journey isn’t finished. I can’t wait to share what April and May has in store for her!
And if you are someone you know is struggling in the skin department, send them our way!
And because exfoliating once per week or every other week can be tremendously helpful to also break up sebum at the surface, don’t forget to incorporate the exfoliating Coffee & Charcoal Facial Scrub along with the CBD Facial Serum and CBD Facial Toner!
And please don’t forget to take before and after pictures! |
