Towards the middle and end of my pregnancy, I began experiencing terrible breakouts on my face and back. I have never struggled with acne before this point. I was hoping that after I had Rilynn, the breakouts would get better and disappear. Instead, they only worsened. I was informed that this can happen sometimes if you are breastfeeding, due to the hormones in your body being out of whack.
Nothing I tried was making the breakouts any better. I was already so emotional from all of the hormones raging through my body, so I'm sure it only amplified my feelings surrounding my face and back. I could not wear any sort of makeup because it would only make it worse the next day. I had a ton of family and friends stopping by, snapping a million pictures of the new baby and I - and honestly, I was embarrassed. On top of that, at a time where you feel very vulnerable about your appearance and the look of your "new body", I still wanted to feel like Ryan was attracted to me. That he still thought I was desirable and that I was his "gorgeous wife"...not that I was now just the "mother of his baby". I know that Ryan loves me no matter what, but that doesn't change the fact that girls still want to feel good about their appearance and that they are pretty.
I briefly expressed my feelings in a couple of posts or on instagram. It made me feel better that so many of you were going through the same thing or knew where I was coming from.
In December, I got an email from a fellow blogger and mother, Sarah. She told me that she had read about my struggles with the breakouts and wanted to send me a face care regimen that she thought would be effective for me. She knew about Ryan's unemployment and offered to just send the set of products to me - for free. I have mentioned the various blessings we have received over the past few months and this was one of the ones I was so grateful for. It probably seems like something so small or silly to some people, but Sarah did not have to do this or reach out to me. And the reason I am beyond thankful is because the face care worked!
I had never tried Rodan + Fields before, but Sarah told me that these four items were safe for breastfeeding moms. I have been using the system since the middle of December, and by Christmas, I was already seeing results. My breakouts started to disappear and the red marks I had from previous acne began to fade.
I would have never considered posting a picture of me without makeup on a few months ago, but here is what my bare skin looks like today:
I have a few red marks on my chin that are still a little visible, but no current pimples. On top of that, I have only had about three breakouts since starting the regimen. The products can be a little drying, especially in the dead of winter, so some days I only use the face wash and toner twice a day. I also wash my face at night with the sulfur wash and this Olay Pro-X Facial Cleansing Brush.
This brush definitely gets off any extra makeup and it is shocking to see how dirty the brush is even after I previously wash my face without it. I believe that the products are supposed to last you for two months, but now at almost two months, I think they will last me 3-4 instead.
I cannot say enough great things about these products. I know that this will not work for everyone. My sister is actually someone who has struggled with acne her whole life. These products did not work for her, but Rodan + Fields was awesome and gave her back the money she had spent with no hassle.
I encourage any of you who may be experiencing breakouts to try these products. I wasn't paid to say any of this and all of my opinions are honest. I merely wanted to share these products that finally worked for me and also say thank you to Sarah who showed such kindness to me.
If any of you are interested in trying Unblemish, but are concerned about the cost, Sarah can get you 10% off and free shipping, along with three free mini facials. There are also other ways to save money when purchasing the products and she can discuss those with you as well.
Feel free to email her {mommynotesblogs(at)gmail(dot)com} and chat! Thank you again Sarah for everything and for introducing me to something that actually got rid of my postpartum breakouts.