My Skin Battles

I never usually show a completley bare face, wearing absolutely no makeup or tinted moisturiser. Lately however, I've wanted to share a very raw version of myself. Myself in this very moment. Why? Because women need to stick together in good times and crappy times!

Skin has always been a trouble of mine. I’ve combated blemishes & really bad pimples for years & years … and it can really get me down & cause me to feel incredibly self conscious.

I tend to keep these feelings bottled up because I know how blessed I am in many ways, and some people have much greater troubles with the condition of their skin. I also understand that breakouts are not the end of the world. But despite these rational thoughts, I’m only human & the truth is that my skin issues do make me feel crappy.

So I feel as if it’s important to show you all me, when I'm feeling a little vulnerable & self conscious. I really want to make sure you all know that it is natural, normal & healthy to have worries. Don’t ever feel alone - we all have days when the world is not fully on our side. That’s when we need our friends!

To give you some history, I’ve had "issues" with my skin ever since I left high school. I honestly got through the entirety of my schooling (all 12 years!) with not one pimple to be seen!! Both my brother & sis battled heavy acne throughout high school and I always wondered how the crap I got away without it?! As it turns out however, I didn’t! It just hit me later.

It's been a constant annoyance of mine for years, mainly because I have so many makeup artists look closely at my face every day! I need to ensure my skin is clear & healthy to remain professional for my clients - who deserve the highest standard. And then of course, there is social media… And we all know how judgemental the world can be when they're hiding behind their phones … HUGELY judgemental and very cruel. Why everyone feels as if they need to have an opinion when it comes to people they don’t know personally, I dont think I’ll ever understand! But sadly there are people are out there who think it's fun to knock you down! So it's just a matter of growing a thick skin & switching the IGNORE button on in your head. Those people do NOT count, so ignore, ignore, ignore!

Skin is something we just can't control as much as we’d like to. Hormones, lifestyle & genetics all play a part - making it a hard little battle to win!

I thought I’d managed to get the better of it about a year ago. I was wrong! I saw huge improvements for a period of time, but unfortunately the improvements were not permanent.

I went through two rounds of Roaccutane, which please note, I absolutely do not recommend unless it’s a LAST resort that has been prescribed by your doctor and/or highly experienced skin specialised. Honestly guys, this is not a medication to be taken lightly - it comes with a lot of damaging side effects! The thing you need to understand about Roaccutane is that it’s very hard on your hormones & emotions. When I say I was moody, during the treatment - I meant it. I was NOT my usual self (just ask Josh!), even I knew it . I was incredibly tired all the time & riddled with throbbing migraines. Sound fun? It was farrrr from. Some people experience terrible & lasting depression on this stuff, so despite my temperamental moods I was actually one of the lucky ones.

After my first round, my skin was clear for about 6 months. But then, the ratbag returned. Because of my particular line of work (involving a lot of media appearances & photoshoots) , I went for round two - which I really didn’t want to do. I was on the dreaded Roaccutane treatment throughout the filming of The Block - which was tough to say the least. Filming the show made me even more tired! Between Thursday & Sundays, we’d be lucky to get 4hrs some weeks - so with the Roaccutane on top of that, I was struggling. I didn’t tell anyone about the medication though because I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me. We all have to do the best we can to get through each day, given our personal circumstances. But I was pretty exhausted & run down a lot of the time.

Since finishing up the second round (about a year ago), I thought my skin was clear for good. Nope ... once again, she’s back in full swing!!

And now to be brutally honest with you all, I’m a little stumped as what to do next. I’ve tried a million products, I do regular peels & facials. I invest a lot of time (everyday) and dollars to my skin and I still have not conquered the cure.

I know that genetics play a big part, as do hormones - but I would LOVE to find a consistant solution as the unpredictability of breakouts does get me down. At 26 I just assumed that my skin would finally clear up - but that doesn't seem like the case. When I'm on a job I can't control the types of make up & products they use on my skin/face, which doesn't help - but it's just the way it goes. At home & in my personal life, I am so selective! And I try to go make up free as much as possible! Because of my recent eye surgery (hence the super red eye below), I've been home all week with a naked face and it feels fantastic! I'm looking forward to a summer of rest, salt water & Vitamin D to replenish it a little... my skin needs some time off & some TLC.

Like I said earlier, I know this is not the end of the world, and skin issues on the spectrum are no where near as dire as what some people are going through! So this blog is not about venting, complaining or whinging - it’s about being honest. Every single women (& person in general), battles with imperfections & things that make them feel self conscious. We’re all in this life together - as equals.

I would LOVE to be able to wear no makeup every single day & confident in my clear skin, it’s just a matter of time & patience.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations for me, please hit me up! I am open to all!

Elyse xx