My skin has been an issue for me since junior high and I struggled with horrible embarrassing acne all throughout high school. I went to a dermatologist for years and tried so many different topical creams, antibiotics, and even Accutane. What ended up being my saving grace was Proactiv! I remember my grandma always suggesting that we pick some up when we were at the mall because she had seen the commercials for it and thought it could help. I absolutely refused because the kiosk for Proactiv was right outside of the Abercrombie store and I was mortified that someone would see me buying acne products! Eventually, she realized this was why I was protesting and ordered it in the mail for me. I started using it immediately and my skin started to clear up within about 2 weeks. I couldn’t believe it! I do remember it getting a little bit worse before it got better in those initial two weeks, but very quickly my skin started to feel smooth and look much more glowing and clear. I was so happy. I loved the sulphur mask that it came with too, and I even use something similar today! I loved Proactiv so much that I used it well into my 30s.
After having my daughters, I was ready to get more aggressive with my skincare and focus on anti-aging. The only thing I had tried outside of Proactiv was the Rodan & Fields (same company as Proactiv) Redefine regimen. I did like the products but didn’t really notice enough of a difference in my skin to continue them long-term. When I went to a skin consultation for microblading at a local medspa, I was also introduced to the skincare line they carried, ZO. I was interested in booking some microneedling treatments and was told that being on the ZO skincare regimen would help me be more successful with the procedure. It honestly sounded like a bit of a sales pitch to me, so I held off for a while and went home and did my own research on the brand. It turns out it has quite a cult following and some of the before and after photos I saw were incredible! So after a few more weeks of going back and forth about it, I decided to give it a try.
I was warned that going off of Proactiv would be a rough process for me, but I didn’t like the idea of having to use this product for the rest of my life to keep acne away. I wanted to get to the root cause of my acne and get my skin to an all-around healthier state. I started the ZO skincare on New Year’s Eve (new year new me!) and the first week my skin was so glowy and clear, I was in love! That honeymoon phase quickly ended though, and I was staring in the mirror at the worst skin I had seen since high school. I was so upset. Thankfully, throughout this process I had booked monthly facials, so every four weeks I would go in and be talked off a ledge about quitting my new routine. I was advised that my skin was purging and that the end results would be worth it. This went on for about 8-10 weeks. At about the 6-week mark, I could tell that the worst was over, but I still continued to get painful cystic pimples for about a month after that. I’m happy to say it turned out the end result WAS worth it! My skin was back to that clear glowy look and after that initial purge, I was getting pimples much less frequently. I was pretty happy with my skin. I also went on hormonal birth control around that time, and that helped a lot with my acne as well.
I did start to feel like I was at a stand-still with my progress though. I knew I wanted more results, mainly getting rid of some old acne scars that I have. I decided to switch to a different medspa that is led by a doctor to get a more tailored treatment plan. I absolutely love where I am going now (Revital Skin Health Institute if you are in the Cleveland area, Dr. L is the skincare queen!). She wanted to make some tweaks to my skincare routine to address my oily skin, which I focused on for the first month after seeing her. After that, she started me on retinol. I was worried about this because I had heard that I could go through another skin purge. This was one year after my last purge experience, and I didn’t feel like I had it in me to go through that again! She reassured me that this would not be as intense, and she was right. I am about 6 weeks into using my retinol now and LOVING the results. At first, my skin was very red and peeling from the product (also starting mid-January probably wasn’t the brightest idea), but I persevered and am so happy with the results.
I had originally wanted to have my skin consultation with the doctor to talk about microneedling and/or laser treatments because I wanted to get rid of my acne scars, so I was a little bit discouraged when she wanted to change my skincare first. But now I can see the bigger picture because my scars have faded SO MUCH just from using the retinol. My skin is so plumped up and smooth I feel like I already got a skin-resurfacing laser treatment, it is incredible! I feel so much more confident with my skin that even on a date night with my husband I will just wear sunscreen and a little bit of mineral powder on my face with my other makeup. Never would I have thought a day would come when I would not want to use foundation!
I wanted to share the products that I am using because I think they are pretty standard for any skin type. If you are interested in changing up your skincare routine for some more aggressive results, I highly recommend ZO! I will say, the products are a little bit pricey, but they last a while and work so well. The pads and the Daily Power Defense I replace the most frequently, the others are maybe every 3 months. This is my current routine:
*Note: I actually purchase all of my skincare through my medspa, Revital, since I get 10% off all skincare as a member. It looks like they do have all of the products on Amazon, I’m not sure what the price difference is between Amazon and the ZO website if you want to compare.
Morning:
Cleanse with Gentle Cleanser
Exfoliate with Dual Action Scrub *For this step I was advised to REALLY scrub my skin for 2 minutes and leave it on for an additional minute for the chemical exfoliation, I LOVE this product.
Tone with Complexion Renewal Pads *I was advised to use the whole pad until dry like a paper towel. I have also used the Oil Control Pads and do love those, but once I started the retinol it was too drying for my skin.
Treat with Daily Power Defense *I absolutely love this product, it is hydrating like a moisturizer and full of antioxidants and a little bit of retinol, I even use it around my eye area instead of eye cream.
Protect with Sunscreen + Primer *This is my favorite product! It is great for oil control and looks like you are wearing makeup (and sunscreen is so important, especially when using retinol). I actually love this sunscreen more in the winter time which is not ZO but is also medical-grade.
Evening:
Double Cleanse with Gentle Cleanser *One huge thing I learned from Dr. L was that makeup wipes are not good for my skin. Instead, I cleanse once to remove makeup/sunscreen and again to remove anything left behind.
Tone with Complexion Renewal Pad
Treat with Daily Power Defense
Mask- 2-3 times per week I use the Complexion Clearing Masque *I absolutely love this, it reminds me of the Proactiv mask from my past :)
Retinol - Wrinkle & Texture Repair *I started using this just twice a week for 2 weeks, and now I am up to every 2 days. I tried using it every other day but my skin was getting very flaky, so I backed off. My goal is to move up to every other day in the near future once my sin is tolerating the retinol more. Make sure to avoid the eye area with this one.
Monthly:
Facials are also recommended monthly (I stick to more like every 6-8 weeks). I absolutely love to do Hydrafacials. This type of facial does a deep cleanse and a gentle peel, followed by extractions and ending with an intense hydrating serum. I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin from doing these consistently. I also tried a Diamond Glow facial around Christmas time which is more of a resurfacing type of facial and liked that too. I also love to add dermaplaning to my facials. This process removes dead skin cells and unwanted facial hairs. I like to do it a few times a year, especially in the winter for extra exfoliation and before a vacation for an extra no-makeup glow. The rest of the year I usually just do it myself at home, but this does not provide the same level of exfoliation.
This may sound like a lot of skincare, but I honestly think this kind of preventative skincare will save me money in the future on wanting more invasive treatments. I have tried Botox (I actually got Xeomin) a few times and didn’t love the look of it on me. I think having little kids makes me want to have a more expressive face so that they can really see my emotions. I’m thinking about trying Dysport soon because I’ve heard it’s more natural looking, so I will report back with my results! For the most part, I think having a good skincare routine is more important than injectables, and that alone I feel offsets the cost of the products. The facials I will not defend, I deserve a little me time ;)
One little “Mom Note.” I pray my daughters don’t inherit my skin issues, but I do hope to instill in them that keeping their bodies healthy from the inside out is so important. I think making sure they are staying well hydrated and eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding oily processed foods will help them with their skin health. I also plan to be on their case as young adults about washing their face, making sure their sheets are clean, etc… and if none of that works, I will immediately be ordering them some Proactiv in the mail :)
These side-by-side photos are from while my skin was purging during my first 6 weeks on ZO- And one year later with only sunscreen on my skin! My scars have improved and even some sun spots I had on my forehead have faded!
