This product is not new to The Daily Catchup. It has featured in a few blogposts and many photos on my Instagram in the past, so it was only right to give it a blogpost all to itself. I am referring to the Antipodes Apostle Skin-Brightening serum.

When you hear the words skin-brightening, I don't know about you, but personally it sounds like music to my ears. For someone with quite a bit of redness and scarring I love the sound of brighter skin and need all the help I can get to achieve it. Before I go on and on about my love for this product I will include some information from the Antipodes website.

ABOUT:
"A water-based serum which helps to correct dull, blemished or uneven skin. The revolutionary antioxidant Vinanza Grape & Kiwi helps minimise the appearance of facial redness. Exfoliating enzymes from the superfruit kiwifruit and soothing Vinanza Oxifend from pinot noir grapes leave skin gloriously glowing. Meanwhile, mamaku black fern and Reishi mushroom of immortality boost healthy cell renewal for true, fresh-faced beauty."

INGREDIENTS:
This serums is 100% natural, with 74% of it's ingredients from organic cultivation. As mentioned above the ingredients within this serum are waiwera artesian water, vinanza grape and kiwi fruit and vinanza oxifend. It's fragrances are green apple and cardamon pod.

BEFORE & AFTER:
The above photos were taken on the 13th of December 2017 and my after (bottom) photos were taken on the 28th of January 2018.

THOUGHTS:
There aren't many skincare products that amaze me after one use. However, this is actually one of those products for me.

You can tell by my photos, especially my left cheeks in the before and after how much this product really helps reduce acne marks. For the amount of time I  used it I wasn't able to make a dramatic change to my scars that have been around for years but it did improve any newer marks left by my pimples. Whenever I use this serum people that see me with bare skin ask me if I have applied makeup because it's looking a lot clearer than usual and I feel the same way.

I would also have to agree that it brightens and tones the skin. I am someone with pretty dry skin but after using this serum I didn't have any dry flaky spots which was amazing!! I don't have too much to say about this serum because for me personally, the before and after photos speak 1000 words. Yes I still have a pretty bad break out situation on my right cheek (thanks hormones) but all the spots from my before photo have completely gone. Acne marks usually last forever on me, so to have a product speed up the process and take away some of my redness I will forever be grateful for.

I have also used this serum in the past so I was without it for a little while. Which made me realise the drastic shift of my skin when I am using it and when I am not. Out of all the skincare I have ever used or owned, this is by far my favourite because it really boosts my confidence and I can go out without makeup on. It just makes my skin look so healthy, brighter and generally in a much better state than usual.

For anyone that is interested, I used the serum once a day at night and am about halfway through the bottle. I apply the serum generously over my cheeks and jaw line as they are my problem areas and use the left over on my forehead, nose and chin. I also really enjoy the dropper applicator as it keeps it hygienic and I can adjust how much or how little product I want to apply.

If your skin is similar to mine or you have any marks on your face you want to fade then I highly, highly, recommend this serum by Antipodes. It is a little pricey but I would happily buy multiple bottles because it really does wonders to my skin.

First things first, sorry for being absent from my blog once again. Life has been throwing a lot at me this year and I really had to figure out my priorities, which unfortunately meant blogging and Instagram got a little neglected.

If you are a regular reader of my skin diaries you would know I've been suffering from hormonal acne for years (8 to be exact) and it is still a constant battle. If you'd like to catch up, here are all my previous skin diaries. A quick summary of my health situation so this can all make sense, after all health and the appearance of your skin is connected. 8 years ago I started experiencing a lot of hormonal issues such as pain, nausea and of course, bad skin. This has continued up until present day. Fast forwarding to July last year (I may have mentioned this in previous skin diaries so I'm sorry if it's repetitive) a cyst was found on my right ovary. I knew because my period literally went missing for a few months, I had terrible pain and my skin was a nightmare. The solution was the pill and it was all and well while I was on it. The cyst went, I gained some weight, my boobs went up three sizes and most importantly my skin cleared completely. I decided to get off it because I'm someone who hates medication and I did not want to rely on a pill to balance my hormones. Assuming the cyst was a one off thing I got off the pill and focused on natural alternatives. Like cutting out dairy and sugar etc.

In January this year my weight literally dropped off. I think I lost a total of 12kg and I was already on the skinny side so it was not good. I didn't reach out to doctors at the time, instead I saw a naturopath but I didn't really openly admit my weight loss. It really affected my mood and I had no idea why the weight went away (so did my boobs, back to an A cup for me). Additionally, my skin broke out like crazy, it was like I went backwards. I went to a doctor and asked for a hormone blood test, I was rejected and told "I'm too young to have any hormonal issues that need checking" so that was that. The naturopath helped me to start balancing my hormones but as you'd notice in previous skin diaries it wasn't as big of a success as i'd hoped. I know natural alternatives take a while but deep down I knew something was wrong with my hormones. Around June/July when I noticed I was really struggling to put weight back on (my weight just kept dropping despite me ensuring I was eating around 2,300 calories) I went to the doctors because my wrists began to hurt. I was advised to take calcium & vitamin D tablets as well as alter my diet. Altering my diet helped me gain weight, roughly 2kg within a month, which was a lot better than it going down. I then saw another doctor because my naturopath wanted me to check my thyroid. I ended up getting a blood test and found my thyroid was hyperactive. That somewhat explained why my weight was dropping however when I had a one month check up my thyroid was back to normal and the doctor wanted me to have more tests because there wasn't much of an improvement with my weight, periods being regular or my skin. He had a feeling there was something off with my reproductive system. He requested an ultra sound as a check up because I had a cyst in the past, so I went to do that. During my ultra sound I discovered I had another cyst (which made total sense because my skin was badly breaking out at the time) as well as being told I have a mild case of polycystic ovary syndrome. The doctor had to clarify through a blood test but when I found out that this was most likely the issue I had all these years I was so relieved but also disheartened. I knew my hormones were imbalanced and I knew the symptoms weren't for nothing so I was glad to finally have a name to what was going on with my body. However, another curve ball. For some reason my blood test results didn't line up with my symptoms or what was seen on my ovaries so I'll need to go to the hospital to do further tests to see if it is polycystic ovaries or some other issue. Although I most likely do have the condition.

Anyway, that's an update on my health this year. It was necessary to explain because it is why my skin is the way it is as well as the reason for my absence. Of course the pill is the immediate response to the condition however it can't actually ever be cured so I thought, what's the point of a "bandaid" fix when I can try to eliminate or at least lessen the symptoms naturally. I've seen a dietitian but wasn't happy so now I will try a nutritionist where my naturopath was located. I will include that experience in my next update. Hopefully now that I pretty much know the cause of my acne I can achieve clearer skin.

I don't really have much of a skin "update" for you all but I do have the reason behind it all so I thought it was important to dedicate a post to. Like I said above I will update on the diet in the next skin diaries but for skin care and beauty this is what I'm using.

Skincare

• Palmer's Cocoa Butter Gentle Facial Cleansing Oil - the same as my other skin diaries! Although I do want to purchase the face halo and remove makeup with that.
• Nourish Skincare Kale 3D cleanse - I love kale, when I saw it was in a cleanser I immediately knew I'd love it. It is a colour changing cleanser (goes from silver to green when you mix it with water and use on your face) that is super gentle. It lifts impurities and detoxifies the skin. I prefer it over the previous cleanser I was using and am trying to use it 2x daily. I am guilty of only washing my face once a day, in the mornings I like to use warm water but I see more improvements when I use this cleanser twice.
• Nourish Skincare Radiance Firming Facial oil - I replaced rosehip oil and my sukin moisturiser with this oil. It is very lightweight and doesn't clog my pores. I've really enjoyed using it especially in the mornings under mineral makeup because it helps hydrate my skin. I did purchase another facial oil to use after this one so I look forward to seeing which one I prefer. I'll definitely update in my next post.
• Tea tree oil - I've been using this to spot treat any cystic acne I get and it works wonders but new pimples love to pop up so its a constant battle lol. 

Makeup

I have made the conscious effort to use more natural ingredient makeup on a daily basis. I have a natural/organic cosmetics series coming soon including reviews and favourites so I won't go into detail but I'll list a few i've been using.

• Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation spf 15
• Physician's Formula Organicwear CC Cream
• Scout Cosmetics Organic Healthy Glow Fluid Foundation

Here are some photos of where my skin is at lately + comparison from last skin diaries:

July (previous skin diaries) - Pictures were taken roughly a week or so before my period. Possibly closer to ovulation time which is always when my skin is at it's worst.

(These photos were taken indoors and the next images were taken outdoors in natural sunlight. Natural outdoor lighting does make my skin appear "clearer" whereas indoor lighting tends to make it look worse, so keep that in mind. I will try to remember to attach some indoor lighting photos again for a more accurate comparison.)

20th September - Taken a few days prior to my period (I forgot to take photos at ovulation time when my skin completely broke out). A couple of hormonal breakouts along jaw, cheek and temple although at this point mostly were starting to clear up.

6th October: my 11 day period finally ended and this is how my skin is looking.

In my next update I will discuss my diet in more detail, especially the changes I've made over the past two or so months. I just want to have an appointment with the nutritionist to get more advice so I have more to share with you all. Have a lovely day/night!

Hey everyone, I am finally getting up the 5th blogpost in my Skin Diaries series. This one is probably the most exciting as it is the first one that I will include what the naturopath I saw had to say as well as something that terrifies me, but I think will be very helpful. I have decided to include photos of my skin in these blogposts so we can all track my progress and see if products are working or if there are any changes.

I was going to delay attaching photos as much as possible but I think I will post them first up to get it out of the way. These photos were taken in natural day light and it is when my skin is at it's worst - my time of the month. You will notice that front on my skin isn't actually that bad, I have a few blemishes that always come up around period time but for the rest of the month don't really hang around. Prior to getting my period my skin was pretty clear and I was having a good run, it just always goes downhill when it's time.

When I turn my head and show my cheeks that is where things get worse. Here is where all my scarring is as well as a mixture of blemishes again thanks to my hormones. At the moment I am not worried about fading scars as much because I can't use my dermaroller while I have active acne. So once I sort out my pimples, these posts will be dedicated to scarring.

I left my forehead out as that is the clearest part of my skin. I barely ever get any pimples there so I didn't see a need to include a photo of it. If you don't know the cause of my acne or anything about my journey then please go back and read my other Skin Diaries or even the first one which is where I go into detail on my story.

I think the layout for this Skin Diaries will be different to previous ones as I want to include as much as possible that the naturopath has told me. I will break it up into Naturopath (which will now include supplements, diet and fitness), Skincare and Beauty.

Naturopath

Overview

Obviously what the naturopath and I have discussed won't be 100% suited to your situation so if you are interested in the natural route or anything I mention please consult with your own health practitioner. In terms of my situation my naturopath and I have been working on my gut health (since the beginning of May) as she believes that could be a cause and building on from that we are also working on my hormones and trying to regulate them which will then aid in the acne department too. She has also altered my diet which I will go into detail later.

Vitamins/Supplements

When I first saw my naturopath she didn't want to prescribe me anything immediately as she wanted to ease my body into it. I started out taking a nettle tea and was directed to have two to three cups a day. Here is a website I have found to list the benefits of this tea.

After my second or third session is when I was prescribed natural "medication". I take three capsules a day to aid in digestion (this is moreso for my gut health) as well as a probiotic 1x daily, which has now become a powdered version once daily (this is to again help my gut as I suffered from a lot of illnesses). I am not 100% sure if these supplements will directly aid in my skin as it is mainly to improve my overall health and help me gain weight (another thing I am struggling with lately).

One supplement that I am taking which is better linked to my skin is liquid zinc. I take 6 drops four times a day (if you want to have zinc please don't go by my dosage as I had to build up to this and some people don't need or can't tolerate zinc!! Speak to a professional first!). I initially took this as a zinc drink but am not able to apply it topically to my skin. I haven't done this yet but from now on I am going to do this and see if it helps. The naturopath made it clear that none of what I am doing will work within a week or even a month. It is going to be a longer process than the "pills" doctors prescribe as you are actually fixing your body/hormones this way not just patching it up with a "bandaid". In saying this I have been taking the zinc for a month and I did find my skin didn't break out as much prior to my period but like I mentioned above, I have broken out pretty badly now that it is period time.

Diet

Again my diet is suited to my own concerns (skin/weight/etc.) and has been constructed to suit myself. I don't eat meat so we came up with alternative ways for me to still get protein, omega and healthy fatty acids. I also don't have sugar so there was no need to cut that out of my diet. If you love sugar and are thinking of ways to alter your diet to better your skin then I do recommend you cut back greatly on your intake.

My diet pretty much consists of fish 3x a week, eggs, half my plate being veggies for every lunch/dinner (greens are best to improve skin!) as well as oats + an assortment of seeds/nuts with coconut milk for breakfast. If any of you are interested in what meals I make/eat in a week I can do a proper post going into detail. This is just a rough overview of the main suggestions the naturopath gave me.

Fitness

Between my last Skin Diaries and this one I did go to the gym and started weight training. Mainly to help me gain muscle (increase my weight) but exercise can also benefit your skin. I have since stopped the gym and do weight training occasionally at home. If I am not doing that I try to get myself to do yoga or meditation to relax/destress and also get some exercise into my life.

Skincare and Beauty

Skincare

I've cut back a lot again this time. In my last one I think I introduced more into my routine but have decided against that method once again. I now use one cleanser - Natural Instinct Replenishing Cream Cleanser (suggested by the naturopath). This cleanser is very gentle and doesn't strip or irritate my dry skin at all. It is pretty basic and very affordable but it works well. I still use the exact same cleansing oil to remove my makeup and pair my cleansing with either my Foreo or Clarisonic.

I ran out of my Sukin exfoliator and haven't purchased another yet. I know exfoliating is essential but I've been substituting it by using a cleansing device just to give my skin a break. I will probably purchase a proper exfoliator eventually.

Moisturisers are still my Sukin and The Body Shop ones. As well as my beloved Rosehip oil. I don't do as many face masks unless my skin feels congested or overly dry and I will use whichever mask is appropriate. I can do a face mask collection soon to show you the ones I own plus their purposes/benefits.

In terms of makeup I have only been using mineral/powder foundation. I actually used one up entirely - Nude by Nature - and have repurchased. It is a very quick application that covers but lets my skin breathe. I have a review here on the powder foundations I own and use so you can find out my thoughts by reading that!

That is all I have to share for this Skin Diaries. I am seeing my naturopath again at the end of July, she wanted me to have two periods before seeing her again to just take all the supplements and implement everything I was instructed. We will then review my progress and see where to go from there. Hopefully in my next update we will be able to see some sort of improvement with my skin especially now that I have included photos. If you are going to leave a comment please be mindful of what you say about my skin because it is a big insecurity of mine and took a lot for me to actually  post this with the photos. I hope that by attaching the photos I can better help others and if there is improvement it will make me happier to actually be able to track and see it.

Thank you for reading and have a lovely week ahead.

Recently I was very generously gifted Mint Skin's range of masks, the Rosa Hydration MUD and Detox MUD. If you follow me on Instagram or read my blog then you will know I have a very strong interest in skincare and love face masks. So naturally, I was very excited to receive and be able to try these masks out.

Lately I am suffering from horrible hormonal break outs so Mint Skin kindly helped me out with working out a schedule to help my issues. For the past week I put the two masks to the test and wrote my review and thoughts throughout.

First things first, a little about the brand:

"Mint Skin is Australia’s newest clay based range of face masks, developed to clean, detoxify and replenish your skin.

Mint Skin was developed to fulfill a need for simple, natural, skin products without the excessive price tag. 

We deliver products that are safe, non-toxic, highly effective and fun. 

We believe in real results from your skin care. 

Our products are cruelty free and locally made, tested on people, never animals."

Schedule

If you too are suffering from hormonal break outs and it feels like nothing is working then this schedule may also suit you. Obviously you can always adjust it to suit your own skin's needs and use masks as often as you wish. This is just what we came up with and what I trialled this past week.

Monday - Detox MUD

Tuesday - Rosa Hydration MUD

Wednesday - Detox MUD

Thursday - break

Friday - Multi-masking

If you've never heard of or are new to multi-masking it is when you use a variety of masks to treat multiple skin concerns. For me congestion, stress, breakouts and dry patches were my issues so I applied the detox mask to my cheeks, jaw line, chin and nose as those are the areas where I broke out. The Rosa hydration mask was applied to my forehead as that is usually my driest and dehydrated area with no acne.

About

Detox MUD

Mint Skin recommend you use this mask if your skin is feeling clogged & congested or it is oily/acne-prone. The Detox MUD mask helps with drawing out toxins and bacteria while leaving your skin a lot cleaner, fresher and healthier.

When I used this mask for the first time it burnt around my nostrils, 100% because I applied it over the top of where I had been blowing my nose all weekend due to a cold. So if you have a cold steer clear of applying this mask too close to that area 🙈. I also made the mistake of applying it a little too close to my eyes (they even recommend not to do this lol) which are naturally sensitive to a lot of things so they watered. The next use I avoided those areas and had no issues at all. So you can all learn from my mistakes!

This mask reminded me A LOT of the famous Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay which is forever sold out. It feels tight on the skin once dried and you can slightly feel a throbbing sensation, which is why it reminds me of the mask mentioned above.

I don't have oily skin at all so I can't tell you if it helped with that but for someone with dry skin I didn't find this mask to be drying whatsoever. I also found it helped to reduce current pimples sizes which was amazing! I really do feel like this mask cleans out your skin and it is a good mask to use after heavy make up or when your skin is stressed.

This was my favourite mask out of the two because I'm obsessed with masks that dry out existing pimples!!

Rosa Hydration MUD
Think soothing, hydrating and rosy.

This mask was very gentle on the skin and not drying whatsoever despite it still being a clay mask. The Rosa Hydration MUD is the perfect pick-me-up kind of mask to give your skin a hydration and glow boost. It was also very easy to remove and the scent made me feel pampered.

In my opinion the packets the masks come in can be used for two applications. Unless you really like to pack on the product. They were both easy to use and the brush applied them evenly. To remove the masks I used warm water and a towel then followed with my moisturiser. By the end of the week I noticed my existing pimples had reduced greatly in size so now I am only left with the red marks.

Since these masks detox your skin you may experience a few break outs in the following days as it really helped to remove all the gunk out of my skin. This is a sign that the mask really does draw out the toxins and clear the skin. If you are interested in either of these masks check out the Mint Skin website, they also have bundles you can purchase.

I will continue to use these masks in my weekly skincare routine as I find they really help with acne-prone skin. If you suffer from acne due to congestion then this will absolutely help to clear that up! If you suffer from hormonal acne it will clear the existing pimples but not stop it in the future (this is an internal issue after all). If you have any questions feel free to contact them because they're super friendly and helpful!!

Other info

Website: https://www.mintskin.com.au/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mintskin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mintskinsydney/

Disclaimer - These products were sent to me for the purpose of this review however all opinions are 100% honest and based off my own experience. I only work with companies I would personally support or purchase from myself. For more information click here - disclaimer

Skin update time! With this update I have encountered different skin concerns so my routine, especially skincare has changed. If you missed my first or second skin diaries click the links to read them first 😊

Since December I have struggled with congested skin and tiny small bumps all over my forehead. Other than that I haven't experienced any acne. I have noticed my scars have also been fading but back to the real issue now. I have had to up my skincare game to help with the congestion. The only thing I can think of that may have added to this is that I stopped wearing primer. I'm not big on primer to begin with but I think that choice may have back fired? To be safe I now incorporate it into my routine.

Vitamins

Between the last update and this one you may have noticed that I have swapped a few things that I was taking. I have been continuing with the same Maca root tablets however will be switching to 1000mg instead of 500mg.

I changed to Nature's Way Complete Daily Multivitamin plus Spirulina as it has more iron than the previous one. The reason links with my diet.

Last but not least I completely switched to Vitamin E instead of Vitamin A. This was for multiple reasons, the main one being to boost my immune system but it also has many benefits for the skin. I read multiple reviews and a lot of people were saying it helped their skin glow etc. So I look forward to see how this works opposed to Vitamin A.

Diet
I have continued on with cutting out sugar however I am now also vegetarian. This too should have positive benefits on my skin but this is a personal decision so I won't go too much into it. In future posts I will simply mention whether or not being vegetarian has actually improved my skin.

Skincare

I have been using a lot more skincare lately and have even written up a routine. On Tuesday, Thursdays and Sundays I now exfoliate and do a face mask, the type of mask depends on my skin needs that day. Every day that I wear makeup I double cleanse with my oil based cleanser otherwise one cleanse. I will list the products below:

• Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial scrub - doesn't irritate my sensitive skin whatsoever and is a very gentle scrub. It leaves my skin feeling clean and looking brighter.
• Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Ultra Gentle Facial Cleansing Oil - I have been using this product ever since my first skin diaries and even before that. I always have at least two or three back ups because I love it. I know use this as my cleanser, not only to remove makeup. I decided to combine the two because I know my skin agrees with this product and it leaves my dry skin feeling soft.
• NIP+FAB Glycolic Night Pads Extreme - this is the only non-natural/organic product that I have added to my routine. Nothing I owned was helping with the small bumps on my forehead and I saw this in my skincare cupboard. After a few uses of these pads I noticed my pores instantly looking clearer and the bumps were diminishing. I have been using these roughly three times a week and they are helping dramatically with congestion.
• Sukin Sensitive Facial Moisturiser - Now that we are in summer my previous moisturiser was too heavy for my skin so I decided to try this one out.
• Life Flo Health Pure Rosehip Seed Oil - like the cleansing oil this too hasn't changed from my first skin diaries.

The masks I alternate between are:

• reCLAYm Rejuvenating Pink Aussie Clay Mask - full review here. Its a less intense option compared to the Aztec mask.
• Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay - the most intense, full on and literally pulsating mask. This one really helps to clear out the pores and draws out any gunk. After using this mask I usually do experience a few break outs.
• ADORN Pure White Clay - can you tell I am loving clay masks lately? I find them to really help draw out impurities and love having different options.
• Andalou Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask - This mask helps to brighten and repair damaged cells. If my skin isn't feeling too congested and needs a pick me up I reach for this one.
• Daiso Pore Care Pack - When between my brows/nose looks disgusting I resort to these pore strips. I rarely use them unless I really have to. They do the job and I always follow up with toner.

Beauty

Using the same products as my previous skin diaries however I have added in sunscreen. I am forcing myself to wear as little makeup as possible to let my skin breathe but am making sure I cleanse properly at night to remove any sunscreen/moisturiser residue.

I have added the Antipodes powder as my base in addition to the Physicians Formula CC cream and Inika Organics BB cream.

Pretty much with this update my skin has slightly taken a turn for the worst but my scars are starting to lighten. There isn't anything I am thinking of changing or adding at the moment, I will continue to treat my congestion and then go back to working on the scarring.

Clay masks are without a doubt my favourite types of masks to use. They leave my skin feeling clean, refreshed and ready for the week ahead! For the past few years the only clay mask I dedicated myself to was the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay mask however I was recently introduced to reCLAYm. I was sent out their Rejuvenating Pink Aussie Clay Mask with CoQ10. Continue reading to hear my thoughts and learn more about this company.

About
reCLAYm currently sell four types of clay based masks on their websites so no matter what your skin type you will find a match. The Rejuvenating mask that I tried out is aimed towards normal-dry & combination skin types, their Salted Chocolate Deluxe mask (which sounds AMAZING) is also recommended for the same skin type.

If your skin is on the oily or acne prone side they suggest you use their Detoxifying Green Aussie Clay mask with grapefruit, which reminds me most of the Aztec one I love! And last but not least for all you sensitive skin girls or guys they have a Soothing Ivory Aussie Clay mask with aloe vera which already sounds so calming. The ingredients in all their masks are 100% natural and organic and they are paraben free, cruelty free & vegan.

Experience
Before I get into how this mask actually worked out for me I wanted to quickly touch on the concept and packaging. When you receive your box you will notice they mask is split into three small container which are intended to be used once as the mask is activated when combined with water. Therefore you can only use this mask a total of three times. Personally, I think this is a waste because I easily got two uses out of the amount of product in one of the small containers. I put all the "powder" into two containers and kept the third empty for where I made up the actual mask. By doing this I was able to use as little or as much to suit myself. If this mask come in one bigger tub and a small tub (for mixing) it would be 5/5. The retail price is $18.95 and I definitely think for the amount of product you get it is worth it however I am not a fan of the concept.

Now for the actual mask and how it worked. I have normal/dry skin which can be sensitive however this mask did not irritate nor dry out my skin at all. I found it easy to create and apply as it comes with a stick so spreading it across my face was a breeze. Also since you mix it up inside the container it allows for a mess free experience.

When the mask was on my face the entire time it felt cooling and never tight or drying which was a pleasant feeling. I have seen online that clay masks aren't really recommended for dryer skin types but this one definitely works well. After 15 or so minutes I removed the mask which was slightly messier than applying it. Because it is red in colour they advised you to avoid white or light coloured towels so I opted for my hands. It did get everywhere in my sink but washed off easily. The only other thing I wanted to make note of was that if you have light coloured or blonde roots this can stain so I suggest you remove this mask in the shower to ensure you get it out of your hairline properly. Or you could avoid your hairline and not make my mistake 😂

Once removed my face felt hydrated but clean at the same time. It felt as though all my pores had been cleaned out but my face was not stripped of any oils leaving it dry if that makes any sense.

Overall I was very impressed with this mask and really want to try out their Salted Chocolate one! The reCLAYm website offers free shipping Australia wide and for the prices of these masks I highly recommend you take the plunge and try one out. I will attach their social media and website below for you all to check them out 😊

Details
Website
Instagram

Disclaimer - This mask was sent to me for the purpose of this review however all opinions are 100% honest and based off my own experience. I only work with companies I would personally support or purchase from myself. For more information click here - disclaimer

Skin update time! I have been on the natural route for about a month now and I wanted to check in on how my skin is going. To catch up please read my first post so you have a background on whats going on and the benefits/reasons of what I am taking.

Vitamins
I am still taking my Vitamin A, Multivitamin and Maca tablets daily.

In terms of the maca root tablet the only thing I have noticed thus far is my period is regular and lighter although I am still getting headaches and hormonal acne. I will be trying something with my diet to further help balance my hormones to see if that will help with the hormonal breakouts. When I finish this bottle of tablets I will up my dosage to 1000mg to see if that works better since I haven't had any negative side effects to this lower dosage.

Diet
I am very happy to say that I have completely cut out sugar (except from fruits) from my diet for the past two months. At the beginning I did suffer from afternoon headaches which I am putting it down to sugar cravings but a banana and a block of 70-90% dark chocolate usually helped. Some days they were really bad though and it was tough to not eat biscuits instead. Thankfully the cravings are gone and I have no desire to eat processed sugary foods. I do feel like this has helped a lot with keeping the acne away. Like I said above I still got hormonal acne when it was that time of the month but when it wasn't I had none. I will continue to keep sugar out of my diet and if you are thinking of cutting it out or currently are going through it I know it is tough but it is definitely worth it in the end! Plus it has so many other health benefits.

I still have juices with a mixture of vegetables and fruits which has replaced my old processed sugar intake but I now include seeds which I will speak about more. I came across a post here talking about how you can balance your hormones naturally with seed cycling. Unfortunately my period arrived before I could gather all the seeds so I won't start this properly until next month. Keep an eye out for my next update because i'll definitely include more about this!

Detox
As for my detox this had to be put on hold. I did start it but I got really sick so I had to stop. The detox didn't make me sick I just suffer from reoccuring tonsillitis and needed all the energy I could get.

I can tell you that the tea I chose tasted really good so it was easy to drink the recommended amount.

Skincare/Beauty
Last but not least is what I am doing topically.
I am still using -
The same rosehip oil, hydrating face fluid, cleansing oil and face masks. I finished my Antipodes cleanser completely so now I am using one by Iluka and I switched out my moisturiser as it made my skin itchy. The one I use now is the Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Face Cream which helps so much with my dry skin.

As for makeup I decided to purchase the Organic CC Cream by Physician's Formula and use a Nude by Nature powder to add more coverage.

I am also looking into dermarolling to help treat my scarring. I am usually a big sook when it comes to pain and have a phobia of needles so I don't know how well it will work. I'm very tempted to take the plunge after researching it and seeing amazing results. I have no idea what brand is best so if you have any recommendations please let me know and you'll most likely read about my experience in the next few updates!

Thats all I have to say for this update and I will have another one up in a month or so.

This week I have another organic skincare company to share with you all - Stem Organics! They are an Australian made & cruelty free company that cut back on excess packaging so you are actually paying for the product and not just the pretty packaging (although their packaging is still pretty amazing yet practical!)

Here's a little more about them -

They include

• Age fighting antioxidants
• Natural anti-inflammatory and skin super nutrients
• Certified organic and natural ingredients
• Premium quality and organic essential oils
• Vital essential fatty acids with omegas
• Nourishing cold pressed and organic nut, seed and fruit oils
• Powerful anti-ageing ingredients
• Essential Vitamins and Minerals

While leaving out

• Petrochemicals
• GM (genetically modified) ingredients
• Parabens
• Sulphates
• Artificial colouring
• Artificial fragrances
• Nano ingredients
• Dioxins
• Propylene Glycol
• Pesticides
• Herbicides

Clearly this company is already a great brand to consider when purchasing new skincare since it will really benefit your skin naturally and cause you no damage. The two products I tested out are their Hydrating Face Fluid and Rejuvenating Face Oil.

Firstly I would like to talk about the Rejuvenating Face Oil. This oil is encased plastic packaging with a very easy to use dropper, allowing you to apply as much or as little product as you prefer. Unfortunately I had an allergic reaction to an ingredient within this product. I am yet to figure out what it was but every time I persisted and continued to use it my face broke out in a rash so I had to give up. I didn't want to exclude this product from my review so instead I made my brother test it out just so I could still share some thoughts and results with you all.

This vegan face oil claims to "rejuvenate, repair and replenish your skin with 14 precious organic and natural oils. Rejuvenating Face Oil is perfect for dehydrated, sun damaged, aged skin, scars, rough or uneven skin tones with its natural collagen building essential fatty acids and vitamins A, B, E."

I noticed with my brothers skin that this oil helped even out his skin tone (over time) and left his skin looking brighter and more supple. His skin is on the oiler side and this still worked well for him.

Next up is their Hydrating Face Fluid. This product comes with a pump making it very practical and hygienic to use. Thankfully my skin loved this stuff! It has a thin white consistency which absorbs quickly into the skin leaving it hydrated with no oily residue. When using this product I did notice that my dry patches were non-existent and my skin felt and looked less dehydrated, especially when I wore makeup. I also applied this gently - and only a little bit - around my eyes to aid in reducing fine lines and hydrating the area for concealer application. This product also left my skin feeling very soft and less textured which I love!!

I decided to put my results first with this one but here are the claims - "Hydrating Face Fluid is a rich, yet rapidly absorbed face fluid that is full of essential fatty acids, emollients, vitamins and minerals. Fantastic for skin feeling dry, taut or affected by the extremes of weather, particularly the cold. Feel revived and nurture your skin by using this nutrient rich moisture fluid to deeply moisturize, soften, soothe and protect. Helps lock in moisture."

I'll definitely be looking into their other products because I would love to try out more organic skincare! I highly recommend Stem Organics, not only because they're Australian made, vegan and cruelty free but because they actually use ingredients that are 100% safe for our skin. I strongly believe that people need to switch to natural skincare, especially if acne is a problem, because the major brands generally include ingredients that actually are damaging our skin rather than helping it. For more information on what ingredients to avoid when it comes to skincare you can do a google search and read all about it - or just make the switch and know what you are putting on your face matters!

Disclaimer - This product was sent to me for the purpose of this review however all opinions are 100% honest and based off my own experience. For more information click here - disclaimer

ILUKA Skincare is an all natural, cruelty free, Australian made skincare brand. Tick, tick and tick! They leave out parabens and sulphates in all of their products (these are toxic to your skin!) plus the entire range is anti-aging. I was fortunate enough to try out two products from their extensive luxury range, these are their Hydrating Toner Mist and their Fine Line Eye Serum.

Hydrating Toner Mist

Claims -

Aloe Vera + Green Tea + Marine Collagen
A delightfully refreshing toner mist that will soothe and hydrate the skin all day long.
-Natural humectants for hydration (Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Marine Collagen)
-Anti-oxidant - Vitamin C
-Soothing and moisturising - Aloe Vera
-Natural Extracts - Green Tea, Lilly Pilly, Chamomile

My thoughts -
I am guilty of never using a toner in my skincare routine, I never really saw the point of it and usually skipped it completely. However ever since receiving this toner I have actually incorporated it regularly into my routine mainly because it was in a spray bottle! The packaging is a major bonus for me making it very easily and practical to use. I don't need to waste cotton rounds I just spray it straight onto my face after cleansing, a face mask or throughout the day to refresh my face.

When I think of toner I always think dry and tight feeling skin (this is why I never liked using it) but this one really does leave my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. If your skin is on the dryer side then you need this toner in your life!

Fine Line Eye Serum

Claims -
Aloe Vera + Cucumber Extract + Marine Collagen
A double action eye serum with a a gel-cream moisturising formulation, designed to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness for a more radiant and youthful appearance 
- Helps combat both dark circles and eyebags (Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5)
- Soothing and moisturising – Aloe Vera
- Natural – Cucumber Extract & Macadamia Oil
- Natural humectants for hydration (Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Marine Collagen

My thoughts -
When I first started using this eye serum the consistency was nothing I was used to. I generally used thick cream formulas rather than a thin gel consistency so I wasn't a big fan of it. It did however begin to grow on me and I realised it is a much better formula to use under makeup as it absorbs fast into the skin and prevents my concealer and powder from caking up. This is now the only eye serum I use and I now prefer gel consistencies a lot better than cream!

It leaves a cooling affect on your undereyes so it is perfect to apply in the mornings and I feel like it does help reduce fine lines - not that mine are noticeable unless I have makeup on. This is my favourite eye serum that I have ever tried and this tube will last you ages! I've been using it daily and I still have heaps left.

If you need some new skincare products in your life I definitely recommend you try out ILUKA Skincare. The natural ingredients will give you a peace of mind that you are applying good quality products to your skin rather than harsh chemicals and you will definitely notice results after using them. They also offer sets of products suited to your skin type which is a great way to try their products that will work with your skin and are a great value of money. Since I'm switching to all cruelty free and natural skincare ILUKA is definitely a brand I'll keep in mind to create my new skincare routine!

Disclaimer - This product was sent to me for the purpose of this review however all opinions are 100% honest and based off my own experience. For more information click here - disclaimer

This series is about something that is very personal to me but I have decided to take you all on the journey with me. I have made the decision to go 100% natural and try to combat my hormonal acne myself using organic and natural skincare/makeup, vitamins, juices and detox. I will do frequent updates on how things are going whenever I see an improvement or change and hopefully this can help someone else out there with their struggles!

I have had hormonal acne for 7 years so I know what it is like to pile on the most full coverage makeup possible just to boost confidence. Even though right now I don't suffer from acne I have decided to come off the medication that helped to clear it. I feel as though an all natural route will be safer and more rewarding for my skin and body in the long run. I am worried that coming off the medication will let all that acne to return as my hormones are unbalanced and I've had ovarian cysts in the past.

Here's a bit more about my acne - it is mainly on my jaw line, chin and cheek areas, I have never had it on my forehead or "T zone" (normal/dry skin type). I usually only break out at the time of the month, when I am stressed and when I eat too many sugary foods.

Now that I have gotten my background story out of the way this is what I have decided to do to not only treat my acne but also help out with my health and hormonal issues. A lot of what I have purchased was from iHerb so if you are interested in any of these items I will include a link.

On a daily basis I will be taking Vitamin A, Maca Root Tablet and a Womens Multivitamin - these will be taken with my breakfast.

Vitamin A

BLACKMORES Vitamin A 5000
Although this vitamin is marketed to improve day and night vision it also has benefits for the skin. Some benefits include -

• Preventing dead skin cells from clogging pores
• Reduces the amount of oil your skin produces
• Suppresses androgen formation - a cause of acne
• Keeps cell damage and inflammation to a minimum
• Reduces wrinkles, fades brown spots and helps to even out any texture in your skin

I have actually been taking Vitamin A for the past month and have had no negative side-effects. I have noticed that my skin is a lot smoother however when I post this I am still on medication so I will update you again when I am off it.

Multivitamin

Nature's Own Mega Potency Women's Multivitamin
Claims -

• assists energy production & helps maintain a healthy nervous system
• assists skin defences & repair mechanisms that may reduce the effects of ageing
• supports healthy bones

I am on my third month of using this multivitamin and so far so good.

Maca Root Tablet
Now Foods Maca 500mg
I will be starting this tablet in October and will update its affects in future skin diary entries. I am starting out with the lowest amount of mg I could find to make sure it agrees with me before taking a high dosage.

After endless nights researching I found out that Maca Root is comparable to the contraceptive pill (minus the contraceptive part). It helps to increase energy, balance hormones and prevent cysts which will hopefully also prevent my acne from returning.

Detox
Additionally I will be completely a 30 day detox to help clear my liver from any toxins. If your body is full of toxins it will reflect in your skin so I'm hoping doing a detox through tea will help. The tea I've decided to go with is the Yogi Caffeine Free Detox. 

I have no idea if you're supposed to avoid eating when doing a detox but there is no way I won't be eating for a month. I will be limiting my amount of sugar intake and completely eliminate junk food!

Juices
I'm the type of person that isn't the biggest fan of fruit so I make myself juices almost daily combining various fruits and vegetables. This way I am having the recommended intake in a convenient way for me personally. I have been doing this for the past two months or so and will continue in the future. If any of you are interested I can do a post on the juices I do that help improve your skin + taste good!

Skincare
For now I am using Antipodes Skincare, Stem Organics and other natural skincare. Specifically the products I am using are -

• Life Flo Health Pure Rosehip Seed Oil - this is my nightly "moisturiser". Rosehip helps with scarring and redness
• Andalou face masks - glycolic pumpkin mask and the rosewater mask.
• On any really bad skin days I'll opt for my Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask - I have reviewed both the Andalou mask and this one here if you are interested on learning about them.
• Antipodes Grace Gentle Cream Cleanser - I'll most likely be out of this by my next update so I'm trying to find another one to test out
• Antipodes Immortal SPF 15 Moisturiser - as my daily moisturiser
• Stem Organics Hydrating Face Fluid - helps to lock in moisture which I need since my skin is dry!
• Palmer's Facial Cleansing Oil - to remove makeup

Makeup
Last but not least is makeup. Obviously I am a makeup addict, I have an Instagram account dedicated to it and this blog to share my reviews with you all. I am not comfortable to completely cut out wearing makeup so on more of a daily basis I am going to be using a natural and hopefully organic concealer and/or foundation. I haven't decided on which one I will purchase but I will include the one I chose in my next update.

I know this post is long and probably boring for most of you but I'm just hoping that by sharing my journey with you all I can help at least one other person or encourage you to also try a more natural method. In future posts I will let you know what worked for me or what didn't, any new things I am trying and possibly result pictures if I notice enough of a difference. Thank you for reading and here's to a (hopefully) very successful journey!