One of my goals for 2020 was to TACKLE MY MELASMA.
Yay! A goal – albeit a vain one – was accomplished!
But what better time than quarantine to do some skin self care?!

Buckle up for another post with some scary selfies and the worst morning hair you’ve ever seen. 

I talked all about this in a previous post from July 2020.
Check that post out first if you haven’t!
It’s like I’m on the Bachelorette….. this is a journey, ya know what I mean?

pictures from my July 2020 post below 

spoiler alert for the long post:
I still have melasma.  And probably always will.  (it comes and goes)
But itis DRASTICALLY better thanks to the steps I’ve taken with my skin fairy godmother (a NP with 15 years in aesthetics) and her helping me slowly do more and more to improve it.

I got serious about my skincare when I was introduced to Laurel from The Look By Laurel.
She is based in Charleston but (prior to Covid) traveled back and forth working there and in Atlanta so we have met a few times (she’s amazing and so sweet) to help my skin.  Hopefully one day she’ll be traveling back here but you can work with her virtually and she can recommend things based on YOUR skin and your needs.  Everyones skin is different and that’s what I’ve loved about working with her – she takes the guesswork out of the equation and makes it so simple (and oh, also love that it’s given me results I badly need!) She is a Nurse Practitioner and has over 15 years of experience in aesthetics – she knows SO much and has answered so many questions for me over the months!

I started working with Laurel on my skincare about a year and a half ago.  We started with small baby steps – and even the baby steps give noticeable results! – and built up to daily retinol use, Vitamin C, all the good things.  My skin kept getting better and better, and my melasma was improving.
Once summer was over and I finished our family trip to Hilton Head, I was ready to start the “bigger” steps with my melasma that I could do at home and topically.  (There are tons of bigger things that you can do with a professional in-office, but I wanted to start with the skin care basics and one day I will do something with the high tech in-office stuff!)

I think October 18th was my first day on this new plan
(a plan with a prescription ingredient called Hydroquinone),
so I’m a little over 10 weeks in as I write this.
Almost to the 3 month mark!

{OH, Laurel has so sweetly given me code for
25% off for any of you wanting to up your skincare this year!
for ANY skincare.  whatever your needs are, doesn’t have to me what I’m using.
She sells ALL the goodies :
Zo, Skin Better, as well as EltaMD (love their sunscreen) ISDIN, iSClinical, Revision, Epiconce.
ALL the goodies and always at the best prices. 
Use code BLONDE25 for 25% off your order (good through 1/13)
AND a $50 Visa Gift Card to the first 5 people who purchase with $150 of products with her through the end of January!) 

+ disclaimer – this is not an ad or sponsored, she is just amazing to work with and I’m so lucky to be able to give some deals to all of you, too! I get so many DM’s about melasma – especially pregnant/postpartum hormone induced! 

More about my current Zo routine with Hydroquinone involved!

You cannot do this without supervision from a professional.
Even my cleanser has to be approved by her because it cannot contain too much glycolic acid, etc. (Why? I don’t know…. but that’s why you need a professional)

A few key things – and OF COURSE, as I always say, I know nothing about nothing.  Talk to a professional like Laurel.  Everyone’s skin and skincare needs are different.

• Melasma is beyotch that will ebb and flow – I know when I’m outside in the heat/sun even with hats and SPF it will rear it’s ugly head.
• You have to follow the routine with Hydroquinone completely.  It’s is a prescription.  Monitored by a professional. I think of it like an antibiotic – you have to take the full dose of X amount of days, not just do it sporadically.
• I cannot stay on this forever – I have to go on and off and give my skin breaks.
• Just like how everyone’s skin needs are different, as your skin changes your routine may need to change, too.  So make sure you are constantly re-evaluating with the help of a pro.

:: THE ROUTINE :: 
for me….. yours may be different!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Since I haven’t seen Laurel in person since Covid, I text her with my updates.
When I texted her my first update, 3 weeks in,
it really hit me how much my melasma has been bothering me.  For so, so long.
I knew I hated it, but seeing it start to fade made me more aware to how uncomfortable I was about it.Amazingly I saw improvement SO quickly!

oh, and stubby lashes have also grown thanks to going back to lash serum! wa hooo.

If you’re wanting to step up your skincare this year, do it and do it NOW.
It truly will be the best thing you do for yourself – and no time like Covid time, right?!
I love and use many OTC/Dermstore/etc skincare products but for this regimen I am STRICTLY using the Zo products so that I don’t add in an acid or a chemical that will negate the effects of the hydroquinone, etc.

Reach out to Laurel if you need help or recommendations
or want to do a Virtual Consultation to asses your skin! and don’t forget : 
{and Laurel has so sweetly given me code for 25% off for any of you wanting to up your skincare this year! 
Use code BLONDE25 for 25% off your order (good through 1/13)
AND a $50 Visa Gift Card to the first 5 people who purchase with $150 of products with her (through 1/31) !) 

She has ALL the goodies : 
Zo, Skin Better, as well as EltaMD (love their sunscreen) ISDIN, iSClinical, Revision, Epiconce.
ALL the goodies and always at the best prices.