Written by @kararoselles
· By Jamika Martin
Skincare Stories: Kara
Growing up I was never particularly interested in skincare. I was more concerned with creating, spending time with friends, or playing The Sims. My mom wasn’t big on it herself and I didn’t have any other influences in my life who practiced it habitually. To be honest, both of my parents have pretty amazing skin. I noticed breakouts becoming more frequent and oiler skin in high school. My dad hipped me to his trick of using alcohol as a toner, something I now realize can be a bit stripping, but at that point it got the job done. I’d say that was my first introduction to any semblance of a skincare routine. I rocked with alcohol and Aveeno daily moisturizer for a few years, then decided to dive into a proper routine at the end of high school. I’ve always had rather sensitive skin. Finding myself a routine was rooted in scarring, nose pad marks on the bridge of my nose from wearing glasses since age 8, and hyperpigmentation that was left behind from hormonal acne and face picking. My mom and I went to Sephora and I was recommended Clinique's 3-Step system, #3. For a while this helped to manage breakouts and heal the damage that was done.
I learned about serums, the general order of morning and night routines, masking, and more. My top “concerns” now still include hyperpigmentation, along with texture and a sprinkle of body acne every once in a while.
Fast forward to college, I met a friend I now consider a sister, Alexa. She was way more into skincare than myself and I slowly started picking her brain. Over the course of our friendship and the years, I learned about serums, the general order of morning and night routines, masking, and more. My top “concerns” now still include hyperpigmentation, along with texture and a sprinkle of body acne every once in a while. I’m lucky and don’t have too many continuous breakouts; usually about 1 per month prior to my period, I have a suspicion that birth control may have something to do with this. My main scarring comes from ingrown chin hairs (annoying, but not the end of the world). I have naturally curly hair and wasn’t plucking properly for the past year or so, just breaking the hair off rather than getting it at the root. It’d become ingrown and leave a series of scarring on both sides of my chin. I’ve finally learned that I either need to sugar the area, be confident that I can fully pluck the hair, or not touch it at all. Truthfully, most of the time I’m the only one who notices that they’re there.
Now I’m pretty familiar with my skin’s likes and dislikes. I’ve got my routines down (for now) and am doing my best to use clean products, too.
In the morning I rinse with water, tone, follow with a vitamin C serum, moisturize, and finish with eye cream and sunscreen. At night I tend to dive a bit deeper with a proper wash, tone, facemask depending on my needs, then moisturize and finish with eye cream and oil. I love rolling or using a gua sha on my face over oil or a sheet mask. Though I’ve learned not to do this too late because it’s important to hydrate after using these tools. Something else about my skin, and most people’s, it loves water! Usually if my skin is looking especially sad, I realize I haven't been drinking enough water. Hydrating properly for a couple of days tends to restore things.
Some things I’ve learned in my short time here: pimples happen, sometimes at non-ideal times, but breakouts are almost never worth a breakdown. Listen to your skin and take things slowly, don’t overwhelm your face with dozens of new products at a time. And maybe most importantly, hydrate. You can’t slap on a bunch of products and expect a miracle when you aren’t taking care of yourself from within. Getting nutrients through diet and drinking enough water are imperative. I realize dark spots will happen, glasses marks are annoying, but at the end of the day I have skin that’s doing its job and protecting me. That’s what I try to remind myself when I’m having a moment. More often than not we’re the most hypercritical of ourselves, others rarely see what we’re nitpicking. A recent follow of mine has been Jessica DeFino, @jessicadefino_ on Instagram. Something she said that’s really stuck with me, “beauty is not a standard you have to meet before your real life can begin.”
Some things I’ve learned in my short time here: pimples happen, sometimes at non-ideal times, but breakouts are almost never worth a breakdown.
KEEP UP WITH KARA ON INSTAGRAM
343 comments
-
https://marrymyhusbandep1.vsble.me/
https://marrymyhusbandep1.vsble.me/hd/thai/
https://marrymyhusbandep1.vsble.me/hd/
https://gamma.app/public/EP3-3-FULLHD—ip9452fqcxxhp06
https://gamma.app/public/EP3-3-FULLHD-THAI-0wcr6jfydhmml0m
https://gamma.app/public/EP-4-4-HD-THAI-utmdbwdo30bkdvp
https://gamma.app/public/Ep4-4-FULLHD—v5rxj2sy5h6hffq
https://marrymyhusbandep3.vsble.me/
https://marrymyhusbandep3.vsble.me/hd/thai/
https://marrymyhusbandep3.vsble.me/hd/
https://mez.ink/marrymyhusbandep3seriesthai
https://marrymyhusbandep3.unicornplatform.page/
https://gamma.app/public/EP5-5-FULLHD—hr8h189sjpsp61w
https://gamma.app/public/Ep5-5-FULLHD—f38d7zb6fklf9fu
https://mez.ink/findyourselfep5seriesthai
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD—4144mt0o65istsh
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD—bnn2opuqdbpx1u3
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD—gyxdfn2n77trl2x
https://mez.ink/onceadoctoralwaysadoctorep1seriesthai
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-8-UNCUT-FULLHD-THAI-xph0c6unuxed2hu
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-8-UNCUT-FULLHD—rr3ifrugttgakak
https://mez.ink/pitbabeep8theseriesuncutthai
https://gamma.app/public/Nana-Tour-with-Seventeen-EP-1-1-HD-THAI-f78m5gnzni4p9tu
https://pitbabeep8.vsble.me/
https://pitbabeep8.vsble.me/hd/thai/
https://pitbabeep8.vsble.me/hd/csvsd on
-
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD—bnn2opuqdbpx1u3
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD—gyxdfn2n77trl2x
https://onceadoctoralwaysadoctorep1thai.unicornplatform.page/
https://mez.ink/onceadoctoralwaysadoctorep1seriesthai
https://events.humanitix.com/host/onceadoctoralwaysadoctorep1seriesthai
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-8-UNCUT-FULLHD-THAI-xph0c6unuxed2hu
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-8-UNCUT-FULLHD—rr3ifrugttgakak
https://mez.ink/pitbabeep8theseriesuncutthai
https://events.humanitix.com/host/pitbabeep8seriesthai
https://gamma.app/public/Nana-Tour-with-Seventeen-EP-1-1-HD-THAI-f78m5gnzni4p9tucsfaeafd on
-
https://theofficegamesep13.vsble.me/
https://theofficegamesep13.vsble.me/thai/hd/
https://theofficegamesep13.vsble.me/thai/
https://gamma.app/public/EP14-14-FULLHD—pq6wn0hlzhxu8on
https://theofficegamesep14seriesfilm.unicornplatform.page/
https://hangoutep1filmdrama.unicornplatform.page/
https://hangoutep15.vsble.me/
https://hangoutep15.vsble.me/thai/hd/
https://hangoutep15.vsble.me/thai/
https://gamma.app/public/EP15-15-FULLHD—ir1outs0fqc9nkr
https://gamma.app/public/EP-16-16-HD-THAI-8sddj96rliggwdx
https://gamma.app/public/EP16-16-FULLHD—l3e9hhw232o3t8w
https://hangoutep15filmdrama.unicornplatform.page/cfsegsdx on
-
https://gamma.app/public/Love-for-Loves-Sake-EP1-1-FULLHD-THAI-wxfg0wmgh550pn3
https://gamma.app/public/A-Good-Day-to-Be-a-Dog-EP13-13-FULLHD-THAI-qweke1mn4cconu4
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-8-FULLHD—ba7cyt8zza7mmxn
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-8-FULLHD—dur9v1t55n566qq
https://gamma.app/public/EP8-EP9-EP10-8-9-10-FULLHD-THAI-qeqgfmawuu2o52y
https://gyeongseongcreatureep8-ep9-ep10thai.unicornplatform.page/
https://gamma.app/public/EP-9-9-HD-THAI-oar78r3vnwy5cpg
https://gamma.app/public/EP9-9-FULLHD-THAI-mj6w1p55cpxqf41
https://loveseniorep9dramaseriesthai.unicornplatform.page/
https://loveseniorep9.vsble.me/
https://loveseniorep9.vsble.me/hd/thai/
https://loveseniorep9.vsble.me/hd/
https://gamma.app/public/EP13-13-FULLHD-THAI-erf5e2quueqn3ic
https://gamma.app/public/EP-14-14-HD-THAI-boql91axzl1xh0m
https://theofficegamesep13dramaseriesthai.unicornplatform.page/vdgrehdf on
-
https://events.humanitix.com/host/marrymyhusbandep2seriesthai
https://gamma.app/public/Marry-My-Husband-EP-2-2-HD-THAI-lfhmcbxs5zouy7p
https://gamma.app/public/Love-Song-for-Illusion-EP-1-1-HD-THAI-y2dzw3fmnpjyoou
https://gamma.app/public/Love-Song-for-Illusion-EP1-1-FULLHD-THAI-siq9uky4qpgs44m
https://lovesongforillusionep1-ep2dramathai.unicornplatform.page/
https://lovesongforillusionep1-ep2.vsble.me/
https://lovesongforillusionep1-ep2.vsble.me/hd/thai/
https://lovesongforillusionep1-ep2.vsble.me/hd/
https://gamma.app/public/Love-Song-for-Illusion-EP1-EP2-1-2-FULLHD-THAI-g5agywwetauxdce
https://gamma.app/public/Love-Song-for-Illusion-EP2-2-FULLHD-THAI-3wdj29jcre1jwh3
https://gamma.app/public/EP15-15-FULLHD-THAI-6xpdwyo3m6a38pa
https://gamma.app/public/EP-15-15-HD-THAI-tlvgr91hdj3p46o
https://hangoutep15dramaseriesthai.unicornplatform.page/
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD-THAI-pcrpbpe8484rgwj
https://flirtmilkep1seriesuncutthai.unicornplatform.page/dvrhtf on
-
https://thesecondchanceep16dramaseriesthai.unicornplatform.page/
https://thesecondchanceep16dramathai.unicornplatform.page/
https://thesecondchanceep16.vsble.me/
https://thesecondchanceep16.vsble.me/hd/thai/
https://thesecondchanceep16.vsble.me/hd/
https://thewhispererep6dramathai.unicornplatform.page/
https://dramamydemonep11theseriesthai.unicornplatform.page/
https://gamma.app/public/4-King-2-2023-4-2-HD—j788b71pnd225p7
https://gamma.app/public/Tee-Yod-2023-HD—ccsux658cmikwpf
https://gamma.app/public/EP11-11-FULLHD—96eo4u6g4tkxu1g
https://gamma.app/public/EP-8-8-HD-THAI-74z55rtymr17ha0
https://gamma.app/public/EP1-1-FULLHD—m3dc5vxc5qo3s1m
https://gamma.app/public/Marry-My-Husband-EP1-1-FULLHD-THAI-xssamahgdap20ki
https://gamma.app/public/Marry-My-Husband-EP1-1-FULLHD—7ckj745cr5idhky
https://gamma.app/public/Marry-My-Husband-EP2-2-FULLHD-THAI-r07w26kiv1iuyuz
https://gamma.app/public/Marry-My-Husband-EP2-2-FULLHD—jh2qnno9uv8sg5k
https://gamma.app/public/EP11-11-FULLHD—sbjnxbqnkta37gc
https://gamma.app/public/EP-12-12-HD-THAI-ay4quad0b3fgnj1
https://gamma.app/public/My-Happy-Ending-Ep1-Ep2-1-2-FULLHD—ybhx04eslrr60vy
https://gamma.app/public/EP6-6-FULLHD—g69piha4ojo1l7e
https://gamma.app/public/Ep3-3-UNCUT-FULLHD—rctt5a1284vw6rbgdcb on