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first impressions

Everything you need to know about Accutane + my skin care routine

Posted in Beauty, Lifestyle
on 01/03/2018

I have struggled with acne for years and when I got to college, it got progressively worse. The acne was mostly concentrated on in my cheeks, forehead and back. I turned to caking on makeup because my face was broken out, I could never wear the cute tops I wanted to because my back was broken out, and I just did not feel good about myself.

I had been seeing a dermatologist since I was in high school and when I tell you I’ve tried everything — I really have. Creams, antibiotics, face washes, gels literally all of it. But nothing really worked for me. I was finally so fed up which is why I decided to bite the bullet and go on Accutane. While I will say some of the side effects can seem scary, I was at the point where I would have done anything for clear skin.

**peep my skin now!! thank you accutane for changing my skin forever!**

I’ll jump into how my process worked for those of you wondering. There is a once a month blood test you have to get done (I am so scared of needles, but by month three I was fine. I just can’t look lol) as well as a dermatologist appointment to check in. In order to get your prescription filled each month, you have to go online and answer questions (from the iPledge program.. they were mostly about birth control and such). My prescription was from a remote pharmacy and was always overnighted to me so I was never without medicine.

Accutane does take a while to see results. Your skin may take awhile to adjust and react to the medicine, like mine did. I really did not see my skin starting to clear up until around September (month 5) and my back did not get clear until this month really (month 8). I have been taking this medicine since May and I’ve been on around 40 mg since month two. Everyone’s skin reacts differently so there is no for sure guarantee it’ll work in x amount of time or even work at all. I’ve known people who have done multiple rounds of Accutane, and some who have done 5 months and been done. Thankfully my 8 month run was enough to finally GET MY SKIN CLEAR.

The side effects came and went. In my first few months, I experienced back pain (I had always had a small lower back curve so this was nothing out the ordinary) that was worse then normal. Since I started during the summer, my lips were super dry too due to the heat. I pretty much had to change my entire skincare routine to cater to my now drier skin. Before the medicine, I had the freaking oiliest skin in the world. Like I could use two-three oil wipes midday on my face. It was seriously so gross. My hair.. oh, my hair! I think that was my favorite thing about being on this medicine. It essentially stops your skins oil production so my hair wouldn’t get oily for at least 4-5 days. Right now, after 8 months of Accutane, I could probably get away with washing it once a week. That’s been a plus for me.

Skincare routine

My skincare routine has drastically changed since I’ve started Accutane. I’ve simplified everything and just let the medicine do it’s job. Before I was doing four and five steps including cleasner, toner, acne cream and moisturizer. Now I am down to three at max — it’s seriously the best thing to happen to a lazy girl like me.

Philosophy purity made simple face wash //  My absolute favorite face wash on and off Accutane. I’ve been using this one for around 6 years now and I have nothing but rave reviews to give! It’s really hydrating with it’s silky creamy texture and also great to use as makeup remover too if you’re in a hurrry. With my Clarisonic and this — my skin feels AMAZING.

First aid beauty ultra repair cream //  I stumbled upon this at Ulta this past summer and I figured I would give it a try since it’s reviews were pretty good. I  just bought my second tub and I am head over heels for it. I use it as my body moisteriser too and it’s a nice unscented lotion that actually keeps my skin hydrated.

Clairisonic Mia 1 //  My tried and true. I’ve had the same one since freshman year of high school (6 years) and it’s still goin so strong. I used to use it everyday, but now that my skin is drier and I’ve gotten a lot lazier (lol) I use it every once in a while to get a goood deep clean. The brush head I’ve found works best for me is the acne one! I would recommend, despite the hefty price tag! I can honestly say I feel the difference when I use it and when I don’t.

Mario Badescu rose water toner spray // This is something I use here and there, but especially when my skin is tired and needs a lil boost. I like it if I haven’t washed my face in the morning to put on before makeup. I’ve also seen some people use it as setting spray — I need to test that theory out!!

Garnier micellular water // One of my favorite beauty finds of 2017 hands down. One cotton bad and squirt of this and I am clean and makeup free. Makeup wipes are so expensive but this is cheaper and lasts way longer! I also find it’s bit more gentle on my skin and sensitive eye area. I could easily use this at night and be fine without moisturizer for the day too!

Blistex lip medex //  I swear by this stuff. Ugh omg I could go on about how moisturizing this is and how it literally SAVES my peeling, cracked dry lips every time. It’s also got a cooling feeling too that I love. No need to spend the big bucks on lip balm when you can have it all for under $4 with this guy!

Makeup favorites (full coverage)

Some of my makeup favorites changed too! I ended up needing A LOT more coverage the first three months so I was experimenting with foundation and concealer like crazy!

Benefit boing concealer //  I found that using this under my foundation helped. The first few months were hard with lots of breakouts on my cheeks, but this def has the coverage I needed! The color I have is light.

Two faced born this way foundation //  This was the FULL coverage foundation I used when I first started Accuatne. It was awesome for pretty much making me look acne-less. I did have to use a bit of concealer with it since my acne/scaring was severe. The finish was pretty natural looking and I would spritz it with my Mario Badescu rose water toner to make it a bit more dewy looking. Once my skin got clearer, I didn’t find the need for it anymore.

Maybelline fit me foundation //  This is was I use currently, as I am wrapping up Accutane. I think this foundation is a fantastic drugstore buy. I have used high end foundations for the past 5 or 6 years, and I honestly think this one revels a few. It runs about $9 and the coverage is pretty solid (more light to medium). I can layer it up if I need to though so that is a plus!

Has anyone else done Accutane or is interested in doing it? I would love to chat about it if y’all have any questions. I know it’s really not a medicine that is for everyone but for me it was exactly what I needed to get my skin clear. It might sound superficial but I really do feel so much more confident with my clear skin. It was something that had always made me feel self conscious. After years of dealing with acne (I seriously would not wish that upon anyone) I can say I am finally FREEE! Ugh, how liberating.

Hope y’all enjoyed this #realtalk with me! Love y’all too much!!

Madison

 

Life Lately | July Edition

Posted in Lifestyle
on 08/02/2017

Hey hey, happy August! I’m headed back to school this month and I can’t say I’m mad about it. I absolutely adore being on a set schedule so I’m so pumped to get back into the swing of things! Before I jump into August, I’ll recap my month of July for y’all.

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When you’re home and have to make your parents take your insta pics for you >>> It makes me chuckle asking them, but hey #doitforthegram right? This sweater arrived right in time for the fourth (after I had been lusting after it for about 2 months) so of course I had to wear it for two days straight. It’s really comfy and I love it with jean shorts, but I’m sure y’all can catch me styling it in the fall with some flares.

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LGIP turned two this July! I wrote an ode to my trials and tribulations over these past two years. Read it here. But on the real y’all, it’s been rough keeping up with everything but I am proud of myself for somehow managing?

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When it’s your besties birthday, ya gotta celebrate like there’s no tomorrow. We hosted a lil party in honor of Cara at our apartment and of course I took it upon myself to decorate (Photo Booth and all). Man do I have so much fun getting dressed up and going out with my friends! Anyone with me on this?

So I was bad a few times this month (I’m talking to you ice cream, cookies, and trail mix with 50000 M&Ms in it) but this time was soooooo worth it. Pinkberry dates when I’m home are a must.

Just checking in to say I’m still obsessed with this t-shirt. Yes, you’re reading it correctly, it does say FRIES. And it’s stinking comfy. No shame here. You can 100 percent catch me wearing this one every chance I get.

When I have the chance to head to NOLA to see my bestie, I gotta take it! It had literally been forever since we had been able to see each other so we had the best time catching up and gossiping (as always) :-)

Our family beach trip this year was this week/last weekend but sadly I could only stay for two days. I was in my happy place sitting on the beach reading a nice book. This one piece is so fun and I love wearing it whenever I get the chance (which is rare).

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My music favorites for this month:

Birthday by Kings of Leon

(Nice to meet you) Anyway by Gavin DeGraw (an old BOP. Listen and you’ll love it.)

How not to by Dan + Shay

The Fighter by Keith Urban

My beauty favorites for this month:

I seemed to run out of half the products I own this month, so I went a little crazy on my Ulta run. I’m loving these drugstore gems currently.

I’ve been lusting after this month:

Superga platforms (I am dying for these… they’ll be the perfect class shoe and they’re under 100! Too good to be true.)

Free People cropped jeans (Bout to hop on this train with a little apprehension, but nonetheless they’ll be so fun for fall.)

Free People thermal (Once again, another find for class. Can you tell I’m ready to go back?)

Kendra Scott earrings (Got these in my RocksBox and I swear I wear them at least 4 times a week. They’re the best.)

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Cheers to August!

Madison

Things I’ve bought recently | Edition 2

Posted in Fashion
on 06/14/2017

Hey pals! I’m back this week with a shopping round-up. I’ve been on a real shopping kick this month. Ooops. So I thought I would go through my most recent purchases. Let’s get into it…

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blush set

I picked up this blush set at the beginning of the month for my cousin’s engagement party. I’ve been on a set kick this spring/summer. I just love the versatility of them — it’s like you get three outfits for the price of one (heck yeah)! The set is so cute together but to wear as separates I would probs do the shorts with a white tank and the top with jeans.
I would recommend sizing up in the shorts (they’re a little short). But the top ran true to size.

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marc fisher “randall”

I talked about these babies in my last post a little bit. Since then I’ve worn them to work (twice) which is a huge deal for me considering I’m on my feet for 8 hours. They were surprisingly comfy. I know the hefty price tag is a huuuuge hurdle to jump over, but take it from a college gal, finding a wedge that’s cute AND comfortable… priceless.

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blue layered tassel earrings

It’s no surprise I am a super fan for statement earrings. When one of my favorite bloggers posted about these I ordered them right away lol :-) The blue is really cute with white tops and I think I’ll get a lot of use out of these babies considering my wardrobe is literally all neutral. I’m linking some other options I love below.

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boohoo shorts

If y’all don’t remember from my Life Lately May post, I literally have one pair of jean shorts to my name. So I thought it was prob time to pick up another pair. I grabbed these from boohoo for $15 (crazy right).
The sizing was super weird and I actually had to send my first pair back to get another size. I ended up with a size 8 and I’m normally a size 2. They’re tight around my legs and honestly hard to get on but sending them back again just wasn’t worth it. Hoping I can break them in and make them more comfy?

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j slides sneakers

These just came in the mail today so wheee! I’ve been so in love with these sneakers since I saw someone wear them last fall. I found them on sale at Nordstrom during their 40% sale and I didn’t buy them then because I literally had $70 to my name. Turns out they marked them down further (after I got paid lol) to $69 so I grabbed the black!
The size 8 was sold out, so I got an 8.5. I’m normally between sizes (but mostly 8).

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quay sunglasses 

Branching out from my usual Ray Ban aviators was so hard for me (I’m a creature of habit). I picked up these QUAY sunnies just to have a cheaper, fun pair for football season (I lost a pair of Ray Bans last year RIP). The blue mirror is super fun and I love how big they are. Hopefully I’ll be able to convince myself to wear them more? Lol.
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gold tkees

I am a self-proclaimed TKEE-a-haulic. These are the shoes I wear to work everyday because they are so dang comfy. I talk about them all the time because I just can’t get over it. The color options are endless. I’m already two pairs in, and I’ve got my eye on a gloss pair for my next purchase.
Have y’all bought anything recently? Let me know in the comments!
madison

Things I’ve bought recently | Edition 1

Posted in Beauty, Fashion
on 03/15/2017

Hey ma ladies. How’s this week treating’ ya so far? I know I am just getting started lol. After an extremely hectic Monday, I was able to have a chillish Tuesday and now it’s hump day so things are picking back up. I got to thinking about this week’s post- scrolling through my instagram feed, reading my favorite blogs- and it came to me… a shopping roundup?! I’ve been doing a lot of shopping lately. I’m not sure what it is… I’m just in a spending mood which my bank account is not thanking me for. Good thing payday is coming up this week (thank you, thank you)!! Well, without further ado, let’s get into it…

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bauble bar tassel earrings

Statement earrings are definitely here to stay this spring. I recently picked up this pair from Hemline (shouts!!) and I am in love. Often times, I find myself wearing a simple outfit so some fun earrings like these will dress it up! I’m linking some other earrings I’m lusting for below.

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pink ray ban aviators

Y’all know my undying loyalty to the Ray Ban aviator, so when I shattered a lens over Mardi Gras break I needed to replace the pair asap. Luckily, my roommate had a pair she was wanting to get rid of. They’re a pink lens with a gold frame and different from anything I’d seen before! I styled them in my last post and they honestly made me feel like Hyde lol.

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steve madden platform espadrille sneaker

If you follow me on Instagram, you would know that I have been on a sneaker kick!! Every time I get ready for work, I reach for them. They literally go with everything in my closet, I swear. I’ve paired them with a fringe top and skirt, denim dress, chambray shirt and black shorts… the options are endless.

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two faced born this way

I was in the market for a new foundation, so I ran over to Sephora last weekend. With some coaxing, I settled upon the Two Faced Born This Way foundation. It’s oil-free, medium coverage, and good for combination skin, which is what I’m about to have since I’m starting Accutane in a month or two (wheee!!). So far, so good.

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benefit hoola

In the height of my makeup obsession stage (sophomore year of high school), I used this stuff religiously. The shade is perfect for my coloring anytime of year and I always have great experiences with Benefit products. When the mini size caught my eye; I knew I needed to go back to it!

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philosophy purity made simple

I go back to this cleanser time and time again. I think this is my fourth bottle #noshameintherepurchasegame so if that tells ya anything.. I use my  Clarisonic Mia (which is a literal dinosaur) with it and I would recommend to any skin type!!

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denim shift dress

Pay day had me feeling on a high for about a week. I ended up scouring Asos and stumbling upon this little number. As a working gal, I am always looking for easy dresses I can wear for work. This one is sooo cute with a sneaker, chunky heel, or even sandal for the spring. It runs true to size. I normally wear a XS-S and went with the XS, which was perf.

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fringe top

Refer to my previous post for more on this top, but I am in looovvveeee and I can’t stop talking about it. Fringe is just so fun. It’s a nice change of pace for me with my basic tees and jeans every dang day. The top runs pretty true to size (I got a small for reference). I’m gonna link some more fringe pieces because I feel like spring/summer are the time to rock it!

Is it just me or have any of y’all been on a shopping kick lately? Leave me some comments with some stuff you’ve recently bought!

madison-bronze-foil

Mani SUNday…? | OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops

Posted in Beauty
on 05/15/2016

OPI Suzi Shops & Island Hops Mani Sunday

I’m living for this creamy pink polish right now. I’ve been trying to get out of my habit of doing dark purples and navy blues every single time I paint my nails. I’ve been very much into pastels for the summer, and this color caught my eye right away. There’s something about pink on the nails that seems so sweet to me!

The formulation is fantastic, as are all OPI polishes, and it only took two coats to get to the opacity I wanted. If you’re in the market for a creamy pink, Suzi Shops & Island Hops is perfect.

shop this mani

What’s on your nails right now? Let me know in the comments!

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An ode to Shop RiffRaff… | LGIP Blabbers

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle
on 03/09/2016

Happy Wednesday, my lovelies! I am so ready to be done with this week, and get onto the week from hell (aka four tests the week before Spring break- send prayers ASAP). I thought I would branch out of my usual OOTD posts, and life updates to take a moment to reflect on a brand I am a huge fan of- Shop RiffRaff.

Shop RiffRaff is a brand I admire because they have been able to utilize social media in such an effective way. ShopRiff Raff is a growing small chain of boutiques that are spread across the Southern US. They currently have two locations and a successful online website.

What RiffRaff does so well that inspires my social media is they are so approachable. There’s a few different instagrams that RiffRaff holds- one being their “behind the scenes instagram” dubbed @riffrafhq. This instagram is my fave because I love the fact that customers can get to know the faces behind the website, as well as have a peak into the creative process.

 RifRaff also holds another account titled @shopriffraff for their product photos, promotions and that sort of thing. They use their social media in such an affective way by posting multiple times a day with lots of different product and varying posts (some are just plain photos of a product on a model, and some take the product into more of a real life setting- like the top photo).

My only critique for RiffRaff is that they utilize all forms of social media, including Facebook. I think Facebook has such a wide range of audiences, using it regularly can be helpful in boosting sales.

Here are some of my current faves from RiffRaff right now…

// la state love tee // show me your mumu kylie mini dress – steel magnolia // #wcw stickers // lace up dress (I’m all about lace up everything) // raw edge distressed jeans // chunky spiked + jeweled necklace //

PS: this post was for one of my Mass Comm classes! Let’s go #manshipdigitalbrands!!

xoxo, louisiana girl in pearls

July Beauty Haul + First Impressions

Posted in Beauty
on 07/29/2015

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I’m a shopahaulic. There, I said it. Now that y’all know, expect to see hauls frequently on the blog. These past two weeks, I’ve been on a beauty/skincare kick. I’m so one of those people that get bored easily, but in the end I always end up finishing the product I’m tired of. I picked up a few products- some from TJ Maxx, Bare Minerals, Ulta, and Sephora.

// Skincare //

Clean & Clear Acne Advantage Daily Soothing Face Wash // My skin has recently decided it would like to break out and BAD. Thanks skin! Anyhow, I’m currently using Philosophy Purity Made Simple Face Wash (which I love) but I really needed something with some salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in it for my breakouts. I saw this one at TJ Maxx and picked it up because it’s got 2% salicylic acid in it and I’m hoping that it’ll help calm my skin!

First Impressions // Dang, this smells good. It’s pretty gentle too and I’m liking using it with my Clarisonic for my face and back. After two days, my skin is already looking better.

Ole Henriksen Sugar Glow Face Scrub // I love a good scrub. Sometimes my skin, just needs an extra something in addition to cleansing with my Clarisonic twice daily. This was only $9.99 and it smelled good so I figured I’d give it a go.

First Impressions // Smells great (wow, clearly I’m drawn to product by the smell) and I liked the consistency of it. It had some thicker chunks in it and the base was the perfect amount of grain. Felt super good on my skin.

Bliss Peeling Groovy Facial Serum // My skin was doing a lot better when I was doing the whole shebang (cleanse, tone, serum, moisturize, acne spot treatment) and I ran out of my other serum so I wanted to pick up another one. At only $12, this was bargain. Bliss products always smell super good and I read a few positive reviews on this so we’ll see!

First Impressions // Serum isn’t too oily/greasy- which I like. Went on well and soaked into my skin pretty quickly.

Fresh Citrus Refreshing Facial Wipes // When ya run out of makeup wipes, the world stops for a second. My all time favorite ones are Neutrogena, but they can get so expensive. I’ve started getting my makeup wipes from TJ Maxx because I can snag a pack of 30 for like $3! It can’t get any better. The citrus scent pulled me in!

First Impressions // Love the smell and these are great for removing face makeup, but after a few days, my eye area is burning and stinging. I’m now just using these for face makeup removal and doing something different for my eye makeup.

 

// Makeup //

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer // I used to use this like three years ago and I loved it! I never did get back to purchasing a full size, so in hopes my skin will clear up and I won’t need to wear foundation all the time, I picked this up from Sephora. The lady at Sephora helped me match my skin and the color is perfect on me!

First Impressions // The formulation of this is the best! It feel like I have no makeup on. It blends so well when I use my fingers and the coverage is pretty light (but hey-it is a tinted moisturizer)!

Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush // Thought this one would be good for my foundation because I’m getting really tired of my other brushes. I own a few Real Techniques brushes and I really love them.

First Impressions // Nice for applying my foundation. Worked great to buff it in. Would reccomend!

NAKED Skin Liquid Makeup // Long story short, I ran out of my Benefit Hello Flawless! Oxygen Wow Foundation and needed another. I heard great things about this one. At first I got the wrong color, so about three weeks later, I went back and purchased the right shade (shade 4.0, instead of 3.0).

First Impressions // I like how smooth this goes on. It feels great on my skin. The coverage is medium-ish and there’s a little glow that I get when I use this product. I like it so far! But it does not smell very good (boo!).

Bare Minerals Warmth // My Tarte Amazonian Clay bronzer shattered to pieces while I was traveling and I was kind of over it anyways so I figured I’d just get a new bronzer. At points in my life, I have stayed awake late into the night and watched infomercials. Bare Minerals was one of them. I’m really not a fan of powder foundation, but I was drawn to this product. I had never used a loose bronzer before.

First Impressions // I like the concept of a loose bronzer. The color is perfect but I can’t seem to find the right brush to use it with. I think my brushes are too soft and are picking up too much product, but not distributing enough. Any suggestions on a brush?

 

That wraps up my very long beauty haul for July + first impressions! Do y’all like these types of posts? Let me know in the comments what you like for beauty products for the month of July. Like me on Facebook, and follow all my social media for updates!

xoxo, louisiana girl in pearls