WARNING: Blog contents may scare small children and pets! Proceed at your own risk!

Day 6/365

As a teenager, I didn't suffer from acne. I was one of those lucky people that got the occasional pimple every six months or so. However, something happened in my early 20's. I started having breakouts; normally on my chin. After I had Alissa it got worse, spreading past my chin onto my cheeks, forehead, and jaw line. The past couple of years have been especially bad. I can't even begin to list all the products I have tried! I have been using beauticontrol products the last year or so and love them. But I still get those very hard cystic type acne bumps. The ones that hang on for weeks.

A few days ago, I was reading a blog by a friend of mine. She is struggling with hormone induced acne during her pregnancy. Someone suggested she use baking soda as a mask. After a couple uses, she blogged that her skin seemed to be clearing up.

I decided to give it a try. It certainly couldn't hurt! This is my fourth day of using the baking soda mask. And I can tell a difference in my skin!! I have had a very bad bump on my jaw for weeks that has almost disappeared completely. Several others have reduced in size significantly. My face seems to be less red around those areas and is super soft. Which makes sense since baking soda is an abrasive. It does burn just a little bit when I first apply it, but if it works it's definitely worth it.

It took me 30 shots to get this picture. I wanted my eye to be in sharp focus and silly me wanted to get the perfect mid-face crop "in camera." Gary had just asked me how many shots I was going to take when I shot this. Checking the LCD, I loved it. Well, as much as I can love shots of myself anyway.


On a side note, this shot reminds me of Tyler. The Twins were 4 months old when I went off to college so I was really just a visitor in their home when they were little. I didn't get to come home very often, and it wasn't until they were almost two that they really remembered me from one home visit to the next.

I used a Noxzema mask back then that was white like this one. If you have ever used a Noxzema product, you know they have a distinct odor.

One day my mom made pickled eggs or turnips or something like that while the twins were napping. Tyler woke up from his nap and started looking for me. My mom could not convince him that I wasn't there. Finally he said, "I know Noni is here, 'cause I smell her!" He thought the stinking food was me! I quit using the noxema after that.