Below I have listed products in the Yonka line that can help your skin if and when it is breaking out. If you have chronic breakouts or even just occasional spots (aka: “zits”), there are many Yonka products available to you—along with some non-Yonka skin care helpers.
To use PURE as a compress:
- Take a piece of cotton 2-3x the size of the spot (i.e.: use a small piece)
- Soak cotton in PURE
- Compress (press) onto the blemish
- Keep it there at least 5 minutes, no more than 10 minutes
- Keeping the compress on for longer than 10 minutes might cause sensitivity in that area
You can compress while watching TV, reading, or talking on the phone; whenever you have 5 minutes to sit still and give the compress time to do its magic.
To use PURE as a toner:
- After cleansing
- Splash over face and neck or use cotton soaked in PURE
- Then apply your moisturizer
You can also mix PURE into your cremes. Like with Juvenil (below), if you have ongoing problems widespread throughout your face, adding some Pure into your cremes just gives you one more chance to get the antibacterial properties infused into your skin and any infection that is present.
For more detailed information, see:
CREME 15
is a wonderful nighttime treatment cream for problem skin. Burdock
regulates sebaceous (oil) secretions and St. John’s Wort acts as an
anti-inflammatory, helping to soothe the skin. Even if you don’t have
problems, and have normal to oily skin, this cream can help keep spots
from occurring and lessen their lifespan. Used at night as your
moisturizer, this antiseptic cream helps to balance and normalize the
skin. For some clients with severe problems, I have them use this product morning and night. If Creme 15 isn’t moisturizing enough for you (especially in
winter or dryer climates like Colorado), Yonka’s Hydra+ (formerly Hydralia) can be added to give this or any
creme a hydrating boost.For more information, see:
- Creme 15—for normal to oily and problem skin
- Is your face in need of extra hydration? Try Yonka’s Hydralia or Advanced Optimizer Serum
The ingredients are different than Pure, although the action is similar. Calendula is soothing and anti-inflammatory, and chamomile helps to heal and calm, while ichthiol is antiseptic and antibacterial. The medicinal aromatic of this concentrate reassures you that action is being taken against your blemishes. Juvenil can also be mixed into your cremes. (Juvenil can stain clothing—so be careful!)
For more information, see:
GOMMAGE
is a gel exfoliant that is one of the most important products in your
skin care routine. Gentle and effective for all skin types, I can’t
stress enough how important this product is to the health of your skin.
If you aren’t using it because you don’t know how or can’t get it to
work properly, please read my instructions (link below), and let’s clear up the confusion! Gommage
should be a part of your weekly routine, and if you have problem skin,
you should use it several times per week. Also see:
YONKA CLAY MASK is a great at-home treatment for breakout. Clay absorbs oil and draws impurities to the surface while calming and reducing inflammation. It can be used several ways: - As a mask, covering the entire face and left on for 15 minutes, once to several times per week (remember to keep the mask moist by spraying with water or toner)
- Or dotted on the blemish at night before bed and left on while you sleep. If the spot is medium to small without a lot of infection, this dotting method can really reduce its size overnight.
For an extra-strength cleanser, mix equal parts clay mask with your cleansing milk, gel, or wash creme and cleanse as you normally do: apply/massage/rinse.
For more details, see:
GERANIUM or LAVENDER essential oil (found in most health food stores) is my favorite nighttime spot treatment for occasional blemishes. Essential oils are not “oily” oils; they are antiseptic and antibacterial liquid extracts from plants and flowers. After your Basics 1-2-3 Program (cleanse, tone, hydrate), dot a small amount of geranium directly on spots only, and leave on overnight. (Please note: do not apply geranium or any pure essential oils in or around your eyes!) Unlike having clay mask dots on your face, you can dab essential oils on your spots and, aside from the natural aromatics, no one will be the wiser. You can use geranium during the day, just beware of sun exposure: Pure essential oils can cause photo (sun) sensitivity like hyperpigmentation. Some people don’t like the geranium aromatic, so you can try lavender essential oil, which is pretty widely-accepted by most noses.Combining a clay mask with geranium oil is an effective, overnight treatment for blemishes. After you’ve completed your evening 1-2-3 program, dot clay mask on any problem spot and let it dry for a minute or so. Then dab a bit of geranium on top of the clay, and leave overnight. In the morning you should see some reduction in size, along with diminished redness of the blemish.
For important information, see:
When a client comes into my office with problem skin, I go through a series of questions about diet and lifestyle geared to help me pinpoint the cause of the breakouts. If sugar consumption and other dietary concerns are not factors in their problems, many times a hormone imbalance is to blame. That is when I suggest acupuncture.
ACUPUNCTURE can be highly effective for clearing up problem skin. It helps to ensure that the body’s vital energy force (known as “chi”) is flowing freely, which helps to balance the hormones by improving circulation. Hormones, believe it or not, can actually become toxins in the body when metabolized improperly. When it comes to skin care, blockage in the detoxification pathways can result in toxins being expelled through the skin.I try to get acupuncture on a monthly basis. I do this, not because I have health issues or problem skin, but as a preventive measure to ensure my body stays in a balanced state. Acupuncture has been around for over 2000 years. How can I ignore the potential benefits of something that has survived this long? I can’t! And I welcome you to explore this ancient healing technique, not only to help balance your skin problems, but also to ensure the health of your entire body—on a regular basis.
When I initially started receiving regular treatments before I hit 50 and menopause, I noticed a normalizing of my monthly cycle. The duration of my periods was shorter, cramping was less severe, and I just felt more in balance. These changes were subtle, but I knew acupuncture was helping my body on many different levels. In America, if a change isn’t hitting us over the head, we think it couldn’t possibly be occurring. This is strictly a Western way of thinking, I assure you. FYI: Most people find acupuncture very meditative and relaxing. I know I do!
For more information, see:
Finally, Chapter 5 in my book, Timeless Skin: Healthy Skin for a Lifetime, is chock-full of useful information for helping problem skin. I humbly encourage you to purchase a copy if you don’t yet own one. The information contained in the entire book is crucial to understanding how to take good care of your skin. Skin Care A to Z, my second effort in a dictionary format, has many “chapters” on helping with skin issues such as Problem Skin and Breakouts. These books make great reference material for you now and in the future as different skin conditions show up. Most of the content in the books are separated into articles here on this blog. No matter how you prefer to get it, read and use the information for your skin’s benefit.Also see:
- Timeless Skin—The Introduction
- An Introduction to Skin Care A to Z
- Thoughts from a client after reading Timeless Skin
Problems with your skin are generally signs of internal imbalance. Treating these problems topically will help, but it will not keep the blemishes from appearing. You must also go after the cause (hormones, diet, stress). This course may take longer and seem more challenging because it doesn’t simply involve applying an ointment or taking a pill. Causal healing requires commitment, in some cases abstinence, along with a true desire to change. When things aren’t working (you’re still breaking out), it’s time for a change.
Keep in mind, your blemishes weren’t created instantaneously and they probably won’t disappear overnight. Give these products a try and see how they work better for your skin than the blemish-control products you may have used in the past. And if nothing seems to be working, give acupuncture a try. And above all else: Listen to your body—it really is telling you what you need to know.
For more information, see:
- Acne and imbalance—What to do
- Why does skin break out? More contributing factors
- Food & Skin: You ARE what you EAT
