I Switched My Skincare & Here is What Changed

I am sharing something personal here— a story I haven’t shared entirely and one that has been decades in the making…It’s one that you, and pretty much everyone I know, will feel connected to in one way or another.

This story is one of the most awkward & secretly frustrating journeys I have ever navigated and something that challenged how and if I was showing up in my life. It’s all about saving my face, and you have to know—this has nothing to do with vanity or not feeling beautiful, and everything to do with being able to look others in the eyes, being fully present with and for them. It’s about restored confidence.

For years I had this weird battle between balancing my difficult skin and trying to just figure out make up well enough to cover up the problems. One part of me was always saying, “it’s just a face”, and the other part was hiding and embarrassed that I could not fix this. It just wasn’t me and I was tired and sad about it.

But one day, it all changed. Everything changed. So sit back and let me share a bit of my story with you and stick around to the end. There’s something for you!

MY SKIN STRUGGLE STORY

Three years ago I was at the very, very, very end of a long road with several different dermatologists over more than 7 years. I did all available prescriptions both oral and topical, did regular facials, took recommended supplements, adjusted my diet, and tried SO many skincare lines and products. I had never had flawless skin, but when I entered my 30s before having my third child, my skin completely changed. It became sensitive and reactive to almost everything. Cystic acne started showing up here and there, and then took a serious turn to being severe and constant. I was red, raw, bumpy everywhere and in pain always, but I continued to put on a happy face as best I could.

When we moved to England, I was certain I would be able to find solutions with some ingredients more readily available there than in the US. It was also around this time that other people, even total strangers began to comment on my skin condition—asking me if it hurt, asking what make up I was using, offering unsolicited suggestions, and even buying products for me to try. It was really embarrassing and awkward…Even though they were usually kind and well-meaning, it never felt good to have others point out what I was struggling with. I was already painfully aware of it.

I remember pulling my scarf up high around my face on cold days when I would go pick up the kids from school to avoid those awkward conversations. Matt noticed I’d always have a scarf on hand and bought me the most beautiful handmade scarf from his trip to Australia, but the wool it was made from was just irritating enough that I couldn’t even have it touch my skin. He hated seeing me struggle and I felt so bad.

Another time, we traveled to Northern Ireland to stay in the most beautiful resort with some friends. We planned to meet at the pub after getting settled in our room but as I glanced in the mirror before heading out, I was dumbfounded at the new breakouts that had fully formed in the just the 8 hours since I had gotten ready that morning. I cried and tried to pull myself together to enjoy the evening with friends, but the insecurity and embarrassment was difficult.

I really took all recommendations that others offered and I always hoped for healing. At one point, my dermatologist felt I needed to treat the raw sensitivity first so I was given an ointment of white paraffin wax and petrolatum to help with healing, but you can imagine what that did for the cystic acne and breakouts! I went to essential oil skin classes and tried all-natural approaches that only seemed to make it worse. I went to healing spas and tried an extensive variety of high-end all-natural product lines and the best recommended products from Boots to Sephora to the department stores. I spent SO much time researching ingredients and routines that promised to help and the monetary cost was extensive too.

It was a mess. I was a mess on the inside as much as the outside. And nothing was helping.

I remember breaking down in tears a few times, and while I know that may seem silly, I felt so helpless, and was tired of the pain and time this issue was taking up in my life. I wanted to live and show up as my happy self without feeling the need to coverup and hide.

Over several years, a few different people had recommended that I try Rodan+Fields. I recognized the name as the doctors who created ProActiv but never followed through or knew who I could talk to about their skincare regimens. I figured I had tried everything, and that R+F wouldn’t be any different.

When we moved back to the US, I had already started Accutane and was hopeful. My long-time friend reached out to me to recommend Rodan+Fields and let me know that she was a consultant for the brand, but I declined because of the fragility of my skin on Accutane. Just month later, my sister who is my go-to for all recommendations told me I needed to try Rodan+Fields skincare for my dark patches (yep, hormones and sun had also left me looking like a spotted cheetah) and she thought I would really love it. Another long-time friend texted me to recommend the Rodan+Fields eye cream —I remember she was really excited about it, telling me it was the best she had ever tried and she knew I would love it, too. She’s the kind of friend that shares all the best recommendations for everything and I love her for it. Eye cream seemed like the perfect luxury for my tired mom eyes while I was suffering through Accutane, so I went online to my consultant friend’s website and ordered it, easy peasy.

And I really did love it! It made my eyes look revived and smoothed lines like I had never seen from any product before. It ended up being the perfect product to introduce me to the possibility of real results from Rodan+Fields skincare.

When my course of Accutane came to an end, the doctor told me that with my history the cystic acne could come back within 3 months, and at that point I would just come back for another 6-month course of the drugs. I was shocked! It sounded like the worst possible scenario and I hoped and hoped I wouldn’t be that unlucky after all I had been through. My skin was mostly clear which felt like a miracle, but I was left with lingering sensitivity and really bummed at the significant melasma and dark patches of pigment. I scheduled laser treatments with the dermatologist and was just happy to be focused on something besides acne for once!

But, sure enough…3 months later the cystic acne showed up again in full force. It felt like such a defeating setback. We were living in hot and humid Texas. My appointments with the dermatologist had always been 3 1/2 hours round trip with 2 small children and I just felt deflated at the thought of having to start regular appointments again with all that they would entail. (If you don’t know, the regulations around taking Accutane are extremely strict, especially for adult women. It is required that you take monthly pregnancy tests at a lab along with blood tests to check liver enzymes and kidney function. It is also required that you are on 2 verified forms of birth control during and after treatment for a time. It was awful. Truly awful to be on Accutane.)

THE TEXT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

My Rodan+Fields consultant friend messaged me out of the blue right at this time of decision to tell me there were savings on a kit of products so that I could have an acne treatment regimen and also something to treat my uneven skin tone and sun damage, and I was immediately interested. I had just run out of the eye cream that had given outstanding visible results so I felt confident in trying the other product lines, and I was happy to know they had a 60-day money-back guarantee so I could return the products if I didn’t love them or see results. I really had nothing to lose and messaged her back to send me the link to learn more and order. I think she was shocked at my quick response!

I saw that the best value and savings were as a consultant so that is what I chose, knowing nothing about the business opportunity with Rodan + Fields or ever seeing those incredible before and after pictures from clients who use the products. I took photos of my skin and felt confidence I would see results over the following months and that felt like a relief. I called the dermatologist and canceled my next appointment to see what would happen.

I felt a difference in my skin within a few days, and after 3 weeks, other people were noticing, asking my what I had switched to, which felt really, really good. People were no longer offering suggestions for skincare I should try, but they were asking what I was using that was making all these changes! I was SO happy to be seeing progress in the right direction without difficult medications and side effects.

As I learned more about the brand, the doctors, their product philosophy, the clinical research, innovation and testing for safety and efficacy, I knew this was something that would help so, so many others. I dove into learning all I could and started sharing what I was learning. Friends and strangers started coming to me for skincare product advice and recommendations. Seeing others experience their own life-changing results is the best thing!

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

Yes, having clear skin that’s calm, even-toned, smooth and radiant is an amazing thing, but the reason I share is so much more than that. Feeling confident in your own skin at every age is something that spills over into all other areas of your life. I noticed I was showing up more in my own life, and that I wasn’t thinking about my own discomfort and insecurity when I was talking to or spending time with others. I could be 100% focused on them and it changed everything.

The outward changes in my skin are really just the tip of the iceberg because the changes have been an inside job, too. I continue my training and education on the very latest in skin science so that I can share the best information and help with excitement and a heart to serve you so that you see and feel the very best results for your own skin. I share a life-changing opportunity and a brand partnership with Rodan + Fields that anyone can do. I share it all knowing the great impact this can have on individuals, families, and communities.

GET YOUR OWN CUSTOMIZED ROUTINE AND SAVE

Rodan+Fields changed and saved my skin.

As a skincare consultant with R+F, I’ve helped hundreds of clients find their ideal skin products and routine through all different seasons of life for their own transformative results, and can help you, too. I am here to take the guesswork out of skincare and create confidence that lasts and impacts all other areas of your life.

Whether you’re looking to just get started with something simple, you want a simplified and streamlined routine, or if you want some extra enhancements to really change things—or if you would just LOVE to save time staring at a screen trying to figure it all out yourself—I’m here to help. This is what I do.

You can get lifetime Preferred Customer benefits and save 10% forever and always on your skincare, plus get free shipping, with no obligations or commitments. Just great skincare, great service, and an educated, all-in consultant to help keep it simple for you.

Start here to connect with me and receive a personalized product recommendation from Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields that you can hold on to for when you’re ready to start seeing your skin change. And if you just want to browse the products and before and after photos, you can start here, let me know what catches your eye.

I’m would be honored to help you and am excited to see you love your results!

xo

Dayna