Puberty is no fun for a few reasons... training bras, periods, and of course acne. Acne occurs when the sebaceous glands, whose primary purpose is to secrete sebum in order to lubricate the skins surface, work overtime and clog the pores of the skin. This happens most commonly during the adolescent ages because androgen (the hormone responsible for the male sex drive...) levels, which stimulates sebum production, rise to their highest point, eventually tapering off in the early twenties.
Slowly but surely, at around 12 years old, everyone around me started to develop little red spots on their faces. The spots spread, then turned into big spots, and eventually into puss-filled mounds. I waited for the demise of my own skin, as months and then years, passed, my face remained clear. I was stopped on the street where people would compliment my youthful glow. Others would approach me and ask what products I use, then leave, dismayed at my reply: Dove. "Face cream?" they'd pry, "whatever is around," I'd respond. While everyone else quit their after school activities to enroll in an acne treatment program at their local dermatologist's office, where cortisol injections were administered routinely, laser therapies were attempted and where doctors perfected their autographs on consecutive prescriptions of acne washes and creams, I was left reveling in my luck. My Mom would proudly say, "she has my genes, I never had one pimple," and my Dad would argue back, "she has MY genes, neither did I." Either way, I was happy.
Upon entering the eighth grade, I got my first period, and also my first taste of real pain. Every month I'd dread that day… the day that I would feel as though knives were piecing through my skin and puncturing my uterus and nausea engulfed me so that I could not ingest food. Needless to say, my cramps were BAD. After a year of suffering, I stormed into my gynecologists office, demanding relief. The solution was easier than I ever thought - birth control. Birth control happens to multitask quite effectively. Aside from eliminating cramps, decreasing period flow, and increasing breast size (which my AA boobs needed!), it also reduces acne (birth control does have its downsides people!). I, of course, did not have acne, but it was a plus.
When I left for college, with my crystal clear complexion, I was confident and elated, that I bypassed the whole acne phase. However, at 20 years old, I begin to see some sort of formation occurring in my t-zone area, "it cannot be I thought." Naturally, I sprinted to the nearest CVS, piled my cart high with any product promising to erase the redness on my face, then sprinted back to my college apartment, where I proceeded to piled my purchases all over on my face.
I was not sure if it was my obsessive compulsiveness and product abuse, or if it was the incessant picking, or my not so healthy college lifestyle (sleeping when I was suppose to be up, up when I was suppose to be sleeping, drinking as though it was going out of style and the inevitable late night pizza runs, that happened every night), or if it was the years of acne I was sure were behind me coming back with a vengeance, that caused the pimples to spread, all I know is, they were. Now it was my turn to visit the dermatologist, get cortisol injections, and fill prescriptions for acne creams. Nothing worked. My mom, whose all about being "natural" (easy for her to say, she's nearing 60 and has the skin of someone 20 years younger) insisted I stop what I was doing and consider reverting to the process that had proven effective thus far. At the same time, I was applying for summer internships and lucky enough to land one at the internationally recognized skincare company Repechage (pronounce rep-e-shash, meaning "to rescue" in French), founded and run by our family friends, CEO Lydia Sarfati, COO David Sarfati, and VP of Sales/Marketing Shiri Sarfati. Repechage, was the first skincare line to employ seaweed into their all-natural products, giving their products beneficial properties that many other company's lacked.
After reviewing the product catalog, I came across a line called the “Hydra Refine”, which targets normal to oily skin. Taking my Mother’s advice, I decided only to order the “One-Minute Clarifying Mask,” which can be used as a daily face wash and the “Pore Refining Serum,” which was suppose to work as my daily moisturizer. After just the first wash I saw a dramatic difference. And after two weeks, the pimples that had been consistently forming around my mouth and on my lower cheek for the past year were completely gone. The “Pore Refining Serum,” helped but after a while, the “Clarifying Mask,” was able to handle both of their jobs so I switched to a simple moisturizer, Cetaphil.
A year later, I still swear by Repechage and all their products (the drying cream in the Hydra Medic line, in case of the rare facial formation, the Hydra 4 Tonic, for an extra splash of moisture, and the Opti-Firm Eye Contour Cream, to make sure I always look younger than my age!). Since Repechage products cater to any skin type, all of my family and friends quickly jumped on the bandwagon and customized their own skincare regiments too.
Bear in mind, you can’t walk into Sephora or your local department store and find Repechage products. Repechage products are strictly sold at professional spas and salons only, where Repechage face and body treatments (the famous 4-Layer Facial, Seaweed Body Wrap, to name a few) are performed by top of the line estheticians. These estheticians travel from around the world to be trained in Lydia Sarfati’s technique, which has been revered since she, herself developed it over 40 years ago.
I am proud to say I have been pimple free for a year now and I continue to trust my skin to Repechage, only. The company, which began from a flagship Spa in New York City and grew into an international success, saved not only my skin, but also my confidence, let them save yours!
For more information on Lydia, David, Shiri and Repechage (products, treatments, and salons near you) visit the Repechage website.
