The BEST skincare item I have EVER found *Must Read!*

*UPDATES AT THE BOTTOM!*
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O-M-G.

I am so excited right now. 

I can't even contain myself.

I have finally found the solution to a problem I've had with my skin since I was 13. 

Pimples.

Yep, zits. Ance. Breakouts. Whatever you want to call them.

It's never been absolutely horrible, thankfully.

It's just annoying. And at the age of 28, embarrassing. 

I know I should be very thankful that I don't have it that bad. 

I pretty much always have 1 or 2 though, and of course it gets worse when I'm PMSing or have a random breakout. I have blackheads on my nose and chin & I've tried everything to get rid of them, but they always come back. I've tried it all. Proactiv, Murad, Neutrogena, Clearasil, Clean & Clear, Oxy, Clinique, Olay, Cetaphil, Nature's Cure...I've even tried going to the dermatologist & getting on a prescription cream like Epiduo. Nothing worked. If anything, my face got worse because it was so irritated.

So. Are you ready to hear my amazing new beauty secret?!

The amazing skincare item is

Apple Cider Vinegar!

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. 

Apple freaking Cider Vinegar.

7 days later, I have zero pimples, far less blackheads, smaller looking pores, and no more oily skin.

It's a miracle, I'm convinced!!!

So just how does it work? Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an amazing little product, actually. It has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, and it also helps to balance the pH of your skin. Used daily as a toner or astringent it will balance the pH, which will help your skin to function properly...warding off bacteria and shedding dead skin cells at the proper rate so that pores don't become blocked (blackheads!) and the skin remains healthy. Sounds like the perfect solution for a person prone to breakouts, clogged pores, and oily skin, right?

Here's what you do:

• Get a plastic container to store your magical potion in. It can be any clean, empty plastic bottle with a lid.
• Fill the bottle 3/4 of the way full with water. I used tap water, but I'm sure if you want to be all fancy like you could used filtered or bottled water. I don't really care about that crap though so I used water straight from the tap.
• Fill the bottle the rest of the way (1/4) with ACV. 
• Close the bottle and give it a little shake & swirl. Then pop the lid open, pour a little out onto a cotton pad or cotton ball. (I prefer the cotton pads...I'm snobby like that).
• After cleansing your face like your normally would, swipe the ACV soaked cotton pad over your entire face, avoiding the eye area and lips. A little burning or tingling may occur, but it's nothing compared to some of the alcohol based astringent or toners I've used.
• Let your face dry completely. Then apply your serums, creams, lotions, gels, etc as you normally would.

Every week or two you can bump up the amount of ACV that you're mixing by about 1/4, but make sure to do it gradually.

Do you have to use expensive, organic ACV?

No. All I had in my cupboard was some leftover ACV from dying Easter eggs with the kids. It's not organic, it's not pure, it's not unfiltered or whatever. It's just the plain old Safeway Select generic ACV that probably costs about $3 for a liter of it. Now, I've read online everywhere that you should use organic, pure, unfiltered, expensive ACV for whatever reason. It's supposed to be better, but don't be fooled. You can totally use the cheap stuff and get good results too. So it's up to you. If you're down with the more expensive, organic stuff then go for it. If you're a cheap coupon clipper like me, grab the Great Value or Kirkland sized one & relish in the satisfaction of a good bargain. Either way is fine.

How bad is the smell?

The number 1 question people usually have regarding the ACV toner is the smell. How bad is the smell? Do you have to walk around stinking like vinegar all day? Or a salad? Or an Easter egg? The answer is no. While the smell is less than appetizing while you're applying it, it dissipates in time. By the time I've slathered on all of my serums and creams and whatnot, the smell is gone.

So have I convinced you yet that you should try making your own ACV magical potion?!

I sure hope so. If you want to have beautiful, flawless skin like me...(kidding!)

I hope this information helps a lot of people out there. As of right now I am not using any kind of topical acne medication combined with the ACV concoction, and I'm shocked at the transformation of my skin. Like I said, this has been a very frustrating, very annoying problem for me for years. At the age of 28 it would be nice to not have to worry about zits anymore. I would love to have the kind of skin that I didn't really have to do much with. No heavy foundation, no goopy concealer splattered all over the place. I'd love to maybe just throw on some tinted moisturizer and call it good. I'm hoping I'm on my way to that point now that I have my trusty magical potion in my bathroom vanity. 

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*TWO WEEK UPDATE HERE!!!*

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***Two Month Update:***

8/16/12

A lot of people have emailed saying they wish I had a before & after picture of my skin. I wish I did too. I regret being so vain. I don't have ANY pictures of me without makeup on because I've always been self conscious about my skin. Now that I've been using ACV for about 2 months I feel like my skin is mostly under control (except for hormonal breakouts of course...I'm convinced there's no cure for that). Here is the first (& hopefully last) ever public picture of me without makeup:

As you can see, my skin is not perfect. I have tons of freckles & discoloration from previous breakouts. Plus, I've been out in the sun a lot this week so I'm tanner now than usual & I'm slightly pink in some areas where I forgot to reapply sunscreen (oops). But I have NO new breakouts at the moment, which 2 months ago would have never happened. I'm on the right track! I've even started using a tinted moisturizer on days when I don't want to wear a full face of foundation. It feels great to not have to worry every day about something as dumb as having a zit or two, or ten. People with great skin who have never struggled with acne might look at this picture of me without makeup & think "Wow, not impressed." but if you have stressed over your skin for years like I have then this picture is proof that I'm finally doing something right. Thanks ACV!!!