I got an email the other day ‘complimenting’ me on my beautiful skin.
It then went on to ask what my routine was to achieve such beautiful skin.
I sent a response back saying “I mastered Photoshop!”
We then had a moment rolling-on-the-floor and laughing-out-loud.
Seriously though, I used to have beautiful skin, strangers would walk up to me and tell me that.

But not anymore, the years, they have not been kind to me, and I’ve suddenly become allergic to almost everything.
I have my good days; days when I look into the mirror see a semblance of what I used to be.
On those bad days; it’s mysterious allergic reactions and bizarre breakouts, suddenly I’m a teenager again.
Lately I’ve noticed that my skin doesn’t like being fussed over.

How is it possible to have developed sensitive skin out of the blue?
The only thing that seems to work is my amazing shea butter concoction, it’s moisturizing, healing, it smoothes and calms my skin.
I probably should go see a dermatologist.
But why try to get a proper diagnosis when I can keep guessing, that’s so much more fun.

Every once in a while I’ll decide I’m not doing enough, that I have wrinkles… sagging skin… that I need to grow longer eye lashes… etc
I’ll go out and get anti-aging creams and ‘serums of promise’ – and that’s the stuff that really irritates my skin.
A few months back I applied this night-time ‘elixir’ that was supposed to restore and rejuvenate my skin while I slept.
Holy Crap! I woke up the next morning with a swollen face!
I couldn’t open my eyes – they’d swollen shut.
I had to keep several ice packs on my face for hours before I started to look anywhere near human.
I got strange looks at work that day, I looked different, they just couldn’t tell how or why.
I took these pictures that evening.
There was still a little swelling and tiny rashes all over.
But I liked the pictures so I used Lightroom’s Preset Creamtone to turn them black and white and dreamy.