I’ve struggled for years with some pretty rough skin — acne, oily patches, dryness, acne scarring and redness, uneven skin tone, etc. I tried many store products with little or no improvement, especially in the long term. I even saw a dermatologist briefly and went the route of medications that made my skin much worse, and ultimately never really made it better.

Now I’ve found a set of products that are used every day and have done wonders for my skin, I’ve used most of these products more than a year now (with one recently added) and my skin has never been better. I’ve found these affordable products on my own.

I spent years trying to heal my skin and didn’t have much luck. I think chronic illness has a lot to do with that. Our skin and our bodies are ever-changing, as our medications and their side effects, and the things we can or cannot do on any given day. Because of this our skin needs some natural, tender love and care. So, let me take you through my morning routine:

This amazing line of products I use every morning is called SW Basics. All of these are natural and can be found at Target. They are made with things you probably already have in your home. A good way to wet your feet to these products is by purchasing their full mini kit. It basically gives you one of every product. Even though I now own full sizes of their toner and cleanser, I’m still using these smaller bottles of cream, body scrub and exfoliant, so it’s well worth it.

My skin routine

Every morning I rub their cleanser on my face with a cotton round that I get from the dollar store. The cleanser is made with organic rose water, organic vegetable glycerin and organic tea tree oil, three simple ingredients. This product also smells great and is light on your skin. It’s an amazing clean. Next, I do the same with their toner. I didn’t even know what toner was, or why I should use it, until I found these products; believe me, it’s important. I credit this toner, made with water, organic raw apple cider vinegar, organic witch hazel and organic essential oils of clary sage and sandalwood, for reducing the redness of my skin and the appearance of my acne scars.

I don’t wash the toner or cleanser from my face in the morning. I wear these products all day. This is absolutely fine and I truly believe it helps my skin. Plus it just feels great! I also love how simple and pretty, yet easy-to-read, the packaging is on these products.  There’s no guess work. The last thing I use from this line is their cream. A little bit of this stuff goes a very long way. Put some Fair Trade shea butter, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil on your face and you can kiss your dry skin goodbye. Again, I don’t wash these off and they keep me fresh-faced and glowing all day.

Now that I’ve gotten older (and I’m very fair skinned), I worry about possible problems with my skin besides acne. So, I’ve added a sunscreen that I wear daily called Elta MD, SPF 45. Just like the cream from SW Basics, a little bit of this goes a long way. This product also is lightweight and great-smelling, and has really smoothed my skin. I wear these products all day until before bed, when I wash my face with the SW Basics cleanser and toner, which I will wash off before reapplying some of the cream.

There you have it — a simple, natural skin-care routine that should do wonders for your chronic life.

Note: Cerebral Palsy News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cerebral Palsy News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cerebral palsy.