Don’t move if you have Clear skin!

Don’t ever move if you have cleared up your rosacea.

 

That is it. You are stuck in your current location if you have cleared up your rosacea. Unless you want to find out the hard way like I did.

I moved from Pennsylvania to Oregon. Why? I am attending Grad School there for Art Therapy. Oregon has always appealed to me. The landscape is green upon green upon green. I love green. I need green in my life to keep me from being depressed. However, the move did havoc on my skin. I started to get bumps and dry skin on my forehead which I never had before. I swore rosacea type 2 off as fast as I could. Then my cheeks started to become pink and bumpy. I debated multiply times to do another elimination diet. Instead, I kept eating what I normally ate because I had a partner with me, and I didn’t want to upset his Portland experience. Blah.

I joined a group on Facebook called Rosacea Rescue. A lot of the users there have had great success with HP (horse paste) and Azelaic Acid. I gave both of these products a try and boy did my face clear up. However, my motion sickness became apparent and just moving my body out of bed made me feel sick. The side effects of HP and Azelaic Acid is dizziness. I figured that the dizziness is what is causing my motion sickness to kick off an have a dance party. Blah.

I stopped using HP and Azelaic Acid. I instantly felt better and not nauseous at all. Which is great however, my skin was not too happy and bumps/pink cheeks started to form up again. Blah.

I made an appointment with a dermatologist at the VA in Portland. He confirmed that my forehead has rosacea type 2 on it. He was surprised that I knew about the horse paste. He told me that I should try it again because it could have been the Azelaic Acid that caused me to become sick. He also told me the only thing they could do for me was to give me Soolantra (which is so very expensive, and you could get the same effects from HP), antibiotics orally and through a cream, and Azelaic Acid. Those of the things that help rosacea type 2. He didn’t really believe that food could be a trigger when all of us who suffer know that food can play its part in causing our skin to trigger.

So, I went back on HP. This time I cut it with one-part HP and two parts facial lotion. By day five, I had to lay on the floor because I felt sick again. I can tell when my motion sickness is coming about. I start to look more down then straight. I was doing that for a day or two before I had to lay on the floor. That night I stopped using HP. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel sick once I stopped using the product.

I believe the weather in Oregon is screwing up my skin and causing it to flare-up. Which sucks because I can’t control the weather. I can control what I consume but not the weather. I am at a loss as to what to do to fix my skin. Since it is drier out here in Oregon I started to use a thicker facial moisturizer. That seemed to work so far, except I am no in Pennsylvania visiting family, so I have no clue if that is working.

 

I am thinking about doing another elimination diet this September just to make sure it isn’t new food triggers. You never know with rosacea.

 

How is everyone’s face doing?

Current face:

2019 and the Year of’s

Welcome to my blog. It has been some time but no worries. I promise this year will be filled with amazing updates. Why?

This is the YEAR OF WRITING

and

the YEAR OF MEDITATION

I don’t have resolutions. I felt that every resolution that I set I would never accomplish in a year so I started to do the “Year of’s”. In 2016 it was the YEAR OF DANCE. That was a fun year. That year taught me that moving my body made me feel happy and smile. 2017 was the YEAR OF OUTDOORS. I actually went outside to hike or run a whole lot more often than normal. I actually don’t remember what 2018’s “Year of’s” was.

So expect a lot of writings and updates to the blog. 4.5 years of rosacea type 2 and I am still learning about this skin condition. Let’s continue learning together.

I can’t promise a daily post but I can promise updates. I will also be partaking in the elimination diet again using a Nutri-bullet this time. Why? I plan on writing a recipe book for those who keep on asking me on Instagram what I ate during the elimination diet. To be honest I had a smoothie for breakfast, snack, lunch, and snack. Then I would cook dinner. The smoothies made it very easy to accomplish the elimination diet. One can consider the possibilities of not starving via smoothies.

Happy New Year my Rosacea folks. I hope it is beautiful and bright. Today marks the beginning of the “Year of’s” and this year will be amazing.

What are your new year resolutions? Goals? Year Of’s?

I updated the Elimination Diet List

New List:

lady-rosacea-new-list1

Here is the new list of the foods I did not consume and are known Rosacea Triggers or inflammation foods. I also included foods that you can consume. Remember that I decided to eat seafood and even *gasp* shell fish and my face did not react to it. I was lucky. I also ate the night shade called eggplant for one of my second meals in the Kicking Rosacea in the Butt Elimination Diet program. I didn’t even know I did until I looked at my list again and let a long broken sigh. We have all been there.

Here is the old list:

Known Rosacea Triggers

I also saw a lot mistakes in the second list. I also noticed how confusing it really was to read. I hope the list above is more comprehensible. Let me know what you think.

It is April which means it National Rosacea Awarness Month. I just finished posting all the facial products I use on my instagram. Did you miss it? You can find them here: LadyRosacea It was a fun request that a follower had for me.

What does this month entail for me? Well in following this theme of food I will be posting trigger and non-trigger foods for rosacea skin suffers! Those that have read this blog is now a step ahead of everyone else! Woot go you!!!!

I leave with good news: I am heading to Grad School in Oregon! I will also be living in a camper van so this will be interesting with Rosacea Type Two.

Think yourself positive!

C.M. Sparks

I am Alive.

I would like to blame everything in life for my lack of blogging updates, but to be honest it was all me. I am the one at fault for not posting a blog more. I allowed myself to get overwhelmed with college and the month of April.

College last semester was a whirlwind of crazy chaos. I am surprised my face stayed clear and only had maybe 2 hot face moments. I stretched myself thin with art projects and being an active student in my college. I remember when hot tears flowed down my cheeks because I almost failed a class if I didn’t pass these imperative pop tests. My mind slipped and I had forgotten about them. Luckily my professor saw my aguish and gave me a different day to take them, because of this I ended up with a B in the class. Hell, I ended up with a 3.4 GPA in this college last semester. It felt well deserved but OMG it took me about a month to detox myself from all the negative energy that it built up.

The month of April is National Rosacea Awareness month. It is the month that I am highly active on my Instagram, trying to spread awareness. This year I decided to offer tips and tricks to help ones skin. I posted every day until social media ate me up alive and spat me out. After the month of April I took a break from social media and posting.

I feel amazing now and currently. I have a lot of new projects that I am working. I am dating a unicorn among men. He is pretty amazing. Besides all the great qualities this guy has he has Rosacea type one on his cheeks and nose. It is so adorable on him. *swoon*

I would love to write more blogs on skin and rosacea or anything you have questions on. Let me know. Email me: ch006@lvc.edu

Or leave a comment on this blog.

DM me on my Instagram: LadyRosacea

Either way I am finally back!

Candy

Recipe for Shampoo and Conditioner

I am sorry that I have been MIA. I shall blame college. I decided to start a “Makers Club” with a friend of mine. This club is rad. We have 3D printers and a VR machine. I have also been researching rosacea deeply. This research is using peer reviewed research and the info I have found is eye opening. Enough of about my life. I have been getting a lot of special requests to post the recipe I use for shampoo and conditioner.

I stopped using regular shampoo and conditioner around the time frame I was healing my face. At the time, I didn’t know that stopping the use of commercial products was going to help my skin heal. Instead, I just wanted to have a natural product on my head that wasn’t highly expensive. My friend who hooked me up with some essential oils gave me the recipe I am giving you soon. It is funny how life works.

I did stop using my shampoo and conditioner once. I had a sulfate free conditioner with great ingredients in it, or so I thought. After I used the product my skin which has been maintained beautifully, started a fire on my face and then the bumps started to appear along the hair line of my cheeks. I had a flare-up from this product that I used. After, I came to this knowledge I started to use the homemade products instead. Who knew that even our shampoo and conditioner can cause our face to flare-up. Geez.

Okay, I will stop blabbing and give you the amazing recipe.

Shampoo and Conditioner Recipe:

Shampoo:
1/3 cup of baking soda
1/2 cup of tea tree castile oil soap
4 drops of tea tree oil
1 1/2 two 2 cups of filtered water

Shake every use. I use tea tree eo in the shampoo because I like the smell and it helps with dandruff.

Conditioner:
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
2 cups filter water
4 drops of patchouli eo

Shake every use. I use patchouli because I like the smell and it helps make  dandruff disappear.

 

I hope you found this helpful and that it helps to heal your rosacea. I love these products. I will use the conditioner to clean around the house and even to wash my body when I run out of castile soap. I also reused honey bottles. I love honey. Here’s to having a great face day!

 

Candy Sparks a.k.a Lady Rosacea

3 Amazing Tips That Help With The Rosacea Flush

Rosacea, Rosacea why do you cause my face to heat up? We have all been there. A professor calls one you to answer a question. You have a hot date and everything is perfect until 10 minutes prior to the date, when your face betrays you and starts to the rosacea flush. This is the trouble our face gets us into. I have found a few ways to calm my face down when it is rosacea hot flushing. I will give you tips to help except the date flush, only because I haven’t mastered it yet. Where is the sad face emotioncon?

3 tips to help calm the rosacea flush after working out or running:

1. I have found that splashing my face with cold water during my workout helps to calm my face. I used to splash water on my face constantly for the first few months, now I rarely have to do this step at all. I just recently did because it was a hot humid day and of course I had to run four miles in the pure sun.
2. A cold piece of ice sliding on your face or rolling and ice roller on your face is an instant cool down. At first I was using ice, until I was tired of having to stand over the sink as the ice melted on my face. I purchased an ice roller off of ebay. It has been the best investment for hot face days. I just grab it out of the freezer and start to roll it on my face. The bonus about this product is that it can be used on sore muscles as well. BONUS!
3. This is my absolute favorite way to cool down my rosacea flushing face. I slather on some greek yogurt and let it sit for about 7 to 10 minutes. This is an instant cool down as well as an instant healing agent for your face. There are so my probiotics that keep your skin healthy and beautiful. Rosacea needs those probiotics instead of those antibiotics. Warning: don’t let this face mask fully dry on your face. It will cause redness of the skin. The mask won’t cause harm but there will be a red spot or two if left to long.

Those are my three amazing tips for cooling off your face from exercising or running. I hope these work for you so that you can work out/exercise. I know that this can be a trigger for some rosacea suffers but not exercising can be worse for your body in the long run.

Bonus Tip: How I keep my face cool in class. I bring a hand held fan with me to class. I also will have a cold drink with me as well. My class mates have seen me place this cold drink’s body on my face. They just don’t understand how good it feels. Oh that darn rosacea flush.

 

Recipes Recipes RECIPES

Please enjoy the recipes that will help you on the KRBE Diet plan. These are to help ease your way into this elimination diet. There are a lot of awesome recipes that are worth of trying. I will be posting more recipes later!

Lady Rosacea’s Pina Colada Green Smoothie Recipe:

 

2 apples

1 cup of grapes

1/2 cup of carrots

1 cup pineapple

1/2 cup of kale

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

 

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

 

Lady Rosacea’s Black Night Green Smoothie Recipe:

 

2 apples

1/2 cup carrots

1 1/2 black berries

1 chunk of ginger

1 cup of kale

 

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

 

Lady Rosacea’s Oh So Delicious Green Smoothie Recipe:

 

2 apples

1/3 cup of carrots

2 cups nectarines

half of a cinnamon stick

1 12 cups of kale

 

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

 

Lady Rosacea’s Happy Melon Green Smoothie Recipe:

 

2 1/2 cups of honeydew meoln

1 apple

1/3 cup cucumber

1/2 cup kale

1/3 cup grapes

small chunk of ginger (optional)

 

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

 

Lady Rosacea’s Cantolope Strawberry Green Smoothie Recipe:

 

2 1/2 cups cantaloupe

1/2 cup strawberries

1/4 cup grapes

1/3 cup carrots

1/2 cup kale

1 small apple

small chunk of ginger

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

 

Lady Rosacea’s Blue Pineapple Green Smoothie Recipe:

 

2 apples

1 1/2 cups pineapple

1/4 cup blueberries

1/3 cup carrots

1 1/2 cup kale

 

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

 

Lady Rosacea’s Tropical Flounder Muffins Recipe:

 

2 lb cooked flounder shredded

1/2 cup coconut flour

4 flax eggs

small onion chopped

5 garlic cloves

1 1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 cup pineapple crushed

2 tablespoons ginger

 

Preparation: Put the oven on to 350 degrees.  Place shredded flounder into large bowl. Add the coconut flour and stir. Then add the 4 flax eggs (4 tablespoons of flax mixed with 8 tablespoons of water let sit till gel like texture), chopped onion, chopped garlic, quinoa, crushed pineapple, and shredded ginger. Mix. Get muffin trays and line with cupcake liners. Add the flounder mix to the cupcake liners. Then place in the oven for 35 minutes. Enjoy over a salad or over quinoa.

 

Zucchini Soup with Basil Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion

4 garlic cloves

4 1/2 cups of zucchini

4 cups of water

1 cup kale

3 tablespoons of basil

salt and pepper for taste

 

Preparation: Sauté onion and garlic with the olive oil in pan. Then place zucchini in a pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling lower the degrees to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes and then transfer the zucchini and water into a blender. Add the sautéed onion and garlic to the blender. The rest of the ingredients should be added at this time. Then blend until smooth. Enjoy.

 

 

My Rosacea Skin Care Routine Might Make You Work for it.

My rosacea skincare routine has been a topic of conversation on my instagram. I think it is about time I list what I use on my face, besides what I eat. Years ago when I was diagnosed with rosacea I researched what skin routine would be best, since my current one seemed to be making my rosacea worse or just hindering the healing process.

There are products what should be avoided that will cause the rosacea skin to dry up. Those items are: Alcohol, Witch Hazel, Propylene glycol, Fragrances, Menthol, Camphor, Eucalyptus oil, and Peppermint oil.  This can all be found here:  Skin Care.

I was right. My current skin care routine had Witch Hazel and Eucalyptus oil in it. I also felt that my moisturizer which was jojoba oil with lavender and tea tree essential oils was also hindering my healing process of my face.

Upon further research, I was able to find a whole new skincare routine. This routine has changed over time due to the hiking up of prices for these products. I then made the decision to make these products handmade instead of buying them from a company.

I know you don’t want to make your own products.

This is what works for me. (I am also giving you my recipes)

I wash my face with Lady Rosacea’s Foaming Facial Wash. Then I use Lady Rosacea’s Clear Skin Facial Serum. Once that is applied, I put the Bee Folks Tranquil Lavender Hand Cream on my eye area only. I swear that this works beautiful wonders for my eyes. They are no longer dry and I have yet to have a swollen eyelid. I also look far younger or maybe that is due to the lack of sugar I eat. After the application of Bee Folks I rub in Lady Rosacea’s Spot Treatment. Once my face is dry, I apply The Wonder Seed’s Facial Cream on my skin. One should never go without moisture unless they want to see wrinkles and dry flaky skin.

Two products I purchase. These products are the best on the market with really great ingredients. You skin will thank you after using them. The Wonder Seed is on instagram and they are always willing to comment on a photo of their product. I have asked questions of them to and they have responded quickly. I am waiting on their zinc sun block.

I hope you have found this post helpful. I know a lot of you are wondering what I use. I know Rodan and Fields reps are probably wondering to, since they love to offer their high priced skin care routine to me. I just don’t like chancing my skin to some high priced routine. No Thank you!

Lady Rosacea’s Foaming Facial Wash Recipe:

1/3 cup of Dr. Bronner’s Liquid castile soap (use tea tree, lavender, or unscented)

1/3 cup of water

1/3 cup of raw honey (this is option and will not make this a foaming wash either)

2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or rose hip oil or hemp seed oil)

5 drops of helichrysum essential oil

3 drops of lavender essential oil

3 drops of frankincense essential oil

7 drops of turmeric essential oil

10 to 12 drops of tea tree essential oil

Preparation: Stir the ingredients together. Pour into a foaming container. Enjoy the fresh face afterwards.

Lady Rosacea’s Clear Skin Serum Recipe:

3 tablespoons Aloe Vera Gel

10 drops of helichrysum essential oil

10 drops of turmeric essential oil

12 to 15 drops of tea tree essential oil

7 drops of frankincense essential oil

15 drops of rose hip oil

Prepartion: Mix all of the ingredients. Place in a dark bottle. Use the serum after you wash your face.

Lady Rosacea’s Spot Treatment Recipe:

1 part Apple Cider Vinegar

2 parts filter water

Tea Tree Essential oil

Directions:

Mix ingredients together. Place in a dark place or in a dark container. Spritz in the palm of your hand. Then place on the bumps or all over the infected areas.

Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5

Day 3:

Day 3 was a busy day filled with painting kiddos faces to setting up my studio for bands to play in. Some of the kiddos requests were typical of the boy and girl stereotypes, but there was this little lady who’s request brightened my soul. She wanted a batman mask. Oh be still my beating heart. If you don’t know this yet, now you do, I love batman. I also love Agatha Clay.

Breakfast and lunch was the Spiced Apple Pie Green Smoothie and dinner was with a friend. The dinner had one of Rosacea’s triggers in it. I asked for Romaine, instead they gave me Spinach. Spinach is one of those foods that is the Catwoman of the KRBED. It is good and bad. It is on the known triggers list so during the Elimination diet stay far away from it. I ate it because, I prefer spinach and it is not my trigger food. If you are doing this diet please use Romaine lettuce or other lettuces just don’t eat the spinach until you know for sure that this is not one of your triggers.

Lady Rosacea’s Spiced Apple Pie Green Smoothie Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 apples

1/2 cup of carrots

1 cup of blackberries

Cinnamon stick

Ginger chunk (about 1 tablespoon)

1 cup Kale

filtered water

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

Dinner:

 

Day 4:

I consumed the Cool and Refreshing Green Smoothie for breakfast and Lunch. Dinner was the leftover salad from Day three.

Lady Rosacea’s Cool and Refreshing Green Smoothie Recipe:

2 apples

2 small cucumbers

1/2 cup carrots

1/2 cup grapes

1 1/2 cups of kale

Filitered water

Preparation: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

Dinner: Refer to dinner photo on Day 3.

 

Day 5:

Sunday I taught two crafts to eleven year olds for a birthday party at my job. Then I was requested to face paint them as well. All the little ladies this time wanted to be cats. Meow. I had my Strawberry Explosion Green smoothie for Breakfast and Dinner. Then I had the leftovers I meal prepped on Thursday. This meal prep was delicious. Recipe is below.

Lady Rosacea’s Strawberry Explosion Smoothie Recipe:

2 apples

2 1/2 cups of strawberries

1 cup of kale

1/2 cup of carrots

filtered water

Prepartion: Chop up fruits and veggies. Place the chopped ingredients into the blender. Then add water to the 7 line on the Vitamix or just to above the fruit/veggie line.. Then blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a container for drinking and enjoy.

Roasted Garlic and Onion Baked Flounder Recipe:

Half an onion

3 roasted garlic cloves

Turmeric, salt, and pepper to taste

2lbs of Wild Caught Flounder

Prepartion: Turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Foil a large pan. Blend up the onion and garlic in the food processor until it is finely chopped. Place the fish in the pan. Top with the onion garlic mixture spreading it all over the fish. Then salt, pepper, and turmeric the tops of the fish. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until fish is flakes off of a fork.

 

Faux Wine Recipe

I know that some suffers of rosacea, such as myself, quit drinking wine, liquor, and beer. I had to personally because it is the worst triggers on my list. If I have a drink, my face then breaks out into type 2 rosacea. Then it takes about a week or so to heal my skin from this trigger.

Breaking myself from the habit of drinking was harder than I thought. At first I didn’t think I was addicted to drinking, since I only drank once or twice a week. I would only drink about two to four drinks a week. The consummation of those drinks was enough to make me yearn for a drink when I was quitting. It was hard to stop drinking for me. I couldn’t be around my friends when they drank. I couldn’t eat dinner with friends as they drank. I craved a drink.

The cravings ended after six months of not drinking. I have been sober ever since. I don’t crave it as much (unless I had a horrible day). I can be around my friends as they partake in drinking. I don’t miss it. I find that my body is healthier. My body feels clean. Another benefit, my face looks amazing. If I feel like I am about to fall off the wagon then I just remind myself of what my face looks like now and how it will look if I took a sip. That is my instant stopping point. It is just not worth it for me.

However through my fermentation journey, I have been introduced to a fruit based fermentation called Kvass. This Russian based  drink is probiotic and super good for your body. I can make Kvass taste like beer or wine. This is the best thing since I found bread without diary and sugar.

Blackberry Kvass

Ingredients: 

3 cups of black berries

1 tablespoon of raw honey (I love buckwheat honey)

1 tablespoon of black-strap molasses

pinch of sea salt

filtered water

Directions: Place ingredients in large glass mason jar. Add filtered water to the brim of the jar. Shake everyday in the morning and at night (that why mold doesn’t grow). Let sit for 3 to 5 days. Open strain and pour. Enjoy the sweet juices.