For most, grade nine is hard. For me, it was downright traumatic.
Okay, okay… obviously I survived, and looking back, I didn’t have it nearly as bad as some. But there’s no denying that it was painful experience – emotionally, socially and mentally. In fact, I’ve blocked most of it out… except at night, when I have that dreaded dream (nightmare?) that it’s the first day of school all over again. Shudder.
I know you’re thinking, what made is so bad, Lena? Ahh… settle in friends, let me count the ways.
1. I arrived from a relatively small elementary school; all the other feeder schools were at least twice (and sometimes three times) the size. I actually went through most of high school without ever crossing paths with kids I had grown up with for ten years. This meant that I had to make a new set of friends – an almost impossible feat when most of the kids in my class had already formed cliques with their elementary school buddies.
2. I have brown skin. It’s probably not a thing if you’re reading this in 2017, but in 1992, it was a different story. Not many kids with parents of East Indian descent were also Catholic, so in a sea of white, black and Asian students… there I sat. An outsider. It was the same at my Catholic elementary school, of course, but things like race and culture don’t really start to factor into your social life until high school. So, there I was, a brown girl who didn’t know anyone and then….
3. Pimples. Zits. Spots. And LOTS of them. There was no hiding it: my skin was breaking out, badly. My immigrant parents had little interest in my emotional well-being; though I begged them for anti-acne products, I was told to simply use more bar soap and “it would go”. What they didn’t realize was that for every day I walked into school with oily, spotted skin, I was mercilessly teased.
It’s not easy being a teen, eh?
Today, kids are still vicious (cyberbully, OMG!) and acne still wreaks havoc on the skin and social lives of niners everywhere. But as parents, our generation is much more in tune with the importance of both physical and mental well-being, and realize the significance of finding solutions to little problems before they become big ones. So, let’s talk about acne care.
The new school year is now underway, and whether you have a minor niner in your household, a kid heading off to university or are just one of those unlucky adults struggling with breakouts, let’s not underestimate the importance of a good anti-acne skincare regime. If you visit your local drugstore, you’ll be confronted with a plethora of options. But very few products are clinically proven to work like NeoStrata’s complete routine for acne-prone skin. The products are dermatologist recommended, non-comedogenic, non-irritating and paraben-free.
Spots? Not on my watch!
Step 1: Acne Clear Clarifying Gel Cleanser. NeoStrata Acne Clear Clarifying Gel Cleanser washes away bacteria, oil and impurities. It unclogs pores, dries and helps clear up acne pimples, while soothing your skin. The gel cleanser is also ideal for dilated pores and blackheads, and includes salicylic acid, a beta hydroxyl acid that dries and helps clear up acne.
Step 2: Acne Clear Clarifying Solution. This clarifying solution is highly concentrated in glycolic acid and salicylic acid to unclog pores and help clear up acne pimples. Applied as a second step after the Clarifying Gel Cleanser, it leaves skin even more exfoliated and clear.
(Remember, this product contains glycolic acid! Prior to sun exposure, use sunscreen. First time users should build skin tolerance gradually by starting with one application daily, then gradually increasing to twice daily if needed. If dryness or peeling occurs, reduce application to once a day or every other day.)
Step 3: Acne Clear Acne Treatment Fluid. NEW from NeoStrata! In addition to helping to clear up and dry acne pimples, this product also moisturizes and provides a shine-free finish, while soothing and relieving redness. Win-win! You’ll only want to apply this fluid to the affected areas once or twice daily, as it contains Cytobiol Iris A, a powerful sebo-regulating astringent that tightens pores. Consider it your go-to for daily spot treatment!
For more information on how NeoStrata can help you or a loved one achieve clear, blemish-free skin, visit neostrata.ca. Tell me, do you have your own tales of spotted skin, being a minor niner, or both?
This post is sponsored by NeoStrata. The opinions on this blog, as always, are my own.
Thanks for sharing Lena,an excellent read.Growing up can be difficult!
What a great post! I can relate to alot of that.. ok… almost all of it. Im’ not brown skinned but I might as well had been.. glasses… small boobies as an adult so u can imagine what a treat it was from about grade 5 on… pimples were a nightmare, something my 11 year old is battling. Going to have to give this stuff a go for her. We’ve tried various things and we’re not having much luck!
This sounds like an effective system. I never struggled too much with acne in school but I certainly got teased for other reasons. There’s always something!
I was so awkward at that age, and grade 9 was hard for me too. Also dealt with acne at that time. These products sound like they’re worth a try for anyone needing them.
These look like wonderful products.
Grade nine was definitely a year of trying to fit in for me. Anything that helps with acne is a good thing.
I had bad acne in my teens , wish i would have had these products back then ,they sound great :)
Sounds like a tough go. I was lucky, same school and kids from grade 7 to 12.
I wish I had researched better products for my acne when I was a teenager. My parents too never understood why I needed even a basic cleanser so my skincare regimen was almost non-existent … and it was when I needed it the most too! The acne range Neostrata has sounds pretty heavy duty and effective!
For those suffering from Acne this is definitely worth a try. I was lucky, a few spots/pimples and that was it really. One of my sons suffers though and he’s 30 yrs old, mainly on his back which makes it difficult too.
I totally agree…grade 9 is the worst. The scariest year of being a teenager, especially being a girl with skin problems. These products sound amazing!
Thanks for sharing. A great post.
This sounds like a wonderful system for anyone with skin problems
I was lucky enough to skip grade 9 :0 I went from a hideous grade 8 in a Halifax junior high, to a fabulous grade 10 in a great Nepean high school.
I had terrible acne as a teen and tried multiple treatments some of which helped, most of which didn’t. It sounds like Neutrogena has come out with a line of acne products that falls into the helpful category.
Looks like a great product line! It’s never too late to improve your skin!
I’m going to get these for my granddaughter,she has such a problem with acne!
I haven’t tried these products yet but they look great.
This is working so well for my granddaughter.
These sound like great products – whether you’re in grade 9 or 39 yrs old :)
Good products to clear up skin, learning a proper skin care routine is essential. It’s good to start young
Not a minor miner anymore, Lena. Just a 46 year old with very spotty skin. I think I will order some NeoStrata as Proactive is just not working for me. Maybe it will boost my confidence if my skin clears up. My husband is considerably older than me and also has zits. Dr Pimple Popper would be busy up in here.
Thanks for the suggestion.
That was my grade 10…extremely small rural school to biggest school in the area. I hated that entire year.
I like that this company is Canadian :)