All My At-Home Skincare Results In One Place
Over the past 10 years, I’ve embarked on a journey of at-home skincare treatments, carefully documenting my progress and results along the way. Glycolic peels, microneedling, TCA peels and diet changes. No injectables, no filters.
My Skincare Timeline
Why I Started Taking Photos
I originally started taking photos for my own curiosity, to see if what I was buying and using actually worked. So some of my oldest before and afters aren’t great. In some I’m wearing a little makeup, and in others the photo quality or angles just aren’t consistent. They’re all I have, and they still show results, but consistent photos matter, and I’m doing better with that now.
What To Keep In Mind
- Early photos: While some older photos may not have the best camera quality or lighting, I tried my best to show the true state of my skin.
- Minor edits: Some photos have been minimally resized for when they’re side-by-side. At times I’ve adjusted lighting slightly for the sake of accuracy.
- Makeup disclosure: You might notice filled brows or mascara/eyeliner in some pictures.
- Before and afters: Sorry for the lack of consistency in some of the before and after photos because in some photos I have my brows filled in, or I’m wearing mascara. Some of the photos were initially taken just for me, without plans to share publicly. I now try my best to be as clear and consistent as possible with the before and afters.
Click any photo to see a larger version.
My Personal Thoughts
This post dives into close-up photos and details about my skin’s transformation with at-home treatments, and I try to be very detailed and particular with what I point out when documenting any changes. I do the same thing in my videos where I share before and after photos. In real life, I think who you are is much more important than any of these things. Looks fade and although I strive to look and feel my best, I also embrace aging and the inevitable wrinkles it brings. Like many of you, I too want to age gracefully and I love being able to reverse and slow some things down through these methods. Consider me your at-home skincare guinea pig of sorts, sharing the personal experiences that have brought positive changes to my skin and health.
Old Photos
This whole post will take you through many years, numerous experiments and the changes my skin has gone through as a result. For background information, I lived in Arizona between 6 and 9, and I spent my days in the sun without sunscreen. I also lived and worked overseas in numerous hot and sunny climates in my early 20s. Lastly, I lived in Vegas from 2009 to 2010 and thoroughly enjoyed the sun and the swimming which I did daily, where I wore little to no sunscreen.
Even though I had a lot of sun exposure, I also want to point out that I remember when I was 18 and in my early 20s that I looked quite young for my age. I think in my early and late 20s is the time when I experienced excessive sun exposure and then probably began looking my age or maybe even older. That’s where the photos begin below.
2009 · AGE 272009 · AGE 27Glycolic Peel Results
What Changed
I was 32 in the pictures from 2014 and 37 in the 2019 photos. This was when I first really began getting into skincare and when I started documenting changes with photos. As you can see, this appears to have gotten rid of quite a few under eye lines and a line on the side of my eye. Check out my comprehensive post and video sharing full details on how glycolic peels got rid of those wrinkles & the other skin issues glycolic peels can treat.
Everyone’s skin is different. I was in my 30s for these photos, and older skin may respond differently. For real, long-lasting results, I’ve found a combination of treatments works best, like peels plus microneedling, along with daily sun protection.
Microneedling Results
BEFORE · JAN 2019 · PRE 1ST SESSIONAFTER · JUN 2020 · 2 MOS AFTER 8TH SESSION
BEFORE · JAN 2019AFTER · JUN 2020 · 2 MOS AFTER 8TH SESSIONWhat Changed
Microneedling really changed my skin from the inside out. Interestingly, I noticed that it got rid of lines and wrinkles which I had on my forehead. The photos don’t show those lines well enough, but I had numerous forehead lines on the sides of my forehead. I think it also really improved my under eye area. I think it had a slight impact on smile lines, but those are hard to treat. It greatly improved the tone, texture and overall appearance of the skin. Check out my comprehensive post & video sharing what I did and how microneedling totally transformed my skin.
The microneedling supplies I use, and where I buy them now, are in the What I Use and Where I Get It section at the bottom of this post.
TCA Peel Results
What Changed
In my experience, TCA peels totally resurface the skin and can improve textural issues, sunspots and lines and wrinkles (to some extent). This was a 20% TCA Peel which I did at the age of 38. You can check out my comprehensive TCA Peel Video and Full Details here. I share the entire process from start to finish and bring you with me day-by-day. From what I’ve learned, you don’t want to do too strong of a TCA peel, but you want to push it as far as you can, without going too far. So I did several layers with this peel and I am really happy with the results. PS: my face looks very weird in the first after photo. I can’t figure out why, but it does. :)
Where I buy my TCA peels is in the What I Use and Where I Get It section at the bottom of this post.
AFTER · JUL 2020 · POST PEELAFTER · NOV 2020 · 4 MOS LATERCan You Get Long Lasting Results From TCA Peels?
I personally believe that you can get long-lasting results if you do a series of TCA peels within a four month time period, or if you follow up with regular glycolic peels. I wanted to test my theory out, so I took an “after photo” that was four months after my TCA peel, and at that point, my results were still visible and going strong.
BEFORE · OCT 2021AFTER · MAR 2022 · 8 DAYS POST PEELTCA Peel Results From 3-2022
This TCA peel was in March of 2022. Please note that the “after” photo is only 8 days after the TCA peel. So, it would be much better if I had a photo taken a month or two later, to really show the state of my skin after a period of time. My after photo looks like a jail mugshot! :)
Dietary Changes Made A Huge Impact Too
What Changed
One last thing to keep in mind is that diet can have such a huge impact on how your skin looks and feels. I believe supplements can play a part in improvements too, if your diet is right for you.
In addition to the glycolic peels improving my skin back between 2014 and 2019, I had also made dietary changes that I know made a huge difference. I share full details on the changes I made and how that impacted my skin in my video here about how I fixed my puffy face and swollen eyes. I share a lot more closeups in the video.
Photo comparison: these pictures compare my skin and facial appearance in 2014 vs 2019 (comparing age 32 to 37). My skin in 2014 was ruddy, had more redness issues and looked noticeably unhealthier, swollen and puffy. I share what I did to improve my diet in the video here.
Photo where I’m holding a baby bunny, wearing a red hat: This is the truth of how my skin looked at times in 2017. The hot and humid weather just accentuated the puffiness in my face. I know we all have our days and our puffy under eyes, but my issues are much less severe nowadays.
Microneedling Vs. Chemical Peels
If you want to know which of these treatments made the biggest difference for my wrinkles, check out my post on microneedling vs. chemical peels. I compare how they work, why I think using both works better than either one alone, and I share my most popular YouTube video, where I show how I look younger at 43 than I did in my 30s.
What I Use And Where I Get It
These are the places I buy my treatment supplies from now, along with my discount codes.
This post may contain affiliate links & I will earn a small commission if you purchase through them.
MTP Skin TechMicroneedling pens and serumsCode LIFEDIY
Papatui SunscreenMy mineral sunscreen pickRead my review
Amazon ShopEverything else I useShop my listMicroneedling Pens & Cartridges: MTP Skin Tech. If you’re looking for authentic microneedling pens and cartridges, I now buy my supplies from MTP Skin Tech: you can use code LIFEDIY for 10% off your order. They are a licensed reseller for Ekai, which is the official manufacturer of Dr. Pens and cartridges.
TCA Peels: Platinum Skincare. Currently, I purchase my TCA peels from Platinum Skincare and you can get a Platinum Skincare coupon for 10% off your order: use code “holly10.”
Other Microneedling Products: Life & DIY Amazon Shop. If you go to the Life & DIY Amazon Shop, you’ll be taken to my list of a few products that I use when microneedling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have You Ever Had Botox Or Other Injectables?
I have never had any injections in my face, to add volume or paralyze the muscles. I’ve had no botox or filler of any kind.
Do You Use Tretinoin?
I don’t use any tretinoin, although I have done some experiments with it in the past. I’ve had issues with near-constant irritation and flaking. I do like products that contain retinoids in them, but I am not currently using any. And, I have not used tretinoin long-term. The last time I used it was in 2022.
Are You Still Microneedling?
I still microneedle, but not as often as I used to. I sometimes go three months in between treatments, and sometimes even longer than that. I think it’s great for maintenance now.
How Often Do You Do TCA Peels?
I don’t do them very often at this point. I know that you can get incredible results from doing a series of TCA peels, but I haven’t managed to fit that into my life yet. My most recent TCA peel was in April of 2024. Prior to this peel, I did one back in 2022.
Disclaimer: The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The 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. The creator hereby disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of the Content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.
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This is super helpful thank you so much for sharing! I discovered your account a couple days ago when researching peels. I’ve watched your micro needling videos now too. My wedding is in less than 3 months and I want to diminish some pores and scars on my face or at least smooth my skin out some. I’m not sure if I can combine micro needling and a peel in that time (tca or glycolic). Or if I can do a peek in the month after micro needling? What do you think would have the best results in that time?… Read more »
This is a fantastic comprehensive breakdown, thanks so much for the documenting your experiences. My sister is getting married in November; I was doing some research for her and came across some of these hacks. I will definitely check out some of your other content. Thanks again!
Hi, I’ve been watching your videos on microneedling, and have been wanting to try it. So I ordered and just got my DrPen and numbing cream. Do you recommend any other items that i should have before I do it. Also, have you ever done your lips? The Aesthetics office I go to to get my facials & other treatments have this on their menu as well as I’ve seen in on social media. do you have any suggestions or recommendations regarding this?
Have you done any TCA peels since the last ones you shared?