My skin journey with House of Maxx began a little over two years ago, in Oct 2017 but my struggle with eczema began long before that.
I suffered from eczema as a child, but very mildly just on my arms and legs and it would come and go with the seasons. As a teen I never suffered from the typical skin issues that are associated with puberty and actually had pretty clear skin. However, when I hit the age of 17, about seven years ago, I began to suffer from really bad flare ups on my face; particularly around my eyes, mouth and neck. I was in year 12 and the stress and tiredness would show through my skin, but had not made that connection at the time.
Over the next few years I would go to countless doctors, dermatologists and allergists trying to get to the bottom of the issue. I ended up being prescribed cortisone cream and continued with that for the next five years. At the time, my eczema wasn’t super severe, so this quick fix worked for me, I was seeing results fast and my skin had calmed down.
In October 2017, I had come back from a big overseas trip. My body was rundown, I was struggling majorly with anxiety and my skin was suffering, along with my self-confidence. A friend of mine had mentioned House of Maxx to me as an alternative to seeing a dermatologist, and at this point I really had nothing to lose so I booked in a skin consultation that week, and have honestly never looked back.
The process started with a skin consultation with Makayla, assessing the different layers and certain problem areas with my skin as well as my own personal concerns with it. Then I met with Jenny who helped educate me about my gut health and my lifestyle and how my skin and gut are connected in an incredible way.
This is where the 12 week healing process truly began. Jenny set me on food plan, based off my own personal skin and body. So for these first 12 weeks I was extremely strict with myself in order to detox my body, before I reintroduced anything back into my diet. This included instantly stopping cortisone cream, without question, and coming off of birth control (my own personal choice). Makayla then prescribed me skincare specifically suited to my skin and I was coming in twice a week to have an LED light facial, and a general check up with Makayla and Jenny.
I remember so clearly at this start point Makayla sitting with me and telling me that it would be very hard for these first 12 weeks, and I remember thinking yeah, yeah no worries can’t be that hard. There were moments, especially in the first 6 weeks of healing where my skin was so sore, beyond anything I had ever experienced before. It would hurt to shower or turn my head or lift my arms. I wouldn’t want to leave my house, go to work or see friends etc. It was a really big shock to my life, especially as someone who is constantly on the go and out and about. It sounds so horrible, but I would honestly do it all over again, without thinking twice.
After these first 12 weeks my skin definitely began to calm down, still not perfect but so, so much better. I now was coming in to see the girls every four weeks as opposed to twice a week, and actually got to have a full facial, algae masks and all (my favourite). Over time these four week stretched to six. Each time I come in Makayla or Maxine asseses my skin, see if anything in my skin care needs changing, (especially with seasons), I have a beautiful facial, usually a really, really long chat which I love and then I’m back again in six weeks to do it all again.
Nothing about this process was quick or easy, but Makayla made sure to make me feel comfortable and at ease they whole way through, whether that was me messaging her at two in the morning stressing about certain things happening or coming into clinic just so she could have a quick look at my skin and how it was all going. One of the best parts about Makayla and the House of Maxx team is the education they give you. They don’t just sit you down for 15 minutes give you a bunch of products and send you on your way.
Makayla and Maxine are constantly telling me what my skin needs and why, the process of what they’re doing, talking me through other aspects of my life and how they could be possibly affecting my skin, its truly amazing. Not only just on a surface level but I’m also now educated on how my gut health affects my skin and my mental well-being as a whole and how there is a huge connection between them. As a result of this my skin has truly never been better. I’ve been given tools for life to help me keep my skin in-tact. I no longer stress about that glass of wine or piece of cheese I have over the weekend and how my skin will freak out, because I know my limits and just like everything in life balance is key. I still definitely have moments with my skin where it isn’t the greatest, but that’s so normal, I’m human. Like everyone else my skin changes with the seasons, my hormones, I know my triggers, but thanks to House of Maxx I also now know how to deal with that all for the rest of my life.
I’ve now been going two House of Maxx for two and a half years, and it its truly one of the best things I’ve done for myself and my skin. I am constantly talking about them and they’re process to anyone who will listen, truly.
They make you feel like you are a part of a family and area an endless support in my life. They have such a genuine care and passion for what they do and it truly does show through, in every aspect of their business. Makayla, Maxine and Jenny are literal skin angels, and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done with me and for me, and all that they have taught me in the past two and a half years.
