It sounds a bit ridiculous, but it's actually an allergy. I deal with the same thing myself. Just be careful that it doesn't escalate like mine did; at first, my skin just started turning red, but now it’s progressed to shortness of breath and feeling like I can't catch my wind. That's why I don't touch alcohol anymore.
Morgan Stewart50 said:Ryan Morales, everything on the cake was perfectly edible. The little roses were made of marzipan or some similar confection, so essentially everything could have been eaten, though quite a bit was left over—but then again, that’s just how it goes with any wedding cake! And word on the street is that it was absolutely delicious.
Morgan Stewart50 said:I just had to share this wedding cake from my friends' big day a few weeks back. Honestly, I can't stop thinking about it—it was absolutely stunning...
Looks great to me. Personally, I'm not a fan of all those fresh flowers and satin ribbons people seem to insist on putting on cakes—maybe I'm just weird. 😁 I feel like everything on a cake should actually be edible, and this looks like it totally is. 😉
Klaunina, you absolutely have to join us over at the wedding planning forum. We don't spend our time obsessing over breakouts and skin texture there; instead, we focus on much sweeter things like gowns and decor. It might be a nice little distraction for you 😘
Bimbi, I am so happy whenever someone finds something that actually works for them. 🙂 Personally, products from Aven never sat well with my skin (honestly, this past summer I tossed $40 a non-comedogenic SPF 20 emulsion after just one use because it left my face feeling incredibly greasy and sticky). I do find myself browsing Divastique occasionally, though; you can really learn a lot there, especially regarding the products we use.
Martine23, welcome to the group! I’ve heard from so many people who managed to resolve their issues simply by adjusting their diet or quitting smoking.
Unfortunately, for those of us dealing with hormonal issues—specifically PCOS—nothing seems to make a dent. I don't smoke, I don't drink coffee, and I don't touch alcohol (not even on my birthday). Aside from eating fruit every day, my daily routine consists of a multivitamin and mineral supplement, either in effervescent tablets or capsules. For a while, I was also taking Evening Primrose Oil. I even went as far as cutting out dairy for three months, limiting red meat to just once a week, and stripping my diet of all sweets, mayo, and deli meats just to see if things would improve. Over those three months, there wasn't even a hint of progress. Now that I've reintroduced dairy, I expected things to get worse, but nothing has changed. It leads to the most frustrating reality for anyone fighting acne: what I put into my body doesn't seem to matter; it’s all about what’s happening internally, which is something entirely out of my control. 😳 It all becomes so obvious when I go to an esthetician for a facial. They do such a thorough job cleaning everything out, and I come home looking in the mirror thinking, "Wow, my skin is finally smooth, no bumps, no blackheads..." then, literally forty-eight hours later, I look again and it's like the treatment never even happened! 😲 If someone with normal skin rolled around in the mud for two days, their pores wouldn't flare up and clog nearly as badly as mine do, despite how carefully I care for my skin and how little makeup I wear.😢
I took it for a while because I was dealing with some intense mood swings—kind of similar to what people experience during pregnancy—but I didn't really feel much of an effect. The catch is that you have to take it consistently for at least a month before you start noticing anything, which felt like a really long time to me. Plus, you have to stay on it constantly. Later on, I switched over to Pearson, which is also herbal-based, but it seems to work almost immediately after you take it. I only find myself reaching for it maybe two or three times a month when I'm just unable to function because I can't stop crying, which usually happens right before my period. Most of the time, I don't even think about taking any pills. I'm not sure if Pearson is recommended for pregnant women, though, so you should definitely check with your doctor.
silentsailor68, I’ve tried Sudocr... and honestly, 😁 I feel like I've tried just about everything. 🤔 I wouldn't say it's a bad product, per se. For me, things usually seem to improve for maybe a month or so, and then everything just goes right back to how it was—or sometimes even worse—regardless of what I apply. My skin looks a little better today because my shipment from Estée Lauder finally arrived, but just a week ago, I couldn't even touch my face because the inflammation was so intense! And then today, out of nowhere, poof, it's gone.
Drew Peterson7, that's exactly why I stuck with the natural route. Even if it hasn't cleared up my acne, at least my skin isn't peeling and drying out like it does with all those heavy creams.
I'm 28 years old, and it honestly breaks my heart to think that I'm getting married in a year and a half, and I might have to walk down that aisle with this inflamed skin. I don't think there's a makeup artist in the country who could fix this. 😢
I was on Diane for about two years, maybe even a little less. Before that, I took Celest for a year. In terms of duration, it wasn't any longer or shorter than what most women typically experience.
I’ve had my thyroid and hormone levels checked twice now, and everything comes back perfectly normal. There isn't any swelling or any issues at all. That "lump in your throat" feeling? Yeah, I know it well too... but honestly, it's just because stress and mood tend to hit you right in the gut, causing that tightness that makes you feel like you're choking.
Sometimes it just hits me out of nowhere, and I'll start sobbing like a baby, only to feel completely fine five minutes later. It's tough when that happens while you're out in public or dealing with people every day—you feel like everyone is staring at you like you're an alien.
As for me, I'm actually home right now. I quit my job to head back to college, so the plan is to finish my degree, maybe get married, and eventually have a baby.
The thing is, I know plenty of women whose situations didn't improve at all, even after they had their children. 😢
If I could give one piece of advice to any girl considering birth control like Yaz: please don't! Think about it twice before you jump in. When I first started taking them, my skin was flawless, but my cycle was a total mess, which is why my doctor put me on them to "fix" things. Well, now I'm dealing with liver issues (since synthetic estrogen can cause fat buildup in the liver), my skin is a disaster, and my hormones are spinning out of control. It's been two and a half years since I stopped taking them, and I'm still dealing with the fallout.
Drew Peterson7 said:I've officially made the switch to goat milk. To be honest, I find soy milk pretty bland. Don't get me wrong, I actually like soy and have been making it at home more often lately, even though it's completely GMO. 🙂 I'm just messing around lately, so I figured I'd say I'm ditching the hormones and antibiotics to switch over to pesticides and GMOs—just for a change of pace. 🤣 Anyway, I haven't seen any results yet, but I only just started a few days ago. 🙄 But I’m certain it’s perfectly fine. I honestly don't get this whole macrobiotic thing.😕 Are we really supposed to believe all this stuff comes from halfway across the world—places like Brazil, Afghanistan, or Mozambique? Seriously? Isn't there something much healthier in a backyard tomato grown by your grandma?
I haven't touched a drop of milk or any dairy products for over three months now, and I've cut my red meat consumption down to just once a week. As much as I’ve wished my condition might be linked to growth hormones or GMOs, there hasn't been any change. My cycle remains unpredictable, and my skin hasn't cleared up either. Despite everything, the PCOS just persists. The only thing I haven't tried is Accutane, but honestly, I have zero interest in going that route. Once I heard you aren't supposed to try for a baby for three years after your last dose, I was like, "No thanks." Besides, even if I did take it, it wouldn't actually address my main issue, which is my ovaries. Honestly, my hormone levels come back looking fine almost every single time I get bloodwork done. But my doctor told me that those results don't actually mean anything; he argued that if my hormones were truly balanced, my cycle would be completely regular. It feels like my hormones—estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, you name it—are doing fifty laps around my system every single day. My face and my mood shift literally by the minute. I can be sitting there with perfectly clear skin, only to have three painful, deep cysts pop up within ten minutes. And I don't even need a mirror to know what's happening; I can just feel a massive mood swing brewing before it even hits. I’m honestly starting to lose my patience. It’s been two and a half years since I stopped taking Diane, and I really expected to see at least some progress by now, especially as I approach thirty.
Hey there, I’ve got almost the exact same struggle with PCOS—ovaries and acne, yay us! I actually stopped taking Diane about two and a half years ago. Not trying to scare you, but my skin and cycle are still stuck in the same spot. I even went to see some "experts" over at Kaliterna and dropped a small fortune there. 🙄 Nothing seems to work for me specifically; I’ve tried it all. Being on this forum has made me realize that most of these products are basically just overpriced sludge. Right now, I’ve switched to an introduction to natural skincare because at least it doesn't dry my skin out even more. When those breakouts popped up after my beach trip, I scrambled to use a Vichy toner—which is honestly garbage, but at least my face responds slightly to salicylic and glycolic acids. Now, I just stay out of the sun entirely to try and keep things under control until my next facial (which, by the way, I only get once every four weeks). Like you already mentioned, our issue is internal, and it's so hard to just sit around waiting for our hormones to regulate themselves. 😳
Anyway, come join us over in the PDF cosmetics group; we’re all just trying to tackle these visible skin issues together.
rustyowl7 said:I have finally placed my order for the cookies, and we are talking a massive 30kg! I decided to switch bakers because the previous lady was just a bit too expensive ($30/kg), but through a friend, I managed to find someone who bakes everything from scratch at home. Her treats are absolutely stunning—half dry and crispy, half creamy—all for just $22/kg. She’ll be making three different types of cakes for me (one walnut chocolate, one strawberry, and a Black Forest style). That brings the total to $787! I also went ahead and ordered the wedding cake for 120 guests (it's a three-tier design using fondant, with flavors like parfait, chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut) which comes to $250! They’re handling the delivery themselves, too. I am honestly so relieved to have that checked off my list! My mother-in-law is also planning to bake two more cakes, so I think we will end up with plenty of food to satisfy all 120 people...
Man, everyone is going to be in a sugar coma at your place! 😬 Like a fairy tale 😛 It's fine, though; you'll probably have enough to feed 220 people! 👍
Here’s a link to M&M's... I honestly had no idea they were such a huge hit. We're always picking up their cookies to take home, and let me tell you, they are absolutely delicious if you're willing to trek across town to get them. 👍 They also make these incredibly sexy cakes, which would be perfect if anyone is looking for something special for a bachelorette party or similar event. 🙂
Justin Nguyen6 said:Okay, now I'm just quoting myself, but seriously, can someone help me out with the math on how much dessert to buy?! I have no clue how many dry pastries to grab...
Joshua Clark, have you ever made those suitcase cakes? And what would you charge for one? I saw that Nicholas Moore61 ordered some for $167, but that was only for 30 people, so I have no idea how big they actually are.😬
I just caught this... regarding those tray-style dessert squares, I honestly don't have a clue. At every wedding I've attended, they always serve those bite-sized mini treats—and they aren't always "dry" 😬 either—which you usually just buy by the pound. Word is you need about half a pound per person, maybe more if you're plating them individually in little boxes. Of course, if you're serving other desserts too, you won't need nearly that much per guest. But what kind of squares are we talking about? Something like a cream pie, a chocolate fudge, or maybe a lemon bar?
Joshua Clark said:It's actually super easy. I've done a photo cake before. You just bake a standard cake and order (most local bakeries offer this now) for them to print a photo onto edible frosting sheets. You pick the size yourself, and then—boom—you just lay the photos onto the cake. It sounds complicated, but it's honestly easier than most things. Just way more expensive.
I'd recommend checking out that bakery over on Main Street, right across from the Chase Bank, they do this kind of thing👍
It seems like you and I were the only ones caught off guard. Even the woman at the booth and my husband gave me those puzzled looks, as if they were thinking, "What on earth would you even do with a real cake?" So, I could probably stack up a 25-story tower of Styrofoam just as easily, haha... but hey, I am officially taking orders for custom cakes! 🤣I can even work with any materials you bring in myself. 😁
Back to topic: Personally, I find this Lincoln design quite beautiful—it's simple and has such clean lines.
Linda Adams8, I can actually confirm those were made of Styrofoam at the state fair. I remember asking the lady at the booth how on earth they looked so incredible in that heat—like, wow, those cakes look unreal—and she just looked right at me and said, "That's because they're foam." 😬 😉 I didn't get a chance to taste them, so I can't speak to the quality, but as far as being Styrofoam goes, it was 100% 😛
