✨ BEFORE & AFTERS: THE REAL STORY BEHIND MY 3–4 MONTH SKIN TRANSFORMATION

THE TRUTH ABOUT BEFORE & AFTERS

I've always wondered about the real story behind before-and-afters.

Why is the before always makeup-free and the after suddenly NOT.

Photos edited, no doubt? Is the "after" even the true result from the goods being sold?

Mid-summer, after sitting down with Matthew from iS Clinical, who is truly wonderful and endlessly knowledgeable, I left feeling inspired to start my own quiet little experiment.

A combo: majority iS Clinical, with a few "Karina must-haves" to fill in the gaps I know my skin personally craves.

Alongside the products, I committed to something that surprised me the most: a daily morning 3–5 minute gua sha sculpting and lymphatic drainage routine every AM.

Nothing dramatic. Just consistent. Just me showing up for myself, while changing things UP!

Something different.

After a few weeks, it wasn't "a routine" anymore; it became essential, necessary.

Sacred.

A nurturing little moment fresh out of prayer, out of bed and before the gym, almost like my skin whispering, finally… thank you. Good Morning America, let's go!

Eventually, I forgot I even started this as a before-and-after experiment.

The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to try new things, new habits, new self-care rituals. Even if the results aren't shocking, viral, or instant… the act of showing up changes us. It disrupts our patterns. It rewires our brain. It invites progress.

So here it is. My honest before and after. No makeup. No face edits. No smoothing. Just skin being skin.

And yes… the gua sha lymph drainage surprised me the most.

HONEST BEFORE & AFTER SKINCARE RESULTS

My before-and-after photos aren't a dramatic, plastic-surgery-level transformation, because that's not what this is.

This was:

• Consistency
• Intention
• Quality products
• Lymphatic drainage/Sculping
• And showing up for myself
• Every. Single. Day.

The results were soft, honest, and very real:

• More lifted contours
• Less morning puffiness
• Brighter eyes
• Smoother skin texture
• A calmer, more regulated complexion
• Awakeness
• Less morning puffiness ;)

The tools helped.

The products worked.

But the magic was the commitment, something I firmly believe you are worthy of, too.

MY ROUTINE (3–4 MONTHS)

GUA SHA LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

First thing every morning.

3–5 minutes.

Opening lymph nodes first (super important). This step alone created the most unexpected "after" + utterly necessary for proper fluid flow.

HERE and HERE are a couple of handy gua sha lymph drainage tutorials.

Oil I use for Gua Sha slip!

My skin loved it so much that it began craving it at night during cleansing.

That's when I knew this wasn't just skincare, it was self-connection.

DAILY AM ROUTINE (Follow directions please!)

• Cleanser: iS Clinical Warming Honey Cleanser or Cleansing Complex (eyes + face) 
• Serum: iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+
• Moisturizer: iS Clinical Moisturizing Complex
• Eyes: iS Clinical C Eye Serum Advance+
• SPF: iS Clinical Extreme Protect SPF 40 or Solara Fortune Teller Tinted Brightening Serum SPF 30
• Before the gym: iS Clinical Copper Firming Mist

MY PM ROUTINE

• Cleanse: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex (eyes + face)
• Exfoliate: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex Polish (2× weekly)
• Treatment:
  • iS Clinical Retinol+ Emulsion 0.3 (4 days)
  • Code of Harmony Resilient Skin Facial Oil (3 days)
• Eyes: iS Clinical Youth Eye Complex
• Moisturizer: iS Clinical Youth Complex

ADDITIONAL TREATMENTS

• iS Clinical Active Peel System (2× monthly)
• iS Clinical Lip Polish (1× weekly)
• Copper Firming Mist (daily — anytime my skin needs a reset)

WEEKLY MINI FACIAL (MY FAVORITE PART)

Depending on my skin's mood, weather, or hormonal shifts, I rotated:

Option A: Deep cleansing

1. iS Clinical Active Peel System
2. Code of Harmony Bioferment Detox Mask

Option B: Deep nourishment

1. iS Clinical Cleansing Complex Polish or iS Clinical Active Peel System
2. Code of Harmony Stem Cell Gel Mask

Follow-up nourishment after home mini-facials (depending on skin need):

• Code of Harmony Ceru Blue Barrier Balm (deep nourishment)
• or
• iS Clinical Retinol+ Emulsion 0.3 + Youth Complex (extra activity)

Massage in like it's deep business + respect your skin's tolerance — always.

That's the secret to long-term results.

FAQs — YOUR TOP QUESTIONS, ANSWERED

Are your photos edited?

No. No filters, no smoothing, no makeup. Just natural lighting, in my car LOL, and my real skin.

How long did it take to see results?

I began noticing lifting and less puffiness around week 3-4 weeks from gua sha…but the true before-and-after results took about 3–4 months.

Did the iS Clinical products help?

Absolutely — especially in texture, brightness, and skin tightness.

Do I need everything you used?

No. Start with the essentials:

• A cleanser
• A vitamin C
• A lovely oil for gua sha slide and nourishment
• Moisturizer
• SPF
• A gua sha tool + 3 minutes a day

What made the biggest difference?

Honestly?  Self-Care and intention. A combo of it all. 

The lymphatic drainage. The consistency. The commitment.

FINAL THOUGHTS: YOU ARE WORTHY OF THE EFFORT

This journey reminded me of something simple but profound: we are worthy of the self-effort it takes to care for ourselves. Worthy of the ritual, the learning curve, the progress that comes from consistency.

Your results will be your own — soft, real, honest.

They won't happen overnight.

But they will happen.

Commit. You're worth it.