By Melissa Minton mliss1578
Amanda Batula will always keep it real.
Whether she鈥檚 dealing with drama with husband Kyle Cooke, questioning whether she鈥檚 ready for motherhood or battling depression, the 鈥淪ummer House鈥 star鈥檚 rarely been shy about putting it out in the open.
But the 33-year-old Amanda Batula Swim designer tells Page Six Style that opening up about her skincare issues proved particularly daunting.
鈥淎s open as I was about my mental health, I was really nervous to share my acne struggles,鈥 Batula says. 鈥淪ocial media is so curated, and between makeup and filters you rarely see anyone with real skin. I felt like I was the only one going through it.鈥
But now that Batula鈥檚 seen major improvement on her current regimen, she鈥檚 ready to share her skincare secrets.
鈥淪hamefully, I didn鈥檛 feel truly comfortable sharing until my skin started looking better. When you鈥檙e in it there feels like there鈥檚 no way out. But once my skin started clearing up I felt more comfortable sharing what I had been dealing with 鈥 photos and all,鈥 she says.
鈥淚 was also so open about my relationship and my mental health, it felt silly to continue to hide something so many people also struggle with.鈥
The Bravoleb teamed up with Face Reality on a curation of products that have cleared her up 鈥 including her go-to product, the 5% L-Mandelic Serum, which is available via the brand鈥檚 network of acne experts.
鈥淚 actually look forward to putting it on every morning,鈥 Batula says. 鈥淚 also love the HydraRemedy Gel Serum. It makes my skin look so glowy and feel extra hydrated under my moisturizer.鈥
Face Reality HydraRemedy Gel Serum
She adds that while filming 鈥淪ummer House鈥 with active breakouts, 鈥渋t was makeup all the time鈥 鈥 even during scenes when she was supposed to be sleeping.
鈥淚鈥檇 wake up and put [concealer] on, just to cover my acne, but still try to look like I just got out of bed,鈥 she shares.
Other fixes she says 鈥渉elped mentally鈥 include pimple patches and spot treatments.
鈥淓ven though it was drawing more attention, it still felt like I was hiding my breakouts,鈥 Batula says of Face Reality鈥檚 InvisiClear Hydrocolloid Spot Patches, which she still uses whenever her skin flares up.
鈥淚f you have a breakout you鈥檙e feeling insecure about, just throw a pimple patch on it. I have no shame running around town with a few on my face. It also helps prevent me from picking, and it鈥檚 working on healing my breakout at the same time.鈥
Face Reality InvisiClear Hydrocolloid Spot Patches
Luckily, Batula says her acne was at its worst when she was in between 鈥淪ummer House鈥 seasons, so she was able to find a skincare routine that worked and 鈥渃lear it up a little before getting back on camera.鈥
And as anyone who鈥檚 ever struggled with acne knows, treatment is a marathon, not a sprint.
鈥淎lthough my skin has greatly improved, I still deal with an occasional breakout and I just have to remind myself that it鈥檒l clear up and go away and won鈥檛 be on my face forever,鈥 Batula says.