We can always count on Keke Palmer to keep it real and that’s just one of the things we love about her. Palmer revealed her acne and PCOS diagnoses on Instagram to thousands of comments of supports from famous friends and fans. The actress and host has never spoken about her acne struggles in such detail, but along with her makeup-free selfie, she’s not holding back now. And her reveal could really help others struggling as well.

“For some of you this may be TMI, but for me my platform has always been used for things much greater than me,” she writes. “Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome has been attacking me from the inside out my entire life and I had no idea. My acne has been so bad that people in my field offered to pay for me to get it fixed. I tried EVERYTHING.”

Palmer says she was put on Accutane twice, ate well and got clear bloodwork. Doctors couldn’t see anything wrong. So, she took her health into her own hands and did her research, bringing what she found to a doctor and getting a proper diagnosis: PCOS.  “I’m not saying trust web md for everything haha but what I am saying is no one can help us like we can help ourselves,” she writes. 

Source: Instagram

PCOS is caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. It’s said that one in 10 women of child-bearing age have PCOS. Acne is just one symptom. Others are irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth on the face and chin, infertility, weight gain and thinning hair.

Palmer isn’t letting acne or her new diagnosis keep her down. “To all the people struggling with this please know you’re not alone and that you are still so fucking fine!” she writes. “MY ACNE AINT NEVER STOPPED ME. But we don’t have [to] accept this. Now I can really help KEKE! And I love her so it’s ON.”

Over the weekend, she shared how she covers her breakouts and acne scars, something you absolutely do not have to do but it’s good to know and Palmer knows. She reveals that ever since she spoke about her acne struggles, she’s received messages about how she covers up her pimples. First, she preps her skin and eyelids with Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($9.58 at Amazon) and Caudalie Beauty Elixir ($18 at Sephora). If we were recommending products, we’d go with an oil-free moisturizer and hydrating toner but she knows what works for her skin.

Source: Instagram

For her complexion, she uses the M.A.C. Studio Fix Conceal And Correct Palette ($35 at M.A.C.) to color correct dark spots. Then, she goes in with Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer ($30 at Sephora) in shades in Ginger and Walnut, using the lightest shade under her eyes. She adds M.A.C. Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation in NC50 ($36 at M.A.C.) on top and finishes with a few powders on different areas of her face. These include M.A.C. Mineralizing Skin Finish Studio Fix NW58 ($36 at M.A.C.), Lancôme Absolue Radiant Smoothing Face Powder in Absolute Almonds ($60 at Macy’s) and Ben Nye 6B01.

The finished product? Flawless. And like she says, this is what works for her. It might not work for you exactly but we can all take some tips from each and every routine she blesses us with.