Skin Care

[NYBella]

OK.

Summer - I use a high SPF 45-50 oil free moisturizer. I am not that picky, so I will use most brands with the exception of a few like Neutrogena that I have not had a good experience with. I've tried just about every drug store product and some expensive ones also, but I don't think it matters much. Drugstore products are as good. I will get a CVS brand moisturizer or Eucerin. I like Eucerin products. I wash my face twice a day with an oil free cleanser for sensitive skin. I re-apply the sunscreen moisturizer twice throughout the day. I always take off my make-up and wash my face before bed each night. I apply Vitamin E, but that's just for my skin because I have some old acne scars that I want to get rid of. It is a good idea to moisturize before you go to bed each night.

Winter- I use a SPF 15-30 oil free moisturizer for the day. I cleanse my face with a cleanser that is not drying and is for sensitive skin. After washing my face at night, I apply that Clean & Clear dual action moisturizer because other acne products are too drying for my skin in the winter. My skin becomes really dry in the winter.

That's my facial skin regime. I don't put on eye cream because I haven't reached that age yet. But once you're in your 30's, I think it's a good idea to start putting on eye cream in the morning and at night. As for my body, I use any moisturizer because I don't get acne on my body. It doesn't have to be oil free, but if you break out in your body too, then you should get an oil free, fragrance free body moisturizer/lotion. It's a good idea to apply moisturizer right after you get out of the shower because that's when your skin is most susceptible to dryness and 3-5 minutes after shower is when your skin will absorb the moisturizer really well.

OK, I hope that helps.

[Cult Icon]

Hey Bella,

Thanks for your information. It's enlightening. I never moisturize my skin at all (never felt the need to). I've avoided in the past because I believed that moisturizing might make me break out. Since you use it so much it seems to be not of the case.

I thought of you when I walked past a drugstore today. There were many brands but the product lines were generally similar so it was rather..confusing. Anyway, I bought this:

Oil-free, moisturizer cleanser, hypoallergenic oil free. Haven't used it yet.

My face seems to have stop breaking out for the moment..(hopefully, it will stay that way..)after I adjusting my face washing down to twice @ 12 hour intervals. It must be 'overdry' because of the cold weather and I just haven't been noticing it.

Anyway, I tried this product about two weeks ago and it actually make the breakout worse, so I stopped using it. It was very sticky and caused me to overscrub my face.

it has salicytic acid.

Are the 'Facial Scrub' products of the sticky type?

[Cult Icon]

Hey Bella,

The breakout has stabilized..for now. Face is healing. I'm actually rather confused as to what caused it. I think it may have been the soap I was using more than the weather/ facing drying out more. Not 100% sure yet, though. The soap must have been contaminated somehow. Damn soap!

I've been experimenting with several products:

1. Clean & Clear Acne Wash 10% Benz. Peroxide- The only product I found with '10%' Benz. Peroxide. Incredibly strong.. makes skin feel tight and lighter complexioned but skin stays dry (rather than oily) for about nine hours. Been using it for two days and it seems to be working. Changed face cleaning regimen to 2x a day from 3x. Rinse face with warm water mid-day. Looking for something milder for the future..WIP..

2. Clean & Clear Sensitive Skin cleanser- It's seems to have too much moisturizer for me..

3. Biore Night Lotion- Unnecessary..shouldn't have spent $17 on it.

4. Biore Microderm exfoliator- Bought it for $17 and found it for $4 on Amazon..Incredible. Skin felt really smooth and clean right after application with no negative effects thus far. (used it once) Recommended.

5. Neutrogena Salicyltic Acid Cleanser- Not a fan..I used it for a few days it dried out my face and actually caused the breakout to worsen.

Plan on buying a moderate cleanser tomorrow just to experiment further..

[NYBella]

Hey Bella,

4. Biore Microderm exfoliator- Bought it for $17 and found it for $4 on Amazon..Incredible. Skin felt really smooth and clean right after application with no negative effects thus far. (used it once) Recommended.

5. Neutrogena Salicyltic Acid Cleanser- Not a fan..I used it for a few days it dried out my face and actually caused the breakout to worsen.

Plan on buying a moderate cleanser tomorrow just to experiment further..

Yeah, I told you to steer clear of Neutrogena, and I recommended Biore. Neutrogena products are all just way too harsh! Biore is great. Biore products are on sale for this week in my local CVS. I don't know about your state. And they always have coupons in newspapers for these products if you think they're too expensive.

Also, don't try out so many products all at once. You might irritate your skin. Anyway, great job

[Cult Icon]

Hey bella,

I used Neutrogena 'Salicyctic Acid cleaner' before I posted about my problem. :> I broke out every day for over a week and that product seems to have made it worse. I actively avoid this chemical now.. Actually, the price is not an issue for me at all and I think amazon sells biore products for the cheap.

Got 3 more items this morning (I've probably exhausted all the cleasers I wanted to try):

1. Clean & Clear Exfoliating scrub- Seems to be a normal cleanser with exfoliating beads in it. Haven't tried it yet.

2. Clean & Clear Normal Cleanser (no lotion, no acne medication) Haven't tried it yet.

3. Clean & Clear foaming cleanser with 'triclosan'- Scary like the Salicyctic Acid and Benz. Perioxide cleansers. Too drying. I don't think I can use this product (like the others) on a daily basis.

I hope that #2 will end up working fine as a permanent cleanser.. not sure of course. Will try tomorrow.

[Expresso]

Hmm skincare...when I was a teen I used to not do that at all. Just wash my face and be done with it. I once used one of those anti acne products but they made me break out so bad that even now I have never tried again.

Now in the winter my skin gets really dry and it just doesn't look good if I don't moisturize. The problem for me is that there are plenty of products for oily skin, but not many for extremely dry skin, like mine. So I just use pure coconut oil and that seems to get the job done. Another advantage is that it only costs a couple of bucks for an entire jar, which lasts ages. I also put the stuff in my hair a few hours before I wash it. Makes it really shiny without making it greasy.

To be honest I rarely buy the official skin products. For example, I make my own face scrub by combining milk, honey and a bit of sugar. It works great and tastes great too when you wash it off, haha

Oh and before I post this, I want to make clear that I'm not some pro nature greenfreak hippie who walks around barefoot at minus 20 degrees Celsius. It's just that the professional, expensive stuff just doesn't do it for me.

[SilviaTirado]

Anyone ever done the whole Mary Kay thing? Good products but geez they email me everyday!!!!

[Cult Icon]

I just wanted to update this in case anybody experienced the same situation (I've noticed it wasn't just me at the time). Apparently, one's skin thickens during prolonged dry air and cold weather. Sebum production shoots up, and for some people, cold weather brings accelerated turnover of skin cells.

I've been using a moderate cleanser with mild ex foliating beads in it, and it has been (so far) successful with clearing up my problem.

[Lolita]

congrats

I have an update too, I use queen helene's green face mask and it works really well. my face looks alot clearer and I really feel like the mask must be working

[Cult Icon]

Hey, thanks Lolita. :>

Out of curiosity, does anybody use a toner?

[Cult Icon]

I think I should put down other products I've used during this episode:

1. Neutrogena 2.5% Benzyl peroxide- helped, not drying.

2. Clearsil 10% Benzyl peroxide- helped, but drying, may cause peeling if too much is used.

Astingents are toners w/ S- Acid and 20-60% alcohol. Beware. 4 was tolerable, but not meant for consistent use. 3..anything like three should be avoided.

3. Avon Astingent 1.5% Salyctic Acid- made my face a little red, too drying, stopped use

4. Clean and Clear Astingent (Sensitive skin) 0.5% Salyctic Acid- milder than 3, similar type of product, stopped use

I am using 5. Neutrogena No Alcohol Toner. Still experimenting with it, I am pleased with it so far. No skin irritation at all and it seems to smooth the skin.

People I've talked to and websites have given me conflicting advice:

Check this out:

Scrubbers. Scrubbing beads, seeds, shells, sugars, or anything else that is made to

[Lolita]

I used toner before

It burned my skin so badly that I started to cry

[dizzymisslizzy]

i use Biore blackhead clearing scrub, then for a moisturizer i use olay complete spf 15 sensitive skin, my face is clear & protected! never use anything else

[Lolita]

I now use clarisonic and it is so so awesome.

[Cult Icon]

It's been a while since I've posted here, but I've learned a bit more about all of this.

I've switched to AHA for exfoliation (much better, and better for the skin).

I also did a blood test and found that I had low white blood cell count- mostly from stress and my immune system has been down for some time. (so that may have contributed to the winter flare-up.)

I've decided to do one course of Isotretinoin with my dermatologist to prevent something like this from happening again.

[Cult Icon]

Yeah, I don't like facial bars because they store bacteria. It's better to use something stored in a bottle. Also, I do not like Neutrogena facial products. I used them in my teens for years. They caused me to break out even more and were too harsh.

And 15 years? That's a long time to be using the same product. It's good to switch it up, especially between the seasons. Your skin regime should not be the same in winter as it was in the summer. I would recommend Biore or Clean & Clear cleansers. I particularly love this moisturizer for the winter.

Just switch it up and see how that works. But definitely get rid of the facial/soap bar. Good luck!

I actually used this exact same moisturizer today, Bella, and it burned! (I only used it once, though). did you get used to it eventually?

I've been using a jojoba oil derived moisturizer for the past year, but I've been looking for a non-irritating moisturizer (creave/cetaphil doesn't agree with me) that's not jojoba oil based.

[Lyon]

I seldom use skin care but I won't go out without sunblock and moisturizer

[Cult Icon]

I seldom use skin care but I won't go out without sunblock and moisturizer

What type of moisturizer do you use, lyon ?

[Lyon]

I always try new thing Right now "Garnier Refreshing Gel-Cream"

[Cult Icon]

I always try new thing Right now "Garnier Refreshing Gel-Cream"

I see the reviews for it and it seems to be well liked. I have a lot of difficulties in finding a great moisturizer- there seems to be flaws in every one I 've tried thus far. I think I'll make a thread about this very subject..