Sound off on this face regimen?

Perhaps a clay masque?

I had the best results from not using any products, other than olive oil soap to wash my face (which I bathe with as well), and a good aftershave balm. I think all that crap strips your face of oils, causes it to produce even more oil in the long run. Just MHO.

I'd look for gentler alternatives to the caffeine/menthol/Vitamin E wash and the Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion. Menthol is just plain horrible for skin (can you not feel the irritation, which some people euphemistically call "tingling"?) and the Blue Astringent contains drying alcohol and aluminum chlorohydrate (an ingredient used in antiperspirants that has no benefit for your face).

If you are going to add in salicylic acid, make sure that the product will be on your face long enough to do some good (i.e. not a face wash), that the amount is high enough (i.e. .5% to 2%), and that the pH is in the proper range for it to be effective (i.e. between 3 and 4). While you experiment with the BHA (salicylic acid), you might want to stop using the AHA (glycolic acid) and determine which works best for you.

I totally understand that the irritation has an odd appeal, but remember that irritation/inflammation can make acne worse.

You can use AHA and BHA at the same time, just be sure to alternate - use one in the morning and the other in the evening, or alternate days. Just keep experimenting, but don't try more than one new thing at a time so that you can be sure which new product is or is not working.

I don't have a lot of thoughts of my own on tea tree oil, but I'll copy and paste Paula Begoun's article on it.

from http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/art.asp?ID=182

Tea tree oil has some interesting research demonstrating it to be an effective antimicrobial agent. The Journal of Applied Microbiology (January 2000, pages 170-175) stated that "The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Its mode of action against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli AG100, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8325, and the yeast Candida albicans has been investigated using a range of methods... . The ability of tea tree oil to disrupt the permeability barrier of cell membrane structures and the accompanying loss of chemiosmotic control is the most likely source of its lethal action at minimum inhibitory levels." In addition, "In a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of tea tree oil in the treatment of herpes cold sores, tea tree oil was found to have similar degree of activity as 5% acyclovir" (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, May 2001, page 450). For acne there is also some credible published information showing it to be effective as a topical disinfectant for killing the bacteria that can cause pimples (Source: Letters in Applied Microbiology, October 1995, pages 242-245). However, the crux of the matter for tea tree oil is: How much is needed to have an effect? The Medical Journal of Australia (October 1990, pages 455-458) compared the efficacy of tea tree oil to the efficacy of benzoyl peroxide for the treatment of acne. A study of 119 patients using 5% tea tree oil in a gel base versus 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion was discussed. There were 61 in the benzoyl peroxide group and 58 in the tea tree oil group. The conclusion was that "both treatments were effective in reducing the number of inflamed lesions throughout the trial, with a significantly better result for benzoyl peroxide when compared to the tea tree oil. Skin oiliness was lessened significantly in the benzoyl peroxide group versus the tea tree oil group." However, while the reduction of breakouts was greater for the benzoyl peroxide group, the side effects of dryness, stinging, and burning were also greater"”"79% of the benzoyl peroxide group versus 49% of the tea tree oil group."

Given these results, a 2.5% strength benzoyl peroxide solution would be better to start with to see if it is effective, rather than starting with the more potent and somewhat more irritating 5% or 10% concentrations. However, if you were interested in using a 5% strength tea tree oil solution to see if that would be effective, at this time I know of no products stating the amount of tea tree oil they contain. It appears that almost all of the tea tree oil products on the market contain little more than a 1% concentration, if that, which is probably not enough to be of much help for breakouts.

Balance your essential fatty acids with Fish Oil, this will keep the sebaceous glands at bay. Next, use the soap from facedoctor.ca, which contains sea buckthorn, which will kill the bacteria in your face. A soap with tea tree oil would be good too.

I've heard olive oil helps too, i think it is because it soothes inflammation. Some people claim it regrows hair too.

As far as eating olive oil, I have read that it is a neutral oil. Vegetable oil will mess you up, but coconut oil is supposed to be best.

The stuff in bold was disproven 50 years ago. Sebaceous glands produce sebum at a linear rate, though I believe it can change due to internal factors, not external.

i'd switch your facial wash to something more designed for oily skin
something like menscience daily face wash or korres sage fluid gel cleanser

don't use a scrub for your exfoliant more that once a week
as shaving in of itself is a method of exfoliation, over-exfoliation of oily skin just kicks the production of sebum into higher gear making your skin more oily

you need a clay mask
anthony logistics deep pore cleansing clay mask is good
once a week to help control overall oiliness

i don't think doing the mid day routine is going to help
it may actual hurt
you may just need to wipe your face with a non-alcohol toner or wash with a very mild face wash to rid your face of accumulated oil but what you're thinking sounds way too harsh given your evening treatment

less is more

I follow the simple regime at http://www.acne.org/

I wash in the lather and shave with a thick coating of Cetaphil soap,

Rinse, apply Cetaphil moisturizer.

At night, I wash with Cetaphil soap or exfolliant. Apply a .5% panoxyl cream and sleep.

It took some time to clear up, my acne has never been bad but now its fine.

benzoly peroxide dosent work for acne, all it does is ROAST the zits!!...and why are you using lotion and a moisturizer at the same time if you have oily skin?