Taking care of my facial skin

[Fat-Elvis]

Thank you Patrick Bateman.

i found the info on clay masks to be the most useful....I should get one.


btw, what is a good sunscreen to get in addition to a moisturizer? I want one that's at least 15spf, oil-free, and isn't greasy or anything. I can't find a moisturizer with spf that has all that and is good for combination/oily skin. Right now I'm using Clinique Dramatically Different moisturizer lotion.

 

[totally epic]

I'm also using the DDF sulfur clay mask and it's fantastic.

 

[skunkworks]

Neutrogena Sunscreen - just keep it out of your eyes and you'll be good.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Clay - the best way to zap a blemish is to wash your face, put some benzoyl peroxide on it, dab on some AHA 10%, moisturize, then put a spot of this clay on the blemish overnight. When you wake up, it should shrink significantly. Best part is that it's $3 for a gigantic tube at your local drug store.

 

[chobochobo]

Two most important things for good skin, in the long term - don't smoke and use sunblock. Things with AHAs or acids are providing very superficial chemical peels and provide a little surface rejuvenation but nothing else. Retinoids cuts down sebaceous gland activity and so will work for acne and for overactive glands, depending on dose/ administration route.

 

[blank]

Originally Posted by egoiste

blank -- A word of advice for the benzoyl peroxide (BP). If you don't use bp as a routine, your acne can come back. I would try to do the same thing once I saw results on my face, but weeks later, I would have pimples here and there. An alternative can be tea tree oil (TTO) as TTO has antiseptic and antibacterial properties which can clear the skin of acne scars and blemishes. TTO isn't as effective as BP and it takes longer to work, but it is a safer alternative to bp as bp has been shown to age your face quicker due to the release of free radicals. Plus, it's really harsh and drying on your face. I'm using TTO now after using BP for about 2 years and it's been working. Secondly, salicylic acid may be another alternative, though it is still quite harsh on skin.

As for washing your face during the day, make sure to re-moisturize. An alternative to washing your face can be using a toner to refresh your face. Use a cotton pad and wipe your face with it removing the dirt and debris (and you'll see lots of it on the pad afterwards!). You can also use oil removing strips (Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets) and use them on oily areas.

For acne scars, there are a variety of options. Chemical peels are costly ($500+), but are effective on mild acne scars and you would need to go to a professional doctor to do so. This basically removes the upper layer of your skin.

You can also go the natural route, though they are less effective and may take longer to work. However, they are the cheapest route! Some natural alternatives are:

1) Aloe vera--apply topically as a gel or drink aloe vera juice.
2) Lemon juice--bleaches skin: apply topically (1-2x a day) only on acne scars with a cotton pad, let stand for 10-15 minutes, rinse with water. Lemon juice is a natural alpha hydroxy acid. Thus, it can be overdrying and sting skin.
3) Cucumbers -- apply cucumber juice topically over entire face with a cotton pad and leave on skin overnight. Not as harsh as lemon juice and thus can be used over entire face.

Lastly, you can purchase products in creams or gels ($30+). Look for ingredients in products such as kojic acid, licorice extract, vitamin c, vitamin a, retinol, glycolic acid, lactic acid, hydroquinone, azelaic acid, mulberry extracts, etc.

Some products: Murad's Post-Acne Spot Lightening Gel, Lancome BRIGHT EXPERT - Intense Brightening Spot Correcting Serum, Dior DiorSnow Pure UV Ultra-Whitening Spot Corrector SPF 30 , PH Advantage Boosters: Pigmentation Fader, Clarins Bright Plus HP On-the-Spot Brightening Corrector, Peter Thomas Roth Potent Skin Lightening Gel Complex (also comes in a gentle formula), DDF-Doctor's Dermatologic Formula Fade Gel 4, Korres Wild Rose Imperfection-Targeting Oil, Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum.

Finally, for your skin care regimen. Simply adjust accordingly. If you use differin at night, then a night cream isn't needed. Focus on the morning regimen the most and preventing acne and sun damage. For BP, I put on BP and wait about 10 minutes until it sinks into my skin, then put on my sunscreen and/or nightcream.

Mate, thank you for the reply. It is very helpful. I agree that BP has done some very harsh things to my face and it might be the reason that my face looks weathered. My acne is not bad anymore -- I might get one blemish a week, if that. And I'm sure you know how this goes, but depending on how your face feels, so goes your acne, I think.

I am going to try to use the Baxter Toner in the morning.

I bought the Men-U antiseptic wash that features Tea Tree Oil, so I will try to switch over to that in the morning after the toner, moisturizing with the Baxter Oil-Free (which is very nice).

Let's see what happens!

 

[Fat-Elvis]

Originally Posted by skunkworks

Neutrogena Sunscreen - just keep it out of your eyes and you'll be good.

Thanks!

Now, is it better to apply sunscreen after or before moisturizer?

 

[skunkworks]

After moisturizer.

 

[Fat-Elvis]

thanks.

'nother question: I currently use the Nivea Extra Gentle Face Wash to wash my face every day. I have oily/combination skin though, so would the Purifying Face Wash be better? Is there anything about it that would actually help with my oily face, or is it just marketing bs? Would the Extra Gentle just be better because it's fragrance/dye/alcohol/soap-free? (the Purifying wash just claims to be soap free)

 

[Ande]

i have dry/oily skin too and cetaphil works for me. i don't mess w/a lot of chemical cleansers because they do more damage then good. i've tried that expensive stuff too. they irritate my skin. cetaphil is fairly gentle.

the best thing you can do is limit the chemicals that touch your face. i had breakous from age 13-27. once i left the harsh products alone i cleared up. never spend a lot of money on products when you can get great stuff that works for cheap.

to moisturize i use 100% pure jojoba oil (which isn't really oil). it's actually very similar to sebum which is oil that the skin secretes but it won't clog pores. it can be a little greasy if you use too much but blot your face w/tissue to remove the excess. three drops is enough for the whole face. they got it at Whole Foods for like $7-12. pure emu oil is great too if you can find it.

here's the regimen that cleared my skin:
1) Steam your face: bring a pot of water to a gentle boil, turn off the heat, tent your face over the pot w/a towel, and steam for 3 minutes. if the heat is too much back away and wait a minute. you want it to be warm enough to get a consistent sweat for all 3 minutes. you should have sweat dripping from your face. the steam flushes out any impurities/clogged pores. after steaming DO NOT wipe the sweat off. go to the sink and splash your face w/warm water.

2) while your face is wet use the Cetaphil gently for a few seconds. maybe once or twice a week, apply the cetaphil with a rag instead of your fingers. the rag will help exfoliate the skin.

3) blot your face w/a towel but not completely dry. apply a few drops of jojoba to your face and gently rub it in.

Sidenote) you can remove blackheads after steaming while your pores are open. before i wash my face i take some tweezers or nail clippers (any hard item) and press its edge on the side/edge of my nostril. pull your nostril outward with the other hand and press the tweezer down and drag it to the front of your nose. the blackheads will squeeze out with ease. repeat for the other side of your nose.

there are some great natural skin care treatments. honey is a great moisturizing mask. i started to get small craters on my skin and i applied a little apple cider vinegar to my face w/a cotton swab. after a few weeks they were gone. acv is also great for dealing w/dandruff.

 

[blank]

Certainly don't want to jinx anything, but I'm just a few days into using these new products and I feel great. I think I can see things clearing up, and I'm trying to get off BP entirely. I will say that the Baxter Oil-Free Moisturizer feels fantastic, you can't even tell you're wearing it but hours after putting it on, if you splash your face, you can feel it washing off because it is still applied. Great stuff.

 

[javyn]

No one has given any reason at all as to why Cetaphil shouldn't be used. I have used the generic Walgreens Cetaphil every morning for over 6 months now and my skin has never looked better. I don't exfoliate (other than shaving), or do masks, or facials, or anything like that.

I might use the oil cleansing method once every week or two in addition, but that's it.

 

[zatarregaza]

Cetaphil worked fine for me when I used it. Its a very good, no frills product for the price. I eventually moved on to a more expensive cleanser that suits my oily skin just a bit better.

I say there really is nothing wrong it. If it works for you, stay with it.

 

[Fat-Elvis]

so what's a good cleanser for oily skin?

 

[zatarregaza]

Originally Posted by Fat-Elvis

so what's a good cleanser for oily skin?

I use the Men-u Ultra Concentrate Healthy Face Wash. It came highly recommended from that MenEssentials site.

 

[Fat-Elvis]

thanks. can that be bought at any brick-and-mortar stores, or would I pretty much have to get it online?