It's pretty lame that I'm 29 and battling skin drama from both sides. I still get acne - ugh - and the fine lines and wrinkles are here now too. And don't even get me started on my crop of gray hair. FML.
Finding products is impossible. I used Proactive for years. It never even worked for me - I just had no idea what else to use. I stopped that stupid cycle when I started residency - so I've been trying different products since....and have not found my miracle cure yet. I'm open to try new things..but I never know where to start.
I just got a cleanser and a glycolic peel from Naturopathica this week. It's certified organic and looks like good stuff. I've never done a glycolic peel before - it kinda burns for a few seconds after application - but I've read time and time again that those treatments are great for anti-aging. (I'll let you know!) And their cleanser smells so good - like lavender and aloe - and it actually feels lovely (I've used sand-paper feeling face-scrubs for so long...never again!)
I have night time eye cream from Roc that I use - but I'm pretty sure it doesn't do anything but make me feel good about trying to do something. Do you have any products that help to smooth lines and/or combats pimples? I want to know what works!
*this was posted on Wednesday and got some excellent feedback! except Blogger went bananas and not only deleted this post, but deleted all of the fantastic comments and suggestions. Bummer.
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I have the same problem! I'm a huge fan of Cetaphil. The cleanser is gentle, but cleans well (for the pimples) and the lotion is light and doesn't feel like it clogs my pores or causes acne. A dermatologist friend of mine said the key to fighting wrinkles was moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Which I hadn't been doing for fear of breakouts. Now I make sure to wash my face and apply the Cetaphil lotion before bed. In the mornings I feel like my face looks amazing! I've also started using ROC Retin-A underneath the lotion, but I haven't really noticed any reduction in wrinkles.
ReplyDeleteI switched to Origins last year after experiencing breakouts from sweat (I started running). Best move EVER! Bret has made the switch, too. I've never heard of Naturopathica - you'll have to update us once you decide if it works!
ReplyDeleteFor anti-acne, go to www.thecosmeticscop.com. She has a system that is supposed to be better than ProActive, and cheaper too I think.
ReplyDeleteThen go to her other site www.beautypedia.com and look up her advice for anti-aging. She should have a list of best products. I know a good inexpensive one is Olay Regenerist serum and you can get it unscented.
She deems a product good if it has enough of the right ingredients to actually make a difference, and is packaged in a way that doesn't degrade the ingredients.
If you are interested in using drug store products (I am really cheap), here is my routine. I also used proactive for years without a lot of luck, but I rarely break out using this system, so I give it high marks!
ReplyDelete1. Cetaphil cleaner - morning and night (I cannot tell you how much I love this stuff, which was recommended by my dermatologist)
2. St. Ives apricot scrub in the shower, but just 1-2x/week for a little extra exfoliation.
3. After I wash my face, I use the Clean & Clear astringent that has sacylic acid. B/c the Cetaphil does not have any medication, I find that this step is really important in fighting acne.
4. Eye cream after each wash - I really like the Aveeno kind, but have also heard wonderful things about the Neutrogena "wrinkle erase" kind, so I may try that when my current tube is empty.
5. Morning moisturizer - Oil of Olay sensitive skin with spf. Very light, so my face gets great moisture without feeling greasy. I use enough to make sure I get my ears, neck, and chest, too. (Don't forget to buy one with spf - so important for fighting wrinkles...)
6. Night moisturizer - Oil of Olay wrinkle fighting night cream. (I LOVE the way this stuff feels and makes my face feel, but I don't love the smell.)
I swear by Cetaphil too! I use the gentler one in the dead of winter (I live in dry Colorado) and the Normal to Oily cleanser in the summer. Right now I switch between both kinds morning and night. I also use the Aveeno or Burts Bees eye cream at night and a Nutrogena salycilic acid cream for my oily spots and spots in the morning. I tried everything before, so I hear you! I found that hypoallergenic make-up combined with this combo is the best thing for my skin. Also, your skin is probably still "used to" the dry air of Arizona and the humidity of the east coast probably throws you for a loop.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that hair oils and things are also to blame for some breakouts. Try using something like the Nutrogena anti-residue shampoo once a week to get all the gunk out of your hair. I know when I wear my hair curly I get more break outs shortly thereafter. That, and when I keep my finger nails shorter.
Lastly, even though you aren't pregnant anymore, your hormones are still to blame a little. Remember you are breastfeeding still.
Anna (Blogspot hates me, I'm forced to be anonymous)
I, as well, struggle with keeping an even-ness in my skin. What's so frustrating, is that everyone's skin is different and the generic skin lines for "oily/problematic skin" don't always meet my needs...sometimes, they even make it worse!! I use a mix of solutions as I am convinced one entire product line was not catered to my skin type. After finding a combination that is working for me, I find that it is usually hormones that get me out of whack. When that happens, the following products seem to help me get my balance back on:
ReplyDelete(1) Cetaphil (the soap bar; I didn't find the same results with the liquid) works really well. Your skin actually feels CLEAN because it suds up nicely.
(2) Currently, I use the cleanser and day & night creams from the Biotherm line. The Skin VIVO creams are amazing! I feel like my skin gets nourished and moisturized and still can breathe. It's an anti-aging type of line, but who says you can't start now?!?
(3) My Nutripath introduced me to "Colloidal Silver". You put a little bit on a cotton pad, then dab it on your just cleaned, blemished area. It's medically used as an antiseptic and gets the area clean and "dried" out of the bad oils your pores are holding onto and re-creating. After applying, I get my moisturizer on right away so that the right oils get absorbed.
Good luck! Let us know what ends up working for you ...
xo
I had issues with acne foreverrr, so now I go to a fancy shmancy dermatologist, and his regimen has fixed the problem. Following his plan without prescriptions wouldn't be too hard: wash with sulfur soap (found at http://www.sulphursoap.com/) when you wake up and before you go to bed. Wear REAL SUNSCREEN during the day (at least SPF 30). Apply a nighttime moisturizer (I use his brand, but Olay night cream also works well for me), then a retin-a type ointment, dotted on the forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin then rubbed in.
ReplyDeleteI'm also on a low dose of accutane which has been AMAZING. It has a lot of yellow tape surrounding it, but seriously it's a godsend. And, since I'm on such a low dose (1 pill a week), it doesn't dry me out, affect my liver, or cause any other health problems. It just gets rid of the acne even if I slack on my topical routine.
Okay, here my comment again, more or less ...
ReplyDeletePaula Begoun at www.thecosmeticscop.com has an acne system that is supposed to work better than ProActive. Probably cheaper too.
Go to www.beautypedia.com to read up on dealing with lines. I do know Olay Regenerist serum is on her list of good products and it comes in an unscented version too.
She only recommends products with both ingredients that are proven to work in a high enough concentration, and that are packaged in such a way to protect the ingredients from degrading.
I hear ya on the pimples thing. I hated that I had them as an adult, so at around 22 I did acutane. It was phenomenal but it worked to cut down my breakouts to about 70% now. The first year after I used it I had flawless skin. But my skin I feel is super sensitive. Proactive never worked for me. I like to use St. Ives apricot scrub for breakouts daily when showering (it has a little saliyclic acid in it)... then Alba's facial lotion- jasmine and vitamin E for "mature skin". I love it. But I live in a different climate than you do. In california I had aweful skin with all of the moisture in the air for some reason. But now... getting closer to 30...I think I need to use an eye cream... and somehow not feel like a hypochondriac or an old woman.
ReplyDeletemy skin gets oily and pimply if I don't wear enough moisturizer. I know that sounds weird, but I think dry skin can cause it to be oily and pimply! Have you tried clinique's face cleaners and moisturizers? my husband started using mine when we were dating in college and it really helped his skin look better too
ReplyDeleteoh no! i hate it when technology blips like that.
ReplyDeleteoh, and btw, i'm dealing with the same things!
MURAD! The best thing I have ever used!
ReplyDeleteI used to use Cetaphil, but switched to Aveeno dry skin bar soap recently and like it more because it scores better on SkinDeep:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
I am looking for a new gentle lotion though because my current one changed the formula.
I found that in my late twenties, I switched to Cetaphil, and at some point I stopped using acne treatment, and then my skin improved. I experimented a little using and not using the acne treatment, but I think the acne treatment actually makes my skin worse! Maybe the harsh chemicals? Not sure...
Good luck finding products that work for you!