259 replies to this topic

[InRepair]

okay, thanks for the help

[WildFlower]

I forgot to try the Aleve this month and sure enough I did breakout in three pimples, two on my right jaw bone and one on my right cheek Perfect timing, as I'm leaving tomorrow to visit my family and friends in Phoenix. I'm hoping the EXTREMELY HOT weather doesn't make things worse. We'll see

[Lostintranslation]

Did you initially break out when you used AHA product? I did and I thought it was too harsh so I am using PHA products now which is said to be less irritating.

[dis]

Did you initially break out when you used AHA product? I did and I thought it was too harsh so I am using PHA products now which is said to be less irritating.

I'm just starting on AHA, but I read that it might break you out like crazy for the first week or so of using it, kind of a purging of the skin. It's supposed to get better after that though.

[WildFlower]

I'm baaaaaack!! I totally broke out in Phoenix , mostly on my jaw line, one on my chin, a couple small ones on my forehead, and one on my temple. None on my cheeks though . I don't know if it was because of the weather/climate or because I ran out of the souffle before I left and didn't have any to use while I was there.

Anyway, now my skin is back to being clear, except for the new red marks, and the old ones are fading but still not completely gone.

I'm going to add Green Cream back to my routine. I never really gave it a chance. This time I will keep up with it. I will have to use the SA in the morning after the souffle and the Green Cream at night. I will take out the Aloe Vera and just use it as a spot treatment when I need it.

Did you initially break out when you used AHA product? I did and I thought it was too harsh so I am using PHA products now which is said to be less irritating.

I'm just starting on AHA, but I read that it might break you out like crazy for the first week or so of using it, kind of a purging of the skin. It's supposed to get better after that though.

I didn't really have an initial break out with the AHA. I just got a few super tiny whiteheads...I guess from the clogged pores coming to the surface.

[WildFlower]

I hate red marks!! They take FOREVER to go away no matter what I do! The really old ones are gone but the ones from June and after are still there.

I counted my red marks today.

Forehead: 0
Left cheek: 6
Right cheek: 14!
Chin: 1
Nose and upper lip: 0


Active Acne: 0 (for now)

Updated regimen:

*Wash with Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash and air dry
*Exfoliate with AH 12% Glycolic Souffle
*Treat and prevent with 2% SA gel
*Moisturize and protect with AH Sheer Silk Moisturizer

The moisturizer is so tiny (1 oz) and kind of expensive, so eventhough I like it, I think I want to switch to another one.

Makeup: Everyday Minerals
Supplements: OptiZinc (30 mg)

Evening:
*Wash and apply Green Cream

[ttchic07]

Hey somethingelse,

I just found your log on a search. I have been on the Alpha Hydrox oil free formula 10% for... 12 days now. I was just wondering if things get better. I never experienced a HORRIBLE breakout or anything, but I am getting a constant flow of all these clogged pores on my face coming to the surface. That is actually why I bought the product in the first place, because I have been clogged pores recently that keep turning into whiteheads, and I want to stop that. Anyways, this Wednesday will mark two weeks for me. Does your face start to calm down?? And how long have you been on AHA again?

[WildFlower]

Hey somethingelse,

I just found your log on a search. I have been on the Alpha Hydrox oil free formula 10% for... 12 days now. I was just wondering if things get better. I never experienced a HORRIBLE breakout or anything, but I am getting a constant flow of all these clogged pores on my face coming to the surface. That is actually why I bought the product in the first place, because I have been clogged pores recently that keep turning into whiteheads, and I want to stop that. Anyways, this Wednesday will mark two weeks for me. Does your face start to calm down?? And how long have you been on AHA again?

Yes, your breakouts should decrease soon. Keep up with it. Glycolic acid has been so great at keeping my acne under control. I've been on AHA now since May of this year. What're you using in addition to the Enhanced Lotion?

[WildFlower]

An update:

My skin is looking the best it has in a long time. Green Cream, Glycolic Acid, and OptiZinc are doing an AMAZING job at fading my stubborn red marks that I've had since June. I'm pretty sure Green Cream is doing most of the work.

I've been taking Aleve the past few days to prevent new breakouts and so far its working. I felt a pretty big bump under my chin before I took Aleve and now its so much smaller and still under the surface.

I did something so stupid about a week ago. I tried to squeeze a blackhead out on my cheek and now I have a scab there, which i've been picking at so now its bright red I also broke out if a couple of tiny zits on my jaw but those are gone already.

I'm loving green cream....no peeling so far! I think the souffle and GC are a GREAT combo!

[WildFlower]

Ok so the Aleve did not completely prevent me from breaking out this month. I had one of my cheek and a few on my jaw. The one under my chin never came to the surface but there is still a small bump there.

The comedonal acne on my forehead is pretty much gone. Today I started using GC twice a day. I noticed that it made my skin shiny, even after I put makeup on, so I would rather just use it at night...but temporarily, I will be using it twice a day. Also, I started using SA only as a spot treatment.

[WildFlower]

So I've been breaking out more than usual the past few days and I didnt know why until I talked to my sister. I've been on antibiotics for the past week for a cold and apparently they mess with your hormones. If I had known that, I probably would'nt have taken them. I've also been lazy about the Salicylic Acid.

I'm traveling over seas in a couple of weeks...OMG less than a couple of weeks!! I'm really excited but stressed out about it. I'll be there for one full month! I'm interested to see how this will affect my acne. I predict that my skin will clear up while I'm there. But who knows, it might get worse (God forbid). My diet will change while I'm there too...absolutely no junk food! I'll be eating very healthy. I'm anxious to see if that will have an effect.

Wish me luck!

[WildFlower]

Update:

I stopped breaking out as soon as I stopped the antibiotics. Now I have no active acne. Overall my skin looks good. Best ever actually. I have some new red marks now on my jawline on both sides (from last week) but i'm sure they wont last since my regimen is AWESOME at fading red marks.

Also, I switched some of my products. I'm no longer using the Sheer Silk Moisturizer...it's too tiny, pretty expensive, and if leaves some white residue around my hairline and my skin shiny. So after looking at a shit load of reviews from makeup alley, acne.org, and drugstore. com, I went ahead and bought Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sun block SPF 30. I know this is a sunscreen but I'm pretty sure it will double as a moisturizer.

Ok the second product I switched is the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Gel. I switched to Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion. This is pretty much the same thing except its a lotion not a gel. It has 2% SA just like the other one and it got great reviews too. It's the same price as the other one yet its much bigger.

So my upgraded regimen is:

Morning:
*Wash with Alpha Hydrox Foaming Fash Wash and air dry
*Exfoliate with Alpha Hydrox 12% Glycolic Souffle
*Spot treat with SA on acne prone areas
*Protect with Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sun Block SPF 30

Everyday Minerals makeup
60mg of OptiZinc

Evening:
*Wash with Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash and air dry
*Apply Green Cream L6
wait half hour
*Treat and Prevent with Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion (all over)

I will update one more time before I travel abroad.

Peace!

[WildFlower]

I'm breaking out in tiny little whiteheads...I have six of those right now. I'm not sure why, it could be the new products but I'll keep using them and see if it gets better. I've been spot treating the hell out of em, with Mama Lotion, SA, Glycolic Acid, and Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask. Not all at the same time ofcourse

I want them GONE before my trip.

On a positive note, my old red marks are gone (the ones I counted in an ealier post, lol). I'm just dealing with the new ones right now.

[WildFlower]

So the whiteheads got even worse since last time I posted...they multiplied. I'm sure that the new SA is breaking me out but its probably just an IB or a purge so I wont discontinue it yet. I have some painful under-the-skin bumps on my jawline on both sides

I've been really down about my skin lately. Just as my skin cleared of acne and red marks, I broke out again, so now I have to clear my face all over again

I leave tomorrow.

Goodbye!

[acneblue]

white heads are really pain in the neck

[WildFlower]

Hi Everyone,

I'm back. Here's the latest: So I broke out before I left on my trip, right? Well I kept breaking out for about two weeks after that. Then I started to clear up but then broke out again the last few days I was there so I came home with a face full of spots

So basically after finally having cleared my acne and 75% of my red marks (when my skin was looking the "best ever"), all that work went down the drain because I have to re-clear my face all over again

I really slacked off on my regimen while on vacation. But now it's time to get serious and strict with my regimen. Back to Green Cream, BHAs, and AHAs--thats what works really well for me.

I still havent stopped using those new products I bought and I think they're contributing to my breakouts but until I can find replacements, I will keep using them.

[WildFlower]

Ok so my breakout subsided. I'm still dealing with some inflammation but my skin is looking much better than a few days ago. I quit using those new products (Neutrogena Acne Defense Face Lotion, and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock) because they were breaking me out for sure. I went back to the products I was using before and I added a new product to my regimen that I'm loving so far. Its Clean & Clear Cooling Daily Pore Toner. It has both AHA and BHA in it so it fits right into my regimen and I'm noticing the difference its making already. I did my research on it before I bought it. I've been using it for a couple days now.

One thing I'm noticing that I'm REALLY happy about is my red marks have been fading much faster than before...it no longer takes 5+ months for them to fade, its more like one month now

So here's my regimen:

Morning:

-Wash with Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash or Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash and air dry
-Exfoliate with AH 12% Glycolic Souffle
-Treat and prevent with Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Gel (2%SA)
-If going out, moisturize and protect with AH Sheer Silk Moisturizer SPF 15

During the day:

Everyday Minerals Makeup
60 mg OptiZinc

Evening:

-Wash with AH Foaming Face Wash or Purpose and air dry
-Tone with Clean & Clear Daily Pore Toner
-Apply Green Cream L6
-Spot treat with 2% SA Gel

Status: Six inflammed spots and a bunch of red/brown marks on cheeks and jawline (from recent breakouts)

[missm]

just wondering about integrating green cream with my regimen...

you can check out my log for deets, but basically -

am - aveeno wash/moisturizer with spf
pm - every other day alternate:
1) proactiv
2) alpha hydrox 12% souffle

i can't tolerate SA. when do you think id be 'safe' (not killing my skin with multiple products) to integrate green cream?

thanks in advance...

[WildFlower]

just wondering about integrating green cream with my regimen...

you can check out my log for deets, but basically -

am - aveeno wash/moisturizer with spf
pm - every other day alternate:
1) proactiv
2) alpha hydrox 12% souffle

i can't tolerate SA. when do you think id be 'safe' (not killing my skin with multiple products) to integrate green cream?

thanks in advance...

Hey Missm,

Green Cream is de-activated by light so its best to use it at night. I would suggest you use it after you wash your face in the evening. I would use the souffle in the morning after you wash and before you moisturize. When you say your using Proactiv, are you saying you're using the complete system or just the face wash? Because Green Cream and BP cancel each other out. So you cant use green cream after you apply the repairing lotion, it would do nothing for you. However, its ok to use BP in the morning and Green Cream at night. Therefore, you could use the proactive system in the morning and in the evening you could use the Aveeno Wash, then Green Cream.

If you've never used GC before, you need to start out slow. It depends on your skin. I started using it evey other night and had no irritation at all. But if you have sensitive skin, use it two or three times a week, then you can work your way up to applying it once or twice a day.

I hope I've answered your questions. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

[missm]

Hey Missm,

Green Cream is de-activated by light so its best to use it at night. I would suggest you use it after you wash your face in the evening. I would use the souffle in the morning after you wash and before you moisturize. When you say your using Proactiv, are you saying you're using the complete system or just the face wash? Because Green Cream and BP cancel each other out. So you cant use green cream after you apply the repairing lotion, it would do nothing for you. However, its ok to use BP in the morning and Green Cream at night. Therefore, you could use the proactive system in the morning and in the evening you could use the Aveeno Wash, then Green Cream.

If you've never used GC before, you need to start out slow. It depends on your skin. I started using it evey other night and had no irritation at all. But if you have sensitive skin, use it two or three times a week, then you can work your way up to applying it once or twice a day.

I hope I've answered your questions. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

thank you! yes, i have a couple more if that's ok.

i have tried retin a (the various formulations, as well) in the past, and of course couldnt get past the crazy breakout period nor the intense skin sensitivity from using it every night. what is the difference, in your opinion, between the green cream and retin a (or the other prescription retinoids) in terms of how well it works, how well its tolerated, and the initial breakout period? (starting with the lower level GC).

and, if i integrate it after using the AHA for a month (honestly, i have to do one thing at a time) will i expect the same "purging" period as I would if i hadn't used the AHA? because already after one night with the AHA all these little congestions are coming out as well as some whiteheads, which i dont know what to do with (leave them alone? extract?) since I dont really get them.

in terms of the proactiv, i know everyone thinks its horrible, but on the two occasions i have used it, it has done the job (using the whole kit). it never stops working for me since my skin clears up and then i stop using it, over a slow phase out. when my skin is NOT breaking out (its always a bit congested though, no matter what) i normally just use a little 2.5% bp with my moisturizer during the day and just the aveeno products the rest of the time. right now im using the entire thing (facewash too) but if i add the GC i expect ill have phased it out by then.

thanks in advance!
-m
(ps. i would have pmd you about this, but i think i find that all the questions/answers are some of the most helpful parts of the forum!)