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what has cleared me 100% (no BS, only 2 products)

Botchla · 2003-10-13T03:19:10Z

this is an updated version of the original post. most has been unchanged, but i have changed some parts to make them clearer, and i added the tips section at the bottom to answer many questions people have. first off i want to say that i'm not a salesman or here to sling a product. i have had acne for approximately 10 years. from my early teens until recently (i'm in my early 20's). i have tried everything and nothing has worked. neutrogena products are crap. i have finally stumbled upon an absurdly simple regimen that has cleared me completely. my hope is that i can help 1 other person get a clearer face, if not a completely clear one. i know what acne can do to a person mentally, i am that person. it has destroyed my self-esteem and confidence as it does so many others. sorry if this post is very long, just trying to be helpful. so anyways, here's what i did. a friend of mine several years ago recommended a product to me that he said worked well for him. thinking not much of it, since i had tried everything else i figured i would give it a try. so i bought the tube. it is called "clean & clear continuous control", made by johnson & johnson. here is a picture of the stuff so you know exactly what it looks like.. ( {Edited link out]) i began using the product and within about 2 weeks my face had cleared significantly. this product remained in my regimen for about 2 years and did a really good job. i only got a pimple every now and then. nothing big at all. of course after a while i got greedy and figured there was something out there that would clear me 100%. i stopped using the C&C continuous control for about a year, and had disastrous results with other products. nothing else worked. then i started reading stuff about the acne cure. i was reading how it is important to use salicylic acid AND benzoyl peroxide both. the reason of course is that salicylic acid (or BHA, beta-hydroxy acid) has a couple of functions. one, it promotes healthy exfoliation by making your dead skin cells shed off. it clears the surface of the skin of dead skin and oil. second, it is oil-soluable, so it has the added ability of being able to loosen and remove oil and dead skin cells from the inside of the pore itself. benzoyl peroxide's purpose is to create an oxygen reaction which kills bacteria on the skin (and if you're lucky, in the pores too). the problem is if you use only one, it won't work 100%. the salicylic acid does not kill the p. acnes bacteria. also, without the salicylic acid, the benzoyl peroxide usually stays at the surface, killing only surface bacteria. this is because the pores are still clogged with dead skin and oil, and the BP cannot penetrate the pore. with this knowledge in hand, i realized i had to do both. the BP i chose was a product i knew worked about 90%. it was of course the C&C continuous control. now this is 10% BP, most people tell you to avoid something with that high of a concentration. ignore it. i can tell you from personal experience, 10% works better than 3.5% or 2.5% (or, at least this product does, which so happens to be 10%, coincidence, who knows, but 10% is the only choice for this product). sure it is more irritating and drying. but that's only at first. any irritation or dryness you experience will go away within 2-3 weeks, max. so i knew i had to get a salicylic acid product. i first tried the neutrogena oil-free acne wash cream cleanser. crap. didn't work, plus it was way too drying to use in conjunction with the BP wash. finally i figured i trusted the clean and clear line, so i decided to get a second product from them. this is the C&C blackhead clearing scrub. here is a picture of the stuff.. ( [Edited link out]) this is for three reasons, one it's the C&C brand which i know is good, second it contained 2% salicyclic acid, and third, it has microbeads to scrub away dead skin. the microbeads are probably bunk, but they look cool at least, and the product still does its thing. anyways, since this is so long, i'll get to the point. i started using these products together and i have been 100% clear since they began to work. i have been completely clear for months and months. (completely unheard of for me) my acne is cured with these two amazing products. that's it! here's the simple regimen i follow: wet my face with warm/slightly hot water. wash with the C&C blackhead clearing scrub (salicylic acid), massage around/into my face for about 45 seconds to a minute. wash it off. immediately apply the C&C continuous control (benzoyl peroxide) and GENTLY massage that into your face for about 30 seconds to 45 seconds, then wash it off. pat dry with a clean towel. you will notice that when you apply the BP cleanser to your face, after the other wash, your skin will feel SUPER smooth. it feels so nice. then, after you wash off the C&C continous control, you will feel your pores tingling deep inside for a bit after you wash. kind of like noxema if you've eve...

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Linkin Park Fan

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(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/14/2004 10:36 pm

I got a few questions about this regimen

I got the C & C Continous Acne Cleanser with the 5% bp,

Blackhead scrub,Shine control moisterizer by C & C.

I'm following the regimen exactly and just wondering if i can apply 5% bp cream to face after washing, then use shine control moisterizer at night (since u don't need spf 15 during sleep) and use oil of olay complete with spf 15 during the day to protect skin from sun?

So i'm just wondering if this is a good???

Thanks

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Infinite Questions

MemberMember

(@infinitequestions)

Posted : 04/15/2004 1:24 am

I got a few questions about this regimen

I got the C & C Continous Acne Cleanser with the 5% bp,
Blackhead scrub,Shine control moisterizer by C & C.

I'm following the regimen exactly and just wondering if i can apply 5% bp cream to face after washing, then use shine control moisterizer at night (since u don't need spf 15 during sleep) and use oil of olay complete with spf 15 during the day to protect skin from sun?

So i'm just wondering if this is a good???

Thanks

The C&C BP you have is 5%? Mine is 10%.

Yeah, that's fine. Ive been doing the same thing except I dont moisturize at night ( I use something for the spots instead) because my moisturizer IS my sunscreen.

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Linkin Park Fan

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(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/15/2004 5:48 pm

Ya mine is 5% bp wash instead of 10% because Canada only carries 5% not 10%.

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/15/2004 5:59 pm

5% works well for me too.

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Linkin Park Fan

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(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/15/2004 7:55 pm

JC what is your regimen like?

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/15/2004 8:40 pm

JC what is your regimen like?

Just click the link in my sig and find out! 8-[

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Linkin Park Fan

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(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/16/2004 2:10 pm

How is the cetaphil spf 15 for you?

I find it greasy when i apply it.

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/16/2004 3:26 pm

How is the cetaphil spf 15 for you? I find it greasy when i apply it.

I find that it's not too bad. Most people will agree with you in that it has this 'shine' most people want to avoid. I guess it doesn't bother me all that much. 8-[ [-( In truth, I'm not crazy about it and would probably switch to another sunscreen moisturizer once I'm out of this one. But in the meantime, I'm a-ok with whatever.

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Linkin Park Fan

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(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/16/2004 5:38 pm

Right now i'm just gonna finish my oil of olay complete with spf 15 (which is gonna be gone in about a week). So i'm just getting ideas of some moisterizers.

Here is what i have in mind

Clean and Clear Glow Moisterizer with spf 15

Nivea For Men Vitamin Enriched Daily Protective Lotion with spf 15

Have you tried one of these before?

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/16/2004 6:01 pm

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Clean and Clear Glow Moisterizer with spf 15
or
Nivea For Men Vitamin Enriched Daily Protective Lotion with spf 15

I haven't heard much about either one...Nivea I hear is ok. You should start a new thread about it to get everyone's opinions on them.

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Linkin Park Fan

MemberMember

(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/17/2004 12:24 am

I'm just wondering where in the regimen I could use a face mask?

Do i do it after washing face?

I want to use a face mask so i can get rid of the dead skin and flakiness.

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/17/2004 12:38 am

I'm just wondering where in the regimen I could use a face mask?

That would be entirely up to you. If it were me, I'd do a face mask at night before the regimen.

*Wash face as normal

*Do a face mask, rinse it off. (After the mask you can assume that your face is at its cleanest right?)

*Wait 15 minutes of dry time as directed by the regimen

*Apply BP

Change it up however you want. Just so long as it works! Hope that helps.

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Linkin Park Fan

MemberMember

(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/17/2004 12:18 pm

So i should do face mask before i do regimen?

Yes the face mask cleanses

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/17/2004 12:23 pm

Yep. That's just my opinion. There's no point in doing anything after the regimen right? Cause the whole point of the regimen is to have the BP on your skin.

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Linkin Park Fan

MemberMember

(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/17/2004 12:50 pm

Ok Thanks

Here is my log and i'll keep posting each day.

Day 4:

Experiencing breakout once i hit day 3 on regimen.

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aerobunny

MemberMember

(@aerobunny)

Posted : 04/17/2004 12:53 pm

The Clean and Clear Morning Glow moisturizer is awesome. It doesn't make my face oily or greasy at ALL, even by the end of the day. It doesn't have any acne medication in it either, so you don't have to worry about a chemical burn with more salicylic acid or whatever. It also has SPF 15 in it, a great plus! I've been using it for a week and it's made my skin so much smoother and softer. Check out the reviews on makeupalley.com to get more of an idea.

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Linkin Park Fan

MemberMember

(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/17/2004 1:23 pm

Where u from?

I don't know if clean and clear glow moisturizer is available in Canada.

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aerobunny

MemberMember

(@aerobunny)

Posted : 04/17/2004 6:40 pm

I'm from the USA. It's available on drugstore.com so you can just buy it online. Here's the link:

[Edited link out]

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smacks 487

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(@smacks487)

Posted : 04/18/2004 3:53 pm

is it ok to use on-the-spot with this ?

i like what he said

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Linkin Park Fan

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(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/18/2004 6:52 pm

Day 5:

Still recovering and trying to get rid of the breakout spots I have.

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Linkin Park Fan

MemberMember

(@linkinparkfan)

Posted : 04/19/2004 9:19 pm

Day 6:

Still trying to get rid of existing zits from breakout.

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/19/2004 9:22 pm

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Day 6:
Still trying to get rid of existing zits from breakout.

Fan of Linkin Park...it might do you and everyone some good if you started your own personal regimen log!

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Ben Kweller

MemberMember

(@benkweller)

Posted : 04/19/2004 10:51 pm

And also to listen to good music sometimes.

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MemberMember

(@jc)

Posted : 04/19/2004 11:08 pm

And also to listen to good music sometimes.

Ooooo......low blow.......but good one! lol...

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bananas

MemberMember

(@bananas)

Posted : 04/24/2004 6:35 am

just curious... this method seems to work for people with mild acne? what's considered mild? medium?

Ok here's my question. I don't really want to use the product with bp cause I already used on-the-spot before and didn't like how it made my cheeks/face red and left marks. Well I was considering using the scrub with salicylic acid by itself maybe at night when I shower. But I don't usually get blackheads at all. They're either red bumps or they turn into whiteheads. Can I still use this? or is there another product you guys can recommend? I have dry skin too..

thanks!

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what has cleared me 100% (no BS, only 2 products)

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