I just want to add input too. I've been doing this regimen for almost 6 weeks. Have to say that I don't know if it is working or not. I've been really stressed for the past month or two, and have started and stopped one BCP and am in the 3rd week of a different one now. So I'm still breaking out but I don't know what exactly is the cause and if things would be different if there were still so many variables. I'm still going to continue this regimen, but I have ordered mandelic acid to try it out and am considering green cream.

just got the products right now, ill keep you updated

here guys im keeping track of this regimen go to my thread

here

theres pic and stuff, right now it really been improving for me

ok so im on my 3rd day or so and i cant really see a difference. i have broken out a little but nothing to serious. i used the bp in the morning and it made my face super dry so im going to stick to using it just at night. ill post again in a few days

ok ive been doing this for about a month. i am happy to report that it works for me! i have mild acne, but lately i haven't broken out at all. i should say additionally i exfoliate with a baby brush and drink/apply green tea.

good luck!

Hey, erm just wondering whether you think my acne is serious enough to start using this regime?

My face is starting to pee me off a little bit, I think..how can I get a nice girlfriend looking like this? I really need help

My face: [Edited link out]

BdotMan said:

Hey, erm just wondering whether you think my acne is serious enough to start using this regime?

My face is starting to pee me off a little bit, I think..how can I get a nice girlfriend looking like this? I really need help

My face: [Edited link out]

well, i think most of the people that used this had good results, and its cheap so you should probably give it a try. if you are new to BP i would suggest getting a 2.5% instead of a 10% BP.

and an update on how i am doing... my spots seem to have gotten much more red, but i dont have as much active pimples now. the 10% BP is extremely drying so i use it just once at night. its only like my first week using it and christmas break is coming up, so i will use it until christmas break is up and if i dont see results i will probably stop.

They do not make the clean and clear in 2.5% BP wash. Only 10% and 5%, just use the 10% at night and the salicilyic acid in the morning if you want to try this regimen.

okay i just bought both SA & BP products from C&C...i also bought a moisturizer..and i wanted one that included SPF 15 so i bought the one thats C&C but its from their "green" line..its supposed to be light weight, oil free, and includes SPF 15 so i thought, why not?

I'll update on how it works out for me.

where did u find the green moisturizer? seems like that would be good

where did u find the green moisturizer? seems like that would be good

Actually I checked this morning and its the C&C Oxygenating Moisturizer. It has SPF 15 and I used it this morning and it felt AWESOME. So freaking light and smooth.

I started this regime last night and I felt so clean it was great. I used my cetaphil moisturizer at night because I felt like I needed some thicker moisturization at night b/c of the SA/BP combination. In the morning I use the Blackhead Scrub with SA and use the C&C Oxygenating MOisturizer with SPF 15.

I'll keep updating on how it goes. So far its not too bad but its too early to tell.

I just started this 4 days ago and I'm already seeing results! I have a lot less blackheads on my cheeks and nose and it seems like my face is generally clearing. I'm also experimenting with using AHA along with my Rosula, Duac, and Differin. I haven't really found a good combination of all of these yet or even figured out which ones are the most effective. But thanks for the great start so far with posting this idea!

This sounds like a great regimen.

ok im 10 days into this regimen.. i think. well i hardly ever get whiteheads anymore which i used to get a lot... but like i said before i still have a lot of red spots and im not so sure they are fading. it really seems to be helping a lot, but i need something to get rid of these red spots... any ideas?

The red spots won't fade with any products, except time - unless of course, you are using makeup.

These 2 products worked for me like 2 months, but I ended up going to a derm.

They worked, but not well enough for my type of hormonal acne.

hi guys!

Well I don't normally post on the forums but I had to write about this blog started by Botchla. I was pretty impressed by the response this blog was getting. I'm a 27 year old female. I've been suffering from mild to moderate acne almost for 10 years now. 5 months back I tried DKR but my mild acne(few pimple here and there and lots of marks from old pimples) got worse and I als got hyperpigmentation all over my face. I'm a working professional but the acne has given me low self esteem. After reading Botchla's bog for a while, I thought to giving it a shot. I got the two C&C products a week back and I'm seeing a difference. My face has started to clear slowly. I bet this time it's gonna work. I recently(about 4 days back) have also started taking vitamin C 2000 mg and 200 IU vitamin E a day. I'll keep you guys updated on my progress. Thanks botchla for sharing the information with us.

My regimen

Morning ( around 7:30 am)

C&C- Black head clearing scrub

Fruit of the earth aloe vera as mousturiser.

everyday mineral concealer mixed with Fruit of the earth aloe vera.

take vitamin C 1000 mg and vitamin E 200 IU.

Evening (around 6pm- after i get back from work)

C&C- Black head clearing scrub

C&C cleanser with bp

moderate excercise

night (around 12 pm)

C&C- Black head clearing scrub

C&C cleanser with bp

take vitamin C 1000 mg

Botchla said:

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 ever used that. it's a good feeling. you can really tell it's working.

that is ALL. in the morning, use ONLY the SA wash. then, at night before bedtime, use BOTH.

this regimen is SIMPLE and there is only TWO PRODUCTS for a reason. i believe less is more when it comes to treating your skin. putting too much crap on your face can be bad and make you break out more.

i know i talk about these products like they're god, but i truely believe in them. they are the only two things that have worked for me in 10 years. the C&C product line is GOOD STUFF. plus, it's cheap (about $4.50 USD for each tube).

i hope this helps someone out. i really do.

 

NOTES & TIPS:

-the SA wash is not drying or irritating. almost the opposite, it makes your skin smooth and nice feeling. the BP is the drying/irritating one. that is why you use it only once a day.

-it is not neccessary to scrub these products in. in fact, scrubbing hard will irritate your skin more and it won't work as well. being GENTLE and massinging it around softly works just as well, if not better.

-some people may need to modify this regimen. this is what works best for me and most people. some wash with both products 2x a day, because their skin can handle it. it is up to the individual to judge. for me, using the BP wash only once a day works just as well as using it twice a day.

-when you use the BP wash, i squirt about the amount of toothpaste i would put on my toothbrush (for estimate). then, i DO NOT apply this paste directly to my skin. i rub it around my palms until it's spread around and i can put my hands on my face and massage it around the skin, evenly. applying it directly to the skin will cause much more irritation.

-this regimen works MORE the LONGER you use it. it takes a little while to reach the full effect. you will begin to see very noticable results (almost clearing of complexion) around 1 month, for some it is less time.. 1 month is a good average. at this point, you may get 1 or 2 pimples every now and then. much less that you normally get. keep using it. at the 2 month mark, it will be fully working and you should never get any new marks, and any bumps under the skin or blackheads should be gone. by three months, your old marks should have completely faded and you skin tone evened out. you will be extremely surprised how much your skin looks like that of (insert your favorite celebrity here). now, months later after i started this regimen, i still look in the mirror and it puts a smile on my face. it is still amazing to me, even after time.

-this one is a HUGE one. here it goes: DO NOT PICK OR SQUEEZE. if you continue to do this, your face will never get better, and you won't see nearly as much improvement. TRAIN YOURSELF OFF OF THIS. so many times i would go to the mirror every morning or night and get up close and pick at every single thing (even things that weren't noticable unless you get right up to your face). of course i'd end up with red marks all over my face and look 10x worse than i did before i started. this is just something you have to force yourself to stop. as much as you want to, do NOT let yourself pick or squeeze. (unless it is completely obviously ready to be popped, for example, an obvious white head that you can open with a pin). if you must pop it, be as gentle as possible, and STOP as soon as you see any clear liquid come out. if you can get over the initial month without picking or squeezing, you will naturally stop within time. when your face becomes clear, you will have nothing to pick or squeeze at. it kinda works for itself. i know it's hard to stop, but this is one of the most important points.

-some people seem to have sensitive skin, and SOME people experience an initial breakout. most, it seems, do not. this shouldn't last past a week or two. most people get scared and bail at this point. unfortunate, because quickly thereafter everything will quickly clear up. those who stick with it past an original breakout end up very surprised of how it clears things up and begins working right after that. don't be scared of this, i would say judging by responses that only about 25% of people experience an initial breakout.

-for guys, i shave immediately before the evening or morning regimen. after i finish shaving, i got straight into washing my face.

-add things to this regimen at your own risk. some people want to add in other things like AHA lotions, this and that. i do not think that other products besides this are necessary. these two work enough. using AHA or other acids on your face often times just irritates it more than anything. i know when i use AHA lotion, it makes me break out. so if you're using my regimen but also using 5 other things on your face, don't blame me if it doesn't work.

i was wondering if at night when you use the two washes, do i have to apply a moisturizer at night after i have washed with SA and BP???

no, you dont have to use a moisturizer in the morning or the night necessarily...my face got really dry the first week i used this regimen, but since then ive been fine. it all depends on your skin though, everyone is different.

this regimen sounds really good and simple, i might try this if my regimen now doesnt work for me. thanks botchla!

I actually started this regimen yesterday. I've only used it for one day, and it may be too early to tell, but my skin looks clearer and a little brighter already.

I'll post results after more time.

So ive been using a prescribed cream which is 1% phospate(clindamycin) and 5% BP. Its been OK. My acne has always been low-moderate but what really annoys me is that my forehead is pretty rough, as if I had pimples growing underneath that never reveals themselves.

Anyways after reading through the past few pages I think im gonna go out tommorow get the SA, just debating whether I should get the C&C BP or stick with what I have...

wow this regimen has really gotten rid of most of my active pimples, but i still have so many redmarks it almost looks just as bad as before. but i think in a couple of months my redmarks should fade and maybe i will be CLEAR! ok im not going to get my hopes up but who knows.

anyway if anyone reads this and is wondering if you should try this or not, I would recommend you at least try it, since its pretty cheap and easy

i wonder if this regimen will be as effective with a 2.5% or 5% BP.

I'm not satisfied so far... I think it's not the products that actually affect my acne, but more because I don't sleep on my back. I tried both sleeping on my head and on my back and I can tell you that when I sleep on my head and wake up, I have new pimples forming or the current ones are even worst but when I sleep on my back it seems to be a bit better... I've been using the products for 2 weeks and no changes =/

Hey Botchla, I was wondering along with this regimen, what kind of shave gel/ after shave lotion (if any) do you use or recommend? I have some mild acne but what's really bothering me is my skin tone and the marks associated with old acne, and you mentioned how this regimen took care of those as well. I live in Michigan so weather now is pretty cold so if you had to recommend a mosturizer/after shave lotion which would it be? Thanks again botchla.