Lovely, you'll want to use the scrub over clean skin, so user your cleanser first and follow with the scrub (I would recommend using the scrub once a day).

Toners aren't necessary and may actually cause more problems for the skin since toners usually contain drying alcohols and other problematic ingredients. Good toners can add beneficial ingredients to the skin without having to apply a moisturizer, making them good for oily skin in that regard. They also can be a gentle extra-cleansing step and can help soothe sensitive skin.

i'm currently on accutane and i was wondering if this moisterizer would be ok to use

here are the Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Dicaprylyl Maleate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Honey Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Talc, C9-15 Fluoroalcohol Phosphate, Glycolipids, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Algae Extract, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol, Allantoin Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA

hi, could you recommend a gentle scrub for sensitive blemish-prone skin?

I really don't recommend scrubs for use over active breakouts because it can be very easy to over-abrade the skin around blemishes and cause more damage.

Chemical exfoliants are best for use on skin that is prone to blemishes because they provide even exfoliation of the skin and are therefore don't over-exfoliate already aggravated skin. Salicylic acid has the added benefits of having anti-inflammatory properties and being able to exfoliate inside the pore, but unfortunately it has gotten a bad reputation for being harsh and/or ineffective because of the harsh inactive ingredients found in most salicylic acid products and their otherwise poor formulations.

Any of the salicylic acid products I recommend in the first post to this thread (Part II) would be fine to use, though Paula's Choice would be best for sensitive skin (all skin is sensitive in the sense that known irritants damage it, but you know what I mean) because it is fragrance-free. They're also the most effective and cheapest per ounce of those I recommend, but they must be ordered online.

If you don't have any active breakouts right now and still want to try a good scrub product, you could try using Olay Daily Facials Skin Soothing Cloths, Sensitive Skin. This really isn't a scrub in the traditional sense, but the included cloth is a little similar to a wash cloth. The difference is that you don't have to worry about bacteria breeding in the cloth because you use a new one each time. You could also try one of the scrubs I recommend in the first post to this thread, but if your skin is especially sensitive you may not like those because they all contain fragrance. I don't know of any unscented, gentle scrubs.

i'm currently on accutane and i was wondering if this moisterizer would be ok to use

here are the Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Dicaprylyl Maleate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Honey Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Talc, C9-15 Fluoroalcohol Phosphate, Glycolipids, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Algae Extract, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol, Allantoin Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA

Your moisturizer would be OK, except it contains arnica, an irritating plant extract that can be used for fragrance. It's listed fairly high up on the ingredients list, so it probably can cause problems. It also contains orange extract, another irritant, though it is present in a lesser concentration. There are beneficial ingredients and plant extracts, but the above two irritants concern me.

Even if this lotion didn't contain skin irritants, I wouldn't recommend it since you're on Accutane because Accutane dries out the skin, and this product contains talc, which is used as an absorbent. Absorbents are great for oily skin, but not for dry skin.

Make sure you use a broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher sunscreen. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays (sunscreens are only required to protect against UVB rays) and contains avobenzone, tinosorb, mexoryl sx, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. If it doesn't contain at least one of those ingredients, it's not broad-spectrum.

HI Snow! Can you check this for me please. Thanks. Also I've been using Baking Soda as a bath soak. What's your take on this? Thanks again.

Facial Cleanser: SLS FREE Contains no Lauryl or Laureth

Water, cocomidopropylbetaine, decyl polyglucose, alpha olefin sulfonate, glycerin, glycolic acid, PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate, peg 7 glyceryl cocoate, salicylic acid, olive leaf extract, panthenol, quaternium 15.

Tonic:

Purified water, alcohol, glycolic acid, strontium nitrate, salicylic acid, green tea extract, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, actiphyte of chamomile, kojic acid, witch hazel, sodium citrate, lemon juice extract, jojoba ester, tea tree oil, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, aloe vera powder, sodium benzoate.

Treatment Serum: (day serum) (spot-treat at night)

Active Ingredient: Benzoyl Peroxide 3.5%

Other Ingredients: Purified water, alcohol, alkyl benzoate, caprylic/capric triglycerides, sodium polyacrylate & hydrogenated polydecene & PPG-5 laureth, propylene glycol, benzalkoniun chloride, isopropyl palmitate, silatex d-30, green tea extract, gotu kola extract, aloe vera, tea tree oil, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, propylparaben.

Clear Pore Serum: (night serum)

Purified water, glycerin, jojoba esters, isodecane, polyacrylamide, c13-14 isoparaffin, dimethicone crosspolymer-3, capryloyl glycine, panthenol, licorice extract, allantoin, queen of the meadow extract, salicylic acid, lavender oil, tea tree oil, laureth-7, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium EDTA, quaternium 15, sodium hydroxide

Moisture Complex: (lotion)

Purified water, aloe, zinc oxide, cyclopentasiloxane, peg-10 dimethicone, methicone, lauryl laurate, carbomer, glycerin, butylene glycol, polysorbate 20, corn starch, saccaride, isomerate, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, alpha lipoic acid, allantoin, quaternium 15, sodium citrate.

Derm-X Cloth: (Instructed to use every 2-3 days)

The Derm-X Cloth is a great way to improve skin tone, reduce blemishes and firm up those problem areas. Derm-X is a dermatologist approved, microdermabrasion cloth that is proven to exfoliate dead skin cells, remove cosmetics, oil, and dirt. It also eliminates blackheads & white heads! The DERM-X Cloth is great at bringing young and beautiful skin to the surface. Regular use also helps with skin discoloration, sun damage and even minor scarring

Microdermabrasion scrub: Instructed to use 2-3 times a month. Can't seem to find the ingredients.

Snow Queen - I currently use Demalogica products. Precleanse, Special cleansing gel, Multi active toner & active moist. Pl,ease can you tell me your opinion on these products or perhaps the line as a whole. Thanks

do you know if theres anything wrong using a cleanser containing .25% triclosan as an active ingredient? before applying benzaclin or is it too harsh?

 

As far as I know there is no research supporting the effectiveness of triclosan as a disinfectant for acne. There are also concerns about whether or not bacteria can become resistant to it, and if triclosan is even effective as a disinfectant at all when used in cleansers and liquid hand soaps. Medicated cleansers are generally ineffective for disinfecting because the active ingredient is not on the skin long enough to have any real effect, and if you let the cleanser sit on the skin in hopes of allowing the active ingredient time to work, you're also giving the surfectants in the cleanser enough time to irritate the skin.

 

Some people have reported sensitivity to triclosan; though it's hard to say if that sensitivity was caused by that or an inactive ingredient.

 

The Benzaclin by itself should be effective as a disinfectant. If it's not, ask your doctor about other disinfectant options.

 

Yea i was starting to kinda think the same thing too, and after i've read a number of your posts i pretty much realized that the reason my acne is moderate now is because of the stupid way i treated my acne when i got it about 2 years ago. I used some of the absolute most irritating OTC products on the 1 small pustule i would get every 2 weeks or so, on top of all that i even applied the products wrong, i didnt even rub them in i just put large globs of 10% BP on each pimple atleast 4 times a day and used a harsh 2% acne scrub and litterally scrubbed my face as hard as i could with it. After all this my acne just got worse and worse after each different OTC product i used. The biggest mistake i probably made was buying the "Acne Free Kit" for severe acne (and my acne was actually rather mild and only on my cheekbones around my nose) however at the time i thought it was severe so i used the stuff anyways which was extremely irritating. I ended up applying it to my mid and lower cheeks and jawline too in hopes of preventing future acne there. The effect of that was me breaking out all over my face in the areas i applied it to, making my acne moderate. After discovering this website i dropped all of my OTCs and got benzaclin from my family doctor. I've been applying it nightly with great results, however i just want to make sure that benzaclin is PH balanced. What do you think about its PH? and also if possible could you give some suggestions of the mildest and most PH balanced cleanser i could buy?

HI Snow! Can you check this for me please. Thanks. Also I've been using Baking Soda as a bath soak. What's your take on this? Thanks again.

 

Facial Cleanser: SLS FREE Contains no Lauryl or Laureth

 

Water, cocomidopropylbetaine, decyl polyglucose, alpha olefin sulfonate, glycerin, glycolic acid, PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate, peg 7 glyceryl cocoate, salicylic acid, olive leaf extract, panthenol, quaternium 15.

 

Tonic:

 

Purified water, alcohol, glycolic acid, strontium nitrate, salicylic acid, green tea extract, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, actiphyte of chamomile, kojic acid, witch hazel, sodium citrate, lemon juice extract, jojoba ester, tea tree oil, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, aloe vera powder, sodium benzoate.

 

Treatment Serum: (day serum) (spot-treat at night)

 

 

Active Ingredient: Benzoyl Peroxide 3.5%

 

Other Ingredients: Purified water, alcohol, alkyl benzoate, caprylic/capric triglycerides, sodium polyacrylate & hydrogenated polydecene & PPG-5 laureth, propylene glycol, benzalkoniun chloride, isopropyl palmitate, silatex d-30, green tea extract, gotu kola extract, aloe vera, tea tree oil, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, propylparaben.

 

Clear Pore Serum: (night serum)

 

Purified water, glycerin, jojoba esters, isodecane, polyacrylamide, c13-14 isoparaffin, dimethicone crosspolymer-3, capryloyl glycine, panthenol, licorice extract, allantoin, queen of the meadow extract, salicylic acid, lavender oil, tea tree oil, laureth-7, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium EDTA, quaternium 15, sodium hydroxide

 

 

Moisture Complex: (lotion)

 

Purified water, aloe, zinc oxide, cyclopentasiloxane, peg-10 dimethicone, methicone, lauryl laurate, carbomer, glycerin, butylene glycol, polysorbate 20, corn starch, saccaride, isomerate, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, alpha lipoic acid, allantoin, quaternium 15, sodium citrate.

 

 

Derm-X Cloth: (Instructed to use every 2-3 days)

The Derm-X Cloth is a great way to improve skin tone, reduce blemishes and firm up those problem areas. Derm-X is a dermatologist approved, microdermabrasion cloth that is proven to exfoliate dead skin cells, remove cosmetics, oil, and dirt. It also eliminates blackheads & white heads! The DERM-X Cloth is great at bringing young and beautiful skin to the surface. Regular use also helps with skin discoloration, sun damage and even minor scarring

 

Microdermabrasion scrub: Instructed to use 2-3 times a month. Can't seem to find the ingredients.

To be honest I have never heard of anyone soaking in the bath with baking soda; I've heard of people mixing baking soda with their cleanser to use as an exfoliant, which is fine, but soaking's not good for the skin anyway (the "pruniness" you get on your hands is a sign of irritation), and I wouldn't think the baking soda would help.

Your moisturizer looks fine, but the cornstarch in it can encourage bacterial growth.

The Derm-X Cloth seems to make a lot of promises. I can tell you right now that it won't firm the skin and probably won't help with true scarring. I can't comment on whether or not the product should be used without seeing and feeling how abrasive it is.

I can't comment on your microdermabrasion scrub without seeing the ingredients, but you shouldn't use it if you're using the Derm-X Cloth regularly because you risk over-abrading the skin.

Snow Queen - I currently use Demalogica products. Precleanse, Special cleansing gel, Multi active toner & active moist. Pl,ease can you tell me your opinion on these products or perhaps the line as a whole. Thanks

I can't comment on your Dermalogica products without seeing ingredients lists, but I'll be honest in saying that I think Dermalogica is overpriced and overrated. The Dermalogica products I've seen contained lots of unnecessary skin irritants. Again, though, I can't say that your specific products aren't worth using without seeing an ingredients list.

do you know if theres anything wrong using a cleanser containing .25% triclosan as an active ingredient? before applying benzaclin or is it too harsh?

 

As far as I know there is no research supporting the effectiveness of triclosan as a disinfectant for acne. There are also concerns about whether or not bacteria can become resistant to it, and if triclosan is even effective as a disinfectant at all when used in cleansers and liquid hand soaps. Medicated cleansers are generally ineffective for disinfecting because the active ingredient is not on the skin long enough to have any real effect, and if you let the cleanser sit on the skin in hopes of allowing the active ingredient time to work, you're also giving the surfectants in the cleanser enough time to irritate the skin.

 

Some people have reported sensitivity to triclosan; though it's hard to say if that sensitivity was caused by that or an inactive ingredient.

 

The Benzaclin by itself should be effective as a disinfectant. If it's not, ask your doctor about other disinfectant options.

 

 

Yea i was starting to kinda think the same thing too, and after i've read a number of your posts i pretty much realized that the reason my acne is moderate now is because of the stupid way i treated my acne when i got it about 2 years ago. I used some of the absolute most irritating OTC products on the 1 small pustule i would get every 2 weeks or so, on top of all that i even applied the products wrong, i didnt even rub them in i just put large globs of 10% BP on each pimple atleast 4 times a day and used a harsh 2% acne scrub and litterally scrubbed my face as hard as i could with it. After all this my acne just got worse and worse after each different OTC product i used. The biggest mistake i probably made was buying the "Acne Free Kit" for severe acne (and my acne was actually rather mild and only on my cheekbones around my nose) however at the time i thought it was severe so i used the stuff anyways which was extremely irritating. I ended up applying it to my mid and lower cheeks and jawline too in hopes of preventing future acne there. The effect of that was me breaking out all over my face in the areas i applied it to, making my acne moderate. After discovering this website i dropped all of my OTCs and got benzaclin from my family doctor. I've been applying it nightly with great results, however i just want to make sure that benzaclin is PH balanced. What do you think about its PH? and also if possible could you give some suggestions of the mildest and most PH balanced cleanser i could buy?

 

It's really hard treating acne gently because it seems like if you can't really feel a product "working," it must be too weak.

I really don't know the pH of Benzaclin, but my guess is that it is acidic because it hasn't seemed to interfere with the effectiveness of my salicylic acid product, and alkaline products can.

The skin really only has problems as far as pH is concerned when products that are alkaline or too acidic are used. You want to avoid products having a pH higher than that of water (which is neutral at 7), and you don't have to worry about finding regular-use facial products having too low of a pH. Most soap-free liquid cleansers have a slightly acidic pH. Eucerin's Redness Relief Cleanser and Clinique's Liquid Facial Soap in Mild (which doesn't really contain soap) are some gentle fragrance-free options.

You can test a product's pH with pH testing strips, but the results you'll get from these aren't as accurate as those obtained by professional pH testing.

HI Snow! Can you check this for me please. Thanks. Also I've been using Baking Soda as a bath soak. What's your take on this? Thanks again.

 

Facial Cleanser: SLS FREE Contains no Lauryl or Laureth

 

Water, cocomidopropylbetaine, decyl polyglucose, alpha olefin sulfonate, glycerin, glycolic acid, PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate, peg 7 glyceryl cocoate, salicylic acid, olive leaf extract, panthenol, quaternium 15.

 

Tonic:

 

Purified water, alcohol, glycolic acid, strontium nitrate, salicylic acid, green tea extract, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, actiphyte of chamomile, kojic acid, witch hazel, sodium citrate, lemon juice extract, jojoba ester, tea tree oil, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, aloe vera powder, sodium benzoate.

 

Treatment Serum: (day serum) (spot-treat at night)

 

 

Active Ingredient: Benzoyl Peroxide 3.5%

 

Other Ingredients: Purified water, alcohol, alkyl benzoate, caprylic/capric triglycerides, sodium polyacrylate & hydrogenated polydecene & PPG-5 laureth, propylene glycol, benzalkoniun chloride, isopropyl palmitate, silatex d-30, green tea extract, gotu kola extract, aloe vera, tea tree oil, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, propylparaben.

 

Clear Pore Serum: (night serum)

 

Purified water, glycerin, jojoba esters, isodecane, polyacrylamide, c13-14 isoparaffin, dimethicone crosspolymer-3, capryloyl glycine, panthenol, licorice extract, allantoin, queen of the meadow extract, salicylic acid, lavender oil, tea tree oil, laureth-7, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium EDTA, quaternium 15, sodium hydroxide

 

 

Moisture Complex: (lotion)

 

Purified water, aloe, zinc oxide, cyclopentasiloxane, peg-10 dimethicone, methicone, lauryl laurate, carbomer, glycerin, butylene glycol, polysorbate 20, corn starch, saccaride, isomerate, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, alpha lipoic acid, allantoin, quaternium 15, sodium citrate.

 

 

Derm-X Cloth: (Instructed to use every 2-3 days)

The Derm-X Cloth is a great way to improve skin tone, reduce blemishes and firm up those problem areas. Derm-X is a dermatologist approved, microdermabrasion cloth that is proven to exfoliate dead skin cells, remove cosmetics, oil, and dirt. It also eliminates blackheads & white heads! The DERM-X Cloth is great at bringing young and beautiful skin to the surface. Regular use also helps with skin discoloration, sun damage and even minor scarring

 

Microdermabrasion scrub: Instructed to use 2-3 times a month. Can't seem to find the ingredients.

 

To be honest I have never heard of anyone soaking in the bath with baking soda; I've heard of people mixing baking soda with their cleanser to use as an exfoliant, which is fine, but soaking's not good for the skin anyway (the "pruniness" you get on your hands is a sign of irritation), and I wouldn't think the baking soda would help.

 

Your moisturizer looks fine, but the cornstarch in it can encourage bacterial growth.

 

The Derm-X Cloth seems to make a lot of promises. I can tell you right now that it won't firm the skin and probably won't help with true scarring. I can't comment on whether or not the product should be used without seeing and feeling how abrasive it is.

 

I can't comment on your microdermabrasion scrub without seeing the ingredients, but you shouldn't use it if you're using the Derm-X Cloth regularly because you risk over-abrading the skin.

 

Well the baking soda...my box of Arm & Hammer baking soda has the treatment right on the box it says A pure, Natural skin conditioner, Relaxing bath: For soft, smooth feeling skin and a relaxing bath add 1/2 cup to warm water. Helps condition skin by exfoliating dead skin cells, leaving smooth and soft skin.

So the cornstarch in the moisture complex is the only alarm you seen? what about the other products?

The Derm-X cloth is a microfiber cloth made of 80% polyester and 20% polyamide it is very soft and gently exfoliates because the fibers are different then a standard washcloth.

The microdermabrasion scrub is made of professional grade corundum crystals and I think it is safe to use along with the cloth because the cloth only provides gently exfoliation every 3 days.

Amandas_Jewels said:

The_Snow_Queen said:

Amandas_Jewels said:

HI Snow! Can you check this for me please. Thanks. Also I've been using Baking Soda as a bath soak. What's your take on this? Thanks again.

Facial Cleanser: SLS FREE Contains no Lauryl or Laureth

Water, cocomidopropylbetaine, decyl polyglucose, alpha olefin sulfonate, glycerin, glycolic acid, PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate, peg 7 glyceryl cocoate, salicylic acid, olive leaf extract, panthenol, quaternium 15.

Tonic:

Purified water, alcohol, glycolic acid, strontium nitrate, salicylic acid, green tea extract, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, actiphyte of chamomile, kojic acid, witch hazel, sodium citrate, lemon juice extract, jojoba ester, tea tree oil, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, aloe vera powder, sodium benzoate.

Treatment Serum: (day serum) (spot-treat at night)

Active Ingredient: Benzoyl Peroxide 3.5%

Other Ingredients: Purified water, alcohol, alkyl benzoate, caprylic/capric triglycerides, sodium polyacrylate & hydrogenated polydecene & PPG-5 laureth, propylene glycol, benzalkoniun chloride, isopropyl palmitate, silatex d-30, green tea extract, gotu kola extract, aloe vera, tea tree oil, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, propylparaben.

Clear Pore Serum: (night serum)

Purified water, glycerin, jojoba esters, isodecane, polyacrylamide, c13-14 isoparaffin, dimethicone crosspolymer-3, capryloyl glycine, panthenol, licorice extract, allantoin, queen of the meadow extract, salicylic acid, lavender oil, tea tree oil, laureth-7, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium EDTA, quaternium 15, sodium hydroxide

Moisture Complex: (lotion)

Purified water, aloe, zinc oxide, cyclopentasiloxane, peg-10 dimethicone, methicone, lauryl laurate, carbomer, glycerin, butylene glycol, polysorbate 20, corn starch, saccaride, isomerate, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, alpha lipoic acid, allantoin, quaternium 15, sodium citrate.

To be honest I have never heard of anyone soaking in the bath with baking soda; I've heard of people mixing baking soda with their cleanser to use as an exfoliant, which is fine, but soaking's not good for the skin anyway (the "pruniness" you get on your hands is a sign of irritation), and I wouldn't think the baking soda would help.

Your moisturizer looks fine, but the cornstarch in it can encourage bacterial growth.

The Derm-X Cloth seems to make a lot of promises. I can tell you right now that it won't firm the skin and probably won't help with true scarring. I can't comment on whether or not the product should be used without seeing and feeling how abrasive it is.

I can't comment on your microdermabrasion scrub without seeing the ingredients, but you shouldn't use it if you're using the Derm-X Cloth regularly because you risk over-abrading the skin.

Well the baking soda...my box of Arm & Hammer baking soda has the treatment right on the box it says A pure, Natural skin conditioner, Relaxing bath: For soft, smooth feeling skin and a relaxing bath add 1/2 cup to warm water. Helps condition skin by exfoliating dead skin cells, leaving smooth and soft skin.

So the cornstarch in the moisture complex is the only alarm you seen? what about the other products?

The Derm-X cloth is a microfiber cloth made of 80% polyester and 20% polyamide it is very soft and gently exfoliates because the fibers are different then a standard washcloth.

The microdermabrasion scrub is made of professional grade corundum crystals and I think it is safe to use along with the cloth because the cloth only provides gently exfoliation every 3 days.

If your Derm-X Cloth is soft, then it's probably fine to use. Just make sure you wash it and put it in the dryer regularly (high heat) to keep it clean. I don't know much about materials, so if it's not the kind of thing that can be put in the dryer, it may breed too much bacteria.

I am not just concerned about the exfoliating ingredients in your microdermabrasion scrub; I'm also concerned about the other ingredients.

Soaking is not good for the skin, so I don't recommend you do it. Baking soda is fine to use as a manual srub when mixed with a cleanser, but I don't recommend soaking in it, even if the baking soda itself wouldn't cause harm, because soaking the skin is not good. Here's an article which explains why soaking should be avoided:

[Removed link]

Remember that for the most-part cosmetics companies can claim whatever they want, whether or not it's true.

Wow Snow Queen, you're building a real bible of information about skin care in here !

I have one question of my own, I'm using Spectro Jel as a face and body cleanser, and would like to hear anything you have to say about this product and its ingredients :

butylene glycol, carbomer, cetyl alcohol, dimethicone copolyol, diazolidinyl urea, ethanol, fragrance, glycerin, hydrated silica, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polysorbate 20, sorbitan oleate, triethanolamine, purified water.

Thank you !

Wow Snow Queen, you're building a real bible of information about skin care in here !

 

I have one question of my own, I'm using Spectro Jel as a face and body cleanser, and would like to hear anything you have to say about this product and its ingredients :

 

butylene glycol, carbomer, cetyl alcohol, dimethicone copolyol, diazolidinyl urea, ethanol, fragrance, glycerin, hydrated silica, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polysorbate 20, sorbitan oleate, triethanolamine, purified water.

 

Thank you !

Your cleanser is probably OK, but I admit I'm unfamiliar with it because as far as I know it's only sold in Canada. I've heard that it's advertised as being very gentle, so I'm surprised to see that it contains fragrance, which can noticeably aggravate super-sensitive skin types even in cleansers that are rinsed off. The other potentially problematic ingredient I see is ethanol, but my guess is that it's in a very small amount; alcohols can be used as preservatives in small amounts.

The_Snow_Queen said:

Amandas_Jewels said:

The_Snow_Queen said:

Amandas_Jewels said:

HI Snow! Can you check this for me please. Thanks. Also I've been using Baking Soda as a bath soak. What's your take on this? Thanks again.

Facial Cleanser: SLS FREE Contains no Lauryl or Laureth

Water, cocomidopropylbetaine, decyl polyglucose, alpha olefin sulfonate, glycerin, glycolic acid, PEG-120 methyl glucose dioleate, peg 7 glyceryl cocoate, salicylic acid, olive leaf extract, panthenol, quaternium 15.

Tonic:

Purified water, alcohol, glycolic acid, strontium nitrate, salicylic acid, green tea extract, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, actiphyte of chamomile, kojic acid, witch hazel, sodium citrate, lemon juice extract, jojoba ester, tea tree oil, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, aloe vera powder, sodium benzoate.

Treatment Serum: (day serum) (spot-treat at night)

Active Ingredient: Benzoyl Peroxide 3.5%

Other Ingredients: Purified water, alcohol, alkyl benzoate, caprylic/capric triglycerides, sodium polyacrylate & hydrogenated polydecene & PPG-5 laureth, propylene glycol, benzalkoniun chloride, isopropyl palmitate, silatex d-30, green tea extract, gotu kola extract, aloe vera, tea tree oil, imidazolidinyl urea, methyl paraben, propylparaben.

Clear Pore Serum: (night serum)

Purified water, glycerin, jojoba esters, isodecane, polyacrylamide, c13-14 isoparaffin, dimethicone crosspolymer-3, capryloyl glycine, panthenol, licorice extract, allantoin, queen of the meadow extract, salicylic acid, lavender oil, tea tree oil, laureth-7, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium EDTA, quaternium 15, sodium hydroxide

Moisture Complex: (lotion)

Purified water, aloe, zinc oxide, cyclopentasiloxane, peg-10 dimethicone, methicone, lauryl laurate, carbomer, glycerin, butylene glycol, polysorbate 20, corn starch, saccaride, isomerate, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, alpha lipoic acid, allantoin, quaternium 15, sodium citrate.

To be honest I have never heard of anyone soaking in the bath with baking soda; I've heard of people mixing baking soda with their cleanser to use as an exfoliant, which is fine, but soaking's not good for the skin anyway (the "pruniness" you get on your hands is a sign of irritation), and I wouldn't think the baking soda would help.

Your moisturizer looks fine, but the cornstarch in it can encourage bacterial growth.

The Derm-X Cloth seems to make a lot of promises. I can tell you right now that it won't firm the skin and probably won't help with true scarring. I can't comment on whether or not the product should be used without seeing and feeling how abrasive it is.

I can't comment on your microdermabrasion scrub without seeing the ingredients, but you shouldn't use it if you're using the Derm-X Cloth regularly because you risk over-abrading the skin.

Well the baking soda...my box of Arm & Hammer baking soda has the treatment right on the box it says A pure, Natural skin conditioner, Relaxing bath: For soft, smooth feeling skin and a relaxing bath add 1/2 cup to warm water. Helps condition skin by exfoliating dead skin cells, leaving smooth and soft skin.

So the cornstarch in the moisture complex is the only alarm you seen? what about the other products?

The Derm-X cloth is a microfiber cloth made of 80% polyester and 20% polyamide it is very soft and gently exfoliates because the fibers are different then a standard washcloth.

The microdermabrasion scrub is made of professional grade corundum crystals and I think it is safe to use along with the cloth because the cloth only provides gently exfoliation every 3 days.

If your Derm-X Cloth is soft, then it's probably fine to use. Just make sure you wash it and put it in the dryer regularly (high heat) to keep it clean. I don't know much about materials, so if it's not the kind of thing that can be put in the dryer, it may breed too much bacteria.

I am not just concerned about the exfoliating ingredients in your microdermabrasion scrub; I'm also concerned about the other ingredients.

Soaking is not good for the skin, so I don't recommend you do it. Baking soda is fine to use as a manual srub when mixed with a cleanser, but I don't recommend soaking in it, even if the baking soda itself wouldn't cause harm, because soaking the skin is not good. Here's an article which explains why soaking should be avoided:

[Removed link]

Remember that for the most-part cosmetics companies can claim whatever they want, whether or not it's true.

Thank you for all of your help!

Hi Snow Queen, one more question for you. I'm still looking for a gentle scrub to add to my regimen, but wasn't a huge fan of any of the "ok" ones that I looked at. I used to use St Ive's GENTLE Apricot Scrub (with rounded beads not apricots!) but I'm unsure about the other ingredients. Anyway, here they are:

Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal (Corn), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Juglans Mandschurica Shell Powder (Walnut), Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil (Apricot), Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract (Matricaria), Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Urea, Polysorbate-60, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 778891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, DI 77492, CI 77499), Red 30 Lake (CI 77360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140)

(with rounded beads not apricots!)

 

Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal (Corn), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Juglans Mandschurica Shell Powder (Walnut), Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil (Apricot), Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract (Matricaria), Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Urea, Polysorbate-60, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 778891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, DI 77492, CI 77499), Red 30 Lake (CI 77360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140)

(with rounded beads not apricots!)

 

Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal (Corn), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Juglans Mandschurica Shell Powder (Walnut), Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil (Apricot), Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract (Matricaria), Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Urea, Polysorbate-60, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 778891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, DI 77492, CI 77499), Red 30 Lake (CI 77360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140)

 

Wow! I didn't look at the list too carefully when I posted it earlier! I think they must have changed the formula, because I used it years ago and there were rounded orange beads, I didn't see anything in there that remotely resembled walnut shells.

(with rounded beads not apricots!)

 

Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal (Corn), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Juglans Mandschurica Shell Powder (Walnut), Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil (Apricot), Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract (Matricaria), Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Urea, Polysorbate-60, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 778891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, DI 77492, CI 77499), Red 30 Lake (CI 77360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140)

 

Wow! I didn't look at the list too carefully when I posted it earlier! I think they must have changed the formula, because I used it years ago and there were rounded orange beads, I didn't see anything in there that remotely resembled walnut shells.

 

You're right, they used to use jojoba spheres, but they changed the formulation a while back.

Stuart

Hi Snow Queen, one more question for you. I'm still looking for a gentle scrub to add to my regimen, but wasn't a huge fan of any of the "ok" ones that I looked at. I used to use St Ive's GENTLE Apricot Scrub (with rounded beads not apricots!) but I'm unsure about the other ingredients. Anyway, here they are:

 

Water (Aqua), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal (Corn), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Juglans Mandschurica Shell Powder (Walnut), Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil (Apricot), Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract (Matricaria), Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Urea, Polysorbate-60, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 778891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, DI 77492, CI 77499), Red 30 Lake (CI 77360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140)

I used to use St. Ives Apricot Scrub, too, and one of the formulations (which I think has been discontinued) used rounded beads and the rest used walnut shell. Walnut shell is what does the actual scrubbing, and because it is jagged it can tear at the skin.

Arbonne Intlligence Daily Cleanser Ingredient List

Water

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Stearic Acid

Oleamidopropyl Betaine

Lauramide DEA

Glycol Stearate

Decyl Glucoside

Symphytum Officinale Extract

Cucumber Extract

Nasturtium Officinale Extract

Betula Alba Leaf Extract

Clover Flower Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Hypercium Perforatum Extract

Sodium PCA

Polyamino Sugar Condensate

Urea

Hydrolyszed Soy Protein

Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acid

Phospholipids

Tocopherly Acetate

Retinyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Panthenol

Lecithin

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Methylisothaizolinone

Menthol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Chloride

Lemon Fruit Extract

Castor Oil

Orange Oil

Bergamot Oil

Geraniol

Clary Oil

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil

I don't even know what half that stuff is.

Arbonne Intlligence Daily Cleanser Ingredient List

 

Water

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Stearic Acid

Oleamidopropyl Betaine

Lauramide DEA

Glycol Stearate

Decyl Glucoside

Symphytum Officinale (comfrey) Extract

Cucumber Extract

Nasturtium Officinale Extract

Betula Alba (birch) Leaf Extract

Clover Flower Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Hypercium Perforatum (St. John's Wort) Extract

Sodium PCA

Polyamino Sugar Condensate

Urea

Hydrolyszed Soy Protein

Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acid

Phospholipids

Tocopherly Acetate

Retinyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Panthenol

Lecithin

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Methylisothaizolinone

Menthol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Chloride

Lemon Fruit Extract

Castor Oil

Orange Oil

Bergamot Oil

Geraniol

Clary Oil

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil

 

I don't even know what half that stuff is.

Your cleanser has a lot of potentially problematic plant extracts, but I'm also concerned about the menthol, which can give the skin a cooling/tingling/refreshing feeling that is actually a sign of irritation. The irritants/harmful ingredients include comfrey, birch, clover, and St. John's Wort, as well as the fragrant extracts shown at the end of the ingredients list. I wouldn't continue to use this cleanser.

maybe this has been mentioned before..but what about Neutrogena oil-free moisture for sensitive skin?

also, my nose gets very oily during the daytime and when i wake up. so does that mean i should not apply any moisturizer on my nose? in that case, should i still apply sunscreen on my nose during the day?

sorry for so many questions!

edited

I have some more questions for you Snow Queen.

Some products that are listed to be oil-free may still clog your pores due to non oily comedogenic ingredients?

Do you think it is necessary to use a shampoo that is SLS free?

Do you think it is necessary to use a conditioner that is SLS free?

Do you think it is necessary to use a body wash that is SLS free?

Do you know how hard it is to find these products?

This is kind of why I am asking if it is necessary or not.

Some people do suffer from body acne as well.

I figured using SLS ingredients on the body or that touch the body can lead to more breakouts?

What do you think?

Do you think it is possible for acne suffers who are using SLS based shampoo to develop acne breakouts around the hairline and on the neck?

SLS isn't the only ingredient to be worried about correct?

There are other ingredients that can clog the pores, correct?

I have found a shampoo that has no known comedogenic ingredients but the condtioner contains two ingredients that are known comedogenic, so my question is how do I get around this? Not use a conditoner at all? Or keep searching untill I find one?

Do you have a list that you use that lists known comedogenic ingredients that you are willing to share?

Do you think it is appropriate for me to call up some dermatologists to discuss these comedogenic ingredients in hopes of getting some real answers?