Acne.org Products
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!
Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture isn't bad, but it's not good either. It's very basic and contains the waxy thickeners that can clog pores for some people. The daytime version doesn't have broad-spectrum protection and shouldn't be relied upon for sun protection.
Just because your skin is oily does not mean you should not wear sunscreen because sun damage happens whether your skin is oily or not. The damage caused by unnecessary moisturization is much less than the damage caused by unprotected sun exposure. Neutrogena's Dry Touch Sunscreens are great for oily skin. Don't apply moisturizer (unless it has your sun protection) to any areas of oily skin. To help control the oil during the day, try oil-blotting sheets like those by Biore and/or a sheer powder like Jane's Staying Powder in Colorless.
Amandas_Jewels said: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?
Sodium lauryl sulfate is too harsh, sodium laureth sulfate is gentle. Certain cosmetics companies want consumers to believe that all sulfates are harmful, but this simply isn't true.
It is not hard to find shampoos and conditioners without sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, but I only recommend the avoidance sodium lauryl sulfate.
If you use sodium lauryl (not laureth) sulfate or other irritating surfectants like C-14 olefin sulfonate on the skin, it can cause irritation which can in turn make breakouts worse.
It is hard to determine which specific ingredients trigger breakouts in individuals, but I feel comfortable in saying that most people have no problems with sodium laureth sulfate. Fragrance is certainly more likely to be a problem in shampoos using gentle surfectants than the type of surfectant used.
How are you determining what is and isn't comedogenic? Waxy thickeners and certain oils (especially animal oils) may clog pores, but this is not true of everyone.
A list of common skin irritants can be found in the first post of this thread.
Dermatologists, in my experience, can be sources of misinformation. You may find this article interesting, which addresses the issue of comedogenic ingredients:
[Removed link]
snow queen,i went to the clinique counter for the liquid facial soap mild. the bottle says its for normal/dry skin. is it ok to use the liquid soap for oily skin being that im extremely oily?
Even though labels can be helpful in determining what skin type a product is appropriate for, they are not always accurate. Although bar cleansers and cleansers using harsh cleansing agents really do get the skin feeling clean, they also damage it. Many products designed for oily and/or acne prone skin are too harsh for anyone and can make the skin worse. Oily skin types do best with water-soluble cleansers in liquid form, while drier skin types do best with cleansers in cream form. The Clinique Liquied Facial Soap in Mild is in liquid form and would be fine for oily skin, though those with oily skin also like Purpose's Liquid Cleanser.
Unfortunately, no matter which cleanser you use, the oil will come back. You can absorb the oil with clay masks, oil-blotting sheets, and sheer facial powders, but preventing the oil from occurring in the first place is easier said than done.
The_Snow_Queen said:Amandas_Jewels said: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?
Sodium lauryl sulfate is too harsh, sodium laureth sulfate is gentle. Certain cosmetics companies want consumers to believe that all sulfates are harmful, but this simply isn't true.
It is not hard to find shampoos and conditioners without sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, but I only recommend the avoidance sodium lauryl sulfate.
If you use sodium lauryl (not laureth) sulfate or other irritating surfectants like C-14 olefin sulfonate on the skin, it can cause irritation which can in turn make breakouts worse.
It is hard to determine which specific ingredients trigger breakouts in individuals, but I feel comfortable in saying that most people have no problems with sodium laureth sulfate. Fragrance is certainly more likely to be a problem in shampoos using gentle surfectants than the type of surfectant used.
How are you determining what is and isn't comedogenic? Waxy thickeners and certain oils (especially animal oils) may clog pores, but this is not true of everyone.
A list of common skin irritants can be found in the first post of this thread.
Dermatologists, in my experience, can be sources of misinformation. You may find this article interesting, which addresses the issue of comedogenic ingredients:
[Removed link]
Thank you very much for your help snow queen 
I was using a list I found online that listed known comedogenic and skin irritants, knowning that some of this information may be un-reliable, I figured asking several skin doctors for the real answers. Alot of places are selling Natural products, and claiming ingredients from other products are harmful, in order to sell more of their own products. Messed up world huh? 
Sorry to bother you again. Do you have any information on Isopropyl Myristate?
Ispropyl myristate is a gentle thickener; however, because of its waxy characteristics it can clog pores. This does not mean it will clog your pores.
Clogged pores don't happen overnight; they take around two weeks to develop.
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!
Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture isn't bad, but it's not good either. It's very basic and contains the waxy thickeners that can clog pores for some people. The daytime version doesn't have broad-spectrum protection and shouldn't be relied upon for sun protection.
Just because your skin is oily does not mean you should not wear sunscreen because sun damage happens whether your skin is oily or not. The damage caused by unnecessary moisturization is much less than the damage caused by unprotected sun exposure. Neutrogena's Dry Touch Sunscreens are great for oily skin. Don't apply moisturizer (unless it has your sun protection) to any areas of oily skin. To help control the oil during the day, try oil-blotting sheets like those by Biore and/or a sheer powder like Jane's Staying Powder in Colorless.
thanks for your reply. so basically, i should apply sunscreen all over my face even on active, inflamed pimples?
you suggested dove day lotion for sensitive skin for moisturizer in your original post. is it ok to use it for nights too?
thanks snow queen. im trying to wean myself off of acne products but now im wondering if im making a big mistake. do you think its absolutely necessary to use acne treatments in order to clear acne? ive been using acne meds for years and still have never been 100% clear. i have mixed feelings about bp- it worked very well for a while but then stopped, i like the neutrogena rapid clear acne defense lotion but most people on here seem to think that its more beneficial to use bp than salicylic acid. i know according to paula you're suppose to use both but if you had to choose one or the other which would it be? also, what do u think of cliniques night treatment gel and daytime shield from the acne solutions line?
I think that what clears acne varies by person, but can safely say that well-formulated acne treatments or products that are not necessarily advertised as acne treatments but can be used as such (like Paula's Choice BHA products) do make a significant improvement in many people. Some people strongly believe that diet and acne are related and some people do seem to have benefited from special diets, but not anyone I know personally. I definately don't believe that people should throw out all their skincare products to switch to a special diet for clearing acne; certain parts of skincare, like the use of sunscreen, are necessary for everyone. If you're interested in starting a special diet to treat your acne, check out the Diet and Health Forum.
Why did you stop using benzoyl peroxide if it worked?
I think that people with inflammatory acne will get the best results using a gentle regimen involving the use of both salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide products. The salicylic acid exfoliates while the benzoyl peroxide disinfects. If I had to choose only one, I would choose salicylic acid because it helps prevent clogged pores from forming, has anti-inflammatory properties, and has some antimicrobial properties. Bacteria don't become immune to benzoyl peroxide, so the benzoyl peroxide didn't stop acting as a disinfectant, it just no longer was effective in preventing your breakouts from becoming inflamed. This could be attributed to changes in you and/or your environment/daily routines.
Before I educated myself about skincare products I explored Clinique's acne line. The products that didn't make my skin worse didin't help at all (though at first I thought they were helping- wishful thinking). From what I remember the salicylic acid products contain lots of alcohol and/or other skin irritants and I doubt most of them have a high enough pH to be effective exfoliants anyway. The Daytime Shield temporarily helped control oil, but irritated my skin (it contains irritants like peppermint) and ultimately made my breakouts worse. My advice is to stay away from Clinique skincare products with the exception of the sunscreens, some of the cleansers, one of the toners, and some of the moisturizers. I do like most of Clinique's makeup, though I can't comment on their foundations because none of them are a good match for me.
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!
Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture isn't bad, but it's not good either. It's very basic and contains the waxy thickeners that can clog pores for some people. The daytime version doesn't have broad-spectrum protection and shouldn't be relied upon for sun protection.
Just because your skin is oily does not mean you should not wear sunscreen because sun damage happens whether your skin is oily or not. The damage caused by unnecessary moisturization is much less than the damage caused by unprotected sun exposure. Neutrogena's Dry Touch Sunscreens are great for oily skin. Don't apply moisturizer (unless it has your sun protection) to any areas of oily skin. To help control the oil during the day, try oil-blotting sheets like those by Biore and/or a sheer powder like Jane's Staying Powder in Colorless.
thanks for your reply. so basically, i should apply sunscreen all over my face even on active, inflamed pimples?
you suggested dove day lotion for sensitive skin for moisturizer in your original post. is it ok to use it for nights too?
Apply sunscreen all over your face, even on active pimples, to prevent more damage from occurring.
Dove's Daytime Sensitive Skin Lotion does not contain a broad-spectrum SPF 15+, so I actually recommend it only at night unless your sunscreen isn't moisturizing enough, in which case you would use the Dove lotion underneath. Dove has other good daytime lotions which do contain a broad-spectrum SPF 15 that you can use during the daytime if you're interested, but if your skin is really oily Neutrogena's Dry Touch Sunscreens would be better.
thank you snow queen. to answer your question about why i stopped using the bp-well it was because even though it lessened my break outs when i did get break outs they were HUGE. i was on another regimen for 2 yrs prior and i saw improvement on that regimen as well but i still never stayed clear for more than a few days at a time but the bumps i got on that regimen were medium sized average looking bumps. it wasnt until i switched to neutrogena on the spot bp that the bumps became more like cysts and also took forever to go away. it did nothing to make the bumps go away quicker. perhaps it was because of the kind of bp i was using- i havent tried any other ones besides the neutrogena.
I'm new to the boards so HI EVERYONE!
This strange thing that's been happening to my face:
Ever since I started the regimen two months ago, I have had 2 major cystic-like spots that I never had before I started the regimen. I have had small pimples in the past start off as small but then eventually build up to huge mountains that you have no choice but to pop! BUT..... I CAN'T POP THEM ANYMORE!! The BP seems to be stopping my spots from forming 'heads' and so they just grow bigger and bigger until I can't take it anymore and have to manually use a pin and pop them myself.
This hasn't just happened with the cystic ones, it's happening with normal run-of-the mill spots now. They just wont form heads!!
I'm starting to lose faith in the regimen but don't want to stop if this is deemed 'normal' in the first couple of months. I've read a lot of posts on these forums and have heard nothing like this before.
Has anyone else found that BP is preventing their spots from forming heads? Does anyone know what is wrong??
i was browsing thru other threads and came across this-this is the exact same experience i had with bp too!!
Hmm. Brown Skin, I do think that the Neutrogena On-the-Spot was too irritating for you due to the bentonite it contains. There's two things you can do:
1) Try another 2.5% benzoyl peroxide product such as the DKR Gel, Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution, or ProActiv Repairing Lotion. Dan's is the least expensive and contains no unnecessary skin irritants, Paula's Choice is the next least expensive and like Dan's is in gel form, but contains more skin-soothing ingredients, and ProActiv's is in lotion form and would be best if you're really having problems with irritation and dryness from benzoyl peroxide (although it does contain fragrance, which can also be irritating).
I recommend trying the benzoyl peroxide in conjunction with a salicylic acid product for reasons that have been mentioned in past posts. I can't promise you won't have the same types of large lesions that you had when you were using Neutrogena's product, but if you give benzoyl peroxide another try as suggested above you'll at least be doing something different rather than the same thing you were doing before.
2) Try a tea tree oil product for use as a disinfetant. Tea tree oil is best used in concentrations of 5%-15%; I only know of one relatively gentle product which contains enough tea tree oil to be effective, and that's Derma-E's Tea Tree Antisceptic Cream. Otherwise you can buy pure tea tree oil and dilute it with your moisturizer, aiming for roughly a 10% concentration. Tea tree oil is pretty expensive and usually comes in one-ounce or less bottles, but I just bought eight ounces of tea tree oil off of Ebay for about $15.
I also recommend using a salicylic acid product with tea tree oil as I do with most disinfectants.
Make sure you wear a broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher sunscreen to protect your skin from more damage.
Hi Snowqueen!
Just wondered if you could help me as I am at a loss at the moment!
I dont know if my acne is due to hormones or if i have a food allergy as my top half of my face is fine, it is just my jaw line and chin that has acne and inflamation. During certain times of the day my face goes red, like a heat rash (usually happens mid afternoon and early morning) when it goes red and imflamed it starts itching like mad. Then an hour after it settles down again! I just dont know what it is or what to use anymore!
At the moment I am only washing my face with water as I dont dare use anything on my skin. A few days ago I put bio oil on my skin as it was dry. I flared up next day 10 times as bad. So now I am washing my face with water and using no moisturiser.
I am taking Dinatte bc pill, Lymecycline anti-biotics and oil of evening primrose oil vitamin tabs.
Hope you can help me find a regeime!
Thanks a load
shortyrock21 said:Snowqueen,I think I remeber you saying Exfoliating(SA) and 10%BP are bad together is this true and why?Also can shaving too often irritate my face and cause acne such as daily?A lot of people told me I should shave every other day.
I said that using an exfoliant (not just with salicylic acid) and a 10% benzoyl peroxide product are best avoided because 10% benzoyl peroxide can be very irritating when compared with 2.5% and 5% concentrations. I recommend starting with a 2.5% concentration first, and only switching to a 5% concentration if you see little to no improvement after a month or two.
Shaving incorrectly or with poor shaving products can irritate the skin and lead to breakouts. You should avoid using an exfoliant on freshly shaved skin because shaving is abrasive to the skin to begin with.
Here's an article on shaving that may be helpful:
[Removed link]
If shaving every day is too irritating for you, you could try shaving every other day. I suppose how often you should shave depends on you.
I'm not sure how true this is, but I would think that disinfecting your razor inbetween uses with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide for at least ten minutes (making sure to rinse off these disinfectants before using the blade again) would help prevent the spread of bacteria to your face and neck, which would in turn help prevent infection and inflamation.
Hi Snowqueen!
Just wondered if you could help me as I am at a loss at the moment!
I dont know if my acne is due to hormones or if i have a food allergy as my top half of my face is fine, it is just my jaw line and chin that has acne and inflamation. During certain times of the day my face goes red, like a heat rash (usually happens mid afternoon and early morning) when it goes red and imflamed it starts itching like mad. Then an hour after it settles down again! I just dont know what it is or what to use anymore!
At the moment I am only washing my face with water as I dont dare use anything on my skin. A few days ago I put bio oil on my skin as it was dry. I flared up next day 10 times as bad. So now I am washing my face with water and using no moisturiser.
I am taking Dinatte bc pill, Lymecycline anti-biotics and oil of evening primrose oil vitamin tabs.
Hope you can help me find a regeime!
Thanks a load
I apologize that I am not able to pinpoint a specific cause of the skin problems you're experiencing or tell you how to stop them. I definately recommend you contact a doctor as soon as possible, especially since you are using antibiotics, which can cause rashes. Again, you should talk to your doctor as soon as you can.
Below is an article which provides information about antibiotics and their side effects. It's written for parents, but I don't see why the information provided about rashes (scroll down past the diaper rash section) would be irrelevent to you.
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T080600.asp
Until you know what is causing your skin problems, I agree that you should be avoiding as many topical products as possible.
all these things don't apply to everyone. everything i use you say is bad, but my skin is and always has been clear.
They do apply to everyone; some people just don't have the same visible bad reactions that other people do. If your skin is and always has been clear, why are you on this board?
Yeah seriously; this site is for people who suffer from acne =/
Hi Snow Queen
You might not remember me, but you helped me before to find a gentle cleanser 
i just need you help on these ingredients; it's the Dove Soap 'White'
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Coconut Acid, SodiumTallowate, Water, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoate or Palm Kernelate, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trisodium Etidronate, BHT, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sodium DodecylBenzene Sulfonate
[Removed link]
How does it sound? If you have a look at the link, most of the customers comments sound really good, and some state that this soap helps control their acne or they've never suffered from acne because of this soap.
Also theres a thread about this soap.
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...p;#entry1568375
Thank-you
`tash said:Hi Snow Queen
You might not remember me, but you helped me before to find a gentle cleanser
i just need you help on these ingredients; it's the Dove Soap 'White'
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Coconut Acid, SodiumTallowate, Water, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoate or Palm Kernelate, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trisodium Etidronate, BHT, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sodium DodecylBenzene Sulfonate
[Removed link]
How does it sound? If you have a look at the link, most of the customers comments sound really good, and some state that this soap helps control their acne or they've never suffered from acne because of this soap.
Also theres a thread about this soap.
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...p;#entry1568375
Thank-you
Dove's soaps are better than most other soap products, but that's not saying much. All bar cleansers contain potentially problematic ingredients.
I am very skeptical of ancedotal evidence. It is my guess that those raving over Dove soaps didn't really have that bad of skin, or any clearing in their complexions was coincidental. As to those who never broke out in their lives and attribute it to the soap, chances are they wouldn't have broken out anyway or experienced very mild breakouts. Treating acne is more complex than just cleansing the face.
hey snowqueen i got another question, after i finish cleansing i always end up with really dry flakey skin (and yes im washing properly and everything) should i apply moisturizer before the benzaclin or after? and also im using cetaphil moisterizing cream.
Hi Buckmaster09; it's good to hear from you!
Part of your dryness could be attributed to damage caused by a lack of sunscreen (if your Cetaphil doesn't contain it), even if you haven't noticed any tans or sunburns. Most acne treatments make the skin more sun-sensitive. Make sure you use an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, tinosorb, or mexoryl sx; if it doesn't contain one of these ingredients, it doesn't adequately protect against UVA rays.
To get the best results with Benzaclin be sure to apply your moisturizer after the prescription. Moisturizers can hinder the penetration of acne treatments.
Ah ok thanks i'll be sure to look into that and also it seems like theres been a lot of rumors going around about products inhibiting the ability for you to grow out of acne at a normal age, is this true if it's just hormonal acne (not counting any IBs from dropping the products after puberty) or does the skin become too dependent on it? I've just really been confused lately on what to do. I have a lot of trouble trusting all these products because of my past history of failed treatment.