cool as kim deal said:

The_Snow_Queen said:

cool as kim deal said:

The_Snow_Queen said:

HollyK said:

Is it okay to use Paula's Choice 2% bha gel and dan's bp at the same time?

Yes, but please don't use Dan's recommended full fingerlength. A small glob is all you need for the entire face; anything more is wasteful and likely to cause unnecessary irritation.

I typically agree with your advice, but your recommendation for the amount of Dan's BP to use is off. I had been using a small glob of BP on my face when I used Proactiv, and for a couple of months I was even doing this without the other two irritating steps in the system. You'd think this would have worked since I wasn't irritating my face in other ways and because aside from fragrance, the Proactiv BP isn't bad. But it didn't, my inflammatory acne persisted, and alas, I came here. The reason why Dan's regimen works whens other BP regimens don't is because he has you use a lot more BP. Does everyone on Dan's regimen need to use the full fingerlength? Probably not, since it seems to depend on the persistence and severity of your acne. Some people may even need more. I know from my many months on the regimen that when I try to use a little less BP than my usual amount for a couple of weeks, my skin rebels with small breakouts. Throwing BHA into the mix is another wrench and will probably affect the amount of BP you need to use (I imagine it would decrease the need slightly). I know that you have had bad experiences with BP in the past, but using large amounts has been the only thing to control my moderate inflammatory acne, and you are doing people a disservice by suggesting otherwise.

I'm sorry you feel that way. While your use of a full fingerlength of benzoyl peroxide seems to have been beneficial for you, there are many for whom it is not. I see countless complaints that the DKR isn't giving the results users want in addition to irritating their skin; I'm trying to offer what I feel is a more effective regimen to users. For those who find that using a small glob of a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide product isn't enough, I recommend using a little bit of a higher concentration instead. However, I respect your opinion and realize that not everyone is going to agree with everything I say.

Hmm, then why use a little bit of a higher concentration when you can just use more of a lower concentration, though? If your goal is to apply some amount of an active ingredient, it certainly is easier to get an even application with more gel/lotion/goop to work with than with a smaller amount, which might dry out before you can get it to disappear, especially with as small of amounts as you recommend. I've run into this problem with basically anything in a gel or lotion vehicle (BP, moisturizers, AHA lotion, etc.) where if I don't use more than some minimum amount that I have to find by trial and error, I can't get a complete even application.

Unfortunately applying too much of a product can damage the skin. You should use enough to spread a thin layer over your face, but anything more is too much.

... no matter how much you think you can get better results don't over apply the product. Applying too much of the product can cause greater damage to your skin.

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Use your acne medicines as directed, and don't overapply them.

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Dan is the only person I know who says that a full fingerlength of benzoyl peroxide should be used; every other benzoyl peroxide product recommends a thin layer spread over the entire face. When I say a small glob I mean enough to spread a thin layer; I can see why this is confusing and apologize. However, a full fingerlength is definately too much.

You can't really know how much more of a benzoyl peroxide dosage you're getting from applying the full fingerlength versus the amount I (and many dermatologists) recommend. Besides, skin can only absorb so much of a product at a time.

Perhaps part of your problem is that too much product is absorbing into your hands rather than where you want it. It might be less wasteful for you to wear latex or vinyl gloves when applying skincare products.

invisable girl said:

SnowQueen, did you switch from 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid gel to the lotion? I could have swore that I ordered the gel because you said the lotion wasn't as good or didn't spread well or something, but now I see you have the lotion listed in your regimen. What's the diff. between the gel/lotion/liquid? Also, maybe this is a stupid question, but does acne ever build up an immunity to these types of products? Do you recommend switching regimens periodically?

I have always used the 2% BHA Liquid (see my regimen). The lotion is better for those with dry skin and breakouts, or for those who find the liquid and gel too irritating. This clarifies the difference between Paula's BHA products:

[Removed link]

Bacteria that is problematic for inflammatory acne can become resistant to some treatments, like oral antibiotics and certain prescription-only topical disinfectants. However, the bacteria does not become resistant to other treatments like benzoyl peroxide.

Various factors can affect the severity of your acne, like hormonal changes. So, a regimen that kept you clear for a certain length of time might no longer be effective as your acne becomes more stubborn to treat. That doesn't mean that a cleanser won't cleanse, an exfoliant won't exfoliate, a disinfectant won't disinfect (provided the disinfectant is one that does not become resistant to the bacteria involved in inflammatory acne), etc.... It just means that what once worked is no longer enough. I don't recommend changing around regimens unless what you're doing isn't working, and even then you should make sure you give that regimen time to work before changing it (unless of course you're obviously having a bad reaction or don't like something about a product, like its application, provided that the product can be replaced by an alternative product which serves the same purpose).

dear snow queen, I been away struggling with the option of taking accutane. as you see im back. It didn't work out as well as i hoped, I guess my mental problems over came my desire to take it..anyway I am trying to get back on paula since it might help with my black heads...I am some what confused...

When I tried it out in the earlier months, I was using the 1% and then alterned to the 2%...i had no reaction like dryness or irritation, so I decided to purchase the 2%....anyway, I took a week of with just using water and made my skin calm down after ther irritation caused by purpose...anyway, before irritating my face, I started using cetaphil and PC 2% and had no dryness what so over...now after trying it again, I notice that my skin is dry and tight after applying it once? It is strange...It never did so before, and now my skin is reacting badly to it... do you have any suggestions of what might be causing this?

Hi snow queen I just wanted to ask you for your opinion on a couple of cleansers because you seem to have done your research and know what your talking about.

I'm trying to find a good cleanser that lathers enough that I can use on my face in conjunction with my scalp, as I have very oily/greasy skin (seborrheic dermatitis). Currently I'm using a cleanser that a long ago derm recommended too me: Tersaseptic. It's a a face/scalp cleanser.

Here are it's ingredients:

Active ingredient: triclosan 0.5%

Non-medicinal ingredients: citric acid, edetate disodium, fragrance #6218-1, glycol ether DE, lauramide DEA, PEG 600 distearate, purified water, sodium chloride, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate.

Also, theres a cleanser that I'm looking into purchasing called Dermologica special cleansing gel. Here are it's ingredients (thats all I could find):

Extracts Of: Lavender(Lavandula Angustifolia), Balm Mint(Melissa Officinalis); Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Quillaja Saponaria Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

Snow queen are u gonna become a dermatologist???bc i think you would make a great one...thanks for all the great advice on here.

dear snow queen, I been away struggling with the option of taking accutane. as you see im back. It didn't work out as well as i hoped, I guess my mental problems over came my desire to take it..anyway I am trying to get back on paula since it might help with my black heads...I am some what confused...

 

When I tried it out in the earlier months, I was using the 1% and then alterned to the 2%...i had no reaction like dryness or irritation, so I decided to purchase the 2%....anyway, I took a week of with just using water and made my skin calm down after ther irritation caused by purpose...anyway, before irritating my face, I started using cetaphil and PC 2% and had no dryness what so over...now after trying it again, I notice that my skin is dry and tight after applying it once? It is strange...It never did so before, and now my skin is reacting badly to it... do you have any suggestions of what might be causing this?

Skin can be more sensitized at one time and less sensitized at another. Factors leading to changes in your skin include changes in your water (Hard water, which has a stronger presence of calcium and magnesium ions as opposed to soft water, is drying and, when it mixes with cleansing agents,leaves a film on surfaces, including skin, that can clog pores. This film is seen in showers as "soap scum."), changes in the weather, hormonal changes, pollution, allergies, sun damage, etc.... Also, since you had been using the 1% for a while, stopped using exfoliants for just a week, and then switched to the 2%, your skin might have been more used to salicylic acid than it is now. Anyway, I hope you find something that works for you as it sounds like you've had a difficult time.

Hi snow queen I just wanted to ask you for your opinion on a couple of cleansers because you seem to have done your research and know what your talking about.

 

I'm trying to find a good cleanser that lathers enough that I can use on my face in conjunction with my scalp, as I have very oily/greasy skin (seborrheic dermatitis). Currently I'm using a cleanser that a long ago derm recommended too me: Tersaseptic. It's a a face/scalp cleanser.

 

Here are it's ingredients:

Active ingredient: triclosan 0.5%

Non-medicinal ingredients: citric acid, edetate disodium, fragrance #6218-1, glycol ether DE, lauramide DEA, PEG 600 distearate, purified water, sodium chloride, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate.

 

 

Also, theres a cleanser that I'm looking into purchasing called Dermologica special cleansing gel. Here are it's ingredients (thats all I could find):

Extracts Of: Lavender(Lavandula Angustifolia), Balm Mint(Melissa Officinalis); Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Quillaja Saponaria Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

I wouldn't really recommend the first cleanser since it uses triclosan as a disinfectant. 1) Disinfectants in cleansers aren't really very reliable ways to disinfect the skin and 2) some people report irritation from triclosan. Also, it contains TEA luaryl sulfate, which is similar to sodium lauryl sulfate, a harsh surfectant. I can't tell you whether or not it's the primary surfectant listed because the ingredients list is in alphabetical order, but I don't think I'll recommend it.

The second cleanser looks like it contains a lot of lavender and balm mint extracts, which are irritating to the skin. The mint will most likely give your skin a tingling sensation, which is a sign of irritation. I wouldn't recommend this either.

Many people with oily skin like Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (chaserdryer had a bad experience with it, but I think most people with oily skin do like it). Another good cleanser you might like is Clinique's Liquid Facial Soap in Mild (which, despite the product's name isn't actually a soap product).

Those with oily skin tend to want to overcleanse to remove all the oil. Unfortunately, no matter how well you cleanse your skin the oil will always come back, and if you use harsh cleansers you also create unnecessary irritation that can give you both greasy skin and flakiness. Those with oily skin will probably want to avoid emollient cleansers, which are better for those with dry skin, but should also avoid harsh cleansers because as mentioned above they can add to your skin problems.

During the day you might want to consider wearing a sheer face powder (preferrably one that does not contain rice or corn starch, which can encourage bacterial growth and can be a problem if you experience inflammatory acne) and using oil blotting sheets, such as those made by Biore, to absorb excess shine.

Snow queen are u gonna become a dermatologist???bc i think you would make a great one...thanks for all the great advice on here.

Thanks, I'm flattered, but at the moment I'm not seeking to become a dermatologist. I'm not really sure what I want to do, though product development does interest me.

Dear Snow queen,

I know you recommend eucerin sensitive facial cleanser, but what makes that so different from cetaphil...when comparing ingredients they are very similar...both containing sodium laurel sulfate...

But considering my early question...i know u dont agree with this idea, and I know its not a definite fix for me, but when I just use water and use a baby brush for exfoliating it really calms my skin down...its no longer irritated, dry, and even more oily...it still remains oily, but seems to slowly cut down over time. I know its not the wisest thing to do since it doesn't clean everything off, but ive found it to be the most useful regimen yet...however i have A LOT of clogged pores...like my cheeks are basically clogged completely...i am dreaming to find success with PC even though I know its not a sure fire shot...but I want my skin to be able to stay cool under PC, before it was for awhile but then when i used purpose all hell broke loose...for some odd reason I still am not sure of...anyway would you recommend me trying to get the 1% and wean myself back up to it as I did before...i think that sounds logical to me...

Thanks

Dear Snow queen,

 

I know you recommend eucerin sensitive facial cleanser, but what makes that so different from cetaphil...when comparing ingredients they are very similar...both containing sodium laurel sulfate...

 

But considering my early question...i know u dont agree with this idea, and I know its not a definite fix for me, but when I just use water and use a baby brush for exfoliating it really calms my skin down...its no longer irritated, dry, and even more oily...it still remains oily, but seems to slowly cut down over time. I know its not the wisest thing to do since it doesn't clean everything off, but ive found it to be the most useful regimen yet...however i have A LOT of clogged pores...like my cheeks are basically clogged completely...i am dreaming to find success with PC even though I know its not a sure fire shot...but I want my skin to be able to stay cool under PC, before it was for awhile but then when i used purpose all hell broke loose...for some odd reason I still am not sure of...anyway would you recommend me trying to get the 1% and wean myself back up to it as I did before...i think that sounds logical to me...

 

Thanks

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser:

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben

Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser:

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, Benzophenone 4

Both cleansers are gentle. Cetaphil's looks like it has less detergent, making Eucerin better for cleansing. Cetaphil's contains sodium lauryl sulfate, Eucerin's contains sodium laureth sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate is harsh; however, it is listed fourth on the ingredients list in the Cetaphil product which is why I don't think it's a problem.

I think that using the 1% and then switching to the 2% over time would probably be the best thing for you to do since you seem to be experiencing irritation and that's what worked for you before. I wouldn't recommend using the baby brush exfoliation method at the same time as the Paula's Choice product, because that might be too irritating.

Concerning your method of cleansing and exfoliation you discussed, it's not something I would do but everyone is entitled to make his or her own decisions about how to take care of the skin.

hello SQ!

 

i've decided to try PC 2% BHA liquid because i've been using 1% gel for 2 months now and i'm still breaking out

 

i'm just wondering how do you apply it to your face? do you use finger or cotton ball?

 

also...i went to a derm and he gave me 8% glycolic acid toning solution by neostrata mixed with 2% clindamycin. does the ingredient list look good?

 

Water (Aqua), Alcohol denat., Glycolic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Polyquaternium-10, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium EDTA.

 

thank you always.

 

Hi there,

 

You can use apply the liquid with your fingertips or with a cotton pad/square/round (I prefer these to cotton balls, which absorb too much product). It really just depends on your personal prefference.

 

I personally wouldn't use the Neostrata product because it lists alcohol denat as the second ingredient, causing unnecessary irritation. There are other 8% glyolic acid products which I'm guessing are much less expensive and don't contain problematic concentrations of unnecessary skin irritants (Paula's Choice is an example of a company which makes one such glycolic acid product). Definately don't use any glycolic acid product at the same time as your Paula's Choice product; you're likely to cause too much irritation to your skin.

 

hi SQ, thank you for your reply!

that's what i thought exactly about the alcohol..i'm glad i decided not to use it!

what about AHA based facial cleanser that cotains small beads? the beads feel pretty round. would it cause too much irritation? because i noticed that after my bf and i kiss alot (sorry for getting into this!), his stubbles rub against my chin and afterward, it feels very smooth and flake free. this made me think that facial cleanser with scrubs combined with BHA can be beneficial. what do you think?

or i thought i could use Aveeno skin britening daily scrub in the morning only and use paula's choice BHA twice daily.could that be too irritating?

hi snow queen. do these ingredients look OK?

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Normal to Oily Skin

Purified Water, PEG 200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/Steareth 20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Masking Fragrance, Panthenol, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben

Hi Snowqueen. What can you tell me about exfolianting scrubs? Are they any good or safe to use? Im asking because I started a new regimen a couple weeks ago and one of my problems is my skin gets flakey from it. I do moisturize but that doesnt seem to clear it up completely.

Skincarerx [Removed link]

Thats the one ive been looking into. Does it looks alright? Also while im here, my I got the nucelle moisturizer to go with their regimen. I asked you about it and you said it looks like it would provide very little mositure, well you were right. I only got it because it came with the kit. SO i was wondering if this one looks more moisturizing.

Skincarerx [Removed link]

Also i have paulas choice moisture gel, which i use now overtop the nucelle one and even thats not enough. During the day i have to put it on 7 times to get it to work. I mean my face is alright without it, it just gets flakey. If i decided to upgrade her moisturizer, which would be best? I was thinking the hydralight, but shes also got the new skin balancing moisturizer thats a lotion. thanks again for the help. By the way my acnes clearing up pretty well, so once i find a decent moisturizer i wont have any more questions. thanks

what about AHA based facial cleanser that cotains small beads? the beads feel pretty round. would it cause too much irritation? because i noticed that after my bf and i kiss alot (sorry for getting into this!), his stubbles rub against my chin and afterward, it feels very smooth and flake free. this made me think that facial cleanser with scrubs combined with BHA can be beneficial. what do you think?

 

or i thought i could use Aveeno skin britening daily scrub in the morning only and use paula's choice BHA twice daily.could that be too irritating?

It would be fine to use an AHA cleanser containing bead-like particles because you wouldn't really be getting that much (if any) benefit from the AHA in the cleanser since it would be rinsed off almost right away, so you really wouldn't be risking over-exfoliation of the skin.

I personally wouldn't use the Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub at the same time as the Paula's Choice, or at least not as a daily part of a regimen because that could be too irritating. If you want to use a scrub, I think it would be better to use that at one time and the BHA product at another.

hi snow queen. do these ingredients look OK?

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Normal to Oily Skin

 

Purified Water, PEG 200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/Steareth 20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Masking Fragrance, Panthenol, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben

Cetaphil is fine. It would be better if it didn't have fragrance, but overall it's fine to cleanse the skin with.

cowboy101 said:

Hi Snowqueen. What can you tell me about exfolianting scrubs? Are they any good or safe to use? Im asking because I started a new regimen a couple weeks ago and one of my problems is my skin gets flakey from it. I do moisturize but that doesnt seem to clear it up completely.

Skincarerx [Removed link]

Thats the one ive been looking into. Does it looks alright? Also while im here, my I got the nucelle moisturizer to go with their regimen. I asked you about it and you said it looks like it would provide very little mositure, well you were right. I only got it because it came with the kit. SO i was wondering if this one looks more moisturizing.

Skincarerx [Removed link]

Also i have paulas choice moisture gel, which i use now overtop the nucelle one and even thats not enough. During the day i have to put it on 7 times to get it to work. I mean my face is alright without it, it just gets flakey. If i decided to upgrade her moisturizer, which would be best? I was thinking the hydralight, but shes also got the new skin balancing moisturizer thats a lotion. thanks again for the help. By the way my acnes clearing up pretty well, so once i find a decent moisturizer i wont have any more questions. thanks

Scrubs are a form of manual exfoliation and are fine to use to remove flaky skin. Actually, I think that everyone whose skin can tolerate it use some form of exfoliation regularly to help promote healthy skin. I think that chemical exfoliants are better than manual exfoliants for those with inflammatory acne, however, because manual exfoliants can aggravate the skin surrounding an inflamed lesion and further damage that skin.

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend the first cleanser because it contains peppermint, which will give your skin a tingling sensation which is actually a sign of irritation. The mandelic acid will be rinsed away, so I doubt you'll get any worthwile benefit from it in cleanser. Aveeno's Skin Brightening Daily Scrub would be better.

I also wouldn't recommend the moisturizer w/ sunscreen because it doesn't contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, mexoryl sx, or tinosorb and therefore doesn't provide sufficient protection from UVA rays.

I would say that the Completely Emollient Moisturizer with Antioxidants would probably be better since Paula's moisturizers which are designed for normal/oily/combination skin are too lightweight for you, but she must be formulating new moisturizers because both the above-mentioned moisturizer and the Completely Non-Greasy Moisturizing Lotion have been discontinued. You could try one of her cream moisturizers I suppose, but I think the moisturizer I use from Dove would be better for acne-prone skin.

For a daytime moisturizer you might like Paula's Choice Essential Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15 with Antioxidants.

Glad to hear your skin's doing well.

what about AHA based facial cleanser that cotains small beads? the beads feel pretty round. would it cause too much irritation? because i noticed that after my bf and i kiss alot (sorry for getting into this!), his stubbles rub against my chin and afterward, it feels very smooth and flake free. this made me think that facial cleanser with scrubs combined with BHA can be beneficial. what do you think?

 

or i thought i could use Aveeno skin britening daily scrub in the morning only and use paula's choice BHA twice daily.could that be too irritating?

 

It would be fine to use an AHA cleanser containing bead-like particles because you wouldn't really be getting that much (if any) benefit from the AHA in the cleanser since it would be rinsed off almost right away, so you really wouldn't be risking over-exfoliation of the skin.

 

I personally wouldn't use the Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub at the same time as the Paula's Choice, or at least not as a daily part of a regimen because that could be too irritating. If you want to use a scrub, I think it would be better to use that at one time and the BHA product at another.

 

i see. so it's okay to use the AHA scrub cleanser morning and evening and PC BHA right after?

hmm...what about using Aveeno in the morning after cleansing (not AHA based one) and PC BHA in the evening?

also...right after you've cleansed your face, do you see some white stuff (maybe moisturizer?) or residue left on some parts of your face? i often see those on the sides and on top of my nose. does this mean i'm being too gentle with cleansing or the cleanser i'm using sucks?

Alrighty, thanks for the help. I think i'll skip buying that scrub, also because im using a chemical exfoliant since i have inflammatory acne and i dont want too much exfoliating. I was searching for the moisturizer that you use by dove, the Dove Sensitive Essentials Daytime Lotion, and i couldnt find it, i did however find this...

[Removed link]

Is that the same one that you use? If not, would that one be alright and do you have a link to the one you use? Also i failed to mention that through out the day my face does get a little oily, specifically around my nose and cheek areas. Thats why ive been using a lighter moisturizer for oily skin, my chin area is the area that mostly gets flakey. Occasioanlly my nose and cheeks will get flakey also but not near as bad. Would the dove one be greasy? thanks again, if thats the one, i'll probably try it out.

Hi snow queen I just wanted to ask you for your opinion on a couple of cleansers because you seem to have done your research and know what your talking about.

 

I'm trying to find a good cleanser that lathers enough that I can use on my face in conjunction with my scalp, as I have very oily/greasy skin (seborrheic dermatitis). Currently I'm using a cleanser that a long ago derm recommended too me: Tersaseptic. It's a a face/scalp cleanser.

 

Here are it's ingredients:

Active ingredient: triclosan 0.5%

Non-medicinal ingredients: citric acid, edetate disodium, fragrance #6218-1, glycol ether DE, lauramide DEA, PEG 600 distearate, purified water, sodium chloride, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate.

 

 

Also, theres a cleanser that I'm looking into purchasing called Dermologica special cleansing gel. Here are it's ingredients (thats all I could find):

Extracts Of: Lavender(Lavandula Angustifolia), Balm Mint(Melissa Officinalis); Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Quillaja Saponaria Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

 

 

I wouldn't really recommend the first cleanser since it uses triclosan as a disinfectant. 1) Disinfectants in cleansers aren't really very reliable ways to disinfect the skin and 2) some people report irritation from triclosan. Also, it contains TEA luaryl sulfate, which is similar to sodium lauryl sulfate, a harsh surfectant. I can't tell you whether or not it's the primary surfectant listed because the ingredients list is in alphabetical order, but I don't think I'll recommend it.

 

The second cleanser looks like it contains a lot of lavender and balm mint extracts, which are irritating to the skin. The mint will most likely give your skin a tingling sensation, which is a sign of irritation. I wouldn't recommend this either.

 

Many people with oily skin like Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (chaserdryer had a bad experience with it, but I think most people with oily skin do like it). Another good cleanser you might like is Clinique's Liquid Facial Soap in Mild (which, despite the product's name isn't actually a soap product).

 

Those with oily skin tend to want to overcleanse to remove all the oil. Unfortunately, no matter how well you cleanse your skin the oil will always come back, and if you use harsh cleansers you also create unnecessary irritation that can give you both greasy skin and flakiness. Those with oily skin will probably want to avoid emollient cleansers, which are better for those with dry skin, but should also avoid harsh cleansers because as mentioned above they can add to your skin problems.

 

During the day you might want to consider wearing a sheer face powder (preferrably one that does not contain rice or corn starch, which can encourage bacterial growth and can be a problem if you experience inflammatory acne) and using oil blotting sheets, such as those made by Biore, to absorb excess shine.

 

 

I very much appreciate all your input.

I'll do away with the Tersaseptic and scrap the Dermalogica just as soon as I can get a replacement.

Purpose looks good but unfortunately they don't sell them up here in Canada. They do have the Clinique so I'll give that a try.

You're right about people with oily skin going overboard. I used to think that you had get the skin to a squeeky clean and so I would use maximum strength products that would strip all the oil off my skin which would result in what you mentioned greasy + flaky skin.

As for oil control, being a guy, I think I'll stick with blotting sheets

Hey there. I just got this as a birthday present and im really excited to use it, but i wanted to know what you thought of it...

[Removed link]

I didnt know if any of the ingredients look bad? Im sorda a big hippy, haha, not really but my mom grew up near the ocean and she spent a lot of time out in the water, and she has beautiful skin. She will tell anyone that its from nature, the natural water and everything in the water. I love organic products, especially ones that incorporate ingredients from the sea...or even the few that use water from the glaciers. My mom swears that its not bad for your skin. But you never know now-a-days, which is my reason for asking. thanks for the help. Also, if that ones a no go, how do yu feel about Aloe Vera moisturizers? GNC has one that looks good, i'll go ahead and list the ingredients below instead of sending a second post later on

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Diazolidinyl Urea, Butyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Isobutyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Methyl Paraben, Triethanolamine, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone

what about AHA based facial cleanser that cotains small beads? the beads feel pretty round. would it cause too much irritation? because i noticed that after my bf and i kiss alot (sorry for getting into this!), his stubbles rub against my chin and afterward, it feels very smooth and flake free. this made me think that facial cleanser with scrubs combined with BHA can be beneficial. what do you think?

 

or i thought i could use Aveeno skin britening daily scrub in the morning only and use paula's choice BHA twice daily.could that be too irritating?

 

It would be fine to use an AHA cleanser containing bead-like particles because you wouldn't really be getting that much (if any) benefit from the AHA in the cleanser since it would be rinsed off almost right away, so you really wouldn't be risking over-exfoliation of the skin.

 

I personally wouldn't use the Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub at the same time as the Paula's Choice, or at least not as a daily part of a regimen because that could be too irritating. If you want to use a scrub, I think it would be better to use that at one time and the BHA product at another.

 

 

i see. so it's okay to use the AHA scrub cleanser morning and evening and PC BHA right after?

 

hmm...what about using Aveeno in the morning after cleansing (not AHA based one) and PC BHA in the evening?

 

also...right after you've cleansed your face, do you see some white stuff (maybe moisturizer?) or residue left on some parts of your face? i often see those on the sides and on top of my nose. does this mean i'm being too gentle with cleansing or the cleanser i'm using sucks?

 

Whether or not you should use the AHA scrub cleanser followed by Paula's BHA products right after depends on how overly abrasive the cleanser is, but even if it's mildly abrasive (which it sounds like it is) I probably wouldn't recommend using the two exfoliants in conjunction with each other as a regular part of your regimen because you risk unnecessary irritation.

You can use the Aveeno in the morning after cleansing if you want (although you probably won't need to given that you won't have anything like sunscreen to wash off in the morning; you can probably just use the scrub), and it doesn't really matter if it were AHA-based or not because the AHA gets rinsed off almost right away. I would use the scrub while the skin is still wet from the initial cleansing. You would want to use the BHA product at a different time from the scrub, such as in the evening like you mentioned.

Which cleanser are you using right now (and please post ingredients)? The problem could be that your cleanser is too emolient or that you're not cleansing/rinsing properly.

cowboy101 said:

Alrighty, thanks for the help. I think i'll skip buying that scrub, also because im using a chemical exfoliant since i have inflammatory acne and i dont want too much exfoliating. I was searching for the moisturizer that you use by dove, the Dove Sensitive Essentials Daytime Lotion, and i couldnt find it, i did however find this...

[Removed link]

Is that the same one that you use? If not, would that one be alright and do you have a link to the one you use? Also i failed to mention that through out the day my face does get a little oily, specifically around my nose and cheek areas. Thats why ive been using a lighter moisturizer for oily skin, my chin area is the area that mostly gets flakey. Occasioanlly my nose and cheeks will get flakey also but not near as bad. Would the dove one be greasy? thanks again, if thats the one, i'll probably try it out.

The link you posted didn't seem to go through. This is the link for my Dove lotion:

[Removed link]

You shouldn't be moisturizing areas of oily skin because that can damage the skin and lead to more breakouts. Only moisturize areas of skin that are dry. The only exception to this rule is that you should apply a moisturizer all over areas of skin exposed to the sun if your moisturizer contains a broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher sunscreen because the damage caused by cumulative daily unprotected sun exposure is worse than the damage caused by unnecessary moisturization. That said, I don't find the Dove to be greasy (my skin gets oily in my T-zone), though my sister, who has very oily skin, did. It just depends on you.

Creedlover said:

Hey there. I just got this as a birthday present and im really excited to use it, but i wanted to know what you thought of it...

[Removed link]

I didnt know if any of the ingredients look bad? Im sorda a big hippy, haha, not really but my mom grew up near the ocean and she spent a lot of time out in the water, and she has beautiful skin. She will tell anyone that its from nature, the natural water and everything in the water. I love organic products, especially ones that incorporate ingredients from the sea...or even the few that use water from the glaciers. My mom swears that its not bad for your skin. But you never know now-a-days, which is my reason for asking. thanks for the help. Also, if that ones a no go, how do yu feel about Aloe Vera moisturizers? GNC has one that looks good, i'll go ahead and list the ingredients below instead of sending a second post later on

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Diazolidinyl Urea, Butyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Isobutyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Methyl Paraben, Triethanolamine, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone

Your birthday present does contain a broad-spectrum SPF 15 sunscreen and many other beneficial ingredients, but it also contains lavender, a fragrant skin irritant. Since it is listed alongside another aloe as aloe and lavender juices, I can't say how much lavender it actually contains. I wouldn't use it because of all the fragrance, but it's ultimately up to you whether or not you do personally.

Aloe vera is fine, though I feel the ingredient has a lot of hype surrounding it. It can sooth the skin, but keep in mind that there's usually not very much of this ingredient in most products, including the one you posted (it's listed after the preservatives). The moisturizer looks pretty basic; not great but not bad.

Hope you had a good birthday!

Hey question for you. I was using cetaphil moisturizer, and i hate it. Very heavy and greasy, but i didnt want to waste it. I finished it and when i was in walmart today i picked up an Olay sensitive skin lotion, I wanted to know what you thought of the ingredients first and i figured if that looks good and i like it, i'll use the cleanser since i find their stuff really cheap and i can get away from cetaphil. I put the lotion ingredients first and the cleanser second. Plus i have another question. A lot of products ive been looking at, from body washes to face lotion have vitamins in them. Like this lotion i bought has vitamin b5 and b3 in it. The olay body wash i use has vitamin a (retinol palmitate) which was at the very end of the list, but is it alright to use products containing vitamins? I mean sometimes i wonder why they put vitamin a, vitamin b3 and vitamin e in a bodywash or in moisturizers. thanks

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Naicinamide (Vitamin B3), Dimethicone, Isoprppyl Isoterate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose Polycottonseedate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polycrylamide, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Panthenol (Provitamin B5), C13-14 Isoparaffin, Benzyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Ethylparaben, Sorbitan Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Polyquaternium 10, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Propylparaben, Laureth-7, PEG 100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis (Leaf Juice), Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract (Matricaria), Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Ammonium Polyacrylate

Cleanser:

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Myristoyl Sarcosinate, PEG 120 Methyl Glucose Diloleate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, PEG 150 Pentaerithritol Tetrastearate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Polyquaternium 10, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Cocamide MEA, Citric Acid, DMDM Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-9

Hi SnowQueen! I ran across a product that I am interested in and I was wondering if you had any knowledge about it. It is called Bioskincare. Here are the ingredients if you are not familiar with it:

BIOSKINCAREIngredients / 50 grams.

Helix Aspersa Muller Concentrate.

Gathered pure, homogenized and stabilized.

Also embedded in a liposome for a better absorption deep within the skin.

Helix Aspersa Muller Concentrate is gathered from live snails. It is their mucin, a complex compound of powerful biological molecular structures: proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, glycoprotein enzymes, copper peptides & antimocrobial peptides.

Other Ingredients

Peg-4 Olivate (emulsifier derived from Olive Oil)

Sorbitan Olivate from Olive Oil

Squalane from Olive Oil

Hyaluronic Acid

Glycerin

Distilled Water

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

I know. I know. It has snail snot in it which is a totally disgusting thought. Is there any truth to their claims that it is good for skin renewal, skin injuries, skin burns, acne breakouts, acne scarring, rosacea, keloid treatment, stretch marks, keratosis pilaris, actinic keratosis, wrinkles, age spots, melasma, sun burn, warts, ingown hair, razor bumps and folliculitis? You can read more about it here: [Removed link] Any knowledage you have of this product would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! Lorrie

Hi SnowQueen. I was pointed over here by Lion Queen, who suggested I ask about the ingredients in a cleanser and a moisturizer.

I'm dealing with clogged pores and whiteheads. Haven't had inflamed pimples for a long time. And I'm currently in the process of getting regular facials.

I'd appreciate any help with the following questions. Thanks so very, very much.

1. Do you have thoughts about SpectroJel:

New pH Balanced Formula for Sensitive, Problem Prone Skin (because the information for this product is not available on the Spectro Skin Care website):

Purified Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hypromellose, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Alcohol (Moisturizer), Hydrated Silica, Dimethicone Copolyol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sorbitan Oleate.

2. And, do you see any Red flags in the following moisturizer ingredients:

Day Cream

Water, Cyclomethicone, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-75 Stearate, Yeast Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea), Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben

[i love the way this day cream makes my skin feel. But maybe I'm better off just using Emu Oil?]