Acne.org Products
I noticed in your signature that you cannot use chemical exfoliants because they are too harsh. Which products did you try? Many contain alcohol and/or other irritants, like the Clean and Clear astringents supposedly designed for sensitive skin. There are only a small handful of truly gentle and pH correct salicylic acid products available on the market, though there are many more alpha hydroxy acid products.
Don't expect your cleanser to do anything other than eliminate dead skin cells, excess sebum, and debris from the skin's surface. As I have discussed previously, medicated cleansers are generally ineffective and cleanser/scrubs don't actually exfoliate within the pore like many people think. The St. Ives cleansers use walnut particles to exfoliate, which are too abrasive to the skin.
Neutrogena's At-Home MicroDermabrasion Kit is a great way to manually exfoliate your skin a few times a week and should noticeably improve your skin's overall appearance. It is probably the most effective manual exfoliant sold at the drugstore. You can use it and other srub-type treatments on non-inflammatory breakouts that involve blackheads and whiteheads, but don't use it over inflammatory breakouts (involving anything red and swollen).
I honestly can't recall the name of it..My derm prescribed it. It was a serum that I would put on after cleansing at nightime. immediatley I felt it burn my face!(And the cleanser before..was a gentle one, so it wasn't that..)..Yeah the Clean and Clear astringents is crap..The Clarifying toner they had was good for my skin though, Black Head Astrigent. But thats when I was younger(15)..and 5 yrs apparently makes a diffrence. My skin is senstive, more so dry on average..I have been having no luck with a good cleanser for break outs, but yet keep my skin non-irritated, dry.. 
I was on the search for the senstive skin Nivea Men cleanser...but I couldn't find it anywhere..So..I am lost, really lost..And yeah..I haven't been using St. Ives for a while now..I know its expensive, but I think I'll consider that Neutrogena At-Home MicroDermabrasion kit. I'll use it twice a week, that should be sufficent enough for me.
But yeah..do you have another suggestion for senstive yet combination/break out skin??
Something that doesn't contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate...I am allergic to it.
Sorry I keep bugging you with my questions..
But I really appericate your advice 
Thanks<3
I've been reading this thread for quite a while, and to be honest, it made me try to find my own regimen... I've been dealing with acne for years, I've tried a couple of things, but just gave up on trying to find a way to control it... lol, so I have never been cleared up. anyways, this thread gave me some ideas to try.
This is my problem, I am trying to find a facial moisturizer with SPF 15 which doesn't feel oily. I am quite confused with all the moisturizers with SPF and sunblocks. Is there a major difference between the both? I mean, don't sunblocks moisturize as well?
I've found sunblocks to be too creamy for my taste. So which moisturizer with SPF 15 (or more?) would anyone recommend that has any of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone? The cheaper the better... lol. Well, at least a good one that doesn't feel greasy.
Man, I really need to get to the library and get Paula Begoun's cosmetics book! I've already read her hair products book. But in the meantime, if I could be so bold... These are the products I'm using, I'm sure they've got several things wrong with them, judging by your list... 
http://www.olay.com/boutique/complete/prod...6?tab=ingrelist For day moisturizing
[Removed link] Till recently for night moisturizing
Just recently switched to the oil-free aloe 5% AHA Kiss My Face moisturizer, but no list of ingredients on the web page... It's a bunch of "natural stuff" around some chemicals, as far as I can see. I'll have to check it against your irritant list.
[Removed link] This very rarely at night if I'm getting really dry and flaky. (it's a cream, oh nooo!)
So go ahead and tell me all of those are wrong, cause I get the strong feeling they are, and desperately so 
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser has Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
Should I not be using the cleanser?
Ingredients:
Water
Cetyl Alcohol
Propylene Glycol
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Stearyl Alcohol
Methylparaben
Propylparaben
Butylparaben
Paula Begoun (who is my skin care idol) says that the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is OK to use; I'm guessing because the amount of sodium lauryl sulfate used is not particularly significant.
daria said:The_Snow_Queen said:daria said:snow queen, thanks for the response. i'm currently using eucerin redness relief daily perfecting lotion w/ spf15, it seems to reduce redness and it moisterizes but do you think this might clog my pores?
It uses titanium dioxide as a sunscreen ingredient, which does clog pores in some people. However, it is not purely titanium dioxide-based like some sunscreens. The product also uses certain thickeners that might contribute to clogged pores, but so do many products. If you've been using it for a few weeks and haven't noticed any worsening of your breakouts, you are probably OK.
I tried this product a while ago and found it to be greasy yet at the same time not moisturizing enough. The green blended in well, but I know some people seem to have trouble getting it to look natural.
One thing I don't like about this product's formulation is the inclusion of alcohol denat. The amount of that ingredient is not in a particularly high concentration, but it is still high enough that it might cause a problem for those with particularly sensitive skin (like the rosacea patients this line is targeting). It has a lot more alcohol than licohalcone.
Anyway, if you bought this product in hopes that it would visibly reduce your redness overtime, you'll be dissapointed. If your redness hasn't faded overtime while using gentle products, chances are a dermatologist would have to perform a laser treatment to get rid of it. Dove, Neutrogena, and Olay offer better moisturizers (day or night) with higher concentrations of ingredients that promote the appearance of healthy skin.
i have been using this for about 2 months now...i think i'll discontinue using this and try another moisterizer. can you recommend me one that has an spf of atleast 15? (i'm about to take accutane) thanks!
also how are these ingredients?
Acitve Ingredients: Octinoxate. Octisalate,Titanium Dioxide. Inactive Ingredients: Water, Octyl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Glycerin, Gylceryl Stearate, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance, Alumina, Sorbitan Oleate, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Carbomer, Ethylbaraben, Sodium Methylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben.
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VPCopolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Bisabolol, Sodium PCA, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Dimethicone, Linoleic Acid, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, Ceramide 1, Phytosphingosine, Isohexadecane, Saccharide Isomerate, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate,Linoleamidopropyl BG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, PEG-4 Laurate, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
sorry for requesting a lot...thanks
The first ingredients list looks allright, although I'm wondering whether or not the squalene, an oil derived from shark oil or from plants and sebum, could clog pores. However, since you're going on Accutane, it's potential to clog pores may not matter. I am more concerned with the fragrance in this product, which you may want to avoid, especially since your going on Accutane (which increases the skin's sensitivity).
The second ingredients list, which looks like it belongs to Dove Sensitive Skin Facial Cream looks great; however, you would be better off buying the Dove Sensitive Skin Facial Lotion because the cream comes in jar packaging, which allows too much oxygen to enter the product and thus rendering many of the beneficial ingredients unstable. Otherwise, that would be a great cream for an Accutane patient to use.
Normally I recommend using sunscreens with the synthetic ingredient avobenzone to lessen the risk of clogged pores, but since you're going on Accutane, I recommend using sunscreens with mineral ingredients like titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide, which are gentler to the skin. Check out those made by Clinique, which contain titanium dioxide.
Rache said:QuoteI noticed in your signature that you cannot use chemical exfoliants because they are too harsh. Which products did you try? Many contain alcohol and/or other irritants, like the Clean and Clear astringents supposedly designed for sensitive skin. There are only a small handful of truly gentle and pH correct salicylic acid products available on the market, though there are many more alpha hydroxy acid products.Don't expect your cleanser to do anything other than eliminate dead skin cells, excess sebum, and debris from the skin's surface. As I have discussed previously, medicated cleansers are generally ineffective and cleanser/scrubs don't actually exfoliate within the pore like many people think. The St. Ives cleansers use walnut particles to exfoliate, which are too abrasive to the skin.
Neutrogena's At-Home MicroDermabrasion Kit is a great way to manually exfoliate your skin a few times a week and should noticeably improve your skin's overall appearance. It is probably the most effective manual exfoliant sold at the drugstore. You can use it and other srub-type treatments on non-inflammatory breakouts that involve blackheads and whiteheads, but don't use it over inflammatory breakouts (involving anything red and swollen).
I honestly can't recall the name of it..My derm prescribed it. It was a serum that I would put on after cleansing at nightime. immediatley I felt it burn my face!(And the cleanser before..was a gentle one, so it wasn't that..)..Yeah the Clean and Clear astringents is crap..The Clarifying toner they had was good for my skin though, Black Head Astrigent. But thats when I was younger(15)..and 5 yrs apparently makes a diffrence. My skin is senstive, more so dry on average..I have been having no luck with a good cleanser for break outs, but yet keep my skin non-irritated, dry..
But yeah..do you have another suggestion for senstive yet combination/break out skin??
Something that doesn't contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate...I am allergic to it.
Sorry I keep bugging you with my questions..
But I really appericate your advice
Thanks<3
Even though your dermatologist prescibed the exfoliant doesn't mean it was good for your skin. Many dermatologists still recommend outdated acne products that are now known to be too irritating, like Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash.
The Clean and Clear Blackhead Clearing Astringent is also irritating, but chances are that your skin reacted less noticeably to the irritation five years ago than it does now. As is the case with UVA damage, just because the damage caused by skin irritants isn't immediately visible doesn't mean it's not there.
Anyway, why not try the Eucerin Redness Relief cleanser? It contains sodium laureth sulfate as opposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
sandia said:I've been reading this thread for quite a while, and to be honest, it made me try to find my own regimen... I've been dealing with acne for years, I've tried a couple of things, but just gave up on trying to find a way to control it... lol, so I have never been cleared up. anyways, this thread gave me some ideas to try.
This is my problem, I am trying to find a facial moisturizer with SPF 15 which doesn't feel oily. I am quite confused with all the moisturizers with SPF and sunblocks. Is there a major difference between the both? I mean, don't sunblocks moisturize as well?
I've found sunblocks to be too creamy for my taste. So which moisturizer with SPF 15 (or more?) would anyone recommend that has any of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone? The cheaper the better... lol. Well, at least a good one that doesn't feel greasy.
The major difference I can think of is that so-called sunblocks are often times water resistant or very water resistant and as a result tend to go on thicker. However, as is demonstrated by certain Neutrogena sunscreens, they do not always have a thick and greasy texture, just like moisturizers with sunscreens are not always lightweight.
If mineral sunscreens don't clog your pores (they can in some people), go for the titanium dioxide-based sunscreens made by Clinique. They are very lightweight. Otherwise, I recommend a sunscreen product made by Dove or the Neutrogena Dry-Touch Sunscreens, both of which should be suitable.
HeatherD said:Man, I really need to get to the library and get Paula Begoun's cosmetics book! I've already read her hair products book. But in the meantime, if I could be so bold... These are the products I'm using, I'm sure they've got several things wrong with them, judging by your list...
http://www.olay.com/boutique/complete/prod...6?tab=ingrelist For day moisturizing
[Removed link] Till recently for night moisturizing
Just recently switched to the oil-free aloe 5% AHA Kiss My Face moisturizer, but no list of ingredients on the web page... It's a bunch of "natural stuff" around some chemicals, as far as I can see. I'll have to check it against your irritant list.
[Removed link] This very rarely at night if I'm getting really dry and flaky. (it's a cream, oh nooo!)
So go ahead and tell me all of those are wrong, cause I get the strong feeling they are, and desperately so
Actually, there's nothing particularly bad about those Olay moisturizers; it's just that they contain ingredients that may clog pores in some people. If you've been using these for a while and haven't noticed any increases in breakouts, you're probably OK.
Be careful about the Kiss My Face products, many of them do contain skin irritants like rosemary and lavender.
Actually, there's nothing particularly bad about those Olay moisturizers; it's just that they contain ingredients that may clog pores in some people. If you've been using these for a while and haven't noticed any increases in breakouts, you're probably OK.
That's a relief, thank you so much! I get to go to the library today, hopefully they have Paula's book 
About the Kiss My Face, that's what I've been learning lately, that "natural" doesn't equate to "good." It's just a silly gimmick! Most of the natural products include chemicals somewhere, and a lot of those plant oils are actually irritating to the skin! And all those people falling for it...
Anyway, why not try the Eucerin Redness Relief cleanser? It contains sodium laureth sulfate as opposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Do you think it would be good for my skin?(well..I do suffer from red senstive skin), so I could see it being great for me. But where I find Eucerin, I heard somewhere on here..that its hard to find in stores..I shall do some shopping at Walmart, drug stores, Zellers, everywhere to try and find it.
Thanks, I hope I am successfull in finding it.
If so, I'll let you know how its working
Anyway, why not try the Eucerin Redness Relief cleanser? It contains sodium laureth sulfate as opposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Do you think it would be good for my skin?(well..I do suffer from red senstive skin), so I could see it being great for me. But where I find Eucerin, I heard somewhere on here..that its hard to find in stores..I shall do some shopping at Walmart, drug stores, Zellers, everywhere to try and find it.
Thanks, I hope I am successfull in finding it.
If so, I'll let you know how its working
The Eucerin Redness Relief cleanser won't cure redness or skin sensitivity, but it shouldn't aggravate it either.
As HeatherD pointed out, Eucerin products (especially the Redness Relief line, which Eucerin heavily advertises), can be found at drugstores, grocery stores, etc.... You'll definately be able to get it at Wal Mart; if you don't see it, ask a salesperson.
You know how bp is irritating but still works? Do you think that is preventing me from clear skin because I get clear white bumps sometimes and just the smaller bumps from it. My skin is always red it seems like even after I've put moisturizer on.
There is the possibility that your skin might not be able to tolerate benzoyl peroxide, but there is also the possibility that some ingredient in your benzoyl peroxide product or other skin care products is irritating your skin and/or clogging your pores. The irritation you seem to be experiencing could even be a result of your surroundings (trees, plants, certain materials, etc...).
Did you start using any other products around the same time you started using benzoyl peroxide? How long have you been using it? Have you moved recently or have you noticed any changes in your surroundings (like climatic changes, new bedding and other household furnishings, etc...)?
If you don't mind answering some of those questions, I'll definately get back to you with my opinion and if need be possible alertnatives to benzoyl peroxide for you to consider.
Also, I just realized something:
Up until now I assumed Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion with Alpha Hydroxy Acid, SPF 15, had adequate UVA protection given the quality of many other Neutrogena sunscreens, but after looking at it's ingredients, it doesn't. Only titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, mexoryl sx, and tinosorb are recognized as sunscreen ingredients offering sufficient UVA protection. Oxybenzone, which the Healthy Skin moisturizer contains, blocks against some UVA rays, but not enough. Part of your irritation may be due to a lack of UVA protection.
Snow Queen, what do you think about Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer with SPF 15....ive heard alot of good things about this product on the moisturizer threads.
thanks in advance,
Alex
The Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer with SPF 15 would be decent if it weren't for a few potentially problematic ingredients, like the feverfew extract. Although when taken orally it does have anti-inflammatory properties, it is a skin irritant when applied topically. Also, the product contains benzyl alcohol, one of the drying types of alcohols.
I've seen some posts on this board describing rashy red bumps after using the Ultra-Calming Lotions, probably due to the above.
Another thing about this lotion (and other Aveeno lotions) to watch out for is the set of waxy thickeners used, which may clog pores in some people (you can actually tell that the thickeners are waxy by the feel of the product and the way it can "flake" on the skin). A while back I used to use the Aveeno Clear Complexion Lotion, which uses the same types of thickeners as the Ultra-Calming, and noticed an increase in breakouts rather than a reduction in them.
It's been sunny outside but... it's just that I don't want something irritating because the first couple of weeks when I tried it, my face was really dry. Now it's used to it, but it's still irritating it I assume.
UVA and UVB rays penetrate cloud cover, and UVA rays penetrate untinted glass and lightweight clothing, so you're not just at risk when you're outside on a sunny day.
With many new regimens, the skin experiences irritation for the first few weeks until the skin adapts to the new routine. The benzoyl peroxide may very well still be irritating your skin, but it's what I consider a "trade-off" ingredient for which the positives (clearer skin) can outweigh the negatives. If the irritation hadn't died down for you after the first weeks, then you may have wanted to consider changing your routine, but since you can't tell whether or not the irritation is there, it's probably more beneficial for the clarity of your skin to keep on using benzoyl peroxide. Basically, an inflammatory acne lesion is probably much more damaging to the skin than benzoyl peroxide is for you.
sorry to bother with all this I'm eager for answers I guess.
I also get razor bumps. Question is If I'm using trimmers now,
so I'm not cutting the hair close anymore until I can afford laser hair removal.
Anyway cutting more like a short hair beard look 2.5mm
setting to be exact. Is a razor bump gonna form since I'm not even cutting close. Becasue, as I understand it, a razor bump forms as the hair is growing back and it gets trapped, well if I'm not cutting close then the hair doesn't have an oppurtunity to get trapped because its already out right?
My boyfriend does not use a razor but clippers like you described, and he has no razor bumps. However, he may get one every once and a while. Therefore, I think that trimmers are better on the skin than razors.
i was wondering if the dove sensitive facial cleanser is effective (i have sensitive skin)
Ingredients:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Glycerin, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Disodium Oleamido MEA Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Caproyl Lactylate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polysorbate-20, Citric Acid, Sodium Laureth 13 Carboxylate, PEG 150 Distearate, Wheatgermamidopropyl Dimethylamine Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Ethyl Linalool, Ionone, Pentadecalactone, Rosa Damascena Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil (Grape), Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Hi Snowqueen,
just wondering about toners?
Do they work? Can they benefit the ususal BP regimen? What do they actually do? and what toner...if any would u recomend?
thank you
Toners won't shrink pores or reduce oil production, but if they contain a chemical exfoliant like salicylic acid or an alpha hydroxy acid like glcyolic acid (especially salicylic acid, which unlike alpha hydroxy acids is lipid soluble and can exfoliate within the pore), they can help fight clogged pores.
If a toner doesn't contain a chemical exfoliant, it can add ingredients like waterbinding agents, anti-inflammatory ingredients, antioxidants to temporarily improve the skin's look and feel like many moisturizers do. That said, toners are a great altenative way for those with oily skin to add some of the benefits of a moisturizer without having to actually apply one.
Also, I find that toners help gently wipe away those annoying "flakies" from the skin.
I don't know of any gentle and pH-correct products advertised as toners that contain salicylic acid, but Proactive makes a glycolic acid toner that would work well to evenly exfoliate the skin's surface. However, Paula's Choice makes a 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid (salicylic acid) Liquid which, although not advertised as a toner, could be thought of as one.
Some toners you could try that don't contain chemical exfoliants are Nivea Visage Moisturizing Toner and Bitotherm Biosensitive Soothing Refreshing Spring Mist. I'd go for the Nivea, which is significantly less expensive.
To answer the rest of your question, any toner I mentioned could be beneficial to your benzoyl peroxide regimen. If you opt for a toner containing a chemical exfoliant, it can help prevent clogged pores by speeding up your skin's sloughing off process as well as increasing the penetration of the benzoyl peroxide, and if you opt for a "regular" toner, it can help soothe your skin from any irritation the benoyl peroxide might cause.
i was wondering if the dove sensitive facial cleanser is effective (i have sensitive skin)
Ingredients:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Water, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Glycerin, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Disodium Oleamido MEA Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Caproyl Lactylate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polysorbate-20, Citric Acid, Sodium Laureth 13 Carboxylate, PEG 150 Distearate, Wheatgermamidopropyl Dimethylamine Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Ethyl Linalool, Ionone, Pentadecalactone, Rosa Damascena Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil (Grape), Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
The Dove cleanser should be fine. Overall, Dove makes good cleansers (exluding the bar cleansers) and moisturizers, so that brand's usually a safe pick.
hOneyy said:whats wrong with witch hazel? =O
Here's a quote from the Consumers Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, Fifth Edition:
Witch hazel can have an ethanol [alcohol] content of 70 to 80 percent. Witch hazel watercontains 15% ethanol.
In addition, witch hazel contains a high level of tannin, an antioxidant which in that amount can be irritating when used repeatedly over a period of time.