hi snow queen... i have really oily skin specially at the nose...could you please suggest a cleanser for me..

know you've suggested a couple of them in ur earlier posts..but i want one specifically for oily skin..is neutrogena's extra gentle cleanser ok for people with oily skin..heard it dosent work too well in cleaning oily skin..true??...also am usin neutrogena's liquid cleanser right now...has only 2 substances you've mentioned to be possible irritants..sodium cocoate and sodium 'laureth' sulphate..but am usin it nyway..since it says its a mild cleanser ...my bp gel requires me to wash with somethin mild...so 've been usin it...please.do lemme know .thanx

Thanks for the compliments; they're much appreciated.

I'm glad you found something that works for you. I looked up the St. Ives Apple Mask and couldn't find it. The only St. Ives mask I've ever used was the Hydroxy Mask, but it was too drying because it uses alcohol denat as the second ingredient (though it was really fun and easy to peel, unlike some peel-off masks which hurt). But yeah, masks can be a great way to give your skin a temporary lift. I usually go for the Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque because it's inexpensive but does what a mask's supposed to do. It's a boring old rinse-away, mask, though.

hi snow queen,

i have read paula begouns beauty bible and her dont go to the cosmetics counter without me book so im pretty well informed about skin care. i must say that you really do know your stuff. and i think its great the way you care enough about others to share your knowledge with them. even though some are ungrateful and made some rude comments- im sure you have helped a lot of people. bravo . i have extremely sensitve skin and i have had vey bad reactions to even some of the products that you use. so im about to jump on the do nothing except cleanse bandwagon. i just dont know what else to do or what else to try. ive spent hundreds of dollars on products that dont work for me and just make worse.been to the derm, ive done accutane,antibiotics,retin-a you name it ive tried it. so im just giving up. i have been using eucerin redness relief cleanser for a couple months now and i absolutely love this stuff. i have very oily skin and im glad that i found a cleanser that doesnt leave me so dry that i have to use moisturizer(which breaks me out and makes me look greasy) before applying my make up. i also cannot using any type of scrubs even the baking soda which is what paula begoun recommends. so i do want to advise a product to others like me who cant use abrasive scubs. its called st.ives apple peel off masque. i love this. theres no scrubbing involved all you do is peel it off and once you do u can see the difference immediately- it even helps with dark spots and uneven skin tone. and it doesnt break me out (and everything seems to break me out). these are the only two products im using right now. i will see how it goes.

 

Oh, hey Snow Queen. Remember when I told you that I was planning on using Avons "Anew Clinical Micro-Exfoliant" product to exfoliate? Well I found the list of ingredients from their site.

As follows:

water

alumina

dicaprylyl maleate

hydrogenated polydecene

glycerin

peg-20 methyl glucose sesquistearate

cetyl alcohol

methyl glucose sesquistearate

bisabolol

hydrolyzed wheat protein

persea gratissima (avocado) oil

triticum vulgare (wheat) flour lipids

magnesium ascorbyl phosphate

panthenol

tocopheryl acetate

helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil

retinyl palmitate

malva sylvestris (mallow) extract

petrolatum

lauramidopropyl betaine

disodium edta

benzyl alcohol

methylparaben

phosphoric acid

sodium hydroxide

Well any of those ingredients irritate my skin?

Thanks a bunch. And continue being an inspiration to to many of use acne org users.

Hi -Plagued-, and thanks for the compliments. I wouldn't say Paula's Choice is the best brand out there, but it's the best one I've used within a relatively low price range. I especially applaud the brand for its excellent alpha hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acid products.

Anyway, I'm sorry that Paula's Choice products didn't do anything for you. If you ordered from the official website, you can return them within sixty days of your purchase. Not that the products didn't do what they were supposed to do (by that I mean that they did work to cleanse, exfoliate, disinfect, etc...), you just may have a particularly stubborn case of acne that doesn't respond well to over-the-counter treatments. If you've passed the return deadline already, why not e-mail customer service and explain the situation?

I strongly recommend going to see a dermatologist, because based on what you've said you may need to start using prescription treatments. This article outlines some of those (scroll down to "Medical Options" and ignore the recommended regimens section, since those didn't work for you):

[Removed link]

All of those treatments have potential side effects, so make sure your dermatologist explains those to you and that you read the package inserts included with any prescriptions he/she may give you. Also, ask your dermatologist about azelaic acid (The Beauty Bible mentions it but the article doesn't), which has some of the same qualities as disinfectants, prescription retinoids, and chemical exfoliants all at once.

Also, the above-mentioned article does have some good tips that you can use immediately for absorbing oil. Milk of Magnesia can even be worn throughout the day under makeup (if you wear it). Oil-blotting sheets, such as those from Biore, can also be a big help. If you wear makeup or are not adverse to the idea, a translucent, inexpensive powder such as Jane's Staying Powder Loose Powder in Colorless can also be a great way to control shine.

In the meantime, continue using a gentle skincare regimen until you can see a dermatologist. It doesn't have to be with Paula's Choice products, either; on the first page in the responses I list some good products that can be found at the drugstore. However, if you didn't have success with the Paula's Choice products, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have success with other well-formulated products from other brands, either, because as I've already said, I think you're suffering from a stubborn case of acne that needs dermatological assistance. It wouldn't do to get your hopes up about products that probably won't have an impact on the clarity of your skin.

_-Plagued-_ said:

Hey There Snow_Queen you are very kind 2 share ure knowledge with ppl THANKYOU!!!! you say that the Paula's Choice brand is the best and i thought it wub b 2 so i brought the skin

"balencing cleanser (normal to oily combo skin)" ,

"skin balencing toner (normal to oily combo skin)" ,

"2% BHA" ,

"2.5% BP blemish fighting soloution" ,

"essential non-greasy sunscreen spf15 (normal to oily combo skin)" and the

"skin balencing moisture gel (normal to oily combo skin)"

I was supa gental with my skin and treated it lyk tissue paper. i have mild to moderate acne with an oily complexion and ive been using the Paula's Choice products 4 about 2 months and it hasnt done a thing for me ima supa sad! im just lost as 2 what to do now??? iv just started taking the b5 technique cuz im out of ideas. why do u thing the Paula's Choice products didnt work 4 me??

Thankyou again for helping so many ppl with ure knowledge!!!!

Rache said:

Oh, hey Snow Queen. Remember when I told you that I was planning on using Avons "Anew Clinical Micro-Exfoliant" product to exfoliate? Well I found the list of ingredients from their site.

As follows:

water

alumina

dicaprylyl maleate

hydrogenated polydecene

glycerin

peg-20 methyl glucose sesquistearate

cetyl alcohol

methyl glucose sesquistearate

bisabolol

hydrolyzed wheat protein

persea gratissima (avocado) oil

triticum vulgare (wheat) flour lipids

magnesium ascorbyl phosphate

panthenol

tocopheryl acetate

helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil

retinyl palmitate

malva sylvestris (mallow) extract

petrolatum

lauramidopropyl betaine

disodium edta

benzyl alcohol

methylparaben

phosphoric acid

sodium hydroxide

Well any of those ingredients irritate my skin?

Thanks a bunch. And continue being an inspiration to to many of use acne org users.

The ingredients look fine. It actually looks similar to the Neutrogena Crystal Cream (labelled as a refill), which on drugstore.com has the suggested price of $20.49.

what about cetaphil and a an extra gentle buf puf?

Is the anit-bacterial version of cetaphil better?

how about aquanil cleanser? nd' do you know a good product that helps me get rid of my dirt build-ups off my forehead, and cheek and nose, or should i just wait it out, because before i was using benzamycin pak to clear my acne, and yes it works, it cleared my forehead and cheeks and on for, the nose is the hardest though, new pimples still form, but im not sure why. so maybe it's the cleanser?

here's what i do

morning: some days i wash with just regular water, warm or cold

night: sometimes just water and regular water, but if i think my skin is oily, i use that cleanser

i got to say, so far it's been working for me, only problem is that, my skin has dirt build up i think, i mean from looking at my face at a different angle, i see bumps, doubt they are pimples, my skin isn't red or anything. is it dirt build up? or is it something else >.< thxx

is it possible to scar just by using cream moisturizer?.I use moisturizer everday morning and night full face,it makes my face soft .I have no current pimples but mainly post acne problems.Though i have many large pores and recently i have noticed in some of those pores its slightly red,i dont know if its scarred pores,but 2 of them which are larger than my large pores could be scarred pores.I have been using the cream moisturizer since the past 1 month,is there any possibility it could be cause of that ?

what about cetaphil and a an extra gentle buf puf?

 

Is the anit-bacterial version of cetaphil better?

 

As is explained in the first post to this thread, medicated cleansers are generally ineffective to rely on for acne treatment because much of the medication is washed away before it can have any real effect. If you leave the cleanser on in hopes of giving the medication time to penetrate, you're also giving the surfectants in the cleanser time to irritate your skin.

You could try a gentle puff with Cetaphil, but be cautioned that it still might be too abrasive for regular use. I also would worry about bacteria accumulating in it; if you decide to try this, make sure you keep it clean.

is it possible to scar just by using cream moisturizer?.I use moisturizer everday morning and night full face,it makes my face soft .I have no current pimples but mainly post acne problems.Though i have many large pores and recently i have noticed in some of those pores its slightly red,i dont know if its scarred pores,but 2 of them which are larger than my large pores could be scarred pores.I have been using the cream moisturizer since the past 1 month,is there any possibility it could be cause of that ?

 

By "scar" you mean "red mark," right? I don't think your moisturizer is causing this redness within the pore, unless it contains irritants that might be interfering with your skin's healing process and causing damage. What I think is more likely is that you are developing clogged pores, which could be a result of any number of things, including certain ingredients in your moisturizer, your habit of moisturizing your entire face whether it's dry or not, hard water, various forms of irritation, changes in hormones, and sun damage.

Why not try exfoliating your entire face? In my opinion exfoliation leaves my face much softer that just moisturization because exfoliation ensures that my skin is smoothe and gets rid of any rough areas of flaky skin. In addition, exfoliation helps prevent clogged pores and improves the skin's overall appearance. After exfoliating, you could then moisturize dry areas only or apply a broad spectrum sunscreen to your entire face, depending on whether it's day or night.

By "scar" you mean "red mark," right? I don't think your moisturizer is causing this redness within the pore, unless it contains irritants that might be interfering with your skin's healing process and causing damage. What I think is more likely is that you are developing clogged pores, which could be a result of any number of things, including certain ingredients in your moisturizer, your habit of moisturizing your entire face whether it's dry or not, hard water, various forms of irritation, changes in hormones, and sun damage.

Why not try exfoliating your entire face? In my opinion exfoliation leaves my face much softer that just moisturization because exfoliation ensures that my skin is smoothe and gets rid of any rough areas of flaky skin. In addition, exfoliation helps prevent clogged pores and improves the skin's overall appearance. After exfoliating, you could then moisturize dry areas only or apply a broad spectrum sunscreen to your entire face, depending on whether it's day or night.

By "scar" you mean "red mark," right? I don't think your moisturizer is causing this redness within the pore, unless it contains irritants that might be interfering with your skin's healing process and causing damage. What I think is more likely is that you are developing clogged pores, which could be a result of any number of things, including certain ingredients in your moisturizer, your habit of moisturizing your entire face whether it's dry or not, hard water, various forms of irritation, changes in hormones, and sun damage.

 

Why not try exfoliating your entire face? In my opinion exfoliation leaves my face much softer that just moisturization because exfoliation ensures that my skin is smoothe and gets rid of any rough areas of flaky skin. In addition, exfoliation helps prevent clogged pores and improves the skin's overall appearance. After exfoliating, you could then moisturize dry areas only or apply a broad spectrum sunscreen to your entire face, depending on whether it's day or night.

 

No I meant those areas are red,but they are also scarred but only visible from very close,maybe scarred pores they are like pores but slightly larger.I dont like to exfoliate since i play sports everyday and it makes my face extremely red and peeling.Im using Kinerase moisturizer i doubt theres anything harmful in there but this started happening since i started it ,even though its barely visible but still something worrying incase something worse happens.

Clogged pores can look bigger than other pores, and can irritate the surrounding skin, creating redness. I wouldn't say that your Kinerase product is necessarily irritating your skin, either, but without looking at the ingredients one can't be sure. If you believe that Kinerase always formulates gentle products, search Kinerase here:

[Removed link]

It may be true that your skin can't tolerate exfoliation, but it also might be true that the methods/products you used were damaging to your skin. How and with what did you exfoliate in the past?

Hi Snow Queen, I have a few questions for you, I hope you can help me out. I am on accutane but besides that, I just want to know what's good for the skin. I don't know what or what not to use on my face anymore. I did use bp on my breakouts but I stop using it now because I it's no good with accutane now.

(I am am dutch so my english can be bad)

- I read that titanium oxide can be bad, but it's in most of the sunscreens, I can't find any without that.

Even foundation with spf has it. You say Revlon Colorstay stay natural makeup spf 15 is a good one but it also contains titanium oxide, why isn't this bad?

- Talc in face powder is okay right? What should I pay attention to when I buy a face powder?

- Is it wise to exfoliate when I am on Tane? And after the course? And use a toner?

- What is the best PH for a face cleanser? Most of them are PH neutral (round 7) right, is that better then PH 5.5? I have one cleanser (SebaMed) with ph 5.5, is better to use, it says it protects the skin? And now I am on Tane?

The ingredients (SebaMed) are:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Laureth-2, Panthenol, Glycol Distearate, parfum, Saccaride Isomerate, Alltion, Niacinamide, Pyroxidine HCL, Glycine, Magnesium Aspartate, Alanine, Lysine, Leucine, Biotn, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitan Laurate, PEG 20 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methykparaben, Porpylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

I also have a shiseido cleanser 'Shideiso the skincare Gentle cleansing foam...

ingredients:

Aqua, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG6, PEG 32, Lauric Acid, Polyethylene, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Methyl cocoyl taurate, Cera Alba, Xylitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Trisodium edta, Citronello linalool, tocopherol, sodium benzoate, parfum.

And PUUR van Dr van der Hoog:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl, Betaine, Glycerin, PEG 200 Glyceryl Stearate, Kiwi Extract, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Caster oil, Imadazolidinyl Urea, MEthylparaben, Disodium EDTA parfum

I don't know which cleanser I should use yet. Or do you have an other suggestion for me?

And then the moisterizers;

How about shiseido pureness moisterizing gel cream?

I am thinking about buying a suncreen, the one you suggested from clinique, or maybe a moisterizer with spf in it.. Maybe one from dove or Olay? I don't know anymore what to use. As I use Accutane now I read know it's good to have a spf.

I also have the cetaphil lotion but I used it for a week and I don't think my skin is really happy with this stuff.

Thanks for taking the time and I hope you can help me out!

Do you think it would be OK to use a Kiss My Face soap bar on my face? Yes it is a soap bar, but the only ingredients are:

saponified olive oil

water

sodium chloride

Thanks in advance!

Ihsahn said:

Clogged pores can look bigger than other pores, and can irritate the surrounding skin, creating redness. I wouldn't say that your Kinerase product is necessarily irritating your skin, either, but without looking at the ingredients one can't be sure. If you believe that Kinerase always formulates gentle products, search Kinerase here:

[Removed link]

It may be true that your skin can't tolerate exfoliation, but it also might be true that the methods/products you used were damaging to your skin. How and with what did you exfoliate in the past?

Yes i think then thats the problem.Its red larger than pores,sometimes the sourrounding skin is red to but I thnk thats cause of sweating & excercise i always have slight red patches after excercise,they go away the next day,maybe this could be cause of sweating too.

I checked the link you gave it doesnt have any of the ingredients in the kinerase im using,im just using the moisturizer i think thats the hydrating mist.But still i dont know if these ingredients are safe in the one im using,ive heard great stuff about this and i like the feel of it after applying.

I have tried so many products i dont even remember the ones i do are differen,zineryt,obagi program & many harsh exfoliating cleansers.Ive even tried using 2 times a week but i have the same problem.Its cause i excercise everyday and when i come back my face looks horrid the peeling is too much i become red,plus i get red while in sun if im exfoliating,so i just stopped it.

Hi Snow Queen, I have a few questions for you, I hope you can help me out. I am on accutane but besides that, I just want to know what's good for the skin. I don't know what or what not to use on my face anymore. I did use bp on my breakouts but I stop using it now because I it's no good with accutane now.

 

(I am am dutch so my english can be bad)

 

- I read that titanium oxide can be bad, but it's in most of the sunscreens, I can't find any without that.

Even foundation with spf has it. You say Revlon Colorstay stay natural makeup spf 15 is a good one but it also contains titanium oxide, why isn't this bad?

 

- Talc in face powder is okay right? What should I pay attention to when I buy a face powder?

 

- Is it wise to exfoliate when I am on Tane? And after the course? And use a toner?

 

- What is the best PH for a face cleanser? Most of them are PH neutral (round 7) right, is that better then PH 5.5? I have one cleanser (SebaMed) with ph 5.5, is better to use, it says it protects the skin? And now I am on Tane?

 

The ingredients (SebaMed) are:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Laureth-2, Panthenol, Glycol Distearate, parfum, Saccaride Isomerate, Alltion, Niacinamide, Pyroxidine HCL, Glycine, Magnesium Aspartate, Alanine, Lysine, Leucine, Biotn, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitan Laurate, PEG 20 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methykparaben, Porpylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

 

I also have a shiseido cleanser 'Shideiso the skincare Gentle cleansing foam...

ingredients:

Aqua, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG6, PEG 32, Lauric Acid, Polyethylene, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Methyl cocoyl taurate, Cera Alba, Xylitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Trisodium edta, Citronello linalool, tocopherol, sodium benzoate, parfum.

 

And PUUR van Dr van der Hoog:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl, Betaine, Glycerin, PEG 200 Glyceryl Stearate, Kiwi Extract, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Caster oil, Imadazolidinyl Urea, MEthylparaben, Disodium EDTA parfum

 

I don't know which cleanser I should use yet. Or do you have an other suggestion for me?

 

And then the moisterizers;

How about shiseido pureness moisterizing gel cream?

 

 

I am thinking about buying a suncreen, the one you suggested from clinique, or maybe a moisterizer with spf in it.. Maybe one from dove or Olay? I don't know anymore what to use. As I use Accutane now I read know it's good to have a spf.

 

I also have the cetaphil lotion but I used it for a week and I don't think my skin is really happy with this stuff.

 

Thanks for taking the time and I hope you can help me out!

 

Titanium dioxide isn't bad; it's used as a thickening, whitening, lubricating, and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. The only problem is that it can clog pores, but that doesn't mean it clogs pores in everyone. It was just something that I thought readers should be aware of. Since you're on Accutane right now anyway, clogged pores may not be a problem for you anymore. I would actually recommend that you use physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide because they tend to be gentler than synthetic sunscreens like avobenzone, and Accutane can make your skin more sensitive. If you're really determined to find a good sunscreen without physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide, try those from Dove.

I recommend usng talc-based facial powders because ingredients like cornstarch and rice starch can encourage bacterial growth, which is a problem for anyone suffering from inflammatory breakouts. Also, some people are sensitive to cornstarch. When you're buying a face powder, the main thing you want to check is that it is talc-based and doesn't contain corn or rice ingredients. Also, if you don't like shimmer in your face powders, check for mica, an ingredient used to give makeup a shiny look.

When buying cleansers, it's usually best to get those with a pH that is close to the skin's- around 5 or 6. What you want to avoid are alkaline products, which have a pH of higher than 7. Alkaline cleansers make the skin more susceptable to bacterial growth and are usually (but not always) in bar form. You probably won't find many cleansers having a pH much lower than 5.

What concerns me about the SebaMed cleanser you mentioned is the Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, a harsh surfectant that is too damaging to the skin. However, it's not listed as the first surfectant, so it may or may not pose a problem.

What concerns me about the Shisheido cleanser is the myristic acid, which can be overly drying.

You can try using a gentle cleanser like the one from Eucerin Redness Relief.

Dove also makes good nighttime moisturizers; I can't comment on the Shisheido moisturizer you mentioned because I don't know the ingredients.

Do you think it would be OK to use a Kiss My Face soap bar on my face? Yes it is a soap bar, but the only ingredients are:

 

saponified olive oil

water

sodium chloride

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

The bar soap you mentioned has the same problems other bar soaps do- anything using saponified oil is a soap product.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/saponify

The_Snow_Queen said:

SweetAmber said:

Hi Snow Queen, I have a few questions for you, I hope you can help me out. I am on accutane but besides that, I just want to know what's good for the skin. I don't know what or what not to use on my face anymore. I did use bp on my breakouts but I stop using it now because I it's no good with accutane now.

(I am am dutch so my english can be bad)

- I read that titanium oxide can be bad, but it's in most of the sunscreens, I can't find any without that.

Even foundation with spf has it. You say Revlon Colorstay stay natural makeup spf 15 is a good one but it also contains titanium oxide, why isn't this bad?

- Talc in face powder is okay right? What should I pay attention to when I buy a face powder?

- Is it wise to exfoliate when I am on Tane? And after the course? And use a toner?

- What is the best PH for a face cleanser? Most of them are PH neutral (round 7) right, is that better then PH 5.5? I have one cleanser (SebaMed) with ph 5.5, is better to use, it says it protects the skin? And now I am on Tane?

The ingredients (SebaMed) are:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Laureth-2, Panthenol, Glycol Distearate, parfum, Saccaride Isomerate, Alltion, Niacinamide, Pyroxidine HCL, Glycine, Magnesium Aspartate, Alanine, Lysine, Leucine, Biotn, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitan Laurate, PEG 20 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methykparaben, Porpylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

I also have a shiseido cleanser 'Shideiso the skincare Gentle cleansing foam...

ingredients:

Aqua, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG6, PEG 32, Lauric Acid, Polyethylene, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Methyl cocoyl taurate, Cera Alba, Xylitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Trisodium edta, Citronello linalool, tocopherol, sodium benzoate, parfum.

And PUUR van Dr van der Hoog:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl, Betaine, Glycerin, PEG 200 Glyceryl Stearate, Kiwi Extract, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Caster oil, Imadazolidinyl Urea, MEthylparaben, Disodium EDTA parfum

I don't know which cleanser I should use yet. Or do you have an other suggestion for me?

And then the moisterizers;

How about shiseido pureness moisterizing gel cream?

I am thinking about buying a suncreen, the one you suggested from clinique, or maybe a moisterizer with spf in it.. Maybe one from dove or Olay? I don't know anymore what to use. As I use Accutane now I read know it's good to have a spf.

I also have the cetaphil lotion but I used it for a week and I don't think my skin is really happy with this stuff.

Thanks for taking the time and I hope you can help me out!

Titanium dioxide isn't bad; it's used as a thickening, whitening, lubricating, and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. The only problem is that it can clog pores, but that doesn't mean it clogs pores in everyone. It was just something that I thought readers should be aware of. Since you're on Accutane right now anyway, clogged pores may not be a problem for you anymore. I would actually recommend that you use physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide because they tend to be gentler than synthetic sunscreens like avobenzone, and Accutane can make your skin more sensitive. If you're really determined to find a good sunscreen without physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide, try those from Dove.

I recommend usng talc-based facial powders because ingredients like cornstarch and rice starch can encourage bacterial growth, which is a problem for anyone suffering from inflammatory breakouts. Also, some people are sensitive to cornstarch. When you're buying a face powder, the main thing you want to check is that it is talc-based and doesn't contain corn or rice ingredients. Also, if you don't like shimmer in your face powders, check for mica, an ingredient used to give makeup a shiny look.

When buying cleansers, it's usually best to get those with a pH that is close to the skin's- around 5 or 6. What you want to avoid are alkaline products, which have a pH of higher than 7. Alkaline cleansers make the skin more susceptable to bacterial growth and are usually (but not always) in bar form. You probably won't find many cleansers having a pH much lower than 5.

What concerns me about the SebaMed cleanser you mentioned is the Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, a harsh surfectant that is too damaging to the skin. However, it's not listed as the first surfectant, so it may or may not pose a problem.

What concerns me about the Shisheido cleanser is the myristic acid, which can be overly drying.

You can try using a gentle cleanser like the one from Eucerin Redness Relief.

Dove also makes good nighttime moisturizers; I can't comment on the Shisheido moisturizer you mentioned because I don't know the ingredients.

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate that!

I have bought Olay lotion complete for sensitive skin with spf 15. It contains Myristic Acid I see but I think this one is okay. Tennesseegrl used it too so I followed her advice.

I have found this site where you can compare ingredients and products, check it out:

[Removed link]

Maybe you know this site.

If you search for Myristic Acid by ingredients, it says low concern.

Though the Dove 5 EE foam cleanser is not that good for skin as it gives higher concern..

But besides that I won't take this to far because I don't want to get obsessed and too consious about it, if it feels good it's okay but sometimes its nice to take a depper look at what you are using!

hi snow queen,

i decided to stop by your "office" for some advice. especially since there isnt a co-payment

seriously, whats your opinion on microdermabrasion and subcision for indented scars and dark spots?

Can you please please review my moisturizer for me? I feel like it needs your approval before I use it. It's from Desert Essence:

purified water, glyceryl stearate, safflower oil, cetyl palmitate, jojoba oil, glycerin, allantoin (comfrey), aloe vera, sesame oil, cetyl alcohol (from vegetable course), methylparaben, essential oil of geranium.

I know the geranium shouldn't be there, but I figure it's at the end of the list so it doesn't make it as severe.

Thanks so much!

Hey Snow Queen I was wondering if this moisteriser would heal my skin irritation on my face due to topicals I have developed recentley. Its driving me insane! The warming sensation, the itching..the tightness..the tender to the touch feeling..

I looked to Epioions and I found out great results of Aveeno oatmeal moisterising lotion for dry/senstive skin.

Here's the ingredients:

Active Ingredients

Dimethicone

Inactive Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour (Oat), Menthol, Allantoin, Benzyl Alcohol, Triticum Vulgare Protein (Wheat Germ), Sodium Chloride

I just want to make sure if any of these ingredients will break me out..The only one I am not to sure about is the oat, Menthol ingredient..

Hmm..What do you suggest for a good moisteriser for senstive skin that gets irritated from topicals every evening due to acne meds..?

SweetAmber said:

The_Snow_Queen said:

SweetAmber said:

Hi Snow Queen, I have a few questions for you, I hope you can help me out. I am on accutane but besides that, I just want to know what's good for the skin. I don't know what or what not to use on my face anymore. I did use bp on my breakouts but I stop using it now because I it's no good with accutane now.

(I am am dutch so my english can be bad)

- I read that titanium oxide can be bad, but it's in most of the sunscreens, I can't find any without that.

Even foundation with spf has it. You say Revlon Colorstay stay natural makeup spf 15 is a good one but it also contains titanium oxide, why isn't this bad?

- Talc in face powder is okay right? What should I pay attention to when I buy a face powder?

- Is it wise to exfoliate when I am on Tane? And after the course? And use a toner?

- What is the best PH for a face cleanser? Most of them are PH neutral (round 7) right, is that better then PH 5.5? I have one cleanser (SebaMed) with ph 5.5, is better to use, it says it protects the skin? And now I am on Tane?

The ingredients (SebaMed) are:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Laureth-2, Panthenol, Glycol Distearate, parfum, Saccaride Isomerate, Alltion, Niacinamide, Pyroxidine HCL, Glycine, Magnesium Aspartate, Alanine, Lysine, Leucine, Biotn, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitan Laurate, PEG 20 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methykparaben, Porpylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

I also have a shiseido cleanser 'Shideiso the skincare Gentle cleansing foam...

ingredients:

Aqua, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG6, PEG 32, Lauric Acid, Polyethylene, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Methyl cocoyl taurate, Cera Alba, Xylitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Trisodium edta, Citronello linalool, tocopherol, sodium benzoate, parfum.

And PUUR van Dr van der Hoog:

Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl, Betaine, Glycerin, PEG 200 Glyceryl Stearate, Kiwi Extract, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Caster oil, Imadazolidinyl Urea, MEthylparaben, Disodium EDTA parfum

I don't know which cleanser I should use yet. Or do you have an other suggestion for me?

And then the moisterizers;

How about shiseido pureness moisterizing gel cream?

I am thinking about buying a suncreen, the one you suggested from clinique, or maybe a moisterizer with spf in it.. Maybe one from dove or Olay? I don't know anymore what to use. As I use Accutane now I read know it's good to have a spf.

I also have the cetaphil lotion but I used it for a week and I don't think my skin is really happy with this stuff.

Thanks for taking the time and I hope you can help me out!

Titanium dioxide isn't bad; it's used as a thickening, whitening, lubricating, and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. The only problem is that it can clog pores, but that doesn't mean it clogs pores in everyone. It was just something that I thought readers should be aware of. Since you're on Accutane right now anyway, clogged pores may not be a problem for you anymore. I would actually recommend that you use physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide because they tend to be gentler than synthetic sunscreens like avobenzone, and Accutane can make your skin more sensitive. If you're really determined to find a good sunscreen without physical sunscreens like titanium dioxide, try those from Dove.

I recommend usng talc-based facial powders because ingredients like cornstarch and rice starch can encourage bacterial growth, which is a problem for anyone suffering from inflammatory breakouts. Also, some people are sensitive to cornstarch. When you're buying a face powder, the main thing you want to check is that it is talc-based and doesn't contain corn or rice ingredients. Also, if you don't like shimmer in your face powders, check for mica, an ingredient used to give makeup a shiny look.

When buying cleansers, it's usually best to get those with a pH that is close to the skin's- around 5 or 6. What you want to avoid are alkaline products, which have a pH of higher than 7. Alkaline cleansers make the skin more susceptable to bacterial growth and are usually (but not always) in bar form. You probably won't find many cleansers having a pH much lower than 5.

What concerns me about the SebaMed cleanser you mentioned is the Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, a harsh surfectant that is too damaging to the skin. However, it's not listed as the first surfectant, so it may or may not pose a problem.

What concerns me about the Shisheido cleanser is the myristic acid, which can be overly drying.

You can try using a gentle cleanser like the one from Eucerin Redness Relief.

Dove also makes good nighttime moisturizers; I can't comment on the Shisheido moisturizer you mentioned because I don't know the ingredients.

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate that!

I have bought Olay lotion complete for sensitive skin with spf 15. It contains Myristic Acid I see but I think this one is okay. Tennesseegrl used it too so I followed her advice.

I have found this site where you can compare ingredients and products, check it out:

[Removed link]

Maybe you know this site.

If you search for Myristic Acid by ingredients, it says low concern.

Though the Dove 5 EE foam cleanser is not that good for skin as it gives higher concern..

But besides that I won't take this to far because I don't want to get obsessed and too consious about it, if it feels good it's okay but sometimes its nice to take a depper look at what you are using!

The Olay Complete Moisture Lotion with SPF 15 is fine and provides good sun protection. The one I saw, though, didn't have myristic acid, so maybe it's formulated differently. Anyway, myristic acid is a problem when used as a surfectant in cleansers; it's not a problem in your moisturizer.

I have seen the site you posted before. The problem is that I don't know exactly what the rating system is based on; the way that site talks about some products, you'd think we'd all be dead by now! Such sites are interesting to look at, but shouldn't be relied on as the sole source of information.

brown skin said:

hi snow queen,

i decided to stop by your "office" for some advice. especially since there isnt a co-payment

seriously, whats your opinion on microdermabrasion and subcision for indented scars and dark spots?

Microdermabrasion can definately improve the appearance of acne scars (depending on their severity) and dark spots, but it's not necessarily effective or worthwhile.

This article does a great job of explaining microdermabrasion and what you can expect:

http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic739.htm

Many find that subcision doesn't work well on ice pick scars; it's best for rolling scars.

These articles briefly discuss subcision:

[Removed links]

Can you please please review my moisturizer for me? I feel like it needs your approval before I use it. It's from Desert Essence:

 

purified water, glyceryl stearate, safflower oil, cetyl palmitate, jojoba oil, glycerin, allantoin (comfrey), aloe vera, sesame oil, cetyl alcohol (from vegetable course), methylparaben, essential oil of geranium.

 

I know the geranium shouldn't be there, but I figure it's at the end of the list so it doesn't make it as severe.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Alrighty...

Your moisturizer is made of water, emollients/thickener, emollient plant oil and possible antioxidant, more emollient plant oil, waterbinding/slip agent, anti-irritant, aloe vera (benefits are unknown), more emollient plant oil, thickener/emollient, preservatives, fragrance.

Other than the fragrance, which isn't likely to be a problem due to its small amount, you're moisturizer looks good.

Rache said:

Hey Snow Queen I was wondering if this moisteriser would heal my skin irritation on my face due to topicals I have developed recentley. Its driving me insane! The warming sensation, the itching..the tightness..the tender to the touch feeling..

I looked to Epioions and I found out great results of Aveeno oatmeal moisterising lotion for dry/senstive skin.

Here's the ingredients:

Active Ingredients

Dimethicone

Inactive Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour (Oat), Menthol, Allantoin, Benzyl Alcohol, Triticum Vulgare Protein (Wheat Germ), Sodium Chloride

I just want to make sure if any of these ingredients will break me out..The only one I am not to sure about is the oat, Menthol ingredient..

Hmm..What do you suggest for a good moisteriser for senstive skin that gets irritated from topicals every evening due to acne meds..?

Your moisturizer would be safe except for the menthol:

Here's a quote about menthol from Paula Begoun's Ingredient Dictionary:

Counter-Irritant. Ingredients such as menthol, peppermint, camphor, and mint are considered counter-irritants (Sources: Archives of Dermatologic Research, May 1996, pages 245248; and Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 Food and Drugs, Revised as of April 1, 2001, CITE: 21CFR310.545, www.fda.gov). Counter-irritants are used to induce local inflammation for the purpose of relieving inflammation in deeper or adjacent tissues. In other words, they substitute one kind of inflammation for another, which is never good for skin. Irritation or inflammation, no matter what causes it or how it happens, impairs the skin's immune and healing response (Source: Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, November-December 2000, pages 358371). And although your skin may not show it, or doesn't react in an irritated fashion, if you apply irritants to your skin the damage is still taking place and is ongoing, so it adds up over time (Source: Skin Research and Technology, November 2001, pages 227237).

Also, the isopropyl palmitate is a waxy thickener that can clog pores in some people.

For nighttime use, Dove's Sensitive Essentials Sensitive Skin Facial Lotion would be great:

[Removed link]

For daytime use, Clinique Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector with SPF 15 would be a good, matte option. Although physical sunscreens titanium dioxide (the sunscreen's active ingredient) can clog pores in some people, they also are gentler than synthetic sunscreens (irritation may also trigger breakouts). Unprotected or inadequately protected sun exposure will increase your skin's problems.

[Removed link]

If your skin is especially irritated, the temporary use of a 1% hydrocortisone product should help. However, hydrocortisone should not be used long-term because it can thin the skin and may result in premature aging.

Here's one:

[Removed link]

Watch out for ones that contain menthol or peppermint.