If you are worried about your skins acid mantle, have you tried oil cleansing? Or even a skin care line such as vichy who's products state they are skin ph?

As for congested skin, are you sure your products are non pore clogging? As often creamy cleansers have undesirable ingredients.

As for something being wrong, well it may not be your skin care routine. Have you considered experimenting with your diet?

Thanks Cleardreaming for your reply. Yes, I make sure my products are ph balanced. I've only ever used gentle products with quite simple ingredients made for sensitive skin. I treat my skin so delicately to avoid irritating it, but my suspicion is that I've been a little too precious with it and all it needs it's a good ol' clean. The fear is that what's good for clearing acne and blocked pores is bad for sensitive skin and what's good for that will encourage acne. Rock and a hard place kinda thing. I think I need to embrace thorough cleansing and get all this oil off my face despite what benefits there might be in leaving it. My diet is great and I'm in peak physical health in every other way. This is why is hard to accept this less that ideal skin health.

_{There are lots of cleansers out there that have a pH of 5-6 that won't disrupt your acid mantle (CeraVe, Cetaphil, Paula's choice, La Roche Posay Tolereine (sp?) are some that come to mind, and they have some foaming options). OR another option is to use a cleanser of your choice regardless of the pH and then use a toner directly afterwards with a pH of 5.5 or lower to restore the acid mantle. That's what I do when I use a bar soap that is alkaline.}

Thanks mwilso. Yeah, all my products are ph balanced. I bought a new cleanser a week ago and I've been adding tea tree to it. It's s clear foaming cleanser unlike the creamy oil based cleansers I had been using prior. It feels very foriegn to me to have this squeaky clean feeling and countless little under-the-skin bumps on my forehead seem to be reducing in number. It's a natural ph balanced cleanser but still really drying and causes redness. There always seems to be a trade off. Maybe I'll just cleanse once a day. This search is tiring me out.

What was the condition of your skin prior to using a cleanser? Any cleanser, no matter how gentle has ALWAYS given me forehead acne. It wasn't until I stopped using a cleanser that my forehead actually calmed down and got clear. For some reason my forehead is extremely sensitive to anything besides water. Maybe yours is too? Just something to consider.

Thanks. Yeah, for me it's similar only it's a case of no matter how gentle the cleanser it ALWAYS causes irritation, rather than the acne itself. If I leave it alone I then get horribly congested. Theres consequences either way. Damn this super sensitive skin. It's such a cry baby. Maybe I'm not doing anything wrong and my skin isnever going to be in harmony no matter what I do or don't do to it. Or maybe I haven't been aggressive enough (aggressive by my standards is using a cleanser with a solvent/surfactant). Yes they do redden my skin more than cream cleansers but they also result for me in less bumps, so overall less redness by way of less pimples. So I've gotta now ask myself which would I rather: subtle, diffuse redness all over or concentrated intense redness in the form of spots.

I've been in the same predicament as you are with cleansers. I went from wanting my skin squeaky clean with a cleanser, to just washing with water which both left my skin feeling too tight (tap water is alkaline). After quite a search, I've settled on a regimen. I wash with a solution of 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar to 8 parts green tea. After my skin has dried I apply a straight solution of concentrated green tea. I follow with a very light application of hemp oil (high in linoleic acid), as in 1 or 2 drops rubbed over the palm of my hands, then transfered to my face by rubbing gently. Finally my skin feels supple and yes, clean! The other benefit I've noticed is that blackheads are lifting. I used to use a washcloth for the application of these solutions, but I now use a reusable bamboo towel by Bambooee. It is 14 x 10 so I cut it down. It's the best washcloth I've ever used! http://www.bambooee.com/shop/ (it's the Freethinker on the company website but is just called a Reusable Bamboo Towel on the label). I found it in the cleaning aisle at Whole Foods Market.

Just a note that I don't wear make-up. I'm not sure a solution like this would clear all traces of make-up.

I still haven't figured this out theoretically in my head...but...

I'm not anti-water because I think it's natural to jump in a lake or ocean.

As far as cleaners, I don't know if they're really necessary. I don't see a whole lot of difference in my skin when I use a mild cleanser or I just use water. I do need to use a gentle washcloth to get dead skin flakes and such. I should say that most of my acne is hormonal and is not affected by how I wash my face, so I'm talking about skin quality here. If I don't wash my face at all I notice dead skin buildup.

I have a blackhead problem on my nose area which is only helped by salicylic acid. I use a leave-on cream for it, though, not a cleanser.

Currently I use CeraVe cleanser once a day (at night). Occasionally I use a Clarisonic brush. I don't know if the brush makes that much difference, but using it mostly because I bought it and feel like I should make the most of a $200 gadget

I used to do the Oil Cleansing Method but I felt like I had more buildup on my skin than with a normal cleanser. Right now I only use OCM when I wear makeup to remove all the foundation.

I've been in the same predicament as you are with cleansers. I went from wanting my skin squeaky clean with a cleanser, to just washing with water which both left my skin feeling too tight (tap water is alkaline). After quite a search, I've settled on a regimen. I wash with a solution of 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar to 8 parts green tea. After my skin has dried I apply a straight solution of concentrated green tea. I follow with a very light application of hemp oil (high in linoleic acid), as in 1 or 2 drops rubbed over the palm of my hands, then transfered to my face by rubbing gently. Finally my skin feels supple and yes, clean! The other benefit I've noticed is that blackheads are lifting. I used to use a washcloth for the application of these solutions, but I now use a reusable bamboo towel by Bambooee. It is 14 x 10 so I cut it down. It's the best washcloth I've ever used! http://www.bambooee.com/shop/ (it's the Freethinker on the company website but is just called a Reusable Bamboo Towel on the label). I found it in the cleaning aisle at Whole Foods Market.

Just a note that I don't wear make-up. I'm not sure a solution like this would clear all traces of make-up.

 

Thanks ginger for your response and advice. I think you replied in my aloe questions thread too. I wrote back quite a lengthy reply but my phone died before I could send and it got lost? One of the things I asked was what do you think of using aloe as a sole cleanser, or maybe mixed on with a bit of vegetable glycerin?

And yes yes yes to hemp oil and linoleic acid. Up until recently I didn't know the role linoleic acid played in skincare and had been for a long time using heavy oils to moisturise. Now I'm considering using grapeseed oil and a sole moisturiser. Have you had any experience with this oil? And thanks for the recommendation of the bamboo washcloth. Sounds excellent. Hope I can locate it or something like it here in Australia. I use washcloths for light exfoliation maybe once a week. Would I be good for that purpose, do you think?

I still haven't figured this out theoretically in my head...but...

I'm not anti-water because I think it's natural to jump in a lake or ocean.

As far as cleaners, I don't know if they're really necessary. I don't see a whole lot of difference in my skin when I use a mild cleanser or I just use water. I do need to use a gentle washcloth to get dead skin flakes and such. I should say that most of my acne is hormonal and is not affected by how I wash my face, so I'm talking about skin quality here. If I don't wash my face at all I notice dead skin buildup.

I have a blackhead problem on my nose area which is only helped by salicylic acid. I use a leave-on cream for it, though, not a cleanser.

Currently I use CeraVe cleanser once a day (at night). Occasionally I use a Clarisonic brush. I don't know if the brush makes that much difference, but using it mostly because I bought it and feel like I should make the most of a $200 gadget

I used to do the Oil Cleansing Method but I felt like I had more buildup on my skin than with a normal cleanser. Right now I only use OCM when I wear makeup to remove all the foundation.

 

Haha, yes Green Gables, I can relate to what you say about working out the theory. It can be so tricky. I play it so safe and buy the best, gentlest products and think about this stuff all the time yet I still haven't nailed it. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I want to make sure I've got all bases covered and have considered all factors and necessities. Maybe if I worked as hard on curtailing this obsessive and dressing trait I have going on as much as I do skincare it could be the best thing I do for my skin! Lol.

I'm not really averse to water either but I do know when I've gone 'caveman' style or water-only I've had horrible dry flakiness and buildup. I can't see a way around using water though, given that pretty much every product in liquid form we use is composed mostly of water, and as you say it's kinda natural, yeah. Relying on it singularly for cleansing though is a no-no for me.

Do you find the leave on salicylic acid cream to be irritating at all? And dies it leave you more photosensitive?

[One of the things I asked was what do you think of using aloe as a sole cleanser, or maybe mixed on with a bit of vegetable glycerin?

I haven't tried using aloe as a cleanser, but that's an interesting idea. Let me know how it goes if you try it.

And yes yes yes to hemp oil and linoleic acid. Up until recently I didn't know the role linoleic acid played in skincare and had been for a long time using heavy oils to moisturise. Now I'm considering using grapeseed oil and a sole moisturiser. Have you had any experience with this oil?

For the longest time I was using a good olive oil as a moisterizer, then tried grapeseed and liked it better, and now I'm using hemp and it is my absolute favorite. It actually plumps my skin...hard to explain but it won me over. Once I started using straight oils the thought of putting a moisturizer with fragrances, preservatives and fillers was unthinkable.

And thanks for the recommendation of the bamboo washcloth. Sounds excellent. Hope I can locate it or something like it here in Australia. I use washcloths for light exfoliation maybe once a week. Would I be good for that purpose, do you think?

It would be a very light exfoliator. The real beauty in this cloth is how it soaks up liquids and makes it easy to transfer the liquid to your face without a lot of dripping. It is such a delight to use.

 

I still haven't figured this out theoretically in my head...but...

I'm not anti-water because I think it's natural to jump in a lake or ocean.

As far as cleaners, I don't know if they're really necessary. I don't see a whole lot of difference in my skin when I use a mild cleanser or I just use water. I do need to use a gentle washcloth to get dead skin flakes and such. I should say that most of my acne is hormonal and is not affected by how I wash my face, so I'm talking about skin quality here. If I don't wash my face at all I notice dead skin buildup.

I have a blackhead problem on my nose area which is only helped by salicylic acid. I use a leave-on cream for it, though, not a cleanser.

Currently I use CeraVe cleanser once a day (at night). Occasionally I use a Clarisonic brush. I don't know if the brush makes that much difference, but using it mostly because I bought it and feel like I should make the most of a $200 gadget

I used to do the Oil Cleansing Method but I felt like I had more buildup on my skin than with a normal cleanser. Right now I only use OCM when I wear makeup to remove all the foundation.

 

Haha, yes Green Gables, I can relate to what you say about working out the theory. It can be so tricky. I play it so safe and buy the best, gentlest products and think about this stuff all the time yet I still haven't nailed it. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I want to make sure I've got all bases covered and have considered all factors and necessities. Maybe if I worked as hard on curtailing this obsessive and dressing trait I have going on as much as I do skincare it could be the best thing I do for my skin! Lol.

I'm not really averse to water either but I do know when I've gone 'caveman' style or water-only I've had horrible dry flakiness and buildup. I can't see a way around using water though, given that pretty much every product in liquid form we use is composed mostly of water, and as you say it's kinda natural, yeah. Relying on it singularly for cleansing though is a no-no for me.

Do you find the leave on salicylic acid cream to be irritating at all? And dies it leave you more photosensitive?

 

I use Clearasil Acne + Marks lotion. It is a 2% salicylic acid cream. They keep changing the name though...I think it's called Overnight Serum now. I'm sure you could get the same results from any quality BHA such as Paula's Choice 2%.

I don't really notice a photosensitivity, but I wear sunscreen anytime I'm outside for more than 15 minutes. The photosensitivity it might cause is nothing compared to retinoids though, which I definitely notice.

Thanks gingergirl and Green gables for your replies. Ok after a week of experimenting with using heavy-duty cleansers agains I think I've seen enough to come to a resolution. My skin does like them in a way but only used in moderation. I been cleansing twice a day with this new cleanser and there have been improvements by way of less zits but I don't think my skin will survive regular twice daily cleansing with it. I'm going to try for cleansing and moisturizing only nice a day, at night, and use water only in the morning to freshen up and wash away moisturizer residue.

And I am absolutely abandoning rosehip oil forever and a day. It dies winders for skin tone and texture but it's just not worth the breakout risk. I'd been using to tackle some aging issues I also have (hence why working out a system that's good for age AND acne prevention is so damn hard) but any benefits I get are negated by new breakouts *throws rosehip oil*. same goes for emu oil. Yuck.

I still haven't figured this out theoretically in my head...but...

I'm not anti-water because I think it's natural to jump in a lake or ocean.

As far as cleaners, I don't know if they're really necessary. I don't see a whole lot of difference in my skin when I use a mild cleanser or I just use water. I do need to use a gentle washcloth to get dead skin flakes and such. I should say that most of my acne is hormonal and is not affected by how I wash my face, so I'm talking about skin quality here. If I don't wash my face at all I notice dead skin buildup.

I have a blackhead problem on my nose area which is only helped by salicylic acid. I use a leave-on cream for it, though, not a cleanser.

Currently I use CeraVe cleanser once a day (at night). Occasionally I use a Clarisonic brush. I don't know if the brush makes that much difference, but using it mostly because I bought it and feel like I should make the most of a $200 gadget

I used to do the Oil Cleansing Method but I felt like I had more buildup on my skin than with a normal cleanser. Right now I only use OCM when I wear makeup to remove all the foundation.

 

How can I tell if I have dead skin build up? What does it look or feel like? Thanks.

How can I tell if I have dead skin build up? What does it look or feel like? Thanks.

 

Skin looks dull. Look at the best area of your skin, maybe somewhere on your thigh or on your back. When my facial skin is at its best it has a little bit of that "brightness". When dead skin builds up, my face just looks a little uneven in texture. I'm not talking about scars or acne marks or hyperpigmentation. I just mean that you can kinda see a slightly rough appearance when there's a lot of dead skin on top.

Same thing, when I feel my face, ideally it should feel like the soft skin on my legs or back.

Just a quick hypothetical question for anyone who reads this: If you were to use this cream cleanser (below), would you personally feel the need to moisturise after? The are plenty of emollients in it and only one true solvent, and a mild one at that. It doest really lather and my skin is not dry after using it, but I instinctly feel the need to moisturise after and cleansing, its a mental thing..Wondering, would you maybe forgo moisturiser in this instance?

Ulittlebeauty daily cream cleanser ingredients:

Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol , Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Glyceryl Stearate , Decyl Glucoside , Stearic Acid , Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita matricaria) Flower Extract*, Phenoxyethanol, Yucca filamentosa Extract, Glycerin , Kakadu (Terminalia ferdinandiana) Plum Extract, Geranium maculatum Oil, Xanthan Gum, Orange (Citrus aurantium dulcis) Oil, Rosemary (Rosmarinus ocinalis) Leaf Extract

Just a quick hypothetical question for anyone who reads this: If you were to use this cream cleanser (below), would you personally feel the need to moisturise after? The are plenty of emollients in it and only one true solvent, and a mild one at that. It doest really lather and my skin is not dry after using it, but I instinctly feel the need to moisturise after and cleansing, its a mental thing..Wondering, would you maybe forgo moisturiser in this instance?

Ulittlebeauty daily cream cleanser ingredients:

Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol , Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Glyceryl Stearate , Decyl Glucoside , Stearic Acid , Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita matricaria) Flower Extract*, Phenoxyethanol, Yucca filamentosa Extract, Glycerin , Kakadu (Terminalia ferdinandiana) Plum Extract, Geranium maculatum Oil, Xanthan Gum, Orange (Citrus aurantium dulcis) Oil, Rosemary (Rosmarinus ocinalis) Leaf Extract

 

Moisturizing is important after cleansing, because even if the cleanser contains a lot of emollients, you rinse it all off. A good moisturizer contains humectants which you leave on your skin. The humectants draw in water from the atmosphere.

Thanks greengables, I'm just in a world of confusion made worse by a pesky perfectionist trait.

It's so hard for me to wrap my head around moisturizing active acne. When I was breaking out badly in my teens the last thing I would do was moisturrize...it was unthinkable. I did everything I could to dry out those suckers. But then again, I had really oily skin and it took a lot to dry out my skin. I'd even sit under a heat lamp! (The upside to having that oily skin is that my skin looks pretty youthful for my age, and others I talk too who had oily skin all their lives are also also reaping the same benefits.)

I worked with my son over the summer clearing up his acne with sulfur and there were so many warnings that it would dry out his skin. But not once did a flake appear on his skin so he never used a moisturizer.

I guess I am wondering if moisturizing is really necessary if your skin doesn't feel dry.

It's so hard for me to wrap my head around moisturizing active acne. When I was breaking out badly in my teens the last thing I would do was moisturrize...it was unthinkable. I did everything I could to dry out those suckers. But then again, I had really oily skin and it took a lot to dry out my skin. I'd even sit under a heat lamp! (The upside to having that oily skin is that my skin looks pretty youthful for my age, and others I talk too who had oily skin all their lives are also also reaping the same benefits.)

I worked with my son over the summer clearing up his acne with sulfur and there were so many warnings that it would dry out his skin. But not once did a flake appear on his skin so he never used a moisturizer.

I guess I am wondering if moisturizing is really necessary if your skin doesn't feel dry.

 

Oil is not a moisturizer. I posted about this somewhere else and don't feel like typing it all up again. But basically, oil is a sealant. If your skin is already hydrated with WATER then oil will keep that moisture in. But if your skin at some points becomes too dry, oil will seal your skin so well that it will not only keep that little bit of moisture in, but it will keep moisture from the atmosphere out.

So sometimes you see people get into a habit of drying their skin and never re-hydrating it, and at some breaking point, their skin is finally so dried out that even though it is oily on top, it is dehydrated underneath. When I was a teenager, this would describe me. At first I had oily but normally hydrated skin. After using BP for about a year, my hormones were still crazy and my skin was as oily as ever on the surface, but I could tell that it also felt dry and damaged at the same time. It lost its suppleness and elasticity, which is characteristic of dry skin (and this was when I was still growing and definitely still producing collagen and new skin!).

The best moisturizers contain Water as the first ingredient and then good humectants. Humectants seal the skin a little bit but they also attract moisture from the air and draw it into the skin. So they hydrate and keep hydration from leaving the skin.

This is also why the Oil Cleansing Method can, for some skin types, actually leave you drier than before. If you don't have enough water in your skin to start with, slathering yourself in oil will not help.

Well that certainly makes sense.

I do use moisturizers on my arms, legs and feet when they are dry, but have never found a store bought moisturizer that feels right on my face. I guess it's the perfumes, preservatives, and other added ingredients that just feel irritating on my face. I would like to explore ways to hydrate my face externally with natural ingredients. I would think that hydrating from within is ideal, but it's obvious that there are times when that isn't enough.

Choosing a moisturiser is a fine art. Nearly all the good moisturisers contain Petroleum/Mineral Oil which leaves that familiar shine/film. All the ones without I've found over the years, don't moisturise as well.

Thanks guys/gals for your replies.

Still at my wits end trying to find the ideal routine to settle on. I keep buying products, testing them, then abandoning them...and the search starts all over again. Ive got to slow down and step back a bit because it has become obsessive and exhausting...not to mention expensive. I dropped 25 bucks on a new moisturiser today, tried it once when I got home and knew immediately that it wasn't going to work and would be wasted money. And so it joins the ever-growing collection of not-good-enough products building under my bathroom sink. It's such a waste because they are all largely great products and could be perfect for someone else's skin...just not mine. And that's the thing, this bizarre skin type of mine. When I say things like 'I'm in a world of confusion' its not confusion about skin care basics, or even at an advanced level, but confusion as to what's just right for my skin. My skin seems to defy skincare fundamentals.

It is for this very reason that I can completely understand and agree with Green Gables comments about moisturizers, yet at the same tome can relate fully to Gingergirls coments about it seeming counterintuitive to moisturise over oily, acne skin. As much I have always known moisturising to be a basic must-do principle of skincare, it doesn't change the fact that in practice moisturizers cause my skin unending grief. They tend to just 'sit' on top, look greasy, make me feel uncomfortable and cause me to sweat a little. All this and I don't have dry skin anyway, and never have! So I can't help but get to thinking maybe they are superfluous in my case.

And this is where the added confusion comes in - I consider forgoing moisturizers and that then draws cleansing into question too. Without a moisturiser my cleanser needs to be gentler and less drying. Enter cream cleaners and my affiliation with them as of late. Note i have still on the most part been using a light lotion after cream cleansing. My movement away from moisturizers has forced me to adopt the philosophy that the the bridge between the function of cleansers and moisturizers needs to smaller...That cleansers needs to be more like moisturizers and moisturizers need to be more like, well not cleansers, but just not as heavy. And thats where I can touch on Green gables comments again about moisturising needing to more not just about oils but water and hemectants as well. With gentle cleansing my own oil (and I have a lot) is largely uncompromised anyway, so the need then becomes mostly about the other moisturising factors. It seems absurd to me for me to need a heavy lotion only because I've stripped barren my skin with harsher than needed cleansers. This is where the bridging and balancing idea come into play. Also driving all this is the quest for the simplest possible routine, both in steps and ingredients of products used.

As I say, I still have not reached a resolution but I am getting closer all the time and I have quite a few products in my arsenal now that have potential to be stayers. I'm going to list the ones I'm giving serious consideration and it would be really helpful if anyone can have a look through them and their ingredients, give feedback on what you think of them, and suggest maybe what you think should stay and whay should go. Keep in mind I'm questing for balance, to bridge that gap between creams and cleansers, with the ideal being to possibly eliminate either cleansing or moisturizing. Alternatively, another objective would be to work out which products work best with each other, a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, with the same bridging concept in mind. So here they are:

Cleansers (from harshest to mildest):

Natural instinct sensitive soap-free cleanser

Contains: 10% Glycerin and 1% d-Panthenol Purified Water (Aqua), Glycerin (Botanical Source), Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (Botanical Source), Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Botanical Source), Decyl Glucoside (Botanical Source), Panthenol (pro-Vitamin B5), Caprylyl Glycol, Anisic Acid, Sodium Chloride (Sea Salt), Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E)

Avado sensitives certified organics cleanser

Contains: CERTIFIED ORGANIC CALENDULA EXTRACT, CERTIFIED ORGANIC NEROLI EXTRACT, CERTIFIED ORGANIC HONEY, DECYL GLUCOSIDE (PLANT DERIVED), CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALOE VERA EXTRACT, CERTIFIED ORGANIC GUAR GUM, ORANGE EXTRACT, CERTIFIED ORGANIC ORANGE ESSENTIAL OIL, CERTIFIED ORGANIC GERANIUM ESSENTIAL OIL, CERTIFIED ORGANIC PETITGRAIN ESSENTIAL OIL, CERTIFIED ORGANIC AVOCADO OIL, CERTIFIED ORGANIC CHAMOMILE ROMAN ESSENTIAL OIL.

Ulittlebeauty daily cream cleanser

Contains: Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol , Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Glyceryl Stearate , Decyl Glucoside , Stearic Acid , Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita matricaria) Flower Extract*, Phenoxyethanol, Yucca filamentosa Extract, Glycerin , Kakadu (Terminalia ferdinandiana) Plum Extract, Geranium maculatum Oil, Xanthan Gum, Orange (Citrus aurantium dulcis) Oil, Rosemary (Rosmarinus ocinalis) Leaf Extract

I also have ingredients in their singular form like:

Grapeseed oil

Mineral oil

Vegetable glycerin

Aloe

Rosewater

White tea toner

I have toyed with the idea of using making my own products using sone or all of the above items, or using them just on their own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moisturizers (from lightest to heaviest):

Natural instinct aloe vera gel ( I particularly like the line up of ingredients in this one)

Contains: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Purified Water (Aqua), Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol (pro-Vitamin B5), Caprylyl Glycol, Anisic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract.

Akin white tea and aloe gel creme (light and oil free with treatment ingredients but skin reacts for some reason) :

Contains:aqua (purified Australian water*) *BP 2007 standard

sodium gluconate (from GMO free corn),glycerin (botanical source)

sodium hydroxymethylglycinate,panthenol (pro Vit B5) ,sorbitol (from GMO free maize),ethylhexylglycerin,aloe barbadensis leaf juice,sodium hyaluronate

tocopheryl acetate (Vit E) (botanical source),alpha lipoic acid, bisabool(botanical source),xanthan gum

caprylic/capric triglyceride (from coconut & palm) (and) carotenoids (from marine algae),citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) flower oil (neroli),cetearyl olivate (and) sorbitan olivate (from cold pressed olive oil),rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract [CO2] (and) caprylic/capric triglyceride (and), lecithin (and) tocopherol,hydrolysed oats,fusanus spicatus wood (West Australian sandalwood) oil,glycerin (and) aqua (and) anthyllis vulneraria (woundwort) flower extract,citric acid (botanical source),maltodextrin (GMO free) (and) camellia sinensis (white tea) leaf extract,maltodextrin (GMO free) (and) centaurea cyanus (cornflower) flower extract,citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) leaf oil (petitgrain),citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil (bergapten-free)

Ulittlebeauty Nourishing body lotion (yes, it's a body lotion but it's surprisingly light)

Contains: Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Cetyl Alcohol (vegetable derived), Glycerin (plant derived), Avocado (Persea gratissima) Oil*, Stearic Acid (vegetable derived), Glyceryl Stearate (vegetable derived), Potassium Cetyl Phosphate (vegetable derived), Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita matricaria) Flower Extract*, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Sodium PCA, Lemon (Citrus medica limonum) Peel Oil*, Macadamia ternifolia Seed Oil*, Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) Oil*, Kakadu (Terminalia ferdinandiana) Plum Extract, Geranium maculatum Oil, Xanthan Gum, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Leaf Extract, Orange (Citrus aurantium dulcis) Oil.

Natures organics skin expert sorbolene ( effective as a mild cleanser too though irritates eyes, I think due to preservatives. I really wish I could forgive the preservatives in this because it a great formula. Preservatives are at 3 %)

Contains: Water, glycerin, sorbitol, cetearyl alcohol, Macadamia oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, TEA stearate, glyceryl stearate, aloe leaf juice, phenoxylethanol, methylisothiazolinone.

Billy goat moisturiser for sensitive skin:

Contains:Aqua, Goat's Milk, Sunflower Seed Oil*, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Cetyl Alcohol(vegetable derived), Calendula officinalis Flower Extract*, Glycerin*, Chamomile Flower extract*(Chamomilla recutita matricaria) , Glyceyl Stearate (Vegetable Derived), Potassiu, Cetyl Phosphate (Vegetable Derived), Cocoa Seed Butter *(Theobroma cacao), Coconut Oil (cocos nucfera) *, Capyrlyl Glycol, Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus amygdalus Dulcis, Lavender Oil*(Lavandula angustfolia), Xanthum Gum, Rosemary(Rosmarinus Leaf extract.

Natural instinct sensitive body lotion (heavy, but great mild ingredients. Worry will break me out due to almond oil):

Contains: 10% Glycerin and 1% d-Panthenol Purified Water (Aqua), Glycerin (Botanical Source), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Botanical Source), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Stearic Acid (Botanical Source), Sorbitan Stearate (Botanical Source), Sucrose Cocoate (Botanical Source), Cetearyl Alcohol (Botanical Source), Glyceryl Stearate (Botanical Source), Panthenol (pro-Vitamin B5), Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Anisic Acid, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E).

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So what do you all think? Have some fun rating my products. No harsh criticisms - I have researched all these products and their ingredients and have opted for them for one reason or another. None of them are perfect hence why I haven't committed yet to any one of them - its more about the least bad ones, I guess, and which ones will work best together to fit into my new skincare philosophy. Feel free to point out particularly questionable ingredients that I might have missed.

Thanks in advance to anyone to helps out!

IMO, you've got way to much stuff to play around with there. When you have problem skin you can become a bit of a cosmetic junkie always on the search for the perfect product and this can be a downfall. With so much stuff at your disposal you are liable to ditch one thing for another at the slightest sign of a change and 9 times out of 10 it might not even be to do with the product in question.

Only you can know whats right for you. I know you hear it a lot and its not much use but what's good for one person might be a total disaster for another.

All of the above products seem fine. You seem to have done your homework. Try to stick with one regimen for as long as possible and see how things go. If you keep skipping from one thing to another after a few days you're never gonna know what's truly right for you. No ones really going to be able to tell you exactly what to use.