I had used Dove for ages before switching to Cetaphil about a year ago. Used that until I read about Botchla's regimen, then used his regimen for about 2 months until it ran out (which was about a week and a half ago). Botchla's regimen was good, minimal breakouts (like 2-3 and minor), but I thought my skin always felt a touch (minor) raw and red and "medicated". Yes I did use moisturiser.
I had read about the Cetaphil no water thing, and since I still had half a bottle left before starting Botchla's I decided to give it a shot. Believe me I was VERY skeptical. It basically felt I was applying moisturiser all over my face (you know the texture) and then just dabbing the excess off. I though my face my gonna grease up, zit up, cyst up, whatever...
It did take some getting used too but my results:
Skin actually looks and feels great. Doesn't feel medicated now, no redness, a healthy glow. I don't have to worry about checking a mirror every few hours and using a kleenex to dab off excess oil (I have acne prone dry but it get quite oily skin). There is basically no oil. No new acne, and I haven't been using any other "product" on my face besides the Cetaphil. I'm actually quite amazed.
Obviously the real test will be my face in about a month, which seems to be past the consensus for the time for a zit to "evolve".
Oh ya. I do use St. Ives Appricot scrub twice a week but VERY mildly. I usually take 1 shower a day and yes, I don't care if water gets on my face and in fact I do shower as I had for the last 20 years. Just minus washing my face and RINSING with water. At night I just wash my hands with soap then apply the Cetaphil and dab it off with a clean towel. I use a generous portion.
I do have a good vitamin regimen which includes 3g of B5 that I've been taking for 3 months.
My 2 cents.
so do you just rinse your face lightly with water in the shower and then apply the cetaphil at the sink afterwards? How long did you gently rub it onto your face for and how much did you use(number of pumps if you use the pump bottle that is?)
I have wanted to try this for ages but every time i have tried my face feels a little sticky afterwards and appears a little red from the tissues used to remove the excess, however i think it sounds promising dabbing off the excess with a soft clean towel.
In the shower I don't care, I run my face under the water/shampooing/whatever (seriously I couldn't help it, I doubt anyone could), I never touch my face though...Then I wash my hands and apply the Cetaphil.
When using Cetaphil I usually put alot in my hand, like a full palms worth then massage it into my face (30 secs at least). When in the shower I just do it after I'm finished everything else DO NOT RINSE OFF, get out, then pat the rest of it off without rinsing in water.
When doing it at night, I just wash my hands and then apply. No water contact with the face.
When I do the St. Ive's I do it in the shower. Do everything, wet face, LIGHT scrubing, rinse, apply Cetaphil, NO RINSE, pat dry with clean towel.
1.5 weeks and it works very well. I'll update when a month is up.
I tried the dry cetaphil thing for a couple days and had a tremendous breakout, did this happen to anyone else? And if it did, how long till it got better? Thanks for the help
I've been doing this for at least a couple of weeks (I never strictly keep track because it makes it feel like forever and I become frustrated much more easily) and nothing like that has happened to me. I actually haven't seen any new acne since I started, and what was there has only progressed normally.
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What I've been doing is probably incorrect according to recommendations or directions (or whatever) but by this point I don't really care and I just do my own thing. Haha. So far, nothing bad has happened to me.
In the mornings I usually cleanse with water to clean up that night's oils and at night I do the same to wash off the make-up I've worn to work or shopping or whatever it is that I've done that day. I'll pat dry and let it finish drying while I do my hair (whether it's flat-ironing for the day or putting it up for the night). Then I'll apply the cetaphil without water. I don't do it liberally because it feels like a waste; I only put on enough that there's a film on my face, and then I use a clean towel to dab off any heavy areas.
I'm not isolating the treatment so I can't tell if it's actually doing any good on its own, but I haven't seen any new acne since I've been doing this and what was there has progressed normally because I've left it alone (I haven't used any BP or anything medicated of that sort for a long time now because I got tired of the epic dry skin). I like the cetaphil without water because it eliminates the necessity of a moisturizer which usually leaves me feeling sticky or oily, which this does not. In fact, I've just done it a few minutes ago and my face feels shower-fresh, soft, and dry. I find that my skin does not get oily anymore and I've had no repercussions (breakouts, irritation) as of yet.
