Well, I've been looking for new products to use on my face because literally EVERYTHING I use causes me to dry out. I can manage to keep my face 98% clear (always have at least 1-2 whiteheads) with cleansers and moisturisers, but my skin never looks healthy, it's always oily/flaky which I think this is due to me stripping my skin of its natural oils.
I want to be able to have that skin back where I can wake up and feel like I don't have to rush to the bathroom and slather chemicals on it...the skin I had as a child. I want to be able to go out and it just feel consistent all day long without progressively getting more oily during the day after washing it in the morning.
I think I'm going to very lightly moisturise (pea sized amount) for the first few weeks and then stop all products completely. The moisturiser I use right now contains salicylic acid and that's kinda the type of ingredient I want to get away from. Some people say that if you have acne it is imperative that you cleanse in order to remove bacteria, but it makes me question what people did before all these products were around...surely people just washed it with water, right?
It just seems like the obvious thing to do because I know that my acne problems began as soon as I started messing with really harsh acne treatments. I literally had one pimple when I was around 13 and slathered my face with some really harsh astringent and it all went down hill from there. I believe that I have ruined the natural PH of my skin and it is just incapable of healing itself, so it's time I do something about it!
I'll keep you updated, it's worth a try I guess! 
hello! 
i have just finished this experiment- see my other posts- & it worked!!
i totally didn't believe it :
'Ok, so I reached 30days of the caveman.
I didn't let any water tocuh my face, I didn't wash it and I didn't scratch it etc
It did look HORRIBLE! I definately had a lot of deadskin, especially on my forehead (which was my problem area)
I washed my face with mineral water and a muslin cloth and my skin looked BEAUTIFUL!
I complete couldn't believe it! My skin has started to heal itself, it's looking better than anything I have ever tried before.
It requires a lot of faith though, I didn't think it was going to work, & I wanted to wash my face and get back to normal but I;m so glad I didnt!
I think I will do this for a few more months, not washing for 30days then gently wash off with mineral water at the end.
My complexion is so even and bright. The mineral water didn't dry out my skin or anything.
I will never use products on my face again!
I highly recommend this to everyone
however be patient becuase it's not instant, it can take a little while, but you will notice the effects at the end of the month!
my skin isn't even oily anymore. it;s normal again!
Please message me if anyone has any questions.
x x x x x'
Glad to know its worked for somebody else! Have to admit that I'm not going the whole hog, I'm using water and a little moisturiser and even this feel weird...I'm in bed after my nightly routine and my face just feels bare. Usually before bed my skin is all tight, tingly and dry after washing it with cleanser. I feel naked!
Must admit it's refreshing to lay here without a ton of crap on my face. Good luck to all that attempt it!
I started to use harsh chemicals, too, but only after my skin stayed badly broken out for several months when I was 12. It dried out my skin while simultaneously making it more oily than anyone's I've ever seen. I was literally having to wipe the oil off of my face.
Until I was 15, I believed that the tightness I felt just after washing my face meant it was working and the dryness was good because my skin was no longer greasy. Then, I got all into doing natural remedies and eating. After a couple months my skin was no longer dry or oily at all. My skin would actually have a glowy look to it. I wasnt even washing my face with water at that point in time.
The only thing was that my skin kept breaking out for awhile until it just turned into bad scaring with some acne. I'm back on chemicals again but only to get rid of some of the scars. Once those get better i think I'm going to go back to not washing my face. Except for maybe a natural soap that doesn't have chemicals.
I hope it works for you. I want to be able to return to it.
Thanks for the replies. I thought I should provide an update of how things are going today.
I have noticed that after washing with only water, my skin isn't getting oily whatsoever - it's completely matte at the moment. There's also no redness, dryness or itchiness, which was a huge problem for me. I know that this regimen only works for some and I think it is indeed working for me because the cause of my acne is the damage that I've caused, not anything genetic or hormonal.
I'll also note that I only use COLD water, not hot, not warm, but completely cold. This is something I've always done when cleansing as I find it reduces the amount of oil my skin produces and gives a clean refreshing feel afterwards. Plus, what's more natural than cold water?
I can't really recommend this regimen to anyone as of yet due to the fact that I've only being doing it myself for a day. But for those with combination skin (dry and oily) that get whiteheads around the chin/mouth area, I'd at least say give it a try.
So, that's all I can say about this regimen for now - I'll update tomorrow!
Today I found a really good promotion on Cetaphil products so I am no longer doing the water-only regimen. This isn't because I didn't feel clean or because I broke out (I didn't get one pimple on this regimen), but more so because I enjoy the routine of using products and it is generally a hobby of mine trying out new things.
This regimen has allowed all healing pimples to disappear and prevented any new ones, so I definitely recommend giving your face a rest from time to time!
What is Cetaphil? I haven't heard of it before.
Can you buy it at drug stores or is it like proactive? What are your products/routine that you do? Is it harsh?
What's your skin like since using it???
Sorry for all of the questions, I didn't realize until after I wrote it.