suncream, zits and wrinkles: rolling skincare thread?

if you can get to a store, i think you can get a sample w/out buying anything?

Is this thread for facial scrub/cleanser/moisturiser? I have some awes knowledge that I want to impart.

go on then

colette, as tehresa said you can get a pretty generous sample at the store without buying anything. the big drawback is that it's not in a hygienic little tube.

i do like it, and i'm going to keep using it at the beach or whenever i'm going to be out in the sun for an extended period of time and see what happens. if my skin doesn't go crazy, i'll probably buy it.

i tried to by the avene eulage cream last night but the woman talked me down to the milder ystheal (i have no idea why duane reade employs a skin care specialist, but they do). i am kinda hoping retinoids will change my life as some people have really great experiences with them (gets rid of blackheads AND wrinkles!! at the same time!) but i guess i'll see.

but the woman talked me down to the milder ystheal (i have no idea why duane reade employs a skin care specialist, but they do).

cracks me up

i also have no idea why i listened to her? probably because she was wearing a lab coat?

haha yes

is this a logical train of thought?:

if you have fine lines and you get restaline or juvederm or some kind of filler to push them out would it make sense that those lines wont get much deeper (well not as fast as the natural progression) because your face doesnt crinkle in that spot in the same way when you laugh, smile, frown etc?

"restylane", i guess

i think that makes sense but the idea of fillers still scares me

regular botox treatment is claimed by some to prevent further wrinkling for the reason that you mention. i think fillers are more for areas that don't move as much, but i'm not sure...?

hm. i wonder if there is anything i can do to prevent wrinkles if i go to gradschool next year. i will be working full time and going to school full-time and i expect that i will never sleep. i will probably look like i'm 40 after a year of this.

Every day I express gratitude for the existence of sunscreen. I get a gradient darker just standing outside without it, and within a month I become Oompa-Loompa color.

ladies & gent, what do you think of 'olay regenerist uv defense regenerating lotion spf 15'

i wanted a sunscreen + moisturizer & stole that from my mom but my bottle is long empty

the only other one ive tried is cetaphil spf 15 & i thought the olay one felt much more soothing ( i have v dry skin)

my followup question is, does spf 15 actually do anything anyway?

in the amount that you get from an application of moisturizer, probably not.

so what is a good sunscreen to put on the face then? and should it go on before or after moisturizer?

i apply it after. neutrogena's for the face are good. you don't nec. need a super high spf, but you need to apply enough - about a teaspoon , i've heard - and reapply if you're going to be in the sun for a while.

I have the Oil of Olay 'daily defense' 30 spf moisturizer, and it does me right.

i'm liking the olay "time delay" day and night creams, they have BHAs and seem to be moisturizing without breaking me out. it's SPF 15 which i figure is enough if i'm inside all day, but i just put the neutrogena dry touch stuff on today when i was cycling in, and i'm actually surprised at how un shiny i am.

i think maybe if you're a very shiny person (i am in the summer) one of the dry sunblocks on its own might be the ticket, when i put it on over moisturizer i'm pretty greasy quickly. obviously YMMV.

that sounds perfect abbott! i thought they were all spf 15s. its not v expensive at all either.

what a great board!

the dry touch is pretty nice. it definitely has a matifying effect.

i'm on the fence about whether to buy the dr. brandt pores no more stuff. i like the sample that i got, but it's so expensive i don't know if i can justify it. it does really seem to minimize the pores. is there anything cheaper that works in the same way?

linds, was totally thinking abt all the pore questions of old thread and okay okay here's my discovery (via my mom, who has been visiting since friday):

i know i mention aveda often but i'm pretty discriminating abt their products, as a lot are too much for me anyway, BUT holy whoa, they have these salicylic acid toner pads that are as shockingly expensive as they are shockingly effective. i started using them friday and they caused an initial and very slight uh swelling of major pore areas (plus it was really hot & humid out) but now my skin is so calm and pores so clean & diminished and happy! it is kind of crazy.

the thing is that i can't use other salicylic acid things b/c they're lotions or whatever and just too heavy, but these aren't causing problems! i will check back in a week re: these but so far i am amazed. and yknow my skin will break out at anything. i haven't put any other medication or zit treatment or anything on my face either while using these. so yeah, neat.

On Saturday I wore the neutrogena spf 70 and neutrogena glow sheer spf 30, which is probaby overkill.

Oh, and a hat.

spf 70!!!!!!! damn

my seemingly bottomless pot of avon eye cream finally ran out. replaced it with boscia's enlivening amino eye treatment - yay! i've been wanting this stuff for a while.

I also bought spf 70 yesterday, prompted by my dermatologist.

yes so the neutrogena dry touch 55 is apparently completely useless against tropical sun and i became horribly burnt on my first full day in maui. after that, purchased coppertone spray 70 which was weird, and then found that the coppertone sport 50 actually works really well. however, i am peeling like crazy, and the skin right above my breasts and next to my pits is so incredibly burned it's scary looking. those two corners burned way more than anywhere else. the pain has gone away, but what is a good cream/treatment to reduce scarring/mottling?

oddly, though, the ny sun feels like nothing to me now! i will still wear lots of sunscreen, though!

Is this thread for facial scrub/cleanser/moisturiser? I have some awes knowledge that I want to impart.

-- Autumn Almanac, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 07:50 (Wednesday, 18 June 2008 07:50)

Such a tease... Tell all plz.

I'm looking for a moisturiser for the face that's good on mixed skin i.e. greasy in places, dry in others. It also has to let the skin breathe and if possible soothe after a shave.

For years I've been using straightforward aqueous cream but I'm not so sure it's good for my skin having tried something else this past while.

T -- any of the soothing herbal combinations: aloe, comfrey, chamomile, calendula. Or Vitamin E. Keeping the skin/wound moist is the best way to reduce scarring, the vit E or aloe will do that.

when i was in hawaii i got an awful 3rd degree burn (from hot oil, not the sun) but there were tons of aloe plants everywhere and so i just put that on it constantly. i have no scar from it (which is amazing, it was a huge burn).

guys i just made my first sephora order. now i know what youre all talking about with the samples you get. excited!

also found out there is a sephora right here in little rock. who knew?

I get little bumpy spots on my forehead, you can't really see them, but they still piss me off. I have very short hair, don't use gel, wash hair with Vosene and face with witch doctor face scrub every day... but they don't go away!

What to do?

it may be from heat/sweating? try to stay dry. or you may be over-cleansing/scrubbing.

sunny i didn't know you were in little rock! one of my good friends lives down there

So hydroquinone is supposed to be evil and carcinogenic right? I am trying to fade a couple discolored spots on my legs (leftover from ingrown hairs) and I'm wondering if this is a bad idea...

it may be from heat/sweating? try to stay dry. or you may be over-cleansing/scrubbing.

If you're using all that stuff regularly then yes, I think that could be your problem. I would avoid using anything abrasive on them.

No no all he said was he uses a certain shampoo and a witch hazel toner, that's not much at all -- in fact, only one facial product!

Bodrick, impossible to say, really, but start trying things. Is your pillowcase clean? Do you touch your face during the day? Drink a few glasses of water a day? Maybe try giving up caffeine for two weeks and see if that makes a difference, etc etc etc. Think of it as an exciting experiment.

Or stop the witch hazel and try an exfoliant like the St Ives apricot scrub -- it's not fancy and some people don't like it, but it's not a bad start. (I don't want to give anyone sticker shock by recommending a $30 tub of something.)

A little bit of baking soda mixed with soap/cleanser does a nice job of gently exfoliating. That apricot stuff has really large granules and I heard that's not so good for skin, being so abrasive. Also bs is so cheap it's almost free.

iirc, Colette taught me this trick!

Is your friend as sweet as you, Surm?

Yeah, I love the St Ives for my face, but then I use corn meal on my body and that's even scratchier (I love scratchy). I think Julia told me about the baking soda! It's a Chicago thing, apparently. But the baking soda is too fine for me and I never feel smooth after using.

Ouch!

No no all he said was he uses a certain shampoo and a witch hazel toner, that's not much at all -- in fact, only one facial product!

Ah, I didn't really read it and thought Vosene was some kind of American cleanser that sounded very chemical!

St Ives apricot scrub -- it's not fancy and some people don't like it

Why not? (ah I see that this has been answered) I think I can get that here and if it's good for blackheads?

Actually what is good for blackheads and sensitive skin?

A little bit of baking soda mixed with soap/cleanser does a nice job of gently exfoliating.

Wouldn't it burn the face off you? Ah, I see not.

I am like Laurel, I prefer something that has a bit of 'bite' but sadly that wreaks havoc on my skin. There was a very good exfoliator a while ago that I stole from someone, I wonder if I can still find it and buy more.

I with Laurel on this too. I like feel like im taking a few layers of skin off.

has anyone ever had a lactic peel? there is some spa offering them for $50 for the month of july which is half of what it usually costs, but i'm afraid my skin is too sensitive. it's supposed to be less intense than a glycolic peel though.

listen dudes, i like the scratchy and i like the feeling of taking off dead layers of skin, but liking it doesn't make it good for my skin. i only use baking soda on the face because it's sensitive. on the rest of me i would happily use a sandblaster, but i settle for some crappy scrubbing thing i got at marshalls.

let me add that i enjoy exfoliating so much that i bought the god-forsaken ped-egg, and it wasn't tuff enough for me! in fact, it sucked and didn't take off but the top layer of dead foot skin. not recommended!

I'm thinking with my results from the peroxide set that my skin doesn't need DRYING, per se, but it does need sterilization ALL THE TIME. It's just so prone to infection and dead-cell/oil build-up, it has to be germ- and sweat-free as much as I can manage. The scratchier exfoliators take off the right amt of skin for me, I think. Not for everyone, though, for sure.

this afternoon, i got the aveda pads that rrrobyn (fellow sensitive-skin sufferer) mentioned upthread. the combination of sunscreen/chlorine/saltwater/sun has really done a number on my complexion, so i'm hoping these will help sort things out. definitely pricey, but the saleswoman recommended tearing them in half and then using a cotton ball to soak up leftover product once the pads are gone.

yeah, i cut them in half. discovered also that i can only use them like twice a week because they were causing sensitivities blargh. but they still work.

i need to do some kind of experiment where i go live in a dry climate for a few months or damn even a few weeks and see what happens to my skin. i wonder if it wld be good? i have never lived or even visited anywhere that didn't have some kind of humidity and/or regular precipitation!

i figured i'd try using them 2-3 times a week... really hope they don't end aggravating the problem.

Style, what do i buy for my face? I am generally neither greasy nor dry, but I do work out a lot so I am frequently sweaty.

I want to keep from getting wrinkles, and have never applied cream or lotion except for in the incident of sunburn.

What should my regimen be? (I am poor, btw.)

Gentle cleanser, antioxidant (Vit. C or copper peptide serum), sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, Rx retinol (retin A, tazorac, etc.).

But mostly sunscreen. A#1 ultimate most important thing!

why am i breaking out on my forehead? just tiny little bumps. this never, ever happens. i am concerned.

My skin got really bad lately and I realized I had forgotten to change towels, sheets, as often as usual because of not being at home all the time now. So when I start getting little bumps and annoying redness it's usu b/c of linens and things that touch my skin.

yeah that can make a big difference - did i already talk about how you can add 1/2 tsp of bleach, heavily diluted in a small container of water (like a small plastic container from yogurt or whatever) and add that to the soap while the washing machine is beginning to fill up, then add clothes - doesn't affect coloured fabrics and kills bacteria/mildew/etc - esp good for washing towels and sheets.

my skin is ok these days tho still not perfect or anything and still really sensitive. i find i can only use the aveda salicylic acid pads once every two weeks, and i should probably not wear make-up but i mean damn i work in an office and also like to look somewhat polished despite my hippie leanings. using the weleda salt toothpaste has made a noticable difference in breakouts around mouth though!

rrob, those aveda outer peace pads have really worked well for me. i've cut them in half and use a half every day or every other day, and so far no irritation or dryness or anything of that nature. these plus my sulfur cleanser have been keeping my skin in pretty great shape despite the heat and humidity.

i'm currently debating whether i should buy a tinted moisturizer or a primer to help even out my skin tone...i don't want to wear foundation every day, but i need something to help smooth over my pores and give me a more even look. any suggestions?

Re bleach: Hah, for years I only bought all-white sheets and towels and Tshirts for sleeping in, expressly for the purpose of bleaching them at every wash. I stopped somewhere along the way b/c of the lure of polka-dotted bed-set but I do wash all household linens in hot water.

i'm glad to hear it, lauren!

i would like aveda to make their super-sensitive skin moisturizer with a slight tint, that wld be nice

a friend gave me some of her nuxe (french, expensive) mattifying moisturizer to try and even tho it is all 'botanicals, high-quality, blah blah blah' my skin went a bit pink and i got a couple (minor) pimples by the end of the day eeesh botanicals whatever

bell i have been using laura mercier tinted moisturizer and i really like it. not too heavy, and seems to maintain a nice look all day w/out looking too makeup-y.

also they have good shades for fair skin.

laura mercier website just made me feel highly under-makeuped

I've been really frustrated all summer with breakouts under the corners of my jaw and in my cleavage.

THEN I read somewhere that I might be allergic to perfume.

Mystery solved.

Last time I tried natural scented oils I broke out as well. Any suggestions?

Put the scent somewhere else, I'm sorry to say. I can't wear it on my head or ears or neck or chest either. Wrists are okay usually, back of knees, armpits seem all right. That's it for me.

For tinted moisturizer usually I just mix a little foundation (usually only for special occasions) with my regular moisturizer = not having to purchase another product + color is right.

hmmm. glad that perfume issue does not happen to me. i am feeling rly greasy this summer, though. i keep forgetting to blot during the day and then at 5:30 i'm a mess!

Good idea, Laurel. Thanks. I put it in my hair sometimes, too.

Sorry my suggestions are so limited. I don't like putting perfume in my hair but I should try dabbing a finger of scented oil into my part or somewhere on my scalp. It would make hair greasy in large quantities but maybe a little dab underneath....

Not a tinted moisturized, but I like MAC's studio fix as an alternative to foundation (to which I too am averse). It goes on powder-ish and but gives coverage somewhere between a powder and a liquid/creme foundation.

Most of all I like that I can wear it just on my cheeks--which need help in the evening-out department--but can skip it everywhere else. It matches my skin tone well enough, and is sheer enough, that it doesn't leave a line of demarcation.

I was really bored on my lunch break and bought a bunch of stuff from Origins. It was all much better than expected and I like the smells when you use a bunch together. There is some sort of microdermabrasionawesometimesupercub scrub that I am in love with. And I bought a bunch of mushroom dr. weil stuff because i read his book when i was like 15.

oh and I bought some loose powder which I like, because I don;t think I have had powder in about 8 years.

i got this mattifying tea tree oil moisturizer @ body shop yesterday. it really does feel mattifying! will see how long it lasts... i've been feeling so greasy this summer so i hope this helps cut that.

you're welcome

does not work for the sensitive skinned, have tried

tea tree? i just felt like i needed to strip off summer gunk.

(my breakouts are rosacea style bumps, not uh 'traditional acne')
i think tea tree does work as an anti-bacterial! but obv again it depends on yr own personal sensitivities to stuff

i don't really have "acne" either. i think it's just a little bit of congestion in the pores or maybe from summer sweat? it also may just be that it was my off-week for the birth control.

omg tehresa I LOVE that body shop moisturizer! It treats pores right, too.

Gonna see how much those Aveda pads cost if my sis-in-law gets them at cost...if under $20, I'm in. Salicylic acid normally turns my face into a cracked & reddened wasteland, tho, so I'm kind of afraid of it. I mean, wart remover is salycilic acid, just in a higher concentration!

Trying zinc pills for the acne...too many confounding factors to see if IT really works, but may as well give it a try. Sometimes I wish I had a second me as a control group.

When I stayed at her house, she had some really thin nylon scrubby cloth that was the BEST face exfoliator. I can't find it at any of the stores here (basically K-Mart, Target, drug stores & the like). Does anyone know what I am talking about & where I could find one?

New St. Ive's olive face wash is shit, btw.

oh zinc supplements totally work/help!

my link tells you to stay away from salicylic acid

i feel the winter skin in full effect. it is dull and occasionally flaky, but also i feel like i'm getting greasy by the end of the day! asldgjk. using same products as last winter, to different results. ugh. i hate trying to find new ones.

i got this mattifying tea tree oil moisturizer @ body shop yesterday. it really does feel mattifying! will see how long it lasts... i've been feeling so greasy this summer so i hope this helps cut that.

that stuff's great. i heartily recommend it, in combo with differin, too.

it feels too drying to me in winter!

guys, someone fix my skin. i have been breaking out like crazy.

stop eating sugar*

*is my dermotologically unsound but empirically proven skin cure. no refined sugar, and steering clear of stuff that's high in naturally occurring sugars. try it for a couple of weeks and see if you get better x.

how is it breaking out? is it like the dull winter blues your skin is freaking out?

maybe that's what it is? though tbh my skin doesn't seem dry or suffering from winter in any other ways. seriously, it just feels like i'm 13 again or something (it's not really that bad, i guess.)

man i have never tried to give up sugar! what would i eat?

i replace 1/3 of my coffee's sugar w/ splenda (bitter) and 1/3 with xylitol (poopy) [as low carb regimen]

there's some supplement on the market that supposedly blocks sugar from getting to skin. sadly can't remember what it is now.

other things to do.

heavy exfoliation
glycolic acid
retinol
daily sunblock (obv)
save green tea bags, douse your face w/ them in shower
daily flax meal in diet (omega-3s)
add cinnamon to sugary sweet junk (hot chocolate). it may slow production of insulin (and is antioxidant)

antioxidant food and high protein is something i focus on daily (mustard, tumeric, red wine, cinnamon, lycopene, etc every day)

i am vain as all get out

i just went to a korean sauna and had all my dead skin scrubbed off by an old woman
it was amazing

pappawheelie, i want to know more about this green tea treatment. i've only just started drinking the stuff and i've got bags to spare.

i just worry that if i use too much salicylic/benzoyl than it will age my skin faster :/

yeah i had a mini breakout last week and used a light salicylic treatment and noticed that i got REALLY dry and it scared me a lot and made me feel old.

If it does, I'm in trouble. I consider my skin an endlessly renewable resource. Isn't that what the subdermal layer is for?

If it does, I'm in trouble. I consider my skin an endlessly renewable resource. Isn't that what the subdermal layer if for?

i hope so.

i just feel like especially women's products are targeted to the whole cyclical thing: wash, use toner, use moisturizer, etc.

sometimes i wonder if i'm creating more work than i need to, and in the process putting too many chemicals on my face. like maybe i should try just washing with a gentle wash. but i swear i'd breakout.

you might not! a lot of times breakouts are caused by overproducing oil because you've stripped it all away w/ 30 products. a dermatologist i used to go to said the best thing you could do was just wash with dove and a washcloth. of course, she also prescribed all sorts of random prescription cremes, so who knows?

dove soap dries my skin out SO much - i can't even use it on my body, let alone my face.

what is ILS consensus on toner? i haven't used it since i was a teen, but am contemplating it again.

i can't decide if it actually helps or is just psychological.

i mean, the ones with alcohol basically just suck the oil out of your skin. the more gentle ones, i don't know. they do seem kind of bullshit but it also feels really nice to put on and i like the idea

i like the idea of getting off any cleanser that might not have rinsed off.

Is SeaBreeze even made anymore? It was a summer camp staple back in the day.

speaking of, do y'all bother with makeup remover? sometimes i have a really hard time getting liner off and i think i should get some

nah. sometimes eye makeup remover, but only if i am wearing a lot of/really dark eye makeup, which is not often.

If my cleanser doesn't rinse off, fuck it. I'm using a different cleanser. :)

i wear a light smudge of eyeliner + mascara every day, and i NEVER take it off at night. bad, i know.

i have a friend who does the same. the remnants are part of her look. do you wash ur face at night?

I like the IDEA of yesterday's makeup being part of your beautiful ruin, but my skin is too oily -- between the party at night and doing anything the next morning, a shower is always required.

no, i don't wash my face at night. i'm kind of anti that, because i feel like it would just remove too many of my skin's natural oils and stuff. but i do feel guilty about not using any eye makeup remover.

see this intrigues me. so what do you do in the morning? and you have clear skin?

i have perfectly clear skin and i only wash my face once a day too. i don't know if i am a good test subject tho -- i've always had almost 100% clear skin, i just am genetically blessed.

I am with the dirty ladies - I never wash my face at night either, just wear my makeup to bed :P I don't get pimples aside from one once a month, like clockwork.. I wash in the morning with face wash with scrubby bubbles in it, then mix concealer & lotion together and dry down with powder.

i USED to have pretty great skin. now that i'm getting old (lol) it's fucked. not to a casual observer, but it's def starting to show some wear and tear.

ramz: in the morning i wash (in the shower) with a gentle fash wash most days and a scrub once a week. i'm using this shitty neutrogena stuff atm, which i thought was the same as my last stuff, but is in fact not - it makes my face literally 'squeaky clean'.

i feel like face skin should only have very minimal extra stuff put put on it - it produces lots of stuff to care for itself, and washing/moisturising too much will probably block up pores and strip the skin. i have no evidence for this. it's just a 'feeling'.

i don't use concealer or foundation - just a very very light bronzer.

After I turned 30 I suddenly had acne issues. Before then I was peaches and cream. Sucks.

Anyway, I'm curious as to why those of you who only wash once a day would do so in the morning rather than at night. Aren't you worried about sweat, dust, pollution, makeup, etc clogging your pores while you sleep?

Sometimes I will only wash once a day, at night, and then rinse with cool water in the morning. But in my constant quest for acne control this has been my regime for the past six weeks and it seems to be working okay (as in acne not getting worse, perhaps slightly better.):

-Wash with Cetaphil and cool water in the morning. Apply blemish cream over face follow with tinted moisturizer or moisturizer + foundation.

-When I come home - clean face with a Neutrogena makeup remover face wipe. Apply blemish cream.

-Night: Wash with sacylic or benzyol peroxide foaming cleanser (twice a week I sub an exfoliating scrub); follow with blemish cream and night moisturizer.

For the past couple of weeks I've been using a 2% sacylic blemish cream (gel). It doesn't seem as powerful as benzyol peroxide on big breakouts but seems to do well and I feel like it's less strong. I have no dryness issues.

I also don't use toner. I think it does more harm than good.

i wash my face at night, not in the morning.

the reason i wash mine in the morning is that it's too hard not getting my face wet in the shower, and once i get it wet i then have to moisturise, and i don't want to do this twice a day

I have a friend who has to moisturize MORE THAN once a day just because her skin soaks up the lotion. This is amazing to me. She has the most beautiful, pore-less skin of anyone I know (possibly ever) but she can only use super-gentle, sensitive cleansers and etc and by 10.30am, when I'm blotting my oils, she's adding moisturizer for the 2nd time of the day.

I comfort myself by thinking that my dermis will age better in the long run, but it's cold comfort when she's practically GLOWING in any light.

water often makes my skin go crazy dry -like, skin-flaking-off-my-face kind of dry. sometimes in winter i need to moisturise twice a day, but i try to avoid it, because i feel like it's just more shit filling up my pores.

and oh god - i've started noticing small red spots/lines on my cheeks, something my mum has which has gotten worse in her old age. i forget what it's called, something like 'rosacea' or similar.

i have a bunch of little things, but with a little concealer and the right angle i can pull it out

i exfoliate in the morning and cleanse at night. i use a lighter moisturizer in the morning than at night, and a different eye cream as well.

eye cream in the morning, eye gel at night for me

i am the opposite - gel in am, cream for bed.

I need to pick up new foundation/concealer. The stuff I've been using is shit for redness. Blah.

I have found nothing for redness. It's driving me mad.

tza you exfoliate every day?

does anyone still use noxzema?

i assume there is a never-ending supply of 12 year old girls who need their first cleanser, yeah. i don't think anyone over the age of 20 does though, do they?

mmm, nostalgia. Maybe I will start again.

that tingly feeling!

i used to exfoliate every day and my skin was pretty great then. also what ive seen of tza's skin in photos looks pretty great too. maybe its time to start again.

i have a really light exfoliator that i like. it's kind noxzema like in consistency, but it has tiny little scrubbing beads.

i like scrubbing better than scratching, on a regular basis.

depends how my skin is feeling. sometimes every day, sometimes not. but i like to keep smooth, i guess.

I use a scrub cleanser to exfoliate every morning and rinse with water at night. I moisturize at least twice a day sometimes more in winter. Diff day and night creams but same eye stuff.

what i find is, eye gels are really lovely and glow-y, which i love, but they don't blend with my under-eye concealer

whereas my eye cream blends

i now blend and then apply, which has been working wonders in my life

Gels aren't moisturizing enough for me so I use cream only. I just let it sink in for a while before doing concealer.

girl, you don't need no eye cream ;)

LOL. That may be true but only because I've been using it since I was 19! There's no other explanation for my lack of wrinkles as a 31 year old (hopefully soon to be ex) smoker!

everyone needs eye cream (says she who doesn't use and has only been sporadically using moisturizer for fear of clogged pores.)

discovered that a) seattle has ulta, and b) they carry mario badescu now! which means i can buy things without paying shipping! but also means no samples. so hmm.

Everyone needs eye cream, apparently.

susan's right, you know

very much

in Friends With Money, jennifer aniston's character would steal eye cream and put it all over her body

::shrugs::

What Mario Badescu products should I try now that I have noticed that Ulta carries it ?

I have both dry flaky patches and oily acne prone parts on my face. Bleh.

Stop wasting time with the expensive stuff and use the only topical treatment that has been proven to work: Retin A. Retin A in the evening + moisturizer in the morning = good skin.

i need a new eye gel for the morning. something depuffying/soothing? the clarins stuff was alright but not amazing and not really in the budget right now.

tr, try the hyaluronic eye cream. the seaweed toner is nice. also try going on their site and filling out the little questionnaire about your skin and it will suggest products for you (and usually they'll send you samples).

wish i could help tza but i use the Lab Series for men gel.

musically, my aunt uses this retin-a. i remember something about it tho -- does it dry your skin out or something? also, is it just an acne treatment, or is it like a wrinkle treatment as well?

i used retin-a in middle school. shit was harsh. i remember we had to get a note from my doctor to give the insurance company saying it wasn't bc i wanted to get rid of wrinkles/cosmetic bc otherwise they wouldn't cover it.

it's weird to me that it can be so harsh, yet prevent wrinkles. u know?

It's gotta be like some kind of race. Stay good looking long enough to make someone worthwhile fall in love with and spend the rest of your life with you, and then you can just go ahead wake up with puffy eyes some mornings.

but then they have a midlife crisis and leave you bc you too puffy.

I hope to God I pick better than that.

i think it's usually the boys who do that.

OK.

i got talked into this caudalié exfoliator and it's very nice, but even nicer are the mask and moisturizer samples she gave me! it all smells like lavender and is apparently made from grapes?

in love with this btw
http://www.aveda.com/images/products2/large/av_A3X5_162.jpg

way better than the clarins gel.

I got the green science eye cream and holy shit it burns! I'm thinking of taking it back.

ok so here is a thing:

i am currently living a healthier lifestyle than i have in YEARS, if ever, but my skin looks worse than i can remember since middle school! i am currently a broken out mess, possibly due to some kind of allergic reaction to some unknown thing (it's slightly similar to my bare minerals breakout last summer), and i am not sure that any skin product can help. what do i do? is it hormonal? is it age? gahhhhh!

maybe it's change of climate, but i can't imagine the air here being worse than polluted nyc air!

It takes time to work all the deep-down crap outta your skin. It's gotta be bad to get good.

i feel like it all went south when i got a facial :(
i know it's supposed to act up for a few days after but it's been 1.5 months or so and is getting progressively worse.

what about the water? maybe it's that?

6 weeks is nothing. When we start a patients on an acne treatment, we tell them to expect bad skin for another 12 weeks.

i mean like, 6 weeks since facial. skin has been overall worse for like 5 months but definitely better before the facial. but i don't know if that's anything to do with it. ugh.

what the hell kinda facial was it? Have you been using anything new?

it was at aveda. i bought some aveda lotion. maybe that's it? but i stopped using it just in case like... a week ago... and i'm still kinda breaking out.

i should really just find health insurance so i can go to a dermatologist.

after the facial the girl said 'your skin is so perfect! i had a hard time diagnosing any problems at all!' which i kinda disagreed with but compared to now, it was pretty perfect then.

your diet is pretty diff these days, something you are allergic to maybe

When you get health insurance, come see me!

<3

It definitely took a derm to fix my skin problems. Rx Retin-A plus rx spirinolactone is like magic bullet shit.

I do, however, have sunspots and broken capillaries that kinda bug me (lol thirtysomething with past history of sun abuse). Kate what are your thoughts on IPL? That's what my derm recommends.

hey tza the other i was thinking: you're exercising way more than u used to,r ight? sweat might be causing some of the breakouts too

hmm maybe. but i tend to shower right away afterwards.

The only other thing I can think of is old toxins getting worked through and out? Some byproducts of body processes are expressed on the skin -- they are expressed by pores instead of being handled by, say, the digestive system.

what a disaster for my face.

gah now the lower half of my face (nose, lips, chin, etc) is FLAKING OFF, i think from blowing nose/winter weather? ugh.

why do i feel like my skin is oilier on days when i wear glasses instead of contacts?

the plastic from the glasses rubbing against your skin can create problems!

I've had a zit that won't quit under the left arm of my glasses. At least you can't see it.

fyi british: no treatment for acne on the nhs under cameron. GOODTIMES.

what do ppl feel about biore nose strips?

I thought they made my skin worse, tbh. Maybe I was doing it wrong though.

Has anyone else tried using any stuff with neem in it? I've had good luck with a low-poo neem shampoo and so am trying a neem/aloe lotion. Seems to work great for redness, evening out skin tone, itching, but stinks.

have never heard of it!

It's a tree extract, like tea tree oil only no terpenes (I'm allergic to these), used in ayurvedic medicine for eons apparently. One of those stinky miracle products that does everything - antibacterial, calming, natural insect repellent, etc

If your skin is subject to problems, such as blemishes, oily skin, or dry skin, try this simple solution on your skin. Purchase a bottle of apple cider vinegar diluted to 5%. Further dilute this by adding two parts water to one part vinegar. Keep this solution in a bottle close to where you wash, and each time you wash your face, rinse the soap off thoroughly and rinse the face with this solution. This will neutralize the alkaline residue left by the soap and help restore the natural acid condition of the skin, preventing any bacteria from getting a foothold, and reducing your chances of facial infections or the development of pimples. You will notice that after a week or so of using this solution your face will begin to take on a healthier glow than you have ever seen before. The skin on your face will feel more alive and you will look more radiant. Try it for yourself and see the fantastic results.

I just bought a bottle of this stuff today (89¢ cheap) but haven't tried it yet. it definitely appeals to my penny-pinching nature, seeing as the only skincare product I use right now is a daily dab of 15 spf moisturizer. hope it doesn't leave me smelling too bad.

You must keep us posted on the results!

I love vinegar, partic the cider kind. Put a cup of it in bathwater for the same effect, btw, or put one cup of it in two cups of water to rinse dirty hair before washing normally. Brilliant, soft, feels like it repairs months of damage (what it really does is strip away all product residue and bring scalp back to slight acidity).

For some reason I never thought of it as facewash -- I like it a lot better than commercial toner. Might even steep some dried calendula in it.

ugh i need a dermatologist.

^^^still
my chin is a disaster!

on the positive: i got mario badescu ceramide herbal eye cream instead of the hyaluronic just as an experiment in trying new things. i am excited to see how it compares.

soo, you guys, i need a gel moisturizer. i found a GREAT one from lab series that i might have to get again, even tho it's $$, but do y'all have any other options? like, i just started using my eye gel all over my face cuz it's so much better for my skintone than any moisturizing cream i've tried.

any ideas?

Does it really have to be a gel? You can get CeraVe at the drugstore; it gets raves on the makeupalley boards. I use the CeraVe PM lotion--very light, no breakouts, no stinging.

i used this philosophy microdelivery peel sample my aunt gave me and woah that shit is amazing. so $$ though :( it seriously cleared out my nose pores, though. the ones that drive me crazy because it seems like no matter how much i exfoliate, they fill right back up.

i was also in aveda for this awesome hair product (see hair did thread) and was telling the girl how i felt like my skin had been more oily/congested since i started using the lotion the aveda people told me to get so she said i could bring it back, even though it was months old and almost half used. so i did, and exchanged it for something that so far seems much better :)

t seriously cleared out my nose pores, though.

SO. TEMPTING. Have just realized I may not be able to buy soccer tix AND cosmetics this week, and I am super jittery about doing something to my SKIN but ARGGHGHGHG.

i can only imagine what regular use would do... i can dream. some day i can buy!

tehresa when you move here we can go halfsies on pricey skincare treatments and loll around in bathrobes and face masks with cucumber slices on our eyes!

^_^

Just dropped a ton on Revale day cream. Love that stuff.

tehresa, is this the philosophy stuff?

yes

65 doesn't seem toooo horrendous - how long is it expected to last?

my pores are complete shit - maybe i will invest in the care of my skin sometime soon.

what i would give for that philosophy microdelivery whatever

my aunt actually used to work for philosophy, so she would sent my other aunt (who is more like my mom) samples of EVERYTHING. walking into my aunt's bathroom is like walking into heaven.

now she works for la prairie

yes quincie i think it has to be a gel :(

hey so i break out at almost any sun protection moisturizer, or any regular moisturizer for that matter, but i bought this DDF Enhancing Sun Protection UV Moisturizer SPF 30 the other day and it is awesome! it uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which my skin can deal with. pretty happy that this comes right before serious sun season.

I still rep for the LaRoche Posay Anthelios SX SPF 15. Yeah it is only SPF 15 but it also has a high PPD, unlike most other sunscreens in the US. An SPF 15 is fine for me--I avoid direct exposure anyway.

what's high ppd?

i like the DDF moisturizer too, had a sample of that from sephora or someplace & finally tried it, good stuff.. i should go for spf 30 right, being pale as death and all?

Has anyone tried any powder-based sunscreens? peter thomas roth has a couple, I'm going to try one because all the sunscreens I try make me feel horribly greasy, also I am paranoid about avobenzone.

ugh summer is so brutal on skin... i feel like i need a facial every week. (or am just magnifying issues b/c my skin had been behaving for a while). tho i seem to have sweated out a lot of problem-skin issues while weekend dancing - maybe i just need a sauna every week! or maybe just not wear make-up/foundation, however light, for a while and see what happens. yep. ok i'm mostly ranting haha.
still v curious about photo-facials (but need $$ for them)

man this morning i had some unprecedented undereye dryness. i think i am getting OLD!
i keep hearing the voice of jewell singing "who will sayyy-eee-aavvve my skin?"

do y'all find that having a couple drinks has a really negative effect on your skin for the next few days?

it certainly dehydrates you. and if you are out and about having the drinks, you're probably wearing yourself out, too. the older i get, the harsher a toll going out and/or drinking takes on my physical appearance.

i don't know if it is stress or what happened but under my right eye it looks like i have an abrasion or rash. there was some dry skin a few days ago, and now it is red and horrible looking.

i think i haven't been drinking enough water. my poor, dry, hormonally crazy skin.

i need a gentle once-or-twice-a-week-type exfoliator w/o salicylic or glycolic acid or abrasive bits - does such a thing exist? for v sensitive/rosacea skin? i cannot deal with internet searches at the moment but you guys are a better anyway :)

got some marcelle exfoliating scrub (non-abrasive) - helping!
and using some laroche-posay vit C-treatment cream
dryness n stuff bettering, phew

I am freckling way more easily this summer than in years past. Is this a sign of age? :(

i am covered in face freckles and i hate it. it does accelerate as i get older, so watch out tza. i think i'm a few years older than you are?

i wear spf 40 on my face at all times when i'm outdoors now and it still happens :(

when i need a gentle exfoliator, i mix a little baking soda into my cleanser. cheap, and works alright. (that tip came to me from thread starter colette!)

Ooh awesome idea!

This morning I had on spf 70, a sport sunscreen (waterproof etc) for lap swimming. One hour total in sun and my shouldersgot crazy freckled! I think there's no hope for me.

oof, that sucks. i would take shoulders over my face though. i do not want to see what i look like under one of those lamps that highlights skin damage (is that just a blacklight?)

i did baking soda for a while--the baking soda bits are small enough that it's pretty effective in its abrasiveness. but after i'd used it for a while it stung my skin. too basic i guess.

some people use sugar mixed in with cleanser or whatever. i keep meaning to make myself a body scrub with sugar. my face seems to have become too sensitive to use any sort of manual exfoliator. i have a fruit enzyme mask that helps some. i need to get in the habit of using it regularly.

Ok what the hell I just got a delayed reaction sunburn/irritation on my legs. Like 4 hours after being at the pool they turned pink and burny!

maybe the chlorine? did you shave your legs today?

Baking soda actually seems TOO fine to me, but then I'm used to sanding a couple of layers off with some coarse cornmeal, which I use mostly for body scrub but sometimes also on face.

There's a finer grade of cornmeal too, which might work better as a neutral scrubbing agent for faces?

I did, but the burn appeared after I showered the chlorine off, and is only on the tops of my legs (which were in sun when I was sitting on a chair for a few min post-swim).

Tops of legs are the most susceptible sunburn spot for me, even with tons of high SPF sunscreen! I'll be fine everywhere else, but pink on the front thighs.

guys how serious is it when you have a family history of melanoma and you start developing one or two small brown spots on your skin n.b. this has not happened before

Louis it's probably nothing but go have them looked at. You don't want to mess around with that sort of thing.

ok cool, ty

Seriously it could be so many things. I have a lot of freckles and birthmarks and get a full body check every couple of years. It's a good idea to do so if you have any questions.

well especially if my mum has on and off melanoma herself - i've been a bit lax with suncare of late and i just want to make sure it isn't anything serious

i will second "get it checked out"
better safe than melanoma

my skin just looks terrible
* sun spots (ie freckles of the old)
* dry spots
* spots (small but recurring zits mostly on my forehead)

i have always been of the belief that a facial is not worth the money, and that no process i could afford or cream application is going to really help

am i wrong? is there really something that will help or am i just getting old and in that case, fuck it? i protect from the sun as much as i can, but there's only so much a person can do to stop the ravage of time (basically, nothing but keep a positive attitude)

have always been of the belief that a facial is not worth the money, and that no process i could afford or cream application is going to really help

i feel this is true too although my mom says a friend of hers (prob in her fifties) had uneven spotty skin so she had several peel type treatments done and now her skin looks porcelain and 'glows'. i think she dropped mad cash on it though.

also: found out my dentist has started doing botox and restylane treatments. sweeeeeeeet.

A chemical peel is not a facial; it's much more involved than that. Chemical peels remove a few layers of skin.

that's a glycolic acid peel, right? i have been doing those at home (low percentage acid i bought on ebay) and it's not really doing much. it does burn, though. i can only take 3 min max.

facials dont take off layers? ive never had anything like that done. YET. im sure its right around the corner. xp

if im paying money id probably want some layers removed tbh

I've only had two facials in my life and imo they're nice for clearing up skin and giving a temporary glow but it's not a long-term solution. I'm a big believer in proper creams though. I've been using eye cream and anti-aging formulas since I was 18 and a make-up artist told me it's never too early to start. I don't know if they work or not but I don't think it can hurt. ROC creams are supposedly one of the best you can buy OTC and seem to work pretty well. I use a moisturizer with sunscreen in the AM and a serum and retinoid night cream in the PM when I don't just fall asleep on the couch and forget the whole thing.

This is the farthest south I've lived in 10 years and this summer is srsly schooling me in the need for diligent sunscreen use. Stopping @ cvs on the way home to try and find a good daily ceream with spf.

trying to convince myself the weird mole on my knee is nothing, and that the two little mole-lets around it are also nothing

am seeing a dermatologist in a day or so

Just had a biopsy on a mole on my foot that suddenly developed a raised black bit in the middle. Was supposed to get the results today - will try calling the dermatologist tomorrow.

Oh, dear. Good luck, both of you.

thanks - am sure mine's nothing but it's worth a look. seeing my GP on Weds - already have a dermatologist booked for a month or so

I'm glad to hear about that.

Start using an oil-based cleanser from Shiseido, am hoping for miraculous blackhead-disappearing effects. (I believe it's the Ultimate Cleansing Oil.)

Mole was benign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vkCR2ZWAe4&feature=popular

oh man i'm addicted to watching her makeup vids! but it is making me feel like a disgusting slob :(

also: the one wear where she explains using two different foundations (that are about 4 shades diff from each other, and she doesn't mix them, she applies them BOTH) is blowing my mind.

yeah, i like watching her for her tips, also i think her skin looks good. my best girlfriend (who has the best skin) says this girl looks like she is wearing makeup too dark for her even when she isn't, and thinks she's gross. it is the only thing on youtube that we disagree on.

in that lemon vid her skin looks weird and orange but that's the only one out of all them i've watched. plus, i guess it's not like she uses professional lighting so that can make her skin look weirder than it really is.

i felt inspired to put on eyeshadow and foundation today, for the first in aaaaaaaaaaaages.

I got that philosophy micropeel and it is generally great but it wrecked the skin on my lips somehow. I've had a flaky patch for months now and I'm worried it won't go away! would prob help if I stopped picking at it obv etc.

Huh - I had a flaky patch for a few days after the first time I used it but it went away. Was pretty bad on that day tho.

teeny?!?! i havent seen you post in ages

I might be back! Still nothing to say tho :(

http://www.nutrifit.org/ProductImages/iherb/JAS-33003-l.jpg

haha, didnt mean to just post that blank. i've been using that, and it is the best moisturizer ever!

so... chin breaks out a lot (hormones i think?) but my nose is constantly flaky and shedding. how to balance?!

drink a lot of water???

i watched that lemon vcideo last night and cant wait to try.

someone explain what its like to go to a dermatologist. can you go just because your skin is kind of gross or do you have to have an actual medical problem?

i think i may have asked that before btw but i dont recall the answer.

also is it covered by insurance?

ALSO i watched that 'youth know no pain' and some crazed plastic surgery junkie dudes swore you can get insurance to pay for an eye lift. i wonder if restylne/juverderm(sp?) is covered

Gross skin is fair game for derm and ime insurance has covered it, yes. Particularly if you throw in "and I should have a full body check because I haven't had one in years." Derm will do that plus tend to your skin complaints, all in one visit.

I know someone who managed to get an eyelift covered by insurance because her "droopy lids were obstructing her vision."

They were not, by her account.

I know someone who managed to get an eyelift covered by insurance because her "droopy lids were obstructing her vision."

Which happens, BTW. You also can get them to pay for a tummy tuck if your sagging belly is impeding your ability to walk--which happens, too.

I now work in derm and we don't buy the "I need a full body exam" line usually because your regular family doctor can do that and refer out if a problem is discovered. You can make that appointment, but you'll be paying out of pocket without a referral generally. Many dermatologist won't even see self-referrals for non-cosmetic complaints, though. You can just go ahead and schedule a cosmetic visit (check first to make sure to dermatologist you're seeing even does cosmetic stuff 'cause some don't). Ain't no way juvaderm or restalyne is getting covered by your insurance. We will not even attempt to submit to your company and demand cash on the barrel.

has anyone tried the clarisonic or nutrasonic? i'm getting a nutrasonic for xmas. (costco has a decent discount and a good return policy if it turns out to suck)

i've been fascinated with these things for a while now. my face is a nightmare of flaky dryness, and exfoliation doesn't tend to work as thoroughly as i need.

can't answer that, but i'm wondering if kate78 can tell me what i should do about the tiny skin tags i've noticed developing under my eyes - is this something i can get easily treated/removed at a dermatologist? they're almost invisible under my glasses, but they're freaking me out, as i've seen what happens when they GROW and SPREAD. ugh.

s this something i can get easily treated/removed at a dermatologist?
Yes, a nurse can just numb the area and snip them off with scissors! Insurance probably will not cover this 'cause it's cosmetic.

they're still really really small though - do i have to wait for them to get bigger??

Cannot tell without looking at them. Possibly? See what they can do for you.

I have Mario Badescu samples coming!!! Verrrry excited about this; I haven't bought a specifically facial care product in...like a year. Or more?? Basically am down to dabbing a tiny bit of my Aveeno body lotion onto my face these days, which works "okay" but obv not to be preferred.

Maybe I'll cruise by Kiel's on the way home and see if I can pick up a few winter item samples...I have been neglecting this local resource for too long.

Hitting Sephora later to look for a dark, dark brown eye pencil with a hint of gold sparkle. I also really want some eyeshadow to experiment with as I haven't worn it in years, but I just don't know where to start. I guess I should be watching those vids.

Whoops wrong thread... though maybe gold sparkle will make my skin look better in a magical way...

hey, mario badescu sends you a $10 gift cert on your bday! awesome :)

sweeeet

hay kate78 what kind of results do you see from restylne etc. ive heard these types of things last a year but then ive also heard you look bad for a week, great for another week, then back to pre-procedure face the next.

also how many injections needed for fine lines around the mouth??

also is it wise to trust my dentist to do it?

hi Sunny: i don't have a lot of experience with restalyne, sorry. I would not go to a dentist, though. Many derms and plastic surgeons will do a cosmetic consult for free (it never hurts to ask). You're stunning, anyway.

Revive for ENBB cos the proper place isn't really the hair-did thread.

This one!

that stuff is awesome! i've been rocking a sample size of it for like 3 years.

aww kate78 you sweet!

have you ladies seen this new magazine called 'New Beauty'? its credo seems to be 'look you know the creams don't work. get injections already, moran' It's really pretty great.

xoxo

oh and totally contrary to my post above ive been using DDF Mesojection Healthy Cell Serum before using moisturizer and its improved my skin but a gazillion percent. its $84 at sephora but I found one half price still in the box on ebay and the chick even sent a whole mess of samples with it. score!

haha i was reading DDF's description of the serum and how it penetrates "14 layers deep into the skin’s surface" - made me think of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdkWc_ogevs
haha :)

Went to the for-reals Mario Badescu counter at Lord & Taylor, bought two things on the cheaper end of spectrum, and the lady was throwing samples in my bag like I was the Queen of Somewhere and it was my birthday. <3

Also went to Sephora for a lipgloss and someone who reminded me very much of ilx's own favorite 666er, nijoli, ended up helping me find a lip color and she turned out to be from Ohio and have vacationed in places from my neck of the Michigan woods. Charmed, I'm sure!

Made it back to work in about 1 hr 10 mins. :D

What kind of lipgloss?

Guys, I'm confused about skincare. :(

Brand: Lip Fusion. Color: "Bitten."

No idea what Fusion is, as a brand. Sales lady I happened to approach turned out to be a specialist for them.

What is the confusion??

There are just SO many products out there that I end up getting weirdly overwhelmed when it comes to buying creams and stuff. I don't really have any brand loyalty although I just read that you should use a product for at least three months until it starts working so maybe I should start cultivating some.

I need a good day time moisturizer with SPF 30. Any suggestions?

I've bought my entire skin care regimen in either a grocery store or corner Walgreens for so many years I don't even know. I used to use all-Shiseido stuff at one time and rly liked it.

After much lurking on the skin care board at Makeupalley, I have come up with this summary:

1. Use a gentle cleanser
2. Use an antioxidant (vit C, etc.)
3. Use a retinol
4. Always, always, always use a stable sunscreen

My go-to SPF is LaRoche Posay Anthelios--CVS carries it. It's the only thing I've found that doesn't ball up funny, leave a white cast, or sting my eyes/skin. Actually, the SPF 40 leaves a bit of a white cast, but for daily use (when I'm inside most of the day) I just use the 15.

Yeah I mean that is the other thing. I sort of refuse to spend tons of money on really expensive skin stuff because I'm pretty convinced that there are some great drugstore brands out there. Right now I'm using Aveeno which is pretty good. I guess part of my confusion is whether it's worth actually shelling out 50+ for a day cream or if I'm fine sticking to my trusty CVS standbys.

I stood by the Aveeno soy daytime moisturizer for a couple of years but bought it again maybe 6 mos ago and it seems to make my cheeks break out?? Still think their body lotions have the best texture and absorbency of any of the drugstore lotions but I can't put their stuff on my face anymore.

OK so I already use a gentle cleanser. Just bought a vit C serum. I'll make sure the next night cream I get has retinoids in it.

Quincie is the LaRoche SPF just an SPF or a moisturizer w/ SPF?

8oz of the Badescu moisturizer w SPF that I just bought, btw, was only $22 or so.

oh that's not bad at all

The LaRoche 15 comes in both plain SPF and moisturizer w/SPF; not sure about the 40.

The was a drugstore retinol product that the MUA people supported, but I can't remember which--I think it was also LaRoche?

Roc?

That seems to get a lot of praise as far as drugstore retinol goes but I've never been that impressed with it. Maybe I don't give them enough time. I feel like I switch every time I run out of something instead of sticking with it.

So does putting antioxidants on your skin REALLY do anything? I'm kinda surprised to see you repping for that, q!

It's definitely more about prevention than correction. In theory (and some actual science to back it up), having supplemental antioxidants on the skin will help wipe up the free radicals that cause skin damage, particularly that caused by UV radiation. I have a lot of sun damage from my carefree (and sunscreen-free) youth, so basically I'm just trying to minimize future damage. I don't rep for it as making any sort of noticeable difference to existing damage.

I use a really cheap vit C serum--there are lots of make-your-own recipes, too--so I figure what the hell.

I mean we put lemon juice on cut apples to minimize oxidation, right? Same theory :)

I believe you and the science! I'm surprised that any aspect of the sales lingo has real merit, but what the hell, why not.

I'm also in total denial about my own sun damage; although I stopped getting any on-purpose rays sometime in my early teens, I've had a few episodes with my forehead where my part is, involving damage where layers of skin slough off and ooze. I'm diligent with the sunscreen now but I'd hate to get under one of those lights that shows the accumulation of damage.

I don't even need one of those lights to see mine--brown spots galore, plus the occasional actinic keratosis that has to be scraped off and sent to pathology. Oh and I had to have something cut out of my lip several years back. Thanks a lot, stupid sun.

I keep looking at the Olay Regenerist stuff at Costco. But then I remembered how much I liked Neutrogena's Healthy Skin stuff, so was just looking at that online. Which led me to these microneedle rollers OMG!! Prick thousands of tiny holes in your face, and then rub stuff on it YEOW!!

I got at least a dozen or more second-degree sunburns in my early teens (I wasn't trying to get a suntan, I just did a lot of swimming), but I don't see any sun damage--just allergy lines underneath my eyes and across the bridge of my nose, the chicken pox scars on my forehead, and some barely visible wrinkles around my eyes. (Don't see any on the rest of my body, either.) I'm assuming that skin cancer is inevitable, though, and I've been worried about it for years.

Made it back to work in about 1 hr 10 mins. :D
oh man i kinda miss working in midtown now for the once-in-a-while pop over to the saks beauty counters for a little lunchtime pick me up in the form of lip gloss! foggy bottom is lame.

re: drug store stuff, i told l this earlier today but i ran out of my fancy eye creams and needed something stat and picked up a thing of loreal's reviatlift and i feel like my under-eye area, which is usually a concern, actually may look a little bit better. but maybe it's just psychological? so hard to tell!

so i went for a facial today at a place that is also a dermatologist's office, so it's this good mix of clinical and fancy. they have really good products too. the facial didn't make my skin burn or get greasy or anything. it was awesome. i feel glowy, even though my super reactive skin is recovering from a breakout thing (fun times). i bought some good products too, as i am finally accepting that i really can't use any skin product in a department store or sephora or drugstore. but hey, that's life. also i feel fancy now :)

why at 36 did i suddenly develop acne....fucking a.

Erm, stress?

i definitely experienced a hormonal change in the past year or two (late 20s) that made my skin more congested (and also my hips wider) but i don't know much about this happening in men!

its like adult acne central...its really nuts. but yes, i think zora nailed it.

its not ridiculous, but i wake up with a new pimple every other day.

I'm in the same boat.

Get back to us when your own sweat makes your skin break out.

that happens in the summer time to me laurel.

Also I think I accidentally got hairspray on my neck while spraying my 'do on Saturday, and sure enough -- Sunday I had a whole new problem right in that spot.

xp oh well then. Welcome to the club!

Me too, sorry! Also allergic to sunlight.

usually right under the brim of my hat is where i get them the worst.

i also get them right at my hairline, i suspect that Brylcreem may be the culprit.

Semi-famous internet memes notwithstanding, you may want to actually wash that hat.

ha!

om a skincare related tip - I think I may have found my holy grail eye cream - Clinique All About Eyes Rich. I've been looking for a heavy cream - not a gel, not a lotion, a cream that targets circles and lack of sleep-induced puffiness and two days in this baby seems to be working a treat.

need that
i am so sleep deprived and look like death

its a new hat! its the brylcreem

Yeah, probably. I have to change my pillowcase frequently because hair oils transfer to it and then get on my skin, and I know I'm not the only one who freaks out slightly about linens.

thats probably why im getting the acne on my face! Fucking brylcreem. I change my sheets once/twice a week....i also have night sweats...im a fucking nightmare.

That's pretty frequent, tbh. More than twice a week seems like an ungodly amount of work. Do you, or would you consider, showering at night? Or sleep in a cap of some kind just to wrap up the 'do.

i've heard that a cool shower before bed helps. i've also started to wear pajama bottoms and a t-shirt to sleep and before i was strictly an underpants kind of guy and it seems to help. I think i would get too cold and then overheat. I've also found that they sell moisture wicking pajamas at $75 a pop.

yeah, nix the bryllcreem. i almost never use product in my hair bc it causes me to breakout. some aveda stuff is okay, but i don't know, hair products are full of oils and alcohols and silicones and all of them clog my pores it wld seem... i use aveda 'brilliant' shampoo & conditioner and that has made hair far less dry, so less need for product anyway.

my skin has actually been really good since using aquafolia cleanser and moisturizer, but then i ate chocolate on the wkend and also had wine, both of which cause hive-like pimples, and i know that! and yet. i had a kindof self-destructive wkend in general, so thanks for the reminder to not be so crazy, skin. getting a facial on thursday as it is :)

i just spent insane amounts of money on the Anthony product line for men, cleansers, atringent and moisturizer. Used to use these products with good results before.

bf uses that for his shaving (head/face) and lovves it, although i think he's run out and not repurchased because of $.

I used the anthony shaving products...not as good as the Kiehls though.

tell your bf to try proraso (great for a great price) or taylor of old bond street.

i just scared the hell out of myself when i looked at my leg and saw what i thought was a bunch of varicose veins. it was just some lint. *phew!!*

ooh i've been using the Aveda Enbrightenment cleanser and it is really great! i was srsly surprised and figured i'd have to take it back after a week or two. but i'm really liking it!

but i think the best thing i've been doing for my skin is not eating sugar

I have a serious varicose vein problem (cosmetically speaking, not medically speaking) and have basically stopped wearing skirts.

guys i bought a microdermabrasion (sp?) treatment on groupon . also hair extensions. i assume i tip the hairdresser but the skin lady? i dont know. internet points to no but im not sure. anyone have a clue?

yeah i think anything that is 'clinical' you wouldn't tip for? i don't know though!!

I've got an inch-and-a-half long crack in my heel that's been there several months and won't go away. I've gotten rid of the callous around it, I'm rubbing crack healing ointment on it every day and painting it with liquid bandage at night, but all I've been able to do is heal it enough to where I can walk around without pain. Got any ideas to help, or should I see a doctor on this one? (I'm not diabetic.)

i got nothing.

can we talk about sunscreen? i hear you are not supposed to use oxybenzone-containing sunscreens now. every.single.sunscreen has it. i have so far found ONE - an alba one at whole foods - that didn't.

Christine, you might try O'Keeffe's - either Healthy Feet or Working Hands. The Working Hands might be easier for you to find locally; hardware stores carry it as well as some drug stores.

Christine, I am not positive, but I think a crack that won't heel could possibly have a fungal component to it. I would probably see a doctor but if that's not feasible or easy, maybe try some Lamictal cream or something similar and see if that helps.

Hahaha won't heal, I mean. Sheesh.

Thanks, I'll look into that for my heel that won't heal.

Can anyone recommend a 50+ suncream that isn't completely gloopy and guaranteed to stain any clothes it comes into contact with?

Bullfrog makes a spray-on version, I haven't tried it (because Duane Reade stopped carrying Bullfrog and I couldn't find any this season), but it's probably not "gloopy". Dunno about the staining, but suggest putting sunblock on the parts that touch clothing BEFORE you put the clothes on, and let skin dry, and THEN get dressed.

Basically the same thing ladies are instructed to always do w/r/t lotion, make-up, perfume. All that stuff is bad for clothes.

That makes sense...I've never gone beyond basic Ambre Solaire products I pick up at Boots and was curious whether pricier creams might feel "nicer".

Oh. Then the answer is "yes."

the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunscreens are good and not oily and haven't harmed my clothes that i've noticed

Confession: I gave up on daily sunscreen. I'm in direct sunlight approx 10 minutes every day, if that. It just seemed pointless.

Went to a dermatologist (1st time ever) last week to have some scary bumps checked out (benign) - she advised it was better to wear clothing+hat than sunscreen, which is easier here than other places since it is generally not terribly hot.

Haha I've been in the sun almost daily for a week and purposefully got as much tan as possible (for me) in that time. Yay summer!!

I avoid the sun like a goth. I don't mind oblique sunlight, such as sitting in the shade, wearing sunglasses and looking out at sunlit things, but for the most part, direct sunlight makes me decidedly unhappy.

Well, I've been on a boat/at the beach. I only like to be in the sunlight in close proximity to water.

I got at least 5-10 second degree sunburns in one summer when I was 11 or 12, and I wonder when the skin cancer is going to show up.

ugh i remember getting sunburned so bad when i was kid that i had huge blisters on my face. i don't think sunscreen made an appearance in our house till i was 8 or so.

I had so many blisters on my face and had them so often that my mother thought I'd end up with scars.

in june 1997 i went to the first Tibetan freedom concert out on Randalls Island. Not being a native NYer I had no idea downing stadium was a sea on white concrete. My head got so burnt that day that i was peeling layers of skin off my head that i had to then drag through my hair. id end up with a piece of skin with a hundred tiny holes. So gross and painful. AND I developed a bright red dot about the size of a round pinhead an inch back from my hair line that i still have today. I could get it removed but they'd have to shave my head there and right behind the bangs is kind of a hard place to cover up.

oh i guess it was the second TFC. The first one was in SF the year before

I am getting a facial today. Hoping for some sort of skin-rejuvenation miracle. Will no doubt end up disappointed.

caught a glimpse of my face under flourescents the other night and it was really, really scary. i don't know what to do... peel? facial?

avoid fluorescents: seriously: forever: seriously
really i feel like it is just deceptive, like those insane close up mirrors you can get for practically microscopic pore evaluation; it makes you view yourself through a lens that doesn't really compare to how things 'look' in any other circumstances, like if you had a mirror that showed you what you looked like solarized or with inverted colours. or with lens flare (awesome). i stopped using one of the bathrooms at work recently because, on days when my skin is less than perfect, i leave feeling really freaked out about it & assuming it's in that kind of weird hyper-accentuated state of neon blotchiness elsewhere.

i know avoiding certain places isn't always possible but i do sorta mean it, at least that you should be gauging what you need on how you feel generally about your skin rather than because of one of those weird instances when you're caught off guard.

more and more, i am dissatisfied with my skin's appearance under incandescent and natural light, too u_u

ah okay. just feeling compelled to proselytise because there are days when i have some distance & realise how much strip lighting plays with my idea of my complexion. good luck w/whatever you go for!, i sorta think the sense of agency of feeling like you made your skin better is worth a lot so worth doing the right thing for.

oh yeah i mean flourescents are definitely the worst. but i'm feeling like the problem is now bigger than lighting.

think i might give this homemade oil cleanser a try. my skin is so blah and has been for a while. i did notice that since my dairy consumption has dropped about 90% in the past couple of years, i hardly ever get big zits - but my pores are still blocked, i still have clusters of minor blemishes and i get these dry patches on my cheeks.

i've also developed rosacea on my cheeks :/ if this is hereditary, then i def got it from my mum.

I know Jaq has some experience with oil cleansers, she'll probably weigh in soon. I believe they can actually be quite drying, paradoxically.

Went to the Badescu counter today and topped up my cleanser, plus a day moisturizer with 17SPF and a night cream with none. Feeling very posh right about now, tbh!

I was out of everything and had been using a liquid Dr Bronner's plus whatever nice triple-milled bar we had in the bathroom, and my skin has been kinda freaking out?? I think that's also partly from not changing my sheets for going on 2 weeks now; even though I shower at night, anything that touches my face & neck eventually causes problems.

Haha the counter lady said, "You have very fair skin, and I also see a lot of redness." Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. Welcome to my world.

bronner's baby is the only shit my skin can deal with. it is the light blue one. the others are way too drying for me. it has been my daily soap for ~5 years (also sls free-sls breaks me out a bunch).

I've been trying to wash my hair less, partly b/c I'm cheap, and the last shampoo/cond set someone gave me is Aveda but a little too drying. Haven't thrown it out b/c it's expensive shit and I just didn't want to buy new, but not washing my hair is TERRIBLE for my skin. More breakouts all around hairline and nape. Embarrassing, I am a 35-yo grown-ass woman, why do I have teenager skin??

Otoh someone said they thought I was 25 the other day, so my oiliness must be doing something right/protective.

sls free obviously mean sodium laurel sulfate free! GET LAUREL OUT OF MY SOAPS

this is lindsay btw, hi! come to kathleens bday with me tomorrow?

Esp given that I've been smoking for like 15 years and am not at all careful w my skin.

xp HEY THAT'S LAURYL TO YOU.

xp2: Maybe! Special Agent Cooper and I have a date to go to the Times Sq protest but maybe later!

GET LAUREL OUT OF MY SOAPS

otm

well. it's at franklin park. i think you live around there now?? misssss u

Missssss u tu!

I live within biking dist of there, if it ever stops raining! Plus <3 <3 Kathleen, obv.

aw can you tell kathleen i said happy birthday (if it is the kathleen i think it is!)?

hi trza! it is :) and i will (or hopefully WE will cmon laurel)!

hey laurel, maybe try dampening a cotton pad with witchhazel and wiping your hairline/nape every evening/morning? it'll pick all those oils.

i find it too drying to use all over my face, but i swipe my t-zone/hairline with some every other day

I know Jaq has some experience with oil cleansers, she'll probably weigh in soon. I believe they can actually be quite drying, paradoxically.

Thank god I can FINALLY answer to this! OCM has been great for me, but it is drying and slightly detergent. I think it's bullshit that extra virgin olive or any other oil will "nourish" your epidermis btw. Castor and jojoba oils were both way too heavy and sticky to do any good for me - you want an oil that is lighter weight than the natural oil your skin produces. The oil you apply will dissolve and carry away your skin's excess oil and the crud it harbors in the upper reaches of your pores. Without causing your oil-producing glands to go into overdrive. OCM is magnificent at clearing blackheads - not just the oil dissolving business but that it provides enough slip to keep your massaging fingers from doing a lot of damage AND provides enough resistance to work the crud loose.

What it can't help so much with - hormonal issues. Those things are going to happen. The best you can do is keep the redness and inflammation down. I used to use a vitamin K gel, which will cut redness over time. But once I started doing neem experiments, it is now my go-to. It's anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal - super soothing for any itchiness too. For god's sake, don't use the neem oil though - stinks like you would not believe! Get neem leaf tincture or make your own oil or water or witch hazel based extract. You can buy ground up neem leaf in capsules at health food stores. Massage the tincture into areas of trouble - usually it's glycerin based so has a slightly sticky feel. It is very green in color and smell. Itchiness, redness, and inflammation are noticeably decreased in 10 minutes or so. The stuff has no known toxicity, but tastes TERRIBLE.

So what do you use instead of jojoba or castor, jaq?

I tried a home made face peel thing with gelatin and soy milk - idk, my pores still look dirty

I just use a lighter weight olive oil (not ev, some lesser and cheaper one). And an occasional diluted cider vinegar rinse, for when I want to feel especially salad-like :)

I started out using the modified olive oil from DHC, which is excellent btw, but then moved on to a home-brewed grocery store solution.

Sweet almond oil was okay to blend with the light olive oil, but I ran out of it. I think argan oil would also work really well, but it is $$$.

I put a little lavender oil in mine, since I do the OCM at night. I was worried about tightness from getting my face wet intrude morning shower and not moisturizing, but it's been fine. I do look quite tired though.

For me, the feeling of tightness always came from either stripping out all the oil with an alcohol toner, or using an alkaline pH cleanser and not re-acidifying. I only do OCM a few times a week and just rinse my face well 2x/day. I don't use any makeup though, so don't have to worry about taking that off my skin.

Normally I can't get my face wet unless I can moisturize right away - it gets tight and also flaky

Sweet almond oil was okay to blend with the light olive oil, but I ran out of it. I think argan oil would also work really well, but it is $$$.

would lick any of you guys' faces, you all sound delicious

I bought a La Mer product...ONCE and they gave me a teenytiny sample of La Mer creme and it has been the only reason I really wanted money ever since. The other product I bought was forgettable and a waste of heard earned cash.

I have an oily complexion but it can get really dry using stuff that is supposed to control oily skin. My skin gobbled up the La Mer and it was the first time I felt and saw a really positive reaction to a facial product. In one week my complexion was beautiful, lovely, dewey, just perfect and I felt I looked 10 years younger. Then I ran out and it was back to... meh.

La Mer is the one thing I would ever risk stealing. It is always behind glass. Then if I ran out, have to steal again or go try and sell myself. As pricey as it is though....that wouldn't work, teehee

I agree- DHC's modified olive oil is really, really good. I did see improvements with it. Though nothing magical.

*sigh* this OCM isn't working out: i still have dry patches (increased from before) and it's giving me red-rimmed eyes, which makes me look stoned and tired all day, and my face just feels kind of dirty.

It sounds like you are having an allergic reaction to the oil you're using, if your eyes are red.

Hey y'All here's something nuts: I noticed my skin has improved by 1000% and couldnt work out why until I realized I've been drinking a whole lot of milk lately. Go cows!

loool my skin started improving when i STOPPED consuming so much dairy!

Have any of you ever used Lush's Ultrabland cleanser? I am trying it out since my skin gets so incredibly dry in the winter. So far, it's p nice.

I'm a Kiehl's gentle foaming facial cleanser (which does not actually foam at all) gal year-round. I am liking the Cerave PM cream after washing, but my face is not uber dry. My hands, on the other hand. . . constant winter battle.

Jenny - ultrabland is v nice! I've used and liked it in the past. I guess Cetaphil is my go to but I switch things up a lot.

I use Cetaphil or Cerave cleanser half the year, but I basically desiccate starting about now until April. How is the Cerave PM?

The hand battle... Dear god. It's endless. Q, what is your hand cream of choice? I like L'Occitaine.

oh god the hand battle :(

My cuticles haven't recovered yet from the constant handwashing/hand sanitizer assault on them during my last job.

I try to hand moisturize at night so it can soak in, but it's not enough. I think I need to start drinking CRAZY amts of water, I don't know what else to do. I overwhelming prefer this weather to anything that happens between late June and early September, and my skin prefers it too and is the best in fall, but my hands get wet too often to survive.

my face exploded this week. i have not had a breakout like this in as long as i can remember. i am sad.

I keep this at my desk and reapply it PRN throughout the day: http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/shea-butter-nail-cuticle-cream.htm

There's no way I can justify spending $18 on cuticle cream right now, though.

try some olive oil, christine

I do like the l'occitane shea butter hand cream! I had forgotten about that. But really, other than "I can tolerate the texture and smell vs. I cannot tolerate the texture and smell" hand cream issue, it really hasn't mattered ime. I think the only way I could possibly win the hand war is to keep them coated in a thick layer of vaseline under a pair of gloves 94/7.

Ha, yeah.

That cuticle cream is pricey, no doubt. The tube I have has lasted over a year, though, so there's that. I am always on the lookout for cheaper drugstore alternatives.

I sample sized tube of Bliss (I think? Is that a brand?) hand cream but it smells strongly enough that I feel bad using it in public. I keep a giant pump bottle of Jergins original scent at my desk so I can reapply every time I wash my hands. That helps, but it's not quite enough in the winter. I used to regularly do the moisturizer and gloves trick but I read a lot of ebooks on my iPad now, which is incomparable with nighttime hand moisturizing.

The idea of sleeping in gloves kind of weirds me out for no good reason. But I should try it, because not only do my hands look like those of someone twice my age, it *hurts* to have cracked/chapped hands!

And then you try to fix it with cream and the cream STINGS when you apply gah

Jeff always makes jokes about sleeping next to Minnie Mouse when I do it but it does help.

Also I get why that would weird you out. It's weird. I usually pull them off during the night (I am an inveterate nocturnal clothes puller offer though).

Hahaha I just envision waking up in the middle of the night and having the overwhelming urge to pop some jazz hands.

IRL LOL

And, another thing--hangnails and skin cracks can let germs into your body just like any other broken skin can. People have contracted some pretty nasty infections that way.

jenny, sew some contact wire into the fingertips of the gloves - then you can still use the touch screen

i have a hard enough time sleeping with socks on, the gloves thing just freaks me out.

aveeno is my preferred hand cream. very hydrating and absorbs quickly. i have a trace of psoraiasis on my hands but it's good for normal skin too.

I can't sleep with socks on at all and there's no way I'd be able to do so with gloves.

I like the Ahava hand cream a lot but it smells sort of what I imagine diaper cream smelling like. It's not but bad it's just something I can't get past.

Crabtree and Evelyn Hand Therapy creams are really good. I still haven't found my holy grail handcream though. Still on the hunt and specifically for a good non-greasy one with SPF.

Agree w you, jed--Aveeno is my favorite body lotion, hands down, no pun intended, still feels moisturized and supple at the end of the day when I get home from work (or the next morning!).

The Crabtree & Ev ones have a wonderful silky feel, I agree with that also.

That's what I like about them. It sinks in immediately and is so silky feeling.

for ENBB: http://www.etsy.com/shop/amykarol?ref=pr_shop_more

^^ i got the balancing facial oil. i'm not sure how i feel about it yet. i've been doing the OCM nightly, followed by this face oil, avoiding getting my face wet in the morning shower and just dabbing a bit of vitamin e oil on, and using a neutrogena scrub every few days. my skin doesn't seem improved, i have some new dryness on my forehead and still clusters of blackheads near the corners of my mouth. i'm going to persist and see if this is a hump that i'll get over... i just want nice skin, damn it!

pretty much sold on DDF restorative serum followed by moisturizing dew right now

i am considering a huge splurge on luxurious skincare products in the next month or so.

KATE78 I need you!!!

Remember a while ago when you so awesomely sent me those RetinA samples? I remember at the time I started using them and got a couple huge zits and it freaked me out so I didn't see it through and stopped using it.

Because I am now officially pretty old I figured I should start on some retinoids so bought a cream and have used it approx 3 times and all of a sudden I have two zits on each cheek! They're not awful but this is really unusual for me. I don't really get pimples anywhere except my chin area. It's awful and making me feel really bad to the point of wanting to stop the cream. This is normal though and will stop, right?

:(

Yes, it is normal and will stop. The first 12 weeks or so of using retin-a/retinoid, your face will break out and look like hell, but stick with it! You may also notice some peeling/flaking. If that happens, maybe use it every other day to start and gently exfoliate. Use sunscreen. And as a reminder, retin-a is pregnancy category C drug, so it might be good to stop using it if you're gonna get knocked up.

12 weeks

TWELVE WEEKS?!

That is a long time. I'm only using it 2x a week right now as is. Hmmmm.

Oh, lol, there's no way I'm getting knocked up anytime during that time frame at all but thanking you for the tip. :)

Think of how lovely your skin will be! What are you using?
I think I sent you a link to this article before, but it's a good one: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/30/fashion/30skin.html

Hmmmm, yeah. I will try to tough it out.

I don't know if it's even any good but I bought Green Cream. I think I saw Mandee rec it on an old thread somewhere.

http://www.dermstore.com/profile_Green+Cream_500391.htm

Thank you, btw. :)

No problem! Remember to use that shit on your neck and top-boobs, too. And if you want anything stronger, just let me know.

hahaha top-boobs! I might be msging you for some advice in the near future if I need it. :)

i have always been scared of retinoids after using retin-a in my teen years and remembering how harsh it was! maybe i need to start using something more advanced now that i am old bc my skin is just... not young anymore :(

I just washed my face and this is depressing! I am going to soldier on though because I want retinoids to work for me. Overall (and before this retinoid induced freakout) I think my skin still looks pretty good but I guess the goal is to keep it like that, right? I will keep you all updated. 12 weeks. I can do this.

What is this stuff meant to do?
I have been acquiring lots of skincare stuff recently, I now use at least 4 products morning and night (one is medicated stuff though)

Retinoids are Vit A derivatives applied topically that are one of the few things actually really proven (by science!) to fight aging in skin. I believe they work by speeding up cell turnover leading to brighter skin and less fine lines etc. Retin A is the best but it's prescription strength and not sold OTC so it's expensive. There are less potent drugstore versions available, most notably the RoC line.

I bought this Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Soothing Lotion because I'm getting a little rosacea and my face is definitely red a lot and this shit stings and smells bad! Like, I put it on 30 minutes ago and it still stings! $15 down the drain!

Cerave 4 eva

I was recommended to use a glycolic facewash by a skincare clinic (I also have rosacea) and after 2 days I have the same problem as ENBB: massive zits right on my cheeks where I don't usually get any, and all sore all over my face, just horrible and I don't know whether to push on or stop using it.

take it back to the store!
xp

glycolic acid is not recommended for rosacea because of just that kind of reaction!

i was reading about Tretinoin (aka Retin-A and other brand names) for rosacea too and it seems it can work but it's all about the low dosage (0.025%) and building up. like, don't use it every day, just 2-3x week at night, after waiting 20 minutes after washing your face. seems the generic version of the drug isn't that pricey, actually... but for sensitive skin it's all about what it's formulated with, e.g., alcohol vs water base (water all the way) or whatevs. i haven't gone to a doc about it yet, but will.

I threw away the box and the receipt and filled the bag with cat poop. :(

actually, re: building up dosage with sensitive/rosacea skin, i also read that it's best just to stay at 0.025% if that's what works - don't let the doc persuade you to go up in %
xp
aw. well, maybe a friend will take it.

Oh, crap. I too have binned my receipts and the facewash was £25, will not trust stupid high-end skincare clinic again, fo sho.

Rosacea makes me IA.

I don't have any fine lines or wrinkles, I just have blackheads and enlarged pores. (Welcome to the strange world of oily skin.)

rosacea is some serious bs. and it's still kind of a "mystery," so most dermatologists and facialists don't know how to address it. like it could be bacterial, vascular, digestive-system related, etc. I find that if I eat in a low-carb low-sugar way, my skin is less inflamed. Cetaphil *bar soap* is my standby for face washing - i have tried so many things and this is the best, occasionally alternated with gentle face wash of different kinds. am currently using Spectroderm moisturizer and it's pretty good!

I don't have any fine lines or wrinkles yet either but that's why I want to start the Retin-A now - so I don't get them any time soon!

they say retin-a/retinol is specifically good for the blackheads and enlarged pores!
xps

I believe that it was first used to treat acne before anything else. Derms noticed that in addition to clearer skin, patients also got brighter and smooth skin as a "side-effect" which is how it came to be prescribed as an anti-aging treatment as well. Basically if you read any article where dermatologists are asked what is the one thing women can do for themselves in terms of preventative skincare they all say it is to use a retinoid. My mom used Retin-A for years (which I think she was prescribed initially for adult acne) and literally looked like 10 years younger than she was until she hit about 70.

I have fine lines, wrinkles, blackheads, enlarged pores, pimples, pustules, dry patches and random-ass red blemishes. I break out if I get stressed, get embarrassed, eat too much sugar, eat too much acidic fruit, go out in the sun, don't go out in the sun, wash with the wrong soap, wear perfume, wear foundation, have periods.

It does seem to be connected to anxiety, because I also do the hypersensitive blushing thing when I'm stressed, and nervous sweating, and I have insomnia and IBS.

A timely reminder about the diet rrobyn, I need to get a handle on my winter sugar & carbs addiction. I've just read a suggestion on a rosacea forum about using antihistamines so I'll give that a whirl too! it sweems like a less risky option than any of the topical treatments.

Maybe I'll look into it next fall/winter when I don't want to be in the sun. Because I plan on turning a nice golden color between May and August if at all possible.

sweems = seems

I like Lush Fresh Farmacy soap - http://www.lushusa.com/Fresh-Farmacy/00077,en_US,pd.html?start=8&cgid=cleansers - in the shower, and Ultra Bland at night - http://www.lushusa.com/Ultra-Bland/9999902749,en_US,pd.html?start=11&cgid=cleansers (I've rebought this three times since I posted about it originally). I usually use Cetphil Giant Tub O'Cream in the winter and Cerave lotion in the summer, and those work really well. I just got pulled in by the siren song of this new Neutrogena stuff. Hmph.

The lady who waxes my eyebrows is always trying to sell me on this calm skin moisturizer from Eminence but holy jesus is it expensive. I just can't do it.

I really like Ultrabland too. I haven't used it in years but I remember it being really good.

I love it so much. I can't overstate how dry my skin gets in the winter, so it is miraculous to me. Plus it takes makeup off really well.

Oh, I got a sample of this from Sephora and it dried out my face like whoa for a day, and then it was all pink and smooth and glowy - http://www.philosophy.com/skincare-exfoliatorsandpeels/microdelivery-peel-product.

I like that peel. Btw alla you smug apple cheeks can have some of my fine lines and wrinkles, they're up for grabs.

Lush is some great stuff.

Jenny, that Lush soap intrigues me! I've been using a bergamot bar that's meant for "men", I think, cos the scent isn't very floral and I love it, but I think something more soothing would actually be better.

my husb sent me this link about lush shampoo, which got me thinking about lush face products - i never knew much about them before, always thought they were just a stinky soap place?!

i used the solid shampoo when i had super short (1") hair. it's ok.

I have also used the solid shampoo and also thought it was just OK. I love Lush for all the reasons that woman stated in her article but, as much as I wish it weren't the case, their hair stuff just doesn't work for me. I'll rep for all kinds of their shower/bath and body care stuff but my hair has never taken well to any of their shampoos or conditioners.

Another face product that is great from Lush is "Angels on Bare Skin".

I wonder if neem would have any effect on rosacea. I use the leaf extract for all kinds of skin/scalp redness/itching/inflammation and it seems to work well for most of it. Also kills yeast trouble.

Um okay so reading that link to the Lush shampoo also led me to the discussion of keratosis pilaris in the comments, and if I'm judging correctly from the GIS, I get that sometimes. Also some the redness and outbreaky-ness that I fight all the time may not actually be "whiteheads" specif, it may just be little red bumps for no reason. So maybe I'll try a whole different approach from the washing-and-sterilizing one that I usually take? Starting on Friday when I get paid and can shop online for all this stuff. I'm out of everything, anyway, so it's good.

I like some Lush shampoo (using Sarah Sylvia Stout now, which I like, but I don't wash my hair very often so I could probably use anything). I dislike all of their conditioners.

Cetaphil creams are pretty great–I use the anti-eczema stuff on my body and it makes a noticeable difference.

I seem to have tried every face cream that's remotely affordable to me, and it seems like all of them suck for my complexion. I use lush dream cream on my face, and that seems to do okay as long as I scrubbed with my nutri sonic. That seems to make a big difference in the flakiness issues I have with my face.

I sometimes wonder about retinoids and the like, because my mother used those as well and always looked a decade younger. Now that she's nearly 70, she's starting to look more her age.

But my skin is so miserably flaky already. Bah.

Laurel do you mean keratosis pilaris on your upper arms? That's really common and I think that lotions with lactic acid in them (like http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?filterBy=&skuId=367156&productId=367156&navAction=jump&navCount=3) are supposed to help.

I get it on my arms occasionally although I exfoliate like a madwoman which helps keep it away. But also I get outbreaks of pointy little red spots that aren't really "whiteheads" but have a little inflammation in them but never turn into blackheads...like they are outside of the normal life cycle of pimples...and I get them all over my neck & shoulders & behind my ears and stuff. They're the reason I can't wear perfume and why I have to be super careful to not get hairspray or styling products on my skin.

for keratosis pilaris lactic acid lotions are great, but also try coating your arms in vaseline and wrapping them in plastic wrap overnight. no shit.

i had that on my arms when i was in highschool and through some of university - the urea or lactic acid creams really do work, but so did using the cetaphil soap or a soap for babies or just a natural olive-oil based soap + shower puff thing

lush doesn't really work for me...

i think eating an avocado a day does though! seriously! avocado is a miracle food. i also think that bc it's so filling and satisfying and bc i put salt on it, i have no craving for chips or other carby snacks or sugar even. avocados!!

When I was a teen I started getting keratosis pilaris on my upper arms and my grandmother mixed salt with some water and rubbed it on my arms everyday. She said to use sugar and water and other times baking soda and water until it goes away.Once gone then use a bath brush when I shower and scrub. She said I had tough skin hence the keratosis pilaris and could stand to use a brush in the shower. I did what she said and it went away.

In college it came back and I saw a dermatologist who gave me lactic acid cream and that made it worse. I just went back to what my grandmother said and it worked. Since then I don't have a problem as long as I use a good bath soap and brush. Every now and then I will do a few days of sugar or salt scrub just because I love how it feels.

rrrobyn, avacodos are the best!

Has anyone been successful using Derma E products? Like their anti-wrinkle creams and anti-aging products?

i definitely get that on my arms! gonna try one of those lotions. exfoliating does nothing for me.

Cerave is my favorite moisturizer! *high fives Jenny*

I have been a periodic Retin-A user for I dunno, twenty years or so. I am not very wrinkly, but do have sun spots, broken capillaries, old acne scars. . . I don't break out much anymore thanks to spironolactone, and I can tolerate a 20% vitamin C serum in the a.m. and either Retin-A or an AHA cream in the evening (if I manage to take off my makeup and apply said product in the evening, which is admittedly hit-or-miss). Retin-A micro .04% is the least irritating IMO, but even then I can't use it more than three times a week!

Thanks to some other thread I am now rubbing coconut oil into spouse's upper arms for his KP! Have not been consistent, so hard to say if it is helpful or not. Makes me kinda hungry.

the smell of the coconut oil, I mean. not the spouse's KP.

xp rrrobyn - YES to avocados, as many as possible. With pepper as well as salt.

I just bought an avocado today! But it is not yet ripe, so I will have to be patient :(

One of the few things I miss about my time in Texas is the availability of CHEAP (like, 5 for a buck) and awesome avocados. Even at the HMart, those fuckers cost over a buck and a half each in the DC area.

I had avocados in my shrimp tacos tonight. So good.

Quincie, they are going down...64 cents each but not yet at the 5 for $1.

I know I'm repeating myself but it's so cheap and good: corn meal mixed with honey is my favorite scrub in the world. All commercial scrubs now seem too complicated and not scrubby enough for me.

Corn meal and honey! I usually do either sugar and olive oil or salt and olive oil but will have to try cornmeal.

I don't think either my skin or my shower could handle the extra oil in an oil scrub--my sister had a fancy one that I tried by accident and had to wash with soap twice afterward to get the horrible residue off. I'm sure yours isn't like this but I just don't trust it.

The cornmeal and honey doesn't need any oil b/c the cornmeal doesn't dissolve in water so you can keep scrubbing away. I make it in a little dish and then put it in the fridge between showers so no bugs find it (because of the honey), but if you have a lid you can keep it in the shower for weeks. It won't spoil!

Oh see I like the residue!! Even if I don't do a scrub I will bring a cup of olive oil into the shower with me and put that on just before get out and towel off instead of using a moisturizer. I'm talking strictly body here - not face - in case that wasn't clear.

Ah dammit I forgot to bookmark this thread! My mum has rosacea so I probably have it mildly. I got my o/h the Lush ocean salt scrub for occasional exfoliating and it is amazing. I only use it every couple of weeks or so but it makes my face soooo soft.

(and I've used other exfoliators before which were fine but nothing compared to this)

You guys salt scrubs are so easy to make -- not worth buying EVER. Just get some epsom salts + regular food salt + jojoba oil and scent it as you wish. It's just that easy.

add some chunky sea salt if you're flaky! add some fine kosher salt if you're kosher, drop some smelly oils in there, let it sit for a week, poof.

Beblesh creams. What are they, what is the big fracking deal?

It looks like each formulation only comes in ONE skin tone color, should this worry me? I want the orange bottle formula, but that color is way different in this review.

http://prettycuteblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/skin79-super-bleblesh-balm.html

Lauren is normally my derma advisor but she's not online today.

I can't cope with the word "beblesh."

My coworkers rave about that stuff - they order it off eBay IIRC.

I've only done a quick Google survey of the results of a search for the word "beblesh," but I have to say that it sounds like a lot of hype, mostly because nobody ever actually says what the hell it is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BB_cream

That is not helpful either. Also LOL at "it provided a solution to a common skin problem for many Asians: impure skin."

God I know. The claims are ridiculous and unintelligible, also they all promise "whitening" which worries (and offends!) me. And yet, sensible people who take good care of their skin are INSANE for the stuff??

lol @ "beblesh" I haven't heard that before. I've just heard BB, Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm.

I bought the Garnier one. It's OK. I guess the whole idea is that it's primer, foundation, moisturizing cream and SPF all in one. If you use all those things separately than I can see how it would probably be a big improvement. I mean it's nice but I wouldn't rush to get it again necessarily.

I believe the "whitening" thing on the asian creams is a mistranslation. I think they mean it in the way we mean "brightening". I read that somewhere but can't remember where. The whole deal with them is basically that they put like 5 products in one.

Oh and some have blemish fighting things in them I guess. The Garnier one doesn't but some of the foreign ones do.

I have no clue what any of you are talking about -- all of this shit takes so much time and research! blech.

I like reading about this stuff.

Okay I'm going to order the orange bottle for oily skin and report back! Apparently this brand gets the sun protection from physical sunblocks like zinc oxide instead of chemical blocks, which I'm eager to try.

Yeah, let us know. I'd be interested in hearing how one of the actual Asian ones works since I get the feeling the ones coming on the American/US markets now are sort of BB cream the lite version.

this month's vanity fair has a page on skin care recs from dermatologists (aka advertising) and talks about Dr Brandt's Flexitone BB Cream with SPF 30 - i lolled at "... to completely hide your flaws while your skin is being re-engineered and repaired under the surface." images of Fraggle Rock's doozers under my skin does not make me want to buy this.

hahahaha THAT IS NOT GOING TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN.

In moments of weakness I wonder about creams that are supposed to even out skin tones, though I doubt that they do anything. I have discoloration around my mouth which nobody else notices, but I'm sensitive about it.

(When it 1st happened my mother, who is extremely detail oriented and sometimes tactless, said something about how I looked like someone had punched me in the mouth. Thanks Mom! It turns out that pregnant women and some women on birth control have this sort of discoloration)

I have a weird blob of discolouration up on my cheekbone that appeared a couple of years ago, I'm not sure if that's due to BC. It's easy enough to cover where it is but I am annoyed that yet another stupid skin thing appeared to add to my woes.

BB cream will re-engineer discoloration away, don't worry!

i'm pretty stoked on the idea of retin-a/tretinoin but not quite stoked enough to get myself to the doctor about it yet... next week...