alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Aug 1, 2016 15:12:52 GMT -5
Biggest contributor to acne is hormones and stress. They can really play a big factor. One reason birth control pills can help reduce acne. I know you are going through a lot of changes, so probably pretty stressful time. Cleaning your skin is always a good thing. But breakouts are generally not caused by lack of cleaning. Benzoyl peroxide is best OTC treatment. Dermatologist recommended is that doesn't help. kept breakouts going for me until well into my 40s. Maybe to make up for that "little" problem I now have very few wrinkles in my mid 60s I was disappointed that my acne did not go away after teens/early 20s. I had it on face and back/shoulder blades through 20s and 30s and even into my 40s. Shopping for acne products in yours 40s was just ridiculous, but about that time I had teenagers with acne also!
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Aug 1, 2016 15:42:25 GMT -5
Yeah, I went looking for products to help with acne + wrinkles, lol. Fortunately there was a wealth of info available on how to help both fronts.
MJ - Serum helps with wrinkles. This one - www.ulta.com/regenerist-regenerating-serum?productId=fs867217 Will last about 2 months. It's the same formula as the one also labeled as eye serum, so no need to buy two products here. I dab it on carefully around my eyes, then do forehead and around the corners of my mouth. Areas where I was starting to see the start of wrinkles. Quite happy with how well it's worked for me.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Aug 1, 2016 15:45:35 GMT -5
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 1, 2016 17:27:18 GMT -5
I don't need wrinkle help yet, lol! I ordered the glycolic acid wash and the Alpha Hydroxy moisturizer with sunscreen. The wash will be here in 2 days, the moisturizer will be here in like 7.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 1, 2016 18:34:54 GMT -5
I just use the face wash, no toner. I wash my face, put on serum, and use Garnier BB cream. The Mario Badescu wash is gentle enough (for me) to use daily. A little goes a long way, so the bottle lasts forever! I had painful acne on my chin and jawline, which is indicative that it's hormonal. My dermatologist put me on spironolactone and it's been pretty much clear since. I get a break out here and there, but it's nothing like I used to deal with. what serum and what cream? and also, what's "BB" cream? I alternate between Olay Regenerist when it's on sale and the Target house brand version. And BB cream is beauty balm, as lizard pointed out. It's like moisturizer, sunblock, and color correction in one.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2016 22:38:04 GMT -5
www.annmariegianni.com/ingredient-watch-list-salicylic-acid-it-may-dry-and-thin-your-skin/Distilled water works wonders on troubled skin, and the results can be seen within 24 hours. 1. Grab a bowl and pour a good amount of distilled water in a bowl and nuke for about 45 seconds. 2. Soak/rinse face well with warmed distilled water before washing face with whatever facial cleanser you use (unscented Dove, Ivory, cleanser, ect...) 3. Rinse well with warm distilled water, and pat dry. Pour witch hazel onto a cosmetic pad to remove any soap or cleanser residue on face, and allow to dry before applying moisturizer.
Need a natural facial scrub? Baking soda works the same wonder.1. Rinse face well with warm distilled water leaving face well saturated/wet. 2. Make a watery paste with distilled water and baking soda and scrub face all over, gently. 3. Rinse well with distilled water. Apply witch hazel; next your moisturizer. The reason distilled water is like liquid gold to the skin is because- It has no chlorine. Chlorine is a drying, inflammatory, irritant. Many facial products women use contain drying agents also, and over time the layering of so many dry outs begins to beak the skin down. Drinking distilled water does the skin good too! Just add mineral drops to a gallon of water and drink to your heart's content. Smart Water is a good alternate too. I hope you don't mind my fromthe ..
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 5, 2016 4:53:50 GMT -5
The glycolic acid wash came Wednesday so I tried it that night. I wasn't sure if it was OK to use twice a day, so I used my benzyl peroxide wash the next morning - plus use the BP spot treatment ... holy dryness and peeling, Batman!!! Also it looks like the spot treatment is starting to lighten my skin in the places I used it, so I think that needs to be used all over my face or sparingly. Anyone else have that problem?
I also bought 3 bars of black soap. I've used it before and it is wonderful, so I thought it was worth using again. I may use that in the mornings instead of the BP wash. I also purchased the Visibly Even moisturizer front Neutrogena. It has a sunscreen built in, and it's supposed to help even out the skin texture and tone.
Hopefully things will turn around in a couple of weeks!
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 5, 2016 4:54:34 GMT -5
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 5, 2016 5:43:43 GMT -5
I use glycolic wash in the morning and cleansing towelettes at night. If you have sensitive skin then I would ease into the glycolic wash, maybe only 3x a week. My wash says to use it 2-3x a week, but I don't have sensitive skin so I can use it more. You can also try alternating with Cetaphil or CeraVe, just a plain ol' nondrying, noncomedemic wash pretty much recommended by every dermatologist on the planet. Between the glycolic acid and the double benzoyl peroxide products (and if it's a hormonal change causing the acne then bacterial products will not help) you are putting a hurting on your face.
And a little goes a long way! My bottle of Mario Badescu can last a year because you need so little of it at a time.
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 5, 2016 7:52:27 GMT -5
Thanks. I used the black soap and a salicylic acid scrub this morning. I've used black soap on my face before, and it's relatively gentle. I also used an astringent pad and Visibly Even. No spot treatment.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 5, 2016 8:10:09 GMT -5
I'd watch it with the scrubs, most of them are very harsh. Salicylic acid is an exfoliant, you shouldn't need a scrub. Or astringent. I think you might be overdoing it with product and stressing out your skin.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 5, 2016 8:25:30 GMT -5
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justme
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Post by justme on Aug 5, 2016 9:54:42 GMT -5
I've been acne free since 2012 thanks to the miracle drug I heard about from cookies! Seriously, miracle. If I skip one day I often get one pimple a few days later, but it comes and goes so much faster.
I also swear by my clarisonic. It was helping before I got on the drug, but if I go too long without using it I can see blackheads and such making a comeback.
I personally preferred tea tree oil washes when I was in the trenches. BP bleached my sheets and towels (so yea it could do that to your face Jen) and I don't think salicylic acid helped much on it's own. Though I did get this salicylic stick from Walgreens I like.
I actually need to find a new wash cuz I don't think they're going to sell my fave one anymore cuz it has those lab created scrubber.
I use straight up hyaluronic acid as my moisturizer most days. I pay a crap ton to get one that literally has no other ingredients. But I love it and usually only go for a cream if my face is really dry for some reason.
I also moved away from drug store makeup. I didn't like how many ingredients and how many chemicals they have. I'm not so picky about eye stuff but my face stuff is almost exclusively Tarte or IT cosmetics. They're very mindful of what they use and stick with natural ingredients.
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Sam_2.0
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Post by Sam_2.0 on Aug 5, 2016 11:30:52 GMT -5
salicylic acid & other things in washes generally don't help much, because you just rinse them right off again. Best to stick to a mild cleanser & then add in a SA or glycolic acid treatment afterwards.
Did you start using the glycolic acid? At first it can cause your skin to freak out while it pulls out all the gunk. It took a week for me - looked like I had a sunburn and HOLY HECK did I break out. But since then, no issues.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Aug 5, 2016 12:53:37 GMT -5
I didn't like the glycolic acid when I tried it. I didn't feel clean at all after using it. What I use with salicylic acid is Neutrogena foundation on occasion, and apricot scrub on my back in the shower. I recently got some BB cream with it, but I'm not that fond of that stuff. (My skin has just gotten too sensitive to everything since having that last baby.) Hey, but my skin still isn't that great, so what do I know? I will break out every time I sweat and am unable to wash the sweat away. (Thanks for the awesome genes, Dad! )
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bookkeeper
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Post by bookkeeper on Aug 5, 2016 16:46:48 GMT -5
Do you wear foundation make up? How long have you had the bottle? Cosmetics are great carriers of bacteria. I like to toss mine every 6 months or so.
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 5, 2016 18:18:31 GMT -5
I do have some Seabreeze for sensitive skin. I could start using that instead of regular astringent. I will stop using the BP wash and just use black soap and the GA wash as cleansers. Will also avoid the spot treatment unless absolutely necessary. I have a mint julep mask and an "Aztec secret" mask - both work to help extract the gunk from my pores. Will try to start using one of those once a week.
I wear makeup once in a while, and it's just Bare Minerals matte foundation powder. The jar is well over 6 months old, but at $32 a pop, I am hesitant to throw it away.
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 5, 2016 22:10:23 GMT -5
I finally read the link about toners.... ICK! I'm going to Vitamin Shoppe tomorrow morning to get some Braggs apple cider vinegar. That mixed with a little water should be a good enough toner for my skin. That stuff is supposed to be good for all kinds of ailments.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Aug 6, 2016 0:42:05 GMT -5
I finally read the link about toners.... ICK! I'm going to Vitamin Shoppe tomorrow morning to get some Braggs apple cider vinegar. That mixed with a little water should be a good enough toner for my skin. That stuff is supposed to be good for all kinds of ailments. You can probably get the Braggs for less in the natural foods section of your grocery store than at the Vitamin Shoppe. My local Stop & Shop sells it as does Whole Foods. Also, check the price on Amazon or from Braggs directly. Every penny counts now!! :-)
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 6, 2016 6:46:40 GMT -5
I finally read the link about toners.... ICK! I'm going to Vitamin Shoppe tomorrow morning to get some Braggs apple cider vinegar. That mixed with a little water should be a good enough toner for my skin. That stuff is supposed to be good for all kinds of ailments. You can probably get the Braggs for less in the natural foods section of your grocery store than at the Vitamin Shoppe. My local Stop & Shop sells it as does Whole Foods. Also, check the price on Amazon or from Braggs directly. Every penny counts now!! :-) Lol! I know for sure Vitamin Shoppe will have it - that's why I mentioned them. Someone said even Wal-Mart has it now, but I don't want to go there and find that mine doesn't. Maybe Shop Rite has it. I'll try to check.
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 6, 2016 10:58:41 GMT -5
This morning I washed with black soap, used Bragg ACV (diluted with water) as a toner, and Visibly Even as the moisturizer. My face actually feels really clean and about 10x less oily. Hopefully I'll see some positive changes over the next couple of weeks.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 6, 2016 12:30:52 GMT -5
I was thinking I should share my whole acne/spironolactone story since I'm always extolling the virtues of my wonder drug. Sometimes I think I make it seem like I popped a pill and things magically got better. Hopefully this is helpful to someone! I used to (still do, I guess, but I'm not willing to find out!) have hormonal cystic acne. You know it's hormonal if your breakouts are mainly on your chin and jawline. The rest of my face was fine, my chin was a throbbing, painful mess. I don't think it was ever fully clear; as soon as a breakout would lose some inflammation and start to go away, I'd get my period and the vicious cycle would start again. I was already on the combocpill, so who knows how much worse I'd look if I wasn't! I finally reached my breaking point and saw a dermatologist. I was in my late 20s, for crying out loud! Enough with the acne! I knew I was going to refuse antibiotics because I tend to get a yeast infection on them (sorry not sorry for the tmi). The dermatologist took one look at the acne pattern and told me it was hormonal and suggested spironolactone. It's a diuretic with anti-androgen properties so it helps women with hormonal imbalances (womwn with PCOS tend to go on it). Spiro and the combination pill are also best friends for life so it works best with BCP. Since I had such a bad case, she also prescribed me Tazorac and Benzaclin. I started at 200 mg spironolactone and then worked my dosage down as it started to work. I peed a lot the first couple weeks! I worked my way down to 100 mg and it worked beautifully, so we tried 100 mg every other day. Started breaking out, so I stuck to 100 mg daily. I can honestly say I haven't had any side effects from it and I've been on it since 2010. I went off the pill and got Mirena two years ago and I started breaking out again, so I am now on 150 mg daily. It's a wonder drug, but it really is trial and error to find what is right for you. It's also a long-term commitment, but my face and confidence are worth it. I pay $9/month for my prescription, I find it worth it. I stopped using the Benzaclin and Tazorac toward the end of my first year. I will use done topical treatment when I get an occasional stubborn zit. But my fave is pretty damn clear for the most part. So long story short, if you're a woman in your 30s who has similar painful acne, I truly suggest seeing a dermatologist and asking about spironolactone. Give it a few months, it's not instant but it is a life saver. Not even kidding. My face made me absolutely misersble!
I do love products and trying new things but I have my daily routine down: Morning - wash with Mario Badescu glycolic wash or CeraVe gentle cleaner. Put on Olay Regenerist (i buy this if on sale and i have a coupon) or Target Up and Up face serum, then Garnier BB cream. Then do eye makeup. Evening - usually too lazy or tired to do anything aside from wiping with a facial cleansing cloth (Up and Up) and putting on Olay night cream. 1-2 times a week - swipe my face with a glycolic feel pad. After washing and before serum. Every two weeks - I use Boots No. 7 microdermabrasion exfoliator. Monthly (or whenever I remember) - Freeman's Cucumber peel off mask.
Elizabeth Arden used to make an awesome glycolic peel off mask. I miss it.
So there's my routine and how it all began!
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 6, 2016 12:31:44 GMT -5
Sorry for the wall of text! I really love skin care!
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 6, 2016 14:41:04 GMT -5
No problem! After spending like 2 hours outside in this crazy heat, I'm super sweaty but still not oily.... Whaaaaaaaat?!?!?
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Pants
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Post by Pants on Aug 12, 2016 15:38:25 GMT -5
Sorry for the wall of text! I really love skin care! Have you found ANYTHING that works for hormonal acne that's topical? In the last month my chin and jaw have gone CRAZY. Huge cysts. Cysts upon cysts. It's awful. Unfortunately I've also developed migraines from whatever hormone shift is taking place, which means anything that increases hormones (pill, spirawhosiwhatsit) is out until I get more answers about what my current levels are. Literally ANYTHING. I'm at the point of attacking my chin with old needles left over from my IVF treatments because this shit hurts so bad!
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justme
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Post by justme on Aug 12, 2016 15:57:18 GMT -5
Sorry for the wall of text! I really love skin care! Have you found ANYTHING that works for hormonal acne that's topical? In the last month my chin and jaw have gone CRAZY. Huge cysts. Cysts upon cysts. It's awful. Unfortunately I've also developed migraines from whatever hormone shift is taking place, which means anything that increases hormones (pill, spirawhosiwhatsit) is out until I get more answers about what my current levels are. Literally ANYTHING. I'm at the point of attacking my chin with old needles left over from my IVF treatments because this shit hurts so bad! Are we talking otc or rx? Rx wise epiduo worked reasonably well for me, but it's been a while and my insurance kicked me off that to the two generic components of it that didn't work as well. Tea tree oil has often helped. Especially if you use one of those things to pop and get as much out as you can and then just hold cotton with tea tree oil on it for a while. There's a salicylic acid stick from Walgreens, their brand, that I like now, but I don't know if it helps so well because I'm on spiro? I think exfoliation helps a lot with those types for me. I think I got my clarisonic a few months before I got on spiro and it was helping. Still use it. And 100% can I clean my face and then clean it with clarisonic and see makeup on the brush. I'll also hold a ridiculously hot wash cloth to them in efforts to draw blood there and whatever to the surface. Btw spiro is an anti-androgen. So it doesn't add any hormones, it actually blocks them. And fwiw my testosterone never tested high even though spiro works wonders for me.
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MJ2.0
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Post by MJ2.0 on Aug 12, 2016 16:01:41 GMT -5
Toothpaste overnight is an old school tried and true method for me.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Aug 12, 2016 17:59:44 GMT -5
Sorry for the wall of text! I really love skin care! Have you found ANYTHING that works for hormonal acne that's topical? In the last month my chin and jaw have gone CRAZY. Huge cysts. Cysts upon cysts. It's awful. Unfortunately I've also developed migraines from whatever hormone shift is taking place, which means anything that increases hormones (pill, spirawhosiwhatsit) is out until I get more answers about what my current levels are. Literally ANYTHING. I'm at the point of attacking my chin with old needles left over from my IVF treatments because this shit hurts so bad! I had used Tazorac and Benzaclin. Both are prescription. As justme said, spironolactone is an anti-androgen, so it doesn't add hormones. Though obviously if you went on the pill you would be adding hormones!
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Pants
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Post by Pants on Aug 12, 2016 18:18:50 GMT -5
Have you found ANYTHING that works for hormonal acne that's topical? In the last month my chin and jaw have gone CRAZY. Huge cysts. Cysts upon cysts. It's awful. Unfortunately I've also developed migraines from whatever hormone shift is taking place, which means anything that increases hormones (pill, spirawhosiwhatsit) is out until I get more answers about what my current levels are. Literally ANYTHING. I'm at the point of attacking my chin with old needles left over from my IVF treatments because this shit hurts so bad! I had used Tazorac and Benzaclin. Both are prescription. As justme said, spironolactone is an anti-androgen, so it doesn't add hormones. Though obviously if you went on the pill you would be adding hormones! I guess I should say effects hormones rather than adds them. Dr Google says spirawhosiwhatsit can make migraines worse. Until all this gets figures out I just can't mess with something like that. However given my situation I will ask my neurologist if she thinks it may help? Who knows. Stupid hormones.
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justme
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Post by justme on Aug 12, 2016 18:24:02 GMT -5
I had used Tazorac and Benzaclin. Both are prescription. As justme said, spironolactone is an anti-androgen, so it doesn't add hormones. Though obviously if you went on the pill you would be adding hormones! I guess I should say effects hormones rather than adds them. Dr Google says spirawhosiwhatsit can make migraines worse. Until all this gets figures out I just can't mess with something like that. However given my situation I will ask my neurologist if she thinks it may help? Who knows. Stupid hormones. FWIW It didn't do anything to my migraines and my neuro didn't even blink when I told him it was a new med, just asked what it was for.
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