skin care products

[roam]

Hi everyone,
am writting on this forum for the first time. I am 25+.
well i have been switching cream. I dont have any problem as such. as a teenager i had acne problem which isnt there anymore. My only concern is i have lot of open pores and my skin break outs on and off. i do have few marks which isnt vissible but i can see them. somehow i want to have beautiful skin like models. in last two years i have used n number of products and brands. i started with loreal- which didnt do good to my skin den i switched to nutigena, it had an adverse affect i switched to olay den, which was okay and now i am using lancome aquafusion. everytime i go to store they show me some brand, promises me lot of stuff and at the end they just dont seem to work.. it would be greatful if u can tell mewhich brand prevailing in the market is really good?

i have normal combination skin type.

[orangehrzn]

For preventing pimples you could try an 'astringent' with Salicylic Acid (SA). It's a water+alcohol solution containing 2% (strong) to 0.5% (mild) SA. Neutrogena has it but their products are usually 2% (harsh). Clean&Clear and Aveeno (the Clear Complexion line) have milder astringents of 0.5%SA. They also have lotions/moisturizers with SA. An added bonus is that the Aveeno line contains soy extract which supposedly evens out skin tone. I would try the Aveeno, then Clean&Clear. The Neutrogena producst are usually harsh.

Retin A also prevents breakouts (try Retin-A Micro 0.05%, the 0.10% would be too strong). If you use Retin-A you have to apply sunscreen everyday. If you can't find matte sunscreen, use a cheap mattifier like Monistat Powder Gel on top of the sunscreen.

10% Mandelic acid serum from Nucelle is a good exfoliator that will keep you pimple free most of the time (but not all the time) and it won't make your face red if you use it only once per 24 hours (put in the morning, wash in the evening).

I don't know a topical product that can shrink permanently the pore size. Pores shrink from astringents or even from a face wash, but these are temporary effects. The statements you see floating around about 'miraculous producst' able to shrink pores permanently are due to either cover up make up effects or are just marketing hype or consumer fantasies and lack of objectivity. To shrink pore size, collagen has to be produced (that's the latest theory) and maybe only lasers can do that. There are claims that IPL can do that too but I think its a fantasy too. Every mattifier will make your pores LOOK small.

[amina.sheikh]

Hi,

Have you looked at the range offered by Dermalogica Skin Care?

They solution prescribed is specific to your skin, therefore it is advised that you initially have your skin mapped and the ideal solution prescribed.

Check it the site http://www.dermaology.com and see wha tyou think

[orangehrzn]

I was recently at CVS store doing my thing lol and I bumped on a cosmetics line from Finland called LUMENE. The prices are really reasonable. The line revolves around Magnesium Ascorbil Phosphate (non irritable form of vit. C), arctic cloudberry extract, Padina Pavonica Extract (some algae that is believed to make skin produce more hyaluronic acid) and Hyaluronic acid (the best moisturizer currently) in a phospholipids base. That line really catched my eye and I hear it was a great success with the consumers so why don't you give it a try.

I tried their 'Matt touch balancing moisturizer' which has the vit C and Hyaluronic acid. Not bad by itself but I wanted it to mattify my sunscreen which it couldn't do so I'm returning it.

I also got a 1/2 oz sample from their 'Radiant C-Energy age defying Intense Care' cream which has the vit C and the cloudberry extract. It has a nice base yet it is not matte and would need a mattifier on top.

Products with Padina Pavonica extract are for example: 'Skin supporter light firming beauty fluid' and 'Skin Tech for men magic lotion'.

I think the line is worth a try especially since the 1/2 oz sample I got was just $2.

[orangehrzn]

Another thing to try is Paula's choice 'Skin Balancing Moisture Gel'. It is a host of anti-oxidants (including vit B3 that recently is believed to help with acne) in a silicone base. The price is reasonable and it is not going to break you out. It has a soft matte look.

[misjanuary]

You can also try Arbonne's Clear Advantage system. Every person that I have talked to that has used it has seen results that had not been able to find with other products. It's pretty reasonable and available to anyone at a discount, too...can't beat that!
Good luck!
January

[yogagirl]

OMG! Enough with the Arbonne already Misjanuary! OK...we get it...you sell Arbonne! <roll>

[misjanuary]

Why should I not share something that I have found that works? Other people do the same thing. I have not asked anyone nor do I expect anyone to buy anything from me and have simply shared my experience.

[robertchoi]

Be really careful when using astringents to prevent pimples.

I used to use them, and they actually made my condition
worse. Where did this concept of using astringents, then
using moisturizer come from, anyway? It's like first starving
yourself and then binging right after.

As you will find, there is no "cure" for pimples, only a way
to deal with them when they appear. The only remedy I've
seen that really works is to use Roaccutane or Oratane, both
of which are prescription medications. And even then, the
condition can return after treatment has stopped.

Try to eat well, sleep well, and don't irritate your skin.
Look for skin care products that don't use irritants like
SLS (sodium laureth sulfate).

If your acne is really bad, go see a reliable dermatologist,
who can give you medical advice.

But NEVER pick or pop your pimples yourself, you could
do irreparable damage to your skin.


Good luck,

Robert Choi

[brunettemama]

Wow,Robertchoi gave the best advice so far for acne that I have seen on here.

Totally agree about the astringent thing.

However,Robert,you forgot to mention how very useful RETINOIDS are at treating acne (pimples) as well. Really,they are the topical version of accutane,so they have many fewer side effects.

The best thing to do is to see a dermatologist...I put off seeing one for years out of shame and cuz I thought it would cost too much. Turns out it cost LESS then all the money I had wasted on bogus products that make empty claims.

Within 3 months my skin was clearer then it had been EVER.I love my dermatologist so much sometimes I want to send him flowers.

[blackandtan]

I agree Robert about the astringent. What I learned from reading articles is that astringents do their job by drying out the skin, however it creates an imbalance because the skin will produce more oil to compensate for the oil loss. I used to use astringents from Sea Breeze, Zit Off and Neutrogena, Retin A and Proactiv, and I also learned that acne is skin deep. It also has to do with your diet that causes breakouts. What I use to keep my skin hydrated and smooth is shea butter creams for the winter. I haven't found a light, moisturizer that is good fro my skin in the summer

[TwBebe]

For me. Proactiv really worked well. I've always had acne since I was 11 or 12 (i'm almost 23 now). It was horrible. I've also had really oily skin. I would wash my face in the morning, use oil absorbing and matte finished make up and still have shiny/greasy looking skin by 11am. It was really gross. I've tried many many different products. Things from catalog orders Nuskin, Avon, and Artistry (quixtar's brand). I've tried nivea, neutrogena, biore, etc. I've tried no name "professional" brands from places that do facials. I've tried doctor prescribed soaps, washes and dab on medicine creams and solutions. None of them worked for me, some made my skin worse and others irritated my skin badly.

I've watched the Proactiv commercial on tv for years but never totally believed until my friend told me to try it because it worked on her. So I went on ebay (i didn't want to be enrolled in their automatic billing thing in case it didn't work) and bought the one month pack. I felt it right away. After the first time only my skin felt totally different. I couldn't stop touching my face (yes, i know it's bad), cuz it was so soft. I also noticed that my skin was no longer oily even after an entire day at work. After a couple of days it started to get a little drying so i reduced using it to only once a day and right away my skin was not as dry anymore. It was still clear and my pores looked much smaller. I used to be squeezing white heads and black heads every other day and sometimes they were so big and ugly. Now i barely have any and if i do, the whiteheads etc are much smaller. I've only had one zit so far (the deep ones with the bump) but that would probably be due to hormone changes cuz it's almost my period. But other than that, my skin tone is more even, it's smooth, and not oily anymore. For some reason, the drying effect doesn't make my skin produce more oil, it just stops it.

Wow, that was a long post...But you do need to be careful, some ppl are allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide. Many ppl would need a good moisturizer but that's not a big issue. I love their cleanser cuz of the little beads for exfoliating and the toner cuz it feels nice. I felt a little bit of a very mild burning sensation after a few days' use but it quickly went away (this is normal from what i read of many ppl's reviews). And in some cases, ppl's acne gets worse before it gets better (cleaning out the zits that were already forming). I would suggest trying this and ebay for a cheap package with the refining mask. The one month ones should be good, so 2oz of cleanser, 2oz of toner and 1oz of repairing lotion. Hope it works as well for you =)