My counter-intuitive counter to zits!

mineko

Shopaholic
O.G.
Dec 7, 2007
354
6
Hi ladies!

I just wanted to share my latest beauty tip, but please let me begin with my usual advice disclaimer, which is that EVERYONE IS UNIQUE, and what works on me may not work for everyone (or anyone else, or that matter)! :P Okay so here goes:

Up until recently, I struggled with oily/combination skin that was prone to monthly breakouts, mostly along my jawline but sometimes on my forehead as well. I would get everything from clogged pores to whiteheads to painful cystic bumps, although my overall skin tone was good. It was very frustrating, as pimples always are, especially when you are already in your late 20s!

I tried many acne products, being careful not to use too many at once due to excessive drying, and over time I noticed that although my zits kept coming, my skin was definitely suffering from dryness. So then I tried a combination of salicylic acid cleanser with an hydrating serum and oil-free moisturizer...then hydrating masks...then figuring out if drinking more water would help. Nothing did, not even changing my pillow case every night, disinfecting my cell phone regularly, etc.

Today I am happy to report that my skin is no longer excessively dry nor does it suffer from breakouts like it did before, and it has been so for about two months now! In fact, the other day I noticed a zit on my chin, which I promptly popped (I know, its such a terrible habit), but instead of turning inflamed and angrier like they often do, it disappeared by the next morning! And the little red mark has already subsided!:yahoo:

What changed in my skincare routine was that I finally got rid of all of the acne products I used to use, including the salicylic acid cleanser, the sulfur lotion, and the benzoyl peroxide cream. Instead, I have been removing my makeup with Shu Uemura fresh cleansing oil, cleansing with a gentle face wash, exfoliating with Clinique's toner #2, and then massaging 4-5 drops of Stella McCartney CARE Nourishing Elixir all over my face and following with a small amount of Creme de la Mer.

In short, I really feel like I am now NOURISHING my skin instead of FIGHTING it, and it is now really thanking me for it. :heart: I used to be so afraid of putting more oil on my face and clogging my pores, but neither Shu nor Stella McCartney's elixir (also an oil) have done that. I make very careful to remove all traces of the cleansing oil and the elixir's oil molecules are definitely fine enough to really sink into the skin. I don't even use an oil-free SPF anymore, and my skin is FINE!

Anyway, I am not specifically endorsing the products I use (okay, maybe a little since they have done so well for me :P) - I just wanted to share with you all my revelation that sometimes, maybe all your skin is crying out for is a little TLC. Maybe once you stop abusing it with harsh treatments, it will respond in kind. Mine sure did! :love:

Okay, thats all. Thanks for letting me share!

(And please, share with me your tips for keeping your skin breakout and wrinkle free. Lines are my next battle. :crybaby:)
 
Thanks!! I broke out recently after using BareMinerals and my face has not been the same since last March/April.

I am currently using Shu Umera Cleansing Oil for both day and night, and the pimples have subsided, but I still get blackheads, etc...

I'm in my mid-20s, but I use Roc with Retin-A for the wrinkles on my forehead. More recently, I've added Strivectin to my regimen since my wrinkles seem deeper and more visible than usual.

BTW, how long ago did you trash all the harsh chemicals and went for the new regimen?
How long did it take for your skin to clear up?

TIA!
 
hi pinky!

i've been on this regimen for about two months now, so i only posted this after going through two PMS cycles to make sure it wasn't a fluke. i still get bumps and little zits, but they are the superficial kind that accumulate from a day's worth of makeup and disappear after thorough cleansing by the next day. :smile:

how do you like Roc and Retin A for the wrinkles? i recently read that wrinkles from expression lines are harder to alleviate with topical creams, because they are due to facial movements rather than sun damage. but that was from an article/interview with dr.brandt, the renowned botox doctor, so maybe his perspective is skewed?

please let me know if you have a good eye cream for pre-crows feet!

Thanks!! I broke out recently after using BareMinerals and my face has not been the same since last March/April.

I am currently using Shu Umera Cleansing Oil for both day and night, and the pimples have subsided, but I still get blackheads, etc...

I'm in my mid-20s, but I use Roc with Retin-A for the wrinkles on my forehead. More recently, I've added Strivectin to my regimen since my wrinkles seem deeper and more visible than usual.

BTW, how long ago did you trash all the harsh chemicals and went for the new regimen?
How long did it take for your skin to clear up?

TIA!
 
Thanks!! I broke out recently after using BareMinerals and my face has not been the same since last March/April.

I am currently using Shu Umera Cleansing Oil for both day and night, and the pimples have subsided, but I still get blackheads, etc...

I'm in my mid-20s, but I use Roc with Retin-A for the wrinkles on my forehead. More recently, I've added Strivectin to my regimen since my wrinkles seem deeper and more visible than usual.

BTW, how long ago did you trash all the harsh chemicals and went for the new regimen?
How long did it take for your skin to clear up?

TIA!

I had a similar issue with BE. My skin broke out and felt grimy. I switched to La Bella Donna and it cleared right up.

How severe are your wrinkles? Retin A at your age isn't the best idea because later it will be unactive for you. Have you tried a mild AHA moisturizer or had a light chemical peel like lactic acid to help with fine lines? Do you hydrate with something nourishing like alpha lipoic acid?
 
I completely agree with you!

I've also suffered a lot from acne during my teen years. Just about a few years ago, I stopped all my prescription drugs which all ended up drying my skin. I believe that these topical creams made my skin worse because all the accumulated dead skin cells further blocked my pores, and thus it was these anti-acne products that PRODUCED MORE ance!!!
I totally agree with nourishing your skin. I am still careful about products that I buy however. I've completely quit seeing docs cuz they're useless in this area, and instead, I go for skincare products FOR my face, not AGAINST my face. :yes:
 
hmmm... Roc is definitely helping with my expresssion lines, but I'm afraid that y'all just helped me pinpoint my problem and why my t-zone area breaks out often.

Schmodi, I'll look into a light chemical peel and see how that goes and stop using the harsh chemicals on my face. :biggrin:
BE definitely started the major breakouts and I haven't looked at any other mineral product. Heard good things about La Bella Donna.

Thank for starting this thread, mineko. It helped me lots. I'll stop messing with my face. LOL!
I'm going to try and stop using products against my skin. I will definitely post my findings. Hopefully, it's my skin is different in a month or two.
 
I'm very interested in the SM Elixir, I'll have to do some reading/research on this product. I just switched to DHC cleansing oil and have noticed a difference, but not a huge one yet. I don't think I've found the right cleanser. what cleanser is it that you are using in this regimen? Thanks for sharing this!
 
Thanks for posting this! :tup:

I'm glad this is working out for you.

I am currently suffering from some disgusting jawline breakouts and am really at the point where I don't know what to try anymore... I end up coming back to my benzoyl peroxide which doesn't even seem to help anymore! *end rant*
 
you're very welcome, gals! :smile:

like i said, this may not work for everyone, but it (shouldn't) hurt to try! hopefully some of you will find relief from your acne problems as well...

ellacoach - to be honest, i've jumped around to several different cleansers during this period of time! first i was using sesderma, which i purchased through a dermatologists office, but that was a bit drying. i would definitely recommend it as an acne cleanser, however, except i find i don't need something so strong. after i ran out of that, i used cetaphil for awhile, then neutrogena oil-free foaming face wash, then another foaming face wash by boots naturals line, then sometimes even used DH's japanese charcoal soap in the shower! bottom line is, as long as i don't use anything TOO strong, i haven't found any effect on my overall skin condition. :smile:

spoiled_brat - i've heard that the bacteria that causes acne can build up a tolerance to benzoyl peroxide, which is why sometimes it becomes ineffective after awhile! surprisingly, one product that did help my acne at its worst was stridex power pads, recommended to me by a dermatologist! not to be confused with normal stridex pads, the power pads deliver much stronger percentage of pure BP directly to skin (without cream, etc.). maybe you will find that helpful if you aren't ready to give up your acne products right away...:P
 
Glad Clinique works wonders for you, Clinique did nothing but caused problems for me, only when I binned them did my acne and pimples subside. I don't have any acne/pimples unless it's 1-2 days before a period, or I used some new product which irritated my skin like Clinique did.

Fine lines and wrinkles are hard to get rid off totally but there are products that delay their appearance. If you're a smoker please stop, smoking speeds up this process. I find Olay skincare line working just fine for me. Works for me may not work for you. I love its Total Effects moisturizer as a day cream, and Night of Olay applied just before bed. Total Effects gives me a very smooth babysoft complexion. I've also switched from using liquid foundation which is known to clog pores, to dry mineral foundation (Everyday Minerals).
 
What a wonderful story! Congrats mineko! I'm definitely still in that "struggling" phase. I have lots of rosacea and skin discoloration on my face, plus occasional pimples here and there. I've tried many products, and am still working on finding the right combination of skin treatments/washes while trying to not dry out my face. I've tried a lot of ideas and products from many tPFers on this forum. I definitely agree that everyone's skin is different and the same product won't work wonders for everyone. I've been using the aspirin mask for the past month and a half, and I haven't seen a real difference in my face yet. So we'll see. But thanks for sharing your story!