Info-collect: calling all BHA/salicylic acid users (ex incl)
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:09 am

Hello,

If you are a current or ex-user of BHA or salicylic acid products, I'll really appreciate if you could take a minute or two to answer some of my questions.

My Skin Profile
- oily
- deeply clogged & enlarged pores
- acne prone
- reactive (gets red & hot very quickly)
- easily dehydrated
- a few brown sun spots (will start using sunblock only now Embarassed

)

First Mission
- clear and minimize my pores using BHA or salicylic acid products

Questions
1. Recommend your favorite BHA/SA products (if not too much a trouble, please tell me its price, quantity, ingredients & where to buy it)

2. General tips of using BHA/SA products (based on my understanding so far, I plan to use a light texture product like liquid, gel or serum at nights only; let it sit for 30 minutes before applying a light moisturizer if needed; use adequate sunblock during daytime; still need manual extraction from time to time?)

3. Warnings of using BHA/SA (what products or ingredients must NOT be used in parallel with BHA/SA; skin flaking cautions; advised usage frequency for good maintenance - yearly/monthly/etc)

4. Any bonus of using BHA/SA in your own experience? (I'm wondering if I'd possibly fade away my brown spots by using BHA/SA? Too much of a dream may be? Is it not advised to use another treatment serum during the day time while using BHA during the night time?)

Thanks a bunch for your time (even just for reading this post)! Smile

Nicollette

free skin care · Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:50 am

are you willing to try BHA/AHA combinations?

free skin care · Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:08 pm

Since you have reactive skin you might want to start at a lower concentration of SA, such as .5% and see how your skin reacts. If it does o.k. you could gradually move up. I find anything over 1.5% too harsh for my skin which is similar to yours.

Clarins Purifying Cleansing Gel is one of my favorite products. It is a great cleanser and contains a small % of SA so it might be a good product to try if you're just starting out or planning on "layering" with other SA products. It's also quite gentle and won't leave your skin feeling dry or tight, which is important for us reactive gals. I believe it's about $25 but it lasts a really long time - you don't have to use a lot. It's one of the few things I repurchase.

And of course, remember to use sunscreen (all the time) but especially when using BHA/SA! HTH

free skin care · Wed Nov 14, 2007 4:28 pm

See my signature line for my HG bha/aha product. I've tried both bha and bha/aha combo and have found the 2%/4% combo works better than the 5% bha alone. I use the 5%/10% combo in the summer. It's BY FAR the best daily product I've ever used. If you need the website, just email b/c it's a home-based co and we're not supposed to mention their names. It (the product) gets very high marks from many EDS members. HTH Smile

free skin care · Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:28 pm

Ditto to tjsmom.

Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:30 am

waffle wrote:

are you willing to try BHA/AHA combinations?

Hi Waffle,

I'm currently doing my "research" so am opened to any constructive suggestions.

Nicollette

Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:38 am

Hi Bunny7475,

Isn't it frustrating to have reactive skin? It is sometimes so embarassing when my face gets red blotches due to triggers as trivial as a kiss on cheek!

Correct me if I'm wrong but I remember reading it somewhere that BHA products need to sit on skin for a while to be efficient. Wouldn't washing be insufficient since we rinse it off right away? Rolling Eyes

Nicollette

Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:41 am

tsjmom wrote:

See my signature line for my HG bha/aha product. I've tried both bha and bha/aha combo and have found the 2%/4% combo works better than the 5% bha alone. I use the 5%/10% combo in the summer. It's BY FAR the best daily product I've ever used. If you need the website, just email b/c it's a home-based co and we're not supposed to mention their names. It (the product) gets very high marks from many EDS members. HTH Smile

Hey tsjmom,

My sixth sense told me that I'd feel lucky by using google, I got it bookmarked.

I feel lucky Wink

Nicollette

free skin care · Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:50 am

Nicollette I just ordered the Clarisonic MD last nite in hopes of getting every last little bit of gunk out of my pores. I'm a "picker" Sad

so just knowing that anything is in there drives me crazy. No one can see it but I know it's there Mad

I'll keep you posted, but the Clarisonic is another one of the rare products that the vast majority seem to really like.

Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:35 am

tsjmom, me too, it bugs me knowing that those little jerks are sitting right them in MY pores!!

Guess what, I feel unlucky after visiting IFP site. It couldn't send the gel out of north America!

Good luck in your new toy! Wink

free skin care · Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:45 am

I'vr been using Paula's Choice 2% liquid BHA for awhile now, alternating nights with her 8% AHA gel. While I must admit that I still get breakouts, especially hormonal ones, they are less while on BHA, and my skin texture does look alot more...refined...when on acids. I definitely recommend the PC BHA AND AHA as they are alcohol free unlike the majority of the other acid products out there. Very affordable too.

Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:25 pm

FaithTruth - when using the PC BHA, do you experience the flaking all the time or just during the beginning? I'm just afraid that I need to deal with the flaking constantly Rolling Eyes

A general question to all suffering from blackheads:
My blackheads are those that you don't feel when you touch the skin (unlike those on my hubby's nose, rough like a strawberry, not cute). Is BHA effective for this kind of blackhead??

free skin care · Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:23 pm

Yes it is Nicolette. But you must be consistent in use; in other words twice a day on the nose on clean skin with nothing else on it for at least 2-3 weeks. If you try the PC BHA you won't have to deal with flaky skin, UNLESS you're so flaky the skin has to exfoliate itself (which to me is a good thing, right??)

Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:12 am

Thanks SusieQ Smile

I'm pretty much done with my research now and will go ahead and buy myself some BHA.

Will report the outcome soon (fingers crossed).

free skin care · Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:35 pm

Nicollette wrote:

Thanks SusieQ Smile

I'm pretty much done with my research now and will go ahead and buy myself some BHA.

Will report the outcome soon (fingers crossed).

Oh good Nic! Looking forward to your reviews! Good luck! Very Happy

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