Best exfoliants for rough, flaky & acne-prone skin?
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Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:03 pm Quote

Hi everyone, I'm new. *waves*

I'm very frustrated at the moment.
As the title says, my skin is very rough, dull, congested and flaky. On top of that I'm prone to acne (hormonal). And congestion+flakiness is a breeding ground for more acne I'm sure..

I've tried various scrubs-- Queen Helene Mint Julep, Boscia's skin polisher or whatever (which does work wonderfully, but it only lasts for a few hours), Mary Kay microdermabrasion, microfiber cloths..
I also tried two different glycolic acid products, both of which broke me out horribly in cysts. (I do have very sensitive skin)

I just started using EpidermxII, about a week ago-- I haven't noticed any improvement/softness whatsoever in my skin so far, but it's only been a week so that's to be expected I suppose.

So..suggestions? Masks, scrubs, peels etc?

enjoys freebies · Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:30 pm Quote

i really like peter thomas roth face & body polish with aha & bha. epidermx didn't do much for me, i think the extra punch of the aha & bha in the peter roth really helps.

Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:24 pm Quote

Welcome, Doriane! I'm a newbie too. Very Happy

I have very similar skin. On top of all that I also have extremely oily skin. Oil and flaky skin - sooo frustrating!

I just ordered the Clarisonic and a 30-day supply of Alphaderma CE, prep, and OkuSil. I just turned 40 so I am also noticing wrinkles and slight sagging, so I'm needing some of the anti-aging properties this line offers. I also ordered MaMa Lotion, so I haven't decided which products I'll try first.

enjoys freebies · Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:38 pm Quote

Doriane wrote:

I just started using EpidermxII, about a week ago-- I haven't noticed any improvement/softness whatsoever in my skin so far, but it's only been a week so that's to be expected I suppose.

It took about a month for noticable results and two months for the hottest f-ing skin I've ever had. Laughing

I got the Naturderm system before Christmas; I like all the products, but I NEED EpidermxII. I think the main reason I broke out is because I'd get clogged pores and mess with them, which would just cause a huge break out. After a month, I noticed significantly fewer clogged pores. I also use a BHA, and I think that paired with the EpidermxII is the magic combo for me. I am totally amazed and I know it's the E2; I sent Manslayerliz a whiney message about my skin breaking out around Thanksgiving, which is right before I started the Naturderm stuff.

Try it a full month before you write it off....I think of it this way; my skin didn't get gross in a day or even a week, so why should it get better that fast?

enjoys freebies · Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:58 pm Quote

Hi Doriane! Oh boy - you & I could have the same skin!! In fact I am sitting here with a bumpy, peely, broken out chin. Yuck.

Have you tried doing the aspirin mask? It is probably one of the only things I've found to (at least temporarily) tame my angry skin.

I've also ordered some emu oil, and I'm hoping that it will do *something* to help heal this mess. Confused

I'll be watching to see what everyone else has for suggestions!

Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:13 pm Quote

Thanks everyone for your replies =)

The aspirin mask: yes, I have tried it. However, I always ended up sneezing most of it off. Maybe I'll try mixing with aloe vera or something?

Sighh, I wish I could afford the Clarisonic. Some day..
I've been looking into trying Emu oil, maybe from DiannaYvonne? I just started using her Rose Hip Seed oil cleanser and I like it so far (and it comes with a handy little facial brush which I've been using in the shower.)

I will stick with the Epidermx. And I know that using a BHA could help with the flaky issue, but in the past it never worked well.. maybe because it couldn't penetrate the skin due to said flakyness? ?I don't know. Argghh. There's just so much to choose from.

Specifically, I'd like something that fits this criteria:
-pH balanced,
-exfoliating,
-no benzoyl peroxide or harsh detergents
-no more than $30
-non-stripping, as my skin is more dry than oily. 'cept for my nose which for some reason is an oil slick.

I'm looking into getting the Naturderm lavender foam.. or, the PSF Papaya Cleansing Gel.

OK, enough rambling for now.

enjoys freebies · Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:05 am Quote

Try burt's bees pore-refining mask with green french clay ,juice Beauty Green Apple Peel ,or Clinique Total turnaround 15 min mask .

enjoys freebies · Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:08 am Quote

If you still have acne, I think you should not scrub your face. It will make your acne get worse. Try aspirin mask, it contains BHA that can cure your acne very well.

enjoys freebies · Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:08 am Quote

I also think an AHA/BHA combo serum would be helpful for you. Another product that might help is Vivier's Lexxel IDS redness relief Moisturizing Cream. It contains an anti redness + bacteria fighting agent especially for acne prone and easily irritated skin. I purchased this for my husband (he suffers from occasional rosacea and acne breakouts) and it has helped him a lot.

enjoys freebies · Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:24 am Quote

Hmm... I have roughly the same type of skin. Oily, but also dry and flaky (and yes, acne-prone). I've been searching for skin products to keep the problem under control.

I've just recently order Suki's Velvet Facial Creme from EDS. Been using it for a week now. It's hydrating enough, yet doesn't cause my skin to be oily. So basically my skin is less oily and the dry and flaky condition is improving. Seems to calm the skin, too. So far I'm liking it (not to mention the price at EDS is great).

I've tried Decleor's Aroma Purete Matt Finish Skin Fluid before as well. It's really nice for oil control. However, it's not hydrating enough to help with the dry and flaky condition.

Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:48 pm Quote

Hi!

I think the most important thing to remember when trying to normalize the skin is that by cleansing the skin of dead skin cells and eliminating the film left on the surface it enables you to moisturize effectively and adequately. Helping the moisturizer to penetrate the skin.

enjoys freebies · Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm Quote

My daughter struggles with acne. From all the scrubbing and drying products her face looked very dull and flaky. I purchased Dermalogica Hydrating Mask for her. This mask made such a difference in the look of her skin. It helped give her the moisture she desperately needed without causing breakouts. This product gets wonderful reviews. The consistency is not oily but gel like.

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/dermalogica-skin-hydratin-p_1496.htm

enjoys freebies · Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:55 am Quote

I have very acne-prone skin too, cysts, milia, underground bumps, you name it, which used to be flaky too. I've also tried many different exfoliants in the past e.g. Epidermx etc. I found that in an attempt to clear my skin of the discoloration, and also to slough off the milia (if that was even possible!), my skin became raw and irritated. The milia bumps somehow got infected and turned into those huge underground buggers which stayed with me for more than a year!

Anyway, my advice is, for really acne-prone, irritable skin, stay away from strong exfoliants until you at least get the acne cleared up.

What finally helped my skin 100000X was a visit to a dermatologist, who prescribed oral tetracycline (antibiotics) for me. The underground acne did clear up, after just 3 weeks of religiously taking the pills.
On top of that, I started using glycolic based moisturisers and toners (much much gentler and more tolerable form of exfoliation).
If you must, I find that Jurlique's exfoliator is very gentle and effective, and has a noticeable effect in brightening the skin up.

Also, to clear up the flakiness, I found that it was not dry skin at all, but seborrheic Dermatitis. I used Dermadoctor's 'born to be mild medicated face and body cleanser' which contains 2% zinc to kill off the yeast that causes the body/face 'dandruff', hence flakiness on the face. The result? my flakiness cleared up immediately. Highly, highly recommended! You can get the cleanser from www.dermadoctor.com

Hope this helps!! All the best Smile

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