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Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:59 pm

Hi all,
I love all the info and experiences you galls share on this forum, but at the moment I am quite confused?!?! Question

First, I have combo/acne skin- so of course I read up on it. Anyways, I am trying to find the right products and I am having mixed info..

1) Cleasing gels: don't have oil- good for acne; can be too drying- causes skin to dry and block pores leading to breakouts.??!!!

2) Cleasing milk: good for removing makeup; contains some sort of oil- good/bad?? Some ppl have had good results with cleasing milk some don't ... what's the deal?? Question

3) Toner/lotion: Any difference between the two?? With alcohol or without is better?? (antibacterial vs no-more tight face) Bad Grin

4) Moisturizers: Gels vs cream?? Once again, oil vs no oil??!!

5) Benzol Peroxides/ AHA/ BHA: Aren't they basically the same (besides the fact that BP also does wonders on stains on clothings) Very Happy

I am sure others are also as confused as I. If anyone can shed some light on these, please help us out!!

thanks
mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! Anxious

Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:34 pm

hi moomoo, im new here too Very Happy

from what ive been learning in my beauty therapy course i think your skin would greatly benefit from the following...

a gel/foaming cleanser twice daily. stick away from creamy/milky cleansers as they are better for dry/mature skins. not for oily/combo skins.

an exfoliant! to me the second most important (after cleanser) part of a skin care routine for your skin type. use this 3 times a week.

an oil free moisturiser or serum twice daily. once again, stick away from an oil based moisturiser with your skin type.

toning lotion, alcohol free twice daily after cleanse, before moisturiser.

an absorbing clay or purifying mask once a week would also be beneficial as it will draw excess oil from your skin.

i have similar skin to yours and i am currently using and swear by a brand called 'Pelactiv'. checkwww.pelactiv.com for more info.

i hope this helps,
angie Angel

Wed Dec 22, 2004 2:07 am

Hi Moo moo,
As a teenager I was plagued with acne...so I can give you a few guidelines to keep those zits at bay.Use a gentle cleanser that not too harsh on the skin and preferably contains chamomile, since over drying the skin can cause the skin to produce more oil, that exacerbates the problem.Use an oil free moisturiser wth an spf 15 during day..neotrogena spf 15 is good since it is noncomedogenic(will not clog pores).I also like Paulas Choice BHA1% lotion since it keeps the skin free from black heads and whiteheads, and also provides the necessary exfoliation without being too harsh.Make sure you are taking a balanced diet and if not take dietary supplements.And keep smiling...thats the best way to banish those zits Laughing

Wed Dec 22, 2004 8:10 am

Hi Moomoo

I'm not a skin care expert but here's what I know Smile

1) Cleasing gels: don't have oil- good for acne; can be too drying- causes skin to dry and block pores leading to breakouts.??!!!

my answer: they can be too drying if your skin is already dry and cause more blackheads if your skin react to any of the ingredients. we all have different skin type so what works for some people might not work for others although both have oily skin for example (this always happen to me). products without oil are generally good for oily/acne prone skin but can be drying too if they contain acne fighting ingrdients.

2) Cleasing milk: good for removing makeup; contains some sort of oil- good/bad?? Some ppl have had good results with cleasing milk some don't ... what's the deal??

my answer: here too my best bet would be taht it depends on individual's skin type and reactions to ingredients hence it works for some and not for others.

3) Toner/lotion: Any difference between the two?? With alcohol or without is better?? (antibacterial vs no-more tight face)

my answer: I was told that a toner helps to rebalance your skin pH and remove any residues of the cleanser when you're done washing your face. Basically a lot of toners "tone" your skin and might or might not contain alcohol. i prefer without alcohol because alcohol tend to dry out the skin. It (with alcohol) works wonders to remove oil on oily skin but mine is combo/sensitive.

4) Moisturizers: Gels vs cream?? Once again, oil vs no oil??!!

my answer:

gel without oil: acne/oily/combo skin

cream: normal to dry skin and even some combos

as for oil, it depends on what kind of oils you mean. some clog pores while others (like some essentiel oils) donot

5) Benzol Peroxides/ AHA/ BHA: Aren't they basically the same (besides the fact that BP also does wonders on stains on clothings)

my answer:

All three have a direct effect on the epidermis but :

AHA (glycolic acid is one): water soluble and cannot penetrate the skin that well and act mainly on the skin surface. Appear to promote skin's collagen and elastin which smooth the skin texture

BHA (salicic acid is one): oil soluble and penetrate the skin. Is a good exfoliant and loosen cells that accumulate and clog pores.

BP: is mainly for acne skin while the other too is for any skin esp. oily. it is anti bacterial and helps ot fight against acne infections.it has been shown to reduce sebum production but can be drying and bleach clothes.

My best bet for your acne/combo skin would be to use BP only on the spots and a BHA/AHA cleanser, toner and a moisturizer for combo skin. Hope it helps.

I wish I could give straight recommendations like products brands but I learnt that my skin is picky and it's only by trial and error that I found products that work fine. I've combo/acne prone skin too.

I hope that helps and anyone feel free to correct me if I made any mistakes in my answers above.

free skin care · Wed Dec 22, 2004 5:32 pm

Hi moo moo! I too have combo skin (oily T zones, normal everywhere else) and here's my humble opinion Smile

) Cleasing gels: don't have oil- good for acne; can be too drying- causes skin to dry and block pores leading to breakouts.??!!!

I started out with gel cleansers but found that they were too drying for me. It left my face feeling really taut afterwards as well more oil being produced.

2) Cleasing milk: good for removing makeup; contains some sort of oil- good/bad?? Some ppl have had good results with cleasing milk some don't ... what's the deal??

I actually use cleansing milk at night to remove foundation. I use a clean wet flannel cloth. It works for me this way. No sticky residue Smile

3) Toner/lotion: Any difference between the two?? With alcohol or without is better?? (antibacterial vs no-more tight face)

I've got one of each type at the moment and personally I prefer one without alcohol. The one with alcohol stings and leaves my cheeks dry. Once again, stripping away the natural oils on the skin can lead the sebaceous glands being more active and hence producing more oil.

4) Moisturizers: Gels vs cream?? Once again, oil vs no oil??!!

I used to only look for/buy gel moisturisers and oil free moisturisers. I've decided recently to try two different kinds of moisturisers: one for my T zones and one for the rest. I know it becomes very laborious but I think I've got it right now after 15 years of trying to find the right product. At the moment I use La Mer oil absorbing lotion for my T zones and a cream formula for my cheeks. I never thought I'd be able to use a moisturiser in a cream formula before nor did I ever understand what SAs mean when they always diagnose my skin as being dehydrated when my face is looking like an oil slick Doubt

Because of all these changes, my daily routine is about 4-5x longer than before but I'm really happy with how my skin is looking now and it's worth all the time I'm spending on it Smile

BTW, don't forget to use a broadspectrum sunscreen. I really regret not having used one since I came to Oz. Once again, I've stayed away from these products as I used to think that they're greasy and comedogenic. I'm currently using Shiseido sun protection cream and is works beautifully under foundation without turning my face into oil city and no breakouts. Hope this has helped..... Smile

Thu Dec 23, 2004 6:09 pm

Thank you all for your quick replies.

One new question, would 'soap' be a better choice instead of gel or cream cleansers, since it has the oil and the cleaning agents (both benefits squeesed into one) ??

thanks

free skin care · Thu Dec 23, 2004 7:01 pm

Just popping in to add to the BP, AHA, BHA quandary. I am so skippy to finally know and understand the differences and uses, I am giddy to share.

Alpha hydroxy acids, as noted, can chemically exfoliate the topmost layer of the skin. Aha's can make skin brighter, smoother, and help to fade red marks from old blemishes. The new skin, and the encouraged collagen, can give a nice glow. I've seen amazing results among a few of my friends.

Beta hydroxy acids -- are Salicytic Acid. Salicytic accid is found in the acne cleansing pads you get from the drugstore, the Clean & Clean toners, and -- please note -- BHA is actually salicytic acid is actually ASPIRIN. As Gertrude Stein would say. Salicytic acid works inside the pore to dissolve oil and clear the way for oil to flow. A 1 or 2% lotion or toner with salicytic acid is a MUST for my oily skin. An aspirin mask (unbuffered, dissolved in water and slopped on the face for ten minutes once a week) clears the pores and really, really helps with clogs and, thus, breakouts.

Benzoyl Peroxide is a whole different thing. My facialist FINALLY explained the differene to me some years ago. I kept confusing BP with salicytic acid. BP kills the bacteria that causes acne (they say) but does NOTHING to clear the pore. Other than drying your skin, which then causes the top layers of skin ot peel off. For DECADES, when I had an approaching zit, I'd put BP on it -- which seemed to only FREEZE the whole pimple and harden it and make it unconquerable. It couldn't be purged or dissolved or moved. It was petrified for weeks, if not months.

Salicytic acid is what you should put on your skin if a zit is coming to the surface. It will clear the debris and let the oil flow again, working INSIDE the pore. If you have popped a pimple -- or it has exploded of its own accord, or been drained, or whatever, THEN BP can prevent infection. I'd suggest a touch of alcohol and Neosporin, myself, but I am obviously (I realize now, after many years of plain dumbness) sensitive to BP and should not have it in the house. I see BP walking down the street, I turn around and walk the other way. We don't even speak in the elevator.

There are many of us. Some say we can use BP and leave it on for a half hour, then wash it off, and be done. I personally just don't. Your facial mileage, of course, can vary substantially. Smile

S.

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