what kind of skincare products are good to me?
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Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:56 pm

hello all,

this is my first time coming here. Really feel good when I am looking at you views. I really know little about skin care. Leaned a lot from you. Anyway, I am still not sure what kind of skincare products are good to me. Could you please recommend some? thanks a lot.

I am Asian, 25 years old. Lots of pimples are coming out since I moved to California from Georgia. I can always feel my skin very dry. No matter what kind of skincare products i tried, I still feel not good. And, my skin is sensitive to something, such as some kind of pollen. Meanwhile, many scars left after the pimples gone

Waiting for your views. thanks

Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:08 am

Hi~~
I have the same problem too few years ago. I wonder it's because when the skin is too dry, it cannot protect itself against the environment, thus getting irritated easily!
Now, I have to keep my skin moist to avoid breakouts. To do that, I use hydrating mask everynight! It may sound crazy, but it really works!

Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:12 am

Yezi - what is your current routine? Also, I'm not familiar with Californian/Geaorgian climate - have you moved from more humid to drier, warmer to cooler, more polluted etc? Pardon my ignorance Embarassed

but that could give us an idea as to what is going on and we can go from there.

Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:07 pm

Thank you Mabsy and Mocha. Well, I really know nothing about fighting with the breadouts and dry skin. The previous months, I tried Proactiv. It seems doesn't work to me. Normally, I just use cleanser, toner, and moisturer everyday. It my mind is still there, I will put on a little suncream. Mocha, what kind of hydrating mask do you use? Is it ok to use it everyday? I haven't use any mask for a long time. Beacause I am not sure whether I could use any kind mask.

Mabsy, what you said is really what happed to me.

Laughing

You are great. My home town and Georgia are both humnider than California. California is too dry to me. I did try some different moisturizer, but they still didn't work to me in some extremely dry days. I remember this January , lots of dead skin fell down from my face. It is so horriable. Also, Georgia is a state where lots of trees around, but there is only a few trees in California. Certainly, the pullution in California is more serious. Now, I miss my Georgia life so much....

Thank you agian... ...

Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:43 pm

Sounds like you need to up the moisturiser to deal with the dry climate. The acne may be environment related or perhaps stress related as well (new job? more stress?). My suggestion would be to to incorporate a product with salicylic acid to help with the acne, and also either get a richer moisturiser or add a hyaluronic acid serum. I'd recommend Dermalogica Microfoliant - this is a gentle enzyme based exfoliator that also has salicylic acid in it (for acne). It is supposed to be used daily but some people say it dries them out - you'd have to experiment and see how often you can use it to keep your skin happy. It's a really good product and easy to get samples of so you know if you like it before you buy it. The regular exfoliation should also help absorption of other products. You can then apply a HA serum (like say Cellex-C hydrating gel, or something similar) and then apply moisturiser (with SPF) over the top. If you're feeling more adventurous, I'd also add a vitamin C serum in the morning to help protect the skin and speed up any post-acne scar healing.

So, I'm advocating something along the lines of:

AM:
Dermalogica Microfoliant
Vitamin C Serum (go with a more substantial texture like Vivier, CSRx or PSF)
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Moisturiser (e.g. Dermalogica Active Moist - there's lots of different ones that are good)

PM:
usual cleanser (but make sure it's doing a good enough job)
toner (to get rid of any traces of dirt/makeup)
Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Moisturiser (could go with a richer one at night)

Another idea is to add one of the Decleor oils instead of the HA serum - for example the Angelique one which is for dry skin. You could also use a Decleor balm at night instead of the moisturiser.

Once or twice a week try to do a mask. Dr Hauschka Rejuvenating Maks would be good - it's moisturising and people have also reported that it seems to be good at diminishing acne.

Hope that helps a bit.

free skin care · Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:02 am

The Hyaluronic Acid Serum will be a MUST. It helped my skin hydrate all day long. I really see a big difference since I used it about 1 month ago.

Sun Apr 02, 2006 1:18 am

Hello, As i just wrote on my posting, B Kamins has been a helpful acne preventing product in our home. I recommend the B Kamins acne wash and I would also try their new acne product, since the entire line is quite useful. I hope this helps and good luck!! Smile

free skin care · Sun Apr 02, 2006 9:51 am

A must for moisturiser. Your skin will climatise eventually in California. It's all relative. I keep a small bottle of lotion in my purse and every so often clean up and relotion the areas which feel dry the most. I would venture that it's a hit and miss as to which product works best for you. I prefer Thalgo products - my face is pretty sensitive and after a year plus of using their products, my face has toned down in the redness and I'm pretty happy with the on-going result.

I don't live down south by you, but when I moved to Alberta (north of Montana) from British Columbia, the dryness shocked my system. Aside from changing what I do for my face and body, I started drinking a lot more water (3-4 litres daily). And I found it's been beneficial. I notice when I go to a place more humid, that I drink less.

As well, I've had to start using vaseline for my nose (yes, inside) which after 4 years now, I couldn't live without.

Sun Apr 02, 2006 10:44 am

Mabsy:

I'm experiencing the same thing as yezi except that I have combination skin but has dry patches especially in the winter. What brands of HA serum do you recommend? And what types of moisturizers (brands) do you recommend for hydrating this type of skin?

free skin care · Sun Apr 02, 2006 11:05 am

Hi Yezi1225,
I cannot help you with the acne, but for the dry skin, it would be nice if you can do some sort of hydrating mask everyday.My skin is almost like you minus the pimple problems. Ever since I moved to CO, which is super dry, I have to use hydrating mask everyday. I agree with Mabsy's suggestion. Also, make sure you pick a gentle toner. A couple of weeks ago, I started using ACV toner, and I think it was too harsh/drying for me.

As I know it, Asian skin does scar easily (I am Asian with some acne scars), using vitamin C and exfoliating is the safe way to go, but I dont think that you will see fast result. I have been using vit C and some form of exfoliator for a while, but I still have some acne scars taht I have had since high school.

free skin care · Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:43 am

another reason for the surface dryness and the break out could be that your skin is quite dehydrated, so using something that is really hydrating could help as well. Biotherm's aquasource non stop moisturizer for normal combination skin is good, it will give your skin enough water and oil to stop your skin from getting oily and dry at the same time.

Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:08 pm

thank you so much for your good suggestions. Well, since I found so many new stuff in your suggestions, I will spend some time to do a research about them. (Don't laugh at me, I really know nothing about of those new items Embarassed

)

One thing I feel a little confused is that at first, when I went to mall to buy some facial products, the seller would recommended me to use products designed for combo skin. So, always, I thought my skin belongs to combo type. Right now, I would say, my skin is rather dry. Will my skin type switch to dry?? Feel confused.

Actually, I tried to drink as much water as I can. However, I don't like to drink water. If I don't pay attention to my skin, I even don't drink water at all. I know it is not good.... Anyway, 3 to 4 liters, I don't think I could drink that much, Or I will be in the restroom the whole day Rolling Eyes

Well, I will still try to drink more water...

Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:19 pm

Hi all

This is my first time coming here and it is a nice place to me for inquiry skin care.I want try the product of DDF Moisturizing Photo-Age Protection SPF 30. Can I use this product as a day cream and Is it suitable for Asian 40 year with normal to dry skin?if not, please help to suggest me the another products. thanks

Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:18 am

super99g - Welcome to the forum! The DDF product sounds fine in principle but I have not actually tried it myself so I don't know if it is moisturising enough by itself for your skin. Opinons of it on MUA seem to be divided (some love it and some hate it). My favorite SPF moisturiser is one by Kosmea, which is an Australian brand. It's simply called Moisturising Lotion SPF 30+ and it has lots of antioxidants in it (green tea, vitamin E, etc). Murad does a very good tinted sunscreen (which has a gel like texture that just melts into the skin) but I don't think that would be enough for you in terms of moisture either (it's fine for me in summer over a serum).

umtanhsl - I think there are many different HA serums that are good. Lately I have been using Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster but nowadays I use (and love! review of this coming up in the next few weeks) a Replenix serum that is based on green tea and HA. Cellex-C also has a good hydrating gel and Dianna Yvonne makes one too, though I have not tried it. Moisturisers are hard for me to recommend because there are so many different choices that could potentially suit you and there's also a component of personal preference there. I have normal skin and use Photolagen over Replenix (over vit C serum) and this is fine. If anything this might actually be more than necessary, but I like it. I would suggest that if you incorporate a good hydrating serum then you can remain with the current moisturiser you have. What are you using?

yezi1225 - I have problems drinking enough water as well. I now I'm supposed to try to drink 2L a day but I just don't like plain water. I help the cause by adding honey and lemon and drinking it luke warm or room temperature. Or adding a bit of natural fruit syrup to give it some flavour/colour. Also, I think it's quite possible that your skin will adapt and change, but this is not for sure. If I were to suggest something specific to you, one option would be:

AM:
Dermalogica Microfoliant
Vivier 10% Vitamin C Serum
Replenix Serum or Dermalogica Hydrating Booster
Moisturiser with SPF (e.g. Murad Energizing Pomegranate Moisturizer, SPF 15)

PM:
Babor Cleansing Oil (2 step, with Babor Phytoactive Sensitive)
toner (Dermalogica Toner)
Decleor Aromessence Rose D Orient (soothe sensitive skin)
Decleor Essential Balm (decongest - can't use this continually though)

Feel free to replace different components by whatever takes you fancy as you read through more posts here. The bottom line is that there are many products that could suit you and I don't want to suggest just a narrow regime based on my preferences.

free skin care · Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:49 am

Hello!
I can feel your pain....I have some of the same problems. I do use proactive when I have an irratated spot but for the most part it does not work as a preventative for me....I have found that salacylic acit(sp?) does work for me. It was explained to me that the acid goes deep into the poors to heal and prevent breakouts. I bought neutrogena acne face wash (the self foaming one) and the L'oreal adult acne peel kit which I use once or twice a week. Below is my routine...good luck.

AM
Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Foam
Estee Lauder Daywear (Normal/Combo Skin)
Mario Badescu Herbal Serum (over moisturizer) it really keeps my skin hydrated.

PM
Yonka Gel (makeup remover)
Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Foam
L'Oreal Peel Kit (couple times a week or more but only on the breakouts)
Estee Lauder Daywear (on the non L'Oreal nights)
Mario Badescu Herbal Serum

**When I get an infected (pimple) I use proactive and it usually heals it pretty fast.

free skin care · Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:37 pm

Hi yez,

I have suffered from the same problem as you. Acne problem on dry skin. I think the reason why you have dry skin is because you are using Proactiv, i have used proactiv too before and noticed that this skincare line can be VERY drying and cause your skin to be sensitive and red. Throw away your proactiv skincare! The only thing you can keep is the toner!

I would suggest trying Dr. Haucshka line. Use their Cleansing cream since it is good for all skin types including acne prone and dry skin. After the cleanser, use a non-alchoholic toner (toners with alcohol in it will dry your skin up) Also, Dermalogica Gentle soothing booster is great for sensitive skin and it will reduce the redness of your skin, it gives your skin moisture but wont clog pores or cause acne. Oil-free sunblock is a must for that californian weather

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