My Obagi experience
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free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:50 am

thanks for that Bren - would've been loath to throw it out on the first day!

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:55 am

riceball wrote:

I would like to ask if you would suggest Obagi Vit.C serum for me and what percent should I get ?

you're on the same regimen as me riceball, & I've gone for the 5% serum. That said, I think you're supposed to start at 10% really & work up - I was just a bit of a coward! It's my first day of it so no idea if my skin will react to it yet...

Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:02 am

dianew wrote:

riceball wrote:

I would like to ask if you would suggest Obagi Vit.C serum for me and what percent should I get ?

you're on the same regimen as me riceball, & I've gone for the 5% serum. That said, I think you're supposed to start at 10% really & work up - I was just a bit of a coward! It's my first day of it so no idea if my skin will react to it yet...

thank you for the response. I don't know if I should be using Obagi Vit C serum yet. I am only on Day 26 with the Obagi Nu-derm. I am also thinking of purchasing the Tretinoin in 1% bec. I think 0.05 is pretty mild for me.

Are your bottles near to empty now or are you using your second set of Obagi Nu -derm ? I still have mine but I'm already thinking of ordering in advance. Pls. let me know how is your skin right now too. I still have the acne spots and I m trying to be patient Smile

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:12 am

I'm on day 27 so we're about at the same place riceball! I started Nu-Derm for pigmentation issues & sun damage / red patches from acne breakouts

am still quite pink, which makes it hard to see how even the skin really is, still got a red nose (but that may or may not be rosacea rather than sun damage, so only time will tell if it'll disappear)

forehead seems the most improved - more even toned & lighter, & vertical lines between my eyebrows have virtually disappeared, & horizontal ones faded lots too ( Shock

wasn't expecting that but v pleased nonetheless - maybe they were just exaggerated before by uneven sun damage or something)

I'm still peeling round the mouth, but it seems to happen later in the day now rather than at work (which is good) - still lots of uneven & red marks here & there, & still some blemishes surfacing - but we're still in the 'purging' period so overall am v pleased so far with the results - will def complete the full 18 weeks - I think (hope!) the worst bit's over now

how does your experience compare?

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:17 am

oh, & re bottles - I'm running out of Clear (have bought some more Clear) but have lots of everything else left - I'm only using half a gram of everything.

I also bought a travel kit from EDS (which also has a full size Clear in it) & I reckon that & what's left of my full size kit will last me the rest of the 18 weeks

unless my maths is completely off, of course Laughing

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:13 am

I started Feb 14th and as of now, I am running low on toner, cleanser and clear. Which is pretty much all I am using besides the blender! hahaha...mind you though, I was using everything daily even on my neck and backs of hands so that's the reason I am running so low.

So I will be ordering those 3 soon. Oh, and anyone that needs Exfoderm, I have that almost full bottle I can't use....(I did however just order the Exfo Forte as the exfoliants are AHA/Glycolic based and I should have no prob with that) if anyone wants it, just PM me and let me know!

Interesting tidbit...I applied the regular Exfo to my inner arm and nothing happened....not sure if what I experienced was an actual allergic reaction or just some oddball occurence...either way, I don't think I will take the chance of using Exfo on the face....another side note, my face looks flippin awesome today!! Very Happy

Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:38 am

Dianew,

Here's the low down I learned from my natural pharmacy on Vitamin C.

It does not need to be stored in the refridgerator, but should be stored in a cool place like a cupboard. It does need to be stored in a dark container

Vitamin C in its natural form (ascorbic acid) is the most powerful form for the stimulation of collagen but it is extremely unstable and breaks down easily when oxidized (exposed to oxygen). When it begins to oxidize it then has a tendency to become toxic on the skin. This may be why some places sell it as a spray bottle (including my pharmacy) so that the bottle is never opened and the liquid is not exposed to the air except when being sprayed on the skin.

Because it degrades so easily, a lot of skin care places now sell Vitamin C in other forms that do not degrade as quickly but have significantly lower concentrations. The two main forms are "ascorbyl palmitate" (a weaker counterpart to vit c) and "magnesium ascorbyl phosphate" (a more comparable counterpart to vit c). Other derivatives are coming out too.

In clinical studies, ascorbic acid at 10% has been shown to stimulate collagen. Many skin care manufactures use SIGNIFICANTLY less than this (5% or under typically) so it is worthwhile checking to see what their % is. With one, I called them and they used a 1.2% formulation! I returned the product and got my $60 back.

Obagi Professional-C Serum boasts 20% AND it's ascorbic acid, which doesn't surprise me as they seem to have a very solid and good reputation with regard to their products. I think it's worth seeing of you can put a spray top on the top of the bottle so that it degrades less. Lots of container places sell different types of bottle tops to convert them to sprays.

There is also a great thread on this site of DIY skin care products that I've had some fun experimenting from, including several Vit C serums: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=11902 Smile

Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:42 am

thank you for the response..
Do you think it's okay to use the Obagi Vit.C serum even though I am only on Day 26 ? I really don't know when is the right time to add Obagi Vit.C serum on my Nuderm regimen.

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:45 am

Just an FYI...the Exfoderm is now spoken for Very Happy

Eventually I am going to add the Obagi C 20% to my Obagi routine. I would have done it already, but I have a few other things on my list of purchase and have to prioritize at this point with cash. But, it will be added eventually.

Good idea on the squirt bottle! I will do that when I get mine...

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:48 am

You'd be fine adding the C to your routine Rice. I think it would be perfectly fine to start right from the get go with it to be honest...I think C is tolerated by many well...personally I have not heard of anyone having terrible reactions to C, although I am sure if I dug around on the board I would find people that had a bad reaction to it.

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 9:23 am

Hello Everyone!
I'm following your thread daily but not posting very much. Seems like you guys are going full-throttle and working out the "kinks" of the system!

Also sounds like many of you are starting to see some results already. Awesome!! I know it's a tough journey with lots of ups and downs, but you'll most likely be glad you did it! Smile

Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:21 am

Skinmedix has the Pro-C Serum 20% for $59 (and you get 5% off that if you use coupon code 5off, which I always do) Smile

Shipping is also free. I buy products from them all the time and they are great, and send samples (I normally get my stuff in 2-3 days).

free skin care · Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:33 am

Another great C-serum product is Cellbone. Actually all of their products I've tried I've loved. The C serum is reasonably priced too...

http://www.cellbone.com/Promotion_Sale.htm

Of course, the C serum on sale is the higher potency 23% and 27%....but I used the 23 with no problem. They also offer lower C's too but those aren't on sale at the moment.

Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:33 am

Actually, I just checked and they are currently running have a coupon code specifically for Obagi products (15% off) if you enter OBAGI15 Cool

Oh, thanks for that Bren21... checking it out now.

free skin care · Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:07 am

thanks for the info dragonflyte - think I'll def start making my own Vit C at some point...

the 5% has returned my skin to its former red state, & makes the Obagi sting when I put it on - a bit like the first few days of the system, but not as much massive peeling with it

I've obviously put too much on my neck (trying not to waste excess product from the dipper applicator)as I have an attractive red ring around it where the serum has collected Laughing

attractive look...

less is more clearly - & with another parents' evening coming up tomorrow I may give it a miss & try it every other day for a while...

Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:15 pm

Hi Dianew, I had my eyelashes tinted Saturday when I went for a facial. The tinting was not bad at all. It certainly is worth it for me since I have the typical blonde tipped eyelashes.
I'm into my 6th week on the program now and my aesthitician was really happy with my progress. The facial was awesome. I highly recommend having it done while on this program. Talk about glowing! Very Happy

The obagi did sting when I used it in the evening, so I washed it back off and used my neocutis along with some neosporin where it was really tender. Good as new the next morning!
I hope it continues going this well during the entire process. I have to conduct some training this week and my daughter will be graduating from college in May! I don't want to be all red and peelie the next few months.

free skin care · Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:06 am

Well, I tried the Exfoderm Forte for the first time today...so far so good. Let's hope it stays that way.

Question for my Obagi pals:

I've never had a problem with acne over my lifetime in the slightest...not even as a teen. I can probably count on one hand how many times I've had a major pimple. I've noticed that since I've been on Obagi I go through these bouts of tiny red pimples...on my forehead especially, but on my lower face as well to a smaller degree. Does anyone else get this too?

Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:22 am

I had more breakouts than usual in the beginning. Only a few here and there now. I was told that it was bringing impurities to the surface. I've been putting straight tretinoin on the spots to dry them up faster. If I get a really bad spot, I use neosporin. Seems to work well so far. I use the exfoderm. What's the difference between it and the exfoderm forte?

free skin care · Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:08 am

I will try the retin-a straight on those spots...it just gets frustrating when you're not used to breakouts and they are little too so it makes my skin look lumpy.

Apparently the difference between the Forte and the regular Exfo is that Forte is an AHA (lactic/glycolic) based exfoliator and the regular Exfo is phytic acid which is plant based. The regular Exfo is supposed to be gentler on the skin than the Forte, but there is something in there my skin doesn't like. I have done glycolic peels in the past and I know my skin can handle AHA's, so that was my reasoning for trying out the Forte.

Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:50 am

Ok, that makes sense. They gave me the kit for sensitive skin. Maybe that's why I'm not having the horrible peeling and flaking like so many others are. I hope the spot treatments help. Try not to do it too many days in a row or else you'll have some dry spots that will end up flaking. Thanks! Smile

free skin care · Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:40 am

Debo, how long have you been on Obagi?

You're lucky you don't have nasty peeling although sometimes you feel like a product's not working when you don't shed like crazy or have some sort of reaction Laughing

....but of course, that is not the case.

As of now I don't have any flakes, redness or peeling and the only reason being is I cheated for a few days Confused

but I am now back on it with the Forte. This morning, no reaction either so I think the Forte is going to be an all systems go!

I am curious though as to the % of AHA (lactic/glycolic) that is in the Forte...does anyone happen to be privy to this?

Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:57 am

I started the program Feb 17. I did have one major flare up after a few weeks. My nose was so red, swollen and throbbing that I couldn't even concentrate on anything! It was horrible. That was when I found this forum. I learned so much through it and with the information I obtained, I've been able to control it fairly well. I'd rather not have the major redness and peeling and be able to function in my daily life even if I have to stay on it longer. I am having really good results though. I had my free facial this past Saturday that came with the program and she was very satisfied with my results so far. Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:13 am

So glad to hear your results are great! It just goes to show that you don't have to have all the bad stuff to know it's working Very Happy

So we started about the same time with this venture!

I haven't had anyone specifically say to me "Man, your skin looks really good"....I wish someone would though so I feel like I am actually making progress...
But I suppose when someone looks at me in shock when I tell them my age, that's a good enough for me...especially from women as we can be a bit catty at times Laughing

Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:24 am

I actually had someone that didn't know me tell me they thought I was around 36 and that my skin looked amazing...I just turned 51! That reassured me that I'm on the right path with this. I was a little unsure about investing this kind of money, but it's definitely worth it! I'm going to really have to be careful this summer. We have a pool and I don't want to undo what I've achieved so far. Lots of sunscreen!!! Cool

free skin care · Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:43 am

How great of a compliment is that?!? Telling you that you look younger AND your skin is amazing! You go girl!!! Very Happy

I hope I get that "amazing skin" part one of these days too Laughing

For sure, you don't want to undo what you've done! We spend all this money trying to make improvements and have to remember it's more difficult at times to "upkeep" some of these things because we sometimes get caught up in daily life we forget this or that...and for myself, I only apply sunscreen once a day when I am doing my normal living. When I think about it, shouldn't I really be applying more than once if I'm just doing normal activity? I would think by mid-day it would be pretty much wore off and that's when you really need that sun protection...really, this is something I never thought much of until I started Obagi. I find myself thinking about how to "keep" the results now more so than I have in the past...probably due to the price of this regime AND the the hardships one must endure while doing it to look good! Laughing

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