Skincare Helpppp!

[melliemelissa]

What to say Amazing to read this thread... I am so careless about my skin thanks for reminding me to take care of my skin.

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by AlexandraB /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Thank you, I will have a read of these and hopefully find something that will help me with my skin problem. I think I may be guilty of "scrubbing" too which as you said could be "overstimulating the lesions, inadvertently causing them to spread...". 

I will retire the muslin cloth and will start to use the tips of my fingers instead and see how that goes. Thank you very much for your advice. I hope this solves my problem or at least helps *fingers crossed*
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, Alexandra! Please keep me updated!

Quote: Originally Posted by JC327 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I was wondering why I had not seen you around for a while. Hope you are feeling l better, I know how horrible tooth pain can be.
Thanks, Jay! I'm actually headed back to the dentist for my second root canal in about 10 minutes 

 

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by dancersmum /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  @Tiffany27la I sure hope you are okay now....that sounds horrific!

Do you have to fly back to Lebanon to finish the work?  

Hope all is well now.
Yes...I've been back in Lebanon since the day after Christmas...the fitting/making of the crowns is what takes soooo long 

Thanks so much for checking in!

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wida /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I read the advice in this thread a couple of weeks ago and when I read to wash your face 3x, I honestly thought "What a waste of cleanser".  However, since I am mid-30's with skin that is just not good (seriously, a Dermatologist told me that I just have bad skin and to learn to live with it), I decided to give it a try anyways.  While it hasn't cleared my skin all the way up, it has made a vast improvement.  My skin is clearer with less bumps and is so much softer and looks more radiant.  I'm now a believer and I'm incredibly hopeful that over time, it will get rid of the stubborn congestion that I've struggled with for years.  I did find that it was too drying to use my regular cleanser 3x, so I do the first 2 with my regular cleanser and my last one with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser to restore a bit of moisture and I'm thrilled with it.  Plus, it's a cheap fix for better skin!  Thanks so much Tiffany27la
So, so happy your seeing an improvement, Wida! Stick with it...I promise the results will improve over time. We live in a society of instant gratification, so it's especially difficult to be patient with something so visible, but hang in there! Please keep me updated!! 

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wida /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I read the advice in this thread a couple of weeks ago and when I read to wash your face 3x, I honestly thought "What a waste of cleanser".  However, since I am mid-30's with skin that is just not good (seriously, a Dermatologist told me that I just have bad skin and to learn to live with it), I decided to give it a try anyways.  While it hasn't cleared my skin all the way up, it has made a vast improvement.  My skin is clearer with less bumps and is so much softer and looks more radiant.  I'm now a believer and I'm incredibly hopeful that over time, it will get rid of the stubborn congestion that I've struggled with for years.  I did find that it was too drying to use my regular cleanser 3x, so I do the first 2 with my regular cleanser and my last one with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser to restore a bit of moisture and I'm thrilled with it.  Plus, it's a cheap fix for better skin!  Thanks so much Tiffany27la
So, so happy your seeing an improvement, Wida! Stick with it...I promise the results will improve over time. We live in a society of instant gratification, so it's especially difficult to be patient with something so visible, but hang in there! Please keep me updated!! 

 

[tacehtpuekam]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tiffany27la /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Yes...I've been back in Lebanon since the day after Christmas...the fitting/making of the crowns is what takes soooo long 

Thanks so much for checking in!

Also, skincare related question. On days I want to use a mask where do I put it in my routine? Do I do the mask first and then cleanse, tone, moisturize? Or somewhere in between? 

Follow up question, do you have a favorite mask? 

 

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by BirthToAshes /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Hello, @Tiffany27la! I'm new here to the forums. You have given such great advice in this thread! I hate to hear that you had a medical emergency and hope all is well with that now. I definitely plan to implement the 3x face wash to my routine. I currently use Cetaphil cleanser but also have some leftover Mary Kay cream cleanser. I may use the Cetaphil twice and the cream cleanser once. This may be just what the doctor ordered. 

I have been having a lot of facial breakout issues lately 

  It isn't like an acne breakout, though I have a couple bumps. These bumps are more rough feeling and are not infected and can be "scratched" off. Also, I have noticed a slight rash around these rough areas. The rash gets worse after cleansing my face and moisturizing. Any idea what this might be? It isn't the same as rosacea pictures I have seen. Thanks so much!
Hi, and welcome @BirthToAshes 

I'm so glad you've found my advice helpful, and thank you for your well wishes! 

So many different factors can contribute to "breaking out".. (STRESS, genetics, diet, environment, etc..) and there are so many different kinds, or types of "break outs" that it would be nearly impossible for me to give you an accurate diagnosis of what your experiencing without physically examining your skin in person, BUT... just from hearing the description that you gave of being able to "scratch" the bumps off the surface of your skin, (and assuming that they are white in color versus red), I would be willing to bet that what your experiencing is called Millia..(or Millium in plural form.)

Millia are tiny white dots, or "bumbs" made up of excess keratin (which is the main component of our skin), that typically occur when skin cells haven't, for whatever reason, been exfoliated properly and become "trapped", or adhere to the outer layers of the skin. They appear just below the surface of the outer most layer, and unlike acne, they are NOT bacteria..but can be just as bothersome.

The good news is that their a much easier issue to resolve. Typically, you just need to up your exfoliating regimen because your body's natural sloughing process isn't quite enough on it's own.. that should do the trick!

Hope this helps! 

 

[stellagreen]

Quote:
Originally Posted by KellyKaye /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  So I have generally clear skin except for my chin and sometimes around my nose. Around my mouth and on my chin my pores are really clogged and I have no idea how to take care of that. I have oily skin on my t-zone and during the winter my cheeks can get really dry and flaky.

I am mostly looking for a product that will not cause me to breakout more, but will lightly moisturize and help my pores and acne.

Any suggestions that you have, all-seeing @Tiffany27la?
Thank you so much for your help baby.

 

[BirthToAshes]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tiffany27la /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Hi, and welcome @BirthToAshes 

I'm so glad you've found my advice helpful, and thank you for your well wishes! 

So many different factors can contribute to "breaking out".. (STRESS, genetics, diet, environment, etc..) and there are so many different kinds, or types of "break outs" that it would be nearly impossible for me to give you an accurate diagnosis of what your experiencing without physically examining your skin in person, BUT... just from hearing the description that you gave of being able to "scratch" the bumps off the surface of your skin, (and assuming that they are white in color versus red), I would be willing to bet that what your experiencing is called Millia..(or Millium in plural form.)

Millia are tiny white dots, or "bumbs" made up of excess keratin (which is the main component of our skin), that typically occur when skin cells haven't, for whatever reason, been exfoliated properly and become "trapped", or adhere to the outer layers of the skin. They appear just below the surface of the outer most layer, and unlike acne, they are NOT bacteria..but can be just as bothersome.

The good news is that their a much easier issue to resolve. Typically, you just need to up your exfoliating regimen because your body's natural sloughing process isn't quite enough on it's own.. that should do the trick!

Hope this helps! 

Thank you so much, @Tiffany27la! I may need to look into a better exfoliating product, then. I used the St. Ives Apricot Scrub since it was what I had around (I often find it's too rough), and noticed an improvement in the rough patches. 

Thanks so much, doll! I wish you lived closer I would most certainly pay you a visit! 

 

[tessak]

[@]tiffany27la[/@] Yikes! So sorry to hear about this dental emergency. I hope it's cleared up and you're no longer in pain really soon. My question is about exfoliants: What skin types/conditions are better for chemical vs. physical? And what about using exfoliants that are both?

 

[JC327]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tiffany27la /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Quote: Originally Posted by AlexandraB /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Thank you, I will have a read of these and hopefully find something that will help me with my skin problem. I think I may be guilty of "scrubbing" too which as you said could be "overstimulating the lesions, inadvertently causing them to spread...". 

I will retire the muslin cloth and will start to use the tips of my fingers instead and see how that goes. Thank you very much for your advice. I hope this solves my problem or at least helps *fingers crossed*
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, Alexandra! Please keep me updated!

Quote: Originally Posted by JC327 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I was wondering why I had not seen you around for a while. Hope you are feeling l better, I know how horrible tooth pain can be.
Thanks, Jay! I'm actually headed back to the dentist for my second root canal in about 10 minutes 

Hope all went well!

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by tessak /img/forum/go_quote.gif

@tiffany27la Yikes! So sorry to hear about this dental emergency. I hope it's cleared up and you're no longer in pain really soon.

My question is about exfoliants: What skin types/conditions are better for chemical vs. physical? And what about using exfoliants that are both?
Hi, Tessa!

Excellent question...In theory, all skin types need both chemical and physical exfoliation because they behave in two very different manners. This is the analogy I usually give to my clients- somewhat strange, but it typically gets the point across 

 If you were to imagine the actual cells of your skin as "bricks", chemical exfoliants help to dissolve the "mortar" or glue that keeps the dead "bricks" (skin cells) adhered to the new, healthy, and fresh skin, while physical exfoliants actually just loosen the cells (bricks) themselves from the outermost layer of skin. Because our bodies are made to regenerate at night during sleep, chemical exfoliants should ideally be used then as they will work best with the body's already naturally occurring process, whereas physical exfoliants should be used in the morning because they will manually exfoliate whatever dead skin presents on the surface of the skin overnight.

In actuality, I always discourage my clients with mild/moderate and especially severe acne to steer clear of manual (physical) exfoliation for several reasons that I've discussed at length upthread. In short, acne is a bacteria and ultimately it needs to be destroyed, not relocated to various areas of the face!

Hope this helps!

 

[BirthToAshes]

So, given that information, I suppose chemical exfoliants are more "hygenic" for those of us who are prone to breakouts since acne is a bacteria. We don't want it to spread around. Hmm. Suddenly, everything is falling into place. No wonder my breakouts never improved with the use of medicated scrubs! 

Am I correct when I assume LHA is a chemical exfoliant?  I had recently used a sample of an exfoliant cleanser with LHA in it. 

Also, an update on my skin issue! I have been washing my skin 3x the past few days as suggested and... Just. Wow. Is all I can say.

 My skin's tone and texture have greatly been improved. Also, the few bumps I had (purple, under the skin) are no longer sore and are healing up without coming to the surface! Yay! 

I can't thank you enough for starting this thread. It is like my HG for skin-mergencies! 

 

 

[ZeeOmega]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tiffany27la /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Quote: Originally Posted by ZeeOmega /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  @Tiffany27la This seem so counterintuitive and yet not!

Would cold cream, followed by toner to get what the cold cream missed, followed by washing face with cetaphil-like stuff count as three times? Or does toner not count? I stumbled upon this routine by chance a couple of months back and have seen an improvement in my skin. 
Hi, Zee!

I'm not sure if I addressed this post, or not, so just to be sure I didn't miss it, I'm responding again! The function of toner is restore the Ph balance of the skin..a Ph of 7 is considered neutral, and therefore an optimum level for the skin. A good portion of the specialized soaps for skincare available on the market usually fall somewhere between Ph levels of 9-12, so, depending on the level of the the products you use, a toner is definitely necessary....but, then again, be wary of the actual ingredients listed in the toner, itself, because you don't want to destroy the acid mantle of the skin further, but rather restore it.

If your current regime works for your skin, then great! I would still suggest washing three separate times, though..you could cleanse the first time with cold cream, follow up with Cetaphil (x2), and then tone before applying moisturizer.

Hope this helps! 

 I hope things are going well for you! My mother is a complete disaster in the dental department (we joke that she's help fund the expansion of dental practices), so I realize what a nightmare the initial issues are without the extra compounded problem of having to have your work done out of the country. If it helps (and I know it probably doesn't) at least you're going to a country with good dental surgery? When I used to live in Japan, I had a Jamaican friend who would have to schedule all of his dental work to be done in Jamaica (which he didn't think highly of) due to the fact that he simply could not find someone that could do a root canal on Honshu (the big island). 

Your reply was really helpful for my understanding of what toner actually does. I've cut it out of my routine for time being to see how things go and so far it seems fine. The weather and humidity levels have been off the scales lately, so I can't really say, but it looks like I can actually do without it. Thanks!

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by BirthToAshes /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  So, given that information, I suppose chemical exfoliants are more "hygenic" for those of us who are prone to breakouts since acne is a bacteria. We don't want it to spread around. Hmm. Suddenly, everything is falling into place. No wonder my breakouts never improved with the use of medicated scrubs! 

Am I correct when I assume LHA is a chemical exfoliant?  I had recently used a sample of an exfoliant cleanser with LHA in it. 

Also, an update on my skin issue! I have been washing my skin 3x the past few days as suggested and... Just. Wow. Is all I can say.

 My skin's tone and texture have greatly been improved. Also, the few bumps I had (purple, under the skin) are no longer sore and are healing up without coming to the surface! Yay! 

I can't thank you enough for starting this thread. It is like my HG for skin-mergencies! 

 
You are absolutely correct 

To the best of my knowledge, LHA is a relative "late bloomer" in the world of hydroxy acids...(If I  remember correctly, Skinceuticals was one of the the first companies in the US to launch an LHA product, and I believe they didn't do so until the end of 2009),  whereas other hydroxy acids such as lactic, kojic, etc.. have been around and in implementation for quite a bit longer, comparatively speaking...

You are more than welcome and I'm so glad you've seen such an improvement in your skin!! 

 

[Tiffany27la]

Quote: Originally Posted by ZeeOmega /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 

 I hope things are going well for you! My mother is a complete disaster in the dental department (we joke that she's help fund the expansion of dental practices), so I realize what a nightmare the initial issues are without the extra compounded problem of having to have your work done out of the country. If it helps (and I know it probably doesn't) at least you're going to a country with good dental surgery? When I used to live in Japan, I had a Jamaican friend who would have to schedule all of his dental work to be done in Jamaica (which he didn't think highly of) due to the fact that he simply could not find someone that could do a root canal on Honshu (the big island). 

Your reply was really helpful for my understanding of what toner actually does. I've cut it out of my routine for time being to see how things go and so far it seems fine. The weather and humidity levels have been off the scales lately, so I can't really say, but it looks like I can actually do without it. Thanks!
Anytime, Zee...I'm happy to help 

Aaand, along with your Mother, I have DEFINITELY helped fund dental discoveries worldwide lol

What kills me (literally) is that even the most complex dentistry in America (while insanely expensive) is still relatively painless. Anesthesia, local or otherwise is freely administered, and pain medicine is almost always prescribed after certain procedures to ensure minimal suffering. 

I've learned the hard way that this is not so in most other parts of the world.

The lack of medical etiquette here and mindfulness of the doctors is awe-inducing. 

I literally had tears streaming down my face today while getting fitted for crowns and the dentist was completely unphased..

In between bouts of fending off death, I try to keep reminding myself that all this suffering is saving me 9 grand, but I'm usually in too much pain to care lol

 

[JC327]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tiffany27la /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Quote: Originally Posted by ZeeOmega /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 

 I hope things are going well for you! My mother is a complete disaster in the dental department (we joke that she's help fund the expansion of dental practices), so I realize what a nightmare the initial issues are without the extra compounded problem of having to have your work done out of the country. If it helps (and I know it probably doesn't) at least you're going to a country with good dental surgery? When I used to live in Japan, I had a Jamaican friend who would have to schedule all of his dental work to be done in Jamaica (which he didn't think highly of) due to the fact that he simply could not find someone that could do a root canal on Honshu (the big island).

Your reply was really helpful for my understanding of what toner actually does. I've cut it out of my routine for time being to see how things go and so far it seems fine. The weather and humidity levels have been off the scales lately, so I can't really say, but it looks like I can actually do without it. Thanks!
Anytime, Zee...I'm happy to help 

Aaand, along with your Mother, I have DEFINITELY helped fund dental discoveries worldwide lol

What kills me (literally) is that even the most complex dentistry in America (while insanely expensive) is still relatively painless. Anesthesia, local or otherwise is freely administered, and pain medicine is almost always prescribed after certain procedures to ensure minimal suffering.

I've learned the hard way that this is not so in most other parts of the world.

The lack of medical etiquette here and mindfulness of the doctors is awe-inducing.

I literally had tears streaming down my face today while getting fitted for crowns and the dentist was completely unphased..

In between bouts of fending off death, I try to keep reminding myself that all this suffering is saving me 9 grand, but I'm usually in too much pain to care lol

Sorry to hear you are having such a bad experience , hope its all over soon.

 

[Amby6912]

I'm happy I found this. For years I've had an issue with one type of acne: hormonal related. It's always in the same areas every month exactly 7-8 days prior to "good" old aunt flo. Blah! I've tried every cleanser I can possibly get without paying a fortune and without going to a dermatologist. Most either go on my "does not work" list or goes on my "worked for awhile but stopped working for some reason" list. I generally wash my face in the morning and night (as I should) but I was only washing once in the morning and once at night after using a makeup removing wipe. Then I'd moisturize. After reading through this thread I think I'll try the 3x in a row at night after my makeup remover and 2x in the AM before makeup. It's the only thing I have never done. Though, since purified water dries my skin out in a nasty way I dread what my skin will feel like using cleanser 3x in a row! Thank you for the great advice, though! I will definitely give it a shot because if it doesn't work it probably means I should see someone about it! 

And one final thing: I hear about sulfur masks and acne treatments and was curious on your thoughts on them over stuff with things like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide (which have been the only things to clear my skin up in the past) . I posted this as a separate thread but well, this seems like a better place to ask it! TIA! 

 

[autopilot]

Wow, why am I just reading this thread now?

I discovered Michael Todd products thanks to an Ipsy bag and am now a devotee. But the 3x washing idea? Never occurred to me. Will start tonight!

I also have Julep's Bare Face cleansing oil coming so will be using this as my 3rd wash.

 

[cg0112358]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tiffany27la /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Quote: Originally Posted by utgal2004 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Do you wash all 3 times with same cleanser or use different ones? And is it 3 times right after each other?

Yes, three *consecutive* cleansings...aaand I just so happen to use three different cleansers, but it is by no means required to do so! I use a combination of foaming and cream cleansers...but, again, this is just my personal preference

I will say that those of you who tend to battle dryer skin will probably notice a more comfortable difference by ending the cleansing routine with a cream base cleanser because the lipids will help aid in moisture restoration

Late to the game but referred this way by some ladies in the Jan Ipsy thread.

I have oily skin (all over) but have dry patches on my face. I was told about the washing 3x routine, which I started tonight, but do you recommend a cream cleanser for the dry patches or deal with the oil issue by using a gel cleanser?

What cleanser do you recommend for someone like me? I'd love a recommendation for a drug store type (less expensive) and a more expensive type. Also, exfoliator rec too?

ETA: oh, and you're located in NO? I might just have to drive the 2.5 hours east to come visit for skin help...

and apparently I should have finished the thread before posting since reading others posts prompted me to think of other questions....