For the ladies: Six common skin care mistakes

[shesulsa]

Neat article - here's the six mistakes, but the article is a really good one to read.

1. Don't use harsh cleansers.
2. Use a retinoid.
3. Don't spend too much on skin care products.
4. You might not need pro facials.
5. Wash your face at the right time.
6. Use sunscreen every day.

I can say cleansing with cold cream has done a lot of good for my skin. Oils will emulsify sebum and pore-clogging plugs as well as suspend and carry away grime. The retinoid I use (ROC) has done wonders for the deep wrinkles in my forehead. While the few products I use are OTC and run around $20 to $30 a pop (ROC, moisturizer, etc.) I really don't buy a complete line of stuff. The only facial I've ever had that ever did anything for me was at a cosmetology school and was supervised by an instructor who was a former board inspector. I can't say I use sunscreen every day because I balance that logic with Vitamin D deficiency concerns.

Two things that have absolutely transformed the skin on my face, neck, shoulders and back are: 1. buying salon-quality hair care products (Sebastian) which are gentle, relatively inexpensive and effective; and 2. cleansing my skin immediately afterward, removing pore-clogging conditioner, oils, grime and product rinsed down from my hair. I no longer get "bacne" which is WONDERFUL.

Got any hints? Share!

 

[Kacey]

Hmm.... I don't wear makeup. I wash my face with regular soap in the shower (and yes - after I rinse out my hair). For years, people asked me how I could possibly not wear makeup - then a few years ago it changed, and people started saying things like "if I had skin like yours, I wouldn't wear makeup either". I do wear sunscreen when the temperature is over 60 - cooler than that, I don't stay outside enough to worry about it (although my dermatologist says I should). That's really all I do.

 

[KELLYG]

Mostly like KACEY I don't wear makeup regularly. I have never found any that did not feel like I was wearing a mask. I wash with soap and water and use moisturizer occasionally especially in the winter. I also use a humidifier in the winter it helps a lot with dry skin.

 

[girlbug2]

I agree with most of the article, and normally I do comply with all of those tips except for #5. In the shower I always wash my face first, then do my hair. It doesn't seem to cause a problem for me.

#3 is an excellent tip. Years ago I read a book titled "Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal" which is a quick and funny read about all that is wrong with the cosmetics industry. The author talked about skin care in a few chapters and her basic advice was to use a cleanser with as few ingredients as possible so as to minimize reactions with the skin. She recommended products like Noxzema and other cold creams, and in the moisturizer chapter she also recommened retinoids. Following her advice has saved me a lot of money and aggravation over about 12 years' time.

BTW, I am a person who suffered from chronic pizza face acne since I was 11 years old. All the expensive department skin care products in the world didn't help it, nor did the benzoil peroxide over-the-counter treatments. Finally two things helped control my acne: I started using a simple olive oil soap (easy to find in health food type stores, my brand is Kiss My Face) because I'd heard that it inhibited a fungus on the skin's surface that could cause acne. It did reduce my acne after I'd been using it for about a month, I'd estimate 20 percent less. Also the retinoid moisturizer helped a little more, so overall I had about 50 percent less acne than before when I was cleansing with harsh foaming cleansers, alcohol-based toners and moisturizing with expensive brand moisturizers for oily skin.

I'm with you on the sunscreen, I like my vitamin D. Being fair-skinned with freckles however I will put on sunscreen if I'm planning on spending more than a few minutes at a time outdoors. But, I do try to get adequate D by getting most of my sun exposure in the morning and late afternoon hours, after the highest risk of burning.

After having said all of that, you know what I finally found to rid of acne once and for all, was when I stumbled upon the solution a few years ago while trying a low carb diet. Apparently I am gluten (wheat) intolerant, and acne is one common sign of gluten intolerance. My skin cleared magically on that grain-free diet. No doctor or dermatologist nor anybody else had ever suggested to me before that my acne might be diet-related. Apparently it's not uncommon for people to go most or all of their lives not realizing they have gluten intolerance. It was a huge A-ha! moment when I realized this.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope it's helpful to somebody.

 

[Tez3]

I never used to wear much makeup now I wear it everyday to look like I don't!
Cleaning and moisturising from a very early age. I use French brands as the French women are fanatically about good skin care and have very good skincare ranges.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I use a low PH cleanser twice a day. Once in the morning shower after I shampoo and condition, and once in the evening to remove makeup. I like Alba Coconut Milk Cleanser...you can get it at any Stuffmart.

For anti-aging skin care products I use copper peptides and can say I have seen a very noticeable improvement since starting them about 6 years ago. Neutrogena Visibly Firm line is a mild formula. I prefer Skin Biology's products. Pricier but much stronger than Neutrogena. They're expensive but last a LONG time, so it's probably about even in price with Neutrogena over the long run since they last so much longer. I use a hydroxy acid once or twice a week.

I also take supplements orally that have anti-aging benefits. I am not so good about using sunscreen everyday. I wear it in the summer when I know I'll be outside, but that's about it. Bad, I know.

In any case, this routine works very well for me. If I may brag a bit...I'll be 45 next month, my daughter brought her boyfriends little sisters (ages 9 and 11) to her cousins house. I was out at the time and arrived shortly after they did. I said hi and went about my business. When they found out I was Michelle's mom they said...and I quote..."Oh my God! I thought you were another teenager!" I love those girls! lol My daughter later told me they were completely serious and tend to blurt out whatever is on their mind.

I don't kid myself, I'm no spring chicken and I certainly don't look like a teenager, but I have to say that made my day. I must be doing something right, huh?

Anyway, all that to say, find the products and routine that works for you and you'll feel good about your skin. :asian:

 

[Lynne]

SKIN

The not-so-clear picture (cellphone) of me in my avatar was taken within the last 18 months. I'm 51 and most people think I'm between 30 and 35. I did have someone recently think I was 27 (they must stink at discerning age, lol).

However, I don't have wrinkles except a few crow's feet Some of them have actually disappeared.

The few wrinkles disappearing are because of using retinol. I don't use a prescription; I use Afirm 2X (there are three grades - 1X, 2X and 3X). I had tried ROC but didn't see any difference. I use the Afirm every other day.

I wash with tepid water and no cleanser a.m. While my skin is wet, I apply Oil of Olay SPF 30 for Sensitive Skin. Sometimes I use the L'Oreal Drytouch Sunblock in SPF 70. If I wear foundation, I wash it off with either Pond's Cold Cream or a gentle cleanser like the Dove cleanser for sensitive skin or either olive oil. Sometimes, I use a baby wipe. If no foundation, I just rinse with warm water again.

I apply Vitamin E oil to my skin. Vitamin E oil is fabulous. But the most important thing for me is to keep my skin moisturized with something. There is no need to pay $350 for a moisturizer or antiaging product. L'Oreal/Neutrogena/Oil of Olay make fine products.

For a once every two weeks exfoliation/microdermabrasion do the following: cleanse face and neck. Leave skin damp. Mix cleanser or oil of your choice with a small handful of salt. Massage into face in a circular motion and rinse well. This will leave your skin glowing and soft.

Also, I eat a diet high in good fats. I consume plenty of oils, nuts, seed, peanut butter, and avocados. Drinking water provides hydration of course.

Exercise improves the glow and condition of skin. Most of us here do some type of exercise.

Unfortunately, I could still end up with skin cancer. I had some serious burns as a teenager. I'm very fair and skin cancer is rampant in my family on both paternal and maternal sides. Typical Irish/English ancestry.


HAIR

I used to think I had slightly wavy hair that was frizzy. Hmmm. I read Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey and now have beautiful frizz-free spirals and waves. I typically just rinse my hair iwith plain water or wash it with Suave or VO5 conditioner. I then apply VO5 or Suave as a leave-in. Occasionally, I use Pantene shampoo (maybe twice a month). If my hair needs more slip, I might use Pantene conditioner, comb through the tangles, rinse and then add VO5 and leave it in. I can usually avoid the tangle problem by combing through my hair before a shower. Sometimes I'm just too lazy or too rushed. VO5 makes the hair more curly than Suave. This is the key - heavy conditioners remove curl. Suave and VO5 are not good for heavy conditioning because they don't have much slip, but are perfect for a curly girl shampoo and conditioner leave-in. Leaving in the conditioner is very important for gaining spirals and waves. Also, L'Oreal makes a conditioner in a pink bottle with an awfully long name, that is very, very good - I think it's called conditioner for medium to long hair that is wavy/curly! It can be used a shampoo, too. It may curl the hair a bit more than VO5.

If I have the time, I "plop." Since I have very fine hair, it doesn't really take long. I bought several mens t-shirts in xx-large. Plopping gives me more spirals.

My hair is fairly long (29" at it's longest length). I don't know what the terminal length is. At 30, I had about 98% silver/platinum hair. I colored it for a long while. I am now growing out the silver. So far, I have about 3-4 inches of silver. I might look younger if I continued coloring it, but who cares? I love the silver. And I look forward to having silver Botticelli curls down to my waist I don't even have to comb my hair most days. Just fluff it with my fingers.

I can't say I enjoy all of the unsolicited comments. I'm already getting evil looks from little old ladies. You know, once you have silver hair, it should be short and mannish. You are to lose your femininity once you are: pregnant or have silver hair. Butch doesn't look good on me. I don't have the little features. And I don't like short hair on myself. (Gee, I hope my terminal length is classic length - bottom of buttocks.) I enjoy favorable comments though! Funny thing. It's usually men who say something nice.

Another no-no for curly/wavy girls - do not every put a brush to your hair unless you want frizz and broken hairshafts. A wide-tooth comb or fingers is the way to go. Curly hair is fragile hair. A brush, even a Mason-Pearson brush, is harsh.

Girls with straight hair could probably benefit from just rinsing the hair several times a week also. After all, the scalp is skin. Irritating the skin can also cause more oiliness, whether scalp or face.

 

[jarrod]

i have very large pores. is there anything i can do to shrink them?

i'm serious here. my nose looks like a golf ball.

would a cold cream help get rid of the gunk that collects in there?

thanks for any help,

jf

 

[Lynne]

i have very large pores. is there anything i can do to shrink them?

i'm serious here. my nose looks like a golf ball.

would a cold cream help get rid of the gunk that collects in there?

thanks for any help,

jf

Hey Jarrod,

Yes, there are things you can do to shrink your pores. Cold cream won't dissolve blackheads or whiteheads. However, it is important that you wash with something gentle. Cetaphil is a good cleanser that won't overdry your skin which can cause skin to go into overdrive, producing more oil and breakouts. After cleansing your skin, rinse well to remove any residue. Pat dry. Next, you want to apply a product that causes exfoliation. Actually, Clean and Clear gel with the purple cap has 2% salicylic acid and is great for exfoliating (it's also very good for antiaging). 10% benzoyl peroxide also works well. Salicylic acid will dissolve junk in your pores. Benzoyl peroxide with kill bacteria (good for skin that has erupted).

It's important for you to mechanically exfoliate. You can rub your nose with a wet rough washcloth nightly (those utility cloths in the washcloth/towel section at Wal-Mart are good - around $3 for nine, I think). You can also buy an exfoliating scrub and use that about two times a week, or use the salt scrub. A weird thing is to put Elmer's glue on your nose, let it dry and pull off the strips of glue (Biore strips work on the same principal as the glue - soaks into pores and pulls out some of the blackheads). Don't use alcohol on your nose as a toner; it's too strong. You could use vinegar or witch hazel - more cosmetic shrinkage than real physical shrinkage. Don't use extremes of hot and cold water as extremes in temperature can cause spider veins.

 

[jarrod]

thanks, i'll try it!

jf

 

[Lynne]

thanks, i'll try it!

jf

You are welcome. There are acne cleansers with salicylic acid by the way. Something else to try.

 

[Dagney Taggert]

I use Dr Bronners soaps for face and body. The tea tree oil is my favorite. Their soaps are designed to dissolve excess oil and dirt. I use a good hand salve around my eyes at night, yes, hand salve.

I use Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer during the day. SPF 15.

The big secret however, is a dash of Braggs Apple Cider vinegar in a glass of water every night.

And fresh carrot juice!

 

[tellner]

i have very large pores. is there anything i can do to shrink them?

i'm serious here. my nose looks like a golf ball.

would a cold cream help get rid of the gunk that collects in there?

thanks for any help,

Rub them with an ear of fresh corn. Many swear by hard pore cornography