Beauty Products You Are Loving...

[chrono]

This is something that I've been wondering - do most women put product/moisturizer on their eyelids? I always sort of avoid my eyes when putting on product unless I'm specifically applying something under my eyes (for fine lines/wrinkles) like an eye cream. I see lots of older women with pretty nice skin overall, but then they have these crepe-y, wrinkled eye lids (and I don't mean just the eye lid, but the whole area from lids to brows). I'd like to try to avoid this if possible, but I also don't like the idea of getting too many chemicals in my eyes.

That's why I make sure I buy beauty products as as few fillers and chemicals as possible, AND double check their safety here:
http://cosdna.com/eng/cosmetic_3103121703.html

 

[chrono]

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Missy,
Your posts ARE part of the regularly scheduled programming. Please stay and feel welcomed at all times. The side effects of Accutane are indeed scary.

I have to revamp my beauty routine a little again since my skin doesn't like the Mizon Black Snail all-in-one cream. I broke out in a large rash on the left side of my lip, one on the chin and one on my forehead. My son's skin shows no reaction whatsoever. Go figure! I'm guessing that my damaged moisture barrier is the cause for this increased sensitivity to many products that would typically not be reactive on most skin types. So I have plump, smooth, and dewy cheeks with some angry red dots. Great!

 

[ckrickett]

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Missy,
Your posts ARE part of the regularly scheduled programming. Please stay and feel welcomed at all times. The side effects of Accutane are indeed scary.

I have to revamp my beauty routine a little again since my skin doesn't like the Mizon Black Snail all-in-one cream. I broke out in a large rash on the left side of my lip, one on the chin and one on my forehead. My son's skin shows no reaction whatsoever. Go figure! I'm guessing that my damaged moisture barrier is the cause for this increased sensitivity to many products that would typically not be reactive on most skin types. So I have plump, smooth, and dewy cheeks with some angry red dots. Great!

Yes missy do stay!

Chrono have you tried Nature Republics soothing aloe gel. It has been life saver for my irritated skin through the trials and testings of all the new products

 

[chrono]

Chrono have you tried Nature Republics soothing aloe gel. It has been life saver for my irritated skin through the trials and testings of all the new products

The worst is the itching. Urgh! I'll add that aloe gel to my cart when I'm ready to stock up again. Thanks for the suggestion!

Updated routine with changes for gentler formulations, removing all "bad" alcohols, mineral oil, and coconut products because those are known triggers for my skin:

A.M.
1. Cleanse: Hada Labo Hyaluronic Foam Wash - 5.5 pH and moisturizing
2. Acid: Cosrx BHA Power Liquid - for those pesky pores (AM because it isn't light sensitive)
3. Essence: Snowbang - Hydrating Hanbang with negligible amounts of chemicals
4. Serum: Shark Sauce and Honey Essence Oil - for PIH and healing, respectively
5. Moisturize: Joseon Beauty Cream
6. Protect: Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Cream SPF50+/PA+++ (physical sunscreen)

P.M.
1. Cleanse: Banila Co Clean it Purity
2. Double Cleanse: Hada Labo Hyaluronic Foam Wash
3. Exfoliate: Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Wash-off Mask *2x weeks*
4. Acid: C21.5 Vitamin C Serum (PM due to light sensitivity)
5. Essence: Snowbang
6. Serum: Shark Sauce, and Honey Essence Oil
7. Mask: Freeset Donkey Milk / Innis-Free It’s Real Squeeze Rice
8. Moisturize: Joseon Beauty Cream

Wish me luck that this will be the final routine! The new things to be tested are the Hada Labo, Cosrx BHA, and Goodal sunscreen. The rest have been playing nice with my skin the past 2 weeks and are actually working as advertised. DS1 is able to use the products that I am reactive to, so I am fortunate that nothing is wasted.

 

[ckrickett]

How is the skinned sugar mask. I hear amazing things about it. I am looking for a good sugar scrub.

 

[ckrickett]

Chrono have you tried Nature Republics soothing aloe gel. It has been life saver for my irritated skin through the trials and testings of all the new products

The worst is the itching. Urgh! I'll add that aloe gel to my cart when I'm ready to stock up again. Thanks for the suggestion!

Updated routine with changes for gentler formulations, removing all "bad" alcohols, mineral oil, and coconut products because those are known triggers for my skin:

A.M.
1. Cleanse: Hada Labo Hyaluronic Foam Wash - 5.5 pH and moisturizing
2. Acid: Cosrx BHA Power Liquid - for those pesky pores (AM because it isn't light sensitive)
3. Essence: Snowbang - Hydrating Hanbang with negligible amounts of chemicals
4. Serum: Shark Sauce and Honey Essence Oil - for PIH and healing, respectively
5. Moisturize: Joseon Beauty Cream
6. Protect: Goodal Mild Protect Natural Filter Sun Cream SPF50+/PA+++ (physical sunscreen)

P.M.
1. Cleanse: Banila Co Clean it Purity
2. Double Cleanse: Hada Labo Hyaluronic Foam Wash
3. Exfoliate: Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Wash-off Mask *2x weeks*
4. Acid: C21.5 Vitamin C Serum (PM due to light sensitivity)
5. Essence: Snowbang
6. Serum: Shark Sauce, and Honey Essence Oil
7. Mask: Freeset Donkey Milk / Innis-Free It’s Real Squeeze Rice
8. Moisturize: Joseon Beauty Cream

Wish me luck that this will be the final routine! The new things to be tested are the Hada Labo, Cosrx BHA, and Goodal sunscreen. The rest have been playing nice with my skin the past 2 weeks and are actually working as advertised. DS1 is able to use the products that I am reactive to, so I am fortunate that nothing is wasted.

the aloe gel is amazing the tubs are HUGE but I use them all over my body in the am and pm and on my face when it gets irritated! I got a tub for my sister who is pregnant, and also one for my mom who has dry skin!

 

[missy]

Aww thank you so much Chrono and Ckrickett. Here's my quick update from my dermatologist appointment yesterday.

David (my dermatologist) was actually pleased with my skin but I guess I am more critical than he is about my skin. He doesn't like Accutane for me at all and wants me to start topical Retin-A but to dilute it with 3 parts my moisturizer and 1 part Retin-A.
Problem is my health insurance company is not making this easy so waiting a week or so to see if the pre-authorization is successful or not. What a pain and I am tempted to buy it from a Canadian pharmacy but Greg wants me to see if this process in the USA goes through. I am frustrated with our crappy insurance plan especially because my dh's firm is self insured but uses Cigna as the gate keeper.

And he wants me to continue my Oracea with the Carafate an hour or 2 before the Oracea. I asked about trying Oracea Q.O.D. and he said that would be OK. So we will see if going to an every other day schedule will still keep my paps in check or if I need to take it every single day as I have been doing for more than a decade (with the exception my 7 or 8 month break in 2014 due to my burning sxs which are back but hopefully Carafate will help that).

I will update this thread if I ever get the Retin-A which my insurance company seems hell bent on preventing. Anyone ever order it from a foreign pharmacy for a better price? Do you think it's safe from Canada? I don't see why it wouldn't be...I will wait a few weeks before I do this though because I already think that my skin will not tolerate this topical anyway even with the dilution so I guess why should I be in a rush to get it.

Does anyone here have rosacea or POD or super sensitive skin and use Retin-A successfully?

 

[chrono]

Missy,
It is a step forward if your dermatologist is happy with the results thus far. Little steps at a time is better than no steps or going backwards. I know it has been a long and arduous road (and it still is), but don't forget to try to see the positives where you can.((Hugs)). Retinol destroyed my skin, which I've been trying to fix and thankfully am finally on the road to recovery. You are under the watchful eyes of a trained professional, so I think you'll have a far better experience than I did.

The red rashes are finally gone but guess what, I now have new PIH to deal with. Great! The location of the PIH at the 2 ends of my lips makes it look like I have permanently downturned lips. Hopefully, with my new arsenal that is proven to work, these will be gone in a matter of days. It's truly amazing to see how my skin is changing from week to week!

 

[ckrickett]

I am testing out some new websites I haven't ordered from before. sasa.com and cosme-de.com.
they seem to have really good selections and deals. I googled reviews and both seem to sell authentic items at nice price points so I ordered one thing from each that I am familiar with to test out.

 

[ckrickett]

Missy I have super sensitive skin but have never used it. I was always alittle wary of it myself.

 

[LAJennifer]

Aww thank you so much Chrono and Ckrickett. Here's my quick update from my dermatologist appointment yesterday.



I will update this thread if I ever get the Retin-A which my insurance company seems hell bent on preventing. Anyone ever order it from a foreign pharmacy for a better price? Do you think it's safe from Canada? I don't see why it wouldn't be...I will wait a few weeks before I do this though because I already think that my skin will not tolerate this topical anyway even with the dilution so I guess why should I be in a rush to get it.

Does anyone here have rosacea or POD or super sensitive skin and use Retin-A successfully?

Yep. I order from and Indian pharmacy called All Day Chemist. Make sure you get the lowest strength. I've ordered from them for years and never have had a problem. I also order my husband's propecia (generic) and my migraine meds (my insurance has a very low quantity limit per month, so I stock up to make sure I never run out). If you decide to order from a foreign pharmacy, I recommend creating a new email address specifically for your orders (to prevent a ton of spam going to an email address you actually use). I use a credit card to order, but I always cancel the card after the charge goes through (can't be too careful).

 

[VRBeauty]

I'm on my third jar of this stuff, so I guess it qualifies as a beauty product I'm loving: Andalou 1000 Roses Heavenly Night Cream (for sensitive skin). It was recommended by the one of the health and beauty "specialists" at my natural food co-op so I thought I'd give it a try. It clams to have active stem cells - I don't know about that, but I do know it's a nice moisturizer and it seems to have helped keep my skin in reasonable shape through some very trying times. That, and it smells great! I've also been using it lightly during the day, over some vitamin C serum, but I'm going to have to find a product with some sunscreen now that I'm spending more time in the sun...

 

[missy]

Missy,
It is a step forward if your dermatologist is happy with the results thus far. Little steps at a time is better than no steps or going backwards. I know it has been a long and arduous road (and it still is), but don't forget to try to see the positives where you can.((Hugs)). Retinol destroyed my skin, which I've been trying to fix and thankfully am finally on the road to recovery. You are under the watchful eyes of a trained professional, so I think you'll have a far better experience than I did.

The red rashes are finally gone but guess what, I now have new PIH to deal with. Great! The location of the PIH at the 2 ends of my lips makes it look like I have permanently downturned lips. Hopefully, with my new arsenal that is proven to work, these will be gone in a matter of days. It's truly amazing to see how my skin is changing from week to week!

Thanks Chrono. I am scared (especially after your awful experience with retinols-I am so sorry you dealt with that) to start with the Retin-A because it is so harsh even when diluted. I just read that people with Rosacea and POD should not use Retin-A and now I am conflicted. I have the tube (generic) in hand and am not ready to start applying it. Taking my time because I am terrified it might flare both my Rosacea and POD and then I would be miserable. The discomfort of a full POD flare not to mention Rosacea flush is unpleasant beyond words.


How are you treating your PIH? Is that a dermatitis around your lips? I had to google PIH but not entirely sure of what it is. I am sorry you are dealing with this and hope it heals quickly!

Missy I have super sensitive skin but have never used it. I was always alittle wary of it myself.

Thanks crkrickett, I am wondering if my dermatologist is thinking clearly. What happened to that conservative doctor I trusted for over a decade? This does seem risky but maybe he feels I have no other options.

Aww thank you so much Chrono and Ckrickett. Here's my quick update from my dermatologist appointment yesterday.



I will update this thread if I ever get the Retin-A which my insurance company seems hell bent on preventing. Anyone ever order it from a foreign pharmacy for a better price? Do you think it's safe from Canada? I don't see why it wouldn't be...I will wait a few weeks before I do this though because I already think that my skin will not tolerate this topical anyway even with the dilution so I guess why should I be in a rush to get it.

Does anyone here have rosacea or POD or super sensitive skin and use Retin-A successfully?

Yep. I order from and Indian pharmacy called All Day Chemist. Make sure you get the lowest strength. I've ordered from them for years and never have had a problem. I also order my husband's propecia (generic) and my migraine meds (my insurance has a very low quantity limit per month, so I stock up to make sure I never run out). If you decide to order from a foreign pharmacy, I recommend creating a new email address specifically for your orders (to prevent a ton of spam going to an email address you actually use). I use a credit card to order, but I always cancel the card after the charge goes through (can't be too careful).

Thanks LAJennifer. Those are good tips and I will keep that in mind next time for any meds I might have trouble getting my insurance company to approve. I am glad you found a solution to keeping enough of your meds in stock. I am very similar that way and only feel safe if I have enough of the meds I need and then some. You never know.

What are you using the Retin-A for if you don't mind me asking? It seems most people use it either as an acne treatment or an anti age treatment.

My health insurance company approved it and I received the generic tretinoin topical last night and it only cost $10 for a 45 gram tube because it is a generic. I have not started applying yet as I am terrified. See above. Especially with cycling season beginning. I am already super sensitive to the sun even with full zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreen on my whole body and break out in weird rashes from the sun all the time. So I am hesitant to start though I was anxious to receive this med. Hahaha. That's always the case with me. When something is a theoretical and hopeful treatment I have lots of hope and excitement but when it is in hand I am scared to actually use it. LOL.


You have all been so supportive and kind to me posting here and asking questions and I wish I could share some helpful info with you guys. Except to share again the positive effects I am still getting from my current moisturizers. It took me so long to find the ones that don't exacerbate my conditions and still knock wood so far so good! I love my La Roche Posay Ultra Moisturizer (0 preservatives and 0 harsh ingredients) and for those days I need a heavier moisturizer I apply the Ultra lotion and a few minutes later I apply the Avene Cicalfate to seal the moisture in and it works like a charm. I am also still loving the Toleriane Dermo Cleanser from La Roche Posay. I use Dermablend Cover Creme as my only face makeup and Maybelline Full and Soft Lash for my mascara when I wear mascara and I have had no issues with any of these products. And I never purposefully let tap water touch my face. I use Avene Thermal Spring Water when rinsing my face and cleansing.

It's funny because my derm told me that people would love to look as young as I do (I am 50 but he says I look at least 15-20 years younger) but (and I sincerely mean this) I would so much more rather have "normal" clear and not hypersensitive skin and just look my age. No contest.

 

[CJ2008]

missy,

I started using Retin-a cream .05 4 weeks ago (last night was my 4th application). I'm doing it for antiaging reasons.

I bought mine at Walmart for around $67 - it was the cheapest price I could find. I tried getting it at a local pharmacy that was listed on goodrx.com as selling it for around $40 with their coupon but when I went to the actual pharmacy they would not fill it. (ETA - btw - mine is generic.)

I have been putting it on once weekly (to avoid irritation/peeling etc. as much as possible) - I plan on increasing to twice a week, either next week or the one after that, depends on how I see my skin looking over the next couple of days.

Last night I actually applied some on my neck too but I put on moisturizer first - the neck is so delicate I'm even more hesitant to apply it there. But I really want to see if it can work for my skin.

I have rosacea - but I think it's mild. I did not know / had not read that people with rosacea should not use Retin-a. My dermatologist is happy I'm on it so...I don't know. I'll have to keep an extra careful eye on all this.

So far, I've had some mild peeling around the edges of my face - very mild.

I hope this helps you - and I can keep you updated / feel free to ask anything else.

 

[missy]

Thanks CJ!

The generic tube I have is .025% the lowest dose the cream comes in and I am supposed to mix it 3 parts moisturizer (my Ultra moisturizer) and 1 part Tretinoin cream. Please keep me posted on how it is going for you. My rosacea is moderate to severe at times and it is the POD that I am really worried about exacerbating. That condition is not one you want to waken as it is quite the beast and difficult to calm once it is angry.

I think I might do what you are doing re once a week to start. Thank for for that idea. My derm told me to do it every other day but I swear sometimes we have way more common sense than our doctors! I could only imagine what every other day might do to my face!

Thank you so much for chiming in and sharing what you are doing CJ. I really appreciate that. I hope this works well for you!

 

[momhappy]

I just wanted to wish you luck with the retina-a, missy.
I have used a retina-a product for a few years now (for anti-aging purposes) and while I don't have sensitive skin, I have trouble with the retina-a sometimes. My doctor advised me to get into a regular routine with it, but I would fall into these cycles of using it, taking a short break due to super-dry/flaky skin, and then trying to get back into the routine of using it again. Needless, to say, that wasn't working for me. I finally decided to try a different routine that involves applying an over-the-counter retain-a product each night except for one or two nights a week when I would apply my prescription retain-a. I plan to continue this until I can comfortably use my prescription-strength retain-a on most nights without the drying effect. So far, it seems to be working and I'm back up to using my prescription-strength retain-a twice a week without any drying. I'm going to increase to 3 days per week, then 4, etc.....

 

[missy]

Thanks momhappy! I'm glad you figured out a routine that works well for you.

So what I am gathering from your and CJ's experience is build up a tolerance very slowly and then once you have done so you need to maintain the usage or your skin will have to get used to it all over again. The fact that you don't have sensitive skin makes me wonder even more so why my dermatologist thinks Retin-A can be a big help for my skin? Literally I have not been able to tolerate one topical med to date starting back when I first started having any skin problems and started seeing David my dermatologist in 2006. So he knows my history.

I am going to follow your and the other PSers advice on this and start once a week not QOD as David advised. And dilute it as he directed with my moisturizer. I will report back and thank you so much for sharing your experience with this topical med. Good luck on continuing good results!

Fingers crossed for everyone.


ETA: Momhappy, what strength is your Rx Retin-A and what OTC products are you using that contains Retin-A non Rx strength? Thanks!

 

[momhappy]

^Yes, that's exactly right - your skin needs to adjust to it, so following a routine is important. My problem was that I would temporarily give up because of the dryness/irritation and then I'd have to start all over again. Start slow, follow your doctor's advice, and hopefully, it will work out well for you

 

[CJ2008]

Thanks CJ!

The generic tube I have is .025% the lowest dose the cream comes in and I am supposed to mix it 3 parts moisturizer (my Ultra moisturizer) and 1 part Tretinoin cream. Please keep me posted on how it is going for you. My rosacea is moderate to severe at times and it is the POD that I am really worried about exacerbating. That condition is not one you want to waken as it is quite the beast and difficult to calm once it is angry.

I think I might do what you are doing re once a week to start. Thank for for that idea. My derm told me to do it every other day but I swear sometimes we have way more common sense than our doctors! I could only imagine what every other day might do to my face!

Thank you so much for chiming in and sharing what you are doing CJ. I really appreciate that. I hope this works well for you!

You are so welcome missy.

But yes, every other day feels unnecessarily risky to me, even if you're mixing it with 3 parts moisturizer.

You're better off starting super slow and building when you feel like your skin might be able to handle it. I know for me I really want to minimize any peeling or excessive dryness - both of which look terrible and make it difficult to wear foundation.

Let us know how it goes. (And keeping my fingers crossed for you that it does not in any way exacerbate the POD).

 

[missy]

Thanks CJ! I think I will start next week if we decide to go cycling this weekend. No need to start day one when I will be out in the sun for 8 hours straight even while wearing sunscreen. No sense taking chances. I am just not in the mad rush I was a few days ago LOL.

Will keep you posted and please keep us posted on your progress too. Hoping for successful experiences for all of us.

 

[CJ2008]

Yes, keeping our fingers crossed for more youthful beautiful skin for all of us!

(and totally agree with you on holding off until after you go cycling - but I know what you mean because I get excited every Thursday when I know it's Retin-a day haha)

 

[chrono]

I am scared (especially after your awful experience with retinols-I am so sorry you dealt with that) to start with the Retin-A because it is so harsh even when diluted. I just read that people with Rosacea and POD should not use Retin-A and now I am conflicted. I have the tube (generic) in hand and am not ready to start applying it. Taking my time because I am terrified it might flare both my Rosacea and POD and then I would be miserable. The discomfort of a full POD flare not to mention Rosacea flush is unpleasant beyond words.

How are you treating your PIH? Is that a dermatitis around your lips? I had to google PIH but not entirely sure of what it is. I am sorry you are dealing with this and hope it heals quickly!

I did everything the right way. I started with a weak generic Retinol and only used it once every 3 days, trying to build up tolerance but unfortunately, my skin rejected it completely.

Every time my skin is injured, my body tries to protect it by dumping a ton of melanin so I end up with a dark patch. It happens on all sorts of injury, regardless on whether it is on my face or any part of my body - cuts, scrapes, insect bites, scalds /burns, or pimples. It takes months to years for the marks to fade. This darkening of the skin caused by injury is called PIH or Post Inflammatory Hyper-pigmentation.

When I broke out in cystic acne from retinol use and broke out as an allergic reaction to the addition of a new and recent skincare product, they healed and left dark patches that stand out starkly against my normal skin tone. I've been dealing with trying to fade these dark marks for months without success until Shark Sauce stepped into my life. The patches have lightened and although they are still noticeable, I am chuffed at the improvement because nothing worked in the past. So in short, Retinol destroyed my skin in more ways than one - skin burns, cystic acne, damaged moisture barrier, and PIH.

Update:
More isolation testing determined that the allergic reaction was caused by the Missha FTEI which I'd been using for several weeks. My skin showed little to no reaction until very recently in the form of flushing, followed by the itchy rash. The Mizon Black Snail AIO cream is probably not the culprit but was falsely accused because it coincided with when my skin started to react. The reason for this is that I dropped the Mizon AIO yet the rashes are still present. So I started applying only 1 product and waited 30 minutes to see whether there is a reaction and BAM, culprit found! I'm surprised it took this long for the reaction to show up.

 

[missy]

I am scared (especially after your awful experience with retinols-I am so sorry you dealt with that) to start with the Retin-A because it is so harsh even when diluted. I just read that people with Rosacea and POD should not use Retin-A and now I am conflicted. I have the tube (generic) in hand and am not ready to start applying it. Taking my time because I am terrified it might flare both my Rosacea and POD and then I would be miserable. The discomfort of a full POD flare not to mention Rosacea flush is unpleasant beyond words.

How are you treating your PIH? Is that a dermatitis around your lips? I had to google PIH but not entirely sure of what it is. I am sorry you are dealing with this and hope it heals quickly!

I did everything the right way. I started with a weak generic Retinol and only used it once every 3 days, trying to build up tolerance but unfortunately, my skin rejected it completely.

Every time my skin is injured, my body tries to protect it by dumping a ton of melanin so I end up with a dark patch. It happens on all sorts of injury, regardless on whether it is on my face or any part of my body - cuts, scrapes, insect bites, scalds /burns, or pimples. It takes months to years for the marks to fade. This darkening of the skin caused by injury is called PIH or Post Inflammatory Hyper-pigmentation.

When I broke out in cystic acne from retinol use and broke out as an allergic reaction to the addition of a new and recent skincare product, they healed and left dark patches that stand out starkly against my normal skin tone. I've been dealing with trying to fade these dark marks for months without success until Shark Sauce stepped into my life. The patches have lightened and although they are still noticeable, I am chuffed at the improvement because nothing worked in the past. So in short, Retinol destroyed my skin in more ways than one - skin burns, cystic acne, damaged moisture barrier, and PIH.

Ugh, I am so sorry Chrono! That really sucks and just goes to show how different we all are. Retinol is "supposed" to be good for acne and look what it did to your poor skin. I am so glad for you having found this Shark Sauce and hope it continues to be a successful treatment for you! Phooey to PIH.

Damaging the moisture barrier is a big issue for me as Rosacea has destroyed mine and I really am nervous to try this medication but I will dilute the heck out of it with my moisturizer and start as CJ and momhappy did/are doing at once a week and take it from there.

It's funny, before I developed rosacea in 2006 I never had any skin issues and took good skin for granted. Never realizing what a freakin nightmare having problem skin really is. I mean, if you look around it seems most everyone has at least decent skin and I hardly see anyone IRL with any real skin issues. Of course makeup can cover a lot so who really knows how someone's skin is but I didn't appreciate my "perfect" skin when I had it but I sure am mourning its loss a full decade later.

 

[chrono]

Missy,
I get you 100%. I've always taken my great skin for granted until this happened. I did nothing whatsoever other than washing it with water and it looked clear and felt great all the time.

So, this morning = no Missha FTEI = no redness and no itchy face = happy Chrono.

 

[wildcat03]

Missy - if you ever have trouble getting the RetinA, you can use goodrx.com and print out a coupon. I get my Retin A for $40 for a 20 gram tube that way. Not quite as cheap as a prescription copay, but not bad.

 

[Yimmers]

Yup, wish I had moisturized and used more sunscreen when I was younger. Can't undo wrinkles and fine lines.

Now that I've stopped Su:M, my skin is far less red and itchy. I do want to find a serum to use, but will wait. Can't tolerate Retin products at all, even the OTC Roc products.

Also, still trying to figure out how to deal with my really dry and itchy scalp. Other than, try not to itch.

Tried a small sample of shark sauce, and my face immediately became red and painful, to the point that I just cleaned my face off. This was after doing a patch test behind the ear. I'm going to try again to see how it is now that my face has calmed down. Also bought a small sample of the Perseid oil, but haven't tried it out yet.

Will probably continue to look into the Aromatica line, since it uses a lot of organic and natural ingredients designed for sensitive skin. I do love the Calendula juice cream.

 

[chrono]

Tried a small sample of shark sauce, and my face immediately became red and painful, to the point that I just cleaned my face off. This was after doing a patch test behind the ear. I'm going to try again to see how it is now that my face has calmed down. Also bought a small sample of the Perseid oil, but haven't tried it out yet.

I'm so sorry nothing is working for you. What I've done is to try to find the pesky ingredient that I am allergic to, so I make a note of all the ingredients of items that made me break out and try to find the common ingredients. Could you be allergic to niaminicide?

 

[Yimmers]

Chrono, I think I will have to do what you said and start keeping track of the various ingredients in these products. It's nice that they list the exact ingredients in Shark Sauce, so it's easy to keep track of.

I can say that the Perseid oil by the Shark Sauce people actually feels nice and doesn't irritate my skin. So, I think I can safely buy a bigger bottle of this stuff. At least something works!

 

[missy]

Missy,
I get you 100%. I've always taken my great skin for granted until this happened. I did nothing whatsoever other than washing it with water and it looked clear and felt great all the time.

So, this morning = no Missha FTEI = no redness and no itchy face = happy Chrono.

Glad you figured out what that ingredient is that was disturbing your skin Chrono. We like happy Chrono and want you to be happy all the time!

Missy - if you ever have trouble getting the RetinA, you can use goodrx.com and print out a coupon. I get my Retin A for $40 for a 20 gram tube that way. Not quite as cheap as a prescription copay, but not bad.

Thank you wildcat. Going to remember this and keep it in mind for the future. That is a good price for the brand vs generic. I am being a scaredy cat now and rethinking trying it at all. I know lots of people say their skin is sensitive but even my derm says he doesn't see people with skin as hypersensitive as mine very often and he sees a lot. He is a top NYC derm at NYC so I am not just saying my skin is sensitive. It isn't good and I don't want to piss it off even more.

But I plan on patch testing on a small area on my face next week and seeing what happens. Curiosity will probably get the better of me. I guess you cannot have 4 cats and have some of their curiosity not rub off on you.

 

[Jambalaya]

Thanks Momhappy! I love product recommendations and so I might try the YSL oil. It sounds intriguing.