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Lulu... I thought I was the only makeupalley follower on here! I really cannot buy anything without reading the reviews first... and then if I do buy something without reading reviews, I go back and read them, but I only read the positive ones, skimming over the negative ones, because I am too excited about my purchase
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I said above I''d been using the Murad Acne Complex Kit... then someone on makeup alley said they rotated the Murad AHA/BHA exfoliating cleanser... I checked out reviews and I think it had a lot of reviews and something like 80-90%... so I sprang for it...

I''m in St. Thomas this week for a conference, and my fiance told me that my Sephora box is at home waiting for me... can''t wait!
 
Also if you ladies like Lush, you might like Fresh products too... I love all of their stuff. I even have a marigold toning misting water from them that I am pretty sure does nothing, but it just feels so refreshing and luxurious...
 
Lulu, thanks for inspiring an impulse buy!!
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I just bought Buffy the Backside slayer (read rave reviews long time ago) and Silky Underwear Dusting Powder from LUSH... I am so terrible... but I can''t wait for my stuff to get here
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I have combination skin, which gets really oily in my T-zone area. I'm also VERY prone to break outs. I'm using a mixture of face cleansers right now to try to balance everything out. So far (for the past year anyway) it's worked great for me.

At night, I use the Proactiv cleanser, followed by the Proactiv moisturizer ONLY in the areas where I'm prone to break out (nose, chin, etc.) So I use the Proactiv moisturizer as a kind of spot treatment on my face. Then I follow up with Murad's Skin Perfecting lotion, which I've found to be moisturizing enough without getting my skin oily. I can't use only the Proactiv product line because my face tends to get super dry if I do, and it's really uncomfortable.

In the mornings, I use Murad's Vitamin C cleanser, since I don't really have any gunk on my face other than drool and some pillow dust. Then I follow up with the same routine with the spot treatment and moisturizer, plus Jan Marini sunblock, which is also great for acne prone and oily skin.

It took me 12 years to find a skincare routine that worked for my skin. I had gone through all of Shiseido's products, tried Lancome, Estee Lauder, Laura Mercier, Clearasil, Oxy, Neutrogena, and just Murad. Apparently, the relative harshness of the Proactiv combined with the relative gentleness of the Murad products are the magic formula to stop the breakouts on my skin.

Wow, that was long winded. Sorry, just had to share because I had suffered from breakouts for most of my life and I can really relate to the frustrations that come with problem skin.

ETA: I forgot to include the Murad Vitamin C toner that I use in my morning and nighttime routines.
 
Anyone used Bare Escentuals makeup? It was a total horror story for me. My skin was great, glowing and dewy and mostly clear from using an abbreviated Proactiv regimen for 1.5 years (clogged pores once in a while). The B.E. contains a lot of mica, and after using it for 3 days, I can''t get my skin back to normal. That was four months ago!

I can''t think of anything else that could have caused this backward step in my skin, no stress, no change in hormonal patterns, no other skin products. Right after I started using the B.E. my skin started breaking out in actual pimples (not just the clogged pores that I normally get) and my skin won''t go back!! I had mild breakouts from using mica blush in the past...but usually after a few weeks, it would clear up again. I''m thinking maybe the problem this time is that the B.E. mica was in such high concentration and I used it all over my face.

I was using the Proactiv cleanser and Cetaphil when my skin was clear, so I''m still using that...but maybe I should try something new. Anyone have reviews on Sonya Dakar products?
 
well, i just came back from cvs where i purchased the cetaphil cleanser and lotion. i''ll try that for at least a month and see what happens. i really want to simplify my facial cleansing system and i hope this is just the thing.
 
Crown Jewel-

I started using Bare Minerals/Escentuals last February and they haven''t made my skin better or worse. I like that it''s quick to put on and doesn''t look too greasy. I''m surprised that you had a bad reaction to them- maybe a good deep facial is in order to get rid of the rest of the mica that is clearly clogging your pores. I''m sorry you had such a bad experience!
 
Jcrow-

I use the Cetaphil moisturizer- I like that it''s not heavy (you can layer it if your eyes feel tight) and that there is no fragrance. My face can look a little more than shiny during the day, but I use Smashbox''s makeup primer and that keeps everything fairly matte. Sometimes simple is the best
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Yes Molly, I think it''s time I get a facial. For some reason I''m kind of scared to go to salons for beauty procedures. Silly! I mean I love going to the hair salon! I recently had my first manicure EVER in my whole 26 year old life two weeks ago! I thought my self-manipedis were sufficient. But it made such a difference! And it wasn''t scary. So I''m hoping facials won''t be scary either. I''ve had the dermatologist do extractions before, and I didn''t mind those.

Should be exciting! There''s only about a million places to get facials in NYC...where should I go?
 
Recently I started using the Eminence Organic Skin Care line, on the recommendation of the esthetician who is a friend of my mother's. It's a spa line, so it's probably only available from estheticians who carry it, but it's all natural and organic ingredients and totally worth it. I've struggled with breakouts since before my teens, because my pores are so small that it's impossible to keep them unclogged. My skin was dry, oily, clogged, and broken out all at once. Yikes. I couldn't use moisturizers because they would clog my skin almost immediately. It was a mess; never medication-level bad but constantly troubled. She said it was because my skin had been so stripped by the anti-acne products I'd been using from the drugstore that it was overcompensating and that's why I was trapped in this endless cycle.

Apparently Alicia Silverstone is Eminence's spokeswoman. I'm impressed. Really impressed. I kept up with the cleansers and moisturizers the esthetician suggested, and my skin felt soft and clean, but the real breakthrough happened when I tried the rosehip and maize scrub she sent me. It's almost a masque, as you leave it on and the ingredients digest the dead skin layers off your face, so you don't need to scrub anything. You just use the grains of corn to buff off the dead skin that's been lifted off by the digesting stuff.

The very first time I used it, there was a huge change within an hour. My skin took on this amazing translucent glow right in the T-zone, and looked ... well, 'radiant' is the only word I can use for it. My roomate is an MK lady (apparently my mother's esthetician has had longtime MK users come in with damage from their products; good for the short term but scary long-term effects) and she noticed the difference right away.

Not only that, but afterwards I had the strangest breakouts. (TMI TO FOLLOW!) I would get these bluish points on my face, and by the next day, the nastiest blackhead would be at the surface. I'd have no idea it was even there, possibly even for years. It pulls things that deep out of your face. All without being harsh or drying.

Amazing.
 
I have problem skin. It''s ridiculous! It breaks out, is half oily, and half cracking dry. It''s a mess if I don''t use the right products, so i can sympathize.

I use Kiehls. i''m addicted. i swear by them. They are pretty expensive in comparison to drug stores, but i dont'' have to use much of the products, and I''m not wasting my money on concealers and powders.

I use their Non-Detergent Face Wash, Pineapple-Papaya Scrub (very gentle smells yummy), tea tree oil toner (the best thing in the world!!!!!!!) and their oil-free moisturizer. If I do get a spot, I use their blue-herbal gel spot treatment.

It''s the best thing I''ve ever done for my face. I still breakout a little around TOM, but nowhere near as much as before. Also. . .I know this sounds so redundant, but down a lot of water. And I mean, a lot! 10-12 glasses a day will clear your impurities better than any soap. :-)

Good Luck

P.S.- Kiehl''s is available in bigger cities but also online. My mom has ordered online and has had remarkable results. And you get three free samples, just like at the store :-)
 
P.S.- YES!!!!!!!! I HATE BARE ESSENTIALS NOW!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I used to be such an advocate because it really evened my skin tone and i recommended them to everyone (even though it did dry my skin a little sometimes). And then, I got a new batch last month and my face looked like crap. I think they have a new ingredient because the one i had for about a year was great :-( Now it causes havoc on my face. So disappointed in my new batch. :-(
 
I must be the only Sephora-freak who never jumped on the Bare Essentials bandwagon. A makeup girl tried it out on me... I looked horrid. I tried it on myself, I looked horrid. Honestly, they have like 3 foundation colors. Sure they're sheer, but they're all yellow toned. I have blue/red undertones... it was not a good mix!
 
I recently started using the Pat Wexler line that is available at Bath and Body Works. There was so much hype about it, that I caved in. I do like the scrub. It is very fine grained and you can even use it every day. There is a start up kit, it''s around $60.00 and lasts a good while. I''m not into spending big bucks on skin care, but I kinda like this one.
 
I second the Cetaphil suggestion. My old roomate is a dermatologist in NYC and she swears by it. She made me throw away all my other cleasers and lotion. I have to say she was right, it really cleared up my skin and now it''s the only thing I use. Hope it works for you.
 
Date: 12/2/2006 5:49:08 AM
Author: Galateia
Recently I started using the Eminence Organic Skin Care line, on the recommendation of the esthetician who is a friend of my mother''s. It''s a spa line, so it''s probably only available from estheticians who carry it, but it''s all natural and organic ingredients and totally worth it. I''ve struggled with breakouts since before my teens, because my pores are so small that it''s impossible to keep them unclogged. My skin was dry, oily, clogged, and broken out all at once. Yikes. I couldn''t use moisturizers because they would clog my skin almost immediately. It was a mess; never medication-level bad but constantly troubled. She said it was because my skin had been so stripped by the anti-acne products I''d been using from the drugstore that it was overcompensating and that''s why I was trapped in this endless cycle.


Apparently Alicia Silverstone is Eminence''s spokeswoman. I''m impressed. Really impressed. I kept up with the cleansers and moisturizers the esthetician suggested, and my skin felt soft and clean, but the real breakthrough happened when I tried the rosehip and maize scrub she sent me. It''s almost a masque, as you leave it on and the ingredients digest the dead skin layers off your face, so you don''t need to scrub anything. You just use the grains of corn to buff off the dead skin that''s been lifted off by the digesting stuff.


The very first time I used it, there was a huge change within an hour. My skin took on this amazing translucent glow right in the T-zone, and looked ... well, ''radiant'' is the only word I can use for it. My roomate is an MK lady (apparently my mother''s esthetician has had longtime MK users come in with damage from their products; good for the short term but scary long-term effects) and she noticed the difference right away.


Not only that, but afterwards I had the strangest breakouts. (TMI TO FOLLOW!) I would get these bluish points on my face, and by the next day, the nastiest blackhead would be at the surface. I''d have no idea it was even there, possibly even for years. It pulls things that deep out of your face. All without being harsh or drying.


Amazing.
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Galateia - can I ask which masque you used? I looked on the webite and there are about a gazillion of them...
 
question: do you think i should make a cold turkey switch to cetaphil or gradually change over?
 
I would suggest gradual. Alternate every other day for a week, then do two days with cetaphil for a week.... until you are using it every day. I say this because I tried going from one cleanser to another once and it made my skin have a nervous breakdown. So just be gentle!

*M*
 
i''m still waiting on the lush products
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they ship with UPS ground and my soap has to travel from Washington state to Washington, DC. quite a journey.

then the other night, i was in georgetown and saw they have an actual shop...excellent for the future.

dee-jay: i think that Galateia mentioned in her post it''s the rosehip and maize scrub that caused the transformation -- though that stuff is pricey!!
 
Thanks Lovelylulu -- don''t know how I missed that!
 
no worries.

let us know how it works for you!
 
I like Burts Bees lettuce complexion soap, Philosophy Purity, and LOVE LOVE oil of olay cleansing towelettes. I have dry skin that tends to get irritated, red, and break out, and my skin calmed down so much when I started using the Olay stuff.
 
Date: 12/6/2006 3:50:13 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

Galateia - can I ask which masque you used? I looked on the webite and there are about a gazillion of them...
Click to expand...


Eep, I completely missed the updates on this thread, sorry! The product is officially called: "Eminence organic skin care Rosehip Exfoliating Masque" (hey, it actually IS a masque!
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)

I found that when I kept the masque ''moist'' the entire 10 minutes it was on, it didn''t give me the glow. So I decided to go back to the ''let it dry first'' method, keeping it misted and moist for the first 5 minutes, then let it dry for the last 5. Sure enough, the ''radiant'' look was there.

I''m tentatively scheduled for a facial (and consultation, really, to see if something else would work even betterf for me) with the esthetician in question on the 18th; I''d be happy to ask her any questions anyone has? She was a family friend before she was an esthetician, so I''ll get a ''straight'' answer, sans hype.

Lovelylulu, where did you manage to find out how much it was? My mother bought a jar of the rosehip maize masque and split it with me, and she''s keeping mum on the price.
 
Galateia: i can''t remember exactly where i found it. i just did a good search and found a couple of websites selling the products. i believe the mask was somewhere between $40-$50...
 
To update:

I''ve revamped my face cleansing routine almost entirely, so it is going to be hard to pinpoint what exactly is working, but something is working.

I never had acne when i was younger. lucky. then over the last two or three years, I''ve developed a bit of adult/hormonal acne. unlucky. i started using proactiv and found that it didn''t resolve the problem completely. since then, i''ve researched a few new products and have increased success.

new routine:
wash my face with lush herbalism or coalface cleaners (did NOT like fresh farmacy)
use lush tea tree oil toner
2.5% benzoyl peroxide
moisturize with olay complete

and in the evening instead of the olay moisturizer i use alpha hydrox 12% glycolic aha. this product is amazing. apparently, it is used mainly by women who want to decrease wrinkles, but it seems to have the glorious side effect or reducing breakouts, pore size and any redness. you can get it at the drug store, so it''s quite inexpensive, but it makes your face feel baby smooth and even glowy! because it''s 12% aha some people might find that it stings, but my face was fine.

after using this combo for about a week and a half, there has been a noticeable improvement in my skin. i have not had a new pimple and all my lingering ones have cleared up. this is especially encouraging seeing that this is the time of the month that my skin has the most trouble with. i guess i''ll just have to wait and see if the results last!
 
to those of you who have posted about skin issues, either from regular old acne or using bare minerals or some other product that your skin disagreed with...

do you change your pillow case every day (or flip pillow and change every other day) and wash it in detergent w/ no colors or flavors? and all cotton pillow cases? i don;t have skin issues but when i don;t do the thing i just wrote about i do get pimples or get irritated skin. just my 2 cents, obviously everyone''s skin is different but maybe this will help if you''re trying everything else and it isn''t working. esp if you have acne and aren''t using a clean pillow case everynight--it certainly won''t make your acne worse to start!

also, purpose (J&J) face wawsh is great. cheap (well, compared to what i used to use), sold at drug stores, no irritants. and good for all skin types.
 
HI:

Have had good luck with the Dr. Hauschka line--high concentration of biotanicals. Gentle. Love their cleaning cream (mild exfoliator), cleansing milk and facial toner. Nuxe also very nice product (biotanical) line.

cheers--Sharon
 
I don''t know if anyone is still looking for suggestions, but I use Obagi and I seriously love what it has done for my skin. I turned thirty last year and was worried that I''m starting to get fine lines and still had the occasional blemish. I did a ton of research and decided to go for it. It is expensive, but I think it is worth it. My skin has a fresher, dewier look than it used to.
 
i use aquanil cause i have redness and apply a 5% benzoyl peroxide prescribed by my derm at night followed by a serum and vaseline moisturizer for my dry skin. it works like a charm!
 
Not a note on cleansers but a note on how to make a zit go down quickly. I''ve had this big under the skin type zit on the side of my chin....I had one there in Sept that lasted 6 weeks--partially because I tried to squeeze the hard lump out that I felt. It finally went away until last weekend when it came back with a vegence. This thing creates such a lump that it changes my lips...pushes that side up so I look lopsided. Well, I knew that squeezing wouldn''t help...and I knew that the numerous acne topicals like benzoyl proxide and even a sulphar based topical I have would not work because I tried those in Sept too. So, last night I remembered reading something about putting toothpaste on zits to help them go down. I pulled out my trusty tube of minty crest and applied liberally at about 8pm. It was definitely a big glop and I looked silly. I stayed up at watched TV to let it dry, then rinsed off the main glop right before bed...about 10:30 and applied my normal night acne treatments....got up this morning and the zit is almost gone. The lump is down and my lips look normal again. My skin has a small scab on it probably from the drying effects of the toothpaste. But that should go away pretty quickly.

So, just a trick if you have a zit that you need to get rid of quick and don''t have time to go to the dermatologist for a steroid shot (which also works wonders if you can get in!)
 
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