49 replies to this topic

[RenaiHunter]

Let's discuss our skin care routines and the products we use, exchange info and experience.

 

My acne experience is pretty bad. I have acne since I was 6th grade and it was very annoying, but I didn't pay attention to it and kept eating and drinking whatever I want and touching my face. It didn't leave scars until recently. I'm 18 now and I still have acne, but I can control it, very hard however. I can't drink carbonated or sugary drinks, I can't eat chocolate or sugary baked foods, I can't stay around cigarette smoke, I can't touch my face and I have to change my pillow sheets every few days. It's pretty exhausting and sometimes I'm so tired of it that I don't care about acne, so breaking my regime even a bit gives me a break out and I feel so sorry afterwards.

 

I used acne out and so many more products, even salycilic acid and toothpaste, but it either doesn't work at all or just for a few weeks/days.

 

Now I use Amrita's products, a lotion and a concealer for before sleep. The concealer calms the pimples if they are still under the skin and dries them out if they are already big, but it takes time and it's not always effective, especially for these pimples that are just too annoying and won't go away. For acne scars I use Sebiaclear Cicapeel which is transparent and can be used during the day. And when a pimple is too big and I have to pop it I put White cream Rachev overnight so the wound calms down and closes.

 

What are the products you use?

[taylorniw]

I've had acne since I was 8 and I'll be 22 in about half a year. My doctor has told me that since my parents have bad skin, that's likely the reason why I haven't seen the kind of progress on certain medications (I went through two rounds of accutane) that others have. Sometimes it just comes down to genetics and all you can do is try to maintain it as well as possible. I don't suffer too badly from cystic acne though, so at least there's that.

 

Foods don't really break me out. My skin isn't any better on weeks when I'm binging on fast food than when I'm eating well and drinking water. Really, the only food that's got an actual scientific correlation to acne is dairy, iirc.

 

Anyway, right now I use Cerave. I do chemical exfoliation with the red Stridex pads and I really like using Vanicream as my moisturizer. I get clogged easily by moisturizers so I have to be careful. I'm thinking about trying Vanicream's cleanser soon.

 

I've used just about everything. Even all that hyped up trendy Korean stuff. I just try to keep it simple now and that seems to work about as well as it possibly could.

 

You shouldn't pop pimples btw. It's a good way to create scarring. I have some scarring and large pores on my cheeks because my mom used to do at home extractions on me with this metal tool. She used them on my older brother as well and he has the same problems. She did it far less on my younger siblings and their scarring/pore damage is much much less than me and my brother.

[Juandalyn]

I've had acne since I was 11 and I think it only got better when I turned maybe 21 or 22 (I'm 24 now). Maybe I finally got out of puberty and my hormones settled down? I don't know. I still have very oily skin though, so it's more or less impossible for me to wear make-up because it all smudges away in a matter of an hour. Like I can wear foundation, but anything heavier than that (concealer and rouge, but it's especially bad with eyeshadow and eyeliner) simply won't stay on my face. (Unfortunately I already have droopy eyes and this only makes me look even more tired lol.)

 

Like taylorniw, my skin doesn't react on food, for me it's stress and general hormonal imbalance. Because of this most cleaning stuff doesn't work on me, doctors told me to reduce stress (lol? sure I'll just stop going to university then?) or take hormonal medicine (like the pill, which already f'd me up once because of other reasons). I had my fair share of cleaning products though, like Clearasil (which also just... burns away any grease on your face, just to make it come back even worse). I've just settled down on

• simple soap
• a light face cream
• natural cosmetics (for the little foundation i use lol).

I would always use face cream though, even if it's only once a day or every two days. I've felt that my skin gets worse if i try to keep it as grease-free as possible (counter-production of fat?), so I've got that going.

[taylorniw]

Hormonal birth control hasn't cleared me up at all. Granted, I'm not on the pill, but still. Talk about YMMV.

 

Also, it actually is common to make the skin oilier by not using a cream/moisturizer because it's how your face will react to the lack of moisture being put in. It'll create more oil in order to 'balance' it out. 

[Ohasumi]

I've had acne since I was around 15 or 16 I think? I'm 21 now and my hormones have calmed down. But there's scars, so I'm treating those gradually. I still get breakouts though, usually when I start having irregular sleep patterns. I'm studying Software Engineering in a University, and there's quite a bit of programming, so sometimes I'd need to pull an all-nighter to finish a program. Like RenaiHunter, food also plays a big part when I breakout. I'm lactose-Intolerant so I don't really worry about dairy too much. If anything my stomach reacts before my face does. I also don't like soda and I prefer tea, so that's a plus for me. However, I do like sugary things since I do bake a lot in my free time. I've cut back on sugar a lot though. Fried foods also break me out... But I really like fries.

I moved to California about the same age, 15 or 16. But I noticed that a lot of American facial products don't really work on my skin. Especially the ones for acne, they're way too strong and chemically. They dry out my skin too much. So I import Asian(specifically Korean products) ones instead and they work wonders. My routine's pretty generic, but probably more than what was posted here.

• facial cleanser (sometimes a 3-step process, oil cleanser-rinse-then a foam cleanser)
• toner (alcohol-free)
• serum for my acne
• moisturizer
• face mask probably once a week. But I skip a lot lol

But yeah... for most acne-sufferers, the hormones calm down around the early twenties.

[RenaiHunter]

Ive also found out that the more I fight the grease, the worse it gets. And I settled on just drinking lots of water and washing my face 2-3 times a day. The grease sometimes means your body isnt hydrated enough so I try drinking around 2 litres of water a day.

Right now my biggest problem are the marks the acne leaves so what are your recommendations? And what are these Korean products, are they really wonders?

[Ohasumi]

Everyone's skin is always different, so my recommendations might not work for you. But if your skin's oily like mine though, then the products I use might work for you.

I've used OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum after my toner and it works really well for my scars. The scars don't fade in like a week or so, you have to give it time. After a month, I saw improvement. But before the serum you need a good toner to prepare your face to receive the serum's nutrients, or else the serums just not going to penetrate deep enough. The Benton line of products is a favorite of mine. I use their toner and moisturizer.

I believe Amazon sells it. I live near Irvine, California so there's a couple of Korean beauty stores that sell them here so I don't have to order it online. Korean products can get crazy expensive though. But sometimes less on your face is more, so the products usually last a long time.

But other than products on your face, rest and hydration is the natural way to go. Lots of water is good! Keep at it. And sleeping and waking up regularly on the same time everyday will also keep hormones stable.

[the rose garden]

Ive also found out that the more I fight the grease, the worse it gets. And I settled on just drinking lots of water and washing my face 2-3 times a day. The grease sometimes means your body isnt hydrated enough so I try drinking around 2 litres of water a day.

Right now my biggest problem are the marks the acne leaves so what are your recommendations? And what are these Korean products, are they really wonders?

 

Washing your face 3 times a day might actually be making your skin oilier because you're washing away all the natural oils, prompting your skin to produce more and more. Settle for 2 times at the most, in the morning after you wake up and in the evening before you go to sleep. Do you use moisturiser? I've found that applying too much also makes my skin oilier. The key is to apply the exact right amount for your skin. It might take you a while to figure out what that amount is and your skin might feel a bit dry in the first week or so, but after that you will notice your skin is almost matte. And yes, drinking water is key. You may also consider using a sheet mask once or twice a week (yes, I know you're a guy) for a hydration boost. It really helps.

 

As for scars, I'm working on mine as well. They're not deep so I have faith they will fade with time, but I've yet to find a product that really helps. However, I'm going to try out Mario Badescu's products soon, which are said to help immensely with acne scars. I've also read that Lush's Full of Grace moisturising bar is a wonder product for acne-prone skin and acne scars, I will be trying it out soon as well (waiting for my next wages lol).

 

---

 

Recently I've added make-up remover water to my regime (before by Hada Labo, currently Bioré because no moneyz lol) and I've really noticed how much of a difference it makes. Face cleansers don't really wash away all of my make-up, but combined with the make-up remover water my skin is super clean. I've also noticed how much more brighter and glowing my skin becomes when it's very hydrated, so I'm currently focussing more on hydration rather than oiliness. Sheet masks are a blessing from the heavens, the wetter, the better.

 

Right now my regime is: make-up remover water (only in the evening) -> hydrating face cleanser with an electrical face brush (f yeah Korea) -> AHA/BHA peeling lotion (finishing it, I don't feel it adds much) -> scrub -> toner -> rose water -> sunscreen SPF50 (only in the morning) -> moisturiser -> sheet mask (once or twice a week).

 

If I don't mess with my face it remains in good condition (I only get pimples I can see lol) but once my good old friend arrives... bye bye, hard work.

[Ohasumi]

^I second sheet masks!!! I love how my face feels after using one. Which ones do you use?

[the rose garden]

Oh, the most random ones! I haven't settled for a particular brand because there's so much choice here in SE Asia. But when I was I Tokyo I bought this one:

 

https://www.cosme.com/en/1000027943

 

Holy cow, it's the best ever. It will literally drip off your skin because it's so rich but my face felt like a bouncer (the fun fair type, not the one that kicks you out of the club) afterwards, it's so plump. 

 

I will be leaving SE Asia soon and moving to Korea for my exchange, so I will probably update you guys on my skincare regime once I arrive in Skincare Walhalla Land  

[pcysrok]

do you really do a full skincare routine before putting on a facemask?? I wouldn't recommend it. It's best to use a face mask in exchange for your skincare routine at the time of use after cleansing and toning. 

 

I have really dry/sensitive skin so the products I use reflect that. For cleansing I use oil based to remove makeup (I rarely wear any), foam cleanser for day to day use (I like the face shop calming seed cleanser and their arsainte line cleanser as well. Very good for sensitive skin, never once reacted) 

 

I used to splurge on more expensive lines such as Shiseido's ibuki line but I've been testing out new products lately. 

 

My current routine includes: 

 

the face shop calming seed cleaner
calming seed 1-second mist toner (this is GREAT to use during the day too especially when my skin gets red) 

arsainte bamboo water moisturizer 

calming seed skin-resting cream

etude house moistfull collagen eye cream 

 

I also use kiehl's lip balm because I have really dry lips lol / as for sunscreen I use holika holika (cant remember the name off the top of my head but it's 35 spf and isn't sticky/causes no reaction on my skin) 

 

 

as for face masks, I like to use the ones with avocado since it's very nourishing for the skin and aloe since it's soothing (as long as the brand is good lol) 

 

I recommend green tea based masks if you have acne!!!! 

[Zabieru]

I'm in High School and I only started getting acne my sophomore year, my face was clean before that. Now it's pretty bad, all around my chin and outer cheeks near my ears. My inner cheeks near my nose are still pretty clean, my forehead has a few pimples, I don't have any body acne luckily. I'm quite confident I've used every product on the list and I've just given up, it's something genetic and hopefully it'll go away with time. I might have scarring cause I occasional pick or pop. When it does clear up when I get older, hopefully I can use some product or maybe even a chemical peel to heal the scarring. By the way, has anyone tried the DHC acne set? It probably doesn't work but I'm willing to shill out $60 to get rid of this crap.

[pcysrok]

@Renai Hunter

 

I sound like I'm being paid to advertise the face shop which is funny because any line aside from the ones I personally use I absolutely cannot stand it LOL 

 

If you're worried about acne scars, wait until your acne clears up and use the 24k gold escargot cream from there. It's made with snail mucus extract and I've used escargot many times to heal old scars. 

 

I've never had acne so I've never actually used a snail cream for that purpose but my sister used the 24k gold one for her old scars and there was a visible difference and improvement within 6 weeks??? 

 

however if you have active acne it could aggravate it so I wouldn't recommend it then 

[taylorniw]

Ive also found out that the more I fight the grease, the worse it gets. And I settled on just drinking lots of water and washing my face 2-3 times a day. The grease sometimes means your body isnt hydrated enough so I try drinking around 2 litres of water a day.

Right now my biggest problem are the marks the acne leaves so what are your recommendations? And what are these Korean products, are they really wonders?

 

Not really. The Korean skincare market is super trendy and a lot of the product ingredients/claims are unverified and have next to no scientific basis to back it up. I think the reason it 'works better' is because people are just seeing results from finally getting serious about skincare. All the ingredients that do the real work are pretty much the same regardless of the country you get it from. 

 

@therosegarden I wouldn't trust a lotion that claims to be an AHA and BHA all at once. I think I bought one once and then found out it didn't have enough of either to be effective, which I guess makes sense given they do different things.

 

If you guys are ever curious, there's this website:

http://cosdna.com

 

You can input a product and it'll give you a rundown on the ingredients and tell you which ones are more commonly acne causing. Like here's the moisturizer I use: http://cosdna.com/en...0b8b177106.htmlThey're all ranked on a scale of 1 to 5, smaller number meaning it's less likely. So mine has one relatively low potential irritant and two low risk acne causers (is that a word?).

[AmaSusE]

Not pimple-prone at all but super dry skin here, especially in the winter months. I'm so jealous of you guys for having access to sheet masks ... Can't find them for my life here in Germany. Not even thin cotton sheets to make them myself    .... any tips? 

[Paramorning]

I'm still a teen so hopefully my acne will calm down when I get older, although for now it's not really that bad so I just use

1. (At night) Clinique make up remover then Clean&Clear exfoliating scrub

1. (In the morning) either Clinique face wash or Clean&Clear oil-free facial scrub

2. I put Acnecide (benzoyl peroxide) on my spots and this works wonders!

3. Then I put moisturiser on my cheeks if they're really dry but my skin's pretty oily so I don't often put it on.
I haven't ever found a really good moisturiser that I'm not allergic to (I'm allergic to suncream and it ALWAYS has suncream in)

I don't know if it's that important but I don't ever let my hair get greasy either because it makes my forehead break out massively.

[Ohasumi]

Not pimple-prone at all but super dry skin here, especially in the winter months. I'm so jealous of you guys for having access to sheet masks ... Can't find them for my life here in Germany. Not even thin cotton sheets to make them myself .... any tips?

Shopping online's your best friend. But if you can't manage that, DIY remedies maybe? I've never tried them though. But if your skin's really dry, invest in a toner and good moisturizer for daily use.

Now it might just be that my skin's different. As I said, everyone's skin is a little different and it might react to certain combinations of ingredients better than other options. But my skin definitely reacted to the Benton line better than it did to Proactive. It's all about finding the product that works for you.

@Paramorning
A good moisturizer's extremely important for your skin. It helps repair and hydrate your skin to keep it elastic and young. It's unfortunate that you can't find one that fits you. I can see that you use exfoliating scrubs almost twice a day? You're a teen so you might not feel the difference. But your oily face might be due to the fact that you exfoliate twice a day. It might be overproducing sebum because you're stripping your face of its natural oils too harshly. Also, using facial scrubs everyday, although it makes your skin feel soft, can accelerate wrinkles. I mean if you don't really care for wrinkles then I guess that's fine. But definitely treat your face more gently.

[RenaiHunter]

Honestly my biggest issue right now are the spots. I feel like since I'm growing older my skin is stopping to regenerate itself that easily and the older they get the harder it will be to treat them. So besides the 24k gold cream, what are you recommending?

 

Edit: Forgot to mention I've tried scrubs, but they are very harsh on my skin and irritate the acne.

[the rose garden]

Not pimple-prone at all but super dry skin here, especially in the winter months. I'm so jealous of you guys for having access to sheet masks ... Can't find them for my life here in Germany. Not even thin cotton sheets to make them myself    .... any tips? 

 

Try BB Cream Shop, it's a Dutch webshop that imports Korean products, from skincare to make-up. They also ship to other European countries, including Germany They've got a good selection of sheet masks and often when you order other products they will give you a free sheet mask as a gift!

[taylorniw]

Honestly my biggest issue right now are the spots. I feel like since I'm growing older my skin is stopping to regenerate itself that easily and the older they get the harder it will be to treat them. So besides the 24k gold cream, what are you recommending?
 
Edit: Forgot to mention I've tried scrubs, but they are very harsh on my skin and irritate the acne.

I don't do physical exfoliation (scrubs), I do chemical (BHA/AHA). It's gentler and you can work your way up to doing it daily. There's also peels you can do but you totally should not start with peels.

You should try an AHA if you're interested in anti-aging. It increases the cell turnover rate so skin looks fresher.