help me make a SN skincare routine! :D

[zangly]

i'm so excited to discover silknaturals! along with other companies like EDM. until now i thought the world existed of only drugstore and department store products, and didn't realize there was this whole other option!

my skin is somewhat in shock/doesn't know what's going on because i've tried many new things in the past month alone. (various cleansers, sunscreens, moisturizers, primers, foundations.. also got straight bangs so my forehead is oilier than usual) for the past 2 years or so, i've had a very simple, low-maintenance routine: wash with cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, and moisturize with desert essence jojoba oil. this worked for me, my acne got much better (no more cysts!) and it balanced my skin in terms of oiliness. i used to be oily everywhere, but now i only get slightly oily on my forehead and have normal skin everywhere else.

this summer i tried makeup. it didn't matter what kind it was, i loved how it looked from a distance, but up close you could really tell how flaky and disgusting my face looked. i had a eureka moment and decided that my skin was no longer oily, but dry! i didn't know what to do because i never had dry skin on my face before. jojoba oil wasn't enough. so i used my mom's shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizer: a very heavy heavy cream! just a couple nights and that did the trick, my skin's texture & hydration is back to normal.

then i was able to wear EDM foundation, and loved how it evened my skin tone and gave me this glow! it didn't cover every scar, but i don't think i necessarily want to.

but now since i was wearing makeup, i needed to find a different cleanser to get my skin clean at night! cetaphil gentle skin cleanser is not cut out for anything beyond a light moisturizer. since my mom just uses soap to clean her face (i'm so jealous, she can do anything to her skin and she looks great!) we only have some samples of cleansers lying around. i've tried DHC's cleansing oil, some missha samples, etc. now that i've run out of samples i'm using a harsher clean & clear product which does clean makeup but i have to be careful not to over dry my skin.

OKAY -- if you didn't want to read all of that above, you can start reading here LOL

this is where SN comes in! i've tried using my jojoba oil as a makeup remover, which works, but it has no emulsifying agent and i find it doesn't rinse off 100%, so SN's apricot cleansing oil was the first thing to catch my eye. but now, i feel like i want to buy EVERYTHING! all the skin care, as well as some samples of the foundation!

so let my describe to you how my skin is now:
acne problems

• blackheads on nose
• clogged pores similar to blackheads on side of nose, in between eyebrows, and sides of nose/cheek areas under the nose. the kind you can easily squeeze out after steaming or some kind of treatment
• very occasional pustules & whiteheads (? not sure, but uninflammed bumps)
• "lumpy" acne on forehead & temples -- don't really know what these are, they somewhat look like cysts, but they are not hard or painful at all. sometimes they go away on their own and sometimes they come to a head
• had a few strange permanently clogged pores above my lips, but they finally came to a head? became normal looking pimples so i was able to get rid of them (sorry, gross)

other problems

• lots and lots of lots of acne scarring (mostly red marks, a few pitted scars) from when i had moderate/severe acne
• what looks like permanent sunburn: combo of sun damage and acne scarring
• big pores, not HUGE, but they're there, and big
• tired, dull-looking skin when bare-faced

as most of my acne is under control now, i'd really love to focus on my scars and sun damage. a vitamin C serum sounds good right about now i'd also like to able to clean out/shrink my pores, as this is really the only reason i'm using a silicone primer right now.

so here are the products i intend to buy full sizes of:

• apricot cleansing oil (how does this compare to DHC deep cleansing oil? DHC had a chemically scent i didn't really like, but it worked very well)
• ultra sheer zinc finishing powder -- physical sunblocks seem to be the way to go! (but where is the full ingredient list for this??)

for moisturizers, toners, and serums i intend on trying a few samples. post away with your recommendations please!

[packgal]

hi zangly! welcome to the wonderful world of SN skincare. you're in for it now

i have one word for you: ACIDS. acids, acids, acids, they are my best friend. my big clogged pores are so much better since using them. for your pores, blackheads, dull skin, and "lumps" you need both beta hydroxy and alpha hydroxy acids, so get both the bha and aha toners. if you are new to using acids, go slow at first. choose one to start with (i recommend the bha) and don't use it more than 3 times a week. you can gradually work up to every other day and add in the aha. i recommend putting them on after you cleanse, letting them sit for 20 minutes, then going on with the rest of your skincare routine. for nights when you don't use the aha or bha, you can do the pore refining toner (i have not seen a difference with using this but others love it). karen used to have a pH balanced on the site that i loved, but i can't find it recently. (does anyone know where it went??)

i recommend looking over at the "post your routine" thread. lots of us have shared how we use these awesome products and there is lots of nice info there!

i think you will like the apricot cleansing oil. i also recommend a sample of the KISS cleanser, cause it is awesome too.

for serums, i am really liking the simply C serum. i have been sensitive to some of the other serums (like the facelift) so i am careful with some of them. i have not used the simply C on the same night as i have used acids yet (i only use them 2-3 times a week). the super serum is nice, but DO NOT use it on the same night as you do acids. for gentler serums, the green tea and aloe, oatmeal, and rose all seem good.

if you like manual exfoliation, try the microdermabrasion cream or gel. you can do this once a week in place of your acids one night. i like the cream cause my skin gets on the dry side, but Karen just came out with the gel which many people are liking especially now that it is summer. my skin looks awesome after i use this.

my skin also looks awesome after using a mask (maybe once a week). my fav is the pumpkin but they are ALL nice.

i like the jojoba and the emu moisturizers. many gals with oilier skin love the hemp. you didn't mention your age, but i am thinking you are younger since you were talking about your mom. i'm in my late 20s and my skin likes the simpler stuff still. i tried a bunch of samples of things with lots of "actives" in them (like DMAE, peptides, CoQ10, renovage) but ended up being sensitive to them, so i stick with the simpler things now hope that helps--lots of info, and i'm sure others will post with what they like--if you can, just sample what you think will work and you will figure it out!

[zangly]

thanks for such a detailed response!

haha yes i did forget to mention my age, but good inferencing! i'm 19

thanks for the recs on the acids. i've never used aha's before but i am currently using a cheapie salicyclic acid toner.. but i don't like the smell of the alcohol in it.

hmm 20 minutes before applying anything else? i'm always rushing to put on my moisturizer because my face dries and feels tight really quickly.. how does waiting before going on with your routine help?

edit: oh, one more question. does anyone use the spray nozzle for toners? do you prefer spraying over using a cotton pad?

[packgal]

you'll get the max benefit of the acids (exfoliating off your top layer of dead skin cells and degunking your pores) if you leave them on for up to 20 minutes, but lots of people don't wait. also, you may have to work up to the 20 minute mark. you should rinse or tone if you start to get any discomfort after you put on an acid. i like to use a separate toner after acids, but many people just go right on to serums or moisturizer. the acids, in my experience, do not make your face feel dry or tight. hopefully after your skin starts getting enough moisture (even oily skin can be dehydrated) you will have less of this tight feeling. for healthy skin you need both hydration (water based spritzes, toners, or serums) and emollients (oils or oil based moisturizers).

most people prefer spraying toners rather than using a cotton pad--i guess because more goes on your face rather than soaking into the cotton.
happy shopping