Miraculous Skin Care Regimen for Acne

[zeebs]

Okay... thanks for clearing that up. SQUALENE is what I will buy, derived from olives.

How confusing!

[short_skirts]

I purchase a good deal of my skicare from Garden of Wisdom. I know they have it.

http://www.gardenofwisdom.com

Check under Carrier/exotic oils. It looks like about $10 for 2 oz. Shipping will add to that.

Thanks for the link - I knew that I had seen it somewhere, but couldn't remember it! Perfect timing!

I've recently added coconut oil, and I'm loving it so far!

[vivify]

I've heard coconut oil is comedegenic. Is your skin prone to break outs or sensitive?

[zeebs]

Hydrogenated coconut oil is VERY comedogenic. I've heard that unrefined, virgin coconut oil is not, however. In my experience it actually seems to clean my pores. I believe this is because it is antibacterial and antifungal (caprylic acid).

Soooo it might differ from person to person, but I've found the opposite. It doesn't clog my pores at all. I recently ran out of it so my skin has actually flared up somewhat since I stopped using it. (Hope my order comes soon...)

[Rhys]

Virgin Coconut Cream is actually a pretty decent spot-treatment for acne for a lot of folks, and it's cheap.

Should that fail, you can always use a bit for hair conditioner, because it's really good for that, too. I believe GoW sells it for $1 per ounce - so not much harm in trying it if you're placing an order anyway. Or you can use it in body creams if you're inclined to formulating.

Jen will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the stuff is also edible. I know the Macadamia nut butter is, and Markey used to sell ghee as well.

[zeebs]

Rhys - it IS edible and is DELICIOUS. It's great for baking with as a substitute for butter or margarine - still full of saturated fat, but much stabler saturated fat, and it's easier on the gall bladder because it is a medium chain triglyceride. And it's yummy!

Also, it makes a great mouthwash. Shockingly. Great for gum disease (due to antimicrobial action) and for dry mouth.

[babysaffron]

I wish that my skin wasn't that sensitive...Virgin coconut oil is not ok...then, emu oil, i have to pass....I'm thinking of squalene...NOW!
I'm having a bad case of acne now and some sweat acne...My face is so itchy and i really wanted to scratch and touch them...

[christinesp8]

a lot of what we think we know about skin care is completely inaccurate. most acne specific skin care regimens, even those endorsed and created by celebrity dermatologists, will make your acne condition worse. most times, "organic" equals highly irritating. lavender oil contributes to skin cell death. witch hazel is a very strong skin irritant; a lot of products (acne-related or not) list volatile plant oils, fragrance, menthol and alcohol as major ingredients. why does that deep cleanser feel so tingly and leave your face so tight? menthol and alcohol, which only serve to damage the skin further. its worse to use most targeted skin products than to just use cetaphil and water!

the only way to calm acne and clear pores is to get a good, non-drying BHA solution at an effective PH level. aspirin masks are a GREAT way to calm irritation and clean out pores. just crush up some aspirin in water and leave it on your face. i use a BHA liquid solution, an AHA gel/serum (MaMa lotion is a miracle), an OTC retinol solution 2-3x a week, a mattifying antioxidant serum to help curb free radical damage, and a daytime lotion with an SPF. ive had skin problems for years, which i now realize was a result of using all of those trash products. now that ive switched to this fragrance-free, properly ph-balanced system of exfoliants and skin protectants, i have nary a clogged pore. my monthly breakouts dont even occur anymore. when anything does come up, self extractions are totally appropriate if done in the correct manner.

to clear up moderate to severe cases of acne, i would follow the regimen laid out by acne.org, with a few tweaks. gentle face wash (nothing in a medicated face wash even stays on your face long enough to be effective; the skin specific ingredients get washed down the drain before they can be absorbed), a benzoyl peroxide gel/cream applied over the entire face, and a light moisturizer with salicylic acid. it should take about 2-3 weeks to be effective. if anyone wants to take a short cut, neutrogenas advanced solutions acne kit is THE way to go, with an additional, non-alcohol containing benzoyl peroxide solution to be used under the lotion during the day. after skin clears, a BHA/AHA regimen should be implemented. anyone whos acne cant be controlled by either regimen should really consider accutane for short term use. and anyone thats allergic to salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide... that sucks, because they are so cheap and work so well.

i use products from paula's choice for skin care. AMAZING, no nonsense, no BS choices for skin care. the makeup is crap except for the matte eyeshadows, but the skin care is great.

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/art.asp?ID=29