Friday, April 9, 2010

Student, Stress, and Sucky Breakouts

One thing I hardly ever had as a teenager was acne....so imagine my surprise when stress caused acute acne breakouts.  I have suffered through this thing for 3 years.....Acne makes you feel awful in a time when you already are suffering from stress and feeling unattractive just adds to it.

After much trial and error and using acne topical creams in the WRONG order, I have hit upon a treatment that works for those of you with combination skin, and those of us that rest our dirty hands on our chin when listening in class.  Here is my regimen:

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser:  Green tea and salicylic acid, which is a natural drying agent.  Your face feels squeaky clean and a bit tight afterwards.  I use this in the morning.  Cost me 5.87 at WalMart.  It smells yummy too!

Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer:  Soy complex, SPF, and vitamins to even out tone and makes your face glow.....love, love, love this stuff.  I use it day and night and slather it on.  Feels great.  Target 14.99.  [I bought this bottle 3 months ago and it's only half empty.]

At night, I use the following:

St. Ives Fresh Skin Make Up Remover and Face Wash:  This is a cream cleanser and really does take all your make up off and leave your skin feeling nice and clean without the oily feeling some cream cleansers do.  Contains camomille and salicylic acid, so it leaves your skin feeling nice and smooth.  Cost was 4.87 at Walmart.

Acne Free Terminator:  This is 10% Benzoyl Perixoide......can be HARSH on your face and should only be used in small patches were you break out........and then moisturize like crazy......but consistant use of this will zap the pimple and leave only a small red spot easily covered with concealer.  Walmart, 4.87.

What I use occasionally [once or twice a week].

Acne Free Sulfar Scrub:  GREAT, GREAT, GREAT way to get rid of pesky blackheads.  The first time I used this stuff, my pores were cleaned completely out.  I could not believe it.  Twice a week is way more than enough because it can cause extreme drying.  5.87, Walmart.

Mac Microfine Refinisher:  This is the BEST exfoliation cream I have ever found.  Very fine plastic beads in a nice creamy base and leaves my skin feeling like a baby's behind.  Very spending at 28.00.  BUT, I have had the tube for 5 months, and it is only 1/4 used because it take very little.

Now, along the way, here are some things that I have found.  Benzoyl Perioxide is USELESS in a cleanser.  Why, you need at least 1 hour soak in of the skin for it to really work.  In a cleanser, it is going to wash down the drain.  So, it is silly to use it in a cleanser.  Plus, it can dry our face out like no ones business.......

The best approach is salicylic acid for the cleanser and benzoyl peroxide cream before your moisturizer.  Also, let that BP soak in good before going to bed and don't get it on your clothes---it bleaches EVERYTHING...............

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