General Info and Skin Type Mid-twenties, continental Europe. Dealing with hormonal acne (mostly CCs, sometimes cystic). My skin has calmed down a lot in the past three years, however, it’s sensitive and reacts almost immediately to anything it does not like. Always on the dryer side, my skin has been chronically dehydrated since I’ve started using tretinoin about 6 months ago. I get oily if I don’t moisturize properly. Been using actives for a total of 3 years, gradually progressing in strength and type.
Goals Evening out skin tone and texture, fading PIE/PIH, ridding myself of those last stubborn CCs. Have healthy looking skin with wrinkles in the right places as time goes on - smile lines are fine, frown lines are not ;-)
Patch testing method I patch test for 48 hours for allergic reactions, then I use the product on half my face for two weeks before evaluating if I should move on to a full faced test for another week or two. If I like it, the product stays. If I don’t, it goes on other parts of my body.
General approach to skin care Skin care for me is a ritual, I like taking my time. However, in the mornings, I get up so early that I tend to save my actives for my evening routine. I like products that feel luxurious, so texture, packaging and fragrance factor into my decision whether I want to keep a product or not. Bearing this in mind however - if something works, it works. I travel a lot, so I simplify my routine for days on the road and break it down to the basics plus maybe one product that I take along solely for the pleasure of application.
For ratings, I am using a scale aligned with Fiddy’s: 1/5 - This should be taken off the market. 2/5 - This product was actively bad for my skin but might work for someone else. 3/5 - Meh. Doesn’t hurt, doesn’t do anything special. 4/5 - Quite good, I am liking this product. 5/5 - I never want to replace this.
RP - Will repurchase. WNR - Will not repurchase. HG - Holy Grail.
Rosette Ceramide Lotion This was a more expensive type of water to me. Feels exactly like water, too. Did nothing, no difference. In the refrigerator and on my legs you go! (My legs are getting a lot of attention from not-so-succesful face products.) (3/5 - WNR)
Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion This is slightly more viscous than the Rosette Ceramide Lotion. It applies well and pats in nicely. I did enjoy it for the plumpness it gave my skin when using it for the 3/7-skin-method, however, it is SO BORING. I kept forgetting to use it because I didn’t look forward to it at all. It just seemed like another step. I ditched it and - you guess! - yup, used it up on my legs. (3/5 - WNR)
Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Premium Lotion I think I just don’t like hydrating toners. It’s more viscous than the regular version, so I did not use it in multiple layers. However, again: I kept forgetting to use it. Also, after I while, I began getting a weird tingly feeling after application. I reproduced this on my hands and since it did feel like my skin is reacting to it in a bad way, it is now waiting in the refrigerator for use on my legs. I have Enprani Moistfull Booskin coming in the mail, let’s see how that one goes…(3/5 - WNR)
Non-AB
Thayer’s Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Since I use low-pH cleansers, I don’t normally need a pH-adjusting toner. However, on those days I for some reason feel that I need one, this does the job very well. To me, it’s not drying at all, it smells like roses, it leaves a clean feeling on my face and Thayer’s confirmed the pH to be at around 5 (this was validated by a user in /r/skincareaddiction). It’s fairly cheep, comes in a huge bottle, lasts forever and does the job. It’s also very good at preventing razor burn in more sensitive regions and cleans up the residue some deodorants leave behind very nicely. It’s not very exciting though, so unfortunately, although it does everything it’s supposed to do, my heart can’t elevate it to Holy Grail status. (4/5 - RP)
Tretinoin 0.05% Yeah, well, what can I say. CCs suck and are hard to get rid of. Tretinoin does the job. I had been using various strengths of acids on my skin for a while and progressed through Retin-A and Differin to Tretinoin. Please be aware that most patients will experience some kind of side-effect such as dryness, increased sensitivity, redness, burning and flaking. I eased myself into it and was lucky to know the treatment my skin needs when acting up, but boy, did it hurt sometimes. I would not recommend to try retinol/retinoids unless you have somewhat of a routine that works for you (Moisturizer! Sunscreen!). Dial it down when you feel your skin is beginning to sensitize and go slow. Protect that moisture barrier. Also: Stick with it through the purging phase. Since I had mostly CCs, they had to come to a head eventually. They did, at the same time. My face was a wreck, but it’s better now than before and I love my tretinoin for it. (5/5 - HG)
Spearmint Tea This has been repeatedly described as beneficial for patients with androgenic hormone imbalances, as it seems to have anti-androgenic properties. My acne flared up when I went off (anti-androgenic) birth control, so my hormones were a rollercoaster. Since I’ve started drinking at least one cup a day, I have noticed a slow but progressive improvement with the cystic acne I had been suffering from - however, I doubt that I can attribute this singularly to the spearmint tea. Since it’s not hurting me and I enjoy tea in general, I’ve continued to drink it nevertheless. It’s an extra cup of fluids in my book every day and it has become part of my daily routine so much that I take tea packets with me wherever I go. If you haven’t yet, give it a try, there are a bunch of gals and guys that describe it as really making a difference for them in their skincare regimen. However, if you take medication, have any diseases related to the endocrine system or are unsure about what the effects on your hormone cycle might do to you: Please talk to a doctor first. (4/5 - RP)
Submitted April 28, 2017 at 11:44PM by NotSoMuchDoctorHouse http://ift.tt/2ptZ6jL AsianBeauty
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