........





........
Last edited by sammii; 03-11-2014 at 01:30 PM.





.......
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 04:56 PM.
Have you thought about trying mineral makeup? I use Mineral Hygienics...the foundation is not without some minor flaws but it works rather well and it's probably the most natural foundation you can get. There's only 4 ingredients. I think *any* foundation will be bad for the skin but many people find that using mineral foundation helps to reduce the amount of pore-clogging and irritation. Some people find that it's the "conventional" foundations full of gunk that lead to their acne in the first place. I would definitely recommend at least trying it, especially since it's possible that your current foundation is contributing to your acne. (I recommend their starter kit since it comes with the much needed mineral brushes and lets you try two shades). Note that a lot of "mineral makeup" isn't actually mineral makeup, so look at the ingredients list.
Other then that, the most important thing you can do, in regards to makeup, is to wash your face religiously at the end of the day and then in the morning before you apply it again. Using warm water, and especially after wearing the makeup all day, to wash your face at least 2 or three times. The first time is to wash off the makeup, the second time to wash off whatever you didn't get the first time, the third time to clean your pores. It can be hard to do this without stripping away your natural oils (thus contributing to the cycle of acne...) so you'll need to experiment...but getting ALL of that makeup off is important.
Also, when you're getting ready in the beginning of your day, when you put on your acne medication, let it dry completely first, then put on the face lotion (if you use it, which you probably should if you're using medication), give that at least a few minutes to absorb into your skin, then put on the makeup. Give your skin some time to breathe...
In regards to acne in general, that is a huge topic and I don't think that the same regimen works for everybody. Anyone who has struggled with acne knows. But I would recommend looking into these things if you haven't already: chemical peels (glycolic, salicylic, there are others, you can do it yourself for way cheaper then a professional but do research and be cautious), food allergies/sensitivities and eating a "healthy" diet/drinking lots of water, reducing stress, do research on the chemicals in your face wash/toner/lotion etc and see if they are skin irritants. That's just a few things out of a long list and it's something I struggle with too, I just try to manage it.
Also! This website: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ <---- good stuff





.........
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 04:57 PM.
Sammi I love Clinque foundation. And I've heard that Indian Healing Clay Masks + Apple Cider Vinegar helps with acne. I have blackheads, redness and large pores. I've been using this regularly and it's helped. I mosturize with Olive Oil or Coconut Oil and my face feels and looks awesome afterwards. It's all cheap to give it a go, too.





.......
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 04:57 PM.
Yeah, chemical peels are something that you need to be really careful with. If you want to try them, start at the lowest concentration/percentage possible, keep it on for only a minute and rinse with ~plenty~ of cool water. Actually, do a test run on your arm first then wait for a day before using it on your face. If you're going to do it at a salon, def still do your research because people who apply it at the salon might not be "professionals" and I've heard plenty of stories about salons making mistakes and messing up peoples skin. I like to do it myself because it's a tenth of the price and I have complete control over the process.
I've heard that what breaks people out from Bare Minerals is the Bismuth Oxychloride, which is not in Mineral Hygienics. The fact is that ANY foundation can make you break out but you have to experiment to see what works for you. If you want to try the mineral foundation that is what I recommendAs far as coverage, bear in mind that it takes a little bit longer at first to make the foundation "build up", expect to be building it up for at least a couple minutes before you start getting significant coverage. For me, yes, it does a good job at covering up redness and you can built it up more at certain parts for "concealer." It covers up acne well but naturally you might still see some bumps (I'm not sure how you would cover those completely anyway without caking a ton on). The main problem I have with it is when I have a ton on eventually it will start to get a sort of er, melty effect (which has happened to me with all foundations and there's probably a solution to this), the foundation goes on as a powder but once it's on your face for a while it takes on the same consistency as a liquid foundation would. Anyway, some people love it others don't so you'll have to try it for yourself :p
I looked up the "Indian Clay Masks" and it looks like it's just Bentonite clay. I haven't tried that on my face but I use French green clay. I wonder if Bentonite is more gentle on the skin? I've also heard of people having success with "washing" their face with oils, like olive oil, but I've been intimidated to try this myself! Maybe I will try the Bentonite/ACV recipe, hehe.





........
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 04:57 PM.
No probThere's actually a 20% version of the Glycolic acid: http://www.amazon.com/Glycolic-Lines...8611099&sr=1-1
If you're still hesitant, there's also this: http://www.amazon.com/Prep-skin-refr...611217&sr=1-35 it has an even lower concentration of Glycolic acid and it's not meant as a chemical peel, you just put it on...it still stings, though. I have it and I'm not sure how to feel about it compared to other medications, it's also pricey. But it has really good reviews so that might be worth looking into. (You might just try the regular peel first since a little bottle should last for months). Oh, and a fan brush would be handy since you won't want to be getting it all over your fingers.
Yeah, I usually just get the foundation from their website. It costs the same and if you buy directly from their site you can accumulate "points" that go towards your next order. Reviews can be found elsewhere on the net. They must not sell it very much through Amazon...the one time I bought it through Amazon they got my order wrong, never had that problem from ordering through their website. It's also easier to navigate all of their products on their website. (It probably sounds like I work for them at this point but I swear I don't, haha. But if you're out there reading this you're welcome to send me free samples!).
Cool, I'll look more into the clay. I've heard good things about zinc tablets, too.I'd be curious to know how the foundation goes for you.
Haydenblue's tip about Clinique is good aswell. They got foundations specifically for people with acne.
http://www.clinique.com/product/1599...eup/index.tmpl
"Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup
Feels so fresh, looks so natural. Non-irritating, oil-free makeup helps blend away blemishes, neutralize redness. Medicated ingredients help treat existing breakouts and keep them from coming back.
Skin Types: 2 - Dry Combination, 3 - Oily, 4 - Very Oily
Formula: Liquid
Coverage: Moderate
Benefits: Helps cover, clear and prevent acne"




NONONONO to Clinique, MAC and other highstreet foundations.
Having been an acne sufferer for the last 12 years I just wanna drill it into you that mineral makeup is the ONLY makeup you should ever use. I can't even stress it enough. mineral mineral mineral.
And no NOT use BARE MINERALS. Google bismuth oxychloride and you'll see why. You need a mineral foundation without bismuth oxychloride. I use ELEMENTALBEAUTY & LilyLolo - both UK brands. but if you're overseas I heard coastalclassiccreations.com is good. Mineral makeup won't effect your acne at all even if you sleep in it, elementalbeauty even sell a foundation that you're supposed to sleep in, it contains Allantoin which helps to heal. My mineral makeup looks flawless on cam, in real life - it looks like a tragedy and I would NOT leave the house looking like I do on cam. I pile it on an inch thick. I get 100's of comments a day on cam about how AMAZING my skin looks. If only they knew what was underneath????? My acne isn't half as bad as it was a year ago. It is clearing up something chronic now that I figured out the source of the cause. Turns out I have a food intolerance to gluten (had ALOT of tests done). Since changing my diet my acne is going going going. But I have been left with 100s of red marks and scars hence why I need the makeup. But once you develop acne your skin will break out at the slightest sight of crappy high street chemical brands. See www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to check your products ingredient safety anything that says irritant is a big fat no-no to acne sufferers. Please don't be tempted to use Clinique products - it doesn't matter if it says 'hypoallergenic' 'suitable for acne sufferers' or 'for sensitive skin' on it - it is all just a big fat lie - anyone can write those terms on their products and get away with it - ANYONE. Just because it's a well known brand name does not mean they are not lying scamming little shits who only want your money. If you don't believe me just check out acne.org - it has endless information on acne. I am a regular there. And I have done over 10 years of research on acne and drugstore cosmetics. Hope I helped sorry for the rant but it's a subject close to my heart.
Could you possibly pay a visit to a dermatologist? They might be able to help you figure out the cause of the acne and then how to most effectively combat it, rather than simply covering it up.
TeenageAnnie, we touched on a lot of the same key points
However, I disagree that mineral makeup won't clog pores and especially with the idea that you *should* wear it at night. I haven't looked into the specific brand you're talking about but think about this: when you layer foundation on your face, including natural foundation, you're blocking your skins natural exfoliation process and your skin oils get "trapped" along with your dead skin cells, which are meant to be constantly shedding. This causes the sebum to build up and it forms a pimple. An extremely over simplified version of what happens, but basically when you put on the foundation you're not allowing your skin to "breathe." If you're an acne sufferer you may have also experienced pimples after sweating, especially if the area was covered with clothes for a while and was wet with your sweat...(gross, I know lol) so just because it's all natural doesn't mean it won't cause acne.
Most topical acne medications work by drying out the pores, but over-drying can lead to excessive oil production, which leads to more acne (which is why acne.org recommends the 2% benzoyl peroxide cream). If you have combination skin like me, you'll feel like you're in a constant war between finding balance with all of the things you do to your face heh. It is a pain in the butt. Sometimes I feel that if I just stopped wearing makeup for a year, just washed it once a day with gentle cleanser, and ate well, drank plenty of water, that it would go away. But I can't imagine not wearing foundation!
I honestly think that our diet probably has a lot to do with it. Most of the stuff we eat (at least Americans) is processed garbage. Too much processed food, too many refined sugars, salt, plus being stressed out.
Anyway. With that being said, from what I can tell the mineral foundations are still better. I like to use (mostly) all natural ingredients because they tend to be better for the environment, and they are generally (not always, but in most cases) far less toxic then man made chemicals. Plenty of the chemicals used in conventional soaps, creams, shampoos, makeup, etc have been linked to a variety of unpleasant things, including cancer, allergens, etc. And even though mineral foundation can still ultimently clog your pores, I think that it does much less so then the standard foundation made up of about 60 ingredients. Foods that are highly processed are not good for us to eat, so I assume that highly processed creams are not good for our skin either.
But yeah. The idea that you should sleep in mineral makeup is just a marketing tactic used by the makeup companies. They're probably just trying to get you to wear it more, lol.
Anywho, congrats on your acne improvement in the past year ^_^ that is a huge step forward.
Btw, that Clinique foundation for acne probably just has salycilic acid or benzoyl peroxide in it. I haven't checked but if you're going to use those chemicals you're better off just buying them in their own tubes.



What do you girls use for Cleanser /Toner(if u use) /Acne Medication(if u use) /Moisturizer ? I use Cetaphil , then I have this rose petal witch hazel toner, then i use neutrogena moisturizer with spf. For makeup as of right now I bought Almay smart shade concealer, foundation,powder...and im not too sure about it. Its suppose to be hypoallergenic. Before i was using revlon color stay foundation --> covers pimples and acne scars VERY VERY well, but feels very heavy, and I switched because i felt like it was making me break out worse. I have HORRIBLE acne and honestly i need to find a good routine because im losing my mind ! Im sick of putting makeup over painful pimples, it feels disgusting..but hey for camming i gotta or im going to look gross on cam. Im still so self conscious on cam and dont get too close to the cam cuz i know it will show through.![]()
I know exactly how you feel, Sammi. I have incredibly fair and sensitive skin that is very acne-prone. I found a routine that has been working a little better for me, and now I really only have a problem if I am not consistent (which is really the end-all of end-all when it comes to skincare!).
I had to switch to mostly natural products, and believe me, that was really hard when I freelance for a national make-up company, get a generous gratis, and feed customers all the marketing information about their skincare products all the time to maintain my sales average, and therefore my salary! (Just shows that the companies come up with good marketing techniques to get us curious girls to drop hundreds on their 60 ingredient products, and, well, their marketing tactics work)
I take my make-up off with olive oil and an exfoilating cotton round. I have to make sure all of my make-up is off, as I wear a good amount during the day, also. I wash with Cetaphil only, as it is non-irritating and it does not mess with the PH of your skin.
I exfoilate a LOT. I worked my skin up to be able to exfoilate more than twice a week. Exfoilation removes dead skin cells, and part of what creates acne is dead skin cells. My cell turnover must be crazy fast, and constant exfoilation helps to reduce possible signs of aging. (It is really important to start that process at our age!) I use a pretty intense one that warms up when it goes on your face, oh my I loooove it so much. It is Estee Lauder's Idealist refinishing treatment.
I put just simple benzoyl peroxide alllll over my face is I feel I have a breakout. I seriously get it from the dollar store. Lol! It works. I let that sink in, and then I will admit that I use one of Dior's anti-aging serums that has hydraulic acid in it. I can't help it! But, I can't say a breakout triggered from this, and hydraulic acid is amazing for keeping moisture in the skin AND it is great for an anti-aging serum.
I only moisturize with sweet almond oil. I know, I was afraid to put oil on my face too, but know I remove make-up and moisturize with natural oils. To be honest, I LOVE sweet almond oil as a mousituriser SOO much. It really helped changed my skin, and I think it is MUCH safer than using the fancy creams I was using before. I think Vitamin A is really good for acne, too. I was on Accutane for years as a teen, and it was made up mostly of a very high concentrate of Vitamin A. That medication worked like a dream on my acne as a teen.
For foundation, I LOVE Lancome's agleless minerale with the pink veil powder they have over it, especially with their mineral brush. I don't know if it has that ingredient in it, but I just LOVE it. It makes my skin so radiant. Of course, I use a pretty hefty concealer under it, and some days I do use a heavier liquid foundation.
Oh, anotherr thing. . I ALWAYS wash my pillowcase every 2 days. It makes no sense to spend all that time washing and treating your face when you could be soaking it in old acne oils from your pillowcase. Ew. Yeah. . wash your pillowcase frequently!
Ok, I talked forever. . can you tell I LOVE make-up and skin talk. . lol. . .
Honestly, if you have always had acne, I would recommend a prescription topical like Retin A or Tazorac. Retinoids are amazing for stubborn acne and you only apply them once a day, before bed.


Hey sammii...I am not meaning to push medications here, because I am much more of a natural methods kind of girl, but if you aren't already on birth control pills, they can sometimes help with acne if it is hormonal-based, so maybe ask your doctor about switching to one that has been shown to have some positive results in that area..some are better than others for women with acne. I have never had bad skin problems, just more normal like a lot of us women out there, but last year I was working in Africa for a few months and had to take Doxycycline as an anti-malarial prophylaxis. I never had one pimple! And this was even with not being able to wash my face as often as I do at home due to rather sketchy water situations. When I remarked on this to a few people I was informed that dermatologists do prescribe this for people with acne. So, again, I am not someone who typically recommends the drug route, but maybe if it is something really bothering you and nothing else is working, it might be something to look into?
The only foundation and powder combination that I have found so far that doesn't make my skin break out is Lancome. I LOVE it.I also use the Mary Kay microdermabrasion kit once or twice a week to make sure that my pores stay as clean as possible. I never used to have acne in my teen years, but since I have been in my 20's it's been a whole other story. I think it's very important to find the makeup that reacts best with your skin. No point in making the situation worse
![]()


I had bad acne for years (now have light acne but bad scarring). For camming I use a liquid foundation by clinique with a light dusting of mineral powder on top, so it's heavy enough to look flawless on cam. I wash daily with lush's coal face. Coal face was probably the number one thing I can attribute to clearing up most of my acne.





......
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 04:58 PM.





........
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 04:59 PM.





........
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 05:00 PM.


Doxycycline is not birth control...I just realized the way that I wrote that made it look that way ...lol...sorry! It is an antibiotic and it is used by a lot of people when traveling to countries where Malaria is an issue because it is one of the better tolerated anti-malarials out there...the other ones can make you lose your shit and go bonkers apparentlyBut dermatologists use it for acne treatment as well, and apparently it is extremely well tolerated so it is able to be taken for lengthy periods of time. My ex husband is Military and took it on and off for years whenever he traveled to places with Malaria concerns and he never had any ill effects. So, just wanted to clarify that! And good luck girl!
Last edited by CarolinaBelle; 02-07-2012 at 06:03 PM.





........
Last edited by sammii; 01-09-2014 at 05:02 PM.
Yeah, Accutane was very harsh. I would never recommend it to anybody unless they had extremely severe acne that couldn't be cured with anything else. I won't even go on with the list of side effects I got, other than I had to quit sports during my junior year in high school due to really minor injuries that didn't heal, and my hip still cracks a little when I walk to this day. I always wondered tho, since it worked like a miracle to get rid of acne with the high Vitamin A derivative content,, if rubbing Vitamin A all over my face would work. Lol. .
Bookmarks