Best products fighting irritation/blemishes/acne...etc

Before even going in to the products I have to state the following:

We have to remember irritation is caused by MANY external and/or internal "interferences", so if you wake up, look in the mirror and panic because you notice a "blemish" don't necessarily assume you have bad/over oily or greasy/dirty/whatever skin!

DO NOT TRY to pick or squeeze...easier said than done? I know...it's difficult to just leave it alone, but the fact is you will probably cause MORE harm and irritation, and will take even longer to heal...so just try your hardest to accept and think tomorrow is a new day and it WILL get better!

With that said, I have to move on to another topic which is a bit of a controversy. Aesthetic extractions... a.k.a. going to the beautician and them "cleaning" out your pores.

I myself have only had this done about 3 -4 times in my life and I am a licensed aesthetician, who learned this in school to be a "basic" treatment.

I DO NOT AGREE! I feel it's ONLY ok to have this done when the pore is NOT IRRITATED and the sebum is firm and dark or soft and white...( I know it sounds awful and it is disgusting, but I just have to write it! ) If you are a believer in this "procedure" I suggest telling your therapist to only extract from NON-IRRITATED areas/pores that are "ready" for extraction and have them do CALMING therapy on irritation. By doing this you know you will not have MORE irritation than what you arrived with. NEVER ATTEMPT TO DIY!!

If you have irritations (either a few or full blown acne) and you decide to pick/extract, you will risk having the puss infect other areas of the skin and further irritate the area itself.

Now let's move on to the products to EXTERNALLY treat irritation!

PRO ACTIVE:

I know it's hard to take this brand seriously because of all the "celebrity" in your face advertising they do, but I HAVE USED THIS AND IT DOES WORK, also I know a good few other people who have as well, and agree it's a great product. It comes with a daily exfoliating face wash , toner and daily moisturizer... as a bonus they send you the mask as well. Concerning scent and packaging don't expect anything amazing...it's medicated stuff, so it's not too pleasant but if you are like I was, and had such bad skin and didn't care about "luxury", but just to get rid of the problem...GO FOR IT! If you have any where from dry seborrhea with chronic break outs to full blown acne it will make a difference within the first week or two! ( I saw results within the first week of use, I had the chronic break outs. )

What they do not tell you is, when your skin becomes "normalized" or has a significant change towards healthy looking skin STOP using this product EITHER every day to a few times of the week or fully stop and store it away to use ONLY when needed!

What happened to me is, I over used this product and my skin became so dry that that started making me break out again! It took a very long time to get my skin to recover from over drying it, so just be careful! If your skin becomes over dry it will be very intolerant and easily irritable, so it will be a horrific adventure to try and find products that your skin will tolerate and or absorb and NOT break out from it!

The products come with directions how to use them, but they are general so try and figure out the best way to use them to benefit your skin needs. The best products are the face wash and mask...the toner is good too but it can be a bit strong and the daily moisturizer smells terrible and feels a bit yucky... but hey, no pain, no gain! Right?!

CLEAN AND CLEAR QUICK CLEAR SPOT TREATMENT GEL:

Many companies are coming out with similar products today. They promise to minimize blemishes in rapid time. the key ingredient in all of these is usually SALICYLIC ACID. This ingredient can either help you or make your life miserable and it all depends on the concentration level in the product AND how many times and the way you apply it to the affected area. Salicylic acid promotes the skin cells to dry/peel away faster, thus encourages new skin cells to be born. This is why it helps blemishes dry/clear up faster. So what's the problem with that you may ask?!

The problem is this chemical strengthens it effect each time it comes in contact with the previously treated area... this means you are "burning" away the skin each time you use it. I am sure if you have ever used these products you have noticed either all or some of the following:

• dark/purple/discolored in the treated area
• burning like sensation
• severe dryness and peeling after a few uses

NOW, I am sure it all makes sense to you why these "symptoms" occur!

I find THIS clean and clear one is the most gentle out of all these types of products. My tip is to use a small amount ONLY on the blemish right when you notice it (if possible) then DO NOT use it for a full 24h. Repeat if necessary. By doing this you are giving your skin recovery time..remember SKIN=LIVING BREATHING ORGAN!

PLEASE READ MORE about this chemical here so you know what the safe amounts are and make sure you check ingredient lists on product to make sure they are safe!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salicylic_acid

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR A.I.:

This is a great ALTERNATIVE product if the SALICYLIC ACID products are to strong for you.

It does contain a bit of salicylic acid but significantly less than the others, as this brand it self is developed for easily irritable/ sensitive skin. The other ingredient which is key in this is KAOLIN. It's a powder like substance which absorbs oil which helps "dry" blemishes without being to harmful to the tissue and cells. Niacinamide helps to prevent more irritation and piractone/glycacil is anti-bacterial.

I would use it the same way as the previously mentioned product, though since it is white and quite dense, it's best for overnight treatment. For prices check online. This is probably more expensive but it is twice as much product compared to Clean and Clear.

TEA TREE OIL:

The brand doesn't matter just make sure you get it in oil form preferably pure and from a a pharmacy. DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR SOMEONE AROUND YOU IS! It's VERY strong and can be dangerous...read more here : http://www.livestrong.com/article/355888-risks-of-using-tea-tree-oil-during-pregnancy/ .

Tea tree oil is a very potent and strong and has antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects.

It is a basic product every household should have as it has many uses. Used on blemishes it helps clean the area and encourages healthy healing.

What you want to remember though are the following:

• EXTERNAL USE ONLY!
• Apply on DRY, non wet areas or else it causes strong burning sensation (SENSATION!)
• Use carefully near to the eyes as it's aroma can cause irritation

To use, put few drops on an earbud or cotton pad and dab on to the area in question.

For further information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_tree_oil

ALOE VERA AND ALOE VERA GELS:

It's best if you can just buy the leaf, cut it and use it in it's pure form, but not all of us are able to obtain the leaves. I am using this exact product right now and I can tell you it's effects are amazing!

Aloe vera soothes and calms irritation amazingly, without taking a toll on your skin and doesn't have a drying effect. The only issue I have with this and other aloe vera products is they tend to be a bit potent...I sometimes (once every 10 days maybe) will do a "mask" with this gel and my eyes water VERY badly until the gel dries away. Again though, no pain, no gain! It's worth it though...just take a 10-15 minute nap with it on your face. Wash off and you'll be left with smoother, calmer skin.

I use it on smaller blemishes too which totally helps them to calm down and decrease in size.

Just put a little drop on the area and let it settle/dry away. It's also great for sunburns and other irritations.

ECZEMA OINTMENTS AND CREAMS:

I am not putting an image for this as there are many different types available, but the one most popular and easily obtained is SUDOCREM. When to use these types of products : When you have dry-very dry, eczema type rashes and irritation that spreads. Mostly you will have bumpy skin that feels dry and peels and looks similar to acne. The reason why these work well on this type of irritation because the texture is very rich and nourishing so it will help relieve dryness, thus already helping irritation, and the ingredients will further calm, sooth and treat the effected area.

I had contact eczema all over my face at one point a few years ago and it was awful! My nose was probably the only clear area on my face and I had no idea what the heck to try...then, when I understood WHY and WHAT I was dealing with I tried an ointment for eczema and over night 60% of the irritation was GONE!

Remember though, this method should only, ONLY be used to treat THIS type of irritation and only as long as it is needed!

ANTI REDNESS EYE DROPS:

Again, no photo needed, as there are many types available. The main thing is , purchase one to relieve redness.

This method will NOT heal anything, but it will relieve and lessen redness. Drop a good 4-5 drops on to a cotton pad then hold it on the red area for a good 30-60 seconds. This should reduce the color and will help you to conceal the blemish better.

So here you go, these are ( according to me ) the BEST ways to battle blemishes and irritation.

Obviously, if you have severe ACNE you will need to probably do more, and should start at the dermatologist's office. You need to evaluate your external routine and internal intake or products combined with what your doctor tells you. These methods above though may still help you out though!

NEXT POST: PRIMERS AND FOUNDATIONS! :)

Best Day Creams...and 2 "mists" I forgot to mention...

So before showing the day creams I have to mention two spray mists that are great...both have different effects but are great!

CAUDALIE BEUTY ELIXIR:

You can get this in a small size at Sephora...at least that's where I always bought it. Use it to refresh, tone, minimize pores and prep your skin beforeyour daily moisturizer. It'sscent is amazing , and if you don't want to feel like you have too many products on your face, but find that moisturizer alone isn't enough THIS is a great product.

The price is 16$ for the "To Go" version(1oz / 30ml) ...reasonable to try it out...it will last a month or two, then you can see ifyou would buy it again.Forthose interested in this product and don't have a Sephora near by, check the french Sephora website..they ship to many countries in europe!

THERMAL WATER SPRAYS:

I never found a difference between the brands first off. They don't have any real effect that is anti-aging or super nourishing or will help with oily skin. However, they are great for refreshing your skin if it is irritated or very dry. They are soothing and calming on the skin, sometimes when I have irritation and dryness I use these to sooth away redness and calm the skin before applying my other skin care products (i.e.: You have to get somewhere in a hurry and get ready fast, but you've just exfoliated and you're as red as a tomato). They are available in large and small sizes at pharmacies and their prices range from more expensive to a bit less...

FINALLY Moving on to MOISTURIZERS!! :)

In general I always prefer brands sold in pharmacies rather then cosmetics or department stores. I have always been happier with the products available there vs. MAC or Clinique or Decleor (for example). Also the sales people know a bit at least about what they are selling.

I am putting these in RANDOM ORDER and remember I am ONLY listing the BEST products I have used!

DDF (Doctor's Dermatologic Formula) Products :

These products are AMAZING quality concerning their effects. Again, from SEPHORA I received these in tester form ( If you don't have a BEAUTY VIB card or account there, GET ONE!!! Sooooooooo worth it!!! ). I got the "Advanced Firming Cream Moisturizer" and at first glance I was sceptic about it...It's nothing special looks wise, it's texture feels quite "thick", like a massage cream. The smell was a bit off-putting, it's just a bit of a medicated scent

Anyhoo, I still tried it out and was very impressed! I can have the worst dry skin but this cream amazingly! My skin felt smooth, healthy, well moisturized and the best part was ,that at the time I was having a bit of a break out and it TOTALLY calmed the irritation!!! So I very much recommend this brand! In the states I saw it in Marshall's too, but I don't know howlong it's been there so I would just get it at Sephora or search it online! I never checked the price since I am still using the tester ( I got two ) so I honestly didn't check the price...I have a feeling they would be a bit pricey...but remember SKIN=ORGAN! It's worth the money IF it works!!

AVENE EAU THERMALE:

At the moment I am using the "Antirougeurs" cream for dry to very dry sensitive skin. It has the slightest green tint to it to help even out redness in the skin. It hydrates well and has no irritating effects as it has no fake/perfume/fruity/whatever smell. I also have tried the "Hydrance Optimale" cream... this is actually kind of a main name for a range of creams within the brand. It's basic function is to intensely moisturize the skin -hence the name- but has ones for each skin type! It does what it says and adapts to your skin type. I like both of these products so I am pretty sure their other products are quite good as well. They are available in pharmacies.

A-Derma:

Not going to go in to too much detail about this brand I've used some of their products and they are very similar to Avene Eau Thermale. My mom always uses this product and she used to put it on me too ( which I hated at the time because I could care less about moisturizer at age 12-13 ?! ). It is a great brand though with a wide range of variety.

Search it on google for more information. My fave one is the SENSIPHASE pink color one...it's great for dry sensitive skin.

LIERAC CORRECTEUR ANTI-TACHES:

. This cream was one of the best I had ever tried when I had very uneven skin tone either because of I was "recovering" after a breakout and my pigmentation wasn't even or when I felt like my skin just looked dull and was dry. It has the smallest illuminating particles in a very rich textured cream. The particles reflect light off the face while the cream itself nourishes and moisturizes. If you like to use primers with illuminating particles under foundation, this cream will let you skip that step!

The only negative about this cream that it can dry out over time... it lasts a good 2-2,5 months though just because of the spreadable quality of the brand, which means a little bit goes a long way!

DIANNE BRILL ALL DAY TEMPTATION:

Unfortunately I am unable to post a photo of it for some reason... It looks very similar to the serum posted previously, except the bottle is bigger/taller and it is a white lotion.

Very nice scent, comfortable moisturizer and great light, yet moveable texture. Your skin will feel very refreshed! I was using it in the spring last year and felt great on a hot day as it has a bit of a "tingle". I just found it on kaboodle.com where it is sold for 28$ so not the cheapest, but if you don't have overly irritable skin which is a little bit dry-normal and want light moisture you will not be disappointed! I remember being sad when it ran out! Awww :(

Last but not least to mention:

LIERAC MAT-CHRONO EMULSION-HYDRATANTE:

This is a light-weight lotion FANTASTIC for oily skin types! It was a great fresh scent just as the serum has and it controls shine amazingly! Many brands have mattifying effect creams/lotions, but I find that they DO NOT absorb well... they just kind of sit on the skin and then kind of peel off...yuck! This however totally absorbs and helps control oil while not totally drying the skin! For the best results I would combine it with the serum! The prices are similar to each other, and by the way, the "Mat-Chrono" products are one of the brands most popular products!

So those are the best of the best according to my experience so far! Up next :Acne Combat products and tricks ;)

Skin Types 101

So there are 3 main skin types, with one having 2 subtypes.

To begin with let's start with NORMAL skin type.

This is considered to be the most ideal, though it is not PERFECT! There is no such thing as perfect skin folks!

Normal skin usually is described as having/being:

• well hydrated ( no wrinkles )
• dead skin cell exfoliation rate normal (no peeling what so ever)
• circulatory system functions normal ( no broken blood vessels )
• balanced secretion ( never shiny, but glowing..if that makes any sense )
• few blackheads/pores around nose area ( usually under folds )
• pigmentation levels are balanced ( no freckles or any other type of pigmentation marks)
• no scars, or any other type of secondary skin symptoms
• no irritation ( a.k.a. blemish/acne)
• no abnormal hair growth

If you have this type, you are lucky...all you need to do is keep up and watch for signs of unusual symptoms...then you need to start using some prevention products...SOME! You do not need to change all your elements or your every day skin care products, just maybe change or use some other product(s) on target areas.

Moving on , we can talk about ALIPIC skin type.

This skin type is missing the fatty/oily substances hence the name! This skin type occurs usually in older age groups ( normal production in the glands slow down ), or overly treated dry skin ( I have had this skin type after using Pro-Active over time! ).

Usually these tend to be the most sensitive and easily irritable skin types. The hydration levels are low as a result of not having a barrier of oil to hold in the water between tissue and cells.

Alipic skin description:

• dry
• tight pores
• red, irritable, allergic
• wrinkles
• peeling, flaky skin
• irritation blemishes can occur... think of eczema
• fallen
• broken blood vessels

Briefly these are the main "red flag" warning signs!

This skin type is a MAJOR pain and can be utterly devastating...Because it is so sensitive it is difficult to treat externally alone, thus your key treatment will be in internal consumption.

If you feel you have this skin type or experience signs of it..I suggest first of all trying to ONLY drink water and TONS of it! Ideally 3 liters, though we live in a busy world so this can be difficult, try to go for 2! Try to eat as much fruit and vegetables as well to make sure you get your kick of nutrients and vitamins. In order to boost oil levels, eat nuts (if you don't have allergies) and some oily fish as well.

Externally make sure you shop at the pharmacy and you will have to stay away from "commercial"/mid-low quality generic brands. (La Roche Posay is GREAT, Avene, Aderma...)

You will have to probably spend a bit more money, but trust me, it is worth it!

Do NOT Exfoliate, use scented or overly processed products with too many chemicals... Only buy products that are for "Dry, Very Dry, Sensitive, Irritable" skin...if it says "normal" or "combination" PUT IT DOWN.

Lastly, if symptoms last too long and your skin does not improve see a dermatologist immediately!

Last but not least SEBORRHEIC skin type.

This type has two sun types. Both have over production of oil in the glands, paired with other different symptoms generally having to do with the keratinization ( rate of new skin cells forming and dead ones exfoliating off ). The most common is the DRY version (Seborrhea Sicca) and the other, less common is the HYDRATED version (Seborrhea Oleosa).

Seborrhea Sicca description:

• Oily shine in the T-Zone area
• Blackheads and whiteheads on the entire face but mostly in T-Zone area
• Open pores whole face
• Tightness and dryness of skin
• Irritation ( Blemishes/Acne)
• Sandy and/or flaky peeling
• Broken blood vessels around nose and chin
• Skin color usually looks "dull"
• Wrinkles
• Can become easily irritated

If you believe this skin type is familiar to you, your best bet will to be products to combat irritation, peeling , hydration and secretion. Because this skin is in need of hydration I would opt for a gentle cleanser...either a milky one or a watery based one...nothing that is lathery...so no strong soaps or gels. In the past I have liked Lierac, Bioderma and Biotherm most.

You can however use a tonic to help treat secretion, if you feel your cleanser alone is just not 100% "strong" enough. The next step is one of the most vital! EXFOLIATION! There are many many product on the market... "every day exfoliator" and brushes and these rubbery things that have little tiny spike-like surfaces... I say...FORGET IT! All you need is a GREAT exfoliator that you use every 10 days. Best ones are alpha hydroxy acids and ones which have tiny tiny little "scrubbers"... Ideally , you will probably use the latter one... AHA-s are great but they can be dangerous to use at home, or expensive at the salon. My FAVE exfoliators are MAC MICROFINE and LIERAC SOIN EXFOLIANT LUMIERE VISAGE....They have the best price and product level ratio!

Exfoliation will help prevent irritation ( helps dead skin cells off ) by letting secretion escape the pore, not trapping it inside to become irritated.

Then you want to use some type of serum. Serums are usually water based, so you help your hydration level to increase ... not to mention those nasty irritations also occur because of your dryness... hence the problem of abnormal keratinisation...

Serums also come in a wide variety, treating specific symptoms.

After this, you will still want to use a hydrating day cream. I would opt for a lotion, because of it's light texture. I would stay away from anything containing salicylic acid or alcohol ( THEY WILL DRY! ).

For treating specific areas/ blemishes it is safe to use either/or:

Tea Tree Oil,

La Roche Posay's Effaclar A.I.,

Natural Aloe Vera...even from the leaf!! That's the best!!

If symptoms are abnormal and become worse over time see your dermatologist.

MOVING ON ( I know...FINALLY, right?...)

Seborrhea OLEOSA description:

• Oily shine on whole face
• Face/skin looks "full" (hydrated)
• Blackheads mostly in T-zone, white heads entire face
• Open pores on entire face
• Not too much irritation
• Brocken blood vessels
• "Dull" skin color

Basically you may have giggled reading "Face looks full"...but it does. This is because there is always a substantial amount of oil on the face , it acts as a barrier, keeping moisture locked in.

The pores are open thus there is less irritation...the sebum can escape the pores easily and because the hydration is more "normal", the dead skin cells peel off at a normal rate, not trapping sebum in the pore.

If you feel this is the type that is most familiar to you, you will need to regulate the secretion levels firstly then tackle secondary symptoms..such as blood vessels...

You can use some stronger face wash, something of a gel or soapy substance...VICHY is a great brand for this skin type... and many other more "generic" brands are ok to use too...

Use a toner, it will also help to regulate secretion levels.

You should use a serum or a light lotion for the day time... I have not myself experienced this skin type, but what i would do is carry a little spray bottle with toner in it and a little bottle of a light lotion in my bag...then during the day I can evaluate which one I need to use.

Keep using an exfoliator of corse!

As with the previous, if symptoms worsen, or do not subside contact your dermatologist.

What do you think? And what should the next post be about? Acne or My skin care rutine?

I will do both but I want each post to make sense with the previous one...and not have them all over the place. What do you think?