Cetaphil: the fresh maker

I just had to pass along this brilliantly written review of Cetaphil from the Sephora Spy at Jezebel. 

My favorite line: If you get the big 16 oz. size that comes in a pump and the pump gets slightly stopped up, does it sometimes go squirting across the bathroom and stick to the wall like a load of slightly iridescent semen from hell? Absolutely.

Skincare 101, updated

This is a long one. Brace yourself.

I've nestled into a really great skincare routine lately. One product I've been using for several months is something that I'm a little reticent to rave about. It absolutely deserves a rave, but it goes against a lot of the things I've learned about skincare and it took *me* a while to accept it, so I wonder how my faithful readers will take to it.

It's Jojoba Oil. Yes, on the face. Yes, rubbing oil onto your face. As a cleanser. Years ago I was told by a dermatologist to never use products with oil on my face, so the thought of putting pure oil on my face...well, it had me nervous to say the least. But when I read about it, and really put some thought into it, I decided to give it a try. The idea is that oil helps to attract and whisk away oil, without upsetting the natural balance of your skin. So much of the "oil-controlling" crap that we put on our faces actually makes our skin dry, and therefore it will create more oil to compensate. The oil cleansing method is supposed to gently restore your skin's suppleness and doesn't leave you greasy at all, which is sort of counter-intuitive but I assure you, it works.

Even on the first day, it *felt* right. It felt wonderful to massage it into my skin, and I noticed improvement in the texture of my skin immediately. I used it for a month, and the results were quite good. Then I got a little freaked and stopped for a few weeks. That was a mistake. I realized that using the jojoba oil as a cleanser really was making my skin soft and smooth and luminous. So now I'm hooked. I do it every morning, and I follow-up with a small dab of gentle cleanser to emulsify the oil and wash it away. I don't really need to use a cleanser afterward, because the oil itself is the cleanser. I guess a small part of me is still nervous about not getting it washed off completely. 

I use Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil, about $10-$15 for a bottle that will last a long time.

The other two products I've been using have reached holy grail status quite quickly:

The first is Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream. This cream was listed in Paula Begoun's media list for 2008, and got huge rave reviews from women online. I am never convinced about a product even when it has great reviews, but this one won me over completely after the first week of use. I use it at night after cleansing. It's a retinol cream, but unlike other retinols, it's so gentle and doesn't irritate me at all, but has helped to make my skin smooth and shrink pores.

The second is actually a product meant for psoriasis, Dermarest's Medicated Skin Treatment. I don't have psoriasis, but I decided to give it a try because it's really just a 3% salicylic acid BHA product and a lot cheaper than most BHA's, which tend to come in small bottles marked as "spot treatment" and cost an arm and a leg when you're using it all over your face. In case you haven't read my previous posts, BHA's are really just made of aspirin (salicylic acid) that penetrates the skin to exfoliate gently and remove dead skin cells. There are oodles of BHA's out there, some have inactive ingredients or formulas that make them worthless. This particular formulation is a gel consistency and I really love how it penetrates quickly but is easy to spread. It contains anti-redness ingredients too, which aren't necessary for me but certainly haven't hurt. This is by far the best BHA I have ever used, and I can't get over how huge the bottle is for only $10. I found it at my local CVS.

So to sum things up, here's what I'm using on my face:

::Night::

Gentle Cleanser

Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream

::Morning::

Jojoba Oil, rubbed on face and left on for a few minutes

Small dab of gentle cleanser to remove oil

Dermarest's Medicated Skin Treatment (3% BHA)

SPF 15

Skincare 101

I've written before about my skin care routine, but in talking to a few of you folks I realize I wasn't entirely clear about all of the steps, so today I'm gonna break it down for you real sweet and simple. Someone I know (who shall not be named) was using Hydrogen Peroxide instead of Benzoyl Peroxide. :O| Okay if you burn your face off do not hold me responsible.

Night Routine:
1. Wash with gentle cleanser. (Summer: Basis Gel Cleanser; Winter: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser)

On lazy nights, I use CVS Brand Exfoliating Pre-Moistened Face Wipes. (Any face wipe will do, just check to be sure there isn't OIL in the ingredient list. You'd be surprised how many contain castor oil or mineral oil.)

2. Apply 5% Benzoyl Peroxide all over the face in a thin layer. Allow to dry before touching or rubbing with anything, as it will ruin towels and clothes.

There are many different brands of Benzoyl Peroxide products. Check the active ingredient list. Most come in 10% formulas because apparently Americans will only buy things that are Maximum Strength. But 10% is far too drying and irritating for most people, so try to find a 5% formula if you can. Ones to look for: Oxy Standard, Neutrogena On the Spot, Paula's Choice 2.5% BP, Paula's Choice 5% BP, Generic Brands.

3. Moisturize if necessary with an oil-free moisturizer. I usually skip this step unless my face is drying out. Sometimes I'll just do a plain honey mask if I have the time. Other good moisturizers: Wet 'n' Wild Fresh Face Oil-Free Moisturizer, Olay Moisture Therapy Cream for Sensitive Skin, Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer.

Morning Routine:
1. Wash with gentle cleanser. (Summer: Basis Gel Cleanser; Winter: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser)

2. Apply chemical exfoliant like AHA Souffle or another lotion with glycolic acid. Allow to dry completely before applying anything else.

3. Apply moisturizer with sunscreen or foundation with sunscreen.

What is all of this for? This routine is for someone with blemish-prone skin. If you have clear skin, you may not need the benzoyl peroxide but you may wish to use the AHA.

Gentle cleansers are necessary because you don't want to upset the balance of your skin or use harsh detergents that are found in many cleansers. Benzoyl Peroxide penetrates the skin and hair follicle and kills the bacteria that cause acne. It's better to use it all over the face to prevent acne rather than to use it as a spot treatment as often marketed. To get rid of the dead skin that's created it's necessary to use an exfoliant. I prefer the chemical variety because they are gentle and thorough, as opposed to physical exfoliants that are gritty and harsh. AHA is a great chemical exfoliant and it makes you skin look renewed, which is essentially what it's doing. For a gentle physical exfoliant, mix baking soda or brown sugar with your cleanser.

Sometimes using all of this stuff will cause your skin to start reacting by drying out or getting reddish or feeling funny. If this happens, just try to figure out what's causing the irritation and back off on that step for a little while...maybe do it every few days instead of every day. Most of the time, it will be the Benzoyl Peroxide that causes irritation.

It's best to get your routine down and stick to it...it will take a few weeks for your skin to calm down but once you start doing this all the time, your skin will be radiant. Don't stop doing these steps once your skin is clear...keep it up and you won't be sorry. Fuck ProActiv® Solution.

Red Velvet Cake

I normally post about drugstore products exclusively, as I'm not a fan of paying high prices and frankly, if it's not at Target I don't really need it. But I am making a rare exception here.

Run, don't walk, to get Philosophy's newest 3-in-1 scent, Red Velvet Cake. I almost passed out in the shower; it was that good.

:: Philosophy 3-in-1 Red Velvet Cake ::

Good things:
3-in-1. You can use it as a shampoo, shower gel, or bubble bath.
The scent is indescribably good. In the bottle it just smells like chocolate and cherries. In the shower, oh my god, it smells like somebody opened up a French bakery and started massaging me with world-class baked goods.
As a shower gel, it cleans but doesn't leave you feeling dry and violated, like some soaps do. Very skin-friendly.
Lathers extremely well.
The scent lingers longer than most shower gels do, which is nice. But it's not so strong that it would be noticeable by anyone who's not sniffing you directly, which is also nice.

Bad things:
A tad expensive at $16 for 16 fl. oz.
Not easy to find if you don't live near a Sephora or something. I bought it on drugstore.com with a coupon.
The red looks a little like blood when you put it on a light wash cloth, but I kind of like that.

Witchy Woman

A lot of people use toner on their skin. It's not a necessary step, but I think it is leaves us all with that ultra-clean feeling. There are SO MANY toners out there that are actually bad for your skin. Please don't ever use a toner with alcohol in it. It's way too drying to put on your face.

Here's my favorite...witch hazel. I like all of the Thayer's varieties.

:: Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel ::

Good things:
Cleans your face and leaves it feeling refreshed.
Not harsh at all...this will not strip your face.
Lightly moisturizing (not like you applied moisturizer, but like your face is naturally moist.)
The scent is light and nice. (I use the rose one in the winter, and the peach one in the summer when my skin is less dry.)
Great for sensitive skin and acne prone skin.
With daily use, it may leave your skin more even and brighter.

Bad things:
The cost seems a bit much, but considering the volume of the package, it's very economical in the long run.
Hard to find...I get mine at the local Granary natural food store.

Keeping Pimples Away

In my teens, I was blessed to not have problems with acne beyond the occasional pimple. In my twenties, I've not been so lucky. I've spent the past few years trying to keep away the demons on my face. I've seen a dermatologist for prescriptions, tried every product I could get my hands on, all to no avail. The most success I've seen is with using the combination of products recommended by Paula Begoun.

In a nutshell, what Paula advises (and what others have recreated in overpriced products like Proactiv, et al) is that you use a gentle cleanser, a chemical exfoliant (BHA or AHA), and a disinfectant (Benzoyl Peroxide) on your face twice daily. Click Paula's link above to read more about this process and the research and science behind it.

You can buy products like these in a kit, some of which contain these ingredients in the cleanser, professing to save you time but what you're really doing is washing those ingredients away so they do nothing for you. Paula sells kits, and I've bought them, but they really aren't any better than the cheaper drugstore versions. I read ingredient lists like a maniac to achieve the same goal. Here are some of my current faves, though I switch products with the same basic ingredients from time to time.

Cleanser:
I've already posted about Basis being my favorite cleanser. Cetaphil is also good if you have dry skin. There are many others out there and you can read on Paula's site about how to find the good ones.

Chemical Exfoliant (put on after cleansing and drying):
I have used both BHAs and AHAs but currently favor the latter. Right now I like the Alpha Hydrox brand AHA Souffle, a 12% AHA cream. It's perfect for my somewhat sensitive skin, though I wish it didn't come in tub form, which is less hygienic. I've found this locally at Wal-Mart*...sometimes I order it online. It always come with a mail-in rebate which is nice. You use a small amount and put it all over except for the eye area.

Disinfectant (allow exfoliant to dry before putting this on):
I use the Equate brand Acne Treatment Cream that says 10% Benzoyl Peroxide on the tube. It's $1.84 at Wal-Mart*. It will bleach your clothes/towels if you don't wait for it to completely dry before touching things to your face. Make sure you apply it to your entire face and not just to blemish areas. This prevents pimples from forming if you use it this way, which is why I like buying a big tube for $1.84.

Moisturizer:
Because you're using some powerful stuff on your face, it's gonna get dry even if it's normally oily, so I recommend using a light moisturizer with these products. I only use the moisturizer once a day (morning) and I apply it after all of the above products are on my face and it's dry. Anything that is oil-free and has SPF-15 (without added ingredients like retinols) work for me. I like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 30, Purpose Moisturizer with SPF 15 (unscented), and Clean and Clear Morning Glow Moisturizer with SPF 15.

Notice I am a stickler for sun protection. If you look at all the sexy ladies in the world that are older (Michelle Phillips, Julianne Moore, Demi Moore) they are all PALE. Pale is sexy, Paris Hilton is not. Embrace it.

When I use these products religiously morning and night, my face stays clear and radiant. Sometimes I get lazy though, and I find myself breaking out like a mother. This *really* works if you find the products that work for your skin and stick to them. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.

*Disclaimer: I hate Wal-Mart...but there are a handful of products that I can only find there, so I time my trips accordingly. I am a hardcore Target girl because Wal-Mart makes my blood boil.

Squeaky Clean Face Wash

No matter how many times I try new face washes, I always come back to this one Holy Grail Facial Cleanser.

:: Basis Cleaner Clean Face Wash ::

Good Things:
Ingredient list is solid. Oil-free and Soap-Free
Lathers well. All makeup gets removed.
Rinses very clean, but doesn't leave your skin feeling dry.
Cheap! About $4.99 for a bonus-size tube.
Nice squeeze tube packaging. Gel-like consistency.
Smells clean (though I would prefer fragrance free).

Bad things:
Sometimes it stings my eyes.
If you have dry skin you will definitely need to follow-up with a moisturizer.

Runners-up in Face Soap Category:
Purpose Gentle Cleanser
Clean and Clear Daily Pore Cleanser
St. Ives Apricot Face Wash - Blemish and Blackhead Control
Olay Daily Facials Night Cleansing Cloths
Dove Sensitive Skin Bar Soap (with a washcloth)
Cetaphil (both the lotion-based cleanser and the Oily Skin pump-version)

I tend to use different cleansers because I like variety and I think my face likes it too.