vacation; skincare

[etben]

Vacation, Day One:

• slept until 9:00 (aka FOUR HOURS LATER THAN USUAL)
• did my federal and MA taxes (MN taxes are complicated and barely worth anything, so I am dithering)
• went grocery shopping
• roasted a chicken for chicken pot pies
• made pizza dough for pizzas tomorrow

And then J came home and we put together the chicken pot pies, with much "assistance" from the cats. And then my brain was basically fizzing - turns out that I have a lot more physical+mental energy when I'm not at school all day - so after I spent some quality time twitching and muttering with my face pressed against her stomach, we sat down and emailed our potential wedding venues.

Other sexy exciting plans for my week of nothingness: completely re-plan my level 4 class; get my car inspected, take a load of crap to goodwill and donate it, clean ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING EVER, do a recycling run, yoga, make hummus, sew some things. This, for the record, is why I have to have a job during the summer. @____@

In addition to being spectacularly twitchy, I have a Serious Life Question: HOW DO YOU SKIN?

backstory: I actually had reasonably decent skin when I was a teenager - I spent nine months of the year chapped beyond the telling of it, but I didn't really break out that much. This...is no longer the case. /o\ And since I would ideally prefer to look MORE like an adult than my students, I am in the market for a skincare plan that isn't "scrub it with face-scrub stuff when you remember to do so; put lotion on it when it's scaly and gross." What do you do to take care of your skin? Does it work? Do I really need to care that much about what lotion I'm using? Obviously people have different skin types, but my degree of mind/body disconnect is such that I straight up could not tell you what kind of skin I have, other than, "probably human"; has anybody else had this problem?

Comments

[siegeofangels]

My skin type is "kinda sensitive and oily, also breaks out at the drop of a hat and when using drugstore acne face stuff."

So eventually I went to the Lush website and picked some stuff out, which I am very happy with. I use the Fresh Farmacy cleanser, which has calamine in it and sucks up oil; Breath of Fresh Air toner, which I could not even tell you what toner does; and for lotion I use Enzymion in the summer when it is humid and Imperialis in the winter when it is dry. All of this crap is expensive but it is honestly the only stuff I've tried that works for me. I also use Olay Complete for Combination skin for areas neck/below that tend to break out.

If you have a Lush store near you they are usually pretty good with recommending things/giving out samples if you want to try it.

As far as skincare routine, it might be easier to add the elements of washing face, spraying toner, applying lotion into your existing morning and nighttime routines if you have them.

[shihadchick]

I straight up could not tell you what kind of skin I have, other than, "probably human";
ILU. <33333333333 well put. *is right there with you on that one*

[angelsaves.livejournal.com]

OIL CLEANSING METHOD!!! this is the site where i learned how to do it: http://www.crunchybetty.com/nitty-gritty-on-the-oil-cleansing-method

i definitely don't do it quite as carefully as she describes it -- i pour oil in roughly the right proportions (i use 1/3 castor oil, which i found by the "ethnic" [for lack of a better term] section in the pharmacy, and 2/3 avocado oil) into a travel bottle and keep that in the shower, and then i squirt a little into my hands and rub it all over my face when i remember to, then rinse it off with hot water.

and oh my god, my face feels SO GOOD. like, i'd sort of just resigned myself to the fact that my skin was dry to the point of dustiness when i discovered this, and now it feels like a FACE that somebody might want to TOUCH.

[inmyriadbits.livejournal.com]

I hate shopping for skin care. It's a total nightmare, and until a couple of years ago, I was just vaguely unhappy with everything I tried, and generally tended to not really do anything as a result. Also, I was kind of cheap about it, so I would buy something and then keep using it even when I knew it wasn't working, because I hate wasting things. (Don't do this; it's a bad call.) My skin is pretty sensitive, so I think most things were also just making it react, so by trying to help I was just making another problem. Basically, it was a clusterfuck of laziness and cheapness and a massive lack motivation because of never seeing positive results.

Now, I've discovered this line called Elemis, which is this sort of obscure British company that I only ever heard of through my older sister who had an inside connection, but I love pretty much everything I've used from them. I mostly use their FreshSkin line; I use the Peachy Perfect cleanser, the Dreamy Sleep nighttime moisturizer, and the Skin Buff exfoliator. I'm not the most diligent skin carer; I wash and moisturize at night, but I usually don't manage to do anything in the morning (I generally fail at mornings); when I do, I tend to wash but not moisturize, because for some reason that makes me really oily (I am still on a hunt for a good daytime moisturizer), and I occasionally use a mask, or eye cream. My twin and older sister both use Elemis, too -- I think they're both into the Balancing Lavender cleanser/toner duo.

As far as I can tell, the beauty industry is raking it in, because you just have to keep trying things until you find one that works for you (and then they inevitably stop making it, and you have to go on another quest), which means a lot of false starts. And then they also bank on that attitude to constantly convince you that there's a better product out there for you, somewhere!, etc. Elemis has a good sampler kit, which helped me decide to invest -- it's got enough product that you can use it for a substantial enough period of time to judge whether it actually has an effect you like (unlike most annoying itty-bitty, you-can-use-this-once-and-then-never-again! samplers), but it isn't a prohibitively expensive investment.

[strobelighted.livejournal.com]

I, uh, don't know how much help I can be on skincare since I went to the doctor do deal with mine, but even without that, I think the most important thing is to regularly wash it and moisturize, as in every day. Use exfoliant if you want, but not too often, since it dries you out. As for what you use to do that, well that depends on you. Personally, I like Aveda's outer peace foaming cleanser, but it's pretty pricey. I recently switched to a cheaper one I get at my grocery store. For moisturizing, I prefer stuff that feels really light. Again, Aveda's moisturizer for sensitive skin is my favorite. Really, it comes down to you trying out a bunch of stuff. Get some sampler sizes if you can and see which is best for you.

Also, reading back over your post, you want more than just products, right? Well, I mean, if you have insurance, it wouldn't hurt to go to your doctor about it. There are various things they can prescribe you that can help with acne.

[shoemaster.livejournal.com]

I really like the Clinique skin care regimen. By which I mean their mild liquid facial soap (I use it in the shower) and then the daily moisturizing lotion. I...rarely use the toner, and in winter actually need a heavier moisturizer, but it's a great every day one generally! Also none of it is terribly expensive.

here's the sample kit (http://www.sephora.com/great-skin-great-deal-dry-to-dry-combination-skins-P289943?skuId=1312990) IDK why they give you a fullsize of the one I never use but, that's the beauty industry.

[giddygeek.livejournal.com]

I am literally the worst, and yet it somehow works out great for me? Like, I don't wash my face at night, I don't actually touch my face with soap in the shower, my sole moisturizer is SPF 15 sunscreen/concealer across my cheekbones and nose, and my skin is generally aces. What I DO: hydrate hydrate hydrate. Try not to touch my face too often. Also, I'm not sure but I think I'm seeing a connection between not eating a lot of meat and having clear skin.

But I'm someone who, if I put any kind of oil, wash my face with any kind of soap, try any kind of product that says it promotes better skin--bam, zits and redness and freaked-out dry skin that panics worse the more I do to it. Everyone's body chemistry, everyone's skin, is just so different.

[sheafrotherdon.livejournal.com]

Try all the cheaper ideas first! Mine is expensive - Andrew Weil's skincare line at Origins. (http://www.origins.com/products/3873/Skincare/Star-Collection/Dr-Andrew-Weil-for-Origins/index.tmpl) I tried everything, and I mean everything, for my skin, and this was the only skincare routine that actively stopped my skin breaking out. I wish it didn't cost so much, but I've occasionally gone back to cheaper things thinking surely the Weil stuff is a fluke, and BAM, I break out in about thirty seconds, so back I go. On the up side it smells fantastic, and works really, really well.

[desfinado.livejournal.com]

Oh man, pizza dough and chicken pot pies! Nomnomnomnom.

I have skin that walks the line between occasionally dry in some spots, occasionally greasy in others, depending on what time of year it is? And I swear by coconut oil, which I put on after a shower. It only looks oily for an hour or so until it's absorbed and then it just makes my skin soft and delicious-smelling and somehow, in ways I don't understand, both moisturizes my skin AND makes it less greasy? OIL MAGIC.

But I know skin is so specific! I have a friend doing an elimination diet right now to figure out what may be links between things she eats and her skin; I have another friend for whom gluten gives her skin problems. So that is also a possibility? And then there are HORMONES. And WEATHER. And just so many possibilities! OH SKIN.

♥

[riverlight.livejournal.com]

I've found that the less chemicals the better, on my skin. I started using Desert Essence facial (https://www.desertessence.com/store/thoroughly-clean-face-wash-original) wash years ago—like, probably 15 years ago—and have never changed since; it's cleansing without being drying. Probably almost as long ago I started using Aubrey Organics' Rosa Mosqueta lotion (http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo/091.aspx); it's their product for dry skin, but I love them, so I'd recommend trying whatever suits your skin. Then just recently—um, when I hit 30, sigh—I added Aubrey's night cream (http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo/097.aspx) and eye cream (http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo/150.aspx) to my regimen. I LOVE them. They're a bit expensive, so it's an indulgence, but my skin is so so so soft; and looks younger, too.

The other thing I'd say is screw sunscreen; everyone keeps talking about it as an essential thing, and I've tried, so many times, but man: it makes my skin break out like mad, and feels greasy, and just gross. So I gave it up.

I've (luckily) never really had skin that breaks out (mine's more dry) so I don't know if this will help or not. But that's what I do!