My current skin care regimen

I'm 29 years old and female. I have combination skin ever since puberty. However, I didn't get a lot of acne during my teenage years. It was like a few at a time and they would always heal somewhat quickly. After I went to college, that's when the bad acne first started. I had three separate episodes of bad breakouts from 20 to now. So, my bad skin has been with me for about nine years. During these years, I have changed my routine a few times. Now, my skin care regimen is perfect for my mature acne prone skin type.

I wash my face twice a day with the Neutrogena deep clean cream cleanser. Long time ago, I heard that for oily or combination skin, you should wash your face two times a day to remove all the dirt and oil build up. At one point, I was washing my face three or four times a day. That actually made me even more oily because the skin would compensate for lack of moisture by producing even more oil. I have been using Neutrogena deep cream cleanser for three years now and I really like it.

I use St. Ives apricot scrub about twice a week. This product seems to work better when I use it in the morning. Not only it deeply cleans my pores and exfoliates my skin, it also gives me a boost of energy to start the day. One of the main reasons that I use the St. Ives apricot scrub is that it clears up my blackheads temporarily.

In the morning, I use makeup to prep my skin for the entire day. It really helps me with my acne condition in addition to giving me confidence. I have been using the Bare Minerals brand skin care and makeup for three years. So, I have lots of confidence in this line and its compatibility with my skin. Here are the steps of my morning makeup routine if anyone is interested. I use the Bare Minerals eye cream around my eye area to keep this sensitive patch of skin hydrated and free of wrinkles. Follow up with combination / oily skin moisturizer all over my skin. This light moisturizer is ideal for my skin because it keeps me moist without leaving me feeling heavy. I now firmly believe that a moisturizer is essential for acne prone skin. I let the moisturizer soak into my skin before putting on the oily skin primer. This product helps absorb excess oil production and acts as a shield between my skin and the makeup that goes on top of it. I give it a minute or so for the primer to completely dry. My foundation color is called golden fair and the formula is matte. It is so important to get the matte foundation vs the original for oily skin. I have first hand bad experience with the original formula. After that I contour my face with my bronzer. I finish the look with mineral veil for its added SPF protection.

After I clean my face at night, I just want to let my skin rest for the night. However, I do use prescription medicine on active pimples that I might have at that moment. I use an antibiotic cream called Clindamycin to speed up the healing process. On top of that, I use Tretinoin gel to peal that part of the skin and help it heal faster. Whenever you use Tretinoin, you should always protect your skin against the sun because this medicine makes your skin more sensitive to UV damage. My morning makeup routine already has sufficient SPF protection.

I hope this routine gives you a good foundation to develop your own skin care regimen. Next blog entry, I will post pictures of what my skin looks like with and without makeup.

What are all the problems associated with acne – it's not just the pimples

A lot of people that are not affected with acne will say things like, what is the big deal with acne? Well, there are many bad things associated with acne prone skin. Let me explain all the problems that are related to acne in details. For those of us that suffer from this condition, we are all too familiar with the following things that I'm going to talk about. Get ready, this will be long!

Oily / combination skin – Acne is a condition due to oily or combination skin. There are excessive oil production on our faces, pores get clogged and pimples pop up on our skin. The oily or combination skin is usually inherited from your parents. For most cases, it's genetics and you can't really get rid of the problem from the root. When your parents have acne prone skin, you have a higher chance of inheriting the same type of skin. For example, I got my oily skin from my dad. Oily or combination skin is not all bad. Due to excessive oil production on the skin, we will not age as fast as other people.

Dull complexion and large pores – Those of us with oily and acne prone skin also have dull complexion and large pores. We will constantly develop blackheads on the nose; I haven't found a way to permanently get rid of them. It may not be possible for all I know. This is again due to the nature of our skin and excessive oil production.

Scarring – This is one of the worst things associated with acne. We might be very embarrassed with a big red pimple and made the mistake to pop them. Depending on your skin, you might end up with a scar. Some people will develop severe acne and scars may not even be preventable. These scars on our faces will forever remind us of the damage that acne did to our appearance. With various laser treatments and chemical peals, we might be able to get rid of scars with hundreds of dollars.

Emotional damage and other people's reactions – Acne damage our skin and self esteem. Lots of people look at our skin. We feel it and know it even if you don't say anything. Some people will say something to us like why don't you take care of your skin better?! We try lots of things to make our skin better. But not everything works and some medicine actually make our skin even worse. There are other things people say that are even more rude. Can you just wash your face? If it's simple like that, we will gladly do it.

Flare ups and we don't know when it will get worse again – Most acne sufferers experience sudden flare ups that are very hard to predict. You might have very clear skin the day before, and suddenly your face erupts with two big pimples. That will just ruin your day and your appearance for a while. Some big pimples take a long time to go away and you will just have to cope with it. For most people, popping a pimple is bad thing because it might leave scars. So, you can't even touch it!

Cover up – While women can conceal their active acne and scars with makeup, men do not have the same option. It is generally not accepted for men to wear makeup. It makes it hard for men with acne because your face is exposed for everyone to see and judge.

Now, I hope everyone understands a little bit of what a acne sufferers go through on a daily basis. I'm not talking about just the puberty years. Some people suffer from acne for 10 or more years. Next time when you see another acne sufferer, hopefully you won't be mean!

Bare Minerals Review for Oily, Acne Prone Skin

**Update 1/5/2014: here is my recent review of the Bare minerals makeup after three years of continuous use.

 

So, my skin was bad enough that I wanted to cover it with some makeup. I was never a believer in makeup because of my skin being so sensitive. But at this point, it is bothering me when I am at work or have to interact with people. Those of us suffering from acne know that how much we are embarrassed by our skin. To be honest, I even notice people with bad skin and I have bad skin. It just how we see people and subconsciously judge people based on appearance.


OK, before I go on and on with this. Let's talk about Bare Minerals makeup. I bought this makeup more than a month ago because of the sudden outbreak of my acne. Here are all the products I have:

Matte SPF 15 Foundation in Golden Fair

Mineral Veil - original formula

Warmth All-Over Face Color

SPF 20 Concealer in Summer Bisque

Full Flawless Application Face Brush

Well-Care for Brush Conditioning Shampoo

Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush

Flawless Face Brush

Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer

I know it seems like a lot of products but I only purchased the SPF 20 Concealer in Summer Bisque and the Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer separately. All the other stuff came in a kit that was like supposedly save you money when you purchase everything all together. It came out to over one hundred dollars total. Yes, I know it's expensive. But my acne was so bad to the point that I just wanted to stay home. And I am sure that anyone that had terrible breakouts felt the same at some point. I got all this at Macy's and the lady there was very nice and put all the products on me. I didn't make the purchase right away because I was afraid that it can irritate my skin. So, I let it stay on me for a day to see if it itches or causes any discomfort. And at the end of the day, I felt fine and decided to go back and buy it.

If you plan to purchase this or any makeup for coverage, you should definitely have the sales person put it on you first. My motto is don't buy any makeup that you haven't tried because it will always have a chance to irritate your skin. No one wants to waste money!

Now, that I have been using this makeup for more than a month. Here is what I think of it. The coverage is pretty good even compared to liquid foundation. The redness is totally covered which is what I am primarily concerned about. Acne is raised so people can still tell you have acne when they are up close. It gave a boost of confidence and now I finally feel like I can look people in the eye when they are talking to me. My skin still gets oily at the end of the day; this makeup can only help me stay oil free for 1/2 day even with the oil control foundation primer. It makes my itch better.

Okay, here are some pictures of my skin before the makeup and after just for your reference. I know it's bad but bear with me.

Oily, acne prone skin dos and don'ts

I had oily skin for many years and came up with this list of dos and don'ts with oily, acne prone skin. Oily acne prone skin is one of the hardest skin types to care for because of excessive oil production on the face and constant breakouts. A lot of people have the wrong idea of how to manage acne prone skin which will make the problem worse. Anyways, here is the list and I hope it will help out others with oily, acne prone skin.


Do wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once before going to bed with a suitable face wash designed for oily or acne prone skin. Twice, no more no less.

Do use foundation with oil production control and acne treating ingredients.

Do use a deep cleaning mask once a week to properly clean out the pores and any dirt, oil left on your face.

Do use products from Neutrogena which is gentle on the skin but tough on acne (I know it sounds like I am promoting their products, but Neutrogena does actually work. In fact, my skin is both acne prone and sensitive, Neutrogena is one of the best brands out there for my case at least.)

Do carefully choose your makeup and skin care products and make sure they are non-comedogenic (do not clog pores).

Do use a light moisturizer when you have combination skin.

Don't wash your face when you feel excessive oily, stick with the twice a day routine that I mentioned above. Over washing will cause excessive oily production which will make your acne prone skin even more likely to have acne.

Don't use oil blotting papers. Your face will compensate for "oil loss" by producing even more oil and faster.

Don't use cosmetics that are full coverage but not designed for oily or acne prone skin. This can cause really bad breakouts because your pores are clogged. Again, look for non-comedogenic.

Don't use a harsh soap bar for washing your face.

Another Effective Acne Skin Care Routine

In my previous post, I talked about my own acne skin care routine which worked very well for my skin and kept constantly inflamed acne under control. But you will have to understand that my acne skin care routine does not work for everyone and every skin type. I am here to talk about another very effective acne skin care routine that worked very well for my co-worker and kept his skin acne free for many years. There is no one medicine that takes care of every problem; one will have to spend the time to try different products or combination to find one that will effectively keep their skin in good conditions.

Here are the products that he uses: Proactiv renewing cleanser, Proactiv revitalizing toner, Proactiv repairing treatment, Proactiv refining mask, and Proactiv green tea moisturizer. I believe he purchase all of these products in a package called Proactiv Plus Total Solution. This package is very effective with those with very oily skin. We all know that excessive oil production on the face causes lots of breakouts. He told me that this package from Proactiv controls the amount of oil on the face. Here is how he uses it: the renewing cleanser, revitalizing toner and repairing treatment is used twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. The refining mask is usually used once a week in the winter because he is not as oily in the winter. In the summer, the refining mask is used twice a week for deep cleaning. And the Proactiv green tea moisturizer is uesd once every three days or so.

Even with this acne skin care routine, he still gets one or two pimples every once in a while. But it is so much more manageable than before. Anyone that is affected by moderate to severe acne knows that big pimples are extremely red, painful and takes a week or longer for it to heal. Now he get small pimples once in a while that is much easier to take care of. I had told him that Neutrogena's benzoyl peroxide on the spot treatment and his acne disappears in a day or two. What a difference the Proactiv Plus Total Solution has made on his skin. This acne skin care routine works really well for those with extremely oily, oily or combination skin.

What is your skin type?

There are 4 different types of skin that people have. Why is it important to know your skin type? It is because some skin types are closely related to acne and knowing how to properly take care of your skin is one of the first steps to eliminate acne. Skin is the largest organ and people see it when they first meet you. It is also an indicator of age.

Dry skin:

Dry skin type is not problematic for acne because very little sebum production on the face is not enough to clog pores and won’t attract bacteria. Those with dry skin usually do not have acne problems; but it does have its share of problems. Because of very little sebum production, fine lines / wrinkles can easily develop even in your mid 20’s. It is important to compensate for this problem by using skin care products that add or lock in moisture for your skin.

Key identifying characteristic for dry skin:
- visible dry surface
- very small pores
- tends to be red in the cheeks
- absorb moisturizers quickly
- do not tend to get acne
- has more fine lines / wrinkles than other skin types if not taken care of properly.

Normal skin:

Those that have normal skin type are very lucky. This is the ideal skin type that has very little problems. Let me explain. Because sebum production is normal (not dry or oily), you do not tend to get acne or wrinkles.

Key identifying characteristic for normal skin:
- small pores
- do not tend to get acne
- do not tend to get a lot of wrinkles
- there is the “right” amount of sebum production in the skin

Combination skin:

Those with combination skin are oily at the t-tone areas / forehead and dry on the cheeks. This combination makes these people prone at breakouts where there is lots of oil. These area have bigger pores compared to the cheeks. Those with combination skin should care for the oily part using methods for oily skin. They should find a good moisturizer for the dry parts: cheeks. Mostly speaking, those with combination skin are very similar to oily skin. Pimples occur frequently.

Key identifying characteristic for combination skin:
- very oily t-zone compared to other parts of the face
- dry cheeks
- big pores
- lots of blackheads on the nose
- prone to acne flare ups
- do not tend to get wrinkles at a young age

Oily skin:

Those with oily skin hate their skin because it produces lots of oil constantly. Some people’s skin produces so much oil that in one hour after they wash it, the skin produces a visible layer of oil. It is very hard to deal with because of the appearance and constant breakout that it causes. Pimples occur frequently. Not all is bad about oily skin; those with oily skin do not tend to get wrinkles even later in life. Oily skin will become more manageable with age because the skin tends to produce less oil when you are older.

Key identifying characteristic for oily skin:
- face gets very oily in a short time after they wash it
- big pores
- lots of blackheads on the nose
- prone to acne flare ups
- do not get wrinkles at a young age

Suitable oily / combination skin care products and routines

People that have oily / combination skin type have a very hard time with the proper care of their skin.  Because of over active sebaceous glands that are producing excessive oil or sebum, your skin looks greasy and dirty soon after washing.  Another disadvantage associated with your skin type is that you are very prone to breakouts.  Bacteria love to feed on sebum; skin gets inflamed and you will develop big red pimples. 

Fortunately, with the proper beauty products and daily routine, you can improve the appearance of your skin.  The key to oily / combination skin care is good cleansing, gentle exfoliation, oil control and using suitable skin care products. 

A good cleanser is a must for oily / combination skin care.  Those that are using soap or harsh cleansers that are designed to strip away all facial oil can cause a lot of damage to the skin.  You will need a gentle foaming cleanser that is formulated for oily / combination skin type.  There are some on the market with the active ingredient salicylic acid which targets oily skin with active pimples.  Other cleanser such as Neutrogena’s Transparent Facial Bar for acne-prone skin has no active ingredient but is extremely effective at sebum or oil control.  There is no one cleanser that fits all people; you will have to try different cleansers to find the one that works the best on your skin. 

Here is the proper routine for washing your face: first wet your face with some lukewarm water.  Use your fingers to gently message the cleanser into the skin for a deep clean.  Rinse your face clean with lukewarm water several times to get rid of all traces of cleanser.  Use tissues to gently get rid of all water on face. 

A gentle moisturizer is also very beneficial for those with oily / combination skin types.  However, if you choose the wrong one, it can make those over active sebaceous glands produce even more sebum.  The moisturizer you choose need to be water based, light and non-comedigenic (something that specifically states that or similar to “won’t clog pores”).  In fact, anything you use on the face must state that it does not clog pores.  Apply only once a day.

 Additional exfoliation will be needed for a deeper clean in the summer time.  Oily / combination skin usually have a harder time in the heat where sebaceous glands produce more sebum.  When your sweat is mixed with sebum, you face can get itchy and dirt / oil accumulates more on your face.  A mask that is designed to deeply clean your pores is a good choice to get rid of anything in the pores that will cause breakouts. 

Contrary to popular beliefs that makeup is bad for oily skin, some make up base is specifically designed for oily / combination skin that is acne prone.  In addition to covering blemishes, these can be beneficial to some women in terms of oil control and acne skin.  There are some make up bases that can actually “cure” acne on the face.  My roommate in college uses a Japanese brand makeup that controlled the level of her acne to about one or two small pimples a month.  I think the brand is called Shiseido, which is a very popular make up brand in Asia and Asian communities overseas.