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I'm 25, Black/Hispanic and have no major skin issue except for the occasional acne. Been thinking about skin care and preventative measures I should take for my face. I'm not the type girl who uses concealers or foundations or even much make up. only when partying.
So what products do you swear by that keeps your face looking healthy, young and radiant?? Along the lines of cleansers and creams.
Definitely use a cleanser that exfoliates. Makes a big difference. After trying many different brand names, I have come back to St. Ives apricot scrub. It's cheap, and does the best job; keeps skin smooth, and acne away.
Alpha Hydrox...Alpha Hydrox...Alpha Hydrox! It really is the ONE that works. I have been using this for years and it is the one line that I have always come back to when occassionally I tried something else. It works way better than some really expensive products I have tried. You might be able to find it in a drugstore, but the ones near me no longer carry much of it. But you can order it online from drugstore.com and you can usually get free shipping. It comes in red and white tubes/jars. I love the exfoliating cleanser and the silky moisturizer with sunscreen in the morning and at night I cleanse with the foaming face wash, followed by the souffle with 12% alpha hydroxy - it really rejuvinates the skin (but since you are so young, you might want to start with the 10% cream.) I follow it with the regular alpha hydrox moisturizer. Give it a try, its not very expensive and soooooo much better than the rest! Good Luck!
I have tried the St. Ive apricot scrub. Don't remember how that work. Maybe I will try it again. I haven't had a scrub for a while.
Maja - I'll check out the alpha hydrox. I've needed something from drugstore.com for a while but haven't had enough purchases to justify the shipping charge. lol now I have a reason. thanks!!
There are two things I swear by: almond oil rubbed directly into the skin, and dry brushing.
Dry-brushing is an old trick that's very good for your skin -- for exfoliation and circulation and removing toxins. When you dry-brush your face, you can't use a harsh brush like the kind you'd use on your body. But you can't use a brush that's too soft, either, like those brushes they make for cleansing your face. I use a shoe brush. I found one in a shoe-polish travel kit that's about 4 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. It's perfect. You brush lightly on clean dry skin, in upward motions. You can dry-brush every couple days for a few minutes each day. Don't drybrush your face if you have sensitive skin. Dry brushing exfoliates and smoothes your skin and gives it a nice glow. It's also helped with the tautness of my skin as I'm approaching 40.
For moisturizing, I dab my fingers in almond oil (bought at the health-food store in their skin-care section) and dot that on my face, and then rub it very well into my skin. Don't use a lot. It'll absorb into the skin, and then I follow up with a serum (Olay) and moisturizer.
As for "procedures," I've found that microdermabrasion works great on fading freckles and smoothing out those "expression lines" in your forehead or around your mouth. The other thing it did for me is completely eliminate those period-pimples I'd regularly get on my chin.
I've tried the St. Ives scrub but I find it to be too abrasive for me. The "scrubby" bits are too big and harsh. Clinique makes one that's minty that you're supposed to use every 7 days or so. I forget what it's called. I always just tell them I want the one that's minty. It's a thick paste, and while the scrubbers are fine, they're densely packed. (If you're dry brushing, you don't need to exfoliate with a product regularly.)
I'm a Noxema girl through and through. I leave it on for a few minutes, then use the little rotary scrubber thingy (I don't know what it's called; it has different attachments like the buff, the large soft brushes, and the small soft brushes) to exfoliate. Afterwards, I use Ponds moisturizer, or my preference, Cocoa Butter, and I mean the real thing from the health food store, not the crap at the store where cocoa butter is the 10th ingredient.
My nose tends to flake and this is the only product that prevents that.
Honestly, shaving everyday works best for me. And its actually a way of exfoliation if you think about it. I actually use the shaving soap to wash my whole face and use a light moisturizer (Olay for sensitive skin) afterwards and I tell you my skin has been looking better and better ever since I started on that routine.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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Wear sunscreen, don't smoke, and limit the alcohol. Trust me, these things will come back to haunt you.
Other than that, I've tried many products over the years and I always end up coming back to Oil of Olay Total Effects. It really makes a huge difference in my skin. I also like the St Ives cucumber gel for eyes --can't remember the exact name. But if your eyes are slightly puffy/tired you just dab a little gel around them. Very soothing and it works.
I have a problem in the winter with extremely dry skin and plain old vaseline works for me. I've even tried a bit around the flakiness on my nose and it works without clogging my pores.
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