Acne Magazine

Well, I think I’ve reviewed this one before, but I’m thinking I like the regular Neutrogena Deep Clean gel cleanser a little better.  True, the creamy acne wash feels a bit better while you’re washing with it, as though it may be a bit more moisturizing to the skin, because it is a creamy cleanser instead of a gel which usually means it’s more emollient (moisturizing), however, it seems that the Deep Clean actually is a little better of a cleanser.

For instance, the Deep Clean actually washes my makeup off of my eyes as well, which happens to be a huge pet peeve of mine.  I always wonder, if a cleanser isn’t good at washing my makeup away, then how well is it cleansing the daily buildup of oil, grime and dirt that automatically adheres to my face each day away? 

That’s just my take on it though.  You could also go from the angle that if you get a cleanser that takes everything off, it could also be taking off precious protective layers that are there for a reason.  However, we are talking about me, and I have very oily skin, even though I’m now thirty something, so I’m still looking for a cleanser that actually deep cleans my skin, without overdrying.  It still seems like Deep Clean by Neutrogena is the better product out of the two….

Well, you know what my favorites in the world of acne skin care are pretty much already, but there are times when I also purchase products simply to try them out of curiousity, to see what’s out there, and to perpetually test whether I can “do better” than any of the previous products I’ve purchased, many of which reside in a special place in my bathroom because I feel too guilty to toss them in the trash.

Neutrogena Deep Clean liquid face wash is a good old stanby though, if you ask me.  For people with acne, this liquid face wash seems to get dirt out and not leave the skin too dry, tight and irritated like many other cleansers that advertise as deep cleaners or clarifying can.

Neutrogena is a great product line, I must say.  I used to constantly purchase the amber cleansing bar when I was younger to care for my
skin, and although I am less than impressed with their actual acne gels and creams as spot treatments, I think they offer a solid set of cleansing products for those of us with acne prone or oily skin, because they are so gentle.

They’re also wallet friendly in that you can purchase most of their cleansers for around the six to seven dollar range.  I wish the Deep
Clean wash had a bit more of a nose friendly scent, but hey you can’t get everything, right?!  Other than this obviously silly little issue, it’s a great stand by cleanser for those of us with acne or sensitive, oily skin.

I was hopeful when I purchased the green bottle of Garnier Nutritioniste detoxifying face wash at my local CVS about two weeks ago.  I figured
that since my job is to review certain products and see how they work for people with skin that is prone to acne and other fun things like irritation and dryness at the same time,  I should try all these great new products that seem to pop up every week at the grocery store, at beauty counters, and in your local drug stores.

Sometimes, I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for great packaging in products.  Not just face washes, cosmetics and other skin care products for acne, but I’m pretty much a sucker for great, sophisticated packaging on anything I buy.

Somehow, it must trip my “quality” sensor and make me think that because a product is packaged attractively and is made to look natural or
organic, it must work on everyone’s skin beautifully.

However, I must say that after using the product at night for the past several nights, I can conclude that it dries my skin out too much.
Sometimes  when you first start to use a product, and you break out, you figure (at least I do), that your skin is just adjusting, or if it
seems to dry it out too much, maybe your skin just isn’t used to it.

For this reason, I try to give any new product at least a week to see if it’s really not good for my skin type or if it just needed a little
time to adjust.  For the Garnier Nutritioniste detoxifying face wash, I can safely say that it dried me out too much, more so than just creating a little tightness right after washing, but also created a greater need for moisturizer.

Since I’m a firm believer that overdrying is horrible for acne, and we should not destroy or over dry the skin protective barrier if we have
acne, I don’t think I’d recommend it for someone with combination/oily skin like mine.  However, as with many other great products, this may be a case where it might also be suitable for another person’s skin type.  If anyone has any additional feedback on the Garnier face wash, please share! 

I am trying out a new cleanser (well, new to me) by Aveeno.  It is a very reasonably priced facial cleanser that comes in one of my favorite forms - the foaming face wash, that comes out of the pump already foamed up and lathered for you, so you don’t have to really do any of the “work” to get it foaming and deep cleansing on your face. 

So far, I really like the way it’s making my face feel, but I’m also concerned because I seem to be breaking out for no apparent reason.  I do think  the breaking out part is due to nerves and stress from certain things I’m going through in my life right now, and it’s not the cleanser, but I’m also trying to lay off of it for a bit to figure out if that’s it.  I like the fact that Aveeno uses lots of the best natural acne treatment ingredients though. 

I was going to stop using it for a few days and start using the Neutrogena acne face wash again which I’m not a huge fan of because it feels like it’s drying out my skin, so I think I’ll do that and see if it’s the wash or my nerves.  I have a feeling it’s my nerves though.  By my age, you just get to know your skin so well that you can tell what brings on certain breakouts, and I’m pretty sure this is the type of breakout that is characterized by a stressful time in my life. 

The thing I really like about the Aveeno Clear Complexion foaming cleanser is that is uses salicylic acid as opposed to benzoyl peroxide, which I personally feel is more irritating to the skin and not as therapeutic an over the counter medicine for acne as salicylic acid.  Plus I like the fact that salicylic acid also performs double duty by providing some light exfoliation and can make the skin appear brighter and more alive on top of helping to combat acne. 

The Aveeno Clear Complexion foaming cleanser also smells great and leaves your face feeling clean, refreshed, and baby soft.  Overally, I’d say to give it a try if you’re in the market for a new acne cleanser.  If not, and you already have an effective cleanser that you like, by all means, stick with it!  Or you can wait til I figure out if this is what’s breaking me out or not….that might be good too! 

Benzoyl peroxide is in many topical preparations for the treatment of acne. It is considered an antiseptic and it’s mode of action against acne is it reduces the number of bacteria on the surface of the skin.  Some over the counter products contain both of these or one of them, and higher end acne treatment systems like Clear Pores may also contain these ingredients, which are known for helping to treat acne on the outside. 
 Benzoyl peroxide is the active compound in many lotons, gels and creams. Some of the different trademark names for it include OXY, NeoBenz Micro, Basiron, Brevoxyl  and Benzac.  Usually, you apply the gel or cream to the affected area.  Besides it’s antibacterial action, benzoyl peroxide causes increased skin turnover which helps to clear pores.
 Possible adverse reactions to benzoyl peroxide are irritation and dryness and, for more sensitive skin, sometimes burning, itching or swelling.
Usually, benzoyl peroxide is an effective means of controlling acne with it’s antibacterial and peeling action.  Care should be taken to avoid getting on clothing as it’s a bleaching agent.  When you start using a topical preparation with benzoyl peroxide, start with the lowest concentration first and then build to higher concentration to develop your skin’s tolerance to it.
 Salicylic acid is another compound used in skin care to control acne.  It’s means of action is also as a peeling agent, an oil reducer and a cleanser of pores.  Salicylic acid is available in different concentrations in topical preparations for use in skin hygiene.  It reduces blackheads and exfoliates the complexion. 

 Topical treatments for acne that contain salicylic acid are plentiful.  In reading on the subject, many of the treatments mentioned it’s usefulness for use on aging skin as well as for acne, due to it’s exfoliating properties.
 From the information gathered, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid both appear to be an effective way to control mild to moderate acne.  Both compounds have similar effects on the skin as both are peeling agents.  Benzoyl peroxide has the added quality of being antiseptic and antibacterial, however,and that might give it an edge.

This is another one of those new reviews I promised you I was working on.  It’s a new product by one of the leading skin care companies whose products can be found in several retail stores as well as some grocery stores.  In fact, I saw a brand new display of the product just a few days ago at Target.  Dove is known for extremely gentle skin care products, and is ideal for sensitive skin, and their new “real women” skin care campaigns are to be commended as realistic and appealing to the primary market for skincare : women!

I tried the Dove SkinVitalizer product, which is essentially like a relaxing facial that you give yourself at home.  Here is what I thought about it :

I was very happy with the overall feel of my skin after using the SkinVitalizer with the cleansing pillows.  My face felt well moisturized
and had a silky, clean feeling to the touch after each use.  I  noticed I didn’t have to use as much moisturizer as I would normally need.
The massaging head came with a few cleansing pillows, which can be purchased as refills as well when they’re out, and I’m not sure if the cleansing massage head had much more effect than if I were to just rub the cleansing pillows over my face manually, but it was nice touch to add to the appeal of an automated product where you don’t have to do much if you don’t want to. 

While I was happy with the feel of my skin afterwards, I did notice that the product seemed to not come off all the way, but I think this is part of it’s design, to adhere to the skin and moisturize it as a moisturizer and soother even after you’re done rinsing, as is the case with salon facials, where the product does not rinse fully off, because it’s therapeutic properties are meant to stay on the skin as long as possible to sooth and moisturize dried out, red and tired skin.

The only “complaint” I have about the Dove SkinVitalizer product is that the cleansing pillows seemed to have trouble adhering to the massaging head.  Not sure if I was applying them incorrectly, but they did have trouble staying on all the way when the cleansing head was moving across my face, which is why I suggested that the cleansing pillows would probably have the same effect if applied manually.

All in all, this is a pretty good product if you’re looking for some soothing skin care for home that makes your face feel like you just had a relaxing facial - makes your skin feel silky smooth!  And, it’s gentle enough for acne and other skin conditions, as most Dove products are. 

Well, this is one of the product reviews I told you I was “working on” a little while ago, and I feel now that I’ve used the product for an adequate enough time to give a fair report of how I liked the products and what the pros and cons are.First off, let me say that the Meridian system genuinely looks to be a high quality and well made acne product, even the packaging is very professional and even “soothing” looking.

I’m excited to be close to announcing two new products that I’ve had the pleasure to be able to try out over the past few days.  I don’t want to jump too fast and give the reviews right away, until I’ve had time to fully test and see  how they are interacting with my skin.  The two products serve different functions, one being an external acne treatment system, and the other being a facial product that is soon being launched by a popular skin care company.

Like I said, I really feel that in order to give constructive feedback on any skin care product or acne treatment system or individual product for the face or anywhere else on the body, one needs to use it for at least two weeks to find out how it truly interacts with their skin.  Sometimes, when you first start using a new facial cleanser, cream, toner, or other type of topical treatment, there is what I like to call an “adjustment period” where your skin may actually rebel against it at first.

Of course, this doesn’t happen all the time, but I have experienced this at first with some of the acne skin care products that had soon after proven themselves as excellent products, and became some of my favorite stand bys.  So, soon you will be seeing a few new reviews.  It may take a little longer, because I’m in the middle of moving right now (yeah, I hate moving too), but you’ll see them soon I promise!

Well, I got a lovely spam email, which I love so much, but this time I actually had to open this one because it was for an acne product I had never heard of before called AcneRase.  I’ve heard of Acnease before, and in fact, when I did a Google search for AcneRase, it kept asking me if I was sure I wasn’t looking for Acnease, so I’m thinking either this AcneRase is a brand new product that’s trying to get off the ground (they really shouldn’t be spamming to do that, but whatever), or it’s one that is kind of hanging out, like the thousands of others, and not garnering much interest. 

I checked out the website and it looks like what they are going for is a Proactiv type of system.  It’s advertised as a revolutionary (aren’t they all) acne treatment system that does not dry out the skin, which is very much how the Proactiv system advertises its skin cleansing and acne treatment system, as a gentle alternative acne treatment.

It also advertises as a natural acne treatment, and upon further examination, it’s a three step system, using both a daytime and night time “serum” for the skin and what looks like a cleanser and possibly a  toner (I couldn’t find and actual description of the products, so I had to rely on squinting to see the writing on the picture of the bottles of products), and then two smaller bottles of the serum. 

I can’t really tell you my opinion of the AcneRase product, because I’ve heard so little about it, and being introduced to the product by spam email is not exactly the best way to be introduced to a product that they want you to trust, so if anyone has any HONEST feedback on this acne product, please leave a comment! 

I had some questions recently about where you can find the Neutrogena Blackhead eliminating line of products, and I found almost the whole line at a local Marc’s discount store by me for 5 bucks and up.  I think you can also find them at Target and Wal-Mart, depending on where you live and who the buyer for the store is. 

I also wanted to get you up to speed on my experience with the Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Warming Cleanser that I’ve been using now for a few weeks, only on my nose and around my nose, since I didn’t want to irritate, dry out or otherwise botch the other areas of my face if the stuff was too drying or abrasive. 

So far, I can’t say that I’ve noticed a dramatic difference in my blackheads, but I have definitely noticed an improvement in the visibility of the blackheads on and around my nose.  The pores do not really seem smaller, it just seems that the level of “blackness” in those clogged pores has gotten better, and lighter. 

I think my routine now will be to let it kind of soak in a little longer, so it can go to work, warming and loosening the grime and dirt in the pores and helping to melt it away.  The idea behind it is that with the slight warming action (very slight, you only notice it for a split second), and the scrubbing particles, as well as the salicylic acid content, it will help to open the pores, loosen them up, and help to extract the grime that is inside the pores and makes them an actual blackhead.  All in all, I’d say it has helped, just not in a dramatic way.  Whatdya want for five bucks though?