Toners -Aqua Glycolic - Toner
faciallychallenged 2/11/2009 9:01:00 AM
Several people have commented that this really overdried their skin--it did the same to me at first, but I've learned something along the way. I was also using a cleanser that was somewhat drying. By switching to a cream cleanser (Juice Organics Nourishing) I'm able to use this every morning no problem. The bottle is great and it should last forever, because instead of saturating an entire cotton ball to apply the product, I just tear a tiny piece of cotton ball, soak it in product and then apply. I just dab it on, instead of swiping like you normally would with toner. I've been using Retin A for 3 or 4 months now, with great results, but I still needed a little something else for my stubborn skin. Paula's BHA just isn't doing it for me, never has, never will. But I've always had luck with glycolics, and this toner is great because I just knew it wouldn't clog my pores. It really seems to be making those tiny pimples on my forehead disappear without a lot of drama. This is the most consistently clear skin I've had since I was 24.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Retin A
faciallychallenged 11/14/2008 10:16:00 AM
I wanted to find a cheaper alternative to the Level 6 Green Cream I'd been using--I was getting some results with that product but it only served to make me more curious about stronger retinoids. When I found out that my insurance company wouldn't pay for Retin A for over-25-year-olds, I was pretty upset. I could've tried to appeal and get them to pay but who knows for how long or how much they would have been willing to pay. Then I discovered medsmex.com. I ordered two fat tubes of the .01 gel and had them express shipped to me for what one little bottle of Green Cream Level 9 would've cost. Not to mention, a fraction of the cost of Retin A at my local pharmacy. I was a bit worried that the .01 gel wouldn't be strong enough, and I overused it a bit at first. I should mention that I'm using the product for (mostly) comedogenic, non-inflamed acne on my forehead. I've had so many clogged pores there for the last seven years, and I'm just absolutely at my wits' end with them. The Green Cream had already worked out a lot of the plugs but my skin still wasn't where I wanted it to be. In a week's time, Retin A has peeled down several more layers of skin, and the last of the remaining plugged pores are resolved. Yes, my skin is red and irritated but that's because I didn't follow the rules--I overapplied and didn't wait 20 minutes to let my skin dry after washing my face. My fault. Although I have some redness remaining, my skin is so smooth, and I know with time it's just going to get better and better. I think Retin A is the only real solution to my skin problems (besides maybe lots of peels and extractions), and I hope to be able to use it forever. EDIT: Well, the third week brought some pain when I broke out really badly before my TOTM. It was ugly but I persevered, and now my skin is clearing rapidly again. I guess time will tell if Retin a can stop my monthly breakouts, but for now, my skin is the smoothest it's been in seven years. Before, when I broke out, the plugged pores would stay and stay, so at least this way I can break out and get it over with.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Advanced Skin Technology - Green Cream by AST
faciallychallenged 10/24/2008 4:05:00 PM
After 7 years bad luck with my skin, I finally decided to give retinol products a try. I have combo skin, and my forehead is my problem area. I guess the skin there is just thick and sundamaged, and doesn't exfoliate well anymore. AHA's were marginally helpful, but didn't eliminate the clogged pores that constantly plagued me. BHA (Paula's choice 2% liquid) did virtually nothing that I could see. Level 6 Green Cream is the first product I've ever used that made a substantial difference for my type of acne, which is mostly non-inflamed and comedogenic. In the 4-5 weeks I've been using it, I've been able to work up to twice daily applications in my t-zone. I had some peeling/very slight purging at first, but that seems to have passed. My skin still isn't perfect. I have some tiny clogged pores, and some red marks that are lingering, but the results are dramatic nonetheless. My forehead is much smoother, and more even toned. With just a few dabs of concealer I can go out and feel confident instead of embarassed about my appearance. It's been very worth it for me, but I don't like the price. I looked into getting an RX for Retin-A, since I thought my insurance would cover it, but it won't! Jerks. Apparantly, I am considered too old. They think that at 31, I must have wrinkles, not acne. Wrong! I have only the finest of fine lines, and I don't even care about those. Well, I could try to appeal and get a note from the derm, blah blah, but after reading about online pharmacies like medsmex.com and alldaychemist, I decided to go that route. You can buy a number of tubes of prescription strength tretinoin for the same price as an ounce of Green Cream. Still, if you can't use Retin-A for some reason, Green Cream is a very recommendable product, and I think that with continued use, my skin would improve more and more. But at $40-50/ ounce that lasts 3-4 weeks, Retin A is longer lasting and therefore a better value.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Hawaiian Tropic - Hawaiian Tropic Oil-Free Faces SPF 30, Sheer Reflections Formula [DISCONTINUED]
faciallychallenged 9/6/2008 9:24:00 AM
Well, I'm very surprised and impressed by this product. (Mine isn't the reflective formula, just sheer spf 30). I decided to try it based on tons of positive reviews on another site, and I'm glad I did. I'd given up entirely on finding a sunblock that would work on my face, so I was going without (bad). Amazingly, my skin looks pretty young still at 31, at least as far as wrinkles go, but I knew it would go downhill fast if I didn't find some daily sunblock. This is one of the rare few sunblocks I've tried that doesn't deep down aggravate my skin, resulting in cysts and lots of little pimples; no thanks I'll take the wrinkles and skin cancer! Actually, weirdly enough, this stuff is calming and clarifying my skin. I've NEVER had a sunblock do that, let alone any lotion other than an alpha hydroxy. Hopefully they never change the formula, because I'm afraid to try anything else now.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Oil Cleansing Method OCM
faciallychallenged 5/23/2008 10:38:00 AM
Wow. My skin has been on the lam for the last seven years, and nothing, nothing would help. It was hard to accept; all my life I'd had china doll skin that suddenly and completely freaked out when I was 24. Now, at 31 I don't really have acne, just dozens of little clogged pores on my forehead that somehow manage to ruin the look of my skin, even though they're not technically a breakout. Once in a while one will become inflamed, but acne isn't my main problem. It was utterly depressing to read that the only cure was periodic extractions. Glycolic was sort of helpful, but only in removing the clogs from the uppermost layer of skin--after using it for a little while my skin pretty much looked the same lumpy bumpy way. I have very tiny pores and probably at least a third of them on my forehead were plugged with hard little balls of oil. That is until I read reviews of OCM, and decided to try it. By luck I think I hit upon the perfect combination of oils for my skin on the first try--I'm using about 30% castor and 70% grapeseed. I bought really high quality oils from the health food store. I want to experiement with other oils, like rice bran and rosehip, but honestly I'm afraid to mess with the good thing I've got going. I OCM twice/day, massaging for at least a couple minutes, and use a steaming washcloth to remove the oil. I really have seen the plugs come out, it is amazing. My skin is so much smoother now, and if I do get a pimple, I dab it with straight castor oil and it disappears within a day or two. I don't need glycolic, or any other products but these oils plus a good sunhat/sunblock. Here's to never using soap on my face again. I also just started OCM'ing my upper arms, which are prone to clogged pores too. If my face is any indication, I'm sure it'll help. EDIT: While I still think this method produces some really interesting results, and was very helpful to me while using it--I have since moved on to Retin a. I no longer have the clogged pores that I did before and I can get by on a simple cleanser twice a day--that's all I need; Retin a, cleanser, and sunblock.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Expert Wear Single - Antique Jade
faciallychallenged 3/20/2008 9:50:00 AM
Damn, this is a gorgeous color. So shimmery, deeply pigmented, I can't get enough of it. I apply it wet as a liner and it stays all day too. Goes great with green eyes! What more could you ask for?
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Self Tanners -Dove - Energy Glow Daily Moisturizer with Subtle Self Tanners for Fair skin tones
faciallychallenged 6/30/2007 4:53:00 PM
Well I liked this, or I thought I did at least. Until I tried the L'Oreal Medium-Deep sublime gelee. I have to say, that one turns me more brown than the Dove ever did. Not to say I was noticeably orange with the Dove, just was not as natural as the L'Oreal, and the gelee has such a nice texture. I hate sticky disgusting lotion, and the Dove does leave you sticky for quite awhile. Also, even though the bottle was big, I had to reapply pretty often and I ran through it rather quickly. So even though Dove looks like a bargain compared to L'Oreal, that hasn't been the case for me because I actually need to use less L'Oreal and apply it less often to maintain my tan. I can even use the L'Oreal on my face without feeling gross. Hooray L'Oreal!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Unlisted Brand - Fallene COTZ SPF 58
faciallychallenged 4/18/2007 1:23:00 PM
I was disappointed in this. It felt heavy and made the milia problem on my forehead worse. I know, of course something with physical spf this high is going to feel heavy on your skin-- I would've tolerated it though if it hadn't aggravated the milia. I was using Blue lizard for the face spf 30 (awesome) but I heard they changed the formula so I was looking for a strong sunscreen to replace it for this summer. This wasn't it! I'm going to try Solbar spf 38 next. I like zinc based sunscreens because they protect against UVA and zinc is anti-inflammatory. Another issue I had with the Fallene--I've recently read that micronized titanium is of questionable safety when used on the skin--potentially carcinogenic!! Yikes!! I don't know about you, but I don't even want to take the risk, especially when zinc appears to protect over a broader spectrum than titanium anyway (and micronized zinc is apparantly supposed to be safer for the skin).
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Juice Organics - Antioxidant Serum
faciallychallenged 4/18/2007 11:38:00 AM
EDIT: Honestly, I don't see how this could burn anyone's face--that's ridiculous. This is the least irritating thing I've ever used. As far as diet goes, mine is pretty stellar--I keep a hydroponic garden in my basement for a constant supply of fresh greens (and not the kind you smoke). But I live in a polluted area and I think it takes a toll on my sensitive skin--antioxidants in your diet can be different than the levels that wind up in your skin. Think about it--your skin takes the brunt of environmental damage! Skincare experts recommend using topical antioxidants to counter the free radicals generated by UV exposure--which means no matter how great your diet is--you need topical antioxidants as well as sunscreen to maintain healthy skin. As far as organic and chemical free goes--I don't know that I care that much either, it's just that this happens to work better than anything I've ever tried, organic or otherwise. For the life of me, I can't believe how terrific this serum is. It has put an end to a milia problem on my forehead that's been plaguing me for five years. A problem that I thought there was no answer to! Everything I read about milia says that exfoliation and periodic removal are about your only options-there's no "cure" for the problem. I was already using AHA souffle 12% in the day, and Paula's 2% BHA liquid at night, plus microdermabrasion scrub every other day. This had definitely cut down on the problem, but still spots would form. So aggravating! I decided that I needed some sort of antioxidant serum, since my sunblock only contained vitamin E and I can't use night creams (more milia)! I picked this one based on reviews and the fact that it contains several different antioxidants, so I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, so to speak. This has performed beyond my wildest expectations. Every day my skin looks better! Smooth and soft, my freckles have even diminished! It's changed the way I think about my milia--I think they're not merely something that happens because your skin has lost it's ability to exfoliate, but also an inflammatory problem in a sense. The ingredients in this serum are very anti-inflammatory. I say, you have nothing to lose, give this a try!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Ponds - Fresh Start Daily Exfoliating Cleanser [DISCONTINUED]
faciallychallenged 4/16/2007 5:59:00 PM
I'm on my second bottle of this, and I pretty much never buy two of anything. It's great, it doesn't overdry, and it doesn't break me out. As far as exfoliation goes, it's pretty much a joke for me, but then again I have to exfoliate the crap out of my skin. Completely removes any makeup it encounters as well. I think the ingredients are pretty decent. For now, I'll be sticking with this and I also recommend the Ponds microdermabrasion scrub--it rocks.
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Self Tanners -Unlisted Brand - Body Glow Daily Moisturizer by Paradise Gold - Walgreens -
faciallychallenged 4/12/2007 12:56:00 PM
I'm not unhappy! Self tanners have sure come a long way since I last tried them! This does have an intense flower smell, like hyacinth mixed with chemicals. For some strange reason my husband loves the smell, but I can see myself getting very sick of it soon. It is really subtle, which is nice, because I don't like to answer questions about my "tan." It darkens me just enough to even out my tone, and help cover imperfections and blue veins. No orange color, no stained sheets/clothes, and no stained hands from this either! Just a nice golden hue. My legs are naturally so white it appears I've been storing them in a cave! I tend to wear just capris and mid length skirts in summer, never shorts, so the skin on my thighs almost never sees the sun. Besides, I think UV isn't worth the risk. What a great alternative.
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Eyeliner -Revlon - Wet/Dry Eyeliner in Pure Pearl
faciallychallenged 3/23/2007 9:57:00 AM
Actually what I want to review is Revlon's regular eyeshadow in Pure Pearl, but there isn't a category for that. I got mine BOGOF when I couldn't decide what to get--I just grabbed a basic white since I didn't have one in my collection. It comes in a little square case with a cheapy sponge applicator. Initially, I thought it was too chalky and sheer. But when I applied it to the browbone and inner eye corners--WOW! If you want something that looks totally natural/subtle, yet somehow totally illuminates your eyes and takes probably five years off your age---THIS IS IT!! It shimmers subtly and the staying power is decent. However, if you wash it over your whole lid--it may crease a bit. I haven't tried a primer yet though, it may fare better. It's funny how the most basic things in my collection will often become my favorites--I wouldn't go without this now. Even on lazy days, camping trips, etc, it's nice to have this around. I can quickly use my finger to swipe it over my under-eye area to cancel out dark circles.
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Eye Shadow -Revlon - Eye Glide - Pearl
faciallychallenged 3/23/2007 9:54:00 AM
Actually what I want to review is Revlon's regular eyeshadow in Pure Pearl, but there isn't a category for that. I got mine BOGOF when I couldn't decide what to get--I just grabbed a basic white since I didn't have one in my collection. It comes in a little square case with a cheapy sponge applicator. Initially, I thought it was too chalky and sheer. But when I applied it to the browbone and inner eye corners--WOW! If you want something that looks totally natural/subtle, yet somehow totally illuminates your eyes and takes probably five years off your age---THIS IS IT!! It shimmers subtly and the staying power is decent. However, if you wash it over your whole lid--it may crease a bit. I haven't tried a primer yet though, it may fare better. It's funny how the most basic things in my collection will often become my favorites--I wouldn't go without this now. Even on lazy days, camping trips, etc, it's nice to have this around. I can quickly use my finger to swipe it over my under-eye area to cancel out dark circles.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - ExpertWear eye shadow in Grey Matters
faciallychallenged 3/21/2007 8:29:00 AM
Hmmm....what a disappointment! Chalky, not very pigmented,yuck. I had to apply over and over and the colors still didn't show on me, until I applied it wet. That did help and I think I'll be able to use it once in awhile to use it up, but I would never buy this again, it's overpriced junk!! My wet n' wild shadows blow this away, if only i could've found the WnW Diamonds trio I wouldn't have even bought this crap. Oh--and did I mention the lighter grey shade is loaded with glitter--which might be fun for a night out I guess, but during the day? Kind of teenagey to look like you've been hit with a disco ball.
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Eye Shadow -Maybelline - Shadow Stylist in Sophisticated Wine
faciallychallenged 3/19/2007 3:37:00 PM
I may not be 100% in love with every aspect of this shadow, but I could see it getting promoted to favorite status anyway. The wine color is very pretty with my green eyes. The packaging is awesome, and I know I'll be reaching for this whenever I travel because it's so packable. It's a novel concept and I hope to see more of it. HOwever, the powder doesn't seem too finely milled, because big chunks of it fall on my cheeks when I'm applying. And the sparkles seem to migrate everywhere, even into my eyelashes, although the effect isn't unflattering, I don't want sparkles in my contacts. I wish they'd make it in lots more colors. The wine shade to me was the most interesting of the bunch. Neat product.
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