Moisturizers -Alpha Hydrox - 10% Enhanced Cream
genahy 6/24/2012 1:40:00 AM
Awful. Turned my face bright red. Had to return.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Super by Perricone Acne Treatment
genahy 4/2/2011 8:34:00 PM
I bought this after reading a bunch of rave reviews and I have to say I'm really not impressed. This didn't help my acne at all. I think all the word super does is describe how expensive the item is.
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Moisturizers -Dermalogica - Clean Start Bedtime for Breakouts
genahy 3/6/2011 2:35:00 PM
In the beginning I really loved this product. It kept me about 95 percent acne free and whatever pimples came up were small. Also it is pretty cheap for the huge amount of product you get. Sadly after 6 months it stopped working and I was left with a pretty bad TOTM outbreak. Still it worked pretty well when it worked and was very gentle on my skin so I'd recommend.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Aveeno - Aveeno Baby Essential Moisture Shampoo
genahy 10/23/2010 4:41:00 PM
HOLY GRAIL. I just tried this today. I already use Aveeno's calming face soap, which I like, so I know they're a decent brand. But with this shampoo, I didn't even buy the full size. Just got a sample with Aveeno baby wash. True confession: I don't have a baby, but I like the way baby wash smells and it helps me fall asleep. I wasn't too impressed with the baby wash (made with SLS!) but the shampoo just knocked my socks off. For reference, I have horrible hair. It's curly, but also weirdly straight/wavy in some places. It's often frizzy. It can't hold a style. But this shampoo makes it look so frizz-free and healthy I can hardly believe my eyes. Even with blowdrying it still looks great! Excuse me, I'm gonna run out now and get me the full size...
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Scarzone Topical Scar Diminishing Cream
genahy 10/22/2010 3:56:00 PM
This is a review for the topical scar diminishing cream. It's different than Scarzone's acne cream. It's in the blue box, versus the green box. Okay, now that I got that out of the way: I loved this product at first. I used it on a very stubborn acne mark from five years ago. It VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED the mark in a month. It also eliminated some hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin) that I'd had. So I figured, let me try this on another stubborn spot. I've been using it there for almost two months now and no real improvement. Kind of dissapointed as I thought this was my HG for scars. Also, it broke me out where I used it, which wasn't a huge tragedy, but it's still a negative strike. I will try it on other scars, but I think maybe I just got lucky with that one mark, and it's not as effective as I previously thought. It also requires a time commitment of massaging for at least 6 minutes a day, which is a pain. Dirt cheap though, so worth a try.
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Moisturizers -Estee Lauder - Resilience Lift Extreme - Ultra Firming Lotion SPF 15
genahy 10/22/2010 3:42:00 PM
I am reviewing this on behalf of my mother. She really liked this product. It got rid of some weird red bumpiness she had on her face. She also appreciated the gentleness of the product, as like me, she has somewhat sensitive skin. I haven't used it myself, but I may give it a whirl eventually. For reference, my mom's in her 60s.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Garden of Wisdom - Lacto Exfo Pads
genahy 10/5/2010 3:10:00 AM
So, I've been trying to get into Garden of Wisdom lately after reading so many good reviews. I like the fact that they use minimal ingredients and no bp or sa. My first purchase was this and the Rosacea Serum. I like the Rosacea Serum a lot, but this Lacto Exfo nonsense is a no-go. I'd bought it because I'd done well with Lactic Acid in the past (in the form of Jason's AHA), but Jason stopped working for me a while back and I've been scrambling looking for a replacement ever since. Figured this would be good, but no. The problem is in the PH. At 1.9 this is WAY too harsh. I literally could not leave it on for more than a few minutes before I would NEED to wash it off. Can't even speak to its pimple-fighting benefits, as I didn't use it long. I actually threw it out because it was so cheap, didn't want to bother returning it. I don't know why GOW insists on making so many of their products with such a harsh PH. I've just bought another of their exfoliation products but made sure to get it with a 3.2 PH, in the hopes it will be gentler.
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Treatments -Stridex - Dual Solutions 2-Stage System, Intensive Acne Repair
genahy 9/28/2010 6:04:00 PM
UPDATE: this irritated a sensitive patch on my forehead. Not sure if I should continue use or not on other parts of my face. I still think it's good for non-sensitive skin. Let me clarify before I write this review and say that I don't use the pads that come in this kit. I don't do well with salicylic acid (makes me purge and flush a little) and I especially would not use the pads in this kit as they contain menthol which I believe breaks me out and is harsh to boot. THAT being said...I am IN LOVE with the BP cream in this system. No, I haven't given it enough time to work on acne yet, but it has 99% cleared up the weird bumpy mess that was my forehead. I've had some weird bumpy crap on my forehead for years now. Never knew what it was--rosacea bumps or kp? With one application I saw a major difference. I've got my smooth forehead back now and I am loving it. I recently read BP can disolve keratin plugs, and I think that's what it did for me. This BP is a nice exfoliator which I am quite surprised by. Gentle, and I like the texture of it as well. I just wish they didn't give you such a small amount. I will update to let you know how this works on my forehead hormonal acne. But already this is a HG for bumpy skin.
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Treatments -Oxy - Clinical--Acne Solutions Pack
genahy 9/24/2010 10:57:00 PM
UPDATE: After less than a week of using this product I had to stop. In the beginning, this product actually controlled my acne-related redness. But after only a few days I found the 5% bp was too much; made me flush terribly. However, I have rosacea and sensitive skin, and I've had problems with 5% bp before, though I can handle 2.5% fine. I think this product would be fine for someone who doesn't have rosacea and can handle bp. On the plus side it wasn't drying in the least, and that is really rare in a 5% bp product. Also, though I only used it a few days, I think it gave me a nice jumpstart and kicked the heck out of the bad breakout I was facing, thanks to the evil device known as the Tanda. OLD REVIEW: I just started using this product, but figured I'd put it on the site, since nobody else has yet. Basically, this is a kit formulated to be like Proactiv, but with slightly different ingredient formulations: THE CLEANSER: 2% salicylic acid. Supposedly, Oxy has a special formula where more of the acid winds up on your face even after you wash it. True? Gimmick? Who knows? THE TREATMENT: 5% benzoyl peroxide. Not just a spot treatment, but in Oxy's words "gentle enough to use everyday." THE MOISTURIZER: .05% salicylic acid. Though I've only been using it a few days, I have made some observations. Number 1: It's super cheap. It was $13 at the store, there are often discounts/coupons, and you get three products. So it's a few dollars an item. Not bad. Not bad at all. Keep in mind though that the products are much smaller than the box will have you believe, and you will probably need to frequently repurchase, especially if using more than once a day. One positive thing is that all three products are also sold seperately in full-size versions. The kit is a good way to sample the products though. Number 2: Oxy did a bloggers' campaign when they came out with this stuff in the summer (of 2010) and it got a lot of good reviews. Number 3: The cleanser makes me too red and irritated (stingy), so I am doing without it, and just using the clearing treatment basically, which is 5% benzoyl peroxide. It doesn't turn me red like other benzoyl peroxide products, which is pretty amazing. Even the cleanser didn't turn me TOO red, but I have to be careful as I have rosacea, and really, I just wanted this kit for the BP treatment. Number 4: All the products have a slight smell but nothing overwhelming. The smell does not linger. Number 5: Even after using all three products in one day I am not dry, so that is pretty good. In fact, I'd go as far to say I am less oily and my chin is soft-feeling to the touch. Number 6: All products are alcohol and sulfur-free, which is good for me, as I am allergic to both ingredients, as many others are. One of the products has a touch of menthol, but it is supposedly the less irritating kind, and I hadn't noticed any major irritation from it. Number 7: I would not use this with makeup. I believe balling up would occur. Strictly a nighttime thing. I will update as time goes on.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Garden of Wisdom - Rosacea Serum
genahy 9/13/2010 11:04:00 PM
I bought this product almost as an afterthought, really. I was buying something else on GOW's site, and threw this into my bag as well, because I have rosacea, and thought it would help. That being said, I was a little scared to use it because it has oil and two types of acid in it. My rosacea skin does not like acids and my acne skin does not like oil. But I don't want to go on prescription rosacea meds yet. The first thing I noticed was how effectively this reduced redness. Within twenty minutes, the results were quite stunning. And over a few days it helped lessen a p&p outbreak as well. However, I still worry this will break me out, so I will update after a month, if I'm still liking it. (Usually it takes stuff a month or less to break me out.) And I hope this becomes more effective at not just controlling rosacea outbreaks but in actually preventing them in the first place. And finally if it could prevent my hormonal acne, that would be the cherry on top. This is a gentle product, it has no overwhelming smell, and it doesn't feel super oily. The eyedropper delivery system is great because it keeps you from overapplying. A few drops is all it takes. I have a feeling this is the kind of product whose effects take a while to see so I'm waiting on full results.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Tanda Skincare System
genahy 9/11/2010 6:12:00 PM
UPDATE: Boy, I really spoke too soon on this product. After a week on my chin and two weeks on my nose, this device broke me out ridiculously. I mean I literally woke up with 6 pimples on my chin. They were minor, but STILL. I had heard that breaking out more could be a risk with light therapy, so I'm not surprised. Also, it was VERY time consuming, expensive, and sometimes uncomfortable, and it did leave me red a few minutes after I used it which I didn't like. All I can say is thank God Sephora takes returns. That being said, this did work on some people, so it may be worth a try. One thing to note: I used it over two weeks and never had charging/technical problems as others did here. I think this is because I followed a reviewer's advice here and didn't charge it 24/7, only charged as needed. OLD REVIEW: I bought Tanda during a difficult period for my skin. It took me awhile to buy it, because I'd heard such mixed reviews here, and on Sephora's site (basically it doesn't work for everyone and some were having technical problems). Also, the expensive price was a factor that made me pause, and I was fearful of irritation. At first I was going to buy the ANSR, but the place selling it in my area had a crap return policy. So knowing I could return if I bought at Sephora, I made the very expensive ($272 with tax) plunge, feeling somewhat optimistic, since my skin has usually done well in the summer. (Tanda is not dangerous heat like tanning salons, but I believe it mimics the sun's effects.) Tanda basically works by killing P. acnes bacteria, in a faster and less irritating way than benzoyl peroxide. I started out using this under my nose, which was breaking out daily. This is an area that cannot tolerate most topical treatments. (Salicylic/Glycolic acids result in horrific rosacea flares.) Well, today is day three. My under the nose area is CLEAR. IN 3 FREAKING DAYS. This, to me, is an absolute miracle. Now, I am extending the Tanda to my chin, which is suffering a whitehead purge from Neostrata's Bionic Serum. It takes me 15 minutes twice a day to use the Tanda. This is for under my nose and my entire chin area, so I'm doing half my face in a short time. (My upper half of my face rarely breaks out.) Some important things to note, which others have noted as well: * You do need to be committed with this product. I doubt it would work if you didn't use at least once a day. * The blemish gel they give you with it is not needed. I never used it. I doubt the cleanser is needed either. Use your own, you'll be fine. * You will probably need to charge it after every use, if you are doing a significant area. Once fully charged, Tanda is supposed to work for 30 minutes (I found it was more like 28 minutes). * Supposedly a lot of people are having trouble with it keeping a charge. As someone here noted, this may be because tanda's instruction booklet urges you to keep it charged 24/7. I did not want to do that, simply for safety's sake, so I charge it only when needed to, and when not charging, I leave it unplugged. * You must clean your Tanda after every use. But DO NOT put it in water. I put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad, then follow up with water on a pad, and let air dry. * You will feel a warm feeling on your face sometimes. Sort of like your face is taking a relaxing warm bath. I don't mind it, and I've never had lasting irritation from using this product. Sometimes I get creases (like bed creases) if I push it into my skin too hard, but those go away in like two seconds. * You should give the Tanda a few minutes to "cool off" if doing many areas at a time. Otherwise, it can get a little warm, and might leave you pink for a second or two. * I don't use the goggles, however I would if I was doing this by my eyes. * This is not recommended for use other than the face. If you use on neck, you could stimulate your thyroid. * If you have acne all over your face, I would not recommend it. It will take too long. It is ideal, though, if your acne is limited to "trouble zones." All in all, I am really happy with the Tanda so far. I know if it breaks within 90 days, it's going back to Sephora, and if it's past that date, it is under warranty for a year. Even if it only lasts a year, it is still costing me about $25 a month, which is a bargain. Hopefully, this continues to work and continues to be an HG for me for acne.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -DERMAdoctor - Calm Cool & Corrected
genahy 9/4/2010 5:05:00 AM
Aggrevated my rosacea. Not terribly, but still, it aggrevated it. I wound up throwing it out, which I didn't feel too bad about since it was a free sample. The only product I halfway-like by Derma Doctor is the Tease zone gel--at least that does something good!
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Skincare - Face -Neostrata - Bionic Serum with PHA and Lactobionic Acid
genahy 8/30/2010 8:06:00 PM
UPDATE: Taking off a lippy. This created a whitehead/clogged pore purge the likes I've never seen before on my face. Practically every pore on my chin got clogged. Still dealing with the aftermath a month later. I think I can't handle the Retinyl Palmitate or the oily texture of this product. Sigh. It seems like Neostrata works for everyone but me. I tried their Ultra Smoothing Lotion, which irritated me like nobody's business, and now I can say the same about the more "gentler" (supposedly) bionic serum. Caused redness and irritation-based little whiteheads/bumps. Can't believe they recommend this for rosacea. There is something about Neostrata's formulations that is super irritating, and I am using it on the least sensitive part of my skin! And the worst part (besides the fact that this is hella expensive) is that neither product ever cleared my acne, might have even made it worse. Even the pump sucked, broke on me twice, hard to pump out a small amount. Onward, to Garden of Wisdom, as I search for my HG acne fighter.
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Lotions/ Creams -Neostrata - Smoothing Lotion - AHA 10
genahy 8/16/2010 8:48:00 PM
The fact that I have to write this review saddens me. I wanted to love Neostrata Smooting Lotion. I do well with AHAs, and I have tolerated 10% AHA on my chin before with little problem. But I think the addition of citric acid really makes this product bad. Citric acid, as I understand, is a form of lemon juice, and this really feels like you are putting lemon juice on your face. In the first week the stinging is bad. Then the stinging subsides, but I found I was constantly getting red marks/blotches from this product, due to irritation, and that scared the crap out of me. However, I do have rosacea and sensitive skin, so if you have very tough skin this might be worth it. I am still holding on to my bottle because it really helped fade some post acne marks, helped my acne, and maybe I'll be able to spot treat or use on a once a week basis. You definitely get your money's worth, it's a HUGE pump, for about twenty five bucks, but if you have sensitive skin, it's a risk. If you used this twice a day, per the instructions, you'd be fried. UPDATE: Taking off a lippie, as I realize this product may have been responsible for some breakouts as well.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Belli Acne Clearing Facial Wash
genahy 8/9/2010 11:59:00 PM
Wow. What a major disappointment this was. After hearing rave reviews on drugstore.com and some reviews on MUA, I was looking forward to trying this cleanser. One reason I was looking forward to it was because I had done well with lactic acid in the past. But the formulation of this soap was way too harsh. I can't believe people called this gentle. It gave me terrible skin--blotchy, full of whiteheads, and it flared up my folliculitis. Terrible for rosaceans and if you have acne, it will only give you more. Plus, the price! After shipping I had to pay $30! You do get a lot but my god. $30 for a soap? There have to be better options out there. Stear clear of this baby.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No