I'm in my early 30's and have dealt with acne since I was 15. I've tried a bunch of prescription and over the counter stuff. I found a wash and cleanser that keeps most of it under control. I tried an acne makeup from Clinique, and I have to say I notice a difference. Plus it covers well to help hide some of the old scars. Anyone one else been fighting acne for years? Have anything that works well for you?
I am approaching my thirties and am having issues with acne as well. I never got more than the occasional pimple until I was in my early twenties, which is when I began planning my wedding. My face seemed to develop cystic acne overnight! The condition of my skin is slowly improving, mostly by using a gentle cleanser, keeping my face well moisturized, and being careful not to touch my face with my hands. I also drink a lot of water and fruits. (Reducing my sugar intake and eating more vegetables would probably help too; I'm working on it!) I only occasionally wear makeup, so I cannot help in that area. As the cold weather approaches my area, I will probably have to moisturize it more. I currently use the Oil Cleansing Method and this has definitely helped keep my skin well hydrated. Here's the link if you are interested:Log In I have also started applying pure aloe on my face overnight. My sensitive skin seems to respond best with a gentle, moisturizing cleanser instead of medicated washes that include salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
When I was 24 I tried a product called NuSkin. Instead of giving me the beautiful skin it promised, it made my skin break out in a terrible way! I had acne, where I had never had acne before! I tried everything to clear it up. I even went to the Dr, and tried tetracycline, nothing worked. I figured that at the very least I could find a make up to cover it up. I lived in a very small town at the time, and the only make up place was Merle Norman. I had never heard of it, but i was desperate to cover it up. Well, I started using the foundation, and powder which did a good job of covering it. Within a week or 2, my skin had cleared completely! I found out that it has zink in it, which clears skin. Needless to say, I am 47 now, and still where Merle Norman. ( I also have no wrinkles) I love this stuff!
I find most drugstore makeup is ok as long as I am diligent about cleaning and treating my skin morning and night. I use a cetaphil cleanser and I make sure to apply a 2% salicylic acid treatment after I wash and at night I use a 4% alpha hydroxy acid and my skin is clearing right up nicely. I use covergirl 3 in 1 long wear foundation and it does an amazing job of covering my discolourations while they heal, and it's not seeming to break me out either.
I would honestly recommend to do a face care routine in which you don't focus on buying those acne products. I would suggest to buy natural makeup from physicians formula and wash your face with a gentle cleanser either from Burt's bees or perhaps from cetaphil. Another important tip is to use some sort of brush when you're washing your face since it reaches all the pores, Hope this helped!
Believe it or not exercise has done me a world of good. I noticed that my acne has progressively gotten better. I have also regularly taken vitamin c and e supplements. I use cetaphil as my facial cleanser and do use a moisturizer that is water based so as not to clog my pores but still deliver the moisture my skin needs.
First of all, if you haven't already, you should have hormonal exams to see the cause if that is what is causing your acne. I have acne as well, and as I'm highly allergic to salicylic acid I need to go with alternative stuff. There is a product called Tri-acneal by a french brand called Aveene that is great for spot treatment, way better in my opinion than benzoyl peroxide stuff or salicylic acid stuff. For actual makeup (and I presume you are talking about foundation, concealer, etc.), Clinique is a good brand,Bourjois is great too (they have a Healthy Mix line with fruit and vitamin ingredients that make my skin look better). If regular drugstore face products break you out - that is my case - a more expensive, but better, alternative is going with higher end products. MAC is NOT good for acne prone skin, so I would look for Chanel, Lancome and Clarins for those. A product I particularly LOVE and that is not that crazy expensive is Tarte's Amazonian Clay foundation. It has great coverage, does not break me out and the amazonian clay is said to be good for the skin.
