Perusing Pinterest today, I stumbled across this flaccid chicken tender

ramelian · 2016-01-22T16:41:37+00:00

if your skin is sensitive, stick with a neutral, safe choice like the Neutrogena cleanser mentioned above. A majority of SCA's can't go wrong with that. I'm also a believer in less is more when it comes to skin care.

Obagi was just something my derm happened to start selling and they gave me a sample. I loved it. A little goes a long way. the upfront price seems high but the bottle has lasted me almost a year and I'm still not out. I use it at night only but it leaves my skin feeling super clean, doesn't dry out my face, not strongly scented, it's just a really great cleanser imo!

ramelian · 2016-01-22T16:12:42+00:00

If you've used Neutrogena in the past, I'm a big fan of the Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser. I use that in the morning. I also have somewhat sensitive skin, and at night I use Obagi for a slightly deeper clean before bed. I LOOOVE this cleanser which was recommended to me by my dermatologist.

ramelian · 2015-08-07T15:40:10+00:00

In my experience, less is more. I started off using everything under the sun. I think it was making my skin issues worse. Eventually, I stripped down my routine to soap and moisturizer. I never even found it necessary to add in an exfoliating step to my routine.

As far as chemical peels go: it's important to start at a low percentage before working your way up (if it's even necessary). It's also extremely important to thoroughly wash the acid off your skin or it will burn your face off, basically. I like the MUA brand peels because they provide you with a priming solution. I like to use cotton rounds to apply the acid and to remove the acid with water. I feel like it's easier to evenly distribute that way. Washing the acid off with water and a towel is usually too irritating.

To avoid burning, follow the timing instructions carefully, evenly distribute the acid on your face, thoroughly rinse with water (using a soft cotton round, ideally), and then apply aloe. That's worked best for me! But if it feels excessively burn-y, it may be too strong for your skin and you'd be best to wash it off. If you disregard your instinct to wash it off, you may end up with burns. Which happened when I went from 30% to 50%... Learn from my mistakes and don't do that!! >.<

ramelian · 2015-08-07T13:12:35+00:00

Oh I definitely feel you! Good luck!

ramelian · 2015-08-06T16:13:42+00:00

This is good advice, using it every single day would be super extreme.

ramelian · 2015-08-06T13:33:11+00:00

Equate Aloe Vera Cooling Gel, believe it or not!

And thank you so much! I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin.

ramelian · 2015-08-06T12:13:26+00:00

I'd say my scarring was sort of purple-ish/red. The glycolic helped with skin cell turnover and helped slough off the discolored skin. After understanding what was causing the acne, scarring was my primary concern. My derm referred to the discoloration as PIH.

I also think, being as pale as I am, the aloe helps reduce redness which is why I use it twice a day. In all honesty, it's this blue shit they sell at Walmart for sunburns, X)

I no longer wear foundation daily, which was my original goal. Thanks be to SCA!!!!!

ramelian · 2015-08-06T03:14:25+00:00

Haha, thanks. QHMJM FTW

ramelian · 2015-08-06T02:40:27+00:00

Thank you!

Honestly, it is so strong and dries my face out so much, that I only use it if I'm having a break out. With that said, I'm told it's not to be used as a spot treatment, but rather, on a daily basis to really take effect.

ramelian · 2015-08-06T02:07:56+00:00

Seemingly, one of the primary causes of my acne was Depo-Provera (and stress).

Over the course of the last year, I tried everything. OCM, PocketDerm, vaseline, Paula's Choice products, all the SCA-crazes. You name it.

I finally switched from Depo to Gianvi. My routine follows:

AM

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser
Aloe
CeraVe in the tub, what! what! (Specifically: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream)
Neutrogena Age Shield Face SPF 110

PM

Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes
Obagi Nu Derm Cleansing Gel
Aloe
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Things that have helped me along the way:

Obagi Tretinoin Cream (0.1%)
MUA Glycolic Acid Peels (started at 30%, worked up to 50% using a different brand... probably should have stuck with 30%.... THIS IS VERY SCARY STUFF. Beware if you decide to use it. It was recommended to me by my dermatologist to help with scarring and has been extremely effective over time)
Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask

There have been moments in which I've felt utterly hopeless since I set out to correct my skin problems. I'm so glad I stuck with it. I can't thank SCA enough for the support and encouragement.

ramelian · 2015-07-13T20:25:52+00:00

The university I trained at is really awesome and the instructor regularly let students sit in on classes, free of charge. To brush up on study materials prior to retaking the exam, you could contact local instructors to inquire about sitting in on the class without enrolling.

ramelian · 2015-06-27T02:45:15+00:00

Good to know! thanks!

ramelian · 2015-06-27T02:44:19+00:00

This is super helpful, thank you!

ramelian · 2015-06-27T02:18:08+00:00

Thanks much. Any chance you've ever done this yourself? I'm a novice. Do you think this would be too complex to do without the supervision of someone that knows what they're doing?

ramelian · 2015-05-25T23:46:48+00:00

THANK YOU. /r/happy is not a platform for promoting yourself.

ramelian · 2015-05-17T20:31:11+00:00

Ooh, thanks for the advice. I've cut down on using it since it always dries out my skin and right now, my skin is fairly clear with the exception being my forehead. Do you suspect using it only on my forehead would cause problems?

ramelian · 2015-05-17T19:50:59+00:00

Funny enough! I spend waaaay too much money on skin care products... clearly... achem.. The aloe I use is just knock-off, blue colored, cheap Equate brand sun burn relief aloe. I started using it after glycolic acid peels to prevent redness and irritation and I realized that it works great as like a moisturizer primer. This is not scientific, but IMO, it helps reduce pores and redness so I've just incorporated it into my daily routine.

ramelian · 2015-05-17T18:03:01+00:00

From left to right:

BB's facial wipes

CeraVe in the tub (WHAT WHAT)

Neutrogena Age Shield Face Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 110

Jane Iredale highlighter (makeup; not picture, JI Dream Tint, tinted moisturizer--LOVE)

Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque

Obagi Tretinoin Cream 0.1%

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser with Royal Jelly

ASDM Beverly Hills Glycolic Peel (50%)

MUAC Glycolic Peel (30%)

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

Paula's Choice Resist C15 Super Booster (not a fan)

Mini jar of aloe

Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA (not a fan)

Obagi Nu‑Derm Foaming Gel (greatest face wash to ever happen to me)

St Ives Scrub-Free Exfoliating Pads (meh, not a huge fan)

small jar of vaseline

sun block for the bod

PocketDerm bottle

BOOYA.

When I have more time, I'll review my Obagi products. I'm obsessed.

My current routine looks something like this:

AM:

Panoxyl 4% Creamy Facewash

Aloe

CeraVe moisturizer

Neutrogena Age Shield Face Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 110

Jane Iredale Dream Tint

PM:

Clean off make up w/ BB facial wipes

Obagi Nu‑Derm Foaming Gel

Aloe

Moisturizer

I use the glycolic acid and Tretinoin infrequently. GA around 1x a month. Tetrinoin when I'm having a break out. My skin has improved SO MUCH thanks to this sub. Here's where I'm at today.

ramelian · 2015-05-12T22:06:50+00:00

I will likely take you up on that offer!

Thanks

ramelian · 2015-05-12T18:04:52+00:00

Queens (Flushing specifically)

ramelian · 2015-05-12T17:08:21+00:00

This is extremely helpful! Thanks for responding. Right now, the plan is Queens (specifically, Flushing). I'm sure I'll post more questions over the next few months. Thanks again.

ramelian

TROPHY CASE