how did you achieve clear skin?

Jul 31, 2011

Sabrina B.

did you use drugstore product, DIY masks, or pricey solutions. i wanna know everyones stories! i need some suggestions on how to clear up my skin and get flawless skin while maintaining it.

Jul 31, 2011

Gracey W.

I was lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) to start getting acne before I entered high school, so by the time freshman year rolled around, I was able to go to a new school with pretty clear skin. We tried drugstore solutions but I ended up having to go to the Dermatologist.

She gave me SO many different creams, gels, face washes, moisturizers I honestly have no idea which one made the biggest difference in my skin. She put me on a pill called Soldyn and I was supposed to take it every night (but I was slack and didn't), but I noticed my skin was a LOT clearer when I took it. When my face started to get bad again I'd start taking the pill again.

Eventually I just stopped getting bad breakouts, other than around that time of the month. Now I'm stuck with some acne scars and the occasional breakout, but taking birth control has also helped control those occasional breakouts. 

Jul 31, 2011

Itesha M.

Drink lots of water everyday. It really helps to keep your skin clear and radiant. Eat things with lots of antioxidants too

Jul 31, 2011

Samantha G.

i started going into lush and noticed that my skin is pretty nice lately. i think because of what their products are made from and the fact that they have an expiration date. i've noticed that the clean and clear stuff i have breaks me out if i get lazy and use it one night.. but i've had those bottles for i don't know how long and who knows how long they sit on the shelves/in the factory. i like going to lush though because i can play with the product there and then get a sample to take home if i want to mess with it more. i don't end up wasting my money trying out something that could break me out. lush does get sort of pricey but with the facial cleansers, they can cut a certain size/price for you so you have a lot of control :)

Jul 31, 2011

Kristin R.

My skin care has a lot of LUSH products. Ocean Salt cleanser, Breath Of Fresh Air toner, Celestial moisturizer. For occasional breakouts I use just a drug store brand (Neutragena, Clean & Clear, Biore, etc) acne wash. Sometimes I use a fresh face mask from LUSH as a treat. I also drink A LOT of water so that helps=]

Jul 31, 2011

Gracey W.

Oh yeah, I agree with Itesha. I noticed when I started drinking water over soda or tea my skin broke out less often. 

Jul 31, 2011

Sabrina B.

i don't have terrible skin, you can see from my pictures (i know foundation helps, but you could still tell) but lately i think i have been stressing out and i've been getting alot more breakouts then usual and i'm not a fan. i just need products that'll keep them away or get rid of them quickly. i'm in my senior year of highschool and i'd be so upset if this problem continued. 

Jul 31, 2011

Soma S.

I've tried LOADS of high-end, perscribed and drug store cleansers/washes/scrubs... and funny enough, I ended up clearing up clearing up with drugstore products from CeraVe and Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask.

After doing a lot of research, I heard the mint julep mask was a dupe for one of ProActive's Sulfur masks - and it really did wonders drying out breakouts. The CeraVe cleanser and PM lotion did wonders moisturizing, smoothing and restoring the balance to my skin. Found that little gem based on www.inmykit.com

Those and my Clarisonic during my cleansing routine to gently exfoliate, and I'm a happy camper now. =)

Started to use a Vitamin C serum from Ole Henrikson to start boosting collagen and brighten my skin from all the damage I did to it w/ the acne scars... Working nicely to brighten... not too big of a diff. in elasticity though. I might have to try a home made DIY version soon.

Jul 31, 2011

Sabrina B.

soma, where do you buy the CeraVe products because i've seen you before talk about them and i've looked around but never seem to find them in the stores i go to! ): and the vitamin C serum sounds nice, i've always wanted to add a serum into my routine but never have found one that does what i want. 

Jul 31, 2011

Soma S.

Target, CVS, RiteAid, Walmart... If you can find where they have the Cetaphil, it's usually right next to it in really plain packaging.  =)

Jul 31, 2011

Keren K.

Girl, I feel like I've tried everything out there and experienced little to no results. :/ The first video I ever uploaded to YouTube was on this subject -- I went over a good amount of the products I'd used and my experiences with each of them if you want to check it out. I finally caved and booked a visit with my dermatologist, who prescribed me some sort of weird handmade benzoyl peroxide mixture and a topical treatment called Neo-Medrol (http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=893 ). I've been alternating between the two for about a week now and am not sure if I've seen any results yet... but we'll see! Let me know if you find anything that works for you. :)

Jul 31, 2011

Sabrina B.

i definitely will! im on the lookout for some good products. i just bought the aveno clear complexion foaming cleanser last night and i typically love their products so i'm crossing my fingers this will work!

Aug 1, 2011

Shauna M.

I love the Nutrogena Clear Skin Face Moisturizer. It has glycolic acid in it and I noticed a difference in my face in only days. I love it! Also try a good enzyme mask! And like others have said drink lots of water!

Aug 1, 2011

Kimberly M.

I've been blessed with great skin - I have to thank my gorgeous French grandma for that; I think it's mostly genetics. Never really broke out when I was in my teens, and for some reason, over 3 decades hasn't put a lot of wear on my face.

It's important though, to keep your face clean - not use something that strips your skin of its natural oil, use a water-based moisturizer, a good SPF. When my clients have a little spot, I use Malin + Goetz Detox Mask on it first; it's oxygenated and does a good job of clearing things up fast. 

Aug 1, 2011

Melanie G.

I'm sure everyone's skin is different in what it responds to, but here is what I've done to help my acne! I was having really severe breakouts on my forehead for over a year. I actually did a post on a msg board in May 2010 about this asking for help, which includes a pic of the acne I had on my forehead. I found it again through Google! lol http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Forehead-Acne-do-t268503.html&p=2869794#entry2869794 As you can see its pretty bad.

Well, recently I decided to overhaul my whole skincare routine...I started exactly a month ago adding different products gradually, and I literally have not had a breakout this whole month which is kind of a miracle for me haha! Here is what I'm using now: Clinique's Take the Day off Makeup Removing balm (to remove makeup at night), Olay Gentle Foaming Face Wash 2x day with the Olay Pro X (Clarisonic dupe!) at night, Clinique's Mild Clarifying Lotion as a toner and BHA, Yes to Carrots moisturizer with spf in the AM, and CeraVe PM lotion at night. I'm sure there are a ton of other products out there that would be equally as effective (and cheap!), but the most important tip I'd have is to get products that are super gentle and for sensitive skin (preferably fragrance free or with very minimal fragrance). Also...try not to use harsh scrubs or things like that that will aggravate your skin and cause breakouts. I used to be crazy about scrubs and exfoliation thinking that lack of exfoliation was causing my breakouts, without realizing how bad for my skin it was! All your skin needs to clear dead skin cells is very gentle exfoliation with a BHA product or a soft cleansing tool (like the Clarisonic or Olay Pro X), not abrasive scrubbing! =p The key is to not aggravate your skin at all, while still making sure to clean it and remove all makeup. This website is really great and has some super helpful tips: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn-skin-care-facts.aspx

Hope that helped! :)

Aug 1, 2011

Lexie F.

i have had bad skin since i was 11, and i've tried everything. clean and clear, neutragena, proactive (worked for a while then stopped working), benzaclin... nothing worked. but when i went on birth control pills at 16, my acne got better. i still broke out around that time of the month. i've been using clinique's acne system with it. my skin's been really bad lately because i changed birth control pills (and will probably get worse because i think i'm going to go off them completely). the only thing that has been helping me at all is Queen Helene's Mint Julip mask. it's really awesome, and affordable too. i'd get that, and stay far, far away from proactive. i've also found that using witchhazel or all natural green/black tea as a toner a few nights a week helps to reduce dryness & redness. hope you find something that works for you!

Aug 1, 2011

Sabrina B.

i've been considering buying the 3 step acne solutions from clinique for school, and i've heard about witchhazel but i've been skeptical on whether it works and what it truly does. a lot of this has helped! my skin is usually clear and everyone compliments me on how they wish they had my complexion but lately i guess my stress isn't giving my skin the best reaction /: 

Aug 1, 2011

Catey P.

It may seem daunting and expensive, but I definitely agree that you should start with a dermatologist if you're serious. Acne for a lot of women is hormonal, which is why so many women clear right up when they go on regular birth control. A dermatologist could prescribe hormonal treatments, if they think that's the case.

And YES to water!!! The more water you drink, the better, and not just for your skin.

But the best trick that's worked for me is to limit picking and popping zits. I'm terrible at that, but I've found that my acne is so much better and heals faster when I limit pinching to right before I wash my face.

Best of luck!

Aug 1, 2011

Breanna C.

I've been using the Murad Acne Complex system and it has worked WONDERS. It's the only thing that has worked! And it's really not that pricey at all, especially once you join, then you get the club prices.:)

Aug 5, 2011

Anna W.

If it's serious, a dermatologist is your best bet.

I've had moderate acne most of my life due to my combination skin. Some places are dry, some oily, so a normal skincare regimen never really worked.

What works for me is using a scrub and a cleanser. I use a mild scrub daily and a super-crazy one twice a week. I really take the time to massage it all over my face. After rinsing, I use a mild cleanser and wash the face again. I then finish with an acne cream (no particular brand) and moisturizer for oily skin. I dot on more acne cream before bed.

It wasn't until I started using scrubs that my acne started getting better. It was my pores...they were all clogged up.

Aug 6, 2011

Amy R.

Unless you have a skin condition, I feel like it's very easy to achieve clear skin and the best thing you can do is keep it simple! I still break out when I get stressed (which is a lot of the time... thanks, university...) but otherwise I keep my skin relatively clear by drinking lots of water, eating well (I barely ever eat fried food/refined sugary foods/drinks), and using simple cleansers and not a lot of face makeup.

St. Ives skincare works really well for me (I use their green tea cleanser, apricot scrub, and clay mask), and the only products I ever put all over my face are: Olay daily moisturizer with SPF, Neutrogena sunscreen, and MAC MSFNatural

PHEW, sorry that was long :p

Aug 6, 2011

Yasmin K.

I use to use the St. Ives apricot scrub but over the years realized that it may have contributed or been the direct culprit to me having Rosecea now. I now use Bare Minerals facial cleanser which is a powder and so it has enough grit to use daily without being harsh on the skin.

Aug 6, 2011

Megan B.

i use the clinique 3-step system ... which is wonderful!
i also use Lush Dark Angel Cleanser, Tea Tree Toner and Celestial moisturizer. I also use the Ocean Salt exfoliator. love love love. 

Aug 6, 2011

Alyssa R.

I'll have to jump in with Terra's "everyone hates me" club because I've been blessed to have pretty clear skin. My main issue is the fact I have large pores in my nose area and occassional bumps here and there. I would just say to do some research online and see if you can find remedies or products before seeing a dermatologist. 

Aug 6, 2011

Marisa C.

go to the Clinique counter at the mall and they will help you with you trouble spots and find out your skin type.