Weddingbee Blog
I’m blessed with fairly non-tempermental skin that breaks out occasionally, but usually is pretty calm. It’s combination — I tend to get oily around my T-zone around midday, while the tops of my cheeks and the rest of my face stay more dry.
I worked in a flagship Bath and Body Works store with my best friend, Jasmine, for a few years in high school, and we both became skincare nuts for a little while. The flagship stores sell a lot of third party, high-end brands like Murad, Peter Thomas Roth, DDF, Molton Brown, and others — so there was a lot of opportunity to get sucked into buying products full of mysterious ingredients and promises of beautiful skin on their packaging. And we did get sucked in sometimes!
What I ultimately learned after applying all sorts of different things to my face? The more basic (and, usually, cheap), the better a product worked for me — with the simple reason being that the expensive products tend to have more complex ingredient lists. More ingredients = more potential components for your skin to react to and flare up in retaliation.
So, even now, when those more pricey products won’t put as large a hole in my pocket as they would have back then, I choose to stick with my essentials: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash/Scrub, and Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner, followed by the products in the Aveeno Ultra-Calming lotion line. Occasionally, I also use Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Mask, which lends an immediate refreshed look to my face.
So, this was a poll recently on my local Knot board (here’s to you, awesome NorCal Knotties!), but I thought it would definitely be interesting to pose the same question to all of the Weddingbee readers, as well. Here it is:As the wedding comes up, is there anything you are adding to your normal skincare regimen? What has worked best for you in the past to help maintain even skin with minimal breakouts?
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My Best Skincare Regimen
I have started focusing more on exfoliating. I didn’t do it very regularly before, but now I regularly exfoliate my face and body. I am also in the process of finding a better moisturizer because I am not thrilled with my current.
Something that really helps and that I am doing in general to be healthier is drinking MORE water. I drink a ton these days and I really think it has improved my complexion and the way I feel.
I’ve begun to stick to the same products. Normally, I like to switch things up with my facewash, but generally my skin freaks out when I change products. I’ve also been trying to exfoliate more and drink more water.
I don’t worry about products too much - usually just wash, apply some oil-free moisturizer and go.
However, there seems to be a huge difference in the water between NYC (where I live) and Delaware (where the wedding will be held). And I think that difference in the water causes me to break out.
My plan - to take home a few jugs of water to use for washing my face in the days leading up to the wedding. Sounds a bit nutty but I think it will work.
Re: minimal breakouts: I used to have acne and had a Differin prescription (which definitely helped), but after that, and trying out lots of different products, it turned out to be true for me that less is more. Back to basic Dove bar soap now, and Oil of Olay sunblock.
Anyone tried that Asprin mask remedy? I’ve heard so many great reviews about it but never got around to trying it. All you do is crush some non-coated asprin, add a few drops of water and some honey, mix it into a light paste and spread it on your face.
I’ve just made an appointment with my dermatologist. I had sort of given up with them, as all prescription topical meds make my face bright red and peel, and I don’t want to be on antibiotics all the time. But I’m willing to take antibiotics for the 3.5 months until my wedding! Anything to avoid a big old zit in the wedding pictures.
Other than that, I use the same basic stuff. Very mild cleansers, mild apricot scrub, Murad zit creme with sulfur, the occasional mud mask, and Lumene night & day revitalizing serum instead of moisturizer, all of which seem to make me break out. I love the Lumene stuff, it’s available at CVS and isn’t cheap, but it’s not expensive, either.
You can always count on Neutrogena! My dad is a dermatologist, and always recommends Neutrogena, Aveeno and Cetaphil!
Cetaphil Anti Bacterial soap and Olay Regenerist lotion and cream. My skin hasn’t looked this good for years.
i like aveeno lotions.
my new fav- jojoba oil! i mix a few drops in with my soap and even a drop into my lotion.
and it helped with my problem zones- it’s like magic!
I always wanted to buy Queen Helen’s Mask. Does anyone know where I can get a hold of it? I live in SF.
I’m a Philosophy girl. I used to have skin that sadden people b/c it looks very painful - swelling and redness. I started using the Makeup Optional kit and totally healed.
Woohoo NorCal Knotties! 
I answered this on the NorCal board, but I’ll answer it here, too. My skin is really weird and sensitive, but even some of the most derm recommended products gave me problems. Aveeno dried me out (like painful, cracking dry) which is sad since Aveeno is recommended a lot for dry, sinsitive skin. Cetaphil worked for maintenance but not prevention of pimples. After being all over the board and trying tons of different things, I found that Philosophy works best for me. Purity Made Simple to wash and Hope in a Jar for sensitive skin. That’s all, but it works. My skin has been completely hydrated and clear since I started that routine.
Also, I added GNC Hair, Skin and Nail vitamins to my regimine recently. Not sure if it’ll do anything yet, since it’s only been a week.
I’m sticking to the same regime of cleansing with Cetaphil and moisturizing with Purpose Redness Reducing SPF 30. My co-worker is 60 years old and looks like she’s in her mid-30’s. She said for 40 years she has used nothing but Oil of Olay so the cheap stuff really does work as long as it’s used consistently.
i love the queen helene mint julep masque! theres also a mint scrub too!
Does anyone know where I can buy queen helene mint julep masque in SF or east bay?
Thanks all for sharing! Bobo, try Long’s or Walgreen’s, or most any regular drugstore; possibly Walmart or Target too. That’s where I normally get it.
I used to use all different types of skin care products, mainly Korean lotions and toners. I still suffered from dry skin even though I was using the mositurizing products.
I was using Sheiseido for a bit, but I didn’t like the smell of the lotion sometimes.
Upon the recommendation of a friend, I now use this moisturizing cream from Trader Joe’s/ it is about 4 bucks a bottle and I use it for my face and my body. (I have toner and face wash from my skin care lady.) It doesn’t smell, and I feel that my skin has never looked better!
i found diet being the more effective way to counter skin problem.
and besides that, mask! i love the Lifecella Orange mask. it really pumps up your skin making it dewy and springy!
bobo - Whole Foods Market & ULTA are chains that both have Queen Helene. There must be WF in SF!
My must-haves:
Lait Creme Concentre 24 Hr Miracle Cream by Embryolisse, Max Daily Defense Moisture Cream SPF 30 - by Peter Thomas Roth, and Healthy Skin Face Lotion Night - by Neutrogena (for the Alpha Hydroxy Acid)
and Proactiv Repairing Lotion on occasions where I may break out (it’s the benzoyl peroxide that’s so effective!)
A couple of those items are higher-end, but they’re very gentle (I have very sensitive skin). And I agree that most high-end products, especially those produced by fashion houses (Dior/Chanel) are extremely irritable for delicate skin. Hope that helps!
I’ve always had acne prone skin, oily and always broken out. The stuff I got from my doctor pretty much did nothing more then the stuff I got at the store. In September I found Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Complete Acne Therapy Solutions at Target, I was getting desperate and it claimed to be better then Proactive. You get a bottle of exfoliating face wash, a saylic acid + SPF lotion to use in the morning, and a benzoyl peroxide gel to use at night. It has done wonders! I still break out, usually before my period, but they are not as severe as they use to be. When it got cold here the whole system got to be too much for my skin, so I stopped using the cleanser in the morning (unless I didn’t wash my face the night before after partying or lots of makeup) and just used to at night. If I need to wash my face in the morning, like after working out, I use just Cetaphil which is gentle enough that my face isn’t all dried out.
Also, the Neutrogena product has reduced how shiny my face is during the day, so I really like that! The whole set lasted me from September until January.
Im an aesthetian who has suffered acne and the scarring that followed… I use MD Formulations in my Salon and on my own skin, its the best line i have ever used my skin is so clean, smooth and refined it just glows. Also Mama lotion and super copper pepitide serum has been great for acne scarring…Good luck in your search for beautiful skin!
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Mrs. Plumeria, San Francisco Age and Occupation in 06: 22, Graphic Designer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, High School Teacher Engagement Date: December 30, 2005 Wedding Date: May 12, 2007 Venue: Hotel Ballroom About Me: I love all things artsy and unique, and it has become a passion of mine to incorporate these attributes into my wedding (and become DIY royalty in the process). Other than dreaming up projects for the wedding, my latest hobbies include working on my computer, playing with my cute pet bunny, or shopping at Target/Barnes and Noble with my fiance.
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