Theory on Facial Cleansers

[Queen Asuka]

[color=hotpink][size=1]Okay, so I know that this thread is going to come off as pretty weird and maybe wont be your idea of "intelligent" discussion, but I just want to relate my case and see if anyone else has been in the same predicament.

I have almost always used soap to wash my face with. But lately my soap was really drying my face out and I was having a pimple or two here, nothing big. My face is almost perfectly clear. Well, I decided to start using some facewash because I didn't like soap. Wow, what a big mistake. I started using that face face Clean and Clear puts out called Morning Burst and it broke my face out completely. Not huge pimples or anything, but big red patches and lots of tiny bumps completely covered my face. As soon as I quit using it and went back to soap, it cleared right back up. And this has happened before when I've used Avon cleansers and Clearisil.

Maybe my face is just ultra sensitive to the chemicals involved, but I am seriously beginning to think that these facewash companies just put out this stuff that breaks your face out more so that you'll just keep using their product in hopes that eventually your face will clear up.

Anyone else like to share an opinion?[/color][/size]

[Xander Harris]

Try some of the oxy and stridex products. They work good for me :)

[Guest Heezay]

Lol...no matter what I use, facial soap, Clean&Clear, etc., my face doesn't clear up. If your face is drying up, just rub it with baby lotion, like Johnson&Johnson baby lotion.

If that's true, and the companies really do do that, I think it would have been exposed by now. People wouldn't keep buying their products if they didn't work. I guess your face is a sensitive case.

[Mist]

[color=orange][size=1] I feel your pain, but I certainly hope you haven't had the misfortune to use the namebrand Clean and Clear facewash; not "Morning Burst". My face was so itchy. Anyway, it goes the same with every facewash for me. Luckily, your problem is like mine, so I'd suggest Clinque face wash soap. It's really good, but its a [i]little[/i] expensive. (But it's worth not looking like I lost in a fight with Edward Scissorhands...) Hope that helps![/color][/size]

[Luna322]

Maybe if you use Dove soap. My brother-in-law has sensitive skin too, and he used Clearasil once and his skin broke out, but he regularly uses Dove soap and he doesn't seem to have any problems. I usually use soap, and sometimes I use OXY when my face gets oily.

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]There's so many facial cleaners out there, and so many skin types. I think that perhaps your skin is just very sensitive to that stuff, QA. Since (I'm presuming) you're back to the drying soap, I would say, make sure to moisturize. Use something non cosmogenic and hypoallergenic, as well as spf 15. Sun protection is key!!! And if you're worried you might brake out by it, take it out of the box, take off the top, and put a little on your arm (or your face) when no one's looking. Then go around wearing it for a day, and if you don't break out, go back to the store and buy it.

What's interesting for me is that I know a bunch of people will tell you that most make up isn't good for you if you have acne. Normally my face is clear, because I use prescription stuff that works really well, but for some reason, my face started to brake out again. And I couldn't stand it any longer, so I put on fountation that has chemicals in it that work to clear your face, and it's getting better. YES!! ^_^

I think it's just that everyone has really different skin, you know? And if you get really frustrated trying to find something that works for you, ask your mom about what she uses. I think [b]sometimes[/b] it's a gene thing.[/color]

[xmystic_silverx]

[size=1][color=red]Queen Asuka, I think you may be right. I have the same thought. They say things like it only takes 3 weeks to clean your face. The same thing happens to me. But then again, it could just be that you have sensitive skin. Usually face cleaners say if they are for sensitive skin.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[sublime2004]

[size=1][b][color=darkgreen]
It sounds to me like you have an allergy to salycilic acid (the main ingredient in most facial cleansers) Unfortunately, I have never seen a face cleaner that doesn't have at least some SA in it.

I reccomend you stick to soap. I personally use that liquid gel stuff you get from bath and body works. Mmmm. Cucumber melon.

Anyway, it works for me...[/b][/size][/color]

[Xander Harris]

[QUOTE=sublime2004][size=1][b][color=darkgreen]
It sounds to me like you have an allergy to salycilic acid (the main ingredient in most facial cleansers) Unfortunately, I have never seen a face cleaner that doesn't have at least some SA in it.

I reccomend you stick to soap. I personally use that liquid gel stuff you get from bath and body works. Mmmm. Cucumber melon.

Anyway, it works for me...[/b][/size][/color][/QUOTE]

Actually, there are cleansers w/o Salycilic Acid (although I find SA works great on pimples). The one I'm using now is based on Benzoyl Peroxide. BP stuff tends to be white. You could also look into the Stridex foaming face wash, which uses some chemical starting with a T instead of SA. Maybe you should go get an allergy test from a doctor before you do anything...

[FartMaster745]

[SIZE=1]Hey QA, almost every face wash chemical like thingy does that. It clean and clears your pores, so there no surprise that a few small once show up, but if you keep using it, small ones will just keep coming. They bring them to the surface and the next time you use the face wash thing, it works its way to get rid of it. But once you stop using it, it all goes away, hidden within your skin. These cleaners just brings them up, the important thing is that you leave these small social disaster things alone, or else. Thats what I believe.

I wouldn't be surprised if these face cleaning companies did acutally put something that makes your face worse.[/SIZE]

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]I think SA is what was in the foundation I was using, so that could be why my face is clearing up. Heh. ^^;;

I agree with Heezay, if they really did put stuff in it to make your face worse, the media and the news would already know about it. And wouldn't some federal agency (FDA maybe) find out, too?[/color]

[OMNOMNOMALY]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]I've always had good skin, so I'm lucky. But when I get a zit, it's really big and nasty. I used to use clean and clear but that did squat.. it was just like I didn't use anything at all. I eventually switched to Dove because it's for sensitive skin, and it really worked. Now I rarely even get one zit. The Dove face cream is great too. Really moisturizes while still being really gentle. I suggest Dove for anyone with sensitive skin.[/COLOR]

[Delian]

[SIZE=1]I used to use soap and water back in my teens. When I turned 19, I tried Nuetrogena face wash (after my friend recommended it) and because my skin wasn't used to it, my eyes puffed out to the point where I couldn't even open them and my skin felt like it was scalded. I had to use rose water to calm it down and some ointment my doctor gave me. Point is, your skin is so used to the soap and water routine that any change would cause a reaction.

I can assure you though, that soap free cleansers are better for your skin in the long run. You could try Cetaphil cleanser or Nuetrogena cleansing milk. They both effectively cleanse the skin and are ultra gentle. There's also a cleanser call QV Wash. I don't know if it's available where you are, but if it is, I highly recommend it as a face and body wash. It's excellent and very inexpensive.

Maybe later on you could try cleansers with AHA/BHA or Glycolic acid, as they are effective for deep cleansing and exfoliation. You could try Neutrogena Cream Wash. It feels more refreshing than the liquid one and doesn't dry your skin out too much.

No one knows your skin better than you. I've just made a few suggestions, but you decide what's best for yourself.[/SIZE]

[Queen Asuka]

[color=hotpink][size=1]The Neutrogena cleaning milk just SOUNDS soothing to me.

My mom wears a lot of make-up, whereas I don't, so her face is completely different than mine and used to all the chemicals and crap she puts on it. She uses Avon foundation with SA and it helped to clear her face up. I seriously think I just need something really gentle instead of those stupid "scrubbing" cleaners. Which only make things worse.

[Which is why I still think that these companies are doing it on purpose...][/color][/size]

[Cahoots34]

My problem with face washes are that when you lather them 'properly' and apply them with your hands like any sane (or passably so) person would, you rub all the bacteria, dead skin, ect. from your hands onto your face. (Not that my hands are exceptionally dirty, but I spend quite a lot of my time either typing on strange computers or playing with art supplies, and the combination of both often proves too resistant to depart _completely_ from my hands, no mater how much soap I use.) How, I ask you, is your face supposed to benefit from having grimy foam rubbed all over it?