This is an old post but still something I'm in search of & no tinterested in real expensive products either. Well there MUST be products that actually work b/c the cosmetics & advertising industry are always using tricks to dimish the look or camouflauge wrinkels. Lucky for my my gene pool was pretty good, but ANY wrinkles or sagging is too much. I've tried several moisturizers but other than helping to eliminate dryness which can make you look ashy & older, I don't really find they plump. I've tried glycolic peels/microdermabrasions at home a few times & each time got horrible breakouts (never thought of myself as having sensitive skin). I went for 2 microdermabrasions (they were complementary) & not only did I not see any improvement but I also had horrible dryness & breakouts afterwards. B/c of those experiences I'm afraid to try retin A or retinol products. The breakouts last wks. For months I've used eye cream with no noticebale difference. I've also tried lip plumpers & didn't notice anything. I've also tried different cosmetics. The dewy look looks greasy not necessarily youthful. I've tried the mineral lines & really hated them. They work no differently than powders & everything settles in the lines making them even MORE noticeable. Any of the cream products that actually offer any coverage also settle in the lines. Finally the best switches I've made are to use a makeup primer under my eyes so that at least the under eye conceler won't settle in the lines - it makes the skin smoother for applying make-up. It's makes no difference in teh way the skin actually looks other than protecting against settling make-up & making the make-up glid eon easily so less tugging. I also switched to a foundation that has light diffusing BUT I find they are lighter formulations & while that's good b/c it causes less settling they also don't offer as much coverage which I find is needed as you age & the skin b/c more blotchy. I even tried Gene Instant line Remover which is supposed to offer immediately temporary results & it felt like my skin was being pulled & taut & if I smiled I felt like I was going to crack. Has anyone else tried any other products like this that has worked for them. Michie

Thanks for your input Barnmom & Lydia, sorry I posted another pimple question, I read down further later and realised that it had already been done. In my search I've found Benzac AC in wash & gel. It is supposed to be the same as Proactiv but 1/3 the price, also taking zinc tablets is supposed to help with pimples and scaring, which has come just in time, I've had a spot burnt off my face and don't like the "volcano look" at all so taking them has become a ritual for us both. As far as the pill goes...I took the pill for many years and it caused terrible headaches for another 10 after I went off it, so its not an option - what cures one thing quite often start another, that's something I don't want my DD to face. I'll give an up date to these products to let anyone that's interested know how they went. Thanks heaps!

1) stay out of the sun as much as possible- if you MUST sunbathe, wear a hat AND serious sunscreen. sun does things to scars that can double their life. 2) the next question is- is the acne still active, and what's the general condition of your skin? if it is- you need a) something to attack the bacteria directly (my home brew is a poultice of- 1 green tea bag, 1 tsp clay (dry, if you can find it at the health food store) 1 tsp borage. combine dry ingredients, grind to powder, then add lavander or tea tree oil and water in equal amounts to make a soft paste. apply directly to red spots) b) something to calm your skin down (a lot of the scarring is from the irritation that the infection causes) and I've found that cucumbers are the BEST for this c) something to encourage the skin to renew itself- this one is fun. take equal parts papaya and plain yogurt, blend. apply as mask- this is the exact same facial/back treatment that will cost you $70-100 at a day spa... and if you absolutely cannot find fresh papaya, you can go to the health food store, and get 'papain' tablets- they're a digestive enzyme, and usally contain a mix of papaya and pineapple.

To Sunflowerrose - I had the same experience with soy milk! Recently I stopped drinking milk and started drinking soy milk and without changing anything else my acne began to clear, and my skin was the clearest it had been in ages! I'm in my 30's. I looked into "the benefits of soy" online and found various references stating that soy contains a form of estrogen and depending on how much you take it can act similarly in your body as birth control pills. It also affected my periods - less bleeding each period and longer time between each period - went from a 27 day cycle to a 40 day cycle. Talked to my doctor who also confirmed that soy can affect your hormones. For me the effect was good - improved acne and less frequent periods. I actually stopped taking the soy milk about a month ago and guess what - the acne returned, so for me I am convinced the soy is what did it. I am now back on the soy milk and can't wait to see the reduced acne effect again (took about 3 weeks for me to notice a change before....) Anyway my point is - you might want to try soy! At least it's natural. Here are some links to articles about soy and hormones and estrogen: http://www.isoflavones.info/isoflavones-abstracts.php?article=119 http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/soy.html However it's also important to note that there are critics of soy, some say it's downright unhealthy altogether, so do your own research. For me, the benefit outweighs any "risks" because I don't necessarily believe the critics.