Hi, Anele....my granddaughter has used Proactive and liked it. What specific products are you using on your face? Is it a prescription retional or over the counter? I've been thinking about using some, but was a bit hesitant. Thanks.

Hi, Susie!

I was all set to get Proactive after an infomercial I saw this a.m. For $20 and free shipping, it was cheaper than I expected. BUT, then I read that it has witch hazel in it, and Paula Begoun says that's a "no-no," so I was not sure. Did it clear your granddaughter's skin? I had acne very young-- it never got severe, but it was persistent. My poor DD is following in my footsteps (she is just turning 10) though hers is not as bad as mine was. (Not yet, anyway.) It really bothered me and I promised myself that my kids wouldn't have to go through what I did. The only way I got rid of it was birth control, and not until I was in my late 20s.

As for my face, I am using only over-the-counter products. I bought them based on the reviews from Paula Begoun (thanks to this forum). There might be better ones-- I just wanted the best products for the least amount of $, because once I find something I like, I want to stick to it w/o worrying about the cost. I also wanted products not tested on animals.

Here is what I am using:
Cleanser: Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash
Exfoliant: Alpha Hydrox AHA Lotion

Day (moisturizer w/sunscreen): Kiss my Face Factor Face + Neck
Night: Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ

However, once I got the AH Retinol ResQ, it said you needed a moisturizer on top of it. I still don't have that for nighttime.

I got a good deal through drugstore.com and Amazon, but it looks like if you order right from Alpha Hydrox, you can get some freebies, too.

My DD's inherited their bio-fathers acne gene, and they both tried Pro-Active, which worked for a while, but then quit. Younger DD finally got a Clarisonic skin care machine and now has porcelain skin. It was expensive, but worth it. So she got one for her sister and she's seeing a big difference. Both girls are over 25...so still have adult acne.

I was blessed with incredible skin genes. I had maybe one pimple a month during my teens and maybe a half dozen in my 20's. Tiny pores, no blackheads, and at 50 I'm just now seeing lines around my eyes. I have more lines around my mouth, mostly smile lines, but my skin is really good for 50. And I've been a sun worshipper my whole life! What I have happen lately is small, flesh colored moles...I want to have them removed, but insurance considers that cosmetic, so I might just bite the bullet and do it anyway.

But as for my skin care routine...I can literally put anything on my face, even hand lotion, but DD2 got me some high end moisturizer...name absolutely escapes me now, but I like my Clinique. I also used ROC for a while, but didn't really see much improvement. Just adding moisture to my face does wonders.

I have been using Cellex C and a prescribed Tretinoin cream .01% for about twenty years now even around my eyes. I have no crows feet. I am always complimented on my skin especially as I get older.

The dermatologist told me not to use both a AHA and retinol as it is too much for the skin. The Tretinoin cream ex foliates so really there is no need for the AHA which actually thins the skin. Tretinoin cream in time will thicken the skin, which is what you want.

Tretinoin cream will get rid white/black heads, acne.

I use Neutrogena moisturiser. Actually any moisturiser would work as the workhorse in this combination is the vitamin c cream and the Tretinoin cream. Of course sunscreen is a must. You can save money on not buying the AHA foaming cleaner as it is not the your skin long enough to do anything. I actually saw that on Dr Oz this week. Dove soap is what I have used all my life to cleanse my face and body.
HTH

Anele, will you share with us what you decided to use for your anti skin care regimen? Was it all over the counter?
Thanks!

Roseabbey, I have used Ivory soap for the past twenty years on face and body and think it works fine too!
Glad to know I'm not the only one who don't use a "cleanser"

Proactive- I have two friends in their early thirties/late twenties who had terrible acne and it worked great for them.

pesky, I do think genes have a LOT to do with it. Very interesting about the machine. I looked up the $-- not too bad, if you think about how expensive topical products are, and risks of oral ones. I saw there are 2 competing brands. How did you/they pick?

roseabby: re: thinning skin with AHA, I have heard contradictory info about that. It does thin skin, but some people say it's only taking the dead skin off, so it's OK. I read on Paula's site that sometimes Cellex-C can cause a burning feeling, so I guess it's very individual. Someday I'd like to get tretinoin cream-- I doubt it would be covered by my insurance, though! The foaming cleanser does not have AHA in it, AFAIK. AHA is only in the cream I use, and I leave that on.

ginkay, yes, all OTC. I can barely get to the dr. for any real issue, much less an rx for this stuff! This is what I use: Cleanser: Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash
Exfoliant: Alpha Hydrox AHA Lotion

Day (moisturizer w/sunscreen): Kiss my Face Factor Face + Neck
Night: Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ

As I said above, I still need a moisturizer and am going to try a BHA-- figure both my daughter and I can use it!

Bumble, that is amazing about your friends! I may just have to try it for DD.

RE: bar soap-- again, I think it is very individual. This is what PB says about it:

"My main issue with bar soaps and cleansers is not so much that they clog pores (though there is that potential), but that they are extremely drying and irritating. When skin is repeatedly irritated, it is less able to build new collagen and elastin, heal itself or keep its structure intact. This is far more of a concern from the neck up than from the neck down. That's because from the neck down, skin is usually less fragile since it hasn't been as exposed to the environment (meaning the sun) like the face."

Her remarks on bar soap fits me - even dove makes my face feel dry - or at the very least, tight. I use cetaphil cleanser and have for years.

I have had a couple of compliments in the last few days on my skin/makeup. I think the makeup remark was actually meant about my skin, or perhaps my makeup looks better because the texture of my skin is better. I purchased both the ROC nighttime creme and the eye creme (sensitive skin formula). The retinal I was using seemed to harsh and although I could see results, I quit using it. I'm tolerating the Roc well.

Actually, I no longer use foundation. I love the mineral make-up but with my dry skin there were times I just looked dry. I now use a bit of concealer (cream formula) where needed and a very light dusting of translucent loose powder.

tina

Anele - you can purchase retin-a online from Canadian pharmacies - same manufacturer (ortho, I think) - for around $47, not using your insurance. Here in the U.S., with insurance, it's around $200, I believe. My son was prescribed it for his acne - I don't even know if insurance would cover any part of it if it's for anti-aging. I can tell you though that the doctor's office was not too thrilled about calling the script in to the Canadian pharmacy. The pharmaceutical companies would not be happy!

I may need to switch from bar soap when my skin dries up. It's still on the oily side of normal but for years was a grease pit. Dry feeling was a good thing.
I still occasionally get break outs monthly.

I pay less than $20 for a tube of tretinoin cream. It is very affordable. At this point, one tube lasts me 6 months, as I use it for two to three times a week now instead of daily to maintain my results.

tina, I have the same issue with mineral makeup. What kind of concealer do you use? What great news about your skin-- I think sometimes it isn't obvious what looks good on a person, when it turns out their skin looks good, eyebrows are shaped well . . .more subtle things with a huge impact.

gail, that price difference is CRAZY. Makes me mad! My mom's friend recently needed 2 pills. Do you know how much ONE PILL cost? $1800. She is blind and had to dig into her small savings to pay for this out of pocket.

Bumble, breakouts are all because of hormones, I guess. I just read that's why men don't get pimples!

roseabbey, I had no idea it would be so affordable! It is cheaper than most products out there. How often do you need a dr. appt to get a refill? Does insurance pay for your derm appointments, even though it's just cosmetic?

The brand I use is Stevia. I get my prescription from my family doctor. I went to a dermatologist about 10 years ago, she told me to keep using the vitamin C serum and the tretinoin cream, the combination was working well for me. I was also using alpha hydroxy lotion sometimes, she told me not to use the AH. That appointment was not paid for by insurance since it was only for cosmetic reasons but it was well worth the money as she explained everything to me.

I started using this cream when my son had a prescription for Stevia for his acne. I had read that they were finding that this type of cream was working on fine lines and wrinkles so I started using it back in the early 1990's. I get a refill once every two years or so now, as I say I only use it 2 or 3 times a week now.

BHA moisturizer - I use Olay Age Defying Daily Renewal Cream (comes in a jar in a black box) for daytime (that and the Regenerist Daily Serum are a great combo!). They also make a night version of the cream, but I don't use that. I use Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream.

I prefer the Regenerist line overall, but I don't like their daytime moisturizer; that's why I use the Age Defying.

roseabbey - Do you use Cellex C and Tretinoin at the same time or one in the morning and one at night?

Hi Laurie
When I was using both items everyday, I would use the cellex C in the morning and then the tretinoin at night. Now I use them both at night, two nights cellex c to one night tretinoin cream.

I just read that's why men don't get pimples

Um, not sure where you read that, but boys do get pimples, too.

roseabbey--great information! I wonder if my regular doctor would give me an rx for something "basic"?

straitlover-- thank you! Have you noticed a difference?

cyn-- I didn't say boys . . .I read men. But, now that I am looking for the info on Paula's site, I can't find it, so maybe I dreamt it! I think it's less common among men, however, since their hormones do not fluctuate as often as women's.

Yes, I can tell a difference. I am 46 YO and plus size, so I don't have a lot of wrinkles, mainly just lines around my eyes. The main difference I notice is in the texture of my skin and around my nose. I get the awful buildup around my nose if I stop using my stuff (seborrhea _ sp???). About a week and a half back, I ran out of the Daily Renewal Cream and the Regenrist serum and couldn't get to the store for 3 days. That was all it took; the buildup was back and my skin felt awful! I restocked and used the Olay Microdermabrasion Kit one night (great product, too! I don't use it twice a week like the box says, just a couple times per month), and in a couple of days it was back to normal.

I am trying (and trying and trying ...) to lose weight. I'm really interested how many lines and wrinkles will appear when I do lose the weight. :) Then we'll see how well the products are really working.

DrOz had an episode where dermatologists were recommending products under $20.

Here's a link. You'll have to type it in since it wasn't accepted in the 'optional link' bar. ;o)

healthybodydaily.com/dr-oz-anti-aging/dr-oz-fake-a-face-lift-fake-eyelift-fake-lip-fillers

This is one of the products that is recommended in the link above... sounds a little scary to me! Also, it is $78 at Sephora -- for 4 applications. Maybe it's under $20 for one application... but where do you buy just one?

I have a slew of new brown spots from the summer, even thought I used a lot of sunscreen and wore hats a lot, but the idea of using something like this "DIY" is daunting.

Here is a link that might be useful: brazilian peel

Sub, it's $19.95 for just one pack~that's where the 'under $20' comes in.

As for the peel itself, I've experienced many~it does burn like hell, you peel like a snake shedding it's skin, you are light sensitive(but should be wearing a sunscreen anyway!), but i thought it was worth the 'inconvenience'. My skin was like a babies butt, and pores were deminished, but it doesn't have long enough lasting results. Actual dermabrasion is the only procedure that will keep your skin baby fine and pores all but invisible. That's what I'm really considering! It's the long term effects and not the constant maintenance that make it worthwhile. I have a very high pain tolerance which will help. ;o)

Before I read this topic, just yesterday I ordered Roc's "Resurfacing Disks" and their "Deep Wrinkle Nightcream," both with Retinol. And I don't have deep wrinkles, just the little one's. lol

My problem is getting skin with that dewey look to the cheeks, and the disks had a lot of good reviews on that, and how they worked pretty fast. The cream also had good reviews but it takes longer.

I plan to do the disks in the morning and the cream at night, but I also read in the beginning not to do it everyday at first.

Tina, I've always used light powder on my face instead of foundation, and I love it. But when I get dressed up to go somewhere, I use a powdered cream.

Right now I'm looking for a good under eye concealer that will stay on longer when I get a watery eye.