I was told that hand lotion is not designed to be used on the face because it will clog up pores. This is, of course, could be a great marketing ploy because you now need to buy two lotion bottles, one of which is significantly more expensive.
I understand the theory is plausible, but what is the EVIDENCE on hand lotion increasing the likelihood of clogged facial pores compared to facial lotion.
Are there any published studies on this??
Thanks
Nikos
I use them interchangeably. The only difference is that usually my face lotion has a pretty decent SPF, whereas the hand lotion usually doesn’t. Never experienced any ill effects, though.
Most lotions are simply oils of some sort, or glycerine, or water, or some combination of those. They are all only moderately effective at reducing the amount of dry skin, but none of them knows that they are being used on a face or an elbow and they can be used everywhere and anywhere. The moisturizing creams and lotions are a huge moneymaker for the various companies that make them and they are almost all marketed beautifully, as you imply - gotta get one for the face, one for the hands and feet, one for the arms, one for delicate areas. Americans are such suckers for that type of b.s. !
They both contain the same ingredients. Hand lotions might be a bit greasier, but then you just need to use less.
I use Bag Balm for everything. It’s cheap and it works better than anything else.
Although I agree that they are interchangeable, as I mentioned before, the face lotion is more likely to have an SPF, which you really should use on your face.
I went through about three different face-specific lotions and washes and all that stuff after moving here before giving up and using the same lotion and soap and whatnot I use everywhere else. Yes, ladies, soap! This is a very dry climate so I do actually need lotion on parts of me. One woman told me her grandmother used to use Crisco in the winter!
My skin is happier than it’s been in years. I virtually never break out anymore, unless you count one or two zits a month around my period as breaking out. Screw the marketers. All I seem to need is soap, witch hazel, and regular lotion. And I don’t wash my face twice a day either, just once in the shower. If I’m going to be outside much I’ll throw on some sunblock but otherwise that’s it.
I just put Neutrogena hand cream, the Norwegian Formula stuff, on my poor flu-chapped nose.
Works a treat.
What, though, is “regular lotion”?
Whatever lotion I have around for my hands and stuff. Right now I’ve got some Nature’s Gate herbal lotion. Good stuff, it doesn’t take much of it.
My point is that I don’t pay $50 for some teeny jar of what’s more or less the same sort of thing that I paid $9 for a bottle of. And if anything my face is happier for it.
:Cracks knuckles: Time to fight some iggnernce! Er, ignorance.
First off, there’s is little to no evidence that pores get blocked by skin lotion of any type. While some people break out when using cosmetics, acne is usually caused by bacteria. If pores do get blocked, it’s caused by heavy, oily products like face creams or liquid makeup; a lotion, by definition, is low in viscosity and usually contains far more water than oil. Some ingredients may cause allergic dermatitis, which may be mistaken for acne.
And… Bag Balm? On your face? Ick.
I live in a very dry place, and have sensitive, greasy skin - I use a very light face lotion specially made for sensitive skin for my facial skin, and regular hand lotions for other skin (I actually use Vaseline on my hands, if that tells you how desperately dry it gets here in winter). If your face can handle regular lotion, go for it - mine can’t.
Bag Balm contains two main ingredients: Petroleum Jelly and Lanolin. It is also dirt cheap compared to many other types of lotions. It does have a third ingredient - a small amount of antibiotic, but that antibiotic has been approved for human topical use. (Although officially Bag Balm has not).
If it’s good enough for Elsie and Shania Twain, it’s good enough for me.
Anecdote -
My daughter got qu diaper rash when she was a baby, and the regular stuff wasn’t working fast enough for me. I had a tin of Bag Balm and smoothed some on - overnight it went away!
Amazing stuff, but I can’t put it on my face, I don’t like the smell.
When I have to be outside for extend periods in winter weather I’ve been known to use straight vaseline on my face. It does an excellent job of protecting your skin from wind and cold.
My dermatologist (back when I was making regular visits) said that you should be able to use your hand lotion/body lotion on your face as well - just properly clean your face every day. (What constitutes “proper” varies based on your skin and its condition). Just don’t get it in your eyes or mouth or up your nose. If it causes a problem on your face you probably shouldn’t be using it anywhere else, either.
My sole exception is an anti-wrinkle cream for use on fine lines around the eyes. It’s not that you can’t use it elsewhere, it’s just intended for around the eyes and should only be used as directed as it most certainly can cause irritation if used to excess. As most of my body is not displaying “fine lines” or “wrinkles” I really don’t need to use it anywhere else.
I’ve checked the ingredients on my lotion and my moisturizer–they’re quite different. I have pretty oily skin so I wouldn’t risk it on my face. I like to keep it as dry as possible–I only put on moisturizer once a day, right before I put on make up.
I do not know about any evidence for clogged pores but I am 79 years old with no wrinkles and I have used only hand lotion on my face. I use Vaseline for very dry skin. Most people think I am 60 because I do not have the loose skin under my chin or any wrinkles.
Shania Twain uses it on her feet (and her hands). I would not routinely put Vaseline all over my face, still less lanolin, and neither 8-hydroxyquinoline nor any other antimicrobial should be in daily topical use (IMHO).
Anecdotal, but my best friend once asked a very elderly woman why her skin was so beautiful and nearly unlined. She replied that she had been putting Vaseline on her skin every night since her early twenties! My friend said that her skin was UNREAL! Just beautiful!
I never said it didn’t do anything for your skin, I said it’s ICKY!
From the “George Burns and Gracie Allen” radio show:
Bill Goodwin, the show’s announcer, is talking to Gracie Allen and her “man-crazy” friend, “Tootsie” Sagwell
Bill) Swan soap easily splits in two so you can use half in the kitchen for dishes and light laundry and the other half in the bathroom to keep your hands soft.
Gracie) I know, I always use Swan Soap
Tootsie) I use Swan Soap too, see how beautiful my hands are
Bill) You should use some on your face
And now back to your regularly scheduled thread