Since you fine women are being so helpful to Medea’s Child in the makeup thead, I was wondering if anybody would be willing to give some more beauty advice. I’ve been having some breakouts lately, and don’t know what to do about it. I can’t go back to the Clearasil and other astringent stuff I used when I was a teenager, because it’s way too drying for my skin now (I’m in my early 20’s). I don’t have acne, so it isn’t a enough of a big deal to use anything heavy-duty anyway. What do you use/recommend to deal with occasional breakouts that doesn’t beat up on your skin?
I can give you some general tips. First, you need to adopt a skincare regime that doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I recommend that you go to a library or bookstore and pick up a copy of Paula Begoun’s book, “Don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me”. I guess you’re not interested in the cosmetics, but Paula described her unorthodox method that worked for me:
- Wash your face twice a day with a mild, water rinsable cleanser. You don’t want any residue on your skin and you don’t want to overdry it with strong detergents.
- At night, mix about a teaspoon of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Splash your face with warm water and apply the paste, gently working it all over your face and neck. This step is called exfoliation and will scrub away dirt and skin particles that would otherwise clog your pores and make trouble. Be sure to rinse your skin thoroughly to get the baking soda paste residue off.
- After your morning cleansing, apply at least a 15 spf lotion that protects against UVA/UVB rays.
That’s about it in a nutshell. Don’t use strong soaps to wash or else your skin will become overdry on the surface and compensate with even more oil. Use a sunscreen religiously. My final tip is to wash your hands frequently before touching your face. I hope this helps.
Avoid tissues with lotion, those things cover your skin with oil. I use them when I have a cold because they do prevent the peeling nose syndrome, but I hade over two dozen tiny whiteheads on my upper lip.
Try to avoid ponds or other parrifin based cold creams.