I usually just do my VPAs on Havi’s Blog, but I already did one and when this one came to me in the shower, I wanted to share it with a different audience.
Wanted: Face Wash
I’m looking for a new way to wash my face. While I love the facial cleansing oil I use now, using it takes up too much time and energy at a time when I’m usually at a low ebb. My new favorite face wash needs to:
- Be great for combination skin
- Be something quick and easy to use in the shower
- Clean pores, and it would be a bonus if there was also pore shrinking
- Neither dry out my face nor add too much oil
- Be hypo-allergenic, non-comedogenic, and generally very gentle
- Bonus if it active helps with acne and/or exfoliation
- Not require I use it more than once a day
- Not require extra products to make it awesome
- Not contain any of the following
- Mango
- Pomegranate
- Passion Fruit
- Pineapple
- Papaya
- Guava
- Tomato
- Papain
- Lanolin
- Preferably be mostly natural, for all that
- Not be crazy expensive, though a bit pricey is okay if a little goes a long way
- Smell awesome, or not like much of anything at all, but especially not be perfumey
I’d also love to find a moisturizer that doesn’t give me zits, but as I have never seen such a mythical product before, I’m not gonna hold my breath.
Reading this list it sounds a bit like I’m always battling the zits for my life, but it’s really not true — I’d just like to go from few to very few, y’know? I’m 36, I shouldn’t be dealing with this crap still.
Anyway, if anyone has any recommendations, I’d love to hear them!
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Comment by Cassandra — January 10, 2010 @ 5:55 pm
I have three recommendations – you'll have to double check for specific irritants, but they are all mostly natural, a bit expensive and pretty effective.
Dr. Haushcka, Daybreak Lavender Farm and Ren.
Daybreak is the most bang for your buck, I got it down to: wash in the shower, spritz and moisturize after, ignore for the rest of the day, but it did take me a while to figure out the best combination of things to use from their line.
Soap based and genuinely the only things I have ever used that seemed to really reduce appearance of pore size.
If you want to know more I can go ON and ON about skincare. But only if you want.
Comment by Bridget Pilloud — January 10, 2010 @ 6:02 pm
I don't wash my face very often. But when I do, I like purity by Sarva soap. It's a bar soap with vegan ingredients and it takes the grease away without drying.
http://www.sarvasoap.com
I use Neutrogena healthy skin for my moisturizer.
Comment by Amy — January 10, 2010 @ 6:05 pm
@Cassandra — I'd love for you to go on about it, though I'll warn you I am deeply lazy and un-girly about it. I don't wear makeup, style my hair with products, or even blow-dry!
Can you give me links or somewhere-to-buy recs on those you mentioned?
Comment by Amy — January 10, 2010 @ 6:10 pm
@Bridget Thanks for the link! I have an all-oil soap of deliciousness that I use for my body, but even that is too harsh and drying for my face. I am a delicate and special flower. Also, lazy, but still, delicate. 😉
Comment by Marissa — January 10, 2010 @ 9:33 pm
I use, adore and highly recommend Kissed by Angel Face Botanicals.
I follow up the facewash with their Lavendar Hydrating Serum, but just the facewash alone is awesome.
(And actually, I recommend Angel Face for whatever you might see there that you like. I've tried a wide assortment of their products and been thrilled with every one of them. I think they're price VERY reasonably for the quality and service you get.)
Comment by Amy — January 10, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
@Marissa looks interesting! I'll have to see what sort of sampler sizes they have for experimenting. Thanks!
Comment by Claire — January 11, 2010 @ 2:24 pm
Hmm. I use Klear Action (like Proactiv w/3 steps but 1/2 or less the cost) in the morning and St. Ives Apricot Renewing Cleanser at night. (St. Ives' scrubs exfoliate more but are definitely not for everyday use.)
Followed by: Lubriderm sensitive (unscented, noncomedogenic) lotion at night.
Biore dual fusion lotion, very light, mild, has SPF 30 in it, but pricier. Nice on sunny days when I feel like a treat.
Decent less expensive & you get twice as much lotion with SPF 15 in it: Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer SPF 15.
Comment by Amy — January 11, 2010 @ 4:53 pm
@Claire thanks for the suggestion! 3 parts is already more complicated than what I do now, though, so I think lazy will trump that one. 😉
Comment by Cassandra — January 11, 2010 @ 7:15 pm
http://www.drhauschka.com/
http://www.renskincare.com/
http://www.daybreaklavenderfarm.com/store/
Don't faint at the pricing.
The Daybreak stuff in particular lasts and lasts. It's what I use 90% of the time, though am detouring into Ren right now because it's delightful stuff and I wanted a change in midwinter.
Drink water, take a multi vitamin and do as little to your face as possible are my rules. You don't
t have to be girly at ALL.
I wash my face in the shower, moisturize and then that's it unless I happen to be wearing make up, in which case I take it off with an oil cleanser and a warm washcloth. No fuss.
You have to be willing to tweak a bit as the seasong go – nothign is totally static. But its an organ, your skin – feed it good things.
email cassandra360 (at) gmail if you have any questions
Comment by Amy — January 11, 2010 @ 7:37 pm
@cassandra Thanks for the links, I'll check those out!
Comment by chicsinger simone — January 22, 2010 @ 7:12 am
Here's what I do in the shower: Squirt some grapeseed oil in my hand and sprinkle baking soda on it and scrub!
I've put the baking soda in a large recycled spice container (but a parmesan cheese holder works too).
If after you are done your face feels too greasy you can give an extra swipe with excess shampoo, body soap, whatever.
You can also scent the baking soda with essential oils of your choice, just scatter a few drops (optimally spray) in the container, shake it like a polaroid pitcha and the BS soaks up the scent.
I have the same skin issues and have been very pleased with this method.
xxoo great site~!
Comment by Amy — January 22, 2010 @ 11:41 am
@Simone That's a little like what I do with my facial cleansing oil, minus the baking soda. It works pretty well, I think winter is just making me dissatisfied with all my beauty products (all 3 of them, haha).
Comment by Rebecca Prien — January 28, 2010 @ 3:37 pm
I had the sensitive, dry-ish skin, adult acne issue for several years.
What I attribute to turning a corner is this moisturizer: Estee Lauder's DayWear Plus (about $40). I also used their Idealist when I started with the moisturizer. (Pricier at $60 and maybe too many steps for what you'd like.)
I like Alba Coconut Milk facial wash. (about $9).
Hope you find something you like.
Comment by Amy — January 28, 2010 @ 4:18 pm
@Rebecca thank you! Ironically all this advice has made me appreciate my current solution more, though I am going to see if I can find ways to try out a few of these without totally messing myself up.
I think part of it is just the winter thing, where nothing quite works as well as you wish it did and every day is a bad something day, skin or hair or whatever. Silly winter.