My needs are simple. Which is why its frustrating that i’ve been buying face creams for 30 years and am still not happy.
Sensitive skin. Blotchy skin. Skin that can’t handle any lotion with sun screen built in.
What would you recommend? I’ve tried drugstore brands (aveeno, etc.) and pricey brands…but none seem to be great… on top of this, make-up women now say things like “and this is great for aging skin as well”…so now i have a whole new set of problems…
You might save money in the long run and visit a dermatologist. The doctor could recommend what might really work for your particular needs. (and POSSIBLY get a prescription paid for by your insurance)
I agree it may be best to see a dermatologist and she may even have various sample creams that you can try to figure out which one(s) work best for you. D has allergies and sensitive skin. She likes Lubiderm. She also tolerates Cetafil and Eucerin. She has to be careful about sunscreens, as she is allergic to ingredients in several of them. Would definitely buy the small travel or sample sizes until you figure out for sure which ones you like so you aren’t stuck with huge bottles of stuff you don’t like or tolerate.
Forget what makeup counter people say. I used to have this book called ‘Don’t go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me." and it taught me all about how to not buy into cosmetics speak and marketing and focus on ingredients. When I wanted some product with alphahydroxy acid in it that book said that anything less than 8 pct was just a good moisturizer. I also read an article by a dermatologist suggesting 10 pct for effectiveness (it sloughs off dead skin chemically without rubbing or using a scrub with granules.) When I asked the cosmetics counter lady what the percentage AHA was, she said it didn’t matter "it’s all about the deliver system’, which is just nonsense-speak.
Anyway she has long done product reviews which are on her website. But she also has been selling her own line for some years. So you can take that with a grain of salt but she has some good articles about what to use for different skin types. I don’t have sensitive or dry skin but I do use Cetaphil lotion for cleansing which she recommended as a bargain and is gentle for all skin types. I have also liked her products that I have tried.
The way you say ‘face cream’ makes me think you mean moisturizer, but not sure. From remembering her book she said all of them do a decent job, you just want to watch for irritating ingredients to avoid. And the differing price point are just cost of marketing expensive brands, it is all about the feel you like. However this was a long time ago and there could be improvements in ingredients. If you want to check her articles and product reviews it is called Paula’s Choice, or ‘cosmetics cop’ works as that’s what she used to be known by.
You can’t wear sunscreen?
I am very fair ( redhead), but my skin isn’t too sensitive and I have used whatever for years.
Staying hydrated with a good diet makes the biggest difference that I’ve seen.
It’s hard to find skin care products without the ingredients I want to avoid.
Why does everything have silicone in it?
Try coconut oil. I buy this one at costco
My skin feels lovely after I use it. I don’t apply every day. But, when my skin is irritated/ dry I use it.
The only sunscreen that wouldn’t break me out is the pricey (for me) Neostrata one with glycolic acid.
Other than that I can only use mineral powders and hats.
I use products from a company call Cellbone. I found them online. I started by choosing products based on the research I had done about certain ingredients. Then I emailed customer service, explained my needs, and asked for suggestions. I’m now following their regiment. Although I was happy with their products before, their suggested regiment for my needs is even better.
This is the sunscreen I use, although I have gotten it much cheaper through local sales.
http://www.kissmyface.com/product/item/275
I use coconut oil too, but I think jojoba oil is absorbed better.
I also eat the coconut oil, I mix in 50/50 with peanut butter, and I even feed it to the dog.
I have been using this for years, mostly in the winter on my body, as it is too rich for my face, and if you are sensitive, it does have fragrance.
http://www.refinery29.com/weleda-skin-food
Completely love all of these ideas…and i’m booking a dermo appt as well…
I have sensitive skin also and like Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream. I only bought it because it comes in a 1-pack at Costco and was on sale. I ended up loving it. It is one of the few that I have been able to use.
A lot also depends on what you wash your face with. My Dr recommended using something that is detergent free and non comedogenic. I use Clean and Clear Essential (for sensitive skin) face wash.
^^ Exactly (what you use to wash your face with)… I use some pretty high-end products because I don’t mind paying for the ongoing consultations/recommendations from someone who knows that product inside and out - hmmm… don’t get me wrong, I’m not paying at those consultations, but I am fully aware that I am paying extra for the product. A few years ago I decided I didn’t need to see an aesthetician to tell me what I needed to use, that I could determine that from the website of the products I use. Slowly, over time, I noticed my skin was just really starting to look bad - very reactive, big dry spots on either side of my nose that wouldn’t go away despite using lots of moisturizer there, blackheads, etc. (I’m very grateful that throughout my life, I’ve never had acne problems). I had to find a new rep because the old place I had gotten these recommendations from was no longer carrying this product. So when I found the new rep and took in the products I’d been ordering online, she looked at my skin and told me I was using the wrong products - I’d also hit that age where decreased estrogen was starting to be a factor. So she gave me some new recommendations, and within a couple of weeks my skin was back to looking MUCH better. But aside from the moisturizer, I needed to change what I washed my face with. What I had been using was really drying out my skin. I also had never been much of a sunscreen user because I’d never found one that didn’t leave me feeling oily or greasy. Since I’d last met with my first aesthetician, the product line I use came out with a facial sunscreen; my new aesthetician gave me some samples, and I now I use it every day (even on cloudy winter days when I don’t go outside at all), and LOVE it.
I have many of the same problems. I’ve been using this for years - Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging UV Moisturizer SPF 15. You can get it without sunscreen also, but the sunscreen in this doesn’t bother me at all. It’s about $15 on Amazon. I never have any problems with this irritating my facial or chest skin. For other areas I use Eucerin.
I use a combination of Rodan + Fields, Bare Minerals and Origins. I also use prescription Retin A, which I believe is the main key to good skin (once you get used to the product).
When it comes to products without sunscreen, I’ve had great experience with Dr. Hauschka creams, which I buy at Whole Foods. I have dry skin and I live in a dry climate, and had a hard time finding moisturizers that did the job, really soaked in, but didn’t feel greasy or sticky. I like the Quince Day Cream the best.
@VeryHappy
I hope she sees this. She recommended regular Lubriderm, and I tried it. It is terrific! Works just great on the face. I’m very happy (sorry for the pun) that she suggested that!
I have been using prescription RetinA for about 30 years so I need to be gentle with my skin. Cetaphil cleaner in the evenings. For evening moisturizing I rotate between CeraVe (either with a dose of RetinA added every e days of so), Oil of Olay Regenerist or occasionally pure coconut oil. Since I use RetinA I absolutely have to wear sunscreen. The Oil Of Olay Superstructure DNA with SPF works very well. I will also use one of the evening moisturizers and then Clinque Super City Block - which is a physical sunblock with tint.
For times when I need extra sunscreen protection I’ve found both the CeraVe and the Neutrogena physical sun blocks to be very gentle. They use Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium dioxide. The formulations are not at all like the stuff lifeguards used to put on their noses and subsequently look like they fell in while oily paint. The CeraVe baby sunscreen is especially mild and goes on smoothly, without a greasy feeling.
I did a skin care project for a client and in doing so, found the Caudalie line which I really like - esp the fragrance. (I don’t have sensitive skin - I recognize fragrance might irritate some people but it doesn’t irritate me.) I like their Divine Oil which absorbs quickly into the skin and doesn’t feel greasy. I also like their Premier Cru (cream) line. I also have a sunscreen from them as well. This is their main website, but you can get their products at Bluemercury or Sephora. http://us.caudalie.com/shop-products/category/body-and-fragrances/divine-oil.html
A tip for buying higher end products at department stores: don’t be shy about asking for a small sample. Many brands have either pre-packaged tubes or the SAs would be happy to pour some out of the tester bottle into a small tube. It will not help you with evaluation of the miracle effect statements the cream would provide, but it will give you some idea about how compatible it is with your skin. I would never buy anything over $30 without doing this.