Hello there! You seem to be doing a wonderful job at combating acne, but I have been following your blog for a while and you are done some serious things wrong and I just really want to help you out. Here is a link to pore clogging ingredients on from Face Reality Acne Clinic in the SF bay area, a scientific institution dedicated to studying and repairing the damage from acne. facerealityacneclinic. c o m/ articles/ pore_clogging Please read everything they have to say! Good luck!
Hi!! Thanks for the advice. I just read through the majority of the site (i'm a fast reader! hahaha) Most of the things (besides making appts with them) I've actually done (zinc. I 've used it. It worked well), am doing (skin care according to my skin's needs), and are thinking of doing (ice on pimples)
I completely agree with the noncomedogenic label. This labeling on products can be very misleading. Each person's skin is unique. While some products may be noncomedogenic(aka non comedone forming aka non acne/pimple forming) for some people, that's not true for others. Ingredients like jojoba oil or olive oil is great for those with dry skin. Everyone needs some sort of oil on their skin. It's the excess oil that kills you. It's a very relative term (Just like "all natural" isn't the same as organic. The FDA doesn't regulate the term "all natural"). Thats why I always say to read reviews. See if the reviewers have similar skin types because what may cause pimples in those with oily skin most likely will not cause pimples in those with dry skin.
One thing I didn't agree with was with what they said about Isopropyl myristate.
This ingredient is found in a large amount of products because it is used a binder and an absorber. It gives you that nice "absorbed" feeling and knocks out the oily feeling of products. To tell you the truth, the data that I found regarding this ingredients is a jumble of flip flopping acne or not answers. I think it's fine to use (and to tell you the truth, the more exepnsive the skin care the more chance of Isopropyl being an ingredient in it) unless you can't. I can use it. Most people can use it unless they can't or are allergic. For some it's comedogenic and that wouldn't be typical acne, but would be acne cosmedica, which once you stop using, that "acne" will go away relatively quickly.
Here is a link that kind of explains experiments to test ingredients and link it to acne (though you may have to pay for the full article...I have a subscription (coughnerdcough) so I kind of read the whole thing. The same goes for all ingredients. Not everything is going to work 100% on your skin. Example: Soy bean extract is being used these days to help fade dark spots. It apparently is a miracle worker and is used in all different post acne lotions and serums. I BREAK OUT WHEN I USE IT (because i really am allergic. I can't touch anything that is soy like tofu (which I still eat but i shouldn't), soy bean sprouts (which I definitely cannot eat), soy milk (can drink it), etc). So it is comedogenic for me. But the label says it's noncomedogenic and there are tons of reviews raving about how soy bean extract is a miraculous break though. (Sorry for the rambling. It just irks me when people give you absolutes. There's no such thing as always or never in science unless it's math).
Anywayssss, This website is really dedicated to picking the" right acne products for your skin and acne type". This is totally what I believe in as well.
Here are some posts that I have done as well and it actually correlates well with what is on the website.
Supplements
Diet
Switching Cleansers
Acne of Beginners (hahaha)
PIH
Thanks for the link though! It's nice to know other people have the same concepts as I do. =D