Jack & Hill: A Beauty Blog - make-up, cosmetics, perfume, and the substance of style

DermaQuest Skin Therapy

I am scared to mention this, in case I jinx the very agreeable circumstances in which I now find myself, but: My skin has been giving me a LOT less trouble in the last week or so. This also happens to coincide with when I started using some DermaQuest Acne Management products. I don't know if one week of use is enough time for products to make such a significant difference, but so far, I'm pretty pleased.

(I should also note that, as much as my skin stresses me out, a lot of people compliment me on it and claim not to see what I perceive to be hideous blemishes. Let's just say that I know things could be a lot worse, but it doesn't always feel that way.)

I've been cleansing morning and evening with the DermaQuest Beta Hydroxy Cleanser, followed by Nature's Cure Pore-Perfecting Papaya Toner, the DermaQuest DermaClear serum, then either Chanel Fluide Énergisant Multi-Protection Hale Progressif SPF 15 (in the morning),  Nature's Cure Acne-Repairing Papaya Moisturizer (at night), or Dermalogica Medicated Clearing Gel (if a flare-up seems to be on the horizon). All of the products except the DermaQuest are ones I've been using in various rotations for the last few months, and I've never noticed the sort of marked improvement that I have recently. Long may my good fortune continue.

NOTE: All of the products mentioned in this post, except for the Dermalogica Medicated Clearing Gel (which I bought myself), were freebies sent to me by the PRs for DermaQuest, Chanel, and Nature's Cure.

The skin you're in

Someone asked in the comments here what I use on my skin to avoid crows' feet.

The conclusion I am coming to is that for me, specific products don't make a huge amount of difference. Cleansing well, rinsing very well (at least fifteen times), and making sure my skin is moisturized as needed seems to produce consistent results, regardless of the specific products.

(Do not consider leaving even the smallest amount of eye makeup on your face. I read recently that dermatologists are stunned at the amount of makeup residue that they see under their patients' eyes when they look at them under magnifiers. These traces contribute hugely to an old, tired look. Why spend tons of money on treatments and products if one of the easiest ways to look fresh is so cheap and easy?) 

Also, I don't smoke, I eat fairly healthfully, and I use at least SPF 15 every day, while not spending much time at all in the sun. (I also stopped drinking alcohol almost five months ago, since which time I have received lots more compliments on my skin and overall looks.) I could stand to drink more water, I'm sure.

But for what it's worth, here are some products that I use regularly.

Cures for pizzaface?

  Pizza 
  Originally uploaded by foéÖþoooey.

My skin has been giving me fits the last couple of weeks. Everything seems to be under control now, but there were several days in a row when I seriously considered seeking a prescription for Accutane.

I used Dermalogica Medicated Clearing Gel to get me through the hard times, but it didn't work as quickly as I'd experienced in the past. What do you use to clear your skin?

Dermalogica Medicated Clearing Gel: Quickie Review

It works. Overnight. Very highly recommended.

Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick

If you're ever bored and have internet access, I highly recommend you check out the full database of 'cosmetic cop' Paula Begoun's product reviews. I just lost 45 minutes there, and I'm glad I did.

I was especially interested in what Paula had to say about the popular, crunchy granola Burt's Bees line:

Just from the all-natural point of view, there will definitely be people who will be excited about these products, but I'm not one of them. Many of the plant extracts and oils used in these products, including orange oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil, lemon oil, orange peel, eucalyptus oil, pine tar, alcohol, lime oil, and balsam peru, are problematic for skin and present a significant risk of irritation or a sensitizing reaction.

Readers of this blog will already be aware that labels like 'all-natural' and 'organic' do not necessarily mean a damn thing. So Paula's review of the natural yet potentially quite harmful ingredients used by Burt's Bees may explain why Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick has only ever had a horrific effect on my skin. (Not to mention that the fennel oil it contains makes me stink of anise, my least favourite fragrance on this earth.) I have tried this product a few times, each time hopeful that it won't just make the afflicted area even worse. Each time, it has. Avoid at all costs.

Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

WARNING: This is a nasty subject.

That out of the way...Is there a skin issue more vexing than nose blackheads for most women? No matter how perfect the skin on the rest of the face, so many of us are still plagued by these ugly little buggers.

Admission: I feel physically ill if I come face to face with someone who has obvious blackheads (and it's usually men, not women). I know it's wrong, but it's a reaction I just cannot control. Working on it.

The Beauty Brains' post on this topic led me to an informative explanation of the problem from legendary 'cosmetics cop' Paula Begoun. The bad news is...

In reality, aside from misleading marketing claims, the truth about blackheads (usually accompanied by oily skin) and whiteheads (accompanied by either dry or oily skin) is hard to accept. What is the truth? To put it plainly, they are just hard to get rid of.

There are things you can do to help lessen the problem, as Paula explains in the piece, but there is no injection or surgery you can have to get rid of and prevent blackheads. Which is a shame, because I would have no qualms about shelling out for such a procedure. I would characterise my own affliction as rather mild and not noticeable unless you really look (friends, please don't really look the next time you see me), but it is pretty annoying nonetheless.

I did take the opportunity to order a supply of Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips from Boots.com, which right now has them on a 3-for-2 offer. Still, these mofos are expensive - £1.33 ($2.47 US) per strip! I ordered eight boxes and got four free, but still...£64 on pore strips. Insanity, yet the only product I know of that really makes a difference. (The sale price is also the only reason I got them from Boots.com, which is one of the most poorly-designed, least user-friendly e-commerce sites I have had the displeasure to use. Oh, and you only get five days to apply the Boots loyalty points you earn on the website to your card, in-store*. Ridiculous.)

*Check out the comments to this post for a clarification on redeeming your loyalty points from Boots.com purchases.

Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser

Yeah, I kinda left you hanging there. So: Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser is, as I said, my new favourite. It is what it says on the label - non-irritating and creamy without leaving a film on one's skin (as something like, say, E45 Wash - which I was using prior to the Avene - does). According to the label, you don't even need to rinse it off; you can just use a cotton pad to apply and a tissue to remove. Because I'm contrary - not to mention afraid of the tiny spots one can get from failure to rinse thoroughly - I apply it with my fingers, wipe it off with a cotton pad, and rinse with lukewarm water at least ten times. It's good and also relatively inexpensive - I got mine from my (paid) friends at the Skin Knowledge Network for £7, 50 pence off the suggested retail price.

My skin looks fine (or so everyone goes to pains to tell me), but in truth it's something of a nightmare: it tends to dry patches, while also being shiny as hell, and can be awfully sensitive when it wants to be. Unfortunately, I can't find Cetaphil here, and thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser was comprised of the same exact ingredients.

P Diddy vs Proactiv

For all of us who have ever been tempted to purchase beauty products from an infomercial, Sean Combs' lawsuit against Proactiv is worth noting. (I actually did buy some Mon Amie Cosmetics back in the day, with my first ever credit card as a new college student.) (And that, right there, is the most humiliating confession I've ever made online.) (What I really wanted were some Victoria Jackson Cosmetics.) (Okay, I just out-cringed myself.)

PS Victoria Jackson Cosmetics are available online.

UPDATE: Someone named Steven Samuel emails brusquely:

That was an April Fool's joke. The links at the bottom of the story pointed to a page that said APRIL FOOLS!

Gosh, our bad for not following all of the links on every webpage we visit. Mea culpa. (Not that the P Diddy story was actually the point of our post...)

The gift of...acne?

The good news: Teen acne may protect against coronary heart disease in adults. The bad news: So far, it's only apparent that this gift of the ghastly is bestowed upon men.

A+? More like F-

While we're on the subject of hair removal this Friday, I thought I'd mention my experience with A+ Liquid Skin Treatment (WARNING: Yet another horribly user unfriendly Flash site).

I'll put the rest of this post behind the jump, to save those of you who shudder at the mere thought of my misogynism-affirming practices the pain. (You should still get over yourselves, though. Hairy legs don't feel good to anyone, nevermind the rest.)