Face routine and favourite ingredients

[Íbera]

Hi all, I'm wondering what you use to hydrate or nourish your face.

My skin is mature and I have been using some creams and lotions made by me for some years now. At first simple ones, later I started adding hyaluronic acid in them or niacinamide. Oils used were what I had at that moment, my favorites meadowfoam, argan, hemp, hazelnut, avocado, grapeseed, or marula. EVOO from family production for its quality and purity is also one of my favorite.

A year ago I started buying commercial creams specific for day or night use and sometimes I use a mix of EVOO infused with Cistus Ladanifer and avocado oil with some drops os pachuli and fennel EO on my clean and wet face. After I remove it and I love the result.

To clean my face daily I use a soft cleanser I make based only on oils and surfactant (SCI)

But since as I said my skin is mature I don't know whether this routine and ingredients are ok or my skin needs something more. By something more I think on some special ingredients such as Q10, ceramides, acids... etc.

What are your thoughts on these ingredients? do you think they are a must for mature skin or they are only fancy ones?
How is your skin and what is your routine and your favorite ingredients? I'd like your advices on these. Thank you!

 

[Carly B]

I am 65 years old, and I think I'm unusual in that I scrub my face every day in the shower with soap (that I made, of course) and a brush (not a soft, gentle, wussy brush, but one of the "dry body brushes"), and afterwards, all I put on my face is about a teaspoon or less of Dream Cream by Lush. I haven't been able to make a cream I like better. And that's it.

I have been doing that for the better part of 20 years, and my skin is very happy. People can't believe I'm as old as I am---I have no age wrinkles and my skin is healthy and soft. Oh, and I also rarely wear sunblock and drive a convertible, so my face tans every summer. My guess is that it's more genetics than anything, but I've lived to be older than either of my parents, so I have no way of checking.

 

[earlene]

Since you are wondering...

I use Noxzema (the liquid, not the older cold-cream style) to wash my face & neck daily. That's it. It has been my beauty routine for several decades. I am 72. I actually added my neck to the routine after I noticed that my facial skin looked much better than the skin of my neck something like about 10 years ago.

I do not use any facial moisturizers on anything like a regular basis and never have, except when I spent time on motorcycles or on the ski slopes. And that was simply Vaseline to combat the drying effects of harsh winds.

 

[Juggsy]

Carly B I've been able to dupe the dream cream, friends like it, I don't. We did it as an assignment in my course. I didn't like the original anyway. I don't like the emulsifier they use. They make soap and use it as the emulsifier by mixing stearic acid and triethanolamine. Have you ever tested the pH of Lush's Dream Cream? I'd be interested to see what you get. We measured the pH of dream cream purchased from lush in Brisbane and it was 9.7 - I'm not leaving that on my skin. Freaked me out.

@Íbera I recommend daily sunscreen - it's one of (if not, the) biggest contributor to aging skin. Glycolic acid may help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Also, we age collagen starts to break down so hyaluronic acid and vitamin c might help there. Niacinimide, Vitamin A (retinol) etc all are supposed to help with aging. I swear by salt and exfoliation and cold face dips. I don't wear make up, so daily face washing is with a syndet bar. I moisturise my body with salt scrub in summer and a light spray and in winter I do put some moisturiser one and I do use lots of things like shower bombs and scrubs. I don't use regular facial lotion, when it's dry, I make up a serum.
But the secret to good skin is really simple.
M E S H - Moisturise (daily, best when skin still damp) E = Exfoliate S = Sunscreen H = Hydrate (drink at least two litres of water per day)

I actually usually add on E S - so make MESHES and the other other E = Eat & Exercise S = Salad & Sleep (but that one is just for me and my family, I tell my friends to MESH it. they think I'm mad. Maybe I am

 

[Carly B]

Carly B I've been able to dupe the dream cream, friends like it, I don't. We did it as an assignment in my course. I didn't like the original anyway. I don't like the emulsifier they use. They make soap and use it as the emulsifier by mixing stearic acid and triethanolamine. Have you ever tested the pH of Lush's Dream Cream? I'd be interested to see what you get. We measured the pH of dream cream purchased from lush in Brisbane and it was 9.7 - I'm not leaving that on my skin. Freaked me out.

I have never tested the pH, all I know is that it works for me. And has for years. Everyone's skin is different---most people are appalled that I scrub my face with soap on a brush made to sluff off dead skin. But I love it and my face doesn't feel clean otherwise. My "regimen" takes less than three minutes, and it works for me. No expensive creams (the large tub of Dream Cream, which lasts me the better part of a year is under $40) or chemicals, and no time at all.

It's a win/win for me, but as I said, everyone's skin is different.

 

[Íbera]

Thank you ladies for taking time to answer.

@Carly B that's cool that with your routine you have so espectacular results . I can't agree more that skin matters are basically genetics.
My skin is not bad to be mature, a genetic thing too. I'd like to preserve it a bit longer in this stage, though. That's why I'm wondering whether I need something more.
I agree exfoliation is an important step, I forgot to mention I'm doing it every morning a month ago with a dupe I make of "Angels On Bare Skin" by Lush and it works well for me, leaving my skin soft and bright.

@earlene , never heard about Noxzema, it's not sold in my country. Sound it works well for you for so long time! That's fantastic when simple things do their beast with great results!

@Juggsy , I recognize I don't wear sunblock on daily basis. My face skin sweats when hot or during the summer when applying any cream and I hate that sensation. I only use it when I'm at the lake, pool or beach. Maybe it's a good idea to buy a sunblock that doesn't make my face sweat. I'll investigate on this.
I agree hydration it's a good thing for a healthy skin. And how and what we eat as well...

 

[earlene]

I also do not wear sunblock on my face and absolutely hate the feel of 'greasy', which is the way they feel to me. I do always wear a hat with a big visor and sunglassess when in the sun, so that helps. I'm not a 'sunbather' but I don't shrink from the sun either if I have work that needs doing or I want to enjoy an outdoor activity. So I go for protective clothing instead.

When I do spend time on a beach, I do wear some sunblock because I do not enjoy a sunburn, but the stuff always makes me feel like I need a good long shower.

 

[Íbera]

"...but the stuff always makes me feel like I need a good long shower."
That's actually how I feel and I don't see the time to jump into the shower. So I hate more that sensation on my face while walking down the street or making errands!!

 

[silviastar]

Hi girls! I'm glad there are so many of us—those who love themselves and care about their appearance.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Hi girls! I'm glad there are so many of us—those who love themselves and care about their appearance.

From the looks of your ugly avatar I'm wondering on what basis you render that compliment?
That being said, WELCOME to SMF!

ADVICE TO NEWBIES

 

[silviastar]

Hi girls!
I'm glad there are so many of us—those who love themselves and care about their appearance. Our skin is an indicator of our health. I'm so happy I realized it in time. That's why I look better now than when I was 35. And I'm 58.
Nutrition is the foundation of everything. I've been practicing veganism and raw food for a long time. I drink a lot of water and do yoga regularly. At our age, healthy sleep is essential. As cliché as it sounds, it's all basic. We can build our beauty on it.
I also keep up with what's new in the beauty industry. I use Korean cosmetics. I stick to my facial care routine: сleanse, toning, and moisturizing. Sunscreen is a must have.
I have recently discovered phototherapy. It is a treatment with different wavelengths of ultraviolet light. Because my skin is dehydrated, it sometimes itches for no reason. I have tried many creams and types of therapies, and nothing has had a lasting effect. And phototherapy gave better results. After a course of phototherapy, the itching on my face, hands, and feet stopped bothering me. I also changed my body moisturizer to body butter. It is more greasy, but it also moisturizes for longer.

 

[SoapLover1]

Hi all, I'm wondering what you use to hydrate or nourish your face.

My skin is mature and I have been using some creams and lotions made by me for some years now. At first simple ones, later I started adding hyaluronic acid in them or niacinamide. Oils used were what I had at that moment, my favorites meadowfoam, argan, hemp, hazelnut, avocado, grapeseed, or marula. EVOO from family production for its quality and purity is also one of my favorite.

A year ago I started buying commercial creams specific for day or night use and sometimes I use a mix of EVOO infused with Cistus Ladanifer and avocado oil with some drops os pachuli and fennel EO on my clean and wet face. After I remove it and I love the result.

To clean my face daily I use a soft cleanser I make based only on oils and surfactant (SCI)

But since as I said my skin is mature I don't know whether this routine and ingredients are ok or my skin needs something more. By something more I think on some special ingredients such as Q10, ceramides, acids... etc.

What are your thoughts on these ingredients? do you think they are a must for mature skin or they are only fancy ones?
How is your skin and what is your routine and your favorite ingredients? I'd like your advices on these. Thank you!

Hi!
I’m reading all that everyone is sharing about their Facial Cleansing Routine. Thanks for sharing! I personally do Not use anything on my face but water and a Sea Salt Scrub. I only Moisturize in cooler months with my personal Body Butter. I swim several times daily in The Sun and my skin is Beautiful and Glowing. I Never use Sunscreen nor Makeup. I turn 63 next month. What A Blessing! I get many compliments on my Skin. Everyone asks, what type of soap do I use on my face? I personally do not recommend using soap on the face, not even mine! Just wanted to chime in for us Natural Girls / Ladies! Blessings!

 

[earlene]

I have to update my routine since weight loss. I made a concerted effort to shed some pounds (about 30) to combat back pain and as a result my facial skin became quite visibly dryer in spite of drinking lots of water all day long and also random itchiness all over. I have changed my routine by adding a facial serum and moisturizer many mornings after my usual washing mentioned above. It has made a difference in the apparent dehydration. I started out doing this every morning, but have since gone to less often without detrimental effect (as yet).

The good news is that the weight loss really did result in decrease of back pain. Now to keep the pounds off, because the pain, although absent for months, crept back when I re-gained approximately 3-5 pounds.

 

[Rsapienza]

Your Qs about Skin Slugging, Answered

I stumbled on a few similar articles in the past several months and thought “hmmmm….new skincare trend???We’ve been treating my son’s SEVERE eczema like this for years!!” When he was being treated at NIH in Maryland, they recommended this remedy, along with wet to dry wraps. I do know that using this method seems to result in dewy, plump skin (assuming your skin tolerates it). His Drs always stressed the importance of the 3 minute rule to seal that moisture in. I use it a few times a week and I definitely see the benefits.
As I get older, I also make sure to apply SPF daily. I do however believe some of these things can be genetic. Just my two cents

 

[earlene]

Your Qs about Skin Slugging, Answered

I stumbled on a few similar articles in the past several months and thought “hmmmm….new skincare trend???We’ve been treating my son’s SEVERE eczema like this for years!!” When he was being treated at NIH in Maryland, they recommended this remedy, along with wet to dry wraps. I do know that using this method seems to result in dewy, plump skin (assuming your skin tolerates it). His Drs always stressed the importance of the 3 minute rule to seal that moisture in. I use it a few times a week and I definitely see the benefits.
As I get older, I also make sure to apply SPF daily. I do however believe some of these things can be genetic. Just my two cents

How would a person alone without the aid of a parent or partner manage this on all parts of the body. I used to do this for my face in my youth (I am now 73) when skiing and riding motorcycles to keep my face from drying out from the constant wind on my face in those situations. And over the years since, I have used this method for my hands and feet (overnight Vaseline slathered, then covered with gloves & booties). I still do it occasionally for feet & hands when they get really dry.

It is something that has been around for, I think, hundreds if not thousands of years. It is most certainly not new, but perhaps a beauty routine of the ages, that not everyone knows about and it may have been known by a different name.

But I am curious what exactly was that 3-minute rule the Doctors at NIH used?

I did find an interesting pilot study conducted regarding the ability of facial skin to bounce back after discontinuing the long-term use of moisturizers. (link) I know that is not related to the issue with your son, but interesting none the less.

 

[AliOop]

I've always been envious of those who can "slug." I can't use anything remotely occlusive on my face - including coconut oil, olive oil, petroleum jelly, many makeup foundations, and every brand of sunscreen ever made. They all cause terrible breakouts, skin peeling, etc. And believe me, I've tried them all. Some are less irritating than others, but ALL sunscreens and almost all make-up foundations have this effect for me. It starts within hours of application, too.

For those who insist that neither coconut oil nor olive oil are occlusive, well, they act as such on my skin because they do not soak in at all. They just sit on top and create a greasy layer, while underneath the skin peels and becomes inflamed. Perhaps that doesn't meet the strict definition of "occlusive" but it has the same practical effect. And yes, I have tried oil-cleansing, and no, it wasn't just a detox effect. It was so awful that I couldn't keep the pictures of my "progress" over the sixty days that I persevered, because they made me cry to look at them.

As someone with Mediterranean genes, I tan very easily and don't burn easily. As a result, for most of my life, being in the sun without sunscreen made my skin glow and kept it clear. However, a brief stint of hormone therapy almost 20 years ago caused melasma. Ever since, it has been a constant battle to decide between big brown patches, or lots of clogged pores, peeling skin, and cysts.

Today I use a customized version of the PS-80 facial cleaner that is the subject of a big thread here on SMF. That's followed by an ACV toner, hyaluronic acid serum (HA dissolved in glycerin with EOs), and hand-crafted facial cream. A very light application of raspberry seed oil, plus sunglasses and a hat, are my preferred "sunscreen" unless I'm at the beach and need the heavy-duty stuff. My skin is not even close to perfect, but has come so far from the days where thyroid issues and products unsuited for my skin really wreaked havoc. I am so thankful!

But honestly, the best things for my skin are to exercise regularly, get good sleep, and eat "clean." For me that means gluten-free, dairy-free, low sugar, high on fruits and veggies, and low-ish carb. Even small servings of gluten or dairy are visible on my skin the next day in the form of big clogged pores and pimples. Sadly, vegan and vegetarian diets cause significant thyroid problems for me, plus my body reacts poorly to nuts, grains, soy, dairy, and legumes. Those also show on my face within a few days.

With few to no options for vegetarian proteins, we stick with grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish. It's expensive, but wellness is worth it to us. This journey to health is what brought me to learning about herbs and EOs, eliminating toxic products from our home, and making my own bodycare products, including soap.

So in that respect, the blessing in all these struggles has been finding this great community of makers who support each other in our wildly-varying roads to health. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that there is no "one size fits all." We each have such unique DNA and life experiences that affect what our skin needs. I wish each of you the best in finding what works for you!

 

[Rsapienza]

How would a person alone without the aid of a parent or partner manage this on all parts of the body. I used to do this for my face in my youth (I am now 73) when skiing and riding motorcycles to keep my face from drying out from the constant wind on my face in those situations. And over the years since, I have used this method for my hands and feet (overnight Vaseline slathered, then covered with gloves & booties). I still do it occasionally for feet & hands when they get really dry.

It is something that has been around for, I think, hundreds if not thousands of years. It is most certainly not new, but perhaps a beauty routine of the ages, that not everyone knows about and it may have been known by a different name.

But I am curious what exactly was that 3-minute rule the Doctors at NIH used?

I did find an interesting pilot study conducted regarding the ability of facial skin to bounce back after discontinuing the long-term use of moisturizers. (link) I know that is not related to the issue with your son, but interesting none the less.

As my son got older, we would wet cotton pajamas and he would sleep in them, with a dry pair over the wet.
The 3 minute rule is a part of the soak and seal method. Soak in a like warm bath (the cooler, the better; hot water is an enemy), pat dry, and slather within 3 minutes to seal in that moisture. They always emphasized the 3 minutes.

 

[SoapLover1]

Your Qs about Skin Slugging, Answered

I stumbled on a few similar articles in the past several months and thought “hmmmm….new skincare trend???We’ve been treating my son’s SEVERE eczema like this for years!!” When he was being treated at NIH in Maryland, they recommended this remedy, along with wet to dry wraps. I do know that using this method seems to result in dewy, plump skin (assuming your skin tolerates it). His Drs always stressed the importance of the 3 minute rule to seal that moisture in. I use it a few times a week and I definitely see the benefits.
As I get older, I also make sure to apply SPF daily. I do however believe some of these things can be genetic. Just my two cents

Hi!
Did you know that Eczema is a symptom of Allergies, like sneezing; watery eyes & runny nose? If you treat the Allergy, then you Heal the skin! Hope this gives a slightly different perspective to consider when treating Eczema. Blessings!

 

[Rsapienza]

Hi!
Did you know that Eczema is a symptom of Allergies, like sneezing; watery eyes & runny nose? If you treat the Allergy, then you Heal the skin! Hope this gives a slightly different perspective to consider when treating Eczema. Blessings!

Oooohhhh…if only it were that easy. With all due respect, the fact that he was treated by Drs at The National Institute of Health should tell you that I’m slightly knowledgeable in this field and while all cases are different, this certainly was not the case in ours. I appreciate you though.

 

[AliOop]

@Rsapienza I can relate. My husband has done extensive allergy testing, both traditional and holistic, and has eliminated the items identified as potential triggers. That helped, but did not eliminate his eczema, which is primarily related to his multiple auto-immune diseases, as well as his Parkinson's medications, for which no natural substitute is available that works for him. Also, he was exposed to many environmental poisons from childhood through adulthood.

We've spent a fortune exploring every possible natural treatment. Some were amazing, others did nothing. Despite chelation therapy and all the works, some of the damage isn't reversible so far. I research constantly and will continue to do so as new possibilities present themselves. Meanwhile, we've accepted that non-natural treatments are required for him at this time, while we continue to hold out hope that someday, they might not be.

It is well known from clinical studies that the primary PD medication interferes with absorption of vital nutrients. Of course, this has a very direct impact on his autoimmune issues, including the eczema and psoriasis. But without those meds, he cannot function at all. He would not be able to move or even swallow. Thus, I completely understand how and why you and others might choose to take "non-natural" treatments. It is hard to walk between those two worlds when folks in each one can misunderstand what you are doing. I do try to listen with an open mind to all of it, and I can see that you do, too. Kudos for being your son's advocate!

I can't stop there without saying that because of my husband's amazing tenacity with targeted and regular exercise, clean eating, and heavy nutritional supplementation (and lots of prayer!), his doctors are amazed at how well he functions after more than a decade with PD. Most patients at this stage are wheelchair-bound and in out-of-home care, at best. Many of them don't even survive this long. But he still walks, drives, has zero dementia, beats everyone at cards, and is very extroverted. Focusing on helping others is his secret to successfully fight off the anxiety, depression, and lack of motivation that rob so many PD patients of their quality of life. He truly is my hero and best friend.