Facial Cleanser for mature sensitive skin?

[MelissaG]

Normally, I use my own regular soap bars for my face. Well, they're fantastic for the rest of my body but my face has started to protest. I'm almost 50 and its just not cleaning my face the way it used to. It always feels oily and I have the appearance of pimples to prove it. I'm long over that period of life but my skin appears to have decided otherwise. Like it feels oily all the time now and it's driving me crazy.

Micellar water leaves it feeling just as oily as when first started using it. Balm is too thick and same problem. Since the bar is not helping, I was thinking maybe powder or foaming. So I thought I'd ask you ladies here. What do you think? What would be the best?

I have three recipes I was thinking about. Thoughts and ideas? Or do you think something else would be better than any of these? Do you think I should add Niacinimide?

First recipe:
White kaolin clay
French green clay
Powdered goats milk
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Apricot Kernel powder
Apricot Kernel Oil
Vitamin E

Second Recipe: (because I'm not sure the goats milk and vit e would help or hinder)
White kaolin clay
French Green clay
1% apricot kernel powder
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Apricot kernel oil

Or try something totally different
Distilled water
vegetable glycerine
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
citric acid (USA / Canada)
EMulsifying wax NF
cocoa butter
coconut oil
cetyl alcohol
xanthan gum

 

[Nona'sFarm]

Hi Melissa G,
I will tell you my story - what works for me may or may not work for you.
1st and foremost I found out that cow's milk in the forms of liquid, yogurt, and ice cream is a major trigger of acne for me in my later years. (Sadly the dermatologist was no help and I discovered this accidentally on my own. She had me on antibiotics, some kind of hormone suppressant, and super acne-fighting face serum. Though this controlled the acne I didn't want to have to do this the rest of my life and any time I stopped using the drugs, my face bloomed with acne; until I gave up cow's milk.) Goat milk doesn't seem to cause the same issue, but I mainly use goat milk for making yogurt and use oatmilk in my coffee and tea, now.
I found the use of the following to help my skin as well:
1) washing my face with a 15% Neem soap
2) following with a toner for combination or oily skin. I make one for my use that is primarily witch hazel and cucumber water.
3) using a kaolin clay and activated charcoal mask 2-3 times a week. I found the mask was drying out my skin too much if I used it more than 3 times a week, but for really oily skin you could use it daily.
And a wonderful bonus for me when I made these changes was that my skin started looking better than it had for a very long time. Sadly, it does nothing for wrinkles, .

 

[MelissaG]

I adore ice cream and cheese so I really hope those aren't the problem.

Seriously, no one said acne would become a bigger problem around age 50 than it ever was when I was 16. lol. Since I haven't gotten many replies, I guess it's back to the drawing board.

 

[AliOop]

Out of the three suggestions, your first recipe would be best for my face, but I'd have to take out the apricot kernel oil. Because my pores clog very easily, I can only use oils with the absolutely lowest comedogenic rating, or the results are disastrous. As a result, I lean towards syndet cleansers without any oils or butters.

I've used straight PS-80 before, and it does work pretty well; I just don't like the smell. What about a mix of PS80 and CapB? That's assuming you want a liquid cleanser. If you want more of a bar, I like the suggested additions of the clays and the SCI.

 

[MelissaG]

Out of the three suggestions, your first recipe would be best for my face, but I'd have to take out the apricot kernel oil. Because my pores clog very easily, I can only use oils with the absolutely lowest comedogenic rating, or the results are disastrous. As a result, I lean towards syndet cleansers without any oils or butters.

I've used straight PS-80 before, and it does work pretty well; I just don't like the smell. What about a mix of PS80 and CapB? That's assuming you want a liquid cleanser. If you want more of a bar, I like the suggested additions of the clays and the SCI.

Thanks Alioop.

 

[MelissaG]

Out of the three suggestions, your first recipe would be best for my face, but I'd have to take out the apricot kernel oil. Because my pores clog very easily, I can only use oils with the absolutely lowest comedogenic rating, or the results are disastrous. As a result, I lean towards syndet cleansers without any oils or butters.

I've used straight PS-80 before, and it does work pretty well; I just don't like the smell. What about a mix of PS80 and CapB? That's assuming you want a liquid cleanser. If you want more of a bar, I like the suggested additions of the clays and the SCI.

So I've been thinking about it. Maybe SCI? Not sure that means I will need to balance ph or not. I do have ps80 and capb and I have sci. I also have rose hydrosol and cucumber extract that I haven't used. I have french green clay and white kaolin clay. If I use water, I will need to add a preservative (I have optiphen and phenonip).

For oils, I have jojoba and argan but I think argan would be rather thick for the face. Not sure I'd want to use any others. I don't have sweet almond at the moment since I replaced it in my soap with apricot kernel.

It is amazing how complicated this is. It's just for me. I may sell at some point but that's way in the future if ever. I don't mind if it's a bar or liquid though liquid is probably easier. And less messy to make but meh. I'm just tired of the acne. Aren't we supposed to be over that now? lol.

I've been doing research and some of these recipes are things I find questionable as in... how can they possibly clean the skin? Especially when it's basically just clay. It seems like it would clog the pours.

 

[AliOop]

I’ve used clays for facial masks but they are a bit too drying for me. They don’t clog my pores unless I mix them with oils; then I’m peeling AND breaking out. You are right, we (or at least I) and too old for this.

I currently use a Phisoderm dupe from Humblebee & Me’s website. It cleans very gently without drying or clogging my pores. It doesn’t foam at all really, so I’ve toyed with the idea of upping the surfactant a smidge on my next batch.

Anyway, for a hard bar, take look at H&Me’s website at some of her syndet shampoo bars. That would give you the ratios of hard/soft, powder/liquid, actives, etc. to create a hard cleansing bar. You could easily tweak the ingredients to suit your facial type.

 

[MelissaG]

I’ve used clays for facial masks but they are a bit too drying for me. They don’t clog my pores unless I mix them with oils; then I’m peeling AND breaking out. You are right, we (or at least I) and too old for this.

I currently use a Phisoderm dupe from Humblebee & Me’s website. It cleans very gently without drying or clogging my pores. It doesn’t foam at all really, so I’ve toyed with the idea of upping the surfactant a smidge on my next batch.

Anyway, for a hard bar, take look at H&Me’s website at some of her syndet shampoo bars. That would give you the ratios of hard/soft, powder/liquid, actives, etc. to create a hard cleansing bar. You could easily tweak the ingredients to suit your facial type.

Do you have the name of the dupe from Humblebee and Me?

 

[AliOop]

Here is the link, and I stand corrected; it is a Cetaphil dupe, not Phisoderm. Sorry about that!

EDIT: I only have regular xanthan gum, so that's what I used. It turned out just fine, and looks and feels just like Cetaphil to me.

 

[MelissaG]

Here is the link, and I stand corrected; it is a Cetaphil dupe, not Phisoderm. Sorry about that!

EDIT: I only have regular xanthan gum, so that's what I used. It turned out just fine, and looks and feels just like Cetaphil to me.

Thanks muchly. I'll take a look. Oh, I should ask, where did you get the lactic acid?

 

[AliOop]

I purchased it from Lotioncrafter. They sell 2oz of a 90% solution for $5.95. I had it on hand for something else I’d made.

If you’d rather not purchase anything, she does note that you can use a citric acid solution instead. However, the usage rate will be different; you’d have to pH test the product to add just enough CA to lower the pH to the desired target (which I believe she said was around 5.5 but double-check me on that).

 

[Shelley D]

Girl ~ I feel you! My face has always done its own thing, sometimes it seems not to care, other times it doesn't want anything to touch it Honestly, for the past few years, I've been using coconut oil with a dribble of olive oil plus a few drops of EOs (tea tree, frankincense, rose, lavender). I keep a small jar on the shelf in the bathroom ~ I just rub a very small amount (just enough to moisten the skin) all over my face and neck and massage it in for a minute, then use a hot washcloth and lay it over my face for a few seconds (feels so good), then gently wipe off the oil. Then I rinse the washcloth and wipe it again, usually three times and then do a cool washcloth over my face to finish. After that, while my face is damp, I apply my face oil: rosehip seed + ostrich oil with a few drops of lavender, rose, frankincense and myrrh EOs. I swear, this is the only thing my face has not objected to for a long period of time ~ and as long as I do this routine between showers, I can use my soaps in the shower and apply my face oil right after. Sometimes, less is more I was desperate there for a bit and only using water (hot, warm, cold) to wash my face, then tried using coconut oil but it too drying alone so I added the dribble of olive oil, then the EOs to help with various issues. It just kind of evolved and then I stopped when it felt right.
Good luck on your journey ~ I completely understand how frustrating it can be ~ especially when it's your face <<hugs>>

 

[MelissaG]

Girl ~ I feel you! My face has always done its own thing, sometimes it seems not to care, other times it doesn't want anything to touch it Honestly, for the past few years, I've been using coconut oil with a dribble of olive oil plus a few drops of EOs (tea tree, frankincense, rose, lavender). I keep a small jar on the shelf in the bathroom ~ I just rub a very small amount (just enough to moisten the skin) all over my face and neck and massage it in for a minute, then use a hot washcloth and lay it over my face for a few seconds (feels so good), then gently wipe off the oil. Then I rinse the washcloth and wipe it again, usually three times and then do a cool washcloth over my face to finish. After that, while my face is damp, I apply my face oil: rosehip seed + ostrich oil with a few drops of lavender, rose, frankincense and myrrh EOs. I swear, this is the only thing my face has not objected to for a long period of time ~ and as long as I do this routine between showers, I can use my soaps in the shower and apply my face oil right after. Sometimes, less is more I was desperate there for a bit and only using water (hot, warm, cold) to wash my face, then tried using coconut oil but it too drying alone so I added the dribble of olive oil, then the EOs to help with various issues. It just kind of evolved and then I stopped when it felt right.
Good luck on your journey ~ I completely understand how frustrating it can be ~ especially when it's your face <<hugs>>

I feel like my cheeks are forever itchy and that's where I usually get pimples too. My face has just become very unhappy. And it feels oily where I don't remember it ever being that way before. I'm already past that... time... if you know what I mean. I'm trying to find a way to deal with it that doesn't involve the insane prices I keep seeing to actually buy the product from some of these big companies. I'd rather choose what goes in it too.

I swear my face is having a joke at my expense.

I purchased it from Lotioncrafter. They sell 2oz of a 90% solution for $5.95. I had it on hand for something else I’d made.

If you’d rather not purchase anything, she does note that you can use a citric acid solution instead. However, the usage rate will be different; you’d have to pH test the product to add just enough CA to lower the pH to the desired target (which I believe she said was around 5.5 but double-check me on that).

I have citric acid but I don't have the testing strips so regardless I'd have to purchase something. I'll go take a look at Lotioncrafter. I've purchased from them before.

 

[Shelley D]

I feel like my cheeks are forever itchy and that's where I usually get pimples too. My face has just become very unhappy. And it feels oily where I don't remember it ever being that way before. I'm already past that... time... if you know what I mean. I'm trying to find a way to deal with it that doesn't involve the insane prices I keep seeing to actually buy the product from some of these big companies. I'd rather choose what goes in it too.

I swear my face is having a joke at my expense.

I know the frustration ~ when I first started researching simple and natural ways to clean my face, I came across the oil cleansing, which turned out well for me. Be kind to your skin

 

[CecileBC]

Hi Melissa ! Same problem here...
I was thinking of a powder-to-foam cleanser containing a starch rather than a clay, and/or maybe an oat or rice powder, SCI and a natural humectant ... Lots of maybes here, but as I am waiting to order some ingredients I haven't tried anything yet. I see a lot of very simple formulas so I guess some must work...
So far, at night I would start with a non comedogenic oil such as hazelnut oil that I rub on my face, then apply a warm washcloth to remove the oil, rince and apply again to remove the last oil that remains, and pat dry. It leaves my skin clean and soft. It works well but I would like to do without the oil altogether...
In your first recipe, is the addition of goats' milk meant as a humectant ?

 

[HippieDippie]

Normally, I use my own regular soap bars for my face. Well, they're fantastic for the rest of my body but my face has started to protest. I'm almost 50 and its just not cleaning my face the way it used to. It always feels oily and I have the appearance of pimples to prove it. I'm long over that period of life but my skin appears to have decided otherwise. Like it feels oily all the time now and it's driving me crazy.

Micellar water leaves it feeling just as oily as when first started using it. Balm is too thick and same problem. Since the bar is not helping, I was thinking maybe powder or foaming. So I thought I'd ask you ladies here. What do you think? What would be the best?

I have three recipes I was thinking about. Thoughts and ideas? Or do you think something else would be better than any of these? Do you think I should add Niacinimide?

First recipe:
White kaolin clay
French green clay
Powdered goats milk
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Apricot Kernel powder
Apricot Kernel Oil
Vitamin E

Second Recipe: (because I'm not sure the goats milk and vit e would help or hinder)
White kaolin clay
French Green clay
1% apricot kernel powder
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Apricot kernel oil

Or try something totally different
Distilled water
vegetable glycerine
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
citric acid (USA / Canada)
EMulsifying wax NF
cocoa butter
coconut oil
cetyl alcohol
xanthan gum

When you create a formulation there is checklist you go through to determine how likely it is to irritate skin. When I use your formulations and go through this checklist, each formulation has an increased risk score of 3 or 4 and a reduced risk score of only 1 (or 2) so if you have sensitive skin suddenly I would do a few things:

1. Put in an aloe or chamomile water.
2. Use only synthetic lipids which are less comedogenic generally (peg-lipids).
3. Definitely use an amphoteric surfactant.
4. Use it only once a day.

What other products do you use on your skin and what do the contain?

 

[MelissaG]

When you create a formulation there is checklist you go through to determine how likely it is to irritate skin. When I use your formulations and go through this checklist, each formulation has an increased risk score of 3 or 4 and a reduced risk score of only 1 (or 2) so if you have sensitive skin suddenly I would do a few things:

1. Put in an aloe or chamomile water.
2. Use only synthetic lipids which are less comedogenic generally (peg-lipids).
3. Definitely use an amphoteric surfactant.
4. Use it only once a day.

What other products do you use on your skin and what do the contain?

I don't use any other products on my skin. I've never needed it before. Although those crows feet are showing. I haven't been worrying much about wrinkles and the like since my family all has a thing where our skin looks younger than we are.

Whats really bothering me is the pimples showing up. Sometimes they can even be painful. It's just that time of life.

I will likely use sci or coco betaine. I'm going to give ali's suggestion a try and see how it goes. Looks like it's time for experimentation.

 

[MelissaG]

Hi Melissa ! Same problem here...
I was thinking of a powder-to-foam cleanser containing a starch rather than a clay, and/or maybe an oat or rice powder, SCI and a natural humectant ... Lots of maybes here, but as I am waiting to order some ingredients I haven't tried anything yet. I see a lot of very simple formulas so I guess some must work...
So far, at night I would start with a non comedogenic oil such as hazelnut oil that I rub on my face, then apply a warm washcloth to remove the oil, rince and apply again to remove the last oil that remains, and pat dry. It leaves my skin clean and soft. It works well but I would like to do without the oil altogether...
In your first recipe, is the addition of goats' milk meant as a humectant ?

I had considered that as well. Though I was considering clay.

I don't put oil on my skin, it's oily enough already and I don't like things on my skin. Hence why my skin being oily already is driving me up the wall. I don't even wear makeup unless I'm going to a special event. Not sure how people can stand wearing makeup all day every day.

Have you tried jojoba? It's the closest oil to our skin.

I love goats milk. Kind of curious if any kind of milk would have the same effect.

 

[lenarenee]

I know you want to make your own product, and I don't know if you can buy zinc pyrithione, but it could be helpful for you. (some people buy the generic Head n Shoulders shampoo for their acne). It's proven to be anti-bactial, anti-inflammatory, reduces acne, and also reduces sebum production. Calamine lotion mixed with a bit of witch hazel, splash of rubbing alcohol, ( make it as thin as milk) to dab on spots with a Q-tip helps dry them out faster, but doesn't prevent new ones. (we used to make bottles of it in the pharmacy). A nice over the counter retinoid cream can be helpful for this type of acne.

 

[MelissaG]

I know you want to make your own product, and I don't know if you can buy zinc pyrithione, but it could be helpful for you. (some people buy the generic Head n Shoulders shampoo for their acne). It's proven to be anti-bactial, anti-inflammatory, reduces acne, and also reduces sebum production. Calamine lotion mixed with a bit of witch hazel, splash of rubbing alcohol, ( make it as thin as milk) to dab on spots with a Q-tip helps dry them out faster, but doesn't prevent new ones. (we used to make bottles of it in the pharmacy). A nice over the counter retinoid cream can be helpful for this type of acne.

I've looked into it before. I could only find one place that sells zinc pyrithione. It's considered medicinal so there are lots of rules for it even in the US. I actually want some pretty bad for my own personal soap. At a concentration of 2% (you can't get that level of concentration without prescription in the US), it would greatly help with a skin condition I have called tinnea versicolor. It's non transmittable but I've had it since I was a child and there's no way to get rid of it. But the medical grade stuff will at least make it disappear for a while even though it will always come back. Zinc Pyrithione is, not surprisingly, not cheap. I used to get the selsun blue 2% in Canada off the shelf but can't get that here in the US, the highest anything goes is 1% over the counter.

I really would rather use my own stuff. I used to itch like mad all the time. I've had to go to sensitive skin everything including laundry soap. My stuff is the only thing that doesn't make me itch non stop. Well, except for right now because I've been eaten alive by mosquitos this year and it's only June. I'm to the point that I don't even want to open my front door for fear I'll let them inside the house even during daytime. They're really really bad this year.

I've tried to find a retinoid cream for a while but they're either really expensive or have terrible reviews. I used to buy from the brand The Ordinary for treating pimples and the like. They were incredible. And their price was great. Then covid hit, they changed their recipes and their reviews have all crashed and burned.