Scrub a dub dub?

I admit it, I am a recovering face scrub addict. How easy is it to say, "I'll just try it once," when some of those face scrub commercials make washing your face look so wonderfully refreshing? I am convinced that Clean and Clear Morning Burst commercials could make even the most non-morning person want to get up at 5 am and have a blast washing their face. The girls have beautiful skin, there is water splashing everywhere, sun is shining through their windows and you can practically smell the rejuvenating orange scents.

I am not sure what it was that ever made me determine that my skin needed facial scrubs or exfoliation beads (it was probably the great commercials), but ever since I can remember having any sort of skin care routine, it included some sort of facial scrub. I honestly feel like I've tried every brand on the market from St. Ives apricot scrub to Clean and Clear to Neutrogena. I have not been bias toward any particular type of scrub, I've used harsher grainy scrubs to the gentle exfoliating beads.

The best thing I ever did for my skin, though? I STOPPED SCRUBBING! I've never had really problem skin, besides the occassional pimple my skin is typically clear. What I have come to realize about my skin is that it is a bit more sensitive than I thought and I noticed that scrubs and over exfoliating were actually making my skin look worse rather than more radiant. The first step away from scrubs I made was when I decided to try L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser, I got the one for sensitive skin. It comes with a little silicone scrubber that pops right in and out of the actual bottle itself. I liked that because I still felt like I was getting a "deeper" clean with the scrubber but the actual product was a cream cleanser. This was when I noticed my skin really responded to this type of cleanser rather than a scrubbing cleanser. I haven't used this product in over a year as I decided to go with what has become my holy grail cleanser, classic Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.

cetaphil.com

Cetaphil is recommended by a lot of dermatologists because it is gentle, doesn't contain any fragrance and is non-comedogenic. The cleanser doesn't dry out my skin or strip it of it's natural oils. When my skin is over dried it produces more oils to compensate and my skin ends up breaking out more or looking more red than usual. I have learned that if I don't need to exfoliate every day and if I don't need to use a scrub with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in it then I shouldn't. Prevention isn't always best in my case. I don't think I will ever use another cleanser besides Cetaphil, I have gone through so many bottles of this. I have also used the generic brands of this from both Wal-Mart and CVS and they both were equally as good as the Cetaphil itself.

The next thing I did for my skin was learn to moisturize regularly. I was always afraid that moisturizing would cause me to break out. Well, I was wrong. I started using Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 15 for sensitive skin every day after I wash my face at night and before I put on my make up in the morning. I like that it has SPF so I don't need to put on sunscreen (because I often forget to do that) and it hasn't made me break out ever.



olay.com

 

Lastly, as removing my make up every night is so important (and it isn't a secret that I love waterproof mascara and liquid liner), I use Almay Moisturizing Liquid Makeup Remover. I like this particular remover because it is hypoallergenic and it doesn't irritate my eyes. It comes in an oil free formula as well but I like the moisturizing one instead for waterproof makeup, it really breaks up the make up on my eyes and takes it off without me having to rub at my eyes (who wants premature crows feet?) and it doesn't leave traces of mascara flakes all over my eyes. I've tried quite a few eye make up removers and I've hated a lot of them. Some other ones I have liked, however, are the one from Neutrogena that is blue that you have to shake up and Maybelline Expert Eyes moisturizing remover. If you like to wear waterproof ANYTHING on your eyes, though, I'm telling you, give the Almay remover a try. It works wonders for me. Here is a trick, though, if you are in a pinch for some remover for your eyes try baby oil if you have it around. My aunt swears by it and it really does take off all waterproof make up.

I have come to realize that for my skin, less is more. I wear a lot of make up on a daily basis and I still don't need an aggressive or medicated face wash to cleanse my skin. I have also realized that moisturizer is my friend and I don't feel the need to exfoliate as much when my skin is not so dry from over scrubbing.