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I started to ask this in a different forum but thought the ladies here might have more experience and input on this.
Ok, so one of my daughters is entering puberty (she’s already started having her period) and last night she got an ugly pimple. This morning she was freaking out about it, and I stopped by the drug store and bought some concealant to hide it, so:
- Do these concealants aggravate the acne?
- If there are quality brands, what are some you recommend”
- If you have some other cosmetic tips to help this, please let me know
I know, I know. The best thing to do is to get to the root cause of this (and I am certainly open to suggestions there, too) but I would also like some cosmetic suggestions. She’s my Princess, and I don’t want her being overly self-conscious and sensitive because of pimples. So any help would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, they can clog pores, but using concealer just on the pimple is not that big a deal. Using thick foundation all over would be much worse. Using a spot treatment under the concealer (like a tea tree oil-based treatment) would be helpful.
My recommendation is go as natural as possible, and get onto a good natural regimen early on (gentle wash, alcohol-free toner and moisturizer/serum/oil). Stay away from harsh products and prescriptions that just make matters worse in the long run. I really wish I never went to the derm as a teen, it just screwed my skin up more. No harsh soaps that strip the face. Creamy products and oils are ironically much better in balancing out the skin. Spot treatments of tea tree oil (diluted, not pure) and things like that are great for acne. Stay far away from all acids (like glycolic acid and fruit enzymes) – while they appear to help short-term, they thin and weaken the skin and it will become overly sensitive and prone to issues.
Some good brands, while a bit pricey, are Evan Healy, Yuli, RMS. Mountain Rose Herbs has some cheaper products that are still good. If she wants to go to the normal drug store, just a regular cold cream like cereve or ponds or the creamy cetaphil (not the gel) the like is much better than the harsh acne products. Benzyl peroxide straight on a pimple is probably not the devil or anything, but a more natural and gentle treatment will be better for the skin.
Hormones can wreak havoc and there is no getting around that, but a good diet and proper sleep and stress control will help, and with all of that the right skin care should help. Overall, the less harsh stuff she does and the more kindly she treats her skin and whole body,m the better it will come out in the end (kind of like diets!)
Amy gave some great suggestions. Definitely do not try the harsh products (such as AcneFree Severe)…they’re extremely drying and aggravating. I struggled with acne for years, and honestly the best thing I’ve done for my skin is just rinse it with water and a little oil to get the eye makeup off. Concealer shouldn’t necessarily cause acne as long as she washes it off before bed.
At her age its hard to avoid the hormones. I was a very healthy teenager that happened to have acne. I think some people just have to grow out of it. Also, try not to let her stress about it. The more I stressed about my skin, the worse it got. I know easier said than done, especially in a teenager’s world.
PS- its adorable that you’re concerned. My dad’s awesome, but I can’t picture him worried about my concealer :)
Thanks Amy and @StephanieMichelle for the great advice! What do you think about applying clay masks to the face for acne?
Yes, definitely. A clay mask once or twice a week is fantastic (best to gently steam the face first to open the pores). It clears out the pores without weakening or damaging the skin. At first it can cause some breakouts as it pulls everything to the surface, but if she uses it regularly, the pores will clear and after a few times it won’t cause breakouts anymore. Pure dry clay can be bought pretty cheaply from Mountain Rose Herbs and some other places (and it’s best to use fairly pure stuff, not stuff with a million added ingredients and preservatives). There are different types. Green clay is the most purifying, but if she has sensitive skin it may be too much. The are gentler types in that instance, like kaolin or others.
Thanks. She eats a pretty good diet, so that’s ok. I am going to get her started with the clay masks. I’ll probably still let her occasionally use a concealant to school when she really needs it. Will also apply the other ideas, like avoiding harsh products, etc.
Thomas, one thing I forgot to say was, she can also add a pinch of clay to her gentle facewash each night to boost its cleansing power in a very effective way which is also still gentle on the skin.
Hi Thomas, check out http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/acne/ Paula is honest and will only sell helpful products. I am 46 and have known about her work for over 25 years. She only started making her own in the last decade or so, plus she is the only person who recommends other company products. Trust me, I have personally suffered with acne my entire adult life and I still do. I have an cosmetic background so I have been around and truthfully know a lot. Just sayin ;>) Get your daughters to educate themselves. I also have a fourteen year old daughter, and 17 year old son. My son is currently on accutane. He has severe acne. With acne there is no cure, just control. Please check out that site, many products only irritate the skin and make acne worse. Her acne line is unbeatable and far superior than anything out there. Plus I have to have it shipped to Canada, I am a faithful customer, and her return policy and customer service are unbeatable. Best of luck with your girls.
Hi Thomas, check out http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/acne/ Paula is honest and will only sell helpful products. I am 46 and have known about her work for over 25 years. She only started making her own in the last decade or so, plus she is the only person who recommends other company products. Trust me, I have personally suffered with acne my entire adult life and I still do. I have a cosmetic background so I have been around and truthfully know a lot. Just sayin ;>) Get your daughters to educate themselves. I also have a fourteen year old daughter, and 17 year old son. My son is currently on accutane. He has severe acne. With acne there is no cure, just control. Please check out that site, many products only irritate the skin and make acne worse. Her acne line is unbeatable and far superior than anything out there. Plus I have to have it shipped to Canada, I am a faithful customer, and her return policy and customer service are unbeatable. Best of luck with your girls.
I am not a fan of Paula’s for several reasons. The fact that she recommends things like BHA (beta-hydroxy acids) is troubling, for example, as you can ruin your skin with stuff like that (I have first-hand experience with this). It helps short-term, but the longterm results will be worse. Your daughter does not want to battle acne as a teen only to end up with rosacea in her 20s. Not worth it.
There are many better things out there than accutane. One huge problem with it is, it doesn’t work longterm for a lot of people. They go through all the horrible side effects, and then after coming off the acne comes bad.
@bigbird and Amy, thank you both for your opinions. Even though you differ on the one point, I know that you are both sincerely trying to help me out here, and I really appreciate it!
Amy, I 100% disagree with you. Sorry but I have much more personal and professional experience than yourself. I have used and use both. Accutane is very helpful to many, read the science behind it, not the fear tactics. Not for everyone, but some really need it. Regarding BHA, guess what aspirin is?? Do some research yourself. Sorry but the natural way is not the cure all. Thomas do yourself and your girls a favour and educate yourselves. The natural fanatics out their really frustrate me, some people need medications. In my opinion BHA is amazing and is very helpful in the treatment of rosacea. Paula is an amazing honest person and stands behind her products 100%.
I think if it’s just one pimple right now, don’t do too much. Get concealer to help her confidence, and then get a spot treatment product so when the odd pimple or two arises, she can use something just on those spots. I think benzoyl peroxide is good for spot treatment, but if you want to go with something more natural, that’s cool too.
But I wouldn’t start in on changing up her whole facial regimen if she’s only got one pimple. If her skin isn’t too greasy, you might want to suggest she wash her face just once a day at night with a mild soap and pat dry. She probably doesn’t need anything else, unless her skin is really dry, and then maybe add a mild lotion or try coconut oil.
I used to use a lot of drying products- the peeling, rashy skin is much harder to cover than a pimple or two. So my two cents is I wouldn’t do anything major or even try to detox too much with clay masks, etc, until she has a problem all over her face.Bigbird, how do you know what my personal and professional experience are? How condescending.
If you look at what I said to Thomas, it is about being gentle a lot more than being natural. Women today are experiencing sensitivities and rosacea in record numbers thanks in large part to harsh products with acids. It’s not just an artificial thing, natural fruit acids are very rough on the skin. A lot of people with rosacea cannot take BHA. I know how my own skin reacts, too; it just destroys my skin. Granted, AHA (something Paula also recommends for people) is much worse. I think possibly the main problem with a lot of these products is that they make skin much more susceptible to UV damage.
If you are comfortable with accutane, fine, but here’s a link to WebMD’s list of accutane side effects. The common side effects are pretty alarming, nevermind the rare side effects. That is not fear, that is science. http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-6661-Accutane+Oral.aspx?drugid=6661&drugname=Accutane+Oral&pagenumber=6
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