Looking for a gentle facial scrub... (sorry - long story)

[SpaceGirl]

Hi everyone! I'm hoping that you B&B smart people can help me out. I'm looking for a very gentle facial scrub / exfoliator that is suitable for sensitive (aka tempermental) skin. Either a recipe or a finished product would be very much appreciated.

Here's the story.... I have the above-mentioned tempermental skin. It SUCKS! I may have left me teenage year behind, but the skin came with me. I have naturally oily skin that clogs if you so much as look at it wrong and nothing that I have tried is the complete solution! The closest that I have come so far is thecandlespastore's wonderful black soap -- it at least doesn't make it worse and it feels better.... so I'm on a mission to try and convert my facial products to handmade for awhile and see if that helps. I have this notion that maybe handmade products might not have as much "stuff" (extra stuff) in them, hence reduce the likelihood of my face reacting badly.

I have tried the stuff that really dries out my face (no pimples possible when your face is the Sahara) but then it flakes and peels and leads to clogging anyways. I've tried every type of moisturizer I could find (within reason) and all I get is an oil slick. PLEASE HELP ME find something better! Now that I think I have a good cleanser I need an exfoliant or else my pores will clog right back up again! :rolleyes2 I've been searching around a little and will continue to do so, but I'm desperate so I'm asking for help also.

Any suggestions on products, recipes, or ingrediants to avoid would be awesome! I've already been converted over to CP soaps and the wonderful body butters that you do, so now I'm really hoping someone has another magic bullet they can share with me. (and just as a warning -- the companion question is suggestions for good moisturizers as well -- one light and one heavier -- I can't use just one living in Colorado)

Thanks so much in advance!

SG

[Michi]

I just read somewhere (sorry I suffer from CRS) that people with more sensitive skin/prone to breakouts should tread lightly if at all, with facial scrubs.

I do believe though, that by using handmade products you may find that it helps as they don't contain all those synthetics that the big boys use. (like you've already stated ).

Have you tried doing a google search?

[SpaceGirl]

Yep I've hit google... and boy does that get confusing :rolleyes2 Everything that is "supposed" to work doesn't really... which leaves me to explore the stuff that shouldn't work. In general I don't use facial scrubs for the very reason you stated -- that tends to aggravate sensitive skin. But I still have to get rid of the (very stubborn) dead skin on my face. Sigh..... and I'm soooo tired of OTC treatments and chemicals. I'd really like to go au natural and see what my skin is really like under all that.

I haven't yet found a good natural product system (I say tnatural knowing some people will cringe) -- I think because those aren't readily accepted. Every place I've hit so far wants to sell a kit or medications and that's not what I'm looking for.....

[blazerina]

Ok- here is some stuff that has helped me. I've always been an oil slick with bubbles (pimples) myself.

I learned that my problem is mostly sensitive skin. But not just in regards to what products I use- this is the stuff most people don't think about.....stuff that has helped me so much. I follow all of the below:

As mentioned by Michi- you really should NOT scrub. It can react to the friction and loss of oils by OVER-REACTING and producing more oils to lubricate and replenish/heal. Your facial skin wants to be balanced. This is why you can be oily and still need a moisturizer.

Don't wash your face with a washrag. I do it in the shower when at all possible. And if you do, use a white wash rag, (dyes in the colored washrags can cause breakouts for some) and use the oldest one you have. DON'T SCRUB- and you might even check into switching to Free & Clear type laundry soap. Put the product on, take the product off- PAT dry. Don't rub. Don't scrub, lol. JUST DON'T DO IT, lol.

Pillow cases should be changed more frequently and again... dye and perfume free laundry soaps. Your face is ON these things for 8 hours- if you are lucky, lol. A weekly mask with a clay product (and no scrubbies) can work wonders.

Skin care is my job- but it matters to me that desperate people find solutions- i've been there yanno? :awww: So yes- I sell a product. I won't tell you what product if you haven't figured it out by my past posts, lol. I try really hard to NOT be 'one of those people'. I dread it in fact-but its hard because its an issue near and dear to me. You can pm if you are interested. I'm one of those people who needs to know a lot about what im talking about if i'm going to try to convince them they should try it. So I research and I use it myself. I especially enjoy teaching it to young girls who really need to know it matters and they CAN (barring any medical reason) improve their acne. I at least wish they would try those things I mentioned and do it seriously enough for long enough to allow a difference to happen. And I really don't beleive it's ALL in the product. But I do beleive in specific formulas to solve specific issues. And that is what I have found and use- and I only wish to share a solution. But a lot can be helped just by remembering that your facial skin is very reactive and it just wants balance and gentle treatment. Maybe this is not the specific problem you have- but i'm guessing more people have this kind of skin than they know- I certainly do.

p.s. I wonder if you could make a clay mask with tea tree oil. I think that sounds like a great kind of recipie for your purpose. I've seen a few other EO's that would be good in it to- I think anything 'anti bacterial' would be beneficial in either a mask AND or a moisturizer. And stay away from anything scented as much as possible.

[SpaceGirl]

p.s. I wonder if you could make a clay mask with tea tree oil. I think that sounds like a great kind of recipie for your purpose. I've seen a few other EO's that would be good in it to- I think anything 'anti bacterial' would be beneficial in either a mask AND or a moisturizer. And stay away from anything scented as much as possible.

blazerina - thanks so much for the reply! I will be PM'ing you as soon as I post this - because I do want to know more!!!!

I'm very interested in the EO possibilities -- but I've used tea tree oil in the past (with no scrubbies ) and it hasn't helped. That's the part that frustrates me. I don't use a washcloth (fingers are my friend - LOL!) and I stopped using apricot scrubs and the like years ago once I learned that they just aggravate things.

Anyone else out there as frustrated as me (and now you)?!? (I feel so alone... )

[Crystala25]

My skin used to be pretty bad, I just have to watch what I use because everything irritates and dries out my face as well. I use a complicated skincare routine, but it has been working. Every other day I use a creamy face wash (not oily of course) then I use a light/gentle scrubby rice face wash the other days. Then for moisturizer I use a tea tree oil free moisturizer on my t-zone and a light vitamin e lotion on my cheeks and only once a week do I alternate the vitamin e on my-t-zone and tea tree oil on my cheeks. For some reason my face as taken good to this. Also I can't use any creamy commercial brand foundations or the clear skin is over for me. Oh, and I'm probably the only person in the world that does this, but I cannot for the life of me wash my face before I go to bed. I have to wash it in the morning in the shower because if I wash it before bed I break out the next morning. My skin is just crazy like that.

[stacien]

As a matter of fact you can use microdermabrasion to your face. Which is equivalent to a sugar scrub. You just shouldn't do it everyday. You still need to exfoliate the dead skin off of your face which can clog your poors. Yes it will irritate your skin but if you top it off with a light moisturizer with a glycerin base in it, it will calm it down and not overactivate the glands. If you are over prone to breaking out then limit it to once a week for scrubbing and emphasize that to customers. If you are oily make it every two or three days. Yes you still need moisturizers for oily skin but non-comedogenic moisturizers. I believe on www.soaperschoice.com/ it does have a reference list of what oils for soap and cleansers are poor clogging. You have to be just as cautious with clays and Tea Trea oil too because they are just as drying. These are great but those literally should be used once a week because Tea tree oil and peppermint can literally burn your skin.

Make sure you thoroughly research EO's because you can do some harm to your skin if the concentration is not right. There are a lot of sites that give you imformation on skincare naturally. I have worked with skin care for a long time and I can honestly say sometimes the home remedies are the best ones.

Look up www.makeyourowncosmetics.com/ they show some great things. If you are just looking for a product then look up Miessence products or www.onegroup.com/. It will pop up a product like Arbonne or MaryKay. But it is all natural and organic and it is better just find a vendor that sells it. I cannot say enough good things about them and I use there formulation for oily skin. I am finding a way I can make my own version with the same ingredients. I do not sell this stuff because I am not a multi level marketing kind of gal but this product comes from Australia and they take their skincare a little more serious than us Americans do. Most of our organic and EO's come from down under.

[Carriegsxr6]

Rose Clay is great to use for sensitive skin.

[Grumpy Girl]

I've been using MK's classic formula cleanser system without a hitch. Seems to do the trick and I haven't had a rosacea break out since sometime in August. I've got a tube of Metrogel that my doctor prescribed... not sure about it yet.

CDGM makes a really nice baking soda scrub you could try. Occasionally I do like to use this. It rocks.

I will NOT use soap on my face of any kind.

[CandleFreak]

I have to second CDGM's scrub - it is awesome!!!! Hubby and I use it at least 3 times a week. At 30, I have acne prone skin similar to a teenagers....and the tendency to get very oily! Since using her scrub the breakouts have almost disappeared (the exceptions are when Aunt Flo is around and times of severe stress - but nothing helps then!)

I also switched over to mineral makeup shortly after using CDGM's scrub and it really helped with my complexion as well!

Moisterizing even with oily skin is a MUST!

[Carrie]

You might want to read thru this thread

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1215&highlight=%22oil+cleansing%22

Very good info on the "Oil Cleansing Method". Many have tried it, RobinInOr does a good job of explaining it.

[SpaceGirl]

You guys (or gals in this case) totally rock! I knew I'd get some good answers / advice from you

Thanks so much for the recipes and the other thread... this is exactly what I wanted / needed in terms of suggestions, what has worked for other people and product recommendations!

[Tall Blonde]

I have the same kind of skin. I make up a sugar scrub with a lot of honey (antibacterial) some oil (grapeseed, or orange infused olive oil) and some liquid soap (with tea tree) so that the oil doesn't stay on my face. I actually use it almost every day. If I go for too long without the scrub, I just get all bumpy and rough and icky. It was really helpful with the winter rash I had on my arms. Using the scrub and then castile soap got rid of my winter itchies. I also use either witch hazel or rose water as a toner.

The weirdest thing though, is that my skin gets oilier at work than it does at home. What's up with that?

[CDGM]

Just seeing this thread... ty GG and candlefreak!