Update on Water Washing - ONE WEEK LATER! c:

Hi again!

It's been about a week since I posted about washing my face with only water - I actually made a mistake last Wednesday and washed with soap (it was early and I was a bit out of it), so I started over to round out a full week.

I ended up just not using Cetaphil, cleansers etc at all, though I did have to use a bit of oilfree moisturizer in the mornings due to dry winter air.

I managed to follow through to Monday but then I had to wash with Cetaphil.  My skin's somewhat oily during the warm months but for some reason it got pretty oily about 4 days into it.  I actually didn't notice much of a change in terms of acne, though my skin did get very soft and smooth on my cheeks/areas without acne.  The main problem was the pores on and around my nose began to get pretty clogged. :c

So far I've been washing with water in the morning, and then diluted Cetaphil at nights - my skin's still getting the benefit of being pretty soft from the natural oils, without getting any cloggier.  My acne -very- slightly improved, but barely at all...and I actually got 2 very tiny new pimples so I don't think this method works for me. :c
BUT for those who want to try it - I would say it's probably better to wash lightly at night.  There's also the danger that the dirt that accumulates naturally on your face during the day will combine with the built-up natural oils, and cause acne.  (Which is what probably happened to me since I didn't wash at night for a while.)

I would recommend trying this if you already have relatively well-balanced skin.  Personally I would use an oilfree moisturizer anyway, since unless your skin is extremely oily you'll still probably feel a bit dry/tight (especially during winter conditions when the cold air is very drying).  And if you have extremely oily/blackhead or clogged-pore prone skin, it's probably best to switch to a non-harsh cleanser like Cetaphil once a day, rather than washing with only water.

TIP:  If you feel like you want to ease up your face-washing routine but don't want to completely skip the cleanser, it might help to try washing only ONCE a day with a gentle soap-free cleanser.  Using a cleanser at night before bed should rid you of any dirt or dust that accumulated there during the day.  In the morning your face is honestly still clean from last night - so splash a bit of lukewarm water to freshen up and you're ready to go!

♟Summer '12 face care routine

I've been using this setup for about 5 months, and I very very rarely have breakouts anymore.  I had medium acne on my forehead but that cleared right up!  

It depends on your skin though.  Mine is normal/slightly dry (esp in the heat), so this may be a good setup for general better for mildly-dry skin.  Also I never use foundations, just powder and only maybe twice a year for special things, so I don't have issues with makeup-clogged pores.  

( not the best photo, but that's my skin atm - it's pretty even and there's no obvious spotty bits c: )

MORNING

 Kracie Naive Rose Face Cleanser

* deep cleans and helps even out your complexion
*removes makeup extremely well

* effective, but leaves your face with a squeaky feeling -
not recommended for drier skin

* easily found at asian markets (esp Japanese/Korean/Chinese markets) -

this lasts EXTREMELY long for one bottle, it only takes a pea-size dab to lather

+

Boots Organics: Skin Brightening Toner

* removes cleanser residue and evens complexion - I rinse it off with water but you can leave it on 

* very gentle and supereffective for evening skin tone / pore minimizing 

(I don't have to mix it with water because it's mild), softens skin and removes
the squeaky feeling from the Rose cleanser

* you can get this at Target, or order it online

+++

EVENING

Jason Organic Hand Soap (Lavender)

* really softening and just moisturizing enough, cleans your face nicely without being harsh

* YMMV warning - I tried this one day just to see what would happen and it worked, 

though I thought it might have the opposite effect given that it's a hand soap

* you can find this at the grocery in the organic bath supplies section

 + 

So Totally Clean Deep Pore Cleanser (Original Formula) 

* smoothed out my complexion and minimized pores

* wash with cold water after using for best results

* pretty strong (and strong smelling) - I only ever need a very small amount, 

and I wet the pad before swiping it on my face

* I bought this on the military base exchange, but I'm sure it's likely at Sephora / other beauty shops 

+++

MOISTURIZER

 

Nivea Smooth Sensation Lotion

* very moisturizing and smoothing

* I think THIS is why my skin has been so good for a while, 

it removed all dry spots and made my skin soft and glowy 

(on both my body and face, 2X a day morning & night)

* YMMV warning - I use this for a bodylotion, AND as a night cream. 

I wouldn't recommend this if you have skin that's at all oily.

* easily available in any grocery store, it's pretty inexpensive at Walmart & such

+++

n o t e s

• Less is usually more when it comes to using washes and toners on your face.  Too much will make your skin quite unhappy, usually in the direction of too dry.  
• MAKE SURE YOU RINSE EVERYTHING OFF.  Very very few toners are actually gentle enough to leave on, as the majority contain ALCOHOL which is excessively drying in the long run (no wrinkles pls).  You want to reduce the amount of wash residue on your face as much as you can.    
• Changes in season can really mess up your skin, so adjust what you use as you see fit (ex. dry winter = more moisturizing, hot summer = less oily products ).
• Keep track of what you use so you can remember what works and what doesn't - this is very important in the case of allergies/bad reactions.
• Personally, any sunblock/sunscreen (especially of the spray variety) wrecks the skin on my face, though the rest of my skin's ok with it.  If you're the same, it's safest to stick with a moisturizer that has SPF in it.  Neutrogena makes a good one for sensitive skin, with 15SPF - it lasts pretty long for the bottle, so it's worth the cost.  I've used this before and it doesn't have such a bad effect, but it still doesn't agree with me so I only use it when I plan on going in the sun for long periods of time.
• For the ladies: you may like to keep track of your monthly cycle, because most of us get breakouts a few days to a week before IT hits.  Your face produces more oil in response to the hormone changes, hence breakout - you can mostly reduce/counter the effect if you know about the time it'll happen.