So frustrated - please help me with my cleanser!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:15 am

I cannot seem to get this one thing right!
Vitamin C has made a world of difference, and my skin feels healthy and more resilient. I am using jojoba with tea tree as a moisturizer at night, and my skin is loving it. I found my HG sunscreen - clarins UV plus (thanks manslayer liz!) I finally found an eye cream that doesn't irritate my eyes - PSF cranberry eyelift.
But the cleanser part - still no luck.
I have tried dermalogica ultra calming cleanser, B. kamins vegetable cleanser, neostrata cleanser, and most lately PSF green tea cleanser(OK, looking at this list, it doesn't look like so many Very Happy

, but it feels like I have tried everything Very Happy

)
My skin is really sensitive, and I have rosacea, so I cannot use traditional exfoliators. So my problem is that I need something really gentle, but also something really effective. I didn't like Dr. H CC.
Some of my ideas are yonka gel cleanser and toner for normal dry skin - my concern with this is that it might contain too many ingredients and irritate
pevonia RS2 cleanser and toner - but I don't know if this is an effective cleanser, or just super mild
decleor - either the cleansing oil or the cleansing milk and the toning lotion - I've never used an oil cleanser, so I am nervous about this one, and I am unsure if the milk will be effective
maybe kosmea?
and finally, cellcosmet gel - not sure I want to lay out this much for a cleanser, but I think it is a really important step in my routine, so if you all think it is the best bet, I will give it a whirl
Please offer your thoughts on these choices, or feel free to make new ones. I need some direction badly!
thanks

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:09 am

My skin isn't sensitive, but it does tend to be rather dry. I used to use the Decleor Cleansing Milk and found it very gentle, leaving my skin feeling soft, comfortable and not at all tight afterwards. The Toner also worked very well for me.

Sorry that I can't help with the other ones you're considering as I have no experience with them.

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:04 am

Eliza, I could help you out with short reviews to the Kosmea cleansers.
I'm rather on the creamy side in usual, i don't like foaming cleansers, because they mostly "strip" my skin and it feels rough & dry afterwards. I've used the Eve Lom cleanser for few years now, which was very good, so nothing else has a light task now, and the cleansers from Kosmea won't be repurchased. (I'm a cleanser "junkie", searching the HG cleanser...)
Back to Kosmea cleansers - they're two:
the cream : it's not sooo bad. basically the best thing is that my skin is not dry after using it. Though the pores are not cleaned really well, and it leaves a bit of a film.
the foaming one : it makes a really rich lather, you feel fresh and cleaned afterwards, with no film on the skin, it's not overdrying either but i'm not sure whether sensitive skin could cope with it.
I quite like the Cowshead cleanser (if you're from the UK) and next I'm going to give a go the Spiezia cleansing balm.

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:49 am

elizasue I currently use the Cellcosmet Purifying Gel and my sensitive skin tolerates this very well. It does not irritate at all!! I use this as my evening cleanser and use a cleasning oil beforehand. I know some of our members will disagree with me on this but I don't feel that the Cellcosmet does a good enough job of removing makeup and waterproof sunscreens. I have combination skin that tends to get dehydrated and I find that the Cellcosmet does not overdry my skin. I know it is expensive but a little goes a long way.

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:56 am

What about cetaphil clenser? I haven't used it but am thinking about it. There was a review that it's as good, if not better than the cellcosmet.

I use Dr. H cream clenser (milk) and it does a good job at removing my make-up (or what is left of it) at night.

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 1:14 pm

Thanks for all your input
agent 00 cat - I have used cetaphil, and it irritates my skin Crying or Very sad

- so I guess kosmea maybe isn't the answer - perhaps I should try eve lom?
TheresaL - in my opinion, if you have to pay 80 some dollars for a cleanser, it better do everything, including taking off your makeup! Very Happy

I guess I will skip that one as well.
majorb - did you find the decleor was effective at removing dirt and sunscreen? I don't wear makeup, so that isn't an issue, but I do live in a hot, humid climate and wear sunscreen daily, so I need an effective cleanser.
Thanks Very Happy

Thu Sep 21, 2006 2:16 pm

Maybe you should try Skincueticals gentle cleanser. I have a friend who has been using it and she is sensitve to everything, and it's not expensive! Wink

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 2:57 pm

ahhh the search for the elusive HG cleanser! Trust me, I know just how you are feeling! A gentle face wash that I enjoy is the Skin Milk Face Wash. This one is a cheapie that you can get from drugstore.com, but it works surprisingly well--- I've been using it with the face scrub from the same line and have not experienced one bit of irritation. (BTW, my skin didn't like Cetaphil either, blech.) If you are looking for something even creamier, Beauty Without Cruelty makes an Herbal Cream Cleanser that removes sunscreen quite well and it really pampers my skin. Desert Essence makes a cleanser that I have not yet tried but I've been meaning to try since the ingredients look so good, so you may want to take a peek at it at drugstore.com and see what you think! HTH!

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 3:08 pm

Oh, I thought of one more! Have you looked at the cleanser they sell at zenbiotic.com? It's VERY gentle and non-irritating. Cheap, too. I would love to use it, but it contains castor oil which is a no-no for me. I do, however, use their rinseless cleanser. I spray it on and my make up and sunscreen wipe right off, so it's nice to use when I come home for the day and want to let my skin breathe.

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 3:47 pm

thanks manslayer liz - I will check those out.
BTW - I noticed in previous posts that you have used juice beauty green apple cleanser(yes, I have searched thru just about EVERY post on cleansers Laughing

). I also seem to remember that you have sensitive skin - did this irritate your skin at all? Are you still using it? It seems our skins seem to like/dislike some of the same stuff...
Thanks!

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:07 pm

elizasue- Yes, I really enjoy using the Juice Beauty Green Apple Cleanser (great memory! Surprised

) Actually, I included it in my first draft of that post I wrote for you, but then when I read through it a second time I deleted it since I do have sensitive skin but I don't have any rosacea issues, so I didn't know if the GA Cleanser would be a no-no for you since it contains AHAs. If you'd like to try it, I'd gladly decant you some of mine, just let me know!^-^

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:28 pm

Cellcosmet also has a cream cleaser, which is meant for 'fragile' skin!

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:28 pm

elizasue wrote:

I am using jojoba with tea tree as a moisturizer at night, and my skin is loving it.

I would then go with OCM! Just use your jojoba & tea tree oil for cleansing.
Didn't like Decleor Oil --> too runny... it's ok... but I won't repurchase.
Didn't like Yon-Ka at all -- using it as a shaving cream now Laughing

actually works pretty well!

HTH

free skin care · Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:18 pm

I have dry, sensitive, dermatitis prone skin.

-Cetaphil was too irritating due to the sulfate
-Eve Lom was too irritating/drying
-Dr H gave me dermatitis

I am now using just regular oil (camellia) to get my sunscreen off then follow with a gentle cleanser (cerave hydrating cleanser).

Good luck!

Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:16 pm

I use cetaphil which I love. The only problem is that it's useless at removing eye make-up. When I want a nice gentle but effective exfoliate I mix it with a little bicarb soda - My mother taught me that one though, so it's probably highly controversial![/code]

free skin care · Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:05 am

Have you tried Gatineau ?
it is really good line , i have very sensitive eyes and i've being using Gatineau Serenite Gentle Cleansing Milk,and
Gatineau Therapie Marine Cleanser, they are very gentle i didn't get any irritation .

free skin care · Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:47 am

I would say that the Decleor Cleansing Milk usually left some make-up that was taken off by the Toner afterwards, but was fine with any dirt. At the time I used it, I'm afraid I was very naughty and never bothered with sunscreen, though. Embarassed

free skin care · Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:46 am

The Organic Pharmacy flower petal exfloliator looks really nice.

free skin care · Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:21 pm

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions.
I may try the decleor, or maybe even the juice beauty one. I have been able to use a cleanser with salacylic acid in the past, just haven't for a while, so maybe the AHAs would be OK - it isn't like I am leaving them on my face. And it may be just what I need for effective cleansing with a little exfoliation thrown in...
BTW, thanks, manslayer liz for the offer of a trial bottle - that was really really nice - but I live in the caribbean, so mailing it off to me would cost a fortune! I will stick with good ole EDS and free shipping...
I may also try the emu neem soap from earth to body that yen has posted about - emu and neem sound about perfect for rosacea skin.
THanks again everybody!

free skin care · Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:43 pm

I just posted on another thread about a cleanser that I am currently using that is soothing and effective.

My dermatologist recommended Bio2 Cosmeceuticals (Oxymist) ~ it is for skin after laser surgery, etc.

I use it on a regular basis.

It is called Gentle Facial Cleanser.

http://www.oxymist.com/Products/products.htm

I am fifty with very sensitive skin; I have rosacea and I have a very fair complexion. I was not able to use a cleanser with AHA, although it did leave my skin incredibly smooth!!! The AHA eventually sent me into the worst flare-up of rosacea that I had ever seen on my skin. It was horrific!

free skin care · Sat Sep 23, 2006 3:29 pm

Hey Elizasue

Im 20 and have just recently been digonosed with Rosecea and a friend i speak to on the forum introduced me to a cleanser called calmin the link for it is
www.acne-rosacea.co.uk/

by the way i dont have acne i just have flushing and it gets very painful.The calmin cleanser is only one i can use have tried loads the ingredient list isnt to bad and it explains it on there too.

the link for products are http://www.acne-rosacea.co.uk/trolleyed/2/index.htm

Its so hard to find products that suit real senstive skin its kind of trial and error even though it could also cause irration.Im on the hunt for a moisturiser now ,they also sell one on there my friend also uses but i tried it and cannot tolerate it as it contains aloe vera and i seem to senstive to that. Let me know what you decide to try and how you get on with it

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