Unicorn Humper

Below are some extremely common errors that people who suffer (or, are annoyed by) from acne.

Don't Buy Cleansers That:

1. Are in bar form. These contain harsh cleansing agents like sodium cocoate, and the ingredients that keep them in bar form can be absorbed into the skin to clog pores. Also, many bar soaps have alkaline pH levels, which actually encourages bacterial growth.
Instead, try buying one that is liquid, or "squeeze".

2. Are daily scrubs containing uneven particles like walnut . These can tear at the skin and cause irritation.
Look for scrubs with smooth, round, bead-like particles.
ie. St. Ives Blackhead Scrub. Good product: too damaging to use everyday.

3. Contain waxy, pore-clogging thickeners. Products in cream form tend to have these.

4. Contain animal oils*. Animal oils resemble human sebum and can clog pores similarly.

5. Give a "tingly" or "cooling" feeling. That feeling is caused by skin irritants like menthol and camphor.
This is very important. Most people feel that when it gives a ''tingling'' feeling, that it means it's working. Wrong. It's irritating your skin.

6. Are medicated. If the medication contains a chemical exfoliant like salicylic acid, the cleanser is almost certain to have too high of a pH (over 4) to allow it to act as an exfoliant. Chances are that the majority of any medictation used in a cleanser will be washed away before having any real effect. If you let a medicated cleanser (either one containing a chemical exfoliant or one containing benzoyl peroxide) sit on the skin in hopes of giving the medications time to penetrate, than chances are you'll also be allowing the cleansing agents time to irritate the skin.


Don't Buy Toners or Astringents That:

1. Contain drying alcohols, witch hazel, peppermint, or other skin irritants.

2. Contain animal oils. (See "Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

3. Contain rice or corn ingredients, as these can encourage bacterial growth.

Don't Buy Salicylic Acid Products* That:

1. Contain skin irritants like drying alcohols, witch hazel, peppermint, or other skin irritants.

2. Have a pH higher than 4 or else the salicylic acid will not be an effective exfoliant. A good idea of a product's pH can be obtained with pH indicator strips.

3. Contain rice or corn ingredients (See "Don't Buy Toners or Astringents That:")

* Most salicylic acid products are not pH correct, contain irritants, or both.

Don't Buy Benzoyl Peroxide Products:

1. That contain skin irritants.

2. To use in conjunction with prescription retinoids (with the exception of adapalene which is used in Differin). Benzoyl peroxide renders most retinoids unstable and should be applied only in the morning if a prescription retinoid is being used at night.

3. Contain animal oils. (See Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

Don't Buy Tea Tree Oil Products That:

1. Contain skin irritants.

2. Have less than a 5% concentration of tea tree oil, or more than a 15% concentration. Too little tea tree oil is likely to be ineffective, and too much may be irritating. You can, however, buy pure tea tree oil and dilute it, so long as you aim for the right concentration.

3. Contain animal oils. (See Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

Don't Buy Moisturizers That:

1. Are in cream form. (See "Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

2. Contain animal oils. (See "Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

3. Contain rice or corn ingredients. (See "Don't Buy Toners or Astringents That:")

4. Contain skin irritants.

Don't Buy Sunscreens That:

1. Are in cream form. (See "Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

2. Contain animal oils. (See "Don't Buy Cleansers That:")

3. Contain rice or corn ingredients. (See "Don't Buy Toners or Astringents That:")

4. Do not contain avobenzone, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, mexoryl sx, or tinosorb; the ingredients recognized by the FDA to provide adequate UVA protection.

5. Do not have an SPF of 15 or higher.

6. Contain skin irritants.

[part of this article via acne.org]