OSPW O-verwhelmed

[kittymomma]

Ohmygoodness. I've been a skincare/haircare/product junkie for so long...I just want to find what WORKS.

I've been trying some different things here and there, and just NOW read that witch hazel is bad for rosacea? Has anyone else had a bad reaction to it? I didn't think I was reacting but my R. hasn't improved for some time now, and is actually getting much worse—doing the "creep." 

Would anyone care to evaluate my current routine? It sure seems like a lot to me. I do know that Cetaphil does NOTHING for me, but the Beyond Belief cleanser seems like a winner. 

My main concerns are repairing any barrier damage I may have done while experimenting, and rosacea/acne/wrinkles...

AM:
Cleanse: Beyond Belief Foaming Cleanser/Beyond Belief Exfoliating Scrub (T-Zone only, 3x/week)
Spot Treat: Sulfacetamide Suspension (Rx)/Neutrogena On the Spot
Beyond Belief ABH Oil Free Moisturizer
Super Pep Copper Peptides
Beyond Belief Vita-C SPF 15 or Coola sunscreen
Tinted Moisturizer: Cover Girl SPF 15

PM:
Cleanse: Various brands of cleansing cloths-OCM 2x/week
Moisturize: Beyond Belief ABH Oil Free Moisturizer
Retinoid: Differin/Retin-A alternating nights
Rosacea cream: Finacea
Eye Moisturize: Whatever's there
Spot Treat (acne and pigmentation): Acanya, Aczone (alternating nights), Hydroquinone

Thank goodness I found this forum, I'm in need of an intervention!

[MediterraneanMaven]

Hello and welcome to the forum, Kittymomma!

I once had an oil slick on my face, too.  But, now that I am in my 40's, my skin is becoming less oily and more sensitive.  I can relate to your sensitivity issues  and how frustrating it is to treat the oiliness without aggravating your sensitive skin.  I have found that the key to keeping my skin happy is to keep it simple and not overly stimulate my skin.  This can lead to excess oiliness and irritation all at the same time.  Believe me, I've been there and it's not fun.   

It seems like your skincare regimen is way too complicated and your skin is not responding as you would like.  My first suggestion is to stop everything and just start over one product at at time, first with a cleanser.  Now, you say that Beyond Belief seems to be working for you, so now you will know for sure.  Then, focus on a good mild moisturizer because although your skin may be oily, it still needs moisture and your moisture barrier has got to be seriously compromised with all of the stuff you're putting on your face, never mind the rosacea.  One thing to consider is that excessive stimulation to your skin i.e., scrubs, retinol, BHA, etc., can also make your skin oilier and more irritated, sending it into that oiliness-irritation spiral.  So, one question you will need to answer for yourself is whether your skincare is actually making your skin oilier than it should be.  Definitely, don't use all of those products at once.

I wouldn't be using both scrubs and retinol as this can seriously exacerbate your rosacea and irritate your skin as well as keep your skin in that uncontrollable oiliness mode.  At this point, I would stop all use of these types of products in order to allow your skin to heal and rebuild its moisture barrier.

While you are paring back and starting over, you can spot treat any pimples or breakouts with a q-tip and a good blemish treatment.  The best one that I have found is Paula's Choice Blemish Fighting Solution which is now called Clear Acne Fighting Solution.  You can find this product on her website:  www.cosmeticscop.com.

Once you get your skin back under control, then you can start to use products - very slowly, now - to treat your pigmentation and wrinkles.

But, first, you need to get back to the basics.

Hope this helps!

MM   

[kittymomma]

Thanks so much, M! It's nice to know that although this sin't any fun now, at least someome else has been through it too...what you said was exactly what I was thinking I was going to have to do, which is going to be HARD!! (Simplifying hard? You bet...patience isn't one of my virtues...)

I will try to do the following, be patient, and wait. How will I know I've made a difference, is there a "moisture barrier health sign" I should look for? Will I get any purging?

AM:
Cleanse: Beyond Belief Foaming Cleanser
Spot Treat: Sulfacetamide Suspension (Rx)/Neutrogena On the Spot
Tinted Moisturizer: Cover Girl SPF 15

PM:
Cleanse: Beyond Belief Foaming Cleanser-OCM 2x/week
Spot Treat: Sulfacetamide Suspension (Rx)/Neutrogena On the Spot

Hopefully I'll see a difference soon, and thank you again!!

[MediterraneanMaven]

Kittymomma,

Over the next several weeks, you should begin to see your skin improve, meaning the irritation and redness should start subsiding and your skin will calm down.  Keep spot treating the blemishes and they may start to go away on their own.  You'll notice the difference, believe me.  Since you're not overstimulating your skin anymore, your skin will not be in overdrive and may not be quite as oily as before.  Less oil means fewer blemishes and the ones you have will have a real chance to heal.

Patience is the key here and believe me, I know how you feel.  But just the thought of another disaster will keep you going.

Good luck and let us know how you do!

MM