Category Archives: acne

Ask Marissa…Acne Scars & Rosacea

Jane Doe: I have horrible skin and I have tried a lot of cleansers and toners ect for it I look forward to trying a mask I hope it will help, ’cause so far nothing works and it is embarrassing. I have even had women tell me you need to wash your face more. It’s Rosacea and acne scaring I tell them but still get the looks of question .

Me: I can only really tell you how to cover up and soothe rosacea. Only dermatologist prescribed treatment can cure or control it.
As for acne scarring, you might want to try Stri-Vectin. It’s pretty pricey ($135), but it lasts a long time and works wonders. Within 2 weeks of using stri-vectin, my purple stretch marks turned white. Stretch marks are scars too. For something less expensive, start out with Maderma (you can get it at Walgreens, $30) until you notice results are not improving anymore, then move up to stri-vectin. You will need to use a very good moisturizer on top of Maderma and Stri-Vectin, because there is a lot of retinol in it and will make your skin feel dry and uncomfortable.
When you cover up acne scars, always wear a makeup primer underneath your foundation. This will fill in any lines, wrinkles, pores and acne scars so that your skin will have an even texture. Since you have a lot of redness, I suggest using the Sephora brand green corrector primer
($15). The green hue will neutralize any redness. Follow with your foundation, and setting powder.

Jane Doe: Ok I will do when I can find one in my area and TY for the advice. Doctors are way to expensive for me right now to go to for skin care. I used to have a face wash with tea tree oil in it that worked wonders for the Rosacea but it is no longer made I have looked for a new one to try but can’t find anything like it. Never thought of using Maderma on my face I have some and will be using it thank you.
If you can find pure tea tree essential oil, one drop in your cleanser and/or moisturizer should do the trick.

Marissa’s Pick of the Week – Solid Serum for Oily Skin

My new love is Lush skincare. Everything is handmade with natural, perishable ingredients. The most interesting of my purchases is the Saving Face solid serum ($13.95). I have to admit that the bizarre idea of a solid serum is what initially attracted me to this product. After reading the ingredients and viewing a demo, I took one home with me and fell in love after the first use. I have now been using it for 3 weeks and still get as excited to use it as I was the first time. This vegan wonder tablet is loaded with so many skin delicious ingredients, I can’t believe it all fits into something I can hide in the palm of my hand.

Super Awesome Face Saving Yummies:
On top of powerful antioxidants found in all the cirtrus oils, shea butters give just the right amount of moisture oily skin types need while kaolin clay and talc absorb excess oils.

Thyme – This key ingredient helps with acne because it is a natural astringent, helps keep skin clear due to its anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, and protects skin because it’s a free radical crime fighter (powerful antioxidant).
Jojoba Oil – lasting moisture and antioxidant
Chlorophyllin – Naturally derived from plants, it is a great antioxidant and repels pollutants such as cigarette smoke, smog, and diesel emissions.

Don’t let the the “oils” in this recipe scare you. What a lot of oily skin types don’t know is that natural essential oils are good for us. It’s mineral oil that is our enemy. My skin started clearing up when I added Saving Face to my regimen. Try it out at your local Lush store. They are VERY generous with samples.

Marissa’s Pick of the Week – Charcoal Mask

Using a deep cleansing mask at least once a week is important for acne prone skin like mine. Luckily, Origins has their Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask ($21). Activated charcoal is a great skincare ingredient used to detoxify and clarify. It works as a filter, trapping impurities in the skin (kind of like how a water filter works) therefore leaving your face squeaky clean. The added benefits of White China (Kaolin) clay stimulates circulation, heals acne and removes dead skin cells for a clear and bright complexion.

Marissa’s Pick of the Week! – Tea Tree & Honey Scrub

My New favorite facial scrub is Ayelet’s Tea Tree and Honey Gentle Clarifying Exfoliating Facial Scrub ($10). It’s an all natural, handmade (!) scrub formulated for people with problematic skin. Using this scrub is such a pampering experience. I felt my skin being stimulated, cleansed, and soothed.

Having normal to oily skin, I don’t ever show shine, but I do always have at least one breakout. This scrub is perfect for me because the tea tree oil naturally kills any bacteria, while honey heals and adds essential moisture to my skin. To top it off I was left with a great cooling sensation and the antioxidant protection of grape seed oil.
At first the oily consistency of this scrub scared me, but I knew the ingredients would help me, not clog my pores and make it worse. The Multani Mitti clay absorbs excess oils (and stimulates blood circulation) while pure cane sugar scrubs all the dirt and oil out of my pores . If your skin is sensitive to scrubs, the aloe vera will calm any redness and irritation.
This scrub is so gentle I could use it everyday. However, I would recommend starting at 3 times a week, adding a day every other week.
This product is paraben and formaldehyde free.

Marissa’s Pick of the Week!

Ick! Acne! It never fails to surprise me. There are times when my skin is flawless and smooth as butter. In the summer, it just feels like butter was spread all over my face. My

favorite remedy? Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face and Body (Clinique, $12.50). This is by far the best acne targeted soap I’ve used. It also comes in liquid form, but I’m partial to bars. They last longer, it costs less, and you get more product for your buck. Think of how much water is added to liquid soaps, yet they are more expensive. ??? I don’t get it either.

Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar can be used on most problematic skin types due to it’s mild salicylic acid formula. (If you are pregnant, please consult your doctor. Salicylic acid is known to cause birth defects and complications.) My skin literally squeaks after cleansing with this bar. After one wash I notice an improvement in my skin’s condition. It’s recommended that you either only use this bar once a day (I prefer night so my skin can regenerate at it’s cleanest time.) Or every other day. If your skin is extremely oily (you can go through a pack of blotting sheets in a day) it’s okay to use twice a day every day. No matter how often you use this acne bar, remember to always follow up with toner and most importantly, MOISTURIZER. Remember, oily skin that doesn’t moisturize WILL produce more oil.