Cleanser

Cetaphil was recommended by my dermatologist. Its both the best you can buy and very economical. I have very sensitive skin thats alternately oily and every dry...love those T-Zones. I used to use, at various times: Clinique, Estee Lauder, DHC (special company out of Japan), Borghese. Nothing compares to Cetaphil, amazingly enough. It can be found at Costco, Target, grocery stores and drug stores.

I use Artistry. It is not the most inexpensive, but it has a 100% money back guarantee, no questions asked. I have had some shipping problems caused by the shipping company with other products from the same distributor, such as broken jars or cut boxes(things that happened while on route to me) and they have sent me replacements with no questions asked or credited my account the amount of the lost product. You can get it at quixtar.com. My favorite is the Artistry Essentials line, I get the balancing set.

I choose something (usually generic) with salicylic acid in it. That helps with any acne you may have. I'm 38 and still find that this works the best for me.

I have used Sea Breeze since I was a teen, it is cleansing and depending on your skin type (mine is oily in the Tzone big time) it helps greatly with breakouts and deep cleaning.
I use soap and water normally, then when in the shower I use St Ives Apricot facial scrub. I can say that exfolliating daily has helped me not have any wrinkles, keeps my pores clean. I get pimple breakouts around PMS time so these two help me out a lot.
Sea Breeze is like $4 a bottle and lasts me three or four months, the St Ives is like $3 and lasts me two months! :)
I bought expensive stuff in the past or specialty stuff to not have as well of results and it didn't last nearly as long, so I went back to the old faithful products and do not spend much money at all. It is important too before spending money on products like this you get samples to make sure you don't dole out $25 for a bottle of something only to have a bad reaction, just my advice, hee hee.

Hey J.,

I go with the safest.... www.skindeep.org check it out.

L. C
###-###-####
www.DenverJuicePlus.com

Hi J.,
I use Mary Kay. The Eye make-up remover is amazing and the facial cleanser not only works, but has a moisturizer so your face is not left too dry.

Should you want a sample, just let me know ###-###-####.
Thanks,
D.

I use Dove. I like the convenience of purchasing at any store. I have used the exfoliating and the sensitive skin and have liked them both. I have rosacea and it does not irritate my skin. The upside is that it is not that expensive.

HI J.,

I really think it depends on your skin type. I have very oily and acne prone skin, and some of the drugstore cleansers (like Cetaphil) just don't pack the punch I need. I've had very good results from Mary Kay and from Obagi.

Warmly,
S. Mesh
Development Director
Cultural Care Au Pair - www.culturalcare.com
____@____.com

I use SHAKLEE's Enfuselle system. LOVE IT!!

You can find it here: www.shaklee.net/reginagarcia

It's also important what you put INTO your body because our skin is a huge contributor in releasing waist, through sweat, so we want to be sure we're drinking proper amounts of water to keep us and our skin hydrated and able to flush more diluted sweat. Also, garbage in is garbage out, so lots of fruits and veggies with significant variety of color for increase nutrients that do in fact make a difference on our skin as much as any other organ inside our body.

Sleep is huge; not too much and not to little. You're a mommy so this particular thing is probably off the table--we just sleep when we can for as long as we can because it isn't much no matter how you slice it, right?!! lol

Exercise is fantastic for the skin as well because it encourages the cleasing of the skin by the release of fluids. IF we've been drinking higher volumes of pure water, then the sweat has lower amounts of toxins and other "waist" products in each drop and once we hop into the shower to remove what was there we have nice, clean, skin.

I only bring these up because even if we can't afford the nicer skin care systems, there are other things that we can do for our overall health that, in fact, are awesome for our skin, too. AND I wish someone would have told me earlier on so I could have focused on them.

I go for both economic & how well it works. Mary Kay is high quality, premium brand, with no extra fillers. It is super concentrated, so it lasts 4-6 months for the cleanser, which is $18. The company spends a lot of money on research and development to make sure that the product is safe & effective. And everything is 100% satisfaction guaranteed - you can return or exchange it at any time, for any reason. You get to try everthing before you buy, and you get the personal attention of a cosultant who gets to know you so you're not re-explaining your needs every time you buy something. It's not a surprise that Mary Kay is the #1 brand (category of skin care & color cosmetics combined) in the U.S.

I am a consultant, so if you live in the Wasatch Front area you can contact me directly. Or you can go to www.marykay.com and enter your zip code and you will be directed to a great consultant near you.

St Ives apricot scrub and clean and clear morning burst in the mornings, switch off because the scrub is too intense for me twice a day - lots of olay moisturizer. I used to use expensive 'medical' cleansers and they made my skin look great, except the huge break outs! All these products don't contain oil.

good luck!

I just started using Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit cleanser and LOVE IT!!! It is a little more spendy but you dont use much at a time so it lasts forever. I use the face lotion as well and love it all. It has really helped clear up my face.

J.,
I know it has been a while since you have wrote this but I had to write my cents in. You have probably tried many things. I have also. My mom started me at a young age cleaning, toning and moisturizing my face morning and night. I always had beautiful skin when others were struggling. It was a great confidence booster at the young age of 13 years old. So I have tried many, many different skin care products and now at age 45 I have found what I consider the very elite. It is light and my skin feels silky clean, all natural and it is called Nicole Miller. To top it off it is satisfaction guaranteed and at a great cost. If you want more info, let me know,
Good Luck,
C.

J.,
I use Mary Kay and have used it for the past twelve years. (I also sell it)
S.

I also use cetaphil, I've seen it advertised in a fashion magazine as a great cleanser. Plus it is gentle enough pediatricians recommend it for babies. I've used it for probably 10 years and it works great for me.

You can even buy the generic brand both Walmart and Target carry a generic that saves a couple of dollars, very economical. The bottle is large and it lasts a long time like 6 months to a year depending on how much you use.

I've noticed that those who use Mary Kay products were also consultants. I just wanted to put my 2 cents in from an unbias person. Personally I love Mary Kay's velocity cleanser and I use the 3-in-1 mositurizer with sunscreen. The cleanser exfoliates while it cleanses since it has little cleansing beads. Plus it smells great! The moisturizer is awesome and not greasey. Which I need since I have a super sensitive complextion. If I even rest my face on my hands I'll break out. When I use the velocity and mositurizer combo I don't break out exect maybe one or two pimples with it is that "time of the month". I would suggest finding out what your skin type is and finding a combo that works best for you. I live in a dry area but my complextion is oily so this combo works wonders for me. It is a bit pricey ($10 for the cleanser and $20 for the moisturizer and it lasts me 3-4 months) but an investment I'm willing to make so that I can feel good about myself and how I look. Good luck!

I use arbonne not so basic daily cleanser. They also have an exfoliator and great moisturizer. I have used it for about a year now and my face feels like a 180 difference! I don't even wear makeup anymore. Let me know if you want more info

Hey, J.. I get acnce and eczema (both from overly dry skin). I really like the Aubrey cleanser called Vegocal (or "vega-something") that is made of completely natural ingredients. It is also very concentrated, so you only use a dime-size amount at a time. This product also provides EFA's directly to the skin. The bottle I usually buy is $8 and it lasts about a month-and-a-half.

I use Purpose soap. It is glycerin based and it comes in a huge bar or a hand pump. YOu can buy it at Walmart, Target, anywhere and it's usually on the top shelves. I started using it when I had a summer job outside in college, and my dermatologist told me to get it. I hardly ever break out, and I haven't any skin problems being pregnant.

Hi,

I use Mary Kay 3 in 1 Cleanser. Followed by moisturizer also by Mary Kay. I love them because they are fast and I can wash my face in a matter of minutes. For the entire Mary Kay set it is $54 which includes a cleanser, moisturizer and a foundation. My cleanser lasts about 5 months. You only need a pinkie nail size amount and add water. It is sooo cost effective. It is the only thing that has worked for my skin. I have had adult acne. I tried everything, Clinique, Cetaphil, perscription, and many other things. So for me choosing what I use is both cost effective and it works. My only recommendation that I suggest is whatever you decide use the whole amount before you decide.

I see you have gotten a lot of responses but I wanted to share my favorite. I love the Mary Kay Bar Soap. It is expensive if your considering it is just a bar of soap but it comes with a plastic soap dish so it stays nice. The first one I bought lasted about two years. Since very little is actually used each time. It is just for you face. I am on my second bar and I am confident it will last just as long. Be careful other people don't mistake it for body soap. It tends to be a little drying but I always use a moisturizer anyway. Mark Kay products are awesome!

I have a store brand that is like ponds. It exfoliates the skin too. It's great for removing make up.

PURPOSE was recommended to me, it great. You can buy it at any drugstore or target or walmart. about $4.00

I like a cleanser made by a company called Earth Science (the bottles have white and orange labels). I first found it at Vitamin Cottage, but it's probably available in other natural food stores. It's pretty reasonable, doesn't have a bunch of chemical "junk" in it, and it's worked really well. They have a couple of variations for multiple skin types, as well as astringent and various moisturizers. If you want to go majorly simple, a cosmetologist told an old roommate of mine that Dove is one of the best skin cleansers out there. Blessings!

J.
Do not go for cheap! Your skin is the largest organ on you body. the body is an amazing self-healer however when we are out of balance we have to help it inside and out. Don't take chances with your skin.It is your first impression and you want to set a good example for your children. Arbonne is safe, beneficial and pure. Other brands (especially cheap) use mineral oils to stretch (which clog your pores) and use animal by-products, perfumes (to mask the animal by-product odors) which then irritate the skin. Dermatologist should know this but many don't- they will just go with the brand name or to "sell the perscription"- beware. Arbonne's new FC5 and the Anti-aging line are fabulous! plus you can sign up as a preferred customer and get 20%-35% off of everything you buy for a year! Their baby-line is fabulous and a top seller for me! As a stay-at-home mom there is even an opportunity to bring $ into your house hold while being with your kids and other moms! check out Arbonne you wont be sorry. Good luck! -V. lindsay

J.,
Wow, do I have something that you can try. Have you heard of Arbonne? We have a new economic product (meaning it's not very expensive) made with strawberries, kiwi, mango, carrots and pumpkin. It is my source of income and along with herbally and botanically based products, we have a great job for stay at home moms and anyone needing a job!

I would love to get you a sample. Call or write me.
L. English-District Manager Arbonne International
###-###-#### or ____@____.com

J.,

I have used Estee Lauder cleanser, toner, and moisturizer for my face type for about 25 years. It is great, if a bit pricey. For whatever it is worth, though, I look ten to fifteen years younger than I really am. I don't know if it is solely attributable to the products, but they certainly don't hurt.

Go with quality for your cleansing and moisturizing products. You only get one face. If you have to skimp, do that with the colors - eyeshadow, etc.

You can mitigate the price of the Estee Lauder by purchasing product when they have gifts - that way you get your mascara, shadows, blush, lipstick, etc. free.

My dermatologist reommended Cetaphil, and it's fine for my kids but it does not remove makeup completely. I liked a Mary Kay product fine, but now that I have used Paula's Choice brand cleanser and moisturizer I'll never go back to anything else. It's not cheap (about $12 for an 8-ounce bottle) but it is the nicest stuff out there and the bottle lasts me nearly six months. It's well worth ordering--I think you can even get samples to try if you're not sure. There are only a few products I like enough to gush about and this is one of them.
You can read product reviews on her Web site and read her "battle plans" for wrinkles and/or acne without buying anything. I think it's www.paulaschoice.com.

I use Philosophy Purity. I love it.

I use Herbalife's Outer Nutrition products and have been using it for a year and a half. It's all natural, pharmaceutically graded ingredients. They have cleansers that fit your skin type. I am a distributor too. www.shopherbalife.com/O.

a doctor suggested cetaphil to me because it was inexpensive and it seemed to work for her teenagers just as well as more expensive brands. i used it for years with mediocre results. i liked that it didn't dry out my skin like neutrogena, it did clear up some of my acne, and it is inexpensive. but i still had pimples. when i was 30 and pregnant and felt awful about my looks, i decided i'd had enough of pimples and i went back to what had worked the best for me over the years-- proactive. it is expensive, but for some reason, i don't need to use it nearly as much at 30 as i did when i was 19, so it lasts longer. having much clearer skin is worth the price to me right now. i also tried the mary kay miracle set, which is even more expensive than proactive. i did an experiment for a week washing one side of my face with mary kay and the other side with proactive. by the end of the week, both sides were soft and healthier, with one exception-- the proactive side had fewer pimples. good luck finding something that works well for you!

I go for how well it works. If it's economical and it makes my skin break out or look bad, it's not worth it. I don't wear much in the way of makeup so I can't afford to have my skin look bad.

My skin is both oily and sensitive. Plus I am allergic to a lot of fragrances. I've found that pretty much anything in the "Kiss My Face" brand works really well for me (and I'm not allergic to their fragrances).

J. W,
I use both, Nicolr Miller is the best for your skin, the cleanser, toner,moisturizer combo is about $45.00 and full of vitamins, botanical extracts, age defying peptides. All natural, safe and 40-50% less than department store brands. Will heal, revitalize your skin naturally while being economically priced and economically safe to our economy and our families. No harsh chemicals, not tested on animals or any of that. FYI, dove soap contains formalahyde which is not only embalming preservative, but it also plays a big role in causing cancer.

Hi J.,
I use Arbonnes RE9 Hydrating wash. I love it. It is as moisterizing as a lotion & does not strip off your natural moisture barrier. Plus it helps to get rid of my wrinkles & sun damage I had when I was a teenager. I go for how well it works.

What do you use???

Arbonne. Definitely how well it works. It is important that you take care of yourself and feel good about it inside and out. Arbonne is botanically based and has a 45 day money back guarantee. Try their new FC5 products -you'll love them and they are affordable for quality, premium skin care. Go to www.arbonne.com to find out more information or contact me.
L.