Another newbie!

[vesna]

I am a newbie, or to be more correct a delurker! :) This board has been a tremendous source of info for me within the last few months.

About myself - I am a 35 y.o. woman and had been "a blusher" since teenage years. However, it was not severe and I did not have permanet redness untill I turned 30. At that time, it was very mild and still transient, I still did not know I had rosacea. Only when I was about 32, I was diagnosed as a fluke - not during my doctor's visit but at a spa, by an aesthetitian girl. I was very upset when I got back home and read the lowdown on the condition. But it was still not bad, still in the very mild stages. So I just kept taking the multivitamins and Omega-3s, while watching my diet as usual (looong-term vegetarian and organic, w/wild oily fish consumption) and doing some moderate exercising. BTW, I never drink coffee or alcohol, and had not smoked a cigarette in my life either - I could be a poster for healthy life style, most of my life!.. I still had no pustules, (though would get true acne as connected to periods/stress since puberty), no flushes, no burning. etc. The redness was not a social impediment yet. I thought I was one of the lucky ones and could keep it under control and would remain at that.

I was wrong! The red beast raised its ugly head w/confidence during my pregnance 2+ years ago. It was during that time, that I began experiencing flushing and burning. But of course, I hoped it's just the prego thing as many women have it then. Along w/that my permanent redness had worsend considerably and I got pustules, etc. after flushing episodes.

My child is 2 now and it hadn't gotten any better after giving birth, only worse. Instead of the mild case, I am a moderate to severe during flare-ups (and I get those a lot lately). Of course, it's better some days, but I've gotten to the point where it really bothers me socially on worse days. I also love pilates and yoga and I flush like crazy during classes now! X-country skiing? Forget it! So I guess I have to avoid that, as well as other meaningful forms of exercise - that really gets me upset b/c I had always been very active and know what the long-term inactivity means for a person.

We are also at the point where we need to decide if we'll be trying for a second child and, of course, it seems like that would be one huge "trigger."

Any way, it's good to have this place and I hope to meet some of you here soon.

Tanya

[arcticrose]

Hello vesna, welcome! smile. I am a newbie as well. My flare up's
bother me socially as well. Just last year I never had to worry about putting make up on to cover it up now I put it on every day before I leave the house or if were having people over, just in case. It's good to have this place to go to. Just wanted to say hello.

[vesna]

Hello arctic rose :D Yes, it's wonderful to have this message board. I personally think it's the best rosacean forum. I am the same way about my makeup this year. I always disliked putting it on, save for very special occasions. But nowadays, I feel uncomfortable going out in public without something. Sometimes I wish I could wear a burka like the do in some Muslim countries, just not to show my face to anyone when I don't feel like it. :(
Speaking about makeup. What do you (and others) use to remove it? The only thing which I'd found so far to be the least troublesome is Aveda's cleanser for sensitive skin. But it doesn't do a good job removing it and I end up getting clogged pores from that. Any suggestions?
Hope to see you and other around!
Tanya

[arcticrose]

Hi! Right now For removing makeup, your not going to like this but I use plain Dove Soap. I know soap is bad and can clog pores ect... but I use very little and rinse really well. I feel it cleans the foundation off pretty good. Then I put some Metro cream on and wait a few minuts to an hour then I use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. I love Aveeno, the only cream that feels great and moisturizes well without the greasy feel. I have had eczema on my arms and hands and itch on my legs especially after shaving, Aveeno calms it down and doesn't irritate my skin. I really shouldn't use the Dove soap anymore but it doesn't cause me to break out on my face, my face does get a little dry from it. For removing eyeliner, I like to use Olive oil to remove it. little bit on a Q-Tip, works well for me. I do have some Cetaphill Gentle cleaner, but like your cleaner, doesn't really do a good job cleaning off the makeup. I've yet to find a good foundation to match to my skin. They all always either too pinkish or peachy. My skin tone is on the sallowy side so I just ordered samples from sacha's cosmetics. They make yellow based foundations. There's got to be a match out there somewhere for me! :) Hopefully you'll find a cleanser that doesn't irritate or clog your pores. Sorry I dont know of any at the moment to suggest to you. But if I ever find one I like, I will let you know.

[brillig]

Speaking about makeup. What do you (and others) use to remove it? The only thing which I'd found so far to be the least troublesome is Aveda's cleanser for sensitive skin. But it doesn't do a good job removing it and I end up getting clogged pores from that. Any suggestions?



I suggest using a natural oil to remove your makeup. It removes every trace of all makeup products, even waterproof. I like jojoba oil best, but there are lots of choices. Just make sure it is a natural plant oil. I prefer organic and cold pressed, but many don't care about that. Coconut oil is also nice, but a bit more effort to use (smells divine). Or grape seed oil. Or extra virgin olive oil. Lots of choices.

I know what you are thinking.... "Is she nuts? Put oil on my oily / acne prone skin??" I thought the same before I tried it. I suffered from regular acne for years, then was diagnosed with rosacea to boot. I have always had super oily skin, so I spent years using "oil free" products based on the belief that oil was bad for my oily skin. Turns out that isn't true. If anything, the skin produces more oil when the oil balance is off due to the use of oil stripping products.

Since I switched to natural skin care, including oil cleansing (my first switch), my skin has improved dramatically. My rosacea is less severe, my skin is less oily, and I have had NO blocked pore issues. I know it seems counter-intuitive. I tried it because so many people were raving about it, and since I didn't think my skin could get any oilier, I figured what did I have to lose?

I highly recommend oil cleansing. You can start with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) from the grocery store if needed. Just pour a bit into your palm, rub it on your face, and remove with a soft cotton ball or super soft sponge. I usually follow this with a quick wash with either Cetaphil Extra Gentle Cleansing Bar or Dr Bronners Castile Soap on a super soft sponge, then rinse with tepid water. However, I have noticed no problems even when I skip the washing with water step.

I now use natural oils to cleanse and to moisturize. My skin has not looked this good in a long, long time.

~Alessandra

[brillig]

I've yet to find a good foundation to match to my skin. They all always either too pinkish or peachy. My skin tone is on the sallowy side so I just ordered samples from sacha's cosmetics. They make yellow based foundations. There's got to be a match out there somewhere for me! :)

I suggest you try mineral makeup. It is pure powdered minerals, and does not clog pores. Some companies have literally dozens of colors of foundation, so you are almost sure to find a match. Many offer several chices with yellow, neutral and olive undertones. Also, since the makeup is in powdered form, it is easy to "tweak" it... add a bit of another color if you can't find a perfect match. Many mineral makeup companies have sample sizes available at low prices, so you can try colors before you invest in a full size. You can get GREAT coverage with mineral makeup, but it looks totally natural.

I strongly suggest you stay away from mineral makeup brands containing bismuth oxychloride (this includes the leading brand, Bare Escentuals). Many people find this ingredient irritating (even non-rosaceans), and it makes your skin look shiny. Some nice brands that do not contain bismuth include:

Bare Faced Minerals
M*A*D Minerals
Mineral Boutique
Cory Cosmetics
Pure Luxe
Aromaleigh

Here is a link to a site with links to all these companies, an ingredient list for each company, and tons of helpful info:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/mineralmania

~Alessandra

[arcticrose]

I've yet to find a good foundation to match to my skin. They all always either too pinkish or peachy. My skin tone is on the sallowy side so I just ordered samples from sacha's cosmetics. They make yellow based foundations. There's got to be a match out there somewhere for me! :)

I suggest you try mineral makeup. It is pure powdered minerals, and does not clog pores. Some companies have literally dozens of colors of foundation, so you are almost sure to find a match. Many offer several chices with yellow, neutral and olive undertones. Also, since the makeup is in powdered form, it is easy to "tweak" it... add a bit of another color if you can't find a perfect match. Many mineral makeup companies have sample sizes available at low prices, so you can try colors before you invest in a full size. You can get GREAT coverage with mineral makeup, but it looks totally natural.

I strongly suggest you stay away from mineral makeup brands containing bismuth oxychloride (this includes the leading brand, Bare Escentuals). Many people find this ingredient irritating (even non-rosaceans), and it makes your skin look shiny. Some nice brands that do not contain bismuth include:

Bare Faced Minerals
M*A*D Minerals
Mineral Boutique
Cory Cosmetics
Pure Luxe
Aromaleigh

Here is a link to a site with links to all these companies, an ingredient list for each company, and tons of helpful info:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/mineralmania

~Alessandra

Thanks brillig! I will look into mineral makeup. One question though, I dont have oily skin. My skin is normal to dry. Do you think mineral makeup would be too drying for me?

[brillig]

Thanks brillig! I will look into mineral makeup. One question though, I dont have oily skin. My skin is normal to dry. Do you think mineral makeup would be too drying for me?

Not at all. All skin types use mineral makeup. I would make sure you use a moisturizer for your skin (I recommend natural oils, see above or other posts of mine). There are a few brands of MMM that are considered extra "creamy", including at least one with Vit E added that makes it creamier. Made by Mineral Boutique. When you order the sample, choose "with Vitamin E". I think you would want the Cover-It formula with Vit E.

However, I think you could probably use any MMM. It won't dry your skin, but for the most part it won't add moisture either, so you need to do that as a separate step before you apply it, imho.

~Alessandra

[arcticrose]

Not at all. All skin types use mineral makeup. I would make sure you use a moisturizer for your skin (I recommend natural oils, see above or other posts of mine). There are a few brands of MMM that are considered extra "creamy", including at least one with Vit E added that makes it creamier. Made by Mineral Boutique. When you order the sample, choose "with Vitamin E". I think you would want the Cover-It formula with Vit E.

However, I think you could probably use any MMM. It won't dry your skin, but for the most part it won't add moisture either, so you need to do that as a separate step before you apply it, imho.

~Alessandra[/quote]

I will look at your other posts about natural oils. I already like the sound of mineral makeup. Thanks for your reply.
:)

[brillig]

As far as moisturizing, I find that moisturizing with a tiny amount of natural plant or animal oil on wet skin does the job perfectly. You use so little that it absorbs totally into your skin (so not too moist or greasy), but it is enough to keep skin from being flaky. My favorite oils are emu oil and jojoba oil. I am also using rosehip seed oil the last few days, and it is very nice too (supposed to be very healing for damaged skin). You can even use extra virgin olive oil (from the grocery store). I prefer organic, cold pressed oils. You can usually buy these oils at the local health food store.
http://www.localharvest.org/store/item.jsp?r=fr&id=1367
http://www.edenbotanicals.com/carrier-oils.html#JojobaOrganic
http://www.edenbotanicals.com/carrier-oils.html#RoseHipSeedOil

To moisturize with natural oil:
Wash your face. Do not dry it when finished. While it is still wet put 2 DROPS of oil onto your wet palm. Rub your hands together. Pat this onto your wet face. Let it air dry. (If you want to be fancy, mist your face with hydrosol instead of plain water --- Helichrysum is particularly healing).
http://www.essencesonline.com/hydrosols.htm

If this does not seem moisturizing enough, add another drop or two of oil. If it seems too mositurizing, cut back to 1 drop.

~Alessandra

[irene]

Hello everyone,

those rosaceans with irritated skin can try Avene for sensitive skin. To remove makeup I always use Avene Extremely gentle cleanser + Avene gentle protective toner. It's really very gentle. I also cool down my flushing by spraying Avene thermal spring water to my face, it works for me.

[arcticrose]

brillig,
I use metrocream 2x daily. Do you or anyone know if the effectiveness of the metrocream will be reduced if I apply half an hour or so after washing and moisturizing my face? I tried extra virgin olive oil all over my face last night but on a dry face (oops!) after cleansing, felt good but still had some dry flaky patches on my chin area this morning so i will try on a wet face this time. I will try using Extra virgin olive oil for now and see how my skin reacts to it.

[brillig]

Arcticrose,

Wow, you are way up North! I used Metrogel daily for a time (now I just dab it on the occasional papule with a Q-tip). My instructions were apply twice a day. I just looked it up, and the instructions seem to be the same. I see no reason why waiting half an hour to apply would matter?

~Alessandra

[vesna]

Wow, So many great suggestions! Thank you arctic rose, Alessandra and irene! For some reason, the site didn't email me when the replies were posted so I just got to read the rest of this great thread. I'll definitely check out the mineral make-up sites and will try EBO oil to remove my make up tonight. I am also very natural minded in my skin Tx, so all this info is very helpful.
BTW, I also have some eczema on my trunk and some on my legs. Just a few patches, but still. Is our skin trying to tell us something here?...Anyway, I use regular vaseline on those (Aveeno didn't help much). If I remember applying that, or have time for it, right after I get out of the shower and have a humidifier going the whole night, the eczema stays pretty much under control. But the air is sooo dry here in winter that if I skip a step of the routine for a couple of days, it flares up.
Thanks again and I'll talk to you all later,
Tanya

[brillig]

Is our skin trying to tell us something here?...

Tanya,

I think so. I'm not a medical professional, so this is just my opinion based on my own experience, but I think our skin is trying to tell us: Too many chemicals!! The difference in my skin after switching to natural skincare and makeup was pretty dramatic. When you start reading labels, even a lot of products that might seem mild have a ton of chemicals in them. When I think of all the time and money I spent using OTC preparations and foundation, when I could have had better results cheaply with natural products, I almost have to laugh. Who would have thought? Cheaper, easier, AND better?

I am not wearing any makeup today (having a lazy day at home). I just looked at myself in the mirror, and was not unhappy with the face I saw. There was a time when I wore makeup even when at home alone, because I didn't want to have to look at my nasty red face when I passed a mirror. While I still would not be thrilled to go out in public with no makeup (due to the broken veins on my cheeks and nose), my skin has not looked this good in years. I can honestly say that the improvement has made a significant difference in my quality of life.

~Alessandra