# Facial cleansers for tweens with breakouts?



## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Has anyone done some experimentation with this?

My DD has super sensitive skin. I know she reacts to every single Burt's Bees product I've ever tried. She did not react to my DHC olive oil, but she really doesn't like it (and it's pretty messy). Most stuff has fragrances or (I think) preservatives that make her react.

What have you used for your sensitive youngsters that are just entering puberty and getting some bumps? I am open to commercial products, homemade products, whatever! Right now she is just using water and a very soft washcloth, which seems to work great in all but the most troublesome areas. I think that this will pass in a little while as her body gets used to it (both DH had some very mild acne at the start of puberty, then not so much later, so right now it SEEMS like she's fitting the same pattern) but she is feeling very self conscious and I'd rather let her feel better "trying" different things that won't damage her skin.


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## Oriole (May 4, 2007)

I have a rather sensitive skin, but Aveeno has always been excellent help.
Not sure if it will work for you daughter, but worth a try.


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## Katsmamajama (Jun 24, 2009)

I had quirky skin (and still do, a bit!), and I had to try tons of stuff. It might be a longshot, but the one thing I found that actually helped mine was St. Ives with Tea Tree Oil. Kind of ironic, the stuff that smelled/felt really soft and soothing made my skin worse, and this had a menthol smell and tingled, but could clear up my worst skin in 2 days! On the plus side, I'm hoping that all of my experimentation will make getting my daughter on a skin regimen so much easier.

Hope something helps! Good luck!


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## WaitingForKiddos (Nov 30, 2006)

I've heard really good things about the Vichy line from friends overseas. They have a whole treatment for acne prone skin. For my oily/dry/wrinkley face I find that really getting into a 'clense, tone, treat, moisturize' routine helps. I think it's vichyusa.com ?


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## LZP (May 28, 2009)

i was still having breakouts up until about a year ago! I'm way "too old" for breakouts at my age, i think. anyway, I stopped using "facial cleansers" and instead switched to using the Olay Body Bar with Shea Butter that we have in the shower. I make a little lather, rub on face, then massage with a baby wash cloth and rinse well right before i get out of the shower. I do that every other day _at most_ (if I wear eye makeup, basically.) I now only moisturize with jojoba oil. it absorbs quickly- I use 1 to 1 1/2 drops on my whole face right out of the shower. seals in moisture on the dry parts of my face, and doesnt make the oily parts any more oily. Oh- and rarely a breakout unless i forget to wipe my face down at night (with just plain water.) all the gentle moisturizers meant for combo skin that I tried would irritate the dry skin and make my oily spots shine like the crazy.

Good luck to you and to her- that's such a tough time as it is, dealing with skin issues is NO fun!!


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## AFWife (Aug 30, 2008)

When I was in high school my breakouts got fairly bad. I had combo skin at the time so everything was WRONG. I also have sensitive skin! (Like, I can't take a bubble bath half the time because it breaks me out in a rash)

What I found that helped was I would use St. Ives Apricot scrub and Oil Of Olay soap (the bar kind...yes, I'm serious) and then a mild moisturizer. My skin cleared up in a matter of days.


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## maplesugar (May 24, 2005)

For my adult acne, I had wonderful results using a honey mask several times per week. The honey kills bacteria and other nasites. Just apply honey (
I use raw honey), and let sit for twenty or so minutes, then rinse. Also makes skin soft.


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## savannah smiles (May 4, 2004)

You might want to give witch hazel soap a try. Many health food stores sell it and it's less than $3 a bar so it's inexpensive. I would suggest Kiss My Face olive oil soap but you said she tried something like it and didn't care for it.


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## chfriend (Aug 29, 2002)

My supersenstive skin dd uses the sensitive skin Stridex on pimples. http://www.stridex.com/sensitive.htm

As a kid, I used witch hazel.


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## FiveLittleMonkeys (Jan 21, 2009)

My ultra-sensitive skinned DD uses Cetaphil. She has reacted to so many other things, even the more natural based products, so we tried this, and it works like a dream for her.


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## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

I had terrible break outs from when I was 11 till I finally took Accutane in my late teens. That worked, but after I had my daughter, the breakouts came back. The ONLY thing that keeps my skin clear now is cutting out sugar and processed foods. Topicals might clear it up a bit or control it for a while, but then never really cure it. Proactive, Murad, I've tried them all and nothing works as well as cutting out sugar and processed foods. I wish I had known this when I was 11, my family could've saved a bundle on dermatologists! And junk food.

Failing that, The Body Shop has a tea tree line that's pretty simple and inexpensive.

You might not like this idea, but this stuff is awesome:

http://www.sephora.com/browse/produc...dPaginate=true

It's a sheer powder that conceals the redness but also heals acne. I LOVE it. It's not really makeup, but I guess it could sort of fall into that category. I use it when I don't wear anything else because it at least covers up the redness and I don't feel so self conscious. I don't mind running errands without makeup, I do hate knowing that I have a small mountain on my chin doing it's best Rudolph impression. This stuff at least makes it less noticeable and works as a topical treatment.


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## SashaBreeze (Apr 18, 2009)

Another vote for witch hazel, that stuff is amazing.
I have very sensitive skin. I dont really break out but instead get huge scaly patches of dry bleeding skin if I am not careful, my oldest dd has the opposite problem and has really sensitive/oily skin, she is prone to break outs if we dont keep an eye on the situation. For the occasional flare up both my dd and I both use witch hazel and for twice weekly maintenance we use Noxzema. I know that sounds pretty harsh but it really is one of the only products I have found that keeps her oil down yet somehow amazingly keeps my skin soft. Beware though the generic brand for Noxzema is NOT the same thing, it has artificial fragrance in it that we are really sensitive to, Noxzema brand name cream does not.


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## MrsMike (Aug 4, 2006)

Honey and essential oils works well for me. I have a laziness problem and haven't kept up with my regimine, and now I'm paying for it. Here is my routine:


Skin routine

It works well if I keep up with it. Sometimes, I just wash with honey.


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## at_the_hip (Jan 12, 2008)

Every evening:

Cetaphil sensitive skin cleanser (unscented)...

followed by Aveeno cream (sensitive skin/unscented, whether from baby section or adult).

The combination has been the only thing that has helped my very sensitive skin. I sure wish I had figured that out as a teen!


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## SuzyLee (Jan 18, 2008)

The 2 most mild soaps I have found (and they have corresponding lotions if her skin gets dry) are Cetaphil and Cerave. Both are fairly pricey for the bottle, but will last years. Cerave can be hard to find but I usually have good luck at Wallgreens.


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## sesa70 (May 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FiveLittleMonkeys* 
My ultra-sensitive skinned DD uses Cetaphil. She has reacted to so many other things, even the more natural based products, so we tried this, and it works like a dream for her.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *chfriend* 
My supersenstive skin dd uses the sensitive skin Stridex on pimples. http://www.stridex.com/sensitive.htm

As a kid, I used witch hazel.

My dd, 10.5, uses both of these. She uses the stridex sensitive in the morning only, and cetaphil just wiped off instead of rinsed.

She has very sensitive skin as well. In fact, I have awful super dry sensitive skin with rosacea and the only cleanser I can use is the cetaphil.


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## magpie mamma (Feb 22, 2006)

My DD uses honey and warm water, everything else make her skin feel too dry. Her break-outs are quite minor, but the honey seems to help.


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## boobybunny (Jun 28, 2005)

My daughter and I both swear by this Yonka cleanser.
http://www.beautynhealth.com/yonka-c...ttoyant-6-6-oz
I have super sensitive skin and she does as well.

She's 11 an athlete and.. um.. growing up fast.. her skin was starting to be bad.. her father has cystic acne. Her redness and bumps are gone, the blackheads are gone... and the large cyst she had by her nose on her cheek is now just a small bump.. where once it was a huge ugly red oily bump.


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## californiajenn (Mar 7, 2007)

Another vote for raw honey. Coconut oil is a great moisturizer. I get compliments on my skin all the time and this is all I use. I also cut out most sugars.


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## CookiePie (Jan 9, 2009)

DD has been using OCM successfully. Her acne isn't gone but it is helping & without the side effects of the very drying commercially available stuff.


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## karika (Nov 4, 2005)

skin issues are a result of diet. is she dairy/casein, gluten, soy free? Perhaps corn too. food colorings, preservatives, msg, processed sugar, caffeine... all these cause imbalances in the body IMO (and there are studies to this effect). Products (and soaps) are not necessary for human skin IMO. If I have a need to put something on my skin for antiseptic reasons, I use a carrier oil with tea tree oil. I like coconut oil now that I am soy free. I went to look and see if witch hazel is in a base of mineral oil due to the pp (mineral oil is a product of crude oil which I am trying not to support) but I didn't find out. I did find this good article with recipes! looks good!
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48232.asp


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

start with diet, then...

i like raw honey washes once or twice a week. i keep a plastic squeeze bottle in the shower. i only use the honey after i have done a deeper cleanse, bc i rub it in and leave it for a few mins.

for moisturizing, i use only jojoba oil. occasioanlly, i'll add some lavender to it. it takes literally one drop to cover my damp face.

for cleansing, i like jason's apricot scrub, they have one that feels like it uses oatmeal for the abrasive and another that feels like ground nutshell. i like the rougher one, but i would say start with the softer one to avoid irritation.

for homemade, i have my own OCM, ummm, method. LOL i mix castor oil and bronners baby mild 50/50. i might drop in a bit of jojoba or lavender now and then. put the CO and soap in a plastic squeeze bottle and shake like mad til it turns thick and creamy. this is great when i start going through a greasy phase, the CO cuts it right down.

i also like scrubbing with white sugar, but scrubbing should be done rarely as it can be very irritating.


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