Monday, February 1, 2010

Suck Face

I need some advice. My face is totally sucking. I'm getting age spots, wrinkles, and red blotches that arbitarily materialize out of no where. I haven't had a bona fide nightly/daily face routine since I was in college, which I've been told was somewhat bizarre, as Heather can attest too.


Every morning and night I would wash my face, spread on some special concoctions that my "face lady" sold to me, and finish off by icing my face. No, I didn't do it "Joan Crawford" style by immersing my head in a sink full of ice water,



I would simply take an ice cube and rub it around the circumference of my face until my skin turned bright red and had become sufficiently numb.


And every morning I had to wake up before all my roommates in order to go to drill team practice, which meant that poor Hev would wake up the same time from the sound of the freezer door opening.


She loved me. Especially when I'd accidentally drop the ice cube tray.


But ever since I got married, that routine does not exist. I am no longer seeing my "face lady" because she is 50 minutes away from me, so I no longer buy her top secret elixirs either.


So my question for you is, what is your daily face routine? Do you use any special products? Facials? Estheticians? Lazers? Chemicals?


How do I get rid of these horrid spots?


I need your help people, I usually don't let anybody see me without makeup but I thought I'd make an exception to prove my point:





Help.

44 comments:

Mike said...

The best thing that I could suggest is not shaving! It seems to work for me! (Right bv?)LOL!

Queenie Jeannie said...

Hey! What happened to the "Alex is gonna kill me" post??? Did you chicken out???

Anywho, your face is just fine and dandy. Seriously. You aren't even old enough to need work!!!

Get a good cleanser, and a good moisturizer WITH sunscreen. Oh, and lip balm.

foxy said...

I'm having the same problems girl. In fact, just last night I started a new routine with some Mary Kay products that my cousin gave me. Some cleanser, eye firming cream and 'age defying' moisturizer. We'll see if it helps... I'll let you know.

Kristina P. said...

M y skin is perfect, so I have no advice. :)

No, I use Proactiv. If it's good enought for Jessica Simpson, it's good enough for me.

brokenteepee said...

The publicist uses my rich soap and then some random cream she pulls out of the medicine cabinet. She does fine for an old goat.

Her best advice is to stay out of the sun. It does a lot of damage.

Renee Campbell said...

So I used to obsess over washing my face twice a day and still had gross skin, then I stumbled on something that said to only wash your face once a week, like the queens did, LOL. Anyhow I only use an exfoliate once a week and my skin has never looked better. I also use the mineral makeup which has SPF in it and feels so light on my face that a good rinse with water is all I need to get if off in my shower. So, stop washing (except for once a week) is the best advice I can share.

Anonymous said...

I don't do much to my face either. I don't even wash it before I go to bed at night. Oops! The only thing I do is wash it every morning in the shower. I use the Creamy Cleanser from Mary Kay, and her moisturizer also. I have used it for over 10 years now and just love it. I have never seen your face, up close and personal :) But the pics I've seen of you - ahem - stunning.

Furry Bottoms said...

I used to be a religious face washer... 2 times a day without fail. Until college, just like you. Now I only wash my face when I shower.

I am noticing my skin doesn't look good lately either. I am not sure what I will do about it, but usually in the past year or so when I've noticed the same thing, I start washing 2x a day, then it'll look better after a while, then I'll quit all together again.

Vicious cycle.

Liz Mays said...

If you find the magic, please let us know! And yes, Otin, not shaving definitely works for you (and me) ;)

Wehrle said...

Oh my goodness Kel!! You look amazing still!! I don't know why you are worried!! Alos... what was with the ice cube?? I have never heard of that!! I will say, I have to agree with the mary kay girls... I really like thier eye cream and it is pretty cheap. Not that I am an expert, I am totally wrinkled already! Blah!

Kimberly @ Bookmark To Blog said...

ah! early morning drill team. I do and do not miss those days! Lately I've been trying Mary Kay but only because I have a persistent friend who sells it and no heart to turn her down. I guess it works okay but there sure are a lot of steps to the whole process that most times I just don't get around to.

Hernandez Family said...

My dermatologist says to wash your face night and morning with anti-bacterial soap and moisturize. I use Aveeno. If all else fails you could have laser skin resurfacing that will take care of all of the above.

AdriansCrazyLife said...

Hi Pooba - here is a link to my favorite organizing books. There are Amazon links about halfway down on the right hand side of this page http://www.MessyMomsSLC.blogspot.com. My favorites are the Messies Manual by Sandra Felton and Sidetracked Home Executives by Pam Young. I actually had a whole 4 week course put together for organizing. If you want to drop by my house, I'd be happy to share my handouts with you. Lots of useful info on decluttering and organizing.

CLUFF FAMILY said...

I dont have one so I cant help. Sorry, I wash my face when I want and dont when I am lazy!

Brian Miller said...

i have to agree with otin. i grew a beard to cover mine. smiles.

Justine said...

Oh for goodness sakes, you're not even 30 yet and haven't had any kids to fuck up your hormones so I don't believe you have any of these spots and wrinkles!

I'll take a macro shot of my face and THEN you'll see something scary!

Justine :o )

Julia said...

I am seriously considering the laser rejuvenation process or a peel. No easy over the counter treatments for me. I'm goin' industrial on ye.

Bird Shit said...

Proactiv! Love it!

Heath'e' said...

Kel, I love you thank you for making me laugh by walking down memory lane! Seriously what was up with those blasted ice cubes ;) If you find the "miracle" let me know cause I need something amazing too. Love ya!

Unknown said...

I don't have a face routine either so when you find one, share! lol

Julie H said...

I use a warm wash cloth every night to take my make up off. Occassionally I use some witch hazel. My face it totally dried out right now though so I really need to find some moisturizer that doesn't make me break out.

Karin Katherine said...

Girl, I am going to slap you!

Buy some Taut Facial cleanser and a good moisturizer and call it day.

If you really want to spend some bucks then I highly recommend Epicuren Discovery http://www.epicuren.com/

African American Mom said...

I have been waiting in this answer. I've been thinking about a skin peel too. I was hoping for some serious answers here but so far no one is spilling the beans on their secret.

Cris said...

Microderm abrassion, lazer for age spots, restylan for the deep creases. botox for the crows feet and lines on the forehead. Gateway Institute in SLC has the best service and will also provide you with facials and great products. Ask for Alise. I love them and look natural after the work I have had done. There I laid it out.

Lee said...

I use acne medication. It sucks. Pretty big time.
And it burns.
My skin life is horrid.

tattytiara said...

Age spot shmage spots. Play connect the dots with them until you make yourself smile, because when you do that you're instantly beautiful.

Formerly known as Frau said...

lotion...drinking lots of water is amazing for your skin..after all you live in a desert! And loose the mirrors!

Kasey said...

From your pictures, your skin looks amazing!!! I just use a washcloth with water in the morning. And I also use a moisturizer at night before I got to bed. Say Yes to Carrots is the only thing that doesn't irritate my skin.

Aleta said...

Ok, first, the pictures.. Just about jumped out of my chair and had a "no wire hangers" flash back... and the second picture - who doesn't love a puppy like that?

To the face stuff. I'm horrible about a routine, I admit. But I have started to use Oil of Olay. Mainly because my Mom uses it and she has beautiful skin. It's expensive though....

Melissa said...

I'm a big face washer. My favorite product is bareMinerals mineral wash. It's a powder you mix with water and it totally rocks. My skin looks and feels so much better than when I was using a regular face wash. I LOVE their make up too!

Melissa said...

PS. I think you're beautiful just the way you are :)

Synergy Girl said...

Alls I hafta say is that no matter what you use...a tan face looks good...so go tan.

That should do it...

Don't worry, Botox, laser and chem peels are all on my "TO DO" list from the tan face....um hmm....

Anonymous said...

I usually use clearasil or clean/clear and after I dry my face it makes it really dry so I use a Pond's cream for my face, and it seems to work pretty decently.

Heather@WHMB said...

I went through this a few months ago and ended up at the Clinique counter. Lots of folks may have their opinions but it works for me. I use the daily facial wash, toner, and the gel moisturizer at night. In the morning I rinse my face, moisturize, and use their pore minimizer. Sounds HAWT, eh? Working for me but who the hell knows. If you find the secret magic potion that won't hurt like botox please share. :)

AiringMyLaundry said...

I'm lucky if I have time to wipe a washcloth across my face. I have no routine. I use no creams. I probably should...

Anonymous said...

I'm a huge fan of Mary Kay Timewise collection.

Alexis AKA MOM said...

Oh man I use to be so good, now I'm lucky if I get the whole wash off thing done. But it does help working from home I don't do the whole make up thing ... Yup I'm scary as heck when I go pick Cole up .. LOL

Celia said...

I am a devoted fan of Burts Bees Radiance Night Cream and Burts Bees Marshmallow Vanishing Cream.

I would say since you are not used to having a nightly thing, that you should get a one step cleanser for the night, some kind of facial wipe that you can just throw out. In the morning after you shower, put on the creams.

I can tell you, I don't look my age. I don't have age spots. I don't have wrinkles. I am 35.

Closer to Lucy said...

Though I’m not sure that you qualify as being in dire straights, I could be wrong this is my first visit to your cyber spot.

Nonetheless as one with an aging ego that has experienced an illness that wrecked havoc on the jowls and cause a premature aging crisis I swear by Physiodermie and some of the lower scale services at the med spas. You can find links to a few of the things I have tried in order to prevent the facial slide on my blog http://closertolucy.blogspot.com/search/label/Spa%20Services

Unknown said...

I used to go to the dermatologist ALL THE TIME, back in the day. Luckily my face has calmed down since then. But my dermatologist always told me that the Dove white bar is the best thing I could use to wash my face. He also said not to scrub, just wipe it on and rinse it off. But I also use MAC studio fix powder to cover up any unsightly blemishes... Don't know if that was what you were looking for but it has worked for me :) GOOD LUCK!

Jeanne said...

Pooba,

You young chickadee, you. :)

OK, first thing's first. I am not in any way trying to invalidate what you are saying about age spots, wrinkles, and red blotches on your face. While I see none of these things on any of your Internet pictures, you're the one looking in the mirror every day. So, I am not trying to dismiss what you're saying even though your skin looks gorgeous to me.

Now, as far as products are concerned... I am going to be one of the people in the "free idea" camp. By that I mean that I am not going to name off a product or line of products (with no disrespect to anyone else who already did).

First, full disclosure: I am 41 years old and have not worn makeup more than a handful of times in the last 14 years. The only time I have worn makeup was if I was being photographed and maybe threw on some lip gloss so that my lips would not end up showing up the same color as my face due to lighting issues.

Seriously. I don't wear makeup. It's VERY liberating and I highly recommend it. Oh, and did I mention my skin has been WAY healthier since I stopped wearing makeup? Yup!

Let's segue-way from that to the blotches. You could be having an allergic reaction to your own makeup. You could be using the same makeup you've used for years and your skin could suddenly be reacting. (Yes, this can happen). If you are having actual blotches and you stop using everything and they persist, seeing a dermatologist might be in order.

But back to my "free plan"... the plan involving no doctors or fancy products... My limited understanding of age spots is that two things are the biggest triggers: sun exposure & genetics.

Obviously, you can't control the latter. So, I would focus on avoiding sun and using a good, safe sunscreen. You may be saying, "Jeanne, what do you mean by safe?" Good question. This answer will apply to all health and beauty products. (OK. The database I'm about to tell you about obviously can't have EVERY single health and beauty care product in the world in it... but it comes amazingly close)!

Before using any health and beauty product (in part because I have such sensitive skin), I look it up in the Skin Deep database (see link in my blogroll). This database is AWESOME because it tells you which products are "green light" (safest), which are "yellow light" (moderate hazard), and which are "red light" (stuff you want to AVOID.

Long story short, there are a whole slew of unsafe personal health care products out there (many with toxins like carcinogens, neurotoxins, endocrine disruptors, etc.) There are products linked to infertility and many other health problems.

Who wants to slather toxic chemicals into their skin, right? Anyway, I digress. (Sorry, this is a hot topic for me).

To be cont’d (too long for Blogger comments)...

Jeanne

Jeanne said...

Pooba,

Testing the character limits on Blogger................

Part 2:

Speaking for myself, I wash my face in the shower only. I don't need to wash my face every night because there is no makeup to wash off (saves me the time, mess, and hassle of dealing with makeup removal). In fact, if I washed my face at night too, it would get way too dry.

So, the bottom line is I use no makeup (thus no allergen exposure, no makeup clogging my pores, etc). I wash my face in the shower. Period.

As far as wrinkles (if they are there and I sure don't see them but I'll take your work for it), I would (again) avoid sun exposure, avoid toxic chemicals, and avoid "overdoing" anything that could dry out your skin. To some extent, the wrinkle factor may be genetic too. (I'm not a scientist but it would seem that way from what I've observed). Sufficient sleep may help the wrinkle factor too.

I know you're getting lots of opinions here and you have to do what works for you. I will say that the Skin Deep database (by Environmental Working Group) is an excellent resource and using it to make informed choices about any products you're thinking of trying can't hurt.

People comment on what "nice skin" I have. My skin is nothing special in my opinion. I do believe, though, that ditching makeup many years back helped me.

My sensitive skin issues really reached their worst when I was about 19 or 20. An odyssey of dermatologist visits ensued. After patch testing revealed I was allergic to ingredients that were in practically everything I then used (shampoo, deodorant, lotion, nail polish, etc), I made some major changes in my buying decisions and it helped a great deal.

Many skin products claim to be the best thing since sliced bread. Often, their marketing claims are dubious at best. More troubling is the toxins contained in so many of these products.

All I know is that I don't use any of the "fancy stuff". Not only does it not HELP my skin but it actually HURTS it.

Oh, and I save a ton of money...

So, you might want to try taking a vacation from your makeup for a few weeks and see what happens. You might be surprised that the blotches may disappear.

Again, age spots and wrinkles may be sun-related (at least in part).

Oh, to find a safe sunscreen... check Skin Deep. Some sunscreens contain endocrine disruptors (NOT healthy) and toxic fragrances.

Sorry for the book. I just know what a massive industry skin care is and don't want you dumping money into products that either won't help and/or contain toxic chemicals. You'd be surprised at what is legally on the market in the U.S.!

Jeanne

LCO's said...

Shut up whore your skin is beautiful and I actually iced my face a couple days ago (Mostly cuz i had a zit I needed to get to a head so I could have the pure joy or popping it) and I thought that I should start doing this every day so I can have pretty skin like you. WHORE

KK said...

Me too. Never heard of icing!