Clarisonic: How I Cleared Up My Skin Without Really Trying
True story.
The month before Thanksgiving, my face was a total mess. Stress, sloppy skincare, and bad eating led me towards an almost teenage state of acne. I tried everything in my skincare arsenal – clay masques, strong cleansers and scrubs. Nothing offered a lasting solution, and I was becoming extremely frustrated. Desperate times led me to a desperate measure. I signed up for a skin care research trial at the University of Miami Cosmetics Center.
At my first appointment, I filled out what seemed like a small booklet of release forms, and the friendly physician’s assistant (or medical student, not sure) counted my “lesions and pustules.” Yuck. Then they asked me what I’d been using on my skin. Do you have a few hours? I joked. As I went down the list, they noted that I was using a lot of the typical acne fighters – salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy, kaolin clay cleansers. All harsh treatments that would clash with the four-part regimen I was signing up to try.
The docs ordered me to do a two-week “wash out” period. They told me to stop popping my pustules (again, eeeww), and to only use the face wash they gave me. They handed me a big bottle of Cetaphil. I had heard of Cetaphil before, but never tried it. I must admit, I wasn’t impressed at first use. It kinda felt like I was washing my face with weak, scentless lotion. I personally prefer a face wash that leaves my skin with that fresh, clean, almost-stripped feeling. Cetaphil wasn’t it. I mean, you can use this stuff without water. It’s exceedingly gentle, and I wasn’t sure I liked the way my skin still felt internally moist after washing it, if that makes any sense. It took me a while to get used to Cetaphil’s mild-mannered ways.
To supplement the not-exactly-squeaky clean of Cetaphil and to exfoliate my skin in lieu of harsh scrubs, I used my Clarisonic brush. I’ve mentioned this before, but let me say it again – Clarisonic brushes are the bomb. No wonder they’re among Oprah’s favorite things!
The Clarisonic Skin Care System
Two weeks passed and when it was time to return to the lab for the trial to begin, I didn’t have a single pustule in sight! The overall appearance of my skin had improved that significantly. The acne problems that had led me to the research trial to begin with were practically gone. Hooray for Cetaphil and Clarisonic!
I hear you, bellas, and I feel you. The Clarisonic brush sounds amazing, but at $195 for the system, it’s not exactly affordable for bellas on a budget. So allow me to kick off 2008 with a very special giveaway, one I meant to give in December. I’ve got TWO Clarisonic brushes to bestow unto you, and here’s how you can get one.
Leave me a comment below that begins with the sentence “Clear skin in 2008!” and then tell me what skin care problems you’ve been having, and what products you’ve been using that just aren’t cutting it for you. I’m gonna leave these comments open until Thursday, and take my time and sift through the many answers. Because I’ve only got TWO items to give this time, I implore any of you who won giveaways last time to let this one be for the first time giveaway contest entries. Thanks much, bellas– and good luck!
Happy Monday!
** edited at 8:35 p.m. — WOW! I did NOT expect such an overwhelming response. As of right now, it’s 70 comments and counting. That’s a lot to choose from, bellas! So I’m making an editorial decision to close these comments by noon Tuesday, not Thursday. At this point, I’ll have over 100 comments by tomorrow! I only wish I have more of these awesome brushes to give away.
This makes me happy — it truly is a joy to bring these offers to you all. My new goal is a giveaway for every month of 2008. So keep reading and keep entering, even if you don’t win this one. International readers can feel free to enter as well — I remember how it felt to live in Trinidad and see all of the cool sweepstakes and contests in “foreign” and to not be able to participate. I’ve been lucky enough to find fantastic beauty companies who have gladly sent complimentary products to places as far away as Wales, Germany, and Jamaica.
It’s a good feeling to share the love, and I want to say a big thank you to the PR peeps I’ve gotten to work with on these. You’ve all been great. If you’ve got a beauty product you’d like me to review, or you’d like to host a giveaway on Afrobella, please e mail me at bella@afrobella.com!
Category: Product Reviews, Skin
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Clear Skin For 2008! Happy new year everyone! Acne has been one of my biggest bothers since about the age of 11. I’ve tried everything from soft-candle and toothpaste to prescription ointments and antibiotics. Nothing seems to work, and so over the years I’ve gone from sadness, to frustration, to simply accepting my less than stellar skin. At 25, I think I am learning to accept all of me (even my cysts and pustules). Currently, I use the Clinique Acne Solutions Line and Ambi Even and Clear Daily Moisturizer. I think, what really works though, is telling myself everyday, that I’m just as beautiful with or without my acne and scars. Inner beauty rocks!
P.S.- To all the bellas out there who suffer from embarrassing acne, hold your heads high! I truly want to believe that when you carry yourself with love and confidence, other people will focus on the majesty of your being, more so than the texture of your skin…
Clear Skin in 2008?! I have had lots of acne since I started puberty when I was 11 years old. At first, I would get just one pimple at a time but it was no ordinary pimple, it was a Mt. Fuji zit on my nose, chin, or forehead. By 13, I had a face full of Mt. Fujis all over my face and smaller whiteheads on my neck, shoulders, and back. I remember getting my 8th grade class picture back from the photography company and not showing it to anyone because it looked so bad. I went home and gave it to my mother and a couple weeks later, I secretly found the rest of the wallet pictures that hadn’t been given out and threw them away. From there, my body has mostly cleared up and my face has moments in time when it looks decent but not good. Now at 28, I get huge flareups where I get a huge zit surrounded by other smaller ones (like the devil and his minions) just sitting there festering for weeks…until I can’t take it anymore and pop them which leaves dark scars that last for months. I have tried everything to clear my skin like retin-a, proactive, mario badescu, murad, nutrogena, clearasil, acne-free, and various spa products by elemis and others (which don’t work one bit by the way). At the moment, I am using the last bit of my last murad shipment and plotting my next product move. I will try cetaphil and I will lust after that brush until I can save up for one (money is tight at the moment). To all the other fabulous ladies in this situation, I feel you and know what it’s like… I wish for clear skin for us all!
Clear skin in 2008! I have been at war with my skin since the day I turned 21. I went through puberty like a champ…I would freak out if I even got one bump…but things began to change as I got older. What started out as 2 bumps during my “cycle” turned into a battle that still plagues me today. I have been an avid user of Cetaphil since 2001 and I swear buy it! Though my skin has improved with the help of morning and night presciption meds and the antibiotic doxyclyne…I am always looking for ways to restore my skin to its former glory.
I must admit to you that my skin journey has done wonders for my self esteem (much like my decision to go natural). I remember days when I was too embarrassed to look others in the eye for fear that they would be gawking at acne that covered my face. I remember crying about the consistent pain that my face was in and being unable to touch it even with a soft cloth. I found it hard to look in the mirror and I refused to take pictures. Then one day I decided to just accept it and find the beauty in my eyes. It was hard…really hard, but I found that when I begin to look past my skin, so did others.
Today my skin has improved dramatically, though I wish I was not so reliant on the meds. However, I will never forget my journey and all that it took to get me where I am today.
Clear skin in 2008!
It’s funny you post this. I made this promise to myself for the new year. I didn’t have really bad acne in high school. I am now 27 and I guess it’s acne time for payback LOL. My skin has been horrible for the last year or so. Out of frustration, I set up an appointment for a dermatologist. Ironically, my appoitment was on new years eve(coincidence, I think not lol). I went and the doctor persribed me RetinA-Micro. I heard this is very rough on skin and I really would prefer not to have to use this as my skin is sensitive. The cetaphil and facial brush would be a GOD send. :~)
Clear skin in 2008 would be just great! Avoiding blemishes altogether is my goal because no matter what I do, they always leave dark marks behind for months. Then I wear make-up to cover the marks. The make-up leads to more blemishes…. it’s a vicious cycle. I have a clogging problem. Make-up, sunscreen… anything other than air clogs up my skin so I work hard to keep my pores scrupulously clean. I use Neutrogena products but I get dry patches. I would love to try something more gentle but nothing else seems to clean well enough – I even used Cetaphil for a minute. Increasing my H2O and using manual scrub brushes have helped so I know Clarisonic is the tool for me! Peace, Afrobella, and thanks!
Clear Skin in 2008! I am a 28 year old full time Engineer, part-time grad student whose life is being taken over by these large, under-the-skin painful pimples! I used to use the Kiehl’s Yerba Mate Tea collection, but stopped because a) it wasn’t working and b) it exploded in my suitcase while flying home for Christmas, so that was that! I am digging the Cetaphil idea – I’ve been using Purpose by Johnson & Johnson and wonder if it’s comparable? Either way, I just went out and dropped an arm and a leg on some Chanel preventative skincare to try to shape things up. Either way, glowing wrinkle-free skin is no good with these monster zits on my face. The Chanel counter lady stressed the benefits of cleansing and getting all that makeup off my face at night, and I’ve been secretly coveting that Clarisonic brush since seeing it in an infomercial – but the price! Alas, you, Afrobella, want to be my fairy skin-mother… Pleeeaase?!?! I just spent too much money on night cream and toner so I desperately need your help. Thank you so much, and happy new year!
Clear skin in 2008!!! I have been plagued by adult onset acne. I’ve tried everything under the sun prescrition (Differin, Erythromycin cream) and OTC (Clearasil, Neutrogena, Proactiv, philosophy), oral and topical. To top things off my skin is also very sensitive so all the harsh cleansers and scrubs make me break out even more. After the blemish is gone I’m left with splotches of hyperpimentation. I’ve heard so many good things about the Clarisonic that I’m dying to try it out, but my student budget doesn’t allow for such a high expenditure.
Clear skin in 2008!Afrobella…I have struggled with acne for at least the past 10 years. As a sophomore in college, I caught chickenpox, presumably from the close quarters of a 4-person suite and a community bathroom for the floor. Nonetheless prior to then I never had acne to speak of. Since that time I have been to several dermatologists with not much relief. My family moved to South Florida when my sister and I began college and in 1996 when I caught chickenpox the Primary Doctor I went to for treatment suggested I see this Dermatologist in Ft. Lauderdale. When I went in she told me that she didn’t have much experience in her 20 years in dermatology in working with skin of color. And, that at the time, laser acne treatments worked really well with caucasian skin because when white skin scabs from treatment, new skin is underneath and the results cause no discoloration. On the other hand she was not familiar with all of the reactions from darker skin types but knew enough to suggest more adverse reactions in addition to hyperpigmentation from our scabs, typically. Not wanting any adverse reactions because she didn’t know and I was NOT game I begrudgingly went on her product line of a topical face wash and toner at $100 for a 30-day supply along with a prescription of tetracycline with 10 refills. So, off I went armed with oral medicine and a topical wash/tone regimen. My results were mild, if any, and it was suggested to get off of oral acne medicine because the long-term effects were not known. (AARGH!) Fast forward to 2002 when my acne became systic and coincidentally my best friend graduated from medical school with similar acne issues (hers lasting all of her life). To satisfy her own curiosity and provide insight for both of our ongoing problems she decided to specialize in dermatology rather than pediatrics. What I found after living in South Florida and from speaking with numerous physicians of color, there was and still is a huge deficiency of black dermatologists in South Florida (Dade, Broward, Palm Beach). So my best friend participates in different medical forums/clinical trials on the skin and hair care topics related to people of color and recently visited UM. What she’s discovered after all of these years of personal acne issues and now with her professional training, she shared with me her thoughts on skincare for those of us afflicted with acne: 1) The cleanser does not have to be name brand or expensive, just non-drying and gentle…avoid anything with granules or scrubbing properties because they are too harsh for the face and will cause acne/hyperpigmentation to worsen. 2)Find a good toner that, also, is gentle and non-drying. She really likes the Neutrogena line because it is affordable and effective. 3)Do buy a good moisturizer according to your skin type (i.e, flaky, oily, sensitive, t-zone, etc.)also be aware of your skin’s changing needs according to the seasons depending on the climate where you live. 4)To avoid acne from recurring, wash your face as soon as you wake up and make it the last thing you do before you go to sleep. Never sleep in makeup. She also says to use a topical agent such as differin gel or retin-a micro for the rest of your life if you never want to see a pimple on your face (especially along the jaw line because those are hormonal pimples and will come back). I have tried both of these products along with tri-luma and lustra and in comparison to the latter two, differin and retin-a micro are extremely mild with for my sensitive skin means no burning, itching or peeling. I know you didn’t like your skin’s reaction to tri-luma and I understand after peeling for about a month after using it for 1 week, at night only. My best friend (the dermatologist) suggested that the reaction I had was likely due to sun exposure (even minimal) which is a warning on most prescription skin products, in addition to either using a moisturizer with a minimum of SPF 15 or wearing a separate sunscreen SPF 15. I have spent tons of money between going to the dermatologist, getting microdermabrasion and/or facials treatments,and buying products online…you name it. However, I have never tried Cetaphil, and come to think of it, she has never suggested it either. I am going to send her your link so she can take a look at your post and give you her spin on black skin care from a professional/personal perspective. By the way, she is in Cleveland, OH but is moving this summer to D.C. to work for the National Institute of Health on a project related to black skin and hair care. Thanks for all of your interesting information on how to keep beautiful black women beautiful!!!
Hi Bella,
I am 28 years old, and I live in the South. I have dry skin, although I originally thought that it was oily because my hair is oily. I have always had a pimply forehead from my teenage years. I also get really bad acne on my cheeks, nose and chin. Right now, I am taking Tretinoin (generic Retin-A), but I have gone off of it because my doctor told me that the excess Vitamin A could be harmful to a fetus. I am not pregnant now, but I am capable of becoming pregnant, and I just don’t want to take the chance. But the Tretinoin does work. My derm told me that some people stay on Tretinoin for years, and I just don’t like taking prescriptions that are not vitally necessary. I do use the CVS generic version of Cetaphil as well.
My main problem with acne is that it makes me look like a child, a lot younger than I am. I am an attorney, and in addition to the fact that I look really young, the acne makes me look even younger and therefore, not as capable to our clients. I feel like I should not be in the same situation that I was in when I was 12…
I’d be interested in trying something new. Thank you!
Oh yeah, Clear Skin in 2008!
CLEAR SKIN IN 2008!!!!!
60 comments lawdy lawdy, I really hope I get this.
Bella this isn’t actually for me, it is for my sister, she has suffered from acne for almost ten years…it never cleared up after her teens. She is light skinned and has a lot of battle scars to show for everything she has tried. Like you Bella, she has an arsenal of facial products. Some show signs of improvement but after a few weeks to a month it’s right back to square one again.
I really love my sis and I know it will lift her esteem up a few notches with CLEAR SKIN IN 2008!
Clear skin 2008- One of the areas to have a facial breakout is around the jaw areas. Not only must you deal with the humiliation of having a breakout, you also have to deal with the glares people give you because they think you breakouts is caused by facial hair. The worst things about breakouts is when you have them continuously. Completely clear skin is a mere myth.
Clear skin in 2008! Clear skin forever should be the motto. A true afrobella is as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. I strive to obtain the balance of inner and outer beauty. I use Prescriptives comfort cleanser and comfort lotion. Recently, I’ve been experiencing severe breakouts thus the Clarisonic brush would be a helpful addition to my skin care regime as I try to display my inner beauty on the outside.
Clear skin in 2008! That would be great. I sometimes wonder if i will have acne and clogged pores for the rest fo my life. i have suffered with acne since I was 11 ot 12. At that time I would get these huge, painful pimples that left scars. i still get the acne, but it is not as painful. I have tried everything. I got Retin A micro from my derm. i have tried clendamiacine. i have used the entire Nutregena acne line. I have used Clinique, Queen Helen, Mary Kay, Avon, Clean & Clear, Purpose, the list goes on and on. I would love to have this brush. I am working on improving my self, weight loss, work life balace you name it. Clear skin would be just the thing to kick start my transformation.
Clear skin in 2008! I was sure my acne would subside once puberty was over. At 13 I started breaking out month after month faithfully with my cycle (hope that’s not TMI). Now I’m 22 a soon-to-be graduate of Howard University and future fashionista business woman, but close to 10 years later I’m breaking out month after month. This year I said “I’VE HAD ENOUGH…I WILL NOT BE BOTHERED WITH ACNE AT 23†so I started operation clear skin. I have tried Proactiv, and it was not proactive in solving my acne problem; Clearasil, and it cleared nothing but the oil out of my skin leaving me with acne AND dry patches; From Neutrogena to plain water, generic to name brand, soaps to masks, spas to do it yourself; I’ve tried it all and they all failed me. Now I’m broke with acne. Please help me.
Clear skin in 2008! Wouldn’t that be a dream come true! My mom is in her early sixties and her skin STILL breaks out so I see my future coming. I’ve watched her try everything and still have pimples and blackheads. My biggest problem is that dead skin seems to build up on my face at such a rapid rate and then I use a litany of exfoliating scrubs and cleansers that just terribly irritate my skin. It seems like my skin’ll be clear and then suddenly overnight I get horrible breakouts on the sides of my cheeks and along my chin. It’s embarrassing to walk around with these concealer-spackled zits on my face when women ten years younger than me have perfectly clear skin. I eat well, drink lots of water, limit caffeine and I still feel like I’m gonna be popping pimples (or trying not to) when I’m 80. Help me stop the madness!
Clear Skin 2008! I loved reading this. My story may be a little different from the traditional story of acne. I suffer from “female condition” called PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Aside from irregular periods, and difficulties conceiving- I suffer from breakouts. I was diagnosed in 2005 and have run the gamut on the products that I’ve tried. Ambi, black soap, Retin-A, Erythomycin you name it I’ve tried it. All to know avail. So when I read about your brush I thought what would a 27y/o sister on a budget have to lose. I would love to try this since conventional medicine has left me high, dry and still acne ridden
Clear skin in 2008! Wow thats a great giveaway. I don’t have bad acne or anything but I do break out during that time of the month or just when I’m stressed. And what happens is when I get a pimple, I scar. And I mean it doesn’t matter if I pop it or not. Sometimes I leave the darn thing alone and walk around with a pimple on the verge of breaking through and guess what, I still scar! And the scars don’t go away. I swear I have scars on my face older than my socks.
Clear skin in 2008!!!! I like many of the ladies above have used or abused my share of skin products. My issue is not exactly the acne, but the blemishes that the acne leave behind. I have used neutrogena, clean and clear, Retin-A, shea butter, cocoa butter, black soap and that GOD awful pro-active solution which seems to do nothing for bellas of our complexion. None of these products did anything for my blemishes. Recently I’ve started seeing a dermatologist whose products have improved the texture of my skin but not the overall look. Will you please help me? I’m willing to try something new, especially since the dermatologist doesn’t seem to be helping.
Clear Skin in 2008!!
I grew up in a household where face wash was synonymous with whatever soap and washcloth you used to bathe the rest of you. So, needless to say, I was WAY grown before my now-husband opened my eyes: “You mean you use the same washcloth and soap you use on your armpits on your face?”
Since that not-long-ago day, I’ve tried everything under the sun to control my super oily T-zone, dry chin and jawline, the enlarged pores around my nose, and my blackhead-prone cheeks. You name it – Clean and Clear, Neutrogena, Clearasil, Aveeno, Ambi – and I’ve tried it to no avail.
To add insult to injury, I didn’t learn until too late that popping those huge, white pustules (that continue to plague me to this day) gets rid of the eyesores…but leaves huge, permanent blemishes. Couple this nasty habit with a PASSION for all things makeup and you have a pretty congested, breakout-prone mess on your hands…or rather, my face.
This is the only face I’ve got…please tell me it’s never too late to get it right Bella!?
Clear skin in 2008! I literally have a million dollar face in my quest to achieve flawless skin. I have used the birth control pill, antibiotics, prescription and over the counter oral and topical solutions. I even took the dreaded accutane which kept my acne at bay for about 3 years, but then returned. I am currently using the Jan Marini skin care line as well as going to an aesthetician for chemical peels, laser and microdermabrasion. This process cleared my skin, but then returned once I stopped going for only a few short months so here I am once again starting the process all over again. I want to stop this maddening and expensive cycle. I long to find something I can use at home so I can start investing my money. I just turned 42 on Jan 3rd, and I would love to have a Clarisonic brush as a late birthday gift. Please help me get my clear skin back before I turn 43.
Clear skin in 2008! Help! I’m 30 currently dealing with the skin of a 13 y/o! Or a pepperoni pizza! LOL! I have been through so many different regimens and products. I’ve consulted a dermatologist, had facials, used expensive and not so expensive products. Nothing worked. The latest line I tried was Proactive. I’ve been using it for a while and recently stopped because it wasn’t working for me either. My skin is going bananas! Ironically, I was about to “dig in your crates” so to speak and look for your recommendations. When I saw the pic of Cetaphil, I got excited because I had been wondering about Cetaphil. So perhaps the Cetaphil in combination with this system and loads of water can get me back to my fabulous, “vivrant” self. I’ve got my body in order by losing over 100lbs. Now I’ve got to get my skin in line!
Clear skin in 2008 would be a dream. I’m a 30 yo woman lving in the PNW, oily and acne prone my entire life. I just went through a disastrous regime w/ the Obagi Nu-Derm system and it destroyed my skin and now I seem to be even more acne prone, in addition to having a lot of hyperpigmentation… I keep seeing Cetaphil pop up more and more, at this point it can’t hurt…..
p.s. vivrant thang .wow. mucho congrats on your accomplishment!!
Clean skin in 2008! Let me start off by saying that my skin hasn’t been clear since I was 13. I have used every system and skincare regimen to be known to woman. I’m a 27 year old college student who just broke up with her boyfriend of 3 1/2 years and I’m ready for a fresh start in 2008. Fresh outlook on life and fresh clean&clear skin. You are an inspiration and even if I don’t win thank you for your insight and positive influence.
Clear Skin in 2008! Like many of my fellow bellas, I’ve been struggling with acne since the onset of puberty. I’ve tried everything from Retnin-A to Accuntane. I’m now 27 and although my skin is considerably better than it was when I was 13, I still suffer from pretty consistent breakouts. I also have a TON of unsightly acne scarring on my cheeks and chin. I currently use the face wash and the cooling mask from Aveda’s Outer Peace line. They work fairly well, but I’m definitely going to try Cetaphil since you had such great results. I want clear skin!!!!
Clear skin in 2008! I just recently developed acne inversa, which is also known as hidradentitis supparativa, a rare skin disorder. It is essentially acne that occurs over your body. I am turning 30 on the 16th and have been quite depressed due to my skin condition. I used to have clear skin, but now I take several drugs and use creams that need to be reapplied three times a day. I really want to feel more confident and not regress to a life as a recluse. I would love to try the Clarisonic brush, but it is out of my budget. Thanks so much! Love the site!
Clear skin in 2008! I’m a 21 year old girl living in California, and I have serious complexion problems. I’ve pretty much always had breakouts since I was about 12 years old and nothing I’ve tried has worked. Lately I’ve been trying the Body shop Tea Tree oil line, and it seemed to work ok at first, but now my skin is dry, dull, and still full of pimples, in fact it seems worse.
I’ve pretty much tried everything and nothing works, to top it off I scar really easily so every time I get pimples my face just gets worse and worse. I would be so happy to win this brush simply because I’m desperate for something to work, it’s embarrassing alway having to wear concealer and foundation, I feel totally self conscious if people see me when I first wake up, or after I work out because my face is so bad. I would be so thrilled to some day be able to go out in public without tons of makeup on.
I’ve tried it all. I need a dermatologist.
CLEAR SKIN FOR 2008!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE, I HAVE THE MOST SENSITIVE SKIN IN THE WORLD!! I AM NOT ABLE TO USE ANYTHING WITHOUT THE FEAR OF A MAJOR BREAKOUT FOR AT LEAST A FEW WEEKS AND THAT INCLUDES MAKEUP(GASP)..I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE CLEAR SKIN TO GO ALONG WITH THE 100 LBS I PLAN TO LOSE(ON TOP OF THE 40 I ALREADY HAVE) FOR THIS YEAR. GOOD LUCK BELLAS!!
Clear skin in 2008! I am 21 years old. I always hear my dad claim that I look wonderful because of my youth, but after 2007 I beg to differ. All of my hair has fallen out and my skin is pasty, dull, and gray looking. ’07 kicked my butt and it that affected my health and well-being. 2008 is now here, I cut all my hair off, and I am sporting and ‘mini-afro’ (that I love!) Next, I would like to work on my skin. So many people swear by department store greats like Clinique and Origins, but that’s just too much to keep up with on my budget. The winter is here and I am terrified as to what it will do to me. Cetaphil sounds like it might really work for me, along with this brush.
I am so glad you found a skin regime that works for you. Flaunt it and Enjoy it!
Clear Skin for 2008
I’m trying to moisturize my situation for the ’08. I’m in the midst of a divorce from a husband who thinks the next girl will be the next girl. Hmph! I plan on dropping 15 lbs off this 5’3, get a tone body on lock, and have a face that’s blemish free. When he sees what he gave up (along with three beautiful children) it’s going to be worth it. I’m claiming 2008 as MY year. Nothing but success baby!
I’ve tried the drugstore stuff like Neutrogena and Oil of Olay to the department store cleansers- Clinique. All with varying degrees of success.
Every so often I go to the Clarisonic website (got it bookmarked) and gaze longingly at the brush. In my mind I’m saying “When I get my tax return…”
I want beauiful, evenly toned, blemish-free skin to go with my best feature… my smile. This year, I have LOTS to smile about.
Clear skin in 2008! I’m here to tell ya that apparently we’re never too old for acne. I am in my late 50s and looked in the mirror this morning and saw the same face I had at 15 y/o (if you block out the grey hair around my face) What the heck?! I change my pillow case every other day, use pure castille soap on face and body and a mild moisturizer, eat lots of salads and veggies, drink nothing but water, and get more sleep now than I ever have. One thing I haven’t tried is daily exfoliaton, so I’d love to try the Clarisonic brush, Bella. Thank you. I may be older but I am hopeful that it’s not too late for me to finally get a clear complexion.
Clear skin in 2008!!! I’m 19 and have tried everything and I do mean EVERYTHING on this skin of mine. Clearasil black-head scrub, neutrogena, clean and clear…and PROACTIVE, which messed me up big time…I’m talking red rashes all over this brown skin. And its hard for me to turn red!
I tried just cleaning with white alcohol, too much fire, and then just wiping it down with baby wipes (for sensitive skin) and still…no luck! Right now, I’m about to run out for this Cetaphil!
Girl, you didn’t know about cetaphyll? Stop usinging that formaldehyde on your face!
i never had serious acne, but my skin reeeeaaallly cleared up when i completely stopped touching my face. popping pimples is a killer.
Clear skin in 2008…I have sebhorric dermatitis and it causes these huge flaky spots on my skin and on my scalp (one of the reasons I went natural). The dermatologist told me there’s not really anything that could be done and to wash face with salacylic acid, so I use neutrogena acne wash and palmer’s cocoa butter formula for moisturizer. The acne wash doesn’t really help with the flakiness, but the lotion keeps the patches hidden. Anyone have other suggestions? I wonder if the Clarisonic will help….
Clear Skin in 2008!!!! And clear goals, clear vision, clear relationships, a clear sense of order…clarity in all things. Yes, this is the year of new beginnings. And what better way to start than by going ahead and hooking ya girl up with the Clearsonic. LOL!
Anyway, to the matter at hand…I am 31 years old, and my skin is very “sometimey” – sometimes it’s great, and sometimes it’s just plain awful – nothing inbetween! And this post is right on time for me, because lately it’s been really bad. Last week I had yet another breakout of horrible bumps around my jawline and hairline. (It’s due to stress…I lost my Mother and Grandfather just a few months ago, they passed within 3 months of each other.) So, I have currently switched back to Cetaphil and my daily fix of Neosporin. (Oh yes, ladies, it’s the truth for pimples and breakouts, even for dark spots. I’ve been using it overnight for years.) The Neosporin gradually clears everything up, but it takes a while, and I’m thinking that I should be doing something more proactive on a daily basis. I was also using Neutrogena Deep Cleanser, which is a great product (I stopped using it so that I could isolate the source of my problem). Anyway, everyone have a great year, and be blessed!
“Clear Skin in 2008!” I’ve been through the gambit, Proactiv
a costly mistake…it worked for about 2 weeks and then stopped. Then the trip to whole foods for the “organic variety”…Jason Naturals, Aztec Masks, Juice Beauty :::sigh::: and that’s just on the outside, I’ve given up diary and a lot of processed sugars..so I’ve just given up…I do have a coupon for some Cetaphil, so I think I’m going to expend a few more bucks for something that works.
Clear skin in 2008. Oooh, i wish that i could do this anonymously so that i would not have to out myself just for a $195 gadget that i had never heard of until reading about it on your blog. but then how would you know that it was me. so here goes. i USED to have relatively clear skin until i crossed over yet another aging threshold and it ALL started to go downhill. thank God that I have lots of freckles and moles so that the acne scars kind of blend in…or so i tell myself. i have been using neutrogena acne wash but am willing to try anything at the point. in fact, since i can afford a bottle of cetaphyll i intend to try it. i would really apreciate the gadget. regardless, thanks much bella.
Clear Skin in 2008! I just turned 30 am in my last year of law school and stressed out! My face breaks out constantly and with the bar exam coming up I can only image what my face will look like. I have never really had clear skin but I never thought it could get as bad as it did. Clear skin in 2008 would be a great gift. Hope you enjoy reading all of these comments Bella. I did.
“Clear skin in 2008!”
I have oily skin and wonderful breakout acne. Sometimes, I’ll get a pimple that seems relatively small and I’ll end up either picking it or accidentally scratching and the next thing I know, it’s a bit red dot on my face.
I don’t believe that salicylic acid works for me anymore, or ever did for that matter, so I’ve moved onto BP instead. I’ve tried ProActiv and found that it works, even if I just use the cleanser so instead of paying quite a bit for the entire system, I figured that I’d go out and buy some products that contain BP in them. Right now, I’m using Neutrogena and it seems to work, but sometimes, when stressed or near that time of the month, I’ll break out.
Anyway, thanks for having this giveaway and it’s great (for you anyway) that you’ve gotten so many responses!
Clear skin in 2008! I hope that makes it to God’s ears. I have had acne since I was a teenager, and now that I’m in my late twenties I’m wondering if it will ever go away. My acne really flares up when “Aunt Flo” comes to visit and when I get sinus infections. I am particularly concerned about the dark marks left behind and keloiding, which I normally did not get on my face. I can’t begin to tell you all of the products I’ve tried (including prescriptions), but right now my regimen consists of washing my face twice a day with Neutrogena’s facial clensing bar and following up with Clean&Clear deep clensing astringent and some aloe vera gel. At night, I apply Clean&Clear acne spot treatment. In the morning, I use MaMa lotion and Oil of Olay “oil free” mosturizer which also has sunscreen.
Clear skin 2008 is the gift I would love for my fiance Gary to have. He has tried every every every thing on the market. Some work, then all of a sudden it stops and we have boils, pimples, and white heads. We recently discovered he was allergic to any aluminums. Proactive has it and so do many other skin products. They produce boils. Never tried Cetaphil, we will add it to the shelf, hope it works. All things begin anew with the number 8.
Clear skin in 2008! eeeks I am 40…and my skin has been hit & miss most of my life. But it has been in a bad way since last April (yes I know the month it really went down hill..boo) I’ve spent and returned too much trying to find the right product…Dr. Brandt trial size (no change), Rx for brown skin (way too harsh), Nuxe (a spa line that smells nice but..), Philosophy (ok), Arbonne, Origins, and went back to Witch Hazel. Did I mention I am 40? I mean goddesses please, should I still be dealing w/ my oily/normal/combination skin at 40? So, hmmm a “wash out” period? No touching the “pustules”? I’ll try it…and winning the Clarisonic brush? Would be such a prize because the wash out sounds really hard…how sad is that?
Clear skin in 2008! I’m a huge fan of Cetaphil. I’ve been using it for the past three years and it great on my combination skin… combined with scrubbing.
I have a problem with my skin in changing climates. In the winter months, my skin can get really dry, so I need to find a really GOOD moisturizer – but it has to be oil free, as moisturizers with oil in them break me out. I’ve tried lots of different moisturizers, but have not been able to find “the one.”
Clear skin in 2008! Afrobella, I have struggled with my skin since i was ten years old & just about to enter puberty. Since then i have literally TRIED every cleanser, scrub, mask, toner, cream, gel, (you get the point!) on the market! I have tried high end AND low end products, but never found anything i was really satisfied with. My skin is a constant source of embarrassment to me – i am the only child out of 5 with blotchy, uneven skin. I have a problem with pustules, big pores, & uneven skin tone, & years of acne have left my face scarred. Although i love my skin color, I hate seeing my face & worry others see my terrible skin and not me. Currently I am trying Dr. Susan Taylor’s “Bright and Clear” face wash for women of color along with Neutrogena’s Visibly even exfoliating cleanser but i’m not convinced they are making a difference. I am a 19 year old broke student & i would really appreciate winning the brush, but even if i don’t, I must thank you because this post inspired me to give Cetaphil another try!
Clear skin in 2008! My skin is the bane of my existence,LOL.Since the age of 12, I’ve tried almost everything to get my skin into good shape: oral and topical prescription antibiotics,clay masks, garlic-parsley juices,Retin-A, proactive, serious skin care, natural “juice & berries” type scrubs, you name it!
All of these things would work for a short time, then the results would either wane, or I would suffer some kind of wierd side effect. So I just basically got used to my acne, it’s become part of my identity ever since high school.
So, here I am, 25 going on 26 with discouraging face of adult acne. Sometimes I even find myslelf longing for the skin I had as a teenager, because compared to what I have now, that was the minor leagues baby!
Well, despite it all, I am committed to making 2008 a great year, and I don’t want my skin issues to keep me back from all the great things I want to do anymore. Just tired of it. So far I’ve been working on the nutritional approach with supplements and the like, and keeping up on my water, and burdock tea for balance, etc. So hopefully my consistency will make a difference! The rest of my regimen is black soap & ambi face srub alternately, witch hazel/rose/tee tree toner, oil of olay complete moisturizer, C&C salicylic acid spot treatment. I should probably give the cetaphil a try again…I used it when I was on Retin-a.
Since my acne has really gone haywire within the past year, I’ve only just recently started seeing real scarring, and that is what has really gotten to me. I always tried to see the bright side, because at least i didn’t have any perm scarring yet. In any event, I have faith that I will see a turnaround this year!
Clear skin in 2008! Wow! Who would have thought that 30-plus would leave my skin in the worst shape ever? Not me. Well, it has. The Proactiv Solution used by Puffy, Vanessa, Jessica, etc., used to work for me. But something happened…. A trip to the dermatologist a couple of years ago turned up a prescription for dioxicycline(-?-) and Retin-A. That didn’t work and I wasn’t too crazy about taking antiobiotics regularly. On top of that, the Retin-A was peeling off layers upon layers of skin. At some point, my skin cleared up–temporarily. I don’t know why or how, but it did. Then, after a few lazy, not-washing-my-face-soon-enough-after-workouts, icky skin was back, apparently to stay. Now, I’ve got acne below my cheekbones and along my jawline. To think, I used to be a t-zone girl. I’ve tried drugstore acne , creams, kits and peels, but to no avail. I’ve started using Proactiv again because I had had success with it in the past. New twist. Aging. Whereas the Proactiv never dried me out before, now, in addition to making my skin peel, it’s contributing to the fine lines that have begun to appear beneath my eyes. And, the scars just aren’t fading. For the first time in my life I feel like I have to wear make-up just to leave the house. I am a distant memory at the gym where I used to get sweaty and not wash my face soon enough because I am too embarrassed to let other people see me after I’ve sweated off my make-up. (And, trust me, it shows.) Enough!
Clear Skin in ’08!! I’ve used it all. Accutane, Differin, ProActive, Murad….I seriously could go on. As far as the over the counter stuff, I’ve tried Keihls blue lotion the herbal cleanser from Aveda. They both have helped a little. I have been struggling with acne for a long time and am constantly searching for new ways to treat it. I even have a blog dedicated to helping other fight acne. Grrr. It’s so frustrating at time. I believe the Clairisonic brush is exactly what I need especially living in the North East during the winter, my skin is in need of a good exfoliant and moisturizer and I think the Clarisonic brush combined with the Cetaphil could really help my skin go a long way and if it works for me I would definitely write about it on my blog with the hope of inspiring someone the way you have inspired me to regain my natural beauty in this new year. Even if I don’t win it thank you for sharing this info with us.Cheers!
Clear skin in 2008? yea right. I have always had kinda bad skin. Im 23 and it’s not nearly as bad as it was when I was a teenager. But I’M 23! Nightly I wash with a generic cleaners (because the expensive stuff doesnt work either, so why buy it?). Then I put some vaseline on my face because the wash usually dries my face out sooo bad. I drink a ton of water all day everyday, but it doesn’t do anything for my face. I really really hate the state of my skin. I think I’m so pretty, but the black marks that appear on my face after the zits subside is not something that I like. Its time for these things to go away.