Post Punk Kitchen Forum

So...as of right now, all I have tried is Lush, which is new to me. One of the vegan moisturizers. Using it a week, so far so good! No breakouts. Going to start using the toner soon.

Still trying to get some Arbonne samples from my friend.

I agree with this, except I do think sunscreen is important. But other than that I've totally simplified my routine- just splash water on my face in the AM, then use Key's Soap Solar RX mixed with a bit of foundation, then dab on some extra cream on dry spots (right now using ShiKai 24-Hour Repair Cream), and put mineral foundation on top of all that. Then at night I cleanse with oils and moisturize with more oils of varying types.

Does anyone know about or have experience with the Yes To ______ brand? From what I can tell they are cruelty free (at least they have a CF logo on the packaging) and their website says that there are are a few products that have beeswax or honey in them, which are easy enough to steer around... I haven't researched who owns them, but everything else looks good and they have decent/comparable prices.

I like to use the Yes To wipes when I'm too lazy to actually wash my face. I've also used the lotion and conditioner. I think they work pretty well and they smell good.

I have tried some of the Yes To stuff... the blueberry (which is supposedly anti-aging) line smells like asscrack to me, so personally I would not recommend it. Actually, more like mildew and asscrack with a hint of blueberry. I didn't use any of it long enough to comment on the quality because of the smell. I have also tried some stuff from the cucumber line, which is much better. They're heavily scented, but if that doesn't bother you the scent is fairly pleasant. They're not the most moisturizing/amazing things under the sun, but they're OK, and I would say the face wipes are above average.

Anyway, back on the original topic. I've tried a few different products from Alba and have liked all of them, so I would say they're worth investigating. Most of the products are in the $10-$15 range so they're not crazily expensive either. I found this moisturizer in particular to be good as a night cream, but if that sounds too rich they have a bunch of other varieties as well.

Yes To is now selling in China, so they are no longer cruelty-free.

http://www.logicalharmony.net/yes-to-ca ... z2EEj5laJa

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it but get the leaping bunny app for your iphone and you will be able to check on brands. For my day face I like Beauty without Cruelty moisturizer with SPF. At night I soak my face in almond oil about an hour before bed. Drink lots of water and limit sun exposure.

I didn't know that thanks! I used to use that brand and found it to be quite good. No more.

The Yes To stuff made me itch anyway...

Guess I won't be getting any more of those cucumber wipes!

The problem I keep running into (skin care, cosmetics, etc) is that they are cruelty free, but they are owned by a company that is not. I mean, the money goes into the pockets of the bad guys anyways, right?

It's a real struggle for me right now, recently discovering that many of my products I have been using for years, they are owned crassholes.

I know, it's dis heartening. So tired of it. And it's such a confusing mess.

I need a solution to my clogged pores/blackheads. Something other than squeezing the shiitake out of my skin, which I know is horrible. I don't really get pimples (I happen to have one right now, but they are rare), but my pores on my nose are gross. I generally have oily skin. I know next to nothing about this stuff. Help?

maybe try a salicylic acid product....i use peter thomas roth aha/bha acne gel. you leave those on, but maybe a scrub would work for you too. derma e has a few different exfoliators:) lots of products can clog pores, even of they are meant for oily skin...what do you normally use?

Maybe go get a facial and have them extract your blackheads after they steam your face.

i second the recommendation for salicylic acid treatments. the skin on and around my nose used to have a lot of large, clogged pores with angry raised edges, but about a year ago i added a moisturizer containing salicylic acid and occasional multi-acid exfoliation to my routine, and it's made a big difference. my skin isn't perfect, and i still have visible pores, but they aren't inflamed craters full of gunk like they used to be. i've noticed that my skin is less oily in general, too. i used to be able to see oil creeping up in my pores about 30 minutes after washing my face, but it almost never gets noticeably greasy now.

Thanks - I will look for something with salicylic acid. I guess I will wander over to Whole Foods and see what they have.

Thirding salicylic acid for blackheads. I have always, always had issues with blackheads around my nose despite having dry-ish skin elsewhere. I know squeezing can be gross, but I've found that if you steam your face well first and use an extraction tool (this is the one I have) they tend to come out easier, and despite it being sort of gross it's cool to watch. Alba makes some salicylic acne stuff (this) and they don't animal test.

Limone, coincidentally, I bought that exact Alba stuff yesterday! It happened to be the first salicylic acid product I picked up that said vegan on it, so I bought it. I got that face wash and a face cream from the same line. Just used it for the first time this morning. The cream felt a little burny going on, but my face seems to be tolerating it now.

i tried the alba stuff and it was way too strong...i am acne/clog prone and very oily. the cleanser is too strong for me except to use once in a while, and the toner tore up my skin. have not tried the spot treatment. you might be better off with something that is meant to cover the entire face. devita has pads with 3% salicylic acid, iherb.com has them at a discounted price...they also carry andalou naturals(has a spot treatment that could probably be used all over), desert essence, mychelle, and derma e(spot treatment is gooey and has a very strong tea tree scent). there's also REN, boscia, and peter thomas roth.

I only tried the Alba gel, not the other products, so I can't comment on all of them. I will say that I don't know how often you use salicylic acid, but I've found that daily use is too much and can rough up my skin. For me every 2-3 days works. Of course your results will vary depending on your skin type and a number of other factors. There's so much trial and error with this stuff, because even if a product has glowing reviews everyone's skin is different. :/

i've found that SA cleansers are too much, but lotions with SA in them or wipes/gels that i can apply before or under my moisturizer are all right for once-daily use (i use a different, lighter moisturizer in the morning and the salicylic acid at night). but, yeah, it takes some fiddling and adjusting based on your skin's reaction, and the same product can have a different effect over time. i wouldn't recommend using more than one anti-acne product at a time right away, ashley, especially if you aren't prone to breakouts. overdoing it on an all-over treatment could help with the blackheads but cause other problems.

I also recently had the I'm in my 30s and need to take care of my skin realization.

I bought some Paula's Choice retinol cream a couple of days ago (the one in the maroon tube) and am a fan, so far. It is a bit drying, but does make my skin look better if I moisturize well the morning after using it. I also like the BWC vitamin C and coq10 cream, it stings a little but is very moisturizing. I alternate those each night after I shower and follow them with jojoba oil for more moisture.

Paula's Choice seems like a pretty decent brand, vegan-wise. They don't test or commission tests and all but a handful of products are vegan (and those that aren't are listed on their website with the specific non-vegan ingredients highlighted. But two of them use shark fin, which is pretty terrible).

I just love my argan oil for moisturizer. And makes my foundation go on smooooth like buttah.

I started using the Avalon Organics Vitamin C moisturizer and it's giving me some pimples on my cheekbones. And it's SO THICK! It feels heavy and coats my face when I put it on. I'm gonna use it up, but I don't think I'll repurchase.