Skincare and Suncare

[Guest]

Thanks for all the information about the foot peels! I broke down and order the Boscia one. I thought about the Baby Feet one but I was placing a Sephora order with the Rouge discount last night and decided at the last minute to add the Boscia one to the cart. I'm not a sock wearer either so I'm not really looking forward to it. :( 

If anyone's in a pinch for softer feet that doesn't require gross peeling and not a lot of effort, I also found that using one of those dremel-like devices helps. Before bed, I use it to scrape the dead skin off then slather the crap out of my feet with Vaseline. I put on cotton socks [UGH, socks] and sleep in them. I do this for a few nights and my feet do get pretty soft. But right now, my heels are in bad shape so I think the only thing that might help is that peel.

On another topic - I received a 7-day sample of the Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum a few weeks ago. I used the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum for awhile and it did absolutely nothing for me. But I gotta say, that PTR stuff? Is like a miracle. I had some hyperpigmentation after getting an Erbium laser treatment 2.5 years ago and the PTR serum has diminished that by at least 60% over the course of a week. My skin looks magnificent! Figures the stuff costs a fortune though. 

[MargeGunderson]

Update on my foot peel adventure! It worked pretty well, even on my calluses. Lots of peeling but not super gross. I used a foot file and pumice stone to move things along. Now i just need to keep up with filing and moisturizing.

[bilgistic]

I thought I'd come over here and talk about my feet instead of continuing to talk about them in the Chit-Chat forum.

I have the Emjoi Micro-Pedi. I bought it along with replacement rollers (in the highest grit available) nearly 3.5 years ago. It is more highly rated than the Amope. However, because I am lazy, I have used it only a handful of times. It works well, but my feet are like impenetrable rock. I'm just polishing rocks. I should've just bought a belt sander.

I'm tempted to try the foot peel, but I hate socks and once it hits 60 degrees, I wear flip-flops.

On another "beauty" topic, I get these very deep cystic pimples on the front of my chin, maybe once every couple of months. Of course I can't just leave them alone; I have to perform home surgery to try to get something out of them. I have a huge red angry monster on my face now, and I'm mad at myself because I have no self-control when it comes to picking at my skin. I really want to go at it again today. What is wrong with me?!?

Edited May 2, 2018 by bilgistic

[DeLurker]

I used to get deep & painful cystic pimples on my back. They were always located directly above a nerve. 

I'm pretty sure they were stress related.

On ones closer to the surface, I've had good luck putting Mario Badescu Drying Lotion on them - it has Salicylic Acid, Sulfur, and Calamine.

[Misslindsey]

I will echo the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion recommendation. I have seen some drugstore brands do their version of it as well. I have a friend that uses  the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion for her cystic acne and raves about it. She uses the Differin gel too. 

[DeLurker]

8 hours ago, Misslindsey said:

I have a friend that uses  the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion for her cystic acne and raves about it

Did not know about this product, so I will look into it.

Luckily age has finally put an end to the breakouts on my back - or maybe it was the reduction in stress?    But my children are at the age where face breakouts are common.

[bilgistic]

I have Differin, but you guessed it...I'm too lazy to use it. I'm going to start using it, dammit.

I use derma-e glycolic acid cleanser, Paula's Choice BHA salicylic acid toner and Paula's Choice benzoyl peroxide acne treatment. The line is something Clear something. It keeps my face in pretty good shape, but those damned chin monsters that come up from the bone laugh at my attempts to manage acne.

Acne is a cruel joke. I'm 43 and have had acne since I was a teenager, but it was not bad then. It has been far worse in adulthood.

[MargeGunderson]

I've got Differin, Paula's Choice BHA salicylic acid toner (from the Resist line) and doxycycline (sp?). The last was prescribed by my dermatologist after a December of huge non-stop pimples on my chin. The combination of Differin and the doxycycline has really helped. Differin (now available without prescription) isn't a spot treatment though, you really have to use it regularly. I use it every other day, and mainly on my chin. It's too drying if I use it every day. Before my skin went weird over the last year (drying out but more deep pimples), I was having good luck with Dr Dennis Gross All Over Blemish Solution (salicylic acid) to keep things under control. 

Adult acne is no joke! I don't remember having large, really swollen pimples as a teenager, just whiteheads. This is worse! 

[Athena]

Adult acne is often tied with hormones. I also get it and rosacea; neither of which I ever got as a teen and is worse around certain times of the month. Diet can often helps with this kind of acne. Stress is a factor too. Topical acids help healing and some prevention but it doesn't eliminate the true causes.

I currently use mandelic acid and will try azelaic acid next.

[aradia22]

I've been using a bunch of sunscreens and either one of them or hormones has led to a handful of breakouts around my chin/lower cheek. Nothing crazy but it's at times like this that I wish I had a more consistent routine so I knew what the problem was. It might just be the weather. It's so hot I've actually been sweating so it's possible that any sunscreen would have led to clogged pores, etc.

[bilgistic]

Sunscreen irritates my skin so much. It makes me break out. I hate the feel of it, all thick and goopy. I rarely use lotion as it is, unless it's the winter amd my hands are dry. My skin is oily and I just don't need lotion/moisturizer. My kingdom for a sunscreen that doesn't make me feel like a sticky, thick, wet, disgusting mess that then breaks out.

[DeLurker]

A hat with a gigantic brim?

[bilgistic]

[emma675]

I use Heliocare 360 moisturizer. It's got spf 50, doesn't smell or feel like sunscreen, and doesn't make me break out. They've got a cream version or a gel version for oily skin.

[Misslindsey]

I really like Coola sunscreen. They have a lot of products like moisturizer, setting spray, and skin tint with SPF in them. They also have regular sunscreen. I have sensitive skin and I do not have any problems with them. 

[Misslindsey]

Has anyone tried any of the various cica creams/products? I am intrigued. I was wondering what people thought of them and what brands they have tried.

[WhoaWhoKnew]

So I have oily skin and I read I should consider using a dead sea mud mask to help with that. 

How often do I use this? The jar says twice a week, but also says it's ok to use daily? 

Edited May 12, 2018 by WhoaWhoKnew

[Kelly]

14 hours ago, WhoaWhoKnew said:

So I have oily skin and I read I should consider using a dead sea mud mask to help with that. 

How often do I use this? The jar says twice a week, but also says it's ok to use daily? 

I also have oily skin, and in the summer I use a clay based mask twice a week and it helps significantly. Just depends on the person, but you might want to try a few times a week and see how it works for you. Daily might be overkill, but everyone is different. I have been known to use the mask daily when I have events all weekend long - and really wanted oil control (typically just on my t-zone) and didnt have any negative side affects.

[DeLurker]

I just bought Botanics Shine Away (with Willowbark) mattifying toner for my kids (high school & college aged).  It does a nice job of keeping the oil accumulation down.

you do need to shake it though.

You might want to try using something like that on a daily basis w/ the recommended  2x week for the Dead Sea mask.

[WhoaWhoKnew]

8 hours ago, Kelly said:

I also have oily skin, and in the summer I use a clay based mask twice a week and it helps significantly. Just depends on the person, but you might want to try a few times a week and see how it works for you. Daily might be overkill, but everyone is different. I have been known to use the mask daily when I have events all weekend long - and really wanted oil control (typically just on my t-zone) and didnt have any negative side affects.

Thanks for help!

 

7 hours ago, DeLurker said:

I just bought Botanics Shine Away (with Willowbark) mattifying toner for my kids (high school & college aged).  It does a nice job of keeping the oil accumulation down.

you do need to shake it though.

You might want to try using something like that on a daily basis w/ the recommended  2x week for the Dead Sea mask.

I'll look into the Botanics! Thanks!

[Petunia13]

I don't have oily skin but do follow/know people who do and please be cautious if you use masks or products not to over dry your skin. Many oily gals I know have worsened the problem by not adequately moisturizing because the body over compensates. I know I'm repeating stuff y'all already probably know! 

Im normal as heck but never moisterize my t zone and haven't done any clarifying mask or treatment for 3 months (work schedule and when I'm off in my family's trampoline/pa) so that has become ? I need to get that shit together 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

I have combination skin and currently I'm using:

Cleanser: Drunk Elephant Pekee Bar. I like it. It cleared up the terrible breakout I was having from my previous cleanser in a few days, it doesn't irritate my skin, and the ingredients seem to be formulated with skincare science in mind. Plus it has less packaging than a liquid cleanser and I'm always trying to buy stuff with less packaging. I'm going to try the Juju Bar next since I got the two minis in the set from Sephora. The only downside is they're kind of expensive but I've been using the mini bar for a month now and I think it should last for several more weeks.

Moisturizer: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion. This is technically a body moisturizer but a lot of people use it as a face moisturizer and the ingredients are really similar to CeraVe's face moisturizers. It has ceramides and hyaluronic acid. In the winter it's the only thing I've found that actually works on the terrible dry skin I get. In the summer I might have to find a more lightweight serum or something like that. I like that this is a big 12oz bottle because again, less packaging, and it's not too expensive. However I realized CeraVe is owned by Valeant Pharmaceuticals which is an evil Martin Shkreli-esque company, and supposedly they're selling it to L'Oreal which is 23% owned by Nestle which is also evil, so...I might try to find something else once I use this up.

Sunscreen: Sun Bum Original Sunscreen SPF 50. I was using mineral sunscreen for a while but then I read a Consumer Reports article that said they tested mineral sunscreen and almost all of them were less effective than what was stated on the package and also less effective than chemical sunscreen. I'm pale so I wear sunscreen year round. I already have damage from my teenage years when I didn't know about the importance of wearing sunscreen. Anyway I bought this sunscreen because it doesn't have oxybenzone or octinoxate which are the two chemicals in sunscreen that are the worst for coral reefs, but it still does have chemical protection, and it's also cruelty free. I wish it didn't have any fragrance since I prefer to avoid fragrance, but it doesn't break me out or irritate my skin so far. It is kind of expensive so I'm still looking for something cheaper without oxybenzone or octinoxate to use on the rest of my body.

And that's all I'm using on my face currently. Things I've used in the past year that didn't work on me: honey as a face wash (I actually broke out in hives from it); various oils (rose hip, jojoba, grapeseed -- none of them were moisturizing enough), CeraVe Cleanser Bar (caused a huge cystic acne breakout which I usually don't get).

I do have a lot of closed comedones that nothing has worked on so far. I've tried Paula's Choice AHA and BHA in the past but I didn't feel like either of them did anything. The BHA got rid of breakouts faster but it didn't do anything for the closed comedones. However I later learned that you're supposed to wait for like 20 minutes after putting each product on before putting the next layer on so that it can work, so that's possibly why it didn't work. Since Deciem opened retail locations in my area (NYC) recently I might pick up some stuff from there. I've also had tretinoin prescribed from my dermatologist for my closed comedones but unfortunately it just broke me out and didn't actually get rid of them.

Edited May 13, 2018 by BuyMoreAndSave

[DeLurker]

8 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

please be cautious if you use masks or products not to over dry your skin. Many oily gals I know have worsened the problem by not adequately moisturizing because the body over compensates. I know I'm repeating stuff y'all already probably know! 

Truer words were never spoken.   I had good luck with putting fresh aloe on when I was younger, oilier and living in high humidity.  Since there was an abundance of aloe plants around, it was a free too.

[MargeGunderson]

11 hours ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

I do have a lot of closed comedones that nothing has worked on so far. I've tried Paula's Choice AHA and BHA in the past but I didn't feel like either of them did anything. The BHA got rid of breakouts faster but it didn't do anything for the closed comedones. However I later learned that you're supposed to wait for like 20 minutes after putting each product on before putting the next layer on so that it can work, so that's possibly why it didn't work. Since Deciem opened retail locations in my area (NYC) recently I might pick up some stuff from there. I've also had tretinoin prescribed from my dermatologist for my closed comedones but unfortunately it just broke me out and didn't actually get rid of them.

I just read an interview with Paula Begoun of Paula’s Choice fame and she said the whole wait x minutes was a myth. Supposedly her routine only takes 5 minutes, so she’s definitely not waiting 20 minutes between steps. I didn’t have much luck with the BHA with closed comedones either. I use Differin (now available over the counter) every other day and that keeps things more or less under control. If I do get a nasty one I put on little Paula’s Choice BHA 9 spot treatment and that seems to make it heal faster (although not overnight).

[BuyMoreAndSave]

2 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

I just read an interview with Paula Begoun of Paula’s Choice fame and she said the whole wait x minutes was a myth. Supposedly her routine only takes 5 minutes, so she’s definitely not waiting 20 minutes between steps. I didn’t have much luck with the BHA with closed comedones either. I use Differin (now available over the counter) every other day and that keeps things more or less under control. If I do get a nasty one I put on little Paula’s Choice BHA 9 spot treatment and that seems to make it heal faster (although not overnight).

Oh really? I didn't know that. Otherwise it would be annoying to adhere to a daily skincare routine waiting 20 minutes. I've never heard of Differin but I will have to look into it, thanks!

[bilgistic]

I had finally landed on a facial sunscreen that I thought might work for me and ordered it from Ulta. I realized a day later that I forgot to check to see if the company tests on animals. It does. I'll be returning my online purchase to the store.

I've bought some Paula's Choice sunscreen. It's not terrible as far as leaving my face any more of an oil slick than it already is. I've had a sample before that I got when ordering some of PC's other products. It also doesn't contain the ingredients that are killing the coral.

My three-years-younger (she's 40) sister was here this weekend, and she has more wrinkles than I do. There aren't many nor are they deep, but it's definitely because she spends far more time in the sun than I do.

I wish I could muster up caring about exercise and eating better like I care about fighting wrinkles and gray hair.

[aradia22]

I recently went on a trip and only brought samples with me so I could just bring a carry on. It's only been a few days but I like the Lancome sunscreen (from the recent Sephora sun kit). It's very watery like the Shiseido and La Roche Posay ones I've used but it feels very light and I think it wears well under makeup. Not too much of a white cast but it lightens my complexion a bit so for darker complexions you might need to test it to see if it blends in. So far it hasn't caused any breakouts but it's difficult to tell after only a few days. I'd still like to find a good, cheap Asian (possibly Korean) sunscreen but I might repurchase this one if it continues to work for me.

I've also been using the Fresh rose face cream and liking it. I just sprang for the full size from duty free. Not a huge savings but I need to get better about skincare and Cerave and Cetaphil are not cutting it. 

[MargeGunderson]

12 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I wish I could muster up caring about exercise and eating better like I care about fighting wrinkles and gray hair.

You and me both!

For sunscreen, I'm using the Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50. Super light and absorbs like a dream. 

[SCS]

3 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

 

For sunscreen, I'm using the Paula's Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50. Super light and absorbs like a dream. 

 

When did Paula decide her "...good skincare doesn't have to be costly" shtick wasn't keeping the lights on? I just went over to her site and, wow, her prices have definitely increased. I tried a few of her things back when she first launched her own line (early '90s maybe? It's been awhile) and they were adequate but not special -- it was fairly streamlined back then. Clearly she's expanded -- including several eye creams, something she'd insist were an unneeded extra purchase when she did the talk-show circuit years ago. There's a store out here (SoCal) that has some of the PC items on the shelves and now I'm curious.

[Misslindsey]

21 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

I use Differin (now available over the counter) every other day and that keeps things more or less under control.

Can I ask how your experience with Differin was? I think I would like to try it. I have heard good things, but I have also heard some horror stories about it so I am a bit hesitant.

[bilgistic]

In that same article referred to upthread, which I also read but now can't remember where I read it, Paula said that people kept asking for an eye cream, so she made one.

I only ever order from PC when they run a 20%-off sale, which is fairly often. I can usually find a coupon online, too, and I can get cash back through ebates. PC has done much better for my skin (acne) than anything else--Proactiv, Murad, topical prescription lotions at $45 a pop--so it's been worth it for me. The discounts/coupons/cashback put the products around the $20 mark each, so while not exactly cheap, that's not horrible either.

[SCS]

16 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I had finally landed on a facial sunscreen that I thought might work for me and ordered it from Ulta. I realized a day later that I forgot to check to see if the company tests on animals. It does. I'll be returning my online purchase to the store.

 

Bilgisitc, I alternate between 2 sunscreens, which, according to my crack Web research reveals, are both cruelty-free:

For day-to-day (running errands, work. in and out of my car) I use a fairly new avobenzone-based product from Supergoop. It goes on like a primer, is totally invisible, has a bit of a blurring effect and works extremely well under makeup (never experienced pilling). I don't use it for days when I'm going to be in the sun for any extended time (eg, an outdoor festival, workout etc). For that I use CoTZ Sensitive, which is 20% zinc oxide -- it absorbs well. Note, I'm quite pale so any white cast that is invisible on me might be discernible on a deeper complexion. BTW, Ulta, as we speak is offering a 20% off on its home page, in case you want to investigate (and you're not already on their e-blast list).

 

https://www.sephora.com/product/unseen-sunscreen-broad-spectrum-spf-40-P428094?skuId=2042802&icid2=supergoop_lp_suncareforface_carousel2:p428094

 

https://www.ulta.com/sensitive-spf-40-broad-spectrum-uva-uvb?productId=xlsImpprod6380053

[bilgistic]

Thanks! I'll check them out.

[MargeGunderson]

5 hours ago, Misslindsey said:

Can I ask how your experience with Differin was? I think I would like to try it. I have heard good things, but I have also heard some horror stories about it so I am a bit hesitant.

It’s worked pretty well for me. I don’t use it every day, usually every other day. If I use it every day my skin does dry out too much and starts to flake. I also don’t use it all over, just on my chin, nose, and forehead. I think it was $12-15 over the counter, so it’s not a huge investment if it doesn’t work out.

[Athena]

On 5/13/2018 at 4:02 AM, BuyMoreAndSave said:

However I realized CeraVe is owned by Valeant Pharmaceuticals which is an evil Martin Shkreli-esque company, and supposedly they're selling it to L'Oreal which is 23% owned by Nestle which is also evil, so...I might try to find something else once I use this up.

L'Oreal already bought CeraVe early last year and have reformulated some of the moisturizers and started selling CeraVe in Europe. L'Oreal is the lesser of two evils but there isn't another Western cleanser like CeraVe Hydrating or drug store light moisturizer like CeraVe PM that work for me. I can rotate it with some other products, but there aren't any locally and more affordable which can replace those two. 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

9 hours ago, Athena said:

L'Oreal already bought CeraVe early last year and have reformulated some of the moisturizers and started selling CeraVe in Europe. L'Oreal is the lesser of two evils but there isn't another Western cleanser like CeraVe Hydrating or drug store light moisturizer like CeraVe PM that work for me. I rotate can rotate it with some other products, but there aren't any locally and more affordable which can replace those two. 

Yeah I'm annoyed about it because it's a really great product, especially for the price. I do agree L'Oreal is less terrible than Valeant.

[aradia22]

https://www.dermstore.com/product_Anthelios+60+MeltIn+Sunscreen+Milk_19533.htm

La Roche Posay is on sale for $27. I kind of want it but I have a lot of sunscreen already. I'm not sure if I have enough to get me through the summer, but with my infrequent application, I probably do. Also, while I used it for a long time, I think worn heavily or if you sweat a lot, it tends to break me out a little so it's not practical under makeup or if I'm going to be outside a lot in the middle of the day. 

[SCS]

8 hours ago, aradia22 said:

https://www.dermstore.com/product_Anthelios+60+MeltIn+Sunscreen+Milk_19533.htm

La Roche Posay is on sale for $27. I kind of want it but I have a lot of sunscreen already. I'm not sure if I have enough to get me through the summer, but with my infrequent application, I probably do. Also, while I used it for a long time, I think worn heavily or if you sweat a lot, it tends to break me out a little so it's not practical under makeup or if I'm going to be outside a lot in the middle of the day. 

I've tried the following one from the same line -- avobenzone-based. I use it on my arms and it does a good job. It's on sale, too:

https://www.dermstore.com/product_DermoKids+Sunscreen+SPF+60_70420.htm

Edited May 25, 2018 by SCS

[MargeGunderson]

I bought the Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial a couple of months ago but Just got around to trying it. Wow! Definitely made my face feel soft, and seems to help clear up a couple of problem areas. Not a fan of the marula oil it came with, but that’s because I just don’t like oils on my skin (every one I’ve tried just seems to sit on top of my skin feeling sticky). I does tingle quite a lot but not painfully, however I’m used to AHA/BHAs, so if you aren’t you might want to test first. I think this bumps Ole Henriksen Power Peel from first as my favorite mask.

[bilgistic]

I want to try that.

I use Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, and it really is worth the hype. It's expensive ($85 for two ounces) but lasts a while. I use only about the size of a blueberry for my whole face. It's tingly, but not bad if I use a thin layer. I don't use it often enough though. I use it only about once a week when I should twice. I can't afford to buy more right now, so I'm stretching it.

I use Paula's Choice AHA and BHA toners (they aren't called "toners" anymore, but that's how I use them) and benzoyl peroxide treatment lotion for my acne and oily skin, so I'm getting a good amount of exfoliation already.

I'm forcing myself to wear sunscreen on my face and arms most days even if I'm just going from the apartment to the car to the doctor to the car to the store, etc. I HATE the feel of any lotion on my face (and elsewhere--it just feels slimy and heavy to me), but I care more about not furthering sun damage.

[MargeGunderson]

@bilgistic, it’s worth it! I also use the exfolikate a couple of times a week and Paula’s Choice BHA/AHA in the am/pm (alternating the pm with other products). For sunscreen, have you tried the PC Youth Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid with SPF 50? That’s what I use, and really like it. It’s very light and absorbs quickly, with no sticky feeling afterwards. I use that as my daily SPF. I also recently bought the new PC Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish for dealing with the oiliness on my nose in the summer and it works really well for me.

[bilgistic]

I use Paula's Choice Hydralight Shine-Free Daily Mineral Complex (SPF 30). It's OK. I just hate the feeling of anything on my face. When I wear makeup, I use Bare Minerals (the powder foundation) to cover my dark undereye circles and as a light dusting, and then I add lash mascara and then brow mascara for my blonde brows. Anything else is too much effort and stuff on my face for me.

These kids today with their makeup tutorials make me twitch. They wear SO MUCH makeup.

[MargeGunderson]

Has anyone had experience with treatments for melasma or hyperpigmentation? I have one or the other - or both - on my face and neck. I’m leaning towards hyperpigmentation because it’s more widespread than I think melasma tends to be. I have a dermatologist appt. on Monday by coincidence, so I’ll find out which one it is. I’ve been looking at lightening products for spot treatment (although basically it’s the entire left side of my face) and also laser treatments. My adult acne is finally banished (hooray for doxycycline!) and I’m so close to having really nice skin for the first time since I was a baby.  

[Misslindsey]

2 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Has anyone had experience with treatments for melasma or hyperpigmentation? I have one or the other - or both - on my face and neck. I’m leaning towards hyperpigmentation because it’s more widespread than I think melasma tends to be. I have a dermatologist appt. on Monday by coincidence, so I’ll find out which one it is. I’ve been looking at lightening products for spot treatment (although basically it’s the entire left side of my face) and also laser treatments. My adult acne is finally banished (hooray for doxycycline!) and I’m so close to having really nice skin for the first time since I was a baby.

I have had success with Fresh's Peony Instant Brightening Face Serum for dealing with hyperpigmentation. My skin tends to be on the oily side so I generally use it alone without a moisturizer. 

I used Paula's Choice Triple Action Dark Spot Corrector prior to Fresh Peony Instant Brightening Face Serum and it worked well too. 

[MargeGunderson]

I’ve seen a few other recommendations for the Fresh product, so I think I’ll give that a go. I didn’t have good results with the PC product. Thanks!

[DeLurker]

I had some microdermabrasion tacked on to my last facial and it worked quite well.  I had a lot of darker spots on my neck and chest because of how much time I spent in the sun when I was younger (every possible moment).  Maybe start with microdermabrasion to jump start things and then go with a brigthening serum?

[DrSparkles]

I *might* be doing fraxel in the fall... If I can stay out of the sun the rest of the winter...

[MargeGunderson]

On 8/19/2018 at 1:06 PM, DeLurker said:

I had some microdermabrasion tacked on to my last facial and it worked quite well.  I had a lot of darker spots on my neck and chest because of how much time I spent in the sun when I was younger (every possible moment).  Maybe start with microdermabrasion to jump start things and then go with a brigthening serum?

Per the dermatologist, I have melasma, probably aggravated by the doxycyline that I'm on. I'm tapering off over the next few months, which should help. I have a facial scheduled for this Friday, as I've decided that I need to add professional facials to my repertoire now that I have reached a certain age. I'm going to ask the esthetician for recommendations. 

@DrSparkles, I'm looking at IPL or fraxel as a next step. I'm waiting for a couple of months to see if I see fading once I get off the meds. I have no problem staying out of the sun (and the outdoors in general)!

[BuyMoreAndSave]

I have a weird question. I've been doing a lot of research on sunscreens lately and I've noticed one constant. Whenever I look up sunscreens, including highly rated ones, in almost every case there are at least a handful of negative reviews for every sunscreen stating that the person used the sunscreen as directed including reapplication, and still got sunburned. In many cases an entire group of people used the same sunscreen and got burned, and people in the same area wearing a different brand didn't, or the same person used a different brand of sunscreen on a different part of their body and didn't get burned there. So that would suggest that user error was not the reason behind it. It doesn't have to do with the active ingredients, as such reviews exist for both natural and chemical sunscreens, using all types of physical and chemical filters. It doesn't have to do with the brand, as I have seen such negative reviews both for smaller brands and for big brands like Neutrogena and CeraVe. How can this be possible? Does anyone have an explanation for this?

[DrSparkles]

I bought the Drunk Elephant Sukari Baby Facial & have used it 2x now. My skin is soooooooooooooooo  smooth. LOVE  IT. I bought a small starter kit with their oil from Sephora w my 20% off :)