~Super Sensitive Skin-help needed for a friend~

[Anne]

My best friend is super duper sensitive to fragrace, alcohol, in skin and hair care products.

She's looking for a moisturizer for very, very dry, sensitive skin.

She's 57, very fair, doesn't have any acne issues, (she can use vasaline on her face and NOT break out :shock: amazing!) and like I mentioned above, she has very sensitive skin, so I'd like to know what you ladies out there use who have this type of skin.

I'm thinking as natural as possible, she's tried jojoba oil and that's not heavy enough, she can't use aloe ver gel because they all have additives that she can't tolerate. She tends to burn if her skin doesn't like something, her face gets red, tight, dry and puffy, like a sun burn if she comes into contact with anything too harsh for her skin.

I told her I would ask all of you here, there are so many of you here who might know how to help her. My skin is totally opposite from hers, oily, not senstive in the slightest and I break out at the drop of a hat, so it's difficult for me to help her.

Thank you, I can't wait to hear you're ideas. I'm planning on making copies of all the replies so I can give them to her and she can decide what to do. Thanks

[Bethany]

Hmm, I don't know what to suggest. Paula's Choice (at http://www.cosmeticscop.com) sells fragrance-free, generally non-irritating stuff, but not knowing what's in the aloe vera that's irritating her, I don't know if that would work. (It does have a money-back guarentee, though, she could send it back if it didn't work.)

Here's her daytime moisturizer for sensitive, dry skin:
http://www.paulaschoice.com/shop/product.asp?CODE=PC145&PAGETYPE=S

What's not working about the Vaseline? I know it's a very good moistuizer and non-irritating. (And actually, it doesn't clog pores, either, so it's not so amazing she doesn't break out. It's just that it makes whatever you put in on shiny and it's hard to wash off.) Mineral oil (the unscented kind, not the scented baby stuff) might be something else to try.

Note I also have oily, breakout-prone skin, so this is all just speculation on my part.

[Violeta]

what about Avene Skin Recovery Cream ?, it had good raves on makeupalley.

[Deborah]

Hi!

Your friend might like to try 'lite' olive oil. The grocery stores sell this; I've use the Bertolli brand. The smallest bottle is $2+. If she doesn't like it on her face, she can always cook with it!

There's a Japanese company (DHC) which sells (and hugely promotes) what they call "olive virgin oil". I got some and used it. It worked great, but is wildly expensive, so one day in the grocery store I stood and stared for a while at the lite oil, thinking "I bet it's the same darn thing", so I bought it, took it home and did a blind test comparing it with the DHC stuff (which I think costs $36 per ounce) and there was no way I or anyone else could tell the difference in smell, feel, etc.

DHC goes on at great length about how wonderfully healthy and effective using the oil is, (just a couple of drops on your fingers, then gently spread over your very damp face). Anyone reacting in any way to plain olive oil is extremely unlikely. You could use regular olive oil, but the "lite" version is the one that's just like the DHC, so I'd recommend it.

I hope your friend finds something that works perfectly for her. You're a nice friend to try to help her.

Deborah

PS - My skin is VERY sensitive to fragrances and other chemicals. I had NO trouble with the olive oil.

[Anne]

Thanks everyone,

I just told her about all the replies and suggestions, she wants to check out the olive oil....

Does anyone remember the cleansing routine using EVOO only?

I think I remember the instructions are to just cleanse your face using a damp wash cloth and evoo, right?

[Deborah]

Anne,

That's about right. She can use about a teaspoon of the lite olive oil (mixed with castor oil or jojoba, or just alone) poured into her wet palm. Just wash with this, then take a clean, cheap, slightly rough wash rag, run it under pretty hot water, then lay that over the face and steam and wipe the oil off. I then re-wet it, and using the other side, do it again. (Tell her to only use the wash rag once. I use two a day, one in the AM and one in the PM. This prevents all sorts of germs and other problems sometimes associated with the use of a wash rag on the face.) If she follows quickly (while still warm and very damp) with a couple of drops of the lite olive oil as a moisturizer, her face will feel clean, soft, and just sooo comfortable. I LOVE washing this way, and my sensitive skin loves it too.

Wish her good luck from us.

Deborah

[Anne]

Thanks Deb, I'll copy your directions and pass 'em on to her

[Madigan]

Hello Anne!

Your friend's skin sounds exactly like mine... dry and EXTREMELY sensitive. And yes, I too, have been guilty of using vaseline as a moisturizer sans breakout! Gosh, forget about washing my hair in the shower; I get red ghastly splotches all over my face; alas, once I finish showering, I have to wash my hair out of the tub. I have tried so many moisturizers on the market, and have always come back to Complex 15 or Moisturel. The former I use during the summer because it is very light weight (plus, when I use a sunscreen, it doesn't look like I can fry an egg on my face!). Moisturel is slightly heavier, so I use this during the winter months. I go through Moisturel like water! I hope this helps some!


Edit: Both, Moisturel and C15, can be found in your local drugstore at great prices!

As far as oils are concerned, olive oil I can tolerate, but the BEST is sesame oil. It is light and absorbs beautifully. Plus, it has a glorius nutty scent!