In fact the subject should read "Do not use anything on your face except
for some very basic ingredients". The list of ingredients which you should
definitely not be using include the following:

Benzoyl Peroxide
Salycylic Acid
Glycolic Acid

These are a nightmare for the skin to deal with because they are so so
harsh. There are lots of other ingredients I could list, but I'll try to
make this short to get to the point. Basically it's common sense really,
so I don't even have to ask whether anyone thinks hot water is likely to
be good on their skin.

So what's the deal? You need a good skin cleanser.... no problem, just mix
a little baking soda with water. Use this as your main face wash morning
and night. It will also lightly exfoliate the skin helping to remove dead
skin cells as well. After you have washed your face and patted gently with
a towel, it's time to take a soft cotton wool ball (or preferably cotton
pad) and soak it with 100% Witch Hazel. This is very very cheap and
bottles of this stuff can be bought easily. It is a good natural skin
cleanser which will help remove any further traces of anything you don't
want left on your face, e.g. from a towel, and will also tone your face
and restore the Ph balance. Just dab the pad all over your face and neck.

It is often a good idea to use the Witch Hazel 3 times per day, so that is
morning, afternoon and evening before bed.

Try this for a few days and notice the difference. Not only will your skin
notice the difference, your wallet (or purse) will too!

Don't get trapped into the vicious circle you'd find yourself in with
these so-called acne products. They don't work because they totally defy
logic. Not only do they contain the usual ingredient as I listed above,
they also contain a mix of pore-blocking facets.

I invite you to try this program for 2 weeks. You should notice a big
difference over this period, although obviously you must keep it up
thereafter. Just remember the rules folks.

"smuf" <smuf@smack.com> wrote in message
newsan.2004.07.04.18.19.17.552758@smack.com...
Baking soda and witch hazel aren't going to kill bacteria like benzoyl
peroxide.

So true, Benzoyl Peroxide and Salycylic Acid are well established acne
medications that have helped millions! YES, overuse of either can be
drying but Benzoyl Peroxide kills bacteria.

He/she is welcome to use all natural methods if they choose and they
may help soothe some, but to post a blanket message saying "Do NOT use
Benzoyl Peroxide on skin!!!" is ill informed at best and could cause
many who can be helped from these usefull medications to avoid them
and suffer.

"Ryan" <welziak@snet.net> wrote in message
news:189b1c22.0407050809.8dd15f6@posting.google.co m...
It's not the actual Benzoyl Peroxide that is the main problem - it's the
base
ingredients in the various creams and gels that is the problem. They all
contain pore blocking ingredients which negate any benefits of BP.

It is also pretty pointless rubbing in any sort of cream or gel into the
skin - yes, the ingredients are antibacterial on initial application, but
give it half an hour or so, the ingredients are totally inactive rendering
them useless. Then your skin contains nothing but pore-blocking cream
or gel to do it's worst (and it will).

"jn" <usenet*spamistehsuckremovetoreply*@jasonnorris.ne t> wrote:
There shouldn't be any need to try and kill bacteria which should have
already been killed during the cleansing period with warm water. Witch
Hazel rubs every last trace of everything off the skin, and that includes
bacteria.

Read my other post in this thread regarding pore-blocking ingredients.

Thank you Smuf for your input.

If Witch Hazel is working well for you, stick with it and good luck!

However, Benzoyl Peroxide has worked very well for me and others.
Witch Hazel, on the other hand, has never done anything for me. Each
person is different.

Sure sure, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid worked a little for me too,
until I smartened up and realized they were extremely sensitizing my skin
and making me age that much faster. You're always going to have bacteria on
your skin, simply killing it every morning and night isn't going to make
your acne problem go away; it'll just temporarily alleviate the symptoms.
But hey, if that's all you're looking for stick with your benzoyl peroxide,
as for the others out there, try to find a better solution; I've found mine,
I hope you do too.

Is Baking Soda REALLY all that much more gentle than Salycylic Acid? I
have a hard time believing that it is.



smuf <smuf@smack.com> wrote in message news:<pan.2004.07.04.18.19.17.552758@smack.com>...

"littleearthquakes" <jupiterdog123@earthlink.net> wrote:
Yeah it is. It is a really good exfoliator which is mild in nature but very
good
at removing dead skin cells and other debris from the surface of the skin.
The key is to not rub hard - there's no need.

I think it's people's way of thinking that is causing problems. Many people
who have suffered acne have been known to comment on how much better
their skin looks AFTER they have stopped using Benzoyl Peroxide,
Salicylic Acid and other so-called acne fighting ingredients.

And back to Witch Hazel, I have yet to hear anyone comment that they
break out after using this stuff. I'm not talking about creams or gels that
contain Witch Hazel..... who knows what kind of pore clogging
ingredients they contain. I'm talking 100% Witch Hazel in a solution -
this can be bought very cheaply. I believe it is one of the best
astringents around and the best things are the is is cheap, natural, but
most importantly, EFFECTIVE. It removes ALL debris, restores the
natural Ph of the skin after washing (a MUST) as well as toning.
It can be used as often as you wish - you basically can't over use
it and end up with adverse affects. I recommend using in the morning
after washing, in the afternoon, and last thing before bed

The people who say Witch Hazel solution does not work for them just
probably haven't tried it for long enough. You must use it for at least
2 weeks to notice an improvement. After a few weeks, you suddenly
notice how much better your skin looks. And it's great for evening
out the skins tone. I've used it for over a year now and have remained
virtually spotless for the whole time. The few spots I have had I simply
put down to the fact that everyone gets spots from time to time anyway,
or because I've missed an application for a few times in a row.

Some good reading, folks! Actually, baking soda is a great bacteria killer.
It is so high in sodium and makes bacteria growth nearly impossible. It is
WONDERFUL in laundry, too. Highly under rated stuff, I assure you all. As
for Benzoyl Peroxide, Salycylic Acid, and Glycolic Acid...they should never
rest on your face for more than ten minutes! After that, rinse it off, for
god sakes. You are so right about keeping your skin clear of any gel or
lotion...at least this has worked for me. I've suffered with acne all of my
life and I am now 41 years old. It is, indeed, a major curse and a cause
for much heartache in my life. What makes it worse, to some degree, is that
those who don't suffer with it always tell me that I'm making too big a deal
of it and not to worry so much. To them all I say
WHATEVER, MARY! They have NO idea what negative feelings this mess has
brought into my life.
My rant is done.

Thank you!

What's the bets brand of witch hazel?

"Jonho69" <jonho69@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040711150101.25422.00001329@mb-m29.aol.com...
Shouldn't matter too much - it is fairly generic throughout. Look for the
bottles
which say it is "Distilled Witch Hazel". Mine says B.P.C 1973 100% v/v.

If it's in a bottle, it's probably equivalent. Give it a try for at least 2
weeks, maybe
3.