Postpartum Skin

lm45678

Is anyone else breaking out like a teenager?? My skin looks awful! Savannah is 8 weeks old and I'm still EBF so there are certain products I can't use for the foreseeable future. I've been using the Belli products since I found out I was pregnant, but my skin is barely responding to it anymore! Worst part is I'm a bridesmaid in my best friends wedding in 1 month! What is everyone else doing?

Bonus points for @adiaz132003 to give us her professional recommendations!!

adiaz132003

Haha yay me.  First thing is to be sure to identify your skin type.  Dry skin will be treated for acne different than oily and if you use the wrong stuff, it can get worse.  Oily skin means you have visible pores all over your face and may get shiney near the end of the day, dry skin means your pores are nearly invisible.  Remember dry is different then dehydrated.  You can have an oily skin type and also have flaky skin, this means you're dehydrated.  This is where most people mess up their routine.  Many assume that because of their acne they have oily skin but acne can be caused by many things.  For us it's gonna be mostly hormonal and that is the hardest to treat so I am not gonna promise a cure here.  For hormonal acne I normally recommend spot treating but many of those products we can't use so it's best to exfoliate using an enzyme based product.  Personally I love live live dermalogicas daily microfoliant.  Yes there is a trace amount of salicylic but it's so small, it hardly registered.  If you're not ok with that then use a facial scrub (not st Ives, for the love of God why do people still have that stuff?!).  Here's a basic rundown!

Oily skin:
Large pores over whole face
Tends to get greasy or shiny during the day but not always
Use oil free and/or clay cleanser twice a day, and follow with oil free lotion. Never skip the moisturizer or your skon will get dehydrated and sensitive)

Combo skin: larger pores in t zone only.
Use and "all skin types" cleanser twice a day followed by lightweight cream during warm months and go heavier in winter

Dry skin: very few, if any visible pores
Can use "all skin type" cleanser or if very dry (normally the over 40 crowd) use a creamy cleanser followed by a medium weight moisturizer in the summer and heavy in the winter.


Signs you are dehydrated:
Tightness
Flaky skin
Noticing wrinkles one day then they are gone the next
Redness and sensitivity

If dehydrated, you can use a serum under your moisturizer.

MOST IMPORTANTLY; Exfoliate!!!

Types of exfoliation.
Scrubs- use 2-3 times per week after cleansing
Masks- 1-2 times per week
Lactic/glycolic acid- 2 times per week depending on brand and concentration
Enzyme washes: Most are 2-3 days a week, Daily Microfoliant is daily as the name suggests

Oily skin is the only type that can handle rough scrubs.  If you notice a sting or redness after scrub/exfoliation use then switch to a lighter option.  
   

If you have specific questions just ask in the comments.

lm45678

adiaz132003 said:

Haha yay me.  First thing is to be sure to identify your skin type.  Dry skin will be treated for acne different than oily and if you use the wrong stuff, it can get worse.  Oily skin means you have visible pores all over your face and may get shiney near the end of the day, dry skin means your pores are nearly invisible.  Remember dry is different then dehydrated.  You can have an oily skin type and also have flaky skin, this means you're dehydrated.  This is where most people mess up their routine.  Many assume that because of their acne they have oily skin but acne can be caused by many things.  For us it's gonna be mostly hormonal and that is the hardest to treat so I am not gonna promise a cure here.  For hormonal acne I normally recommend spot treating but many of those products we can't use so it's best to exfoliate using an enzyme based product.  Personally I love live live dermalogicas daily microfoliant.  Yes there is a trace amount of salicylic but it's so small, it hardly registered.  If you're not ok with that then use a facial scrub (not st Ives, for the love of God why do people still have that stuff?!).  Here's a basic rundown!

Oily skin:
Large pores over whole face
Tends to get greasy or shiny during the day but not always
Use oil free and/or clay cleanser twice a day, and follow with oil free lotion. Never skip the moisturizer or your skon will get dehydrated and sensitive)

Combo skin: larger pores in t zone only.
Use and "all skin types" cleanser twice a day followed by lightweight cream during warm months and go heavier in winter

Dry skin: very few, if any visible pores
Can use "all skin type" cleanser or if very dry (normally the over 40 crowd) use a creamy cleanser followed by a medium weight moisturizer in the summer and heavy in the winter.


Signs you are dehydrated:
Tightness
Flaky skin
Noticing wrinkles one day then they are gone the next
Redness and sensitivity

If dehydrated, you can use a serum under your moisturizer.

MOST IMPORTANTLY; Exfoliate!!!

Types of exfoliation.
Scrubs- use 2-3 times per week after cleansing
Masks- 1-2 times per week
Lactic/glycolic acid- 2 times per week depending on brand and concentration
Enzyme washes: Most are 2-3 days a week, Daily Microfoliant is daily as the name suggests

Oily skin is the only type that can handle rough scrubs.  If you notice a sting or redness after scrub/exfoliation use then switch to a lighter option.  
   

If you have specific questions just ask in the comments.

Seriously you are awesome! I have dry sensitive skin.. Yuck!

adiaz132003

laurenm2123 said:

adiaz132003 said:

Haha yay me.  First thing is to be sure to identify your skin type.  Dry skin will be treated for acne different than oily and if you use the wrong stuff, it can get worse.  Oily skin means you have visible pores all over your face and may get shiney near the end of the day, dry skin means your pores are nearly invisible.  Remember dry is different then dehydrated.  You can have an oily skin type and also have flaky skin, this means you're dehydrated.  This is where most people mess up their routine.  Many assume that because of their acne they have oily skin but acne can be caused by many things.  For us it's gonna be mostly hormonal and that is the hardest to treat so I am not gonna promise a cure here.  For hormonal acne I normally recommend spot treating but many of those products we can't use so it's best to exfoliate using an enzyme based product.  Personally I love live live dermalogicas daily microfoliant.  Yes there is a trace amount of salicylic but it's so small, it hardly registered.  If you're not ok with that then use a facial scrub (not st Ives, for the love of God why do people still have that stuff?!).  Here's a basic rundown!

Oily skin:
Large pores over whole face
Tends to get greasy or shiny during the day but not always
Use oil free and/or clay cleanser twice a day, and follow with oil free lotion. Never skip the moisturizer or your skon will get dehydrated and sensitive)

Combo skin: larger pores in t zone only.
Use and "all skin types" cleanser twice a day followed by lightweight cream during warm months and go heavier in winter

Dry skin: very few, if any visible pores
Can use "all skin type" cleanser or if very dry (normally the over 40 crowd) use a creamy cleanser followed by a medium weight moisturizer in the summer and heavy in the winter.


Signs you are dehydrated:
Tightness
Flaky skin
Noticing wrinkles one day then they are gone the next
Redness and sensitivity

If dehydrated, you can use a serum under your moisturizer.

MOST IMPORTANTLY; Exfoliate!!!

Types of exfoliation.
Scrubs- use 2-3 times per week after cleansing
Masks- 1-2 times per week
Lactic/glycolic acid- 2 times per week depending on brand and concentration
Enzyme washes: Most are 2-3 days a week, Daily Microfoliant is daily as the name suggests

Oily skin is the only type that can handle rough scrubs.  If you notice a sting or redness after scrub/exfoliation use then switch to a lighter option.  
   

If you have specific questions just ask in the comments.

Seriously you are awesome! I have dry sensitive skin.. Yuck!

What are you currently using? What does your routine look like?

vintagevix2016

Dang, that's an awesome write-up! I have oily skin and use Lush's Coalface cleanser in the evening, followed by Lush's Tea Tree Water and Murad's Skin Perfecting Lotion. I've also been using Lush's Dark Angels cleanser once a week as an exfoliator. I'm a big fan of Lush and I like charcoal-based cleansers for some reason.

Details about each in the links below...

Coalface: https://www.lush.ca/en/face/cleansers/coalface/00233.html
Dark Angels: https://www.lush.ca/en/face/cleansers/dark-angels/9999906954.html
Murad: https://www.sephora.com/skin-perfecting-lotion-P381681?skuId=1101492&icid2=products grid:p381681
Tea Tree Water: https://www.lush.ca/en/face/toners-and-steamers/tea-tree-water/9999900405.html

adiaz132003

I'm not too crazy about charcoal only cause I haven't seen enough success with it for me to recommend but I love clay and mud products in masks and cleansers for oily skin.  But hey if it works then go you cause oily skin is tough.  I love Lush's hair stuff. Smells so gooooood!!!  They now have single use bath oil "bombs" I can't wait to use that.

vintagevix2016

Fresh has/had a clay mask that I really loved but haven't used in ages. Now that I think about it, I should pick some up if Sephora still has it.

For me the charcoal-based stuff was the first time something cleared up my skin and kept it that way. Don't get me wrong tho, I still get a blemish here and there but it isn't nearly as bad as it once was (and it was pretty damn bad).

lm45678

adiaz132003 said:

laurenm2123 said:

adiaz132003 said:

Haha yay me.  First thing is to be sure to identify your skin type.  Dry skin will be treated for acne different than oily and if you use the wrong stuff, it can get worse.  Oily skin means you have visible pores all over your face and may get shiney near the end of the day, dry skin means your pores are nearly invisible.  Remember dry is different then dehydrated.  You can have an oily skin type and also have flaky skin, this means you're dehydrated.  This is where most people mess up their routine.  Many assume that because of their acne they have oily skin but acne can be caused by many things.  For us it's gonna be mostly hormonal and that is the hardest to treat so I am not gonna promise a cure here.  For hormonal acne I normally recommend spot treating but many of those products we can't use so it's best to exfoliate using an enzyme based product.  Personally I love live live dermalogicas daily microfoliant.  Yes there is a trace amount of salicylic but it's so small, it hardly registered.  If you're not ok with that then use a facial scrub (not st Ives, for the love of God why do people still have that stuff?!).  Here's a basic rundown!

Oily skin:
Large pores over whole face
Tends to get greasy or shiny during the day but not always
Use oil free and/or clay cleanser twice a day, and follow with oil free lotion. Never skip the moisturizer or your skon will get dehydrated and sensitive)

Combo skin: larger pores in t zone only.
Use and "all skin types" cleanser twice a day followed by lightweight cream during warm months and go heavier in winter

Dry skin: very few, if any visible pores
Can use "all skin type" cleanser or if very dry (normally the over 40 crowd) use a creamy cleanser followed by a medium weight moisturizer in the summer and heavy in the winter.


Signs you are dehydrated:
Tightness
Flaky skin
Noticing wrinkles one day then they are gone the next
Redness and sensitivity

If dehydrated, you can use a serum under your moisturizer.

MOST IMPORTANTLY; Exfoliate!!!

Types of exfoliation.
Scrubs- use 2-3 times per week after cleansing
Masks- 1-2 times per week
Lactic/glycolic acid- 2 times per week depending on brand and concentration
Enzyme washes: Most are 2-3 days a week, Daily Microfoliant is daily as the name suggests

Oily skin is the only type that can handle rough scrubs.  If you notice a sting or redness after scrub/exfoliation use then switch to a lighter option.  
   

If you have specific questions just ask in the comments.

Seriously you are awesome! I have dry sensitive skin.. Yuck!

What are you currently using? What does your routine look like?

I use Belli acne cleanser every day with their acne moisturizer. I use the Belli exfoliater a couple times a week and also have their spot treatment.

Pre-pregnancy I used Neutrogena acne cream ccleanser and Aveeno clear skin moisturizer every day. My skin was amazing! I seriously never dealt with acne, just mild rosacea. 

I need a breastfeeding safe regimen that won't cost a fortune, open for product suggestions! 

adiaz132003

laurenm2123 said:

adiaz132003 said:

laurenm2123 said:

adiaz132003 said:

Haha yay me.  First thing is to be sure to identify your skin type.  Dry skin will be treated for acne different than oily and if you use the wrong stuff, it can get worse.  Oily skin means you have visible pores all over your face and may get shiney near the end of the day, dry skin means your pores are nearly invisible.  Remember dry is different then dehydrated.  You can have an oily skin type and also have flaky skin, this means you're dehydrated.  This is where most people mess up their routine.  Many assume that because of their acne they have oily skin but acne can be caused by many things.  For us it's gonna be mostly hormonal and that is the hardest to treat so I am not gonna promise a cure here.  For hormonal acne I normally recommend spot treating but many of those products we can't use so it's best to exfoliate using an enzyme based product.  Personally I love live live dermalogicas daily microfoliant.  Yes there is a trace amount of salicylic but it's so small, it hardly registered.  If you're not ok with that then use a facial scrub (not st Ives, for the love of God why do people still have that stuff?!).  Here's a basic rundown!

Oily skin:
Large pores over whole face
Tends to get greasy or shiny during the day but not always
Use oil free and/or clay cleanser twice a day, and follow with oil free lotion. Never skip the moisturizer or your skon will get dehydrated and sensitive)

Combo skin: larger pores in t zone only.
Use and "all skin types" cleanser twice a day followed by lightweight cream during warm months and go heavier in winter

Dry skin: very few, if any visible pores
Can use "all skin type" cleanser or if very dry (normally the over 40 crowd) use a creamy cleanser followed by a medium weight moisturizer in the summer and heavy in the winter.


Signs you are dehydrated:
Tightness
Flaky skin
Noticing wrinkles one day then they are gone the next
Redness and sensitivity

If dehydrated, you can use a serum under your moisturizer.

MOST IMPORTANTLY; Exfoliate!!!

Types of exfoliation.
Scrubs- use 2-3 times per week after cleansing
Masks- 1-2 times per week
Lactic/glycolic acid- 2 times per week depending on brand and concentration
Enzyme washes: Most are 2-3 days a week, Daily Microfoliant is daily as the name suggests

Oily skin is the only type that can handle rough scrubs.  If you notice a sting or redness after scrub/exfoliation use then switch to a lighter option.  
   

If you have specific questions just ask in the comments.

Seriously you are awesome! I have dry sensitive skin.. Yuck!

What are you currently using? What does your routine look like?

I use Belli acne cleanser every day with their acne moisturizer. I use the Belli exfoliater a couple times a week and also have their spot treatment.

Pre-pregnancy I used Neutrogena acne cream ccleanser and Aveeno clear skin moisturizer every day. My skin was amazing! I seriously never dealt with acne, just mild rosacea. 

I need a breastfeeding safe regimen that won't cost a fortune, open for product suggestions! 

 Well first step is to avoid anything with the word acne. Lol almost always has salicylic in it.  What is your skin type? Any sensitivity or redness on your face? Do you also get blackheads?

Eta: just noticed the rosacea comment.  I'm tired lol.  Please avoid all acne products if you have rosacea.  There is actually a type of acne caused by rosacea and using "acne" products can make it worse.  I personally did a lot of work with Dermalogica and the best success I had with this line was with rosacea clients!  Their sensitive line is the best I've ever worked with and I use it on myself cause I have sensitive skin.

lm45678

Awesome! I'll need to look into that... Yeah the Belli line is all natural ingredients specifically made for pregnancy & breastfeeding. I actually saw a recommendation from someone on TB and switched. 

I'll need to look at Dermalogica!

vintagevix2016

There's a Dermalogica shop here that I think I'll pay a visit. I'm always curious about skincare products.

26pointrunningfor2

@adiaz132003 Can you recommend some scrub brands for combination skin?

adiaz132003

26pointrunningfor2 said:

@adiaz132003 Can you recommend some scrub brands for combination skin?

 Most scrubs are less about brand and more about what the exfoliation is.  Unless it's more than just a scrub. For example ClarityRx has a scrub with bamboo enzyme in it and I love that one.  Avoid anything where crushed seeds and shells are used, like in the St Ives stuff.  Those will cut you you skin on the microscopic level and cause premature aging, sensitive skin, acne, dehydration and loss of elasticity.  Scrubs that use the tiny beads are best.  Jojoba beads are good cause it's not plastic.  For a basic scrub for combo skin you can even make your own with cornmeal.  Do not use baking soda or salt if you want to make your own scrub.

ashleygray89

Go get a hydration facial from your local medical spa or dermatologist.. they are amazing. Expensive but worth it. I paid 130 dollars. Cleared my skin right up by 2 days later  and I haven't had anything since and it's been over a week. And my skin was freaking out bad and nothing was working. Now I'm just using antibacterial soap on my face.. but will go back to using skin products most likely.  But you should try the facial if you are able.