March Routine Wrap-Up

You can't see it, but I have two zits on the under side of my chin. I personally blame this on skipping the entire routine yesterday. Other than that, face is pretty much redness and skin flake free at the moment!

I've done a pretty good job at doing my entire routine daily for a whole month, I only missed maybe 4 days. This past week, I switched out Hydrophor and used Vaseline as my occlusive layer for my body up until I finally picked up a bottle of 100% mineral oil. I've only been using the mineral oil for 3 days now but there seems to have been a huge improvement already.

Wishlist Wednesday

Laneige Water Bank Serum

image from us.laneige.com

What is it?
It is a serum for "smoother, rehydrated skin."

What's in it?
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Dimethicone, Trisiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Beta-Glucan, Magnesium Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Cocamide MIPA, Zinc Sulfate, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Zea Mays (Corn) Kernel Extract, Castanea Sativa (Chestnut) Seed Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Germ Extract, Glycogen, Glutamic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Dimethiconol, Lysine HCl, Mannitol, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Sucrose, Stearyl, Behenate, Citrulline, Alanine, Arginine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Calcium Citrate, Serine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Histidine HCl, Threonine, Trehalose, Phenyltrimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polysorbate 20, Poly Silicone-11, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, PCA, PCA Dimethicone, PEG-15 Pentaerythrityl Tetra (Laureth-6 Carboxylate), PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Hydrogenated C6-14 Olefin Polymers, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide MEA, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Fragrance.

Why do I want it?
I know I said "fragrance" is one of my skin's worst enemies, but when it's low enough on the ingredients list (like it is in this serum) then I usually have no bad reactions to it. This serum is advertised for all skin types but it has consistently good reviews from people with dry skin. The price point isn't too outrageous ($35) and it is a Asian brand that can purchased in the U.S. at Target.

Week 3 Update: I'm Getting Lazy

It's been three weeks since I started this thing! How am I doing? Well, I seem to have caught a head cold so I'll keep it short and simple. Oh! And I started using a new phone (Lumia Icon) so hopefully the pictures will be in better quality and more consistent from week to week.

I haven't made any product changes this week but I did slack on the routine at least 4 days. Yikes. Anyway, let's start things off with a progress post selfie, pink pajama edition.

Keeping It Simple: Hand Soap

One of my biggest eczema problem areas are my hands, so you'd think I'd be more mindful about what hand soaps I use at home. For as long as I can remember, I've just been stocking my bathrooms with sweet smelling foams without thinking about what's in that chemical soup.

Last month, Into The Gloss' Trace Barnhill asked readers "what's you're favorite hand soap?" One of the commenters, Mara, wrote something that was a wake-up call for me.

"I use CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser decanted into a bottle from MUJI. It's relatively inexpensive, pH balanced, fragrance-free, has ceramides (lipids found in healthy skin), hyaluronic acid (humectant), and cleans well."

I have been obsessing over ingredients for months now and had yet to investigate the product I use most on a daily basis. Lo and behold, one of the first five ingredients in my current hand soap was one of the worst offenders when it comes to skin irritation for me: fragrance. Also in the top five is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) which is in the shampoo that I use and that's fine but I am not doing my skin any favors when I expose it to SLES at least six times a day.

I didn't go and toss out all the hand soap but once the one in our master bathroom was empty, I replaced it with Dial Gold. It's super affordable, surprisingly hydrating, has a ph level of 5.7 (according to Dial's own product catalog, anyway), and the clinically clean smell is inexplicably comforting. Now I just need some super cute soap dispensers to keep me from missing those silly "gentle" foaming hand soaps that smelled like a "winter cranberry". 

Wishlist Wednesday

Liole Waterdrop Sleeping Pack

image from lioeletexas.com

What is it?
It is a cream mask that is left on overnight that is meant to hydrate your skin while you sleep. Supposedly has a "cooling gel sensation to calm and soothe the skin".

What's in it?
Water, Butenglycol, Cycolpentasiloxane, Cycolohexasilicone, Glycerin, Portulac Oleracea Extract, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Archillea Millefolium Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Artemisia Asinthium Extract, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Sorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice, Hyaluronic Acid, CI 42090, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA

Why do I want it?
Dry skin is one of my main skin concerns. This sleeping pack has a lot of hype around it despite some saying that there are more effective products. That being said, I'm a sucker for the cute and hygenic packaging and I really want to see the "magic water droplets" that form when using this sleeping pack.

It's Been Two Weeks

...Chickity China the Chinese Chicken?

Since my first progress post I saw my primary care doctor, got some refills on my eczema creams and ointments, and I finally emptied my TFS The Smim Fermentation Concentrate Essence. My doctor didn't have any advice for me in regards to skin care so he just refilled my prescriptions to tide me over until my dermatology referral. I replaced The Smim Essence in my routine with the MISSHA First Treatment Essence Mist which I bought at the end of February because of a sale.

I'm already a fan of the essence mist because of it's quick application. With all the time it takes to apply my prescriptions, I embrace any step that takes mere seconds to complete.

Anyway! Let's take a look at how my skin is doing. (Apologies for using different lighting between the two weeks.)

Wishlist Wednesday

Banila Co. Clean It Zero Purity

image from banilaco.com

What is it?
It is a "sherbet" cleanser for sensitive skin. It is used as the first step in the double cleansing method.

What's in it?
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (aka Argan Oil), Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Water, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Beta-Carotene, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Capryhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Abies Sibirica Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil

Why do I want it?
I have tried Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and I loved it. And by "tried it" I mean the lady at the Clinique counter used it on me after helping me determine a foundation color match. Although I ended up not purchasing a foundation, the effectiveness and the nourishing effect of the cleansing balm stuck with me and I almost went back to buy it but I felt like I couldn't justify the price.
This is a slightly cheaper alternative and it comes with a little spatula for dispensing the product. It also has some desirable ingredients that are not found in Clinique's Balm such as Aloe and Argan Oil.

New Month, New Start

I have lived with eczema my whole life and after a crazy flare up a few months ago I decided it was time to experiment with different products and to rework my skin care routine. It has been a month since I made the change, so let's take a look at what worked and what didn't.

Unfortunately, I do not have any photo documentation of the past month so I guess you'll just have to trust my judgement.

Prior to last month's experimenting, my routine consisted of just washing with water, applying prescription creams and ointments, then using a moisturizer on my face and mineral oil/hydrophilic petrolatum ointment on my body. My current routine uses a cream cleanser, daily exfoliation with a konjac sponge, moisturizing toner, serum, my prescriptions, moisturizer, and finish off with an occlusive (Vaseline).

Before I break down the products I used this past month, remember this general rule of thumb when it comes to skin products: your mileage may vary.