Another product view from yours truly...

Normally, I don't have much of a problem with skin blemishes anymore. I did when I was younger, but age and years of caring for my skin under the direction of a dermatologist has minimized the problem.

Still, recent stress, crazy weather patterns, the dry air in my office, etc have all caused a few problems and blemishes I'd rather not have.

Acting on the recommendation of a friend with similar skin as mine, I decided to try the Neutrogena Acne Mask to help get rid of a few stubborn blemishes.

The active ingredient is Benzoyl Peroxide with a 5% concentration. Benzoyl Peroxide is definitely more harsh than the more popular Salicylic Acid, but I have used products containing 5-10% concentrations of Benzoyl Peroxide for years without incident, and my skin is not sensitive to the ingredient.

Trying the mask, I followed the instructions exactly, being careful not to leave it on too long and being extra careful to rinse thoroughly. I noted the instructions clearly state this product can be used on a daily basis.

Honestly, last night, I felt like my skin was a bit dry, but it was nothing major. This morning, however, I woke up with mild redness and slight burning. It's obvious to me that this product is probably not appropriate for daily use. In fact, I probably wouldn't use it weekly.

If you need deep cleansing, I'd recommend a more gentle mask (I love Oil of Olay's clay mask) and a topical cream you're used to for any blemishes.

You have acne? I didn't notice. You look so pretty and smooth.

Thanks for that. I'm trying every acne product and I would've eventually of got to that one. Reminds me of the time I washed my hands with soap at a store and my hands were itchy and burning...that was random. :i

Why thank you!

Like I said, I don't have it so much anymore, but when I was younger... let's just say I hide the pictures. Luckily, I never scarred.

I did. Pretty bad pock-scarring on both cheeks. Nasty.

Anyway, apparently a good way to deal with minor acne is to moisturise. Scrub your skin really clean then slap on some moisturiser, which stops your skin regreasing itself naturally. Artificial oil doesn't oxidise and therefore doesnt clog your pores. Problem solved.

If you have real problems, see a doctor and get onto prescription medication right away. You do not want scars. It took 16 weeks of roaccutane to get rid of mine.

i'm 17 so i guess i'm gonna be stuck with spots for a little while yet! iv got some REALLY bad scarring on my forehead from them. heard something about light-reflecting make-up made for people wanting to hide wrinkles thats good for hiding the marks. anyone know if it's any good? anyway clearisil products are much nicer than Neutrogena.

Most Clearasil products use salicylic acid instead of benzoyl peroxide, and the benzoyl peroxide can often be much more effective as an active ingredient.

I believe Revlon makes a line of light reflecting makeup, and Prescriptives has a product called Magic that is a light reflecting subfoundation. Both options are pretty pricey. For club wear, I'll use the Revlon powder, but it's just too much for daytime or even normal evening wear. The Magic product gives a nice luminous glow to skin for evenings out and isn't really too shiny for daytime wear either.

just discovered a lightreflecting foundation from collection 2000 for £2.49. yay me and my bargain shopping! (just thought i'd tell yuse people)

Sounds like acne is still a real pain to get rid of for most of us. Anyway, I recently dug up this older thread: Proactiv It has all sorts of useful information etc... Anyway a Proactiv kiosk recently opened up in my mall so I'm gonna pick up a 4-step system and I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes. By the way I'm currently 18 with sensitive skin (it goes dry quickly and reddens when I workout) and have moderate chronic acne.

Good luck to all, and if something that you find works well please be sure to share!

Alright, nearing the end of week one on this stuff and my acne is slowly fading. Of course with other acne products there was no improvement or harm to my skin due to its sensitive nature. The main thing I have noticed though is a smoothness and firmness that my skin is taking on, that and the redness as well as minor scars are fading. The thing with Proactiv is that instead of getting rid of acne zit by zit it treats your whole face so by the time one is gone your whole face is pimple free.

Personally, I find that it was worth the price just because of the overall improvement in the quality of my skin, as for getting rid of acne I finally feel like I have a fighting chance (something I never had with other products) against this confidence killer. If any of you bought it and have questions as to the directions (it took me a few tries to get it right) or just general questions about Proactiv you can message me or post here.

Good luck to all!

I have terrible acne problems. I have tried many products and they all have worked. The problem is, when I run out and use basic soap and water, red spots pop out instantly.
I had an embarrassing incident not too long ago. I had an immense zit on the tip of my nose. I was called "Rudolph" until the zit had disappeared.

Then perhaps you should make sure you don't run out. Simply purchase a new supply when the current one starts running low, much like you would many household or toiletry products.

Also, please don't hijack a thread to talk about your embarrassing acne incident. This thread was about a specific product, and I'm willing to let it digress into a discussion about the different products available, but it shouldn't be a discussion about the general difficulties of the affliction.

If you have the occasional blemish, I'm sure Salicylic Acid works. For anyone that has a more chronic condition, like real acne, Salicylic Acid sucks, IMO. Salicylic Acid is usually the main ingredient in those Clearasil type over the counter products, which generally have done sweet fuck all for me.

My face first broke out in early puberty, like most others, but it persevered well into my mid-20s. So, if people tell you it'll all go away in a few years, don't necessarily believe them. For most people the teenage blemishes do go away, but acne can, and often does, affect you well into your twenties and beyond. I waited a long while before taking the problem seriously enough to go to the doctor, and I think my mother is still kicking herself for letting me walk around with it for so long. It wasn't the "pizza face" kind of really severe and debillitating acne, but even just some general patchy redness with a couple of zits here and there across a swathe of your face on a persistant basis for years can make you feel like the ugliest person on the planet, and it really kicks your self-esteem in the face. As though that needs any extra kicking during puberty anyway... If over the counter stuff isn't working for you, try something else, and/or go see a doctor. For me going on a specific type of birthcontrol also helped reign it in a lot (obviously not an option for the guys though).

I have to second the recommendation for Proactiv, made elsewhere in this thread. Benzoyl Peroxide is the active ingredient in that product, which is how it does tie in with scarlett's review. I will say though that I don't use it twice-a-day, every-day, such as the packet recommends, especially not after you get past the point where your face has settled down. I find it a little too harsh for the twice-a-day-every-day kind of application. Right now I use it sporadically when required, and just use a regular oil-free face cleanser the rest of the time.

There are a lot of Proactiv knock-offs availible in stores right now, a lot of them contain Salicylic Acid in either the wash or cream rather than the Benzoyl Peroxide that's in Proactiv, so make sure to check the ingredients so that you're really getting something similar.

For those who get the occasional large zit, I recommend something called Persagel. It's a tube of cream that you can get at the drugstore from Clean & Clear or Clearasil or one of those places. It's a 10% Benzoyl Peroxide cream, and really only for spot treatment (i.e. one specific place) because it's very harsh and drying. As they recommended on Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, put that on a zit during the day to dry it out, then at night put on a hydrocortisone cream to to take down the redness and swelling (handy tips for before a big date). The hydrocortisone you can pick up for a few bucks at the drugstore too.


I don't think any face mask is for daily use really. I would personally use a mask at most once a week or so... usually it ends up being once every so many months, because I usually forget to do masks

It's also important to use some kind of toner or lotion after a mask, and then to moisturise, as I find that they nearly always make the skin feel dry.



Lilith

Soap is horrible on your face. Nobody should use plain soap on their face, acne or no.

And to solve the running out problem, always make sure you have a back-up set/tube/whatever. I do the same thing with various things like face care, shampoo, toothpaste... there's always a spare in the cupboard under the sink. And as soon as you start on the spare one, write down on your shopping list or noteboard that you need to get a replacement.



Lilith

Oops I am so sorry about that. I did not know I was not allowed to do that.

Going to the dermotologist is expensive, but other Neutrogena products had actually worked on me (or was it Noxema?...)