Hair and Skin

lovetruly06

   I have really stubborn acne and was wondering what kind of fash wash you grils would suggest. As well as the best shampoo or hair treatment for healthy hair. I've always just used what was cheepest to buy.

RayValerie

lovetruly06...I would consult with a dermatologist for your skin...he would know what was best.  There are truly new medications that you can take to clear up the acne and then move onto the correct skin care for your type of skin.
I love pantene products....they are a bit more expensive but I purchase them at Costco or BJ's and get larger containers for less money.  They leave my long thick hair looking healthy and beautiful.
Hope this helps.

tldh

Pantene gives me hives.  I used to use this.  Now I just use Garnier or Tresame.  Still gives me the same strong shiny hair that I've always had.  This is saying something since my curly hair is normally coarse and tends to dry out.  I do use Aveda styling products though.

Beads921

While I agree with PP that a dermatologist will know best for your skin (and a hair dresser would be a good start for your hair), I will still give you my personal suggestions. 

For acne, I find Benzoyl Peroxide gel is the best bet. I use Benzagel5 (which is 5% BP) once daily after the shower (I wash my face in the shower with a plain exfoliant and Spectro Gel, which is gentle but prevents dryness). It seems to work well for me.

As for hair...I buy whatever is on sale. The only place I don't cheap out is on Moroccanoil, which I put in my hair after I wash it while it's still damp to help moisturize, make it smooth, and prevent heat damage (or so my hair dresser says). Other than that, the sale shampoo and conditioner at the super market are where it's at. 

SarahPLiz

I suggest going fragrance free. Cetaphil Skin CLeanser (or the store brand with no fragrance), not the face wash, which has fragrance. I use shampoo and body wash from Whole Foods which are very reasonably prices, and sulfate free. Its their 365 brand fragrance free, and its awesome. It is very gentle but does the job. 

flyjawn

i have no suggestions for skin.... everyone is so different.

i only use shampoos that are SLS and paraben free.  Trader Joe's has some wonderful options.

i use this website whenever i want to purchase new cosmetics, shampoos, sunscreens, etc...

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

loop0406

I had stubborn acne for years, went thru b control pills, cetaphil, accutane, etc until I used proactive and it worked. My acne decreased tremendously.

For hair, I recommend Nioxin, it works to have stronger healthy hair. It's a little pricey but after 2-3 months, you will notice a difference.

abgpal11

For skin:  I recommend checking out some skin products by Mary Kay.  I order those religiously.  The acne cream is especially awesome (but be warned that things with benzol peroxide will bleach things!).  They also make oil-controlling face wash, lotion, and toner which are all wonderful for controlling oil.  I have super sensitive skin, and I've never had a problem with any of these, which is why I love them so much.  Of course different things work for different people, but it's something to keep in mind

I also had to take a prescription for my acne at one point.  I was having trouble right around my jaw line because it was just awful right there no matter how much I made sure to get make-up off and all that.  The dermatologist told me that a lot of younger women often have trouble breaking out there because of something to do with hormones.  So the dermatologist put me on something called Spironalactone (I think that's how its spelled) which was actually developed to be a blood-pressure medication but when they did the drug trials they figured out all it did was clear up acne.  I'm of course not saying "go to the doctor and get this", I'm just saying that there are other options than taking antibiotics (because I took those before as well, and they didn't help me).


For hair:  I try to use leave-in conditioner when I can.  A lot of brands make a spray that you put on when it's damp.  I usually don't do that if it's in the mornings though because my hair gets dirty easily, so I typically only do that if I shower at night and will be showering again the AM.  Another trick I learned from my hair stylist: before you go to bed at night, take regular conditioner, put it all in your (dry) hair, put on a shower cap, and sleep with it in.  It's kind of funky sleeping with a shower cap on, but it really does help!  I don't do it a lot though because it takes more to do that than just when you shower since your hair isn't wet.  But I've found that even the cheap brands of conditioner work just as well as the expensive ones as far as this trick is concerned. 

I also buy those oil treatments that you can get at places like walmart, target, etc.  The 'name brand' is the V05 Hot Oil treatment, but a lot of places will have generic ones that are cheaper. 

nickivanb

I swear by and only use philosophy products for skin care, makeup and fragrence.  Purity is the best makeup removers/face wash I have ever used.  The microdelivery exfoliating wash I use in the morning and it helps to keep my pores clear.  They have a skincare system for all various types of skin as well as acne.  Hope in a jar is an excellent moisturizer that is the first one I have found that doesn't make my skin overly oily as the day goes on.  I use the overnight spot treatment for blemishes and it is vitamin C based so it smells good as well as effective.  The products are a bit expensive but they really work!
www.philosophy.com
As for hair care, I am a biolage girl all the way. 

hannahhannah1

I worried so much about that! Good thing we have hair and makeup products!! It all works out in the end tho and you will feel like a princess! I got married in August and I just can't get enough of this stuff! So, I made a blog for you! I am sharing what worked for me and what did not. I am giving up my secrets and DOS and DON'TS! I hope that this helps! check out the link to my blog:

http://weddingdaygroundhogday.blogspot.com/

megk8oz

For skin: I use the Clinique Acne system in the morning (All 3 steps), and then at night I use the St. Ives "Invigorate/Fresh Skin" line (I used witch hazel as my "toner" at night). I stay pretty clear this way without getting totally dried out (Which, using the full Clinique Acne system twice a day consistently will most likely dry you out after a few days)

For hair: I recently started using the sulfate-free Loreal Ever Strong line, the "damage repair" formula (Available pretty much everywhere that sells shampoo: green tubes, purple caps). I seriously saw an improvement after just 2 days of using it. If you color your hair regularly there's a formula for that, too (Which, if you color regularly, you really should be using some sort of shampoo designed for color care, anyway).

I would also highly recommend hopping on over to the Wedding Beauty board, there's quite a few ladies over there that can probably help you out there, too.