Skin Myth: The use of all oils should be avoided if you have oily or blemish prone skin.

While it is true, there are some oils that should be avoided if you have oily or blemish prone skin, adding skin-loving essential and carrier oils to your daily skin care regimen can be a very good thing. Here is why.

How oils work? Because oil is an emollient, it fills in the gaps between the cells of the skin. Oil-based products replace essential lipids in the outer dermal layer replacing moisture and creating younger, healthier looking skin. The chemical composition of the skin absorbs oils more easily than water-based moisturizers. Even if your skin is oily or blemish prone, additional hydration facilitates healing and will boost your skin’s glow and vitality.

Oils to Avoid.  Avoid using these oils on your face because they may congest the skin: Lanolin, Cocoa Butter, Mineral Oil, and Petroleum.

So oil can benefit oily skin? Yes, the right oils used on oily skin can be. Natural health advocate and creator of her own all-natural herbal skin care line, Annmarie Gianni uses Grapeseed Oil as the base oil in her Facial Oil for oily, blemish-prone skin. She explains that Grapeseed Oil is actually slightly astringent and a very fine oil, which absorbs quickly and delivers your skin’s own natural oils deeper, allowing them to penetrate better into your skin.

My favorite oil-based skin care product?

Annmarie’s Herbal Facial Oil for Oily and Acne Prone Skin

This oil blend has some slightly astringent, pore refining qualities and can also be used as a light moisturizer. With acne clearing and anti-inflammatory herbs like Neem, White Willow, Milk Thistle, Licorice Root, I adore the feel and the smell of this bona fide all-botanical blend.

Benefits:
•Helps Control Acne Breakouts
•Prevents Pores From Clogging
•Opens Clogged Pores
•Balances Natural Skin Oils

They suggest to apply to clean skin. Dab a bit on nose, chin, cheeks and forehead and blend well. If you are interested in this product or any other from Annmarie’s skin care line, for this week only (June 6-11th) you can receive 10% off using the coupon code: mythbuster10. Just go to: http://www.annmariegianni.com/.

If you have oily or blemish prone skin then you know it can be tough to find a good cleanser. Many cleansers  on the market strip your skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry or flaky while still producing plenty of oil. So now you have flaky skin that’s itchy AND oily. The excess oil helps keep the flaking skin in place and your pores get all clogged up and then you have new blemishes, so you go back to the super strong cleanser and the vicious cycle continues.  And then you start getting older and realize that that dry skin definitely doesn’t help with the appearance of fine lines. Suddenly the search for a gentle cleanser that can tame your problematic skin moves up the priority list.

In my quest for the perfect skin care regimen for my skin I have tried a TON of cleansers. I’ve tried pretty much every formulation out there too, creams, gels, foams, bars. Some I’ve downright hated, some have been okay, and some I’ve really liked, though I never found one that I have the desire to use and purchase faithfully…until now.

I received a gift certificate to SkinCareRx a while back and decided that it might be worth my time to buy something I needed instead of splurging on makeup like I usually do. After all, if it’s not my money  then  who cares if I’m not nuts about it, right? Two simple clicks took me to the cleansers for oily skin and I waited for something to catch my eye. To be honest, the first thing I noticed about PCA Skin’s Facial Wash for Oily/Problem Skin was the price. It’s the least expensive oily skin cleanser on the list($21.50) and I really wanted to get as much as I could out of my gift certificate.  Yes, I’m cheap, that’s how I roll. And I couldn’t be happier. (more…)

First off, my apologies all around for being MIA last week. My husband came home after a little bit of time in the desert and I took some time with my family for a vacation. And while it may have left you feeling unloved my dears, it was certainly worth it when I heard my 2 year old wake in the middle of the night and call for her daddy to comfort her.

So now onto the stuff you really care about, this weeks product review!
Chella Professional Skin Care is one of those companies that has somehow managed to fly under my radar for way too long. Focusing solely on their dedication to charities it’s a company I can support, but there are plenty of other reasons to try these products as well. Lots of research and plenty of proven botanical ingredients certainly don’t hurt.

With oily, blemish prone skin I have occasion to use clay masks on a regular basis. They’re great for drawing out impurities and helping to clear my skin during the most troublesome of breakouts. However, they also have a tendency to be very drying and can be too harsh for sensitive or delicate skin types, and sometimes even oily skin. Chella’s Balancing Clay Mask (more…)

A great question came my way recently:

Hi Jen, I’m searching for a natural/organic SPF face day lotion. Is the Alison Raffaele primer moisturizing enough for a daytime use?  I don’t have dry skin; I’m oily T zone, acne prone on cheeks, and can have sun spots pop up if I’m not extra-over-zealous with my SPF in summer.

Also, I’m trying a new natural/organic skin care regimen by Sophyto and they recommended a more natural SPF lotion to go with. So here I am.

Recommend something for me MBB!
Jami aka Bionic Beauty

Gotcha Jami.  You need an SPF day lotion that blocks the suns rays without causing your skin to shine and makeup to slide off.  You would also prefer an organic sunscreen lotion. (more…)

DERMAdoctor, how do we adore thee? The fun purple packaging, the helpful friendly website, and, of course, the extensive line of products giving us easy access to treatments for a variety of skin related issues that most prestige companies skip entirely. Honestly, if you’ve only ever seen DERMAdoctor on the shelves at your specialty beauty store you will be amazed at what they offer in their full product line.  From Athlete’s Foot to Tinea Versicolor (it’s okay, I had to look it up too), they have great selection of helpful products and tips to go with them. I am personally a devoted fan of  KP Duty and KP Duty Scrub (buy the kit for $60), which has done wonders for my “chicken bump” arms. Since I have moderately oily skin and have had such great results with KP Duty, I was thrilled to try out Tease Zone oil control gel. (more…)

Is the No. 1 wash from Clinique? Neutrogena? Nope!  I am feeling some Mythbuster Beauty validation because several of my favorite picks for cleansers are on the Total Beauty reader’s best list such as, Suki’s *Lemongrass Cleanser, Caudalie’s Foaming Cleanser, and *Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple! 

(*Click on the links to read Mythbuster Beauty reviews!)

A cleanser is a cleanser, right? Don’t they all do the same job? Hardly. Our readers gave us their two cents about which cleansers made their faces squeaky clean — without leaving their skin feeling like the Sahara. What product was ranked No. 1 by TotalBeauty.com members? Read on to find out.

See cleansers

Only one week left to enter Alison Raffaele’s Shine Buster Giveaway.  Alison Raffaele Cosmetics has come up with a fantastic set of products to offset the slippery effects of the summer skin oil slick.  3 people will be awarded a set of amazing Alison Raffaele Shine Busting Cosmetics!  

Summer is around the bend, and summer brings the heat, humidity, and the blazing sunshine. Unfortunately for oily-skinned gals, the summer heat helps create another type of shine, the skin shine that causes our makeup to slip and slide off within a few hours.

Alison Raffaele Cosmetics has come up with a fantastic set of products to offset the slippery effects of the summer skin oil slick.

Introducing Alison Raffaele’s “Shine Buster” set:

Face Forward Primer Acne Response ($44)

Alison’s Face Forward Primer is one of my favorite rave about products and was reviewed on St Patrick’s Day as a great way to go green. A little bit goes a long way. This primer not only makes my skin feel like velvet; it helps my foundation glide on beautifully, and it provides an spf 15.

• Foundation primer + acne treatment + SPF 15
• Contains proprietary, time-released (12+ hours)
• 100% paraben, talc, oil, gluten and fragrance free
• Natural mineral-based sunscreen SPF 15 provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection
• Dermatologist Tested and Approved

Alison Raffaele Blotting Tissues ($9)

Unbleached and powder-free, these super-absorbent paper tissues remove excess oil and perspiration from the skin without disturbing makeup.

Transparent Finish To Go ($42)

• New cornstarch-based formula is talc and paraben free for your healthiest skin ever
• Although powder appears white in jar, Transparent Finish is completely clear on ALL skintones, from fairest to deepest
• Suitable for ALL skin types – will not build up or oxidize on oily skins and will not collect in the fine lines of more mature skins
• Ultra lightweight formula feels clean and comfortable on the skin
• Perfect for setting all liquid and cream cosmetics
• Will not change the color of other cosmetics
• Banishes shine and provides a natural matte finish
• May be reapplied as necessary
• 100% paraben, talc, oil, gluten and fragrance free, Dermatologist Tested and Approved

Last week I visited with one of my best neighbor friends Stacy. Actually, I went over to pick up three of my girls that were playing with their five children. At the front door, I noticed a few more neighborhood children playing there as well. Stacy’s home is a magnet to many of the neighborhood children because she is such a warm-hearted person, and her children are such an enjoyable group to hang out with.

Such is the life of busy, big social families. It is wonderful, and a bit stressful. With a large group of kids, there is a large amount of noise, mess, and general chaos. Stacy and I got talking about skincare, and she mentioned that she has been struggling with some breakouts along her jaw line and chin areas. I have learned that these breakouts are usually associated with hormone fluctuations and stress related issues. I want to recommend one of my favorite skincare products that not only treat blemishes, but soothes and purifies the skin as well. Of all the skincare products I have tried, Sukipure’s Transformative Facial Clay would top my list.

Sukipure’s Transformative Facial Clay: green tea, roses, and white willow

Achieve real results with our uniquely powerful facial purifier. an effective cleanser, masque & spot treatment for normal, combination, & oily skin, blemishing, acne, any condition of inflammation, & for refreshing & brightening all complexion types. helps rid the skin of blemishes, impurities & toxins, evens tone & reduces inflammation in as little as 5 minutes.

I enjoy the delicate smell and texture of this kaolin clay lotion. I use this for my PM cleanser and when I need some additional purification treatment, leave it on 5 to 15 minutes as a masque. Sukipure’s transformative clay leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. This clay is a very effective cleanser and treatment for sensitive, acne-prone, or oily skin types. The Sukipure facial transformative clay retails for $36.65 at www.sukipure.com.

Oily or combination skin women will want to read this review. After applying my makeup in the AM, my skin stays fairly balanced, but in a few hours, my t-zone (the middle of my forehead and nose) starts to shine through. I don’t mind a bit of shine, but want to avoid an oil slick. I usually use a bit of pressed powder to mattify the area. One big problem that I find with applying powders is that they start out looking good, but if you continue to use them, they build up, emphasizing your pores and looking cakey. Blotting papers work well to eliminate shine through out the day. I heard that you can use disposable toilet seat covers for blotting because they are made of the same material as cosmetic blotting sheets are. Just a tip I heard from Damone on the show “10 Years Younger” on TLC.

I love that so many mattifying tints and primers are available, and they really work. Not only do they instantly mattify those oily spots, they look and feel incredibly natural. When I first applied Cosmedicine’s Medi-Matte Face Tint & Oil Control Lotion SPF 20, its thicker tinted appearance made me question how it would appear on my face. Soon, my fears where abated. Not only did it incorporate into my skin naturally and easily, Whoosh! My shine was gone, and not replaced with a chalky lifeless skin appearance, just perfectly balanced skin.

This shine-free natural looking skin kept up with me the entire day, with no touch ups needed! Cosmedicine even put an SPF 20 in it! I would only recommend using the Medi-Matte Tint on areas that are oily for you. This product really is amazing, 4 big stars, hearts, and whistles! Cosmedicine’s Medi-Matte Face Tint & Oil Control Lotion SPF 20 is a new best friend that I will look forward to using this is the upcoming summer and warmer months. Seriously, pressed powder application is not needed while using this product!

You can purchase this product at Sephora for $42 at www.sephora.com, and can learn more about the Cosmedicine line at their website.