Ugh, disgusted with my skin.

Hi Friends,

I have complicated skin, and I'm sure it's not nearly as bad as I think it is.. but I really struggle with it.

First of all I have rosacea. My skin is SO red and sore right now. I am using a new foundation (Estee Lauder double wear) and it takes time to get off of my skin. I use Boscia makeup breakup cool cleansing oil. I washed my face twice with it and then used Cliniques liquid facial cleanser (combination/dry formula) I had a sample of. Anyway, I use my medication from the doctor (Finacea). I then sometimes will use Proactiv's green tea moisturizer. I really like that lotion.

I do this 2x a day.

I also take oracea for my rosacea.

This all being said my skin looks terrible. I was looking in the mirror and my pores are huge, my face is red and it generally looks like crap.. oh and I have 2 pimples.

Any ideas?

P.S. How do I find out if I have oily skin or dry skin? I never really know. It feels tight but at the same time isn't dry.

 

I absolutely feel for you.

Let me try with a suggestion or two.

First, it sounds as though from the size of your pores that you may have oily skin. The first trick to dealing with oily skin is to beat it at its own game. Oil and moisture are not the same. So, before your skin can create more oil, moisturize it with an oil free, yet super gentle moisturizer. Not just a tiny drop, overdo it. Massage it in, gently and it has all been absorbed. Then do it again. This will encourage blood flow to the skin and hopefully help with the redness.

Don't be scared to over moisturize. While we are still on this topic you should also remember to drink lots of water. As much as you can. This will help to hydrate you from the inside. It also gives you loads of energy.

As for foundation, try to move away from using a foundation because of the sensitivity of the skin and how much it hurts. Instead why not try a BB Cream. Its basically a tinted moisturizer, so it is soothing and calming on the skin as well as adds a touch of color to cover up blemishes. I have selected a few specifically for oily skin right here. Go on down to the local department store and try them out:

http://www.skincarehq.org/articles/the-10-best-bb-creams-for-oily-skin

These should also be easier to remove than the makeup.

Try those tips and and let us know how it goes /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Good luck!!

I'm not a skincare expert but I'd like to point out that while oil-free moisturizers certainly work for some people, like amandagreen suggested, some of us find using oils as a (night-time) moisturizer more beneficial than completely oil-free stuff. Jojoba oil seems to be one of the most popular choices as it's supposed to be close to the skin's own sebum. You can also layer oil on top of a serum or mix it with a moisturizer.

Different oils have different benefits, some might be more anti-inflammatory than others, for example. I don't have experience with rosacea, so I can't comment on that but I just wanted to point out that oils aren't necessarily a bad thing.