Sentient skin (warning: ranting)

[florenonite]

I have decided that my skin, like hair, and pool balls (you know when you have a perfect shot, and then the ball deliberately doesn't go into the pocket?), is a sentient being, which is constantly trying to wind me up. It decides to get ridiculously dry and itchy at times, and flake off my forehead, AND I have eczema (especially on my heels and hands), yet I get spots on my face and all over my back. Why can it not just decide what it wants to be? If it wants to be oily, fine, I'll deal with it, and if it wants to be dry, I don't mind, I'll deal with that, too, but I can't stand the fact that no matter what I do to it, it decides to react. It gets dry, I put on moisturiser. Then i get plukes, so I use a harsher face wash, then it gets dry and itchy. WHY won't it just behave?:pissed:

[vidgrl007]

i have combo skin and kinda know how u feel.ive switched to aveeno and its made a difference.sorry about ur prob.eucerin calming cream is also good for exsema.hth:)

[SarieQ]

Oh, the vicious cycle! Have you ever tried treating your skin as sensitive? It sounds like the dryness and eczema could be a reaction to trying to treat the oily side of your skin. It would be helpful to know what type of cleansing method you use and the types of products/ingredients you use on your skin.

For years I thought I had oily skin, and treated it as that. However, it was always red and irritated with dry flakes that just looked terrible with makeup! Then I treated it for another few years as combination. Still it was red and irritated, flaky. Now that I treat it as sensitive, I am better balanced and the flaking is better under control--as well as the oiliness. I found that my skin wasn't really oily, but it was my body's reaction to dealing with things that irritated my skin--step up the oil production for protection against the irritant and then the acne/blackheads were a result of that. I still get some acne, but the normal essential oils and ingredients that work for everyone else only exasperate the problem for me. Herbs for irritation like calendula and chamomile work wonders on my skin. Lavender eo and herb is really good for this skin type when used in combination with irritated/sensitive skin ingredients--it does wonders because it is such a broad skin type range eo. OWM has been a god send because I'm not drying my skin totally out to make the cycle start happening all over again. Also, if the products you are using contain mineral oil, that will just exasperate the problem because it doesn't do anything except sit on the skin and disrupt the skin's natural processes.

I hope you can find something that works for you. I know what a pain it is to have such unpredictable skin.

[kimberlily]

I have a similar problem. Only I'm oily and flaky in the same places at the same time (specifically on my face, in the t-zone). Switching from cleansers to Skinvac cloths has made all the difference for me. I'm not nearly as oily (despite using emu oil as my moisturizer with sunscreen on top) and I don't flake at all anymore :)

SarieQ also has a good point. If I use harsher cleansers (ie anything with sulfates in it) I find that my skin gets oilier. I had to make peace with my skin and work with it instead of against it.

[florenonite]

Well, I used an acne wash for a while, stopped that because it irritated my skin and switched to a face wash from the Body Shop that's designed for sensitive skin. Even that seemed to dry my skin out, so I've recently switched to WO, which seems to be making me break out even more (though that could be because I'm actually remembering to use moisturiser as I am more likely to wash my face when it's just water than when I need to use face wash)
Kimberlily: what are Skinvac cloths, and how do I get them?
With my back I tried WO for a while and am now trying a fairly gentle body wash, which seems to be doing some good.

[kimberlily]

Go to www.skinvac.com. I have all three, but all you really need is the daily cleansing cloth. You just dampen the cloth, gently cleanse your face with it, then wash the cloth so it is ready for next time. If you use the coupon code "vegan", you can get 15% off and free shipping. I'm not sure if the coupon code is still good or not, but it was a few weeks back when I got mine. It shouldn't take you long to get them since they're shipped from the UK.

[florenonite]

Thanks, Kimberlily!

[Nastasska]

My skin torments me in a similar manner:pissed: We need a divorce:boggle:

[LaLunaHollow]

I have the same skin problems! it's very dry and very oily and full of pimples at the same time. I found some luck producks helped me get it under controle, auqvamarine helped alot. however now I live at a place where I can't get to Lusch that esily so I use Nivea cleansers instead.. I find if I use cleansers for normal skin and mosturaize for dry skin I get an ok balance. But if what SarieQ said is true I shall have to try products for sensitive skin and maybe even those cloothes Kimberlily talked about ^^