Help! Need advice please

[Pumpkin]

I need some skin care advice. I have been using alpha h balancing cleanser and simple repleneshing rich moisturiser. I also use propolis gel at times just on my forehead when I get spots and LE superskin concentrate once a week at night. I have been doing this for about 4 months. However I have now started to get small spots, redness on my cheek area and flaky patches. My current routine does not seem to be working anymore.

I exfoliate with Emma hardie rosehip seeds and moringa balm as this does not irritate me (as far as I know as I have been usin these for a few months). I have tried LE moisturisers but don't seem to get on with them. I tried alpha h a few months ago and had great results for a week or so but reduced usage to once weekly and even then it irritated my face so I have stopped using this. Makeup wise I use mac face and body foundation and have done this for about 5 months.

Sorry for the long winded post but I'm at the end of my tether and would appreciate any advice.

 

[Sarah Pocket]

If I get any patches of dryness or eczema starting Pumpkin I always reach for my Elemis SOS cream. It has quite a waxy feel to it and once melted and smoothed on, usually by morning my skin has calmed down.
I'll leave it to others more knowledgeable than I to comment on any adjustments you might try to your daily skincare routine as I just stick with Liz Earle and Elemis and have dryish skin - a different skin type to you so don't know what might work best for you but hope you get it sorted and see an improvement very soon.

 

[Bensmum]

I have the same skin problem at the moment and haven't changed my routine recently. I went to see my GP last week and he said to try hydrocortisone cream initially and then a low dose of antibiotics for 4 weeks if it comes back. He said it's stress related (my Mum passed away 3 weeks ago) but is a reaction to something I'm putting on my skin. I'm not keen on the antibiotic route so hope the cream works. It certainly seems to be at the moment. No idea what I'm reacting to though.

 

[minim]

It's a bugga isn't it!

I've had allergy issues lately that I've moaned about on here. Turned out that I was allergic to the preservatives in the eye drops, prescribed for my ALLERGY!
I had been using the little suckers faithfully four times a day! No make-up for weeks now & quite frankly it's getting me down.
I thought I was bullet-proof, but there you go.
But, hey-ho, on we go lol

 

[boffy]

use one thing at a time to see what you are allergic to so you can weed out the offending item sometimes we are encouraged to but lots of skincare in kits and some have a lot of irritants. use a cleanser then one cream only day and night. keep it simple!

 

[Sazza]

Pumpkin it is always possible your makeup could be causing some issues, reason I say this, my niece has been using MAC for a couple of years and suddenly a few months ago she had a dreadful allergic reaction to it, yet it was same foundation she had been using so it looks like something in the one she was using has been changed.

 

[rosey]

I am having the same problem at the moment too.

Mine started in about July/August and started with small spots around my nose which then spread down either side of my mouth - now they seem to be all over. I tried everything and then went to my doctors who prescribed hydrocortisone cream and said it was best for me to use nothing on my face not even soap to irritate it. I could not go out without any make-up on!!!!!

I am in the process of changing all my make-up/skincare to natural products but it is not going away. Thing is I haven't changed anything in my routine so cannot understand why this has happened. Thought it might be hormonal. It is strange that there are lots of us in the same boat.

 

[minim]

I don't think I've got any hormones left lol

Yes it is strange.

 

[Bluebell]

Its horrible when your skin plays up but my first thought was that you are mixing and matching too many ranges
think it might help if you simplify your routine a bit
The dry flaky patches are probably due to the colder weather and you will probably need a richer moisturiser at night, have you tried LE superskin moisturiser?

I have mild acne rosacea and it really gets me down and its difficult because you dont want to try new things in case it makes it worse and just when you find something that you think is suiting your skin you have a flare up and you have to start all over again

 

[Pumpkin]

Bensmum - sorry to hear about ur mum. Bereavement is always very difficult to cope with and causes havoc in many ways.

It could be my makeup causing the problem and the advice about keep it simple is great and I have done that this week - just cleansed and moisturised, no exfoliating but did use propolis gel and Liz Earle concentrate. My hubby uses LE superskin and I did try this a couple of times but got pimples with it.

Thank you for your advice. It's frustrating when you think all's fine and then have to start again but problem is I just don't know where to start! I need to change my moisturiser but it's a nightmare as my skin is also acne prone.

 

[lizgregs]

Bensmum - I too am very sorry to hear about your Mum's passing. It must be a very difficult time for you and will inevitably have an effect on your stress levels and general well-being.

I have very sensitive skin. I used LE c&p for years until they changed the formulation when I noticed I was getting more spots and breakouts. As a test, I tried her shampoo as a face and body wash and it's brilliant!! It has cleansed my skin beautifully and nowhere near as many spots. The LE orange flower body wash has also worked almost as well. I then use Decleor angelique aromessence oil and a very small amount of their prolagene gel. Final touch, a small amount of LE skin repair (the superskin is too concentrated for me). The propolis gel from SBC is rubbed round my throat/neck area to ward off germs and lurgies.

I don't wear make-up at all so can't comment on that angle but the above works for me. The Decleor I buy when it's on offer on CheapSmells.

 

[Loveinamist]

Is your foundation for face and body from the one tube/bottle? I would be suspicious of a multifunctioning product such as this. Allergic reactions can take months to show up, unfortunately.

 

[Pumpkin]

Is your foundation for face and body from the one tube/bottle? I would be suspicious of a multifunctioning product such as this. Allergic reactions can take months to show up, unfortunately.

Yes it is from the same bottle and I didn't think anything of it at the time but what you say makes sense and have stopped using it. I have ordered some lily lolo samples and hoping I will get on with these.

 

[Loveinamist]

Yes it is from the same bottle and I didn't think anything of it at the time but what you say makes sense and have stopped using it. I have ordered some lily lolo samples and hoping I will get on with these.

Keeping your routine for now extremely simple is key I think. Listening to AY layer this on top of that, serum, moisturiser, oil etc. you would have to have skin like a rhino to cope IMHO. You need to get ph balance back and hold off on the exfoliating. I use a flannel every day gently and gently is important. If I go too rough I overstimulate the oil production. Good luck and don't be sucked into thinking you have to have a heaving bathroom cabinet to be doing the right thing.