Push The Button/ Glycolic Acid

Even though my contest isn't working and you guys fully suck, I'm going to keep blogging. You will probably keep reading and not push the harmless blue button found at the right hand side of this screen. You see, I know you're reading. Not a lot of you, but over 50 a day. The cool thing about Blogger's newer format is the statistics tab that tells me my trends in readership. Someday, in like a couple years at this rate, I want to have enough readership to get sponsorship. You see, when makeup and skincare companies see that you have infinity followers they have no problem sending you a free thing or two to review on your blog. It's this innovative new thing called "cheap advertising." They are also sometimes open to sending their product to you for giveaways. As in, giving products away to readers. But I won't give anything to closet readers so you better push the button. Thank you Megan, Amie, and random person for pushing the button.

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One of my favorite skincare ingredients is Glycolic Acid.  Glycolic Acid is derived from sugarcane and, molecularly, is the smallest alpha-hydroxy acid. Because it's the smallest it penetrates deeper into your skin than any other acid can. It helps with aging and hyperpigmentation (everyone is aging...everyone. Always).

When you think acid, you probably get creepy thoughts of some obscure substance on the top shelf of an unknown shed tipping over and burning your face off, forever blinding you and robbing you of your beauty.  It should be self-explanatory that nobody would be allowed to formulate products with drain-o or something, but people seem to be too afraid of the prospect to really think it over. You're not going to find life-threatening acids in a professional cleanser.  So calm down.

Think of your favorite scrub (and if it's an apricot scrub, throw it out as soon as you're done reading this).  Is your scrub scary and sinister? Is your scrub going to eat your face off and blind you while its at it? No. Your scrub is a mechanical exfoliant. Glycolic Acid is a chemical exfoliant. It does the same thing (except a little better in most cases).

My favorite cleanser (so far) with Glycolic Acid is by Image. It's the Ageless Total Facial Cleanser, and it's a better friend to me than all of my school friends who haven't pushed the "join this site" button yet. The cleanser has less than 15% acid in it, but believe me... its enough. You might expect a warm sensation when using it but I would actually describe it as very cold. My skin is pretty sensitive but I've heard many reviews from first-time Image users and its been described as almost uncomfortable for a lot of people the first few times using it. You're supposed to lather it in for at least 60 seconds, how many of you actually do that with your cleansers? Try it ONCE, it makes a happy difference.

Before using this cleanser I had some pretty heavy acne scaring, and the occasional acne freak-out flare-up. Granted, I've still got some ground to cover but my skin is healthier than its ever been after four or so months of using this AND I rarely have more than a few pustules (whiteheads) at a time (partially because I kill them at first sight) and I have almost no papules (the ones that don't come out as happily) at any given time. Plus my skin is generally much, much less inflamed which is nice because I already have enough of a pink tint to have irritation on top of that. That's a big deal my friends. I'm very acne prone and this cleanser keeps it under control. 

P.S. friends don't let friends use Proactiv, because it's overpriced (for a Benzoyl Peroxide product) and instructed to be overused in a way that will strip your skin and mess it up further. No skin care professional would have you use a Benzoyl Peroxide product morning and night FOR 3 TO 6 MONTHS WITH NO RESTING REGIMEN. Except Rodan and Fields, of course... because, you know, money is money. Do yourself a favor and get a reasonably priced product with Benzoyl Peroxide (or maybe Salicylic Acid) AND an inactive counterpart and switch off. It's much better for your skin. Unless you think it sounds like a blast to strip your skin; making it tight, itchy, inflamed, irritated, red, angry, and generally hating you. In that case Proactiv and their recommended regimen is right for you.