on that site argos linked i was an ENFP.

How often have you taken tests like these?

took another one, im an ENFJ again
You are:

moderately expressed extravert
distinctively expressed intuitive personality
distinctively expressed feeling personality
slightly expressed judging personality

I have always had the same result.

we were forced to take one as part of a horrible shitty class in first year.
ENFP tonight is the first and only time ive not turned out an ENFJ. I am definitely ENF anyway.

lol, I got the same result as you (michael.)

I doubt that you understood the questions.

While we're on the topic of skin care...my skin's looking crappy again, Michael. I'm all red and blotchy around my cheeks and I have two annoying bumps below my lips/on my chin (not herpes).

What do I do for a quick fix, (ex) skin sibling? This must be related to wearing sunblock. Or maybe the "gentle" cleanser I've been using (but that wouldn't make much sense, would it?)

And no, I don't want this to be another one of those threads. Just tell me to "Get over it" or layer that shit in insert-ingredient-here, and we can move on to celebrating Vincent's return.

My pores have been clogged since my oil has returned post-accutane, and since im a squeezer i can relate!

I'd say look at the sunblock carefully, is it non-comodegenic? Odds are that is your cause, since sunscreen is applied heavily on the cheeks. It's the summer, peoples skin tends to act up at this time of year so don't worry so much - but I'd look at spot treating with tea-tree or using witch-hazel to reduce any extra oil you've been having.

RE: Cleanser, be careful that it too is not clogging pores - does it have an active ingredient? Some people break out when salicylic acid is in the equation even though it's supposed to aid problem skin. I personally have mixed experiences with it. It is in MANY cleansers though.

It's funny for someone with such shitty skin, i know far too much about skin care.

Michael you're far too hard on yourself. Unless you are using Mooriah's retoucher your skin looks naturally glowing in most of your pictures on FB.

Skin care products are the same as hand lotion and contacts.

It helps in the short run, but is only going to make it worse.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod. ... lter=38401

The sunscreen is supposedly oil-free and non-comedogenic. It doesn't list ingredients on the bottle or on that site, though.

Cleanser -- Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser:
Aqua (Water), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Distearyl Ether, Behenyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Laureth-2, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sodium Methylparaben, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond Oil), Prunus Armenica Kernel Oil (Apricot Kernel Oil), Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado Oil).

Look for a cleanser with gentle natural antibacterials in them.

i use a dead sea wash, very gentle, no additives, basically use a tiny amount too

Sunblock by default is a big causer of breakouts because its basically a layer upon your skin, and it doesnt take rocket science to figure out that this can lead to breakouts. A moisturizer with SPF protection is often your best bet if the weather is normal.

I don't know what "dead sea" stuff does. What's a natural antibacterial?

Maybe I should just use bar soap. I used to do that and my skin was always okay.

As far as moisturizer w/ SPF v. sunscreen, well, they both contain the same amount of product (at least in the U.S., you can check the active ingredient content to see what it contains...to meet a certain SPF, it must contain a certain % of the different chemical sunscreens or zinc oxide). I don't think one would break me out but not the other. I could try using a physical sunblock (zinc oxide) instead of a chemical sunblock, though.

Dead sea is basically dead sea salt and high in sulfur content and therefore is a natural antibacterial.

If your skin was okay in bar soap wtf are you using a cleanser for? There is your answer - if you find a skin care regimen that is working fine do NOT change it unless you are damaging your skin. Soap isnt for everyone, but my mother for example just uses water and her face has never had a spot.

whatever this product is + my sunscreen + bp is definitely damaging my skin.

I actually am tempted to try tea tree oil. What % should I get? Will it work on the bump type of acne, or just whiteheads?

Re cleanser part of me thinks it's best just to stay with what I'm using, but part of me is tempted to try something else because this product neither makes me feel clean nor reduces redness (so much for something "gentle" helping in that regard). Luckily, I can return it.

I haven't used a bar on my face for ages. But I've tried Salicylic washes, AHA washes, and gentle washes, so I don't know what's left!

BP worked super awesome for me for so long then just literally stopped and by that stage my skin suddenly took a huge b-line for being really poor textured. For that year i relied on Proactiv though - my skin was pretty fucking great. I still struggle with clogged pores/shitty texture. Its very soft and smooth to the touch but looks like it needs a good scrub! It could be your skin is becoming used to the BP?

I would only recommend BP as a spot treat now, certainly using it all over my face made me resistant to it and indeed worsened my skin long-term. I only use BP in absolute emergencies, we are talking blast it with everything ive got situations, and i use it in combination with tea tree. They say you cannot become resistant to it, because its peroxide and that kills all bacteria, well i think the bacteria must develop a resistance, or your skin starts getting smart about how it works because it certainly worked flawlessly for a year then just stopped working.

In addition Ross, this could just be your skin changing, it happens every 6-8 years, the hormones and the way you deal with it shifts, this can happen at different times for different people, but thats why some people can get adult acne after being clear all their lives, because the body constantly switches up how it works with hormones and testosterone.

LESS is more for a cleanser, for sure. If you can - go without, but i cant; my face gets oily and grimy. Less is more all round. Carefully evaluate your skin routine and ask yourself if you NEED the products you are using, look at what you really need.

The average guy needs the following

- Cleanser sometimes
- Moisturizer with UV Protection

That's it.

Problem Skin guys can add in
- Toner (V. OPTIONAL - for oily skin only or during heavy oil times like summer)
- Treatment (Tea Tree, Benzoyl Peroxide, AHA, BHA)


With the option to use an occasional mask. I advise against overcomplicating a routine on problem skin. It will only damage your skin long term. Look at products. Less is more in almost every case.

Experimenting with skin care can be tempting but sometimes not wise. I am going to give Garnier's new trouble skin line a blast next week if my skin still sees any clogged pores, but i will do so reluctantly, closely watching my skin.

I absolutely am a firm believer that if a product breaks you out, STOP USING IT. Proactiv is a rare exception because it is very harsh; but I think even with BHA you should stop using it if it breaks you out because its a big assumption to make that the product is 'purging your skin' when infact it could just be irritating it, and once you start breaking out that can spread much easier.

Get 100% tea tree essence and then mix it in with water. I usually directly apply it. The results are mixed, i mean it certainly reduces a spots size, redness and time, absolutely. If i put on tea tree ill often find a problem area will have disappeared the next day - pre-accutane this NEVER would have worked.

keeping an eye on my skin is all i can do for now, im so bad for squeezing though which makes things much worse.

My Current Skincare Regime

- Dead Sea Cleanser (Minimal, Antibacterial, Natural, Allergen and Fragrance Free) / Dead Sea Scrub instead of Cleanser twice weekly ( Same as above with mild exfoliant)
- Dead Sea Spot Stick (For Treatment natural antibac with anti-inflammatory) /Tea Tree Oil (For Treatment - A great natural antibacterial)
- Witch Hazel & Chamomile Toner (A toner should NEVER sting. For forehead and nose only during SUMMER to counter extra oil production)

- No moisturiser right now because its summer and my skin is lubing itself enough. Winter i use a non-comodegenic mineral moisturiser.

Apparently post accutane your skin can go into overdrive and over-produce oil for a while, which is a stage that has coincided with a rather warm and humid summer here. Therefore ive only worked the toner in for a short period of time to keep my forehead clear of oil since i workout a lot during the summer.

I would advise against toners if you can help it, your skin probably doesnt need it. I would say that toners are good for those with oil problems, but beware not to over-use them as they do strip the skin of natural oils potentially leading to overcompensation oil production, and never use a harsh toner that stings the skin.

what is the brand of your cleanser? is dead sea a brand?

i only use a cleanser and sunscreen/moisturizer with sunscreen (just remember you need to apply a lot, even if it's a moisturizer). i alternate BP and retinol.

i actually bought some tea tree. 100%. stinks soooo much. weird, because i like the smell of tea tree in shampoo

http://www.findershealth.co.uk/index.htm

Tea Tree doesnt smell too bad, try pure witch hazel, ugh!

The spot-on treatment from Dead Sea Spa Magik is great since it has witch-hazel, dead sea minerals, sulfur, roobios, peppermint and Vitamin A all in the little treatment.

Accutane has absolutely changed my skin, so things that didnt work so well before definitely are proving more effective for me this time. Before i could slap whatever i fucking liked on my skin and id still breakout regardless of how hard i fought it. Things have changed.

ross and michael look so cute conversing together.

i'm currently enjoying body butter from the body shop.

I would never go on accutane (but again, I rarely break out...I just have weird, blotchy oily skin).

BTW, you should stay away from products with peppermint oil. It's actually a skin irritant (which is awful for me, because I love Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Pure Castile Soap)

Hate bronners. Broke me out. Peppermint oil works ok for me . In v small amounts

i don't use it on my face. strictly body wash + laundry detergent/mouthwash when camping or whatever

body wash doesn't actually clean you pores, even with a loofer. you are better off using a hard soap.