Fleaflyfloflum

I have been very ill over the 8mths and recovery has been slow.
I admit to letting my skincare go completely out of the window apart from washing and a bit of moisturiser.

I have noticed this morning that my facial skin is just awful. I look grey!! I even have a splattering of blackheads and now a couple of spots. I didnt know you got them at 46! The odd thing is that the skin is not greasy. Quite the opposite. Very dry! Maybe this is due to all the medications i am on right now (8 a day!) This has included very high repeated doses of antibiotics over the months some being intraveinous.

I dont have the money to pay hundreds of dollars at a beauty salon as i cannot work, but wondered if anyone has some ideas on how to perk myself up and get it back to like it was before. I dont mind buying some good products to use at home. Any ideas? Its getting me down

sasbear

Sorry to hear you have been ill - I can only think of the obvious drink more water - cut out caffeine and alcohol.

Maybe do the steam clean technique (bowl of steaming water and twoel - use cotton tissue to cleanse once the facial pores open - remember to use cold water to close up pores though)

Failing that you could also try a very soft grainy cleaner that isn't too abrasive for your skin but rubs away all the dead cells.

Kooky.

Flea, my skin went totally mad when we moved here into autumn/winter from a very humid Singapore spring. My skin was coming off like flour!

My default skincare regime is Dermalogica but I went and bought some Jurlique moisturiser from their dry skin range; it's not cheap but it's fantastic. My Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is very gentle for sloughing off dull skin; I have very sensitive skin so only use it 2-3 times a week.

If you have had a lot of antibiotics, I think you should take care of the inside as well as the outside. The good bacteria in your gut will probably have been totally killed off. My skin is always bad when I am under the weather (lots of health issues, like yourself). Do you take probiotics?

emelems

Hello Flea, sorry that you havent been well

I'd prob start with getting 5-8 portions of fruit n veg and plenty of water each and every day.. boring but necessary.. also maybe take a omega 3/6/9 supplement each day to start getting that skin aglowing! I'd also make sure I was eating plenty of fresh foods and avoiding packaged and tinned produce.. lots of fish also..

Skin care... well... its each to her own really, but if it were me I'd just use a decent exfoliating facewash and a nice light toner.. followed by some a light moisturiser... the moisturiser I would def pay some good money for, the cleanser and toner not really .. I'd also get some eye gel and use that around the eyes and over the rim of your lips..

I'd use a nice facepack once a week in a huge bubble bath for added relaxation, get some cool eye pads..

For the nighttime routine, I would ensure that I had a good decent moisturiser and cleanse tone and put on night cream..

If you want to know what products I use here is a rough list:

L'oreal visable results cleansing mousse (facewash)
Clinique clarifying lotion toner 2
Clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion
Eye cream by Nivea Visage Anti-wrinkle Q10 plus

Spot cream = wiTch clear pore gel (not sure you can get it here?)

Other moisturisers I use are the L'Oreal Revitalift day cream and night cream.. the Clinique was a Christmas present...

My usual toner is a cheap one from Nivea or whatever..

My usual facewash might be a Dove exfoliating one..

If you are able, go to a local salon and have a facial... it really perks you up and your skin up

Em x

Watt Dabney

If you live in the northern suburbs of Brissy I can highly recommend a beautician who works from her own home, and does amazing facials at very competative prices $40 for a 45 min facial which includes a foot massage, maybe not something you can afford alot but a one off might help and also perk you up a bit, as you have been ill.

She is lovely I go for waxing, which by the way is also v cheap compared to high street salons.

If you or anyone wants her details pm me.

Paula

jancath2008

I don't normally reply to barbie(just read and giggle) but this sounded serious!
From the intravenous bit I am assuming that you have been in Hospital? That will dry you out, freeze you one min and then boil you the next!
I dont know wot drugs you are on but obviously it has been serious so the body has taken a bit of a bashing!
I am a 47 yr old who has also been a bit crook, and, due to tablets and medical/surgical proceedures my skin is feral!
The spots and blackheads i am doing a weekly face steam,
bowl of hot water, add some lemon juice and some herbs, in my case lavender and sage. i am using fresh from my garden, but any dried herbs that smell nice to you add! Towel over the head, breathe it in and stay as long as you can stand! In this heat 3mins max at the moment!
Wipe off face with cotton wool, or kitchen roll/face washer! It will drag all the rubbish out of pores! Do NOT pick the zits/blackheads, hee hee!
A face pack of egg white and honey will drag further rubbish out of your skin and also moisturise and repair.
All this stuff can be found in your store cupboard(I am also on a budget, its a pain getting it ready and my 12yr old just looks and disappears).
I take NO responsibility if you react to this,(you will, possibly get further break outs), but it works for me.
Remember, what u put in will show, so drinks loads of water, mine is currently diluted with wine cos I can only be so good for so long!
Take care, I hope you feel better soon. Remember, each day you are here you are getting better! (Think that even on the "I do not want to get out of bed days!")

With care Jancath.

Fleaflyfloflum

What a shame as i'm in Sydney

Thanks for the ideas peeps!

The steam thing seems good, but i am not sure if it is a good idea or not.
I am an insulin dependant diabetic who managed to get pneumonia and ended up in ICU for two weeks. As i was recovering my grandaughter bought a virus home from school which infected me and my pneumonia resurfaced AGAIN!
Ever since, I have not been able to walk more than 100mtres or so. I am getting better, but its all very slow.
I also managed to fall down the stairs and sustain a rotator cuff injury, plus frozen shoulder and have now had 2 steroid injections for it.

I do remember many years ago my granny making me sit under a steam bowl with menthol in it when i had a bad chest, but would it be ok to do it after pnuemonia?

Daydreamer123

I totally swear by using a microfibre cloth to wash your face with. Its super gentle and polishes the blackheads away. Since I started using it I have had perfect skin, really soft and glowing. You can save on face wash, just by a really gentle one for senstive skin and use the cloth. Then use witchhazel from the fridge for a toner, beautiful in the hot weather and for day time olay complete - it has a factor 30 in it so you wont clog your pores with loads of different creams. For night time a nice eye cream and serum should see you right. The cloth can be an expensive one or even just a new microfibre cloth from Coles/Woothworths(which is what I use). Just make sure you remember which is for face and which is for cleaning the bogs

This is actually quite a cheap routine and then it will leave you with enough money for some real treats make-up, facials, shoes, whatever your poison is! In my case everything, so this works well for me!

I'll admit it sounds strange, but theres something in those magic cloth's that makes everything so clean! BTW, its not just me who uses them, they are quite popular and really do work for blackheads without being abrasive on your skin like exfoliators can be sometimes.

jancath2008

Ummm I am not quite sure Fly, but I am allowed to do it after a pulmonary embolism with all the embellishments. And I smoked like a chimney! Yeah yeah I HAVE given up! Honest injun!
Take care jc

jancath2008

Gosh girl. you have had it tough! You have to be so careful! My heart goes out to you!

tc jg

Generali

Try your local TAFE that has a beauty school attached, they must use someone to learn how to do facials! In Kent (UK) the local beauty college used to do facials for abuot 4 quid!

emelems

Wouldnt the local chemist be able to give you a yes or a no?

Hope you get better soon xx

Em x

homewardbound

I would recommend, Ultrabland cleanser followed by Eau Roma Water toner and then Skin Shangri La or Skin Nanny - all by Lush cosmetics, all handmade in Australia with lots of lovely natural ingredients.

NikiL

As far as the frozen shoulder goes, I know its fairly expensive but accupuncture is fantastic for frozen shoulders. My dad had this about 10 years ago, after having it for several months and no joy with the injections 3 sessions of accupuncture sorted it out, and its never come back.

Tea Tree oil is fantastic for anti viral and anti bacterial properties to help boost your immune system (it will help with the pneumonia as well), and probiotics (acidolphilus) will help replenish the good bacteria in your gut to help your system start sorting itself out from within.

Good luck with it all, you've really been through the mill the last year!

shiels

For skincare products why not try a new range to Australia, its called 'Become' and is fabulous stuff, very reasonable too

Hope you feel better real soon. X