Aid from Avene

So my boyfriend Duane Reade had a major makeover. It is worthy of a reality TV series. Inside and out, he looks completely different, and its only now that I realize he was previously a major eye sore. Along with a change in terms of layout and design, a few select Duane Reades have skincare centers (similar to the kind you find at CVS) that carry French skincare lines such Avene and Vichy.

A few months back, I made a few adjustments to my skincare routine, and used the help of a "specialist" at one of these centers to sample products from Avene. The line features products for sensitive, oily, irritated, and aging skin types. As a line of dermocosmetic products (cool word - read more here) that falls somewhere between the usual drugstore and high-end suspects, I decided Avene might be worth a try. I chose the Gentle Cleanser for Intolerant Skin and loved it at hello. It is a light, non-greasy, and non-irritating gel that can be wiped off with a cotton ball or washed off with water.

It took me a few months for my rather sluggish brain to realize that this is sort of a glorified Cetaphil. But if I remember my Cetaphil experience correctly, than the Avene formula is much lighter and leaves absolutely no residue whatsoever. At $17.00, it is pricier than any cleanser I have ever used, and although I think it is worth it, I'm not sure if I'm going to re-buy. I may experiment a little bit more first - I had a decent experience with the samples of the Ystheal Lotion and Cream, and would like to try another cleanser before settling on one. I'll admit that I'm already a sucker for the no nonsense, simple packaging that makes me feel like I'm really not doing much. Might be good enough reason to purchase again.

If you are drugstore obsessed like me, you'll definitely want to explore Duane's latest offerings, especially when a specialist is present and can give you samples. It's about time drugstore loyalists received some high-end treatment!

Quick Cetaphil Update

I felt the need to update my thoughts on Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser because as expected, I've hit a snag with it. Ah-ha! I knew SOMETHING had to be wrong with using this product. My initial review was unexpectedly positive, but I'm having second thoughts.

This is mostly because I don't like the method for using Cetaphil, not necessarily the product itself. You're supposed to slather it onto your face and then wipe it off with a washcloth or tissue. I don't like using tissue because it's not strong enough to take off the cleanser or makeup residue, and also leaves fibers behind. Up until recently, a washcloth was working just fine - now, my skin is a bit dry and flaky in the way it used to be before clearing up. I think it's also more irritable, and I'm sure it's due to the rough texture of the cloth.

I'll admit that I should upgrade to a better quality washcloth, but at the end of the day, the texture of any durable fabric will be somewhat rough for the skin, and I don't like the idea of doing that to my skin daily. I've already tried just washing it off, but didn't find that to be too effective.

What to do?! Not quite sure. I don't want to go back to some of the harsher cleansers I've tried. Either I will use this less often during the week, go back to rinsing it off with water, or try the other Cetaphil products (bar soap, gel cleanser) which can just be washed off.

This shouldn't be so hard, should it?

Thoughts on Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

I'm a total conspiracy theorist. My worldview has probably been informed more by X-Files than anything else (sorry, college education). So it follows that everytime a dermatologist suggests Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser to me, I'm convinced they have been bought out by Galderma and become secret Cetaphil missionaries.

I've had to go to a dermatologist a few times over the course of my life and whenever I ask for advice about skin cleansers they either say 1) it doesn't matter 2) use Cetaphil. I had tried Cetaphil a few years ago and was unimpressed.

Recently, after another dermatologist (I hadn't been to one in years) recommended it to me, I decided to give it an honest try. Granted, my skin is in much better shape than it was the last couple of times I tried Cetaphil, but I'm not judging on its ability to magically clear up problem skin. Most cleansers can't really do that, and I don't expect one to fix all my problems. So I'm judging this on how clean it actually seemed to make my skin and its overall texture and tone over the course of a few days.

By those criteria, this has actually been quite good to almost excellent since I started using it. The first few days, I didn't really follow the directions and lathered and rinsed with water like I do with other cleansers. However, like with a cold cream cleanser, you're supposed to smear this all over your face and wipe-off, leaving a thin, moisturizing residue.

Well, the wipe-off definitely proved that this stuff can clean as well as take off makeup. However, I didn't like leaving the residue - I just don't think skin can be clean unless it sees some water. I can do without tingly sensations, lather, and fragrance, but water is a must. So what I've been doing is just gently splashing my face with water after wiping it off with a washcloth.

Afterwards, my skin has definitely looked and felt cleaner and fresher, and has so over a few days. I also don't think that you can judge a cleanser solely based on appearance afterwards - plenty of cleansers have temporary effects post-washing and don't do much else until you use it again. But Cetaphil genuinely seems to have returned my skin's natural balance, and it is far smoother than it has ever been without overdrying or making it greasy.

In terms of actual ingredients, however, I don't know if this is actually any more gentle/skin-safe than other cleansers - the ingredient names are pretty much the same as many others. I don't know much about ingredients in facial products and my last few purchases have been "natural" products from Avalon, Burt's Bees, and Dessert Essence (read here) - although I suppose I have no way of knowing how natural and safe those are as well. But since this hasn't caused any other side effects (overdrying, oiliness, irritation, other sensitivities), I think it's as gentle as they come.

As I mentioned, I'm currently using several prescribed treatments so my skin is definitely appreciating their effects as well. But Cetaphil definitely hasn't hurt it either, and I will continue to use. Unlike other cleansers I've used before, I feel comfortable using this everyday. It's also non-comedogenic and fragrance-free so if you have sensitive skin like mine, it's a pretty safe bet. Also comes in different sizes and in generic versions - definitely worth it. $7.99 or less @ Drugstores