Mineral Oil Test

I like Proactiv, it works for me. I soon will have to go back on the site and sign up for more of their products. I only use the cleanser, toner and moisturizer - no other reason to try other stuff when the core group of products really work well.

If you want to check out my adventure with Proactiv, you can read it in my Try Proactiv post.

Background

I'm not some type of super nature person. I like what I like and I like stuff that works. I do have a lot of blackheads which I love to attack but can't keep up with. I don't like seeing them in the mirror though I know it's hard to see them if you are just talking to me.

Proactiv now has this blackhead dissolving gel that, of course, provides the same awesome results as everything else.

Dissolve, eh? What witchcraft is this?

What I Know
If we knew how to dissolve blackheads, why do we have them? Simple, no one easy way. Good thing I have the Internet to support any view I can fathom!

I came across a site that told me mineral oil (you know, baby oil) actually will dissolve blackheads.Why? Well, blackheads - known as comedos - are made up of oil and junk and you-stuff. You know, you-stuff. Your pores are jammed with your own awesome - skin oils, sweat, dead skin, everything. There is just so much in there, sometimes, it gets stuck.

Anyhow, an oil won't mix or respond to soap. It will respond to oils. The oil your skin produces is made to make you waterproof and keep everything clean.

To the Drug Store
Mineral oil is also a good to get off sticky stuff, by the way. You can even drink it In small portions. It will oil up your insides. You know what that means - poops!

Mineral oil

No, I'm not going to drink it.

Anyhow, I trotted to the drug store to find mineral oil. I spent a lot of time circling the bath and skin care section without any luck. Then I decided to try the baby aisle.

It was in the baby aisle (which is a scary aisle) under the baby oil. If you look on the back of the bottle, it's mineral oil (plus fragrance). I left with this and ready to give myself my own facial.

If you have really fragile or sensitive skin, you might want to try to find oil without fragrance. I am inpatient and my skin is not sensitive.

I did have a professional facial once a long time ago. My skin was horrible and it didn't solve all my problems. There is always the quest to find that one thing that will solve all your problems. I think it's more like "embrace the journey" or "endure the highs and lows." I'll refine that up one day. In the meantime, I have baby oil.

Process
The process to clean your face with this stuff is fairly simple:

• Wash: Wash your face and hands. Get off any makeup or dirt. Give yourself a nice, long wash. I like to run the warm water on my hands and give my skin a nice rub so your pores open up.
• Apply oil: Keep your hands warm and rub some oil between your hands. Then massage the oil in circle motions all over you skin. Do this for a minute or so. Get into the areas you have a lot of blackheads. My nose is a huge blackhead mega-city. Be gentle, no need to rub very hard - just keep massaging. 
• Set: Run a washcloth under hot water and then rest it on your face - or most of your face if you are watching TV like I was. The point is to keep your skin warm and your pores open to give the oil a chance to go to the blackheads and say, "hello friend, run away with me!"
• Rinse: After maybe two cycles of warming the washcloth and keeping it on your skin, use it to gently wipe off the oil.
• Wash: Doesn't hurt (ok, I did this) to wash your face off with soap again to get all the oil off. 

Does It Work?

I don't know, actually, I read a lot of stuff saying how you shouldn't use mineral oil. Or it would oil up your skin. Or not. Who knows.

For me, it worked. My blackheads were dramatically reduced after one treatment. The next day, my skin felt more open. I did do a little picking-pushing (I love popping stuff) and got out some good stuff on my forehead. I don't think this is actually all important. 

I do see a reduction in the blackheads - even after a few days. My skin is normally a little on the oily side and it is not more oily after using the oil. It's delightfully smooth. I'll have my heroic gentleman caller check it out for me to get another opinion. I don't think I am around anyone else who I can ask to feel my face for science.

Future Plans

I tried this thing twice. I also got an extractor so I can get out more junk from my face. I'm one step closer to my dream of seeing how much junk I can get out of my pores in a year. I'd have to store it. It would be gross. It would be for science!

I think I will keep using this treatment - maybe once a week or twice a month. Whenever I feel like it. I will see how my skin responds. So far, so good! Give it a shot.

Also, mineral oil removes bike chain oil from skin. Yeah, I am out biking.

Also. . .
By the way, normally when your body overproduces something - like oil or even acid in your tummy - you don't want to counter it. If you think about it, your body is over producing because it doesn't think there is ENOUGH. If you counter with the same type of thing - more oil, more acid - it can actually fix the situation because your body registers there is too much and will balance itself out. This is why people will do a shot of vinegar (acid) to cure heartburn. Of course, check with a doctor. There are times this is not the best thing to do.

However, with oily skin, sometimes when you use so much stuff to dry it out, your body tries to produce more oil because it didn't think there was enough in the first place. The good thing with oily skin, by the way, less chance of wrinkles. That's what my Mom said, and she's a stone-cold fox!

Be Part of the Adventure

Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.

Image Credit
Oil from ecx.images-amazon.com
Blackhead graphic from 3.bp.blogspot.com/

Try Proactiv

Mission Level
Success

My Skin
I have bad skin. Some people do not believe me. I will post this charming picture of how my skin would look at least 2 weeks out of the month - the rest of the time, it was in a state of repair, smaller pimples or me trying to pop everything.

I do love popping pimples and blackheads.

True story

I have bad skin. Really. Some is due to just who I am - my brother was on prescription stuff so some is my genes. I also struggled with issues from the toxins, sickness and medication.

Your skin is a great teller of what is happening inside of you. It's good to know the pattern of your skin and hair.

The last set of awesome break-outs I had was due to too much B vitamins.

Public: But, Manda, you tell people they should get B vitamins  Are you trying to ruin their skin?!

Look, I was on a lot of Bs. I was on shots of it for my neuropathy and then some extra for metabolism. After a few weeks of my regiment  I would give myself an injection and without about 10 minutes, I would be breaking out in painful, cystic type acne.

I figured if the Proactiv could maybe help with my skin issues. I didn't have a ton of hope, though. I know enough about the world that when people claim there is some awesome treatment that can easily fix all your problems, it's probably a lie.

Proactiv

Magic

Proactiv contains a large dose of benzoyl peroxide. It will take care of mild to bad acne. However, it will do nothing for cystic acne or nodulocystic acne. These are the worst kind of acne - cysts are painful fluid filled sacs that can be huge and nodules are hard and deep under the skin. I did have both  but it was temporary for me.

There are other products with benzoyl peroxide - like Acne Free which I did try back in the day. I actually did not like the smell of it - it had a watery, fake lavender smell. I also saw no results which is why I assumed Proactiv wouldn't work either.

For Me
Proactiv did work for me. And some of my friends used it (who did not have issues) and their skin got a lot clearer and more glow-y.

The whole system is simple:

• Cleanser: It smells light to good to nothing. Proactive calls them "micro beads" but the cleanser comes with some light exfoliation stuff. It will not suds up or anything. I like to wet down my skin with warm water just to open everything up, then gently scrub.
• Toner: You are suppose to apply this with a cotton ball  I squirt a bit on my hand and rub it on my face. I know, incorrect. But, whatever. It tastes salty. Don't eat it.
• Lotion: This still contains the benzoyl peroxide - but, it does help repair acne issues. I sometimes put a rub on after work. It will soften your skin.

Here's the low-down. First, you use the product twice a day - although I currently use it once a day because I am lazy. When I think I am going to be breaking out, I use it twice a day for a few days. I like conserving the product.

You do have to be a little patient. My skin felt softer after a few treatments, but, I was trying to come to terms with having bad skin after I was still breaking out after a week or so. I wanted instant results and when I didn't see them, I figured I was stuck with bad skin.

My Mom did note my skin looked better (between my blemishes) about a week later. A good four weeks later, I was amazed at how my skin responded and how much better it looked.

Clear! (in the non-dead way)

True story, you might find your skin drying out a bit. I had some dry skin that was a little painful around my eyes. I do use an eye moisturizer and I was careful to avoid the area while it re-hydrated. After a little, my body seemed to have adjusted well and I never got dry patches. A friend of mine had such dry skin it peeled - in these cases, it is best to take a day off or reduce what you are doing.

Also - be careful about other products you use. I don't use anything else with Acne fighting stuff in it.but, you will want to run through your normal skin care to make sure you don't combine anything wierd. You won't need another cleaner or anything, by the way. You can use just the three steps.

You might want to make sure you get some SPF on you if you are using Proactiv.

The Industry
Proactive will send you about two or three freebies with your first orders. Then they will send you a lot of catalogs with products and stuff for  problems you never knew you had.

Good news, bad news for Proactiv - I think the basic product works great and I felt no need to get anything else from some weird brush to the 100 million products they seem to have. You might want to invest in body cleanser if you have body acne - that might be about it that I would buy. I did enjoy using my free sample of the refining mask. When I want a "mask" I just use the normal cleanser and keep it on. Again, the basic product and regiment worked great for me.

If you sign up for the auto-shipping you can set it to be delivered from 1-22 weeks or something. They will also bill you accordingly. They say they discount you a lot, which they might, but, when I say that my going rate for an article is $500 but I discounted you to $100 - did I really discount you or did I just make you feel better about spending $100?

After being on the auto-thing for about a year, I stopped it. I have a stockpile of the stuff and I can buy it elsewhere these days. I have well over a year worth of the stuff in my bathroom. No need to be greedy. Plus, I don't like the work that goes into tracking when everything ships, arrives and I get billed. It's annoying and I normally noticed my account being billed and a week or so later the product arriving when I didn't need it. I don't like that. I stopped it.

The Weird
The stuff will stain your towels. Either use a towel you don't care about or get one that you don't mind looking as if it was bleached.

Be Part of the Adventure
Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.

Image Credit
Product shot from amazon.com