u/AliasForKnowing

Combo skin: not oily and not dry, and some oiliness on t-zone during the hot summer. Acne-prone which means I get breakouts easily. So I'm always careful with the moisturizer I use.

How is your experience with PCA SKIN HydraMatte Moisturizer?

Would this PCA hydra matte moisturizer be too drying for a combo skin like mine? or would it be ok?

Because I get breakouts easily, I like to look for moisturizers that are oil-free, or have very little oils. And, for oils I only like SqualAne oil in my moisturizer.

My skin is sensitive so I avoid alcohol dent.

I'm new to DIY.

My question is general, but I really need to know what to expect so I have realistic expectations when doing my DIY skincare.

Is it possible to do a DIY moisturizer that absorbs well to the skin and provides some help against TEWL ?

So far, all I have done is to formulate a super simple hydrating serum. I getting into DIY because I cannot really use the skincare available on the market. I have searched for a long time and there is always something that does not go with my skin: alcohol dent, fragrance, essential oils.

Besides, I"m dealing with Malassezia overgrown. We all have it, but my is a bit overgrown. It causes itchy bumps (fungal acne) and Seb Derm, itchy skin. Because the overgrown Malassezia, I cannot use fatty acids with carbon lengths C12-24, esters, polysorbates, plant oils, amino acids, ceramides, ferments that are not lactic acid produced.

And to make it even more fun, the skincare products that could work for me have a very weak preservative system, which is a not for me. I want a reliable, broad spectrum preservative system in my skincare. So here I am !

Thanks for reading. Any suggestions, advice, resources will be greatly appreciated!

Edit:

Forgot to add:

acne prone and easily clogged skin.

Squalane oil, mineral oil are safe for fungal acne.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride- need to find one that only has carbon lengths below the C12. It seems CCT contains fatty acids above C12 (not sure the amount of those)

Please don't mention dermatologist. I've seen too many to count.

It seems there are many times of occlusives. Can we classify occlusives by general categories? if so which are those?

Are occlusives same as emollients?

--> Could someone give me example of occlusives and categories of occlusives?

Can we classify emollients in different categories too?

I'm trying to do my own very simple DIY moisturizer, and I need some occlusive to add to it.

I've been googling but the info I get is not that useful.

If anyone has online info, articles that explains occlusives, please share with me

Any info would be greatly appreciated :)

I'm new to diy. I only have one super simple serum that I figured out how to do with help from this forum.

Edit: to clarify

If you have acne, or if you have an acne-prone skin, or your skin gets clogged easily, what's been your experience with silicones?

There are some many types: volatile, film forming thin, medium and heavy, and more.

What you use some silicones in your skincare, sunscreens? if so, how many silicones are ok with you. And, which silicone specifically is ok with you, and which ones you avoid?

Are you ok using a silicone heavy skincare or sunscreen? or do you notice your skin gets breakouts or get more/worse acne?

Do you check for the silicones and their position on the ingredient list?

I have acne-prone skin and easily clogged skin, and get breakouts easily. Skin is normal (not dry or oily) and sometimes can have dry tendencies, or have a t-zone depending on the weather.

I want to avoid silicones because I'm trying to get rid of some acne, but not sure is necessary or even possible. It seems about every skincare and sunscreen have silicones.

Besides I'm dealing with Fungal Acne, FA, too.

Anyone here have this experience? I used to have easy cylindrical waxy tubes and crust a long the base of the eye lashes. Now, it has changed to very dusty white kind of powder (dandruff ??) that starts at the based of the lashes and goes to the end of my lashes.

I have a Ophthalmologist appt in 3 months, meanwhile, I want to have an idea what this may be? same demodex? it's getting worse?

Sometimes I get the waxy cylindrical tubes but not every day and it's not much, and comes off very easily. Washing eyes with water takes care of this waxy things.

New to hypochlorus acid aka HOCI.

I have type II and use hypochlorous acid to get rid of the whiteheads and red bumps.

Do you use HOCI on the entire face area? or just on a specific area ? how often do you use it, twice per day, once, more than twice per day?

And, most importantly for how long have you been using HOCI?

Asking because I want to make sure I'm using HOCI correctly and getting all the benefits.

Sometimes I wonder if HOCI is to be use continuously for a long time, or just for a short period of time?

If you have been using HOCI for a long time, have you notice the same results? better results? or worse results?

Anyone here developed skin developed irritation, contact dermatitis, or anything else after long term usage of HOCI?

HOCI seems to be very safe but want to know what's been everyone experience.

So I"m looking for this specific sunscreen SKIN AQUA UV moisture Milk SPF50+ PA+++. And, I cannot find the exact match.

This specific sunscreen is alcohol free and is fungal acne safe too.

Anyone knows if there is a new formula or it was discontinued?

What's best and gentle? Micellar water first then a face cleanser? wash face twice with same face cleanser? something else? please no oils or balms.

Combination of Rosacea 2 and then developed fungal acne FA too. Skin is sensitive, combo (oily t-zone), gets clogged easily, and acne-prone too.

I cannot use oils and balms to do first cleanser to remove waterproof makeup and sunscreen because it clogs my skin.

If anyone uses Micellar water to remove waterproof makeup, sunscreen and then a second cleanser, how is your experience doing this? do you get any skin barrier issues using two cleansers - micellar water + another face cleanser? is it gentle enough? is using micellar water+face cleanser strips the skin's lipids too much?

What do you use to remove waterproof makeup, sunscreen? please not oils or balms.

I've seen 3 different Opthalmologist, and each one gives me different diagnosis:

-Demodex overgrowth

-No Demodex and only unspecified Blepharitis

-Seborrheic Dermatitis

All of them agree that I have a dry eye condition.

If anyone has Seborrheic dermatitis on their eye lashes, do you clean the dandruff. Does the Seb. Derm. gives you dry eyes? what do you use to treat Seb Derm on the eye lashes?

At the beginning, I had itchiness, crusting, collarettes/cylindrical dandruff, and little white flakes. By cleaning every day morning and night and then using hypochlorous acid, all these debris went away. Now days, sometimes I get some very little waxy stuff or crust, and random itchiness, but very little.

Now days, I have minimal inflammation on my eye lids, get some white flakes on the base of my lashes, and my eye lashes are starting to fall too. Before I didn't lose any lashes. And, ofc, I have dry eyes.

I'm guessing I may have both demodex and Seborrheic Dermatitis on my eyes. But how do I know?

If anyone has Seborrhea dermatitis on their eyes, exactly what do you experience? do you clean the dandruff/ white flakes from the base of the eye lashes?

I've been cleaning this dandruff/little white flakes because I'm thinking I have both demodex & Seb Derm. I don't want the dandruff to be food to the demodex, but I'm not sure if that is true?

I have dry eyes and not sure exactly what is the issue. When I go to the Opthalmologist, my eyes get examined with slit lamp and that's it.

Edit: to clarify

I use waterproof eye makeup, not every day, but often. I have an eye dry condition, and I don't want to make the issue worse.

What do you use to remove waterproof eye makeup? what specific brand, product are the most gentle that won't make the dry eyes worse, and at the same time, will remove waterproof eye makeup?

It seems many or all tinted sunscreens have C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate such as Cetaphil tinted sunscreen , Colorscience among many others.

I checked 3 popular Apps checkers, and C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is listed as FA safe. But, need to know if someone had issues with this ingredient.

Has Cetaphil tinted sunscreen or any of the Colorscience which have C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate ever triggered your FA?

I know there are many sunscreens that don't have this ingredient but they are non-tinted. And, I really need to use tinted sunscreen and I cannot find a FA safe sunscreen without C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate.

It seems many or all tinted sunscreens have C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate. I checked all the Apps and C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is listed as FA safe. I have my concerns so I need to ask all of you.

Has C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate ever triggered your FA?

For context, colorscience tinted sunscreen, Cetaphil tinted sunscreen have C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate on top of the ingredient list.

Mild-to Moderate acne: whiteheads and blackheads, and some Fungal Acne too. Combo skin (normal and medium level oily nose), and skin easily gets breakout and clogged.

Please share with me which brand and specific serum and moisturizer are you using for AM and PM.

I need to use a serum to hydrate my skin and a moisturizer to seal the hydration. At the same time, I cannot use anything that is heavy because of the acne and FA.

How do you know how to pair a serum with a moisturizer? I'm not sure if I'm overthinking it. When I look at the ingredient list, some ingredients overlap in the serum and moisturizer.

Does it mean that the serum and the moisturizer would give me double the amount of overlapping ingredients? or is it totally ok?

I'm in a dry environment so I need a moisturizer to seal the hydrating serum at night. Weather is hot which means the air conditioner runs all night long. During the day, the serum gets seal with my sunscreen so I don't need to use a moisturizer.