Olay no more??? [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

MamaM

3-13-13, 12:43am

I have been an Olay girl for a VERY long time. The last 2 bottles of the stuff now burns my face. I am either 1. Losing my mind 2. Developed an allergy 3. They changed ingredients.

So, I need to find a light weight moisturizer that is good for sensitive skin. Help???? I would prefer a more natural approach too. Thanks. :)

ApatheticNoMore

3-13-13, 2:54am

I did try the oil cleansing method recommended here (in a thread that has now gone into the ether I'm afraid). I used olive and castor oil 3-1. It was very effective, very much improved my skin condition (my skin looked healthier and brighter. It's not like it eliminates wrinkles or anything, but skin does look healthier). So that can provide some moisture, moisturize your skin overnight and so on.

There are natural oils that can be used to moisturize (jojoba oil and shea butter and so on). I've tried jojoba and shea and use jojoba sometimes, though in deepest winter I also bring out the Curel (aweful industrial stuff I know, but my skin is usually dry to the point of pain when I'm resorting to that). Beyond natural oils themselves there are also of course lots of natural brands producing moisurizers, can't say I've tried them, probably a lot less toxic than most stuff though.

rosarugosa

3-13-13, 4:41am

I've been using this recently (the Mim's Amazing Magic one) and have been pleased with it. It's a natural product made by a small Maine business, and it smells really nice too:
http://www.mountainmamaofmaine.com/

Fawn

3-13-13, 7:11am

I also have been using the oil cleansing method mentioned on this site. This technique has cleared up my zits and dry skin/red/scaley areas. I have very sensitive skin, really can't use any manufactured products on it. Here is a link to the technique:

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

And this is the shortened version which is what I do:
1) place nickel-size puddle of almond oil (I use almond oil because I like the smell) in palm of my left hand
2) using right fingers apply oil to face, gently massaging it in as I go, when puddle is gone...
3) massage entire face using both hands--so far this takes about 1 minute. Wash oil off hands.
4) wet wash cloth, microwave it for 30 seconds to heat it
5) apply hot, wet wash cloth to face until it cools to room temperature
6) wipe oil off face using wash cloth.

My face looks the best it has in years.

(Thanks SL friends who mentioned this on the previous thread)

Rosemary

3-13-13, 7:27am

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/brand/Olay/

This link goes to all of the ingredients used in Olay products and ranks them from those most likely to cause problems to the least likely.
You can also use this database to look up individual products as well as classes of products (e.g. moisturizer), to determine a new product that meets your needs.

I like jojoba oil, myself. On my hands I sometimes use heavier moisturizers in the winter.

lhamo

3-13-13, 7:42am

Olay did change their ingredients a couple of years ago -- there was a huge backlash because the new formulation of the "sensitive skin" lotion irritated a lot of people's skin (including mine). For awhile at least they put the old formula back on the market with a label something like "original sensitive skin formula" -- but maybe they have changed it again?

Here's a link with some of the information/user comments after the original change:

http://www.acne.org/blog/2010/01/13/happiness-is-here-again-olay-is-reintroducing-the-original-formula-of-olay-complete-for-sensitive-skin/

reader99

3-13-13, 7:53am

I use safflower oil from the grocery store, as is.

I've read about people with sensitive skin using Crisco shortening (or the house brand) very successfully.

citrine

3-13-13, 8:03am

I use Aveeno moisturizing lotion....great for sensitive skin and not heavy at all.

razz

3-13-13, 9:58am

A friend gave me a new sample of Nivea to try and I found that it was irritating to my skin. The castor oil mix suggested here caused severe dry skin problems almost immediately so back to my Cetaphyl cleanser and moisturizer routine which works well for me.

iris lily

3-13-13, 10:32am

Glo

3-13-13, 12:09pm

I've used Olay for more than 40 years and haven't had a problem so far.

MamaM

3-13-13, 12:25pm

Thank y'all for the replies. I need a little something. I have oily skin but some spots need a little extra and I like to moisturize my neck and decollete. ;)

Florence

3-13-13, 12:43pm

I live in a rather humid climate so I'm not exposed to the really drying effects of real cold winter. So I rarely need to use any moisturizer but when I do, I use a dab or two of Pond's cold cream and leave it on over night. Greasy pillow case in the morning but it does seem to help when my skin is dry.

SiouzQ.

3-13-13, 4:25pm

I've been using Noxema to cleanse (as suggested by someone on this site awhile back) and a sensitive skin lotion called Moisturel (recommended by my dermatologists). It has been working pretty good for awhile; lately, I have been experimenting with all the free samples I get at work from Whole Body. I've been trying Kiss My Face products, which I like. I have so many cleanser, lotion samples, and hair products that I won't have to buy anything for quite awhile!

Tradd

3-13-13, 4:29pm

I use Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - this is newer, there has been only a light lotion for a long time. I like the lighter feel with the gel.

Tussiemussies

3-13-13, 5:18pm

I tried the Olay body was once and it was so heavily laden with perfume that I felt like my skin was heated up from it and discomfort. I never tried any Olay products after that.

Maybe after time your body has developed a sensitity to the perfumes in the product?
I use cold cream to take off my make up and then wash my face with Clinique soap. They have two types of soap; one for oily skin and one for normal or dry skin. They also have an oil free moisuruzer I use, but have other moisurizers for different types of skin. :)

P.S. Their bar soap lasts a long time...

frugal-one

3-13-13, 10:41pm

Used to use Olay until I got a few new jars at a garage sale one time. The woman selling stated it was her grandmother's and she probably should try it herself since her grandmother had few wrinkles and nice skin. I am hooked. It is inexpensive and keeps the "turkey neck" away!! Fruit of the Earth Cocoa butter Aloe & Vitamin E skin care cream ... just checked and it sells for $4.99 (2 jars). No scent, not greasy.... great stuff!

Tammy

3-13-13, 10:55pm

Wildflower

3-14-13, 3:28am

The simplest thing is no stuff on your face. Do you really need it?

I would love to do without moisturizer, but it is the one thing I have to do to my face, otherwise it is red, dry, and looks awful. With moisturizer, my skin looks and feels so much better. I don't wear make-up or do anything else to my face except moisturize.

I used Olay for years, then went to Loreal. They changed their formula, it irritated my skin, so I went back to Olay, this time using the sensitive skin formula. Haven't had any problems.

Fawn

3-14-13, 8:28am

About a year ago I just stopped using everything. My face is washed with water in the shower. I wear no makeup. I don't moisturize. I live in a desert. My skin is healthiest when I do nothing but water.

My theory ... We wash everything off, try to replace it with moisture, aren't satisfied, cover our disatisfaction with makeup, then start over with washing it all off ...

I like my water plan.

I did the water plan for decades as all the products mentioned above (Olay, Clinique, Aveeno--ok, I didn't try the Crisco) made my face break out. Very. Sensitive. Skin.

But as I have been sliding into peri-menapause, my face has been breaking out more AND I had dry patches on my forehead.

The oil cleaning method has been a Godsend.

nswef

3-14-13, 9:53am

I have rosecea and use a prescription lotion and daily- or couple of times a week oral antibiotic- but I also now use olive oil at night after I wash my face, put a warm washcloth on for a bit and my pores are smaller and my skin looks good. Still have some roseca break outs...but I would try the olive oil. It's cheap and pretty harmless.

frugal-one

3-14-13, 8:46pm

I think it depends where you live if you can use only water. I live in the north where the winters and winds are harsh and drying. My hands actually crack open from the dryness.

iris lily

3-14-13, 9:16pm

I think it depends where you live if you can use only water. I live in the north where the winters and winds are harsh and drying. My hands actually crack open from the dryness.

I live in the Midwest with dry winters, but not excessively so lately. We have soft water from the Mississippi river.

My fingers crack but it's been worse in previous years. I don't know if that was weather, my hormones, or what, exactly. I've, in the past winters, put Vaseline on my fingers and put plastic gloves on at night. Ugh that is awful but it worked at the time.

But my face isn't part of that dry skin thing. It is what it is. I don't use moisturizer or Olay or oily cosmetic substances or whatever. I use nothing.

pony mom

3-14-13, 9:35pm

I've raved about the oil cleansing method here before so I'll keep it short....but my skin has never looked better in my entire life! I have mild Rosacea and have no problems with it.

I've been using grapeseed oil as a moisturizer and really like it a lot. After reading about maracuja oil, I got a sample from Sephora. This oil is supposed to be a miracle oil for wrinkles, dry and oily skin, you name it. If I buy it, I'll get it from a natural beauty product company for a lot less money.

The skincare line Boscia makes a really nice, lightweight daily moisturizer with SPF 15 that I wear every day at work. It feels like nothing on my skin. For outdoor use, I use Olay for sensitive skin. They've gone back to the original formula. The last one made my face turn red and I'd get sunburn very easily.

Razz, read this about Cetaphil: http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2010/07/20/cetaphil-why-the-popular-cleanser-isn%E2%80%99t-doing-your-skin-any-favors/

I've had oily skin my whole life and I'm shocked that using oils can be so wonderful. And healthy, inexpensive and natural.

Wildflower

3-14-13, 11:02pm

Razz, read this about Cetaphil: http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2010/07/20/cetaphil-why-the-popular-cleanser-isn%E2%80%99t-doing-your-skin-any-favors/

I can't use Cetaphil because it made my skin and eyes burn. I'm not surprised what I read about it here...

I think I will try the water method only on my face, but we have hard water, and cold, blustery winter weather here. I doubt I'll ever be able to do without some type of moisturizer on my face and hands....

ApatheticNoMore

3-14-13, 11:14pm

Oh I often use nothing as well :), often don't even wash my face! But I have found oil cleansing is better than nothing! I guess i'm using a combined moisturizer natural (zinc) sunblock also but mostly for the sunblock. And a few months a year my skin will give it's own indication of needing moisturizer by being uncomfortably dry, that's when I start putting stuff on. I think adequate "internal moisturizers" (like eating omega3s and so on) can help too, but still if your skin is being exposed to blistery winds and hot furnances, it's likely to get a bit dry.