Short hair style and acne!

[Mazarine_Sky]

My hair was just cut extremely short, and quite badly, too. I was wondering if there were any good feminine hair styles for short hair? Like, using gel, or just shaping it up with the hair I have?
Also, I have acne. It comes and goes, and right now it's getting bad... what is the best product out there to help me get rid of it?
Thanks in advance!!

[Chrissty]

Hey "M", you made it past 15...nice to see you..

With acne a lot depends on your skin type, so it tends to be a question of what is right for you.

Usually a light exfoliation scrub with a deep pore cleanser will help with spots due to clogged pores (no particular brand), and follow this with a small amount of moisturiser suited to your skin type (dry/normal/greasy). Always try small areas first and leave a day, to check you don't have an adverse reaction to a product.

Also, an imbalance in your metabolism is usually the cause of the outbreaks, so it's worth reviewing your diet when this happens if possible. Watch your carbs and sugar intake, and for more info just google "acne diet" for tons of info.

Chrissty

[Mazarine_Sky]

Nice to see you too, Chrissty! 
I did see a Dove body wash product that had light exfoliation... I will look for the deep poor cleanser, as well.
What kind of moisturizer would you recommend? I've never used moisturizer before, but I always wanted to.
And I really must change my diet, that's definitely correct. I bet I would look a ton more healthier if I did!
What about hair shampoo and conditioner? And the style, lol!

[Chrissty]

Nice to see you too, Chrissty! 
I did see a Dove body wash product that had light exfoliation... I will look for the deep poor cleanser, as well.
What kind of moisturizer would you recommend? I've never used moisturizer before, but I always wanted to.
And I really must change my diet, that's definitely correct. I bet I would look a ton more healthier if I did!
What about hair shampoo and conditioner? And the style, lol!

As you are in the US and I'm in the UK, it's difficlut to recommend specific products for you. Dove products are a good reasonably priced brand.

I have greasy skin, so I use a product by Garnier called "Pure" which is a combined deep pore wash, and mild exfoliatior with eucalyptus. I use this as a morning and evening wash, and the even better news is that you can leave it on and use it instead of foam for really close shaving if you want an extra smooth face...... obviously once you get that acne under control. I watch for deals and buy the stuff for around £2.50 over here for 150ml, but it can be as much as £3.50 in some places (thats $3.90 to $5.50). A tube lasts me about 1.5 months.

If you have "normal" or "dry" skin then virtually anything that says "moituriser" will work for you from the local Walmart etc, I just suggest you look for something that also says "fragrance free". If you have greasy skin like me I look for a moisturiser that has a "Matt" effect to reduce the "shine". Use it sparingly, a couple of dabs is all you should need to re-balance your skin after washing.

Again on the hair I cannot really comment from here with the pic you have. When you get the chance to post a better one I'm sure the younger girls here will have some good ideas.

Good Luck

Chrissty

[Mazarine_Sky]

Haha, thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. I think I might go out and get that "Pure" stuff. And what about the moisturizer again? I do have greasy skin, so I gotta know this stuff.
I'll post a recent picture when I can get my hair fixed up, because I'm pretty self-conscious.
Also, why get moisturizer fragrance free?
And thank God, I don't get facial hair. It's a gene in my fathers side of the family. The only body hair I do get is below the waist, which I try my best to shave.

EDIT: And by that, I really have no clue what I'm doing. I just get a 5 bladed razor and while in the shower just start shaving away. I don't think that's how I'm supposed to do it... 

[Chrissty]

If you have greasy skin, then belive it or not a litle moisturiser can still help as the skin tends to over-compensate after washing. Because your skin is greasy it will tend to shine (look wet), so there are some moisturisers that have an additive that helps reduce the shine. You will need to be careful though, as any additives may react with your acne. I use Clearsil Total Control Mattifying moistuiser.

Fragrance  Free...Never heard the saying "less is more?" ...well it doesn't need to smell, and it's one less thing to cause a reaction.

...and no Stubble!...you'll save yourself a fortune in laser therapy!

Shaving down below...well if you feel smooth and you dont break out in pimples then its working OK....

Chrissty

[Dennis]

For acne, I found anything with benzoyl peroxide in it worked - look at the labels. I had a face wash (I think made by Phisohex) and some noxczema cleansing pads. The latter were extremely drying, so I only used them when things got really bad. Usually just the face wash once a day in the shower worked. You can also get some coverups and foundation makeups with benzoyl peroxide.

Dennis

[Mazarine_Sky]

The thing is, I have gotten a more than a few pimples in the past couple of months, and I'm afraid it might get worse. Is shaving down there actually making it worse?

[Dennis]

The thing is, I have gotten a more than a few pimples in the past couple of months, and I'm afraid it might get worse. Is shaving down there actually making it worse?

Yep, shaving can make it worse. If you use an electric, try switching to a bladed razor. If using bladed, try switching shaving creams. An electric can stimulate oil production, so it can make it worse.

Dennis

[Mazarine_Sky]

I use a regular razor, with 5 blades. I have shaving lotion, but I don't use it. I just use the water in the shower. I've been told that this is the wrong way to do it, and I should use lotion, but I don't know...

[Nero]

for your hair:
use a curling iron to flip the ends up or bevel them. way femme and looks really cute on short cuts. you could also get bangs cut and bevel them under with the curling iron.

for your acne: toothpaste!

[Chrissty]

The thing is, I have gotten a more than a few pimples in the past couple of months, and I'm afraid it might get worse. Is shaving down there actually making it worse?

As you don't usually get acne "down there" and you are using a razor try to ensure that you shave in the direction of the hair growth. It sounds like you are getting ingrowing hairs. There are preps on the market that will combat this, but you will normally find them in the womens shaving sections of your local store.

BUT....forget whether your razor is 2,3,4, or 5 blades....Make sure it is sharp or bin it!...Using a cheap 2 blade razor that is sharp, and regularly changing the blade, is lots better than trying to make an expensive 5 blade last. Blunt blades tend to pull the hair and promote irritation.

If you cannot get smooth enough and you dont want to go to waxing or powered "ripping", then try gently "polishing your legs with a "slikymit" or similar (sandpaper gloves) after shaving. They can also be used to remove hair if you have the time, but I find it takes only 2 minutes to "polish" after shaving. Remember a gentle polishing action do not scrub.

You need to use shaving foam or another lube to prevent you "dragging" the skin and hairs, again making your pimple problem worse. You can get something called razor burn if you drag and remove the top layer of the skin.

And finally....If you use any multiblade razor...keep cleaning it as you use it (ie tap it under a stream of water), because if the blades clog, they can change angle and cause bad cutting, burn, and nicks.

Chrissty

[Mazarine_Sky]

Well, that makes a lot of sense, then. The first time I shaved my legs and butt, I just used the shower water. And I couldn't really see behind me that well without turning completely around, so I don't know if I went against the growth of hair or with it. I think I should just get laser hair removal.
And does toothpaste really work?

[Sephirah]

And does toothpaste really work?

Apparently it can do. But it seems to be dependant on the specific brand of toothpaste you use.

Here is an article you might find of some interest on the subject.

[Mazarine_Sky]

Nice! Thanks!   

[lady amarant]

And thank God, I don't get facial hair. It's a gene in my fathers side of the family. The only body hair I do get is below the waist, which I try my best to shave.

You have no idea how much I hate you right now. 

Cutting processed foods out of your diet works wonders for acne. Especially the white stuff (white sugar, white flour, white milk ... ) There are also medicated face-washes and oral medications that can only be prescribed by dermatologists that are very effective, though I can't recall the names (my brother used to use the stuff years ago) You should only go for those as last resorts though, since they can have side-effects.

~Simone.

[Mazarine_Sky]

lol, I guess I am pretty lucky. But I do get hairy legs. So, I'm not lucky in that respect.

[Jamie-o]

I have very oily skin, and have battled acne my entire adult life.  I found some very helpful acne tips (and shaving tips, naturally) at a forum called Badger and Blade.  It's a forum dedicated to men's grooming concerns.  There was a thread about washing with oil (I know, it sounds counter-intuitive) that I, personally, found helpful.