Does anyone use Cetaphil products?

[BeaBoo]

I have

Sorry pressed post by accident!

I have really bad skin. Perioral dermatitis which means I'm really allergic to a lot of products, and cystic acne with dry but oily skin. I've been referred to a dermatologist which is booked for December and taking antibiotics which have been prescribed by my GP. Skin has improved slightly but still not that great.

I'm currently using La Roche Posay 3 step system but it's not doing anything for me. I've seen Cetaphil products recommended lots of times so I'm going to try the cleanser.

Is there anyone here who uses the cleanser? What other products do you use alongside it?

My DS does - typical teen skin (he's nearly 16) that fluctuates from "ok" to "OMG, "

He asks me to buy it for him (so it must be good )

It doesn't foam or have a scent. He has quite reactive skin- some shampoo (like the TGel ones) when they go on his face , cause a redness/irritation.
He's fine with Cetaphil.

On good days, he'll use that at night when he showers and a Tea Tree moisturiser, Tea Tree cleansing pads in the morning.

He's using Acnecide at the moment, his skin went really downhill last month. Acnecide is quite drying so he needs to monitor it.

Give it a try. Boots sell it, but Costco do huge bottles in a double pack if you go there/know someone who does.
They have other products in the range too.

They have £2 off the products in Boots at the moment. I think I might try the cleanser and moisturiser and see how I get on. I wasn't sure if I should be using something else along with it though? Not really sure what

I use the cleanser, and swear by it - really clean without any tightness or dryness

i do, and it's the best cleanser I've used
it won't clear your acne, no cleanser will, but the important thing is that it won't aggravate it.

afterwards I use a neutrogena spot gel thing with salicylic acid on my spotty bits, and then I use their oil-free moisturiser all over.

IME it's a lot of trial and error to get a good combination, but a rule of thumb is to use a very gentle cleanser, an acid-based toner or spot product, and an pil-free moisturiser.

My teens also use the cleanser. It has definitely made a difference to my ds (16) skin. If he runs out or hasn't used it in a few days, I can see his skin flare up again.

I use it from time to time and I also quite like it, its not drying.

How much is it in UK? Folk here always imply its a fairly cheap product. I don't think its cheap at all here in SA.

At the moment it's £6.99 for the 240ml size on Amazon and at Boots with the £2 off. How much is it in SA?

Thanks for the replies. I always struggle with products making my skin feel tight and dry so that's good to know about the cleanser.

I know it won't clear my acne as I've now realised only antibiotics will help. I kind of wish I'd realised that sooner instead of spending hundreds of pounds on different products for the past 10 years! I have a derm appointment booked for December so I'm really looking forward to that and hoping they can sort my skin out once and for all.

Jimmy I can't use Neutrogena products as I've had a bad reaction to every single one I've tried. Very annoying as I've had a few of their products recommended to me before and they have good reviews. I have loads of the La Roche Posay Effeclar toner left so I'll probably carry on using that as I know i won't react to it. I've vowed to use up a product before buying a new one as my haul was getting ridiculous

Thanks Bea, I buy the 400ml with the pump on, yesterday on special offer i got it for the pound equivalent of around 12 pounds.

So it is about the same then. We just go through a lot of it, it seems.

We can get a bar of soap, wipes and they do another range as well for oily skin. There is also the range with the orange label, but I think this is a body (rather than face) range.

I tried it and found it far too drying. I do have dry skin anyway and it just seemed to make it worse.

I'm in SA and it's just over a fiver for the 240ml in our local Dischem.

I never understand why Cetaphil is so recommended by derms, there's nothing special about the ingredients. I think Cetaphil must pay for some of these recommendations.

I use the cleanser twice a day and the moisturiser at night (for the day I either use a BB cream or a moisturiser with sunscreen). It seems to be pretty good for not aggravating my rosacea.

That's exactly why it's recommended Mitzy, because it doesn't have any "special" ingredients. As Jimmy said, it isn't good because it will miraculously sort out your skin, it's good because it won't make it any worse, which a lot of other cleansers can.

OP I use the cleanser and moisturiser (yes, as recommended by my dermatologist!) However this is really only because I'm a tight arse. She also recommended a LRP face wash that I liked (physiological gel, possibly now discontinued?) but Cetaphil is just so cheap, especially if you buy it at Costco. Again, I was using LRP moisturisers at the start too (Effaclar H and Toleriane Riche) but they come in a teeny 50ml tube and Cetaphil is 5 times the size. I do have to order it into my Boots though.

I find the Cetaphil moisturising lotion quite sticky BUT it has never irritated my face, which the LRP used to do when I was first on my acne treatments. So this, combined with the cost, is why I keep using it.

Good luck with it all BeaBoo, I first saw my derm in Feb this year and haven't looked back, I am so happy with my skin now.

Blair that's so reassuring to hear about your experiences since seeing a dermatologist. I can't even imagine being at a point where I'm happy with my skin, but hopefully it's a step in the right direction. Just out of interest - what was your skin like beforehand, and were you prescribed/recommended to use anything specific by the derm (apart from the Cetaphil products)? Hope you don't mind me asking.

Also thanks for the replies everyone. I wasn't expecting any as I don't know anyone IRL who has even heard of Cetaphil! I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes.

That's exactly why it's recommended Mitzy, because it doesn't have any "special" ingredients.

I think you misunderstand. There's nothing especially beneficial in it.

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben

Personally if I had problem skin I'd avoid a product where Cetyl Alcohol was the second main ingredient.

And sodium lauryl sulfate is a definite no go for me.

Anyway, if you love it keep using it but I just don't understand how it got this reputation as some kind of wonder product for sensitive skin.

Is there another product you think would be better, Mitzy? I presume it got the reputation because lots of people (me included) who have tried many other things find it works better than anything else they've tried so far!
Perhaps it all comes down to the quantities of the different ingredients rather than what they are.

Mitzy what products do you use? Anything you'd recommend at all?

I use the cleanser which i like, but the moisturiser doesn't work for my skin. I think it leads to breakouts.

I have dry skin but am prone to cystic acne. I find using a glycolic acid cleanser as a face mask a couple of times a week helps to exfoliate the dry skin properly but gently which helps to reduce breakouts. Not sure if that will suit your skin due to allergies though.

Also drink peppermint and spearmint tea. Found that helps with oil production. Google it!

I find jojoba oil suits my skin too and moisturises without causing breakouts.

Have you tried differin cream? (Prescription only) Again though not sure how it would work with your allergies.

I'm all about the oils and the balms. My skin can be very dry so it needs something really rich like an oil cleanser or a balm cleanser to get it really clean without stripping it. Anything with SLS really dries it out horribly.

Currently using Clinique's Take The Day Off balm but also love the cheaper Body Shop Camomile cleansers.

Mint I have peppermint tea that I have been meaning to start drinking more of so I'll give it a try. I've been prescribed three different creams in the past by my GP but can't remember the names of them, so it's possible that I have tried it. Topical creams don't seem to make a difference at all. I've also tried Benzoyl Peroxide in various strengths but it does nothing

And glycolic acid. Swear by glycolic acid for super smooth skin that glows.

See a few people have said about glycolic acid to me, but I'm scared of trying it just in case I have a bad reaction. I think the fact it has the word 'acid' in the title makes me think it's going to be really harsh when it probably isn't