Product: DDF Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 5% With Tea Tree Oil
Use: Acne treatment
Price: $24.00 for 2 oz. tube
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+
Product: H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment
Use: Hydration for oil-prone, dry or combination skin types
Price: $34.00 for a 1.7 fl oz jar
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B+
My new favorite acne-fighting combo!
A few weeks ago my skin went a little nuts. I got a few small pimples on my forehead, and my Poor Woman’S Proactiv wasN’t getting rid of them. I looked inside the drawer in my bathroom where I toss stuff that I buy and don’t end up using and found a tube of DDF Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 5% With Tea Tree Oil. I think I bought it a year ago and stopped using it because it was just too drying and actually gave me more pimples than I started with. Just for the hell of it I tried using it again, figuring my skin may have changed since then. I put on a small layer over my entire face (except for the eyes, of course) for three nights, and noticed that my skin was starting to clear up but still felt tight and dry.
Once more, I dug into the magic drawer and found a moisturizing gel sample of H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment. I got this a few months ago in my goody bag after attending a fashion show at San Francisco Fashion Week. After I put on the DDF Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, I let it dry for 10-15 minutes and then slather on the H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment over my entire face (including my eyes.) I’ve been using this combo for the past two weeks and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that it actually works, woo hoo! The pimples on my forehead cleared up and I’m not getting any new ones from switching to the new products (knock on wood). These two products are one kick-ass combo!
The Combo Pros and Cons
If it weren’t for the price then these products would get an A. You know me, dear readers. I am a cheap-ass (aka frugal) these days when it comes to throwing down the cash for skin care products I won’t do it unless it’s proven to rock my world. Despite the price of each product, you get a lot for your money. The tube for the DDF Gel is big — if you use just a pea-sized amount of the gel it could easily last you at least 6-8 months if you apply only at night. (I don’t know how tough your skin is, but for me, putting this on in the morning and the evening would probably be overkill because I find it can be drying.)
The H2O+ website describes the H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment product as: A penetrating liposome delivery system and Sea Mineral Complex help attract, transport and distribute moisture equivalent to eight glasses of water. Marine extracts of wakame, sea lettuce, and sea fennel, provide vitamins A, C, E and Provitamin B nourish and protect the skin.
It comes in a jar, which I’m not too crazy about because you have to dip your fingers into it and you have to be careful about not scooping out too much. H2O+ products are also not readily available for purchase — there’s only two stores here in California, and fortunately one is in San Francisco, which is where I bought my jar last week. You can purchase it online, and the H2O+ website says that they have free shipping on orders over $100 dollar with no-hassle returns. The smell of the product is really strong — It’s got a faux-oceany marine smell, so if you are scent-sensitive (try saying that fast ten times, ha ha ha!) then you might not like it. Also, some might find the consistency of gel a little too sticky. I don’t mind it so much.
While I’m not sure about how much of this product’s effectiveness is due to these sea-derived active ingredients, I have to say that this stuff really works for me, even better than my previous favorite moisturizer, Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin. This moisturizing gel does what it claims to do, hydrate your skin, and you don’t need to use a lot of it. I’m estimating that this jar will last me at least 6 months.
Another added plus? You can also use it as a moisturizing mask. Spread a thin layer over your face and neck, let it absorb for 5 minutes and then massage in the excess.
Im glad it worked wonders for ur skin! =] I just started using benzyl peroxide 10% and i think its making my skin worse..ive been breaking out more than ever, especially where i put the benzyl peroxide. The DDF Benzoyl Peroxide Gel 5% With Tea Tree Oil is my last resort, i hope it works for me just as well as it did for u!