I'm breaking out on my face and I can't make it stop. Suggestions for cleansers?

You are allergic to the St. Ives, stop using it.

Are they white heads, or just red?

I like neutrogena cleansers. Use them with a buff puff or similar pad.

Every cleanser I have used has made things worse. What worked for me was just using a clean washcloth with the warmest water I can stand. From my understanding it is the heat that opens your pores and water and oil don’t really mix.

I’m totally serious. I went from moderate acne to pimple free in a few weeks without wasting 10 bucks for a bottle of pore clogging crap.

I agree with @johnpowell I don’t use any cleansers on my face as everyone I have used, from 5 bucks a bottle to 30 bucks breaks me out. I will use whatever soap I’m using in the shower, but that’s it. I never clean it with anything but hot water after removing makeup.

Try a hat or bandanna instead of the sweat band when you work out.

What can be happening and is being proven with the sweatband incident. When you over cleanse your face you will naturally make more oils in your face and your body will over compensate for the missing oils and make extra because it thinks you used up what it had made previously. So those extra oils like what was in the sweatband clog your pores and create the acne that you see. You are better using a light cleansing product or even regular dove soap on your face to clean off the dirt and any makeup you may use. I would also not use a sweatband when I worked out all your doing in that instance is holding the oils on your face where the sweatband is and clogging your pores. Be always aware of how much oils your removing from your face and not over cleanse since it seems your body naturally makes the right amount since you don’t break out when you do.

I agree with those who say using soap is best. Its what I use and has been working well for a while. However, I like to have a separate bar for my face just to be a little more cautious. I have found that the best brand to use is Dove white. No fragrances, no extra junk in it – just soap. Best part is that it is very cheap compared to all the face specific cleansers!

Aw, for craps sake!

You have a soap allergy. When your head band gets wet, the residual soap from its last washing is causing you to break out.
Use hot water, and no soap. In the shower, try a hypo-allergetic soap. I use Phisoderm.

Soap is very drying typically, unless you are using something like neutrogena. I recommend baby soap. Buy the liquid johns and johnsons in the baby aisle. Immediately wash your face after workouts to cool it down, maybe you are having a heat rash? And to lift off any dirt. Then use a light moisturizer. Don’t use anything harsh, abrasive or drying on your face.

Soap allergy? Could it only be on my face? because I’ve been washing the rest of me with soap for years ;)

Oh, and what I called a sweatband was actually a rolled bandanna around my head.

I have a soap allergy, and my face and scalp are the most sensitive areas to it.

@filmfann you have a detergent allergy. There is no soap in shampoo.

@poofandmook The bandana is blocking your pores and holding the oily dirt against your face. Don´t do that. Use a clean towel to wipe sweat from your face.

If you have sensitive skin, don´t use apricot scrubs on your face. Those suckers rip the surface of your face when you use them and it´s just not good. The idea with a clean washcloth and warm water is probably the best. If you want to do some oil control or wash off make up, try a cleansing milk that doesn´t have, as it´s first ingredient, Sodium Laurel Sulfate, or one that doesn´t have it at all. Avoid anything with perfume in it as well. Keep your breakouts clean and avoid rubbing or pinching. Blot an antiseptic on them and don´t cover up with make up if you can avoid it.

I thought I would mention that more people have allergies/contact dermitis to biological this like plants and fruits, than the chemicals. I have that problem.

Okay, this is what I’ve done. I’ve started using a hot washcloth on my face… and I found a facial bar called “basic” that I used yesterday and so far, I like it. I did cave in, however, and buy an acne medication gel that, uh… bleached my face towel somehow. BUT, while it’s dried out my face a bit more than I like, it hasn’t been irritating or burned or painful at all, and some of my blemishes appear to be responding to it already. So, we’ll see…