jessie's sensitive skincare regimen

As a teen and young adult I enjoyed years of flawless skin. Today, at 32 my skin is sensitive, oily, and prone to acne. Most over-the-counter topical treatments first irritate my skin, then work briefly, then become less effective as I use them. I've probably tried and discarded everything in the shop . . . except for a wonderful moisturizer that I wear daily. More about that later.

I have recently--in the past 3 months--begun looking around in the kitchen for things to help my skin. To my surprise these things actually work. Here's a list of things I use regularly for cleansing and acne treatment--and how often I use them:

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap as a daily face wash.
I wash my face in the morning and once in the afternoon with a teaspoon of this soap, using only the pads of my fingers. This is just to remove any accumulated oil build-up. Then I apply a thin layer of...
Derma E Tea Tree and E Antiseptic Creme, plus a drop of Tea Tree Oil as a daily moisturizer. I use only a pea-sized amount of this moisturizer and mix it with the oil in my palm. This is enough to cover my entire face and neck.
Every 2 days, I use Baking Soda as a gentle exfoliant. After a regular wash I spread one or two teaspoons of baking soda all over my wet face. Then, using the pads of my gingers I gently massage my neck, face and hairline--spending about 30 seconds on each area--paying close attention to oilier regions of my face.
Ripe banana peel as needed for acne spot treatment. To be honest, I've only been using this little trick for about 2 weeks. I found it described on Kanelstrand Simple Living Chronicles blog (with photos) -how to get rid of pimples and minimize scars in 4 days. I was shocked to find that it actually works for me.
Last summer I went on a hiking trip in the mountains of New York and was plagued by constant breakouts and then by a summer cold. I began taking Goldenseal Herb Capsules to help get over the cold more quickly. To my surprise, the acne also began to dry and clear up. I know that this herb is a natural antibiotic, but conveniently forgot that there was a potential for some effect on acne(which is caused by bacteria on the skin). There's lots more to learn about this herb, but I just wanted to mention it here.

Like I mentioned, it's been a few months, and I'm quite happy with the way that my skin looks and feels. I haven't had any major breakouts. I can't begin to guess how much money I've saved, and my pores also seem more refined. It's been a win-win for me.