New formula is a disaster

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Mistica
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Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:33 pm

New formula is a disaster

Post by Mistica »

Walter, why has the ZZ cream formula been changed to something disastrous?
I opened my new batch tonight and could cry over it. It has gone from a great cream, which provided coverage to something akin to a cheap makeup, which provides no coverage in the form of a light zinc. It won't even adhere to the skin. It goes patchy, like patches of powder, with with areas of nothing in between. The previous formula was sturdy and I could touch it and it would not budge. It was durable and looked pretty natural. Where as this new one is, as I said, like cheap makeup.
It no longer provides coverage of the awful intense areas of vascular damage on my upper cheeks. I can see every vein.
It won't cover anything, even mild areas.

In addition it smells different, with a hint of cinnamon, which is not agreeable with my skin. I can't imagine it would be good for any rosacean skin.

I don't have demodex. I have type one rosacea with severe flushing and up until now, ZZ cream has been a life saver for me. I went from being housebound with terrible flushing to reducing my condition greatly. I was housebound prior, for years. Since I have been using zz cream in June 2013, I have found freedom again.
I don't post here, as I don't have demodex, as I said. I have a severe flushing syndrome with some rosacea.
The menthol in the cream helps stabilise the TRPV8 receptors, at least.
Of course, it keeps any minor outbreaks I get to a minimum as well. And if my gut treatment is going well, my face does calm down and heal to a point with the aid of the previous ZZ cream.

But now, opening my new cream tonight, I was shocked as I depend on this cream so much. I feel distress. I will become housebound again. It offers no protection from the sun now either.

Is this new version a mistake, or is this how it is going to be from now on?

Please don't say, the cream still works no matter the consistency, because as I explained, my problem is not demodex. I have been using it for other reasons.

I previously had pots of cream which were sometimes a bit runny, or not mixed together completely, or were a bit gritty at times, but the over all consistency and application finish were the same.

Not now.

Why couldn't the manufacturers leave the formula alone? I have seen other complaints elsewhere and now I have my new batch, I can see exactly what they are talking about.

I'd appreciate some feedback. I am sure other people will as well.

Thank you.
Mistica
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:33 pm

Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Mistica »

The more I look at this new cream, the more it looks like a water based makeup, or childrens poster paint. Cheap, and useless.
I have compared a scraping of the old cream along side the new cream on my face. The old cream had a more dense, perhaps oil/silicone type base, which was dewy in appearance. It reflected light, filled in the gaps in the skin. Filled in imperfections.
It made damaged skin look better. And gave a nice dewy finish. Applied on a damp skin, it held in moisture and made the skin more smooth and supple in appearance, and as I said, even though the cream was lightweight, it was sturdy and adhered.
This new stuff is like water paint. It sinks into every crevice and shows every vein, blemish and imperfection. It's finish is dull, and blotchy and comes off with facial movement and if I touch it. It is not durable. If I accidentally splash it with water, it goes patchy, comes off, leaving a water tide mark.

This new batch has the number 1311131

The previous batch has the number 1302161
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Walter
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Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Walter »

Hello

I have no idea what happened, the formula is a patented and doesn’t change, don’t worry about this.
I will send your email to Professor Zhao and see what he says.
In any case, even if the consistency looks different, the formula is exactly the same and will work.
I wonder what the reason can be, I just opened and used a jar from the latest batch 1311131 and it is exactly like before.
I am thinking that maybe extreme temperatures during the transport ( airplane) can cause this?
I really don’t know, we will ship you a replacement.

Best regards

Walter
Mistica
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:33 pm

Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Mistica »

Hello Walter,

I am grateful for your offer to send a replacement for the creams, and I will be keen to see what they are like, however based on very similar complaints since last November, I feel certain the formula has been changed.
It looks and feels completely different now. It even smells a bit different.

What I am going to say next will be more familiar to women. The new zz cream acts much like bad makeup. Women will know what I mean, when I say this cream goes on the skin very thinly in a wet stay and once it dries, it dries like a water based makeup. Powdery, much like poster paint. It is very obvious there is a matte, chalk like substance on the skin. It looks unpleasant. As times passes it breaks down on the skin, looks patchy and horrible and just flakes off. Or even with facial movement, it breaks up and looks awful.
There is no substance to it any more, it is not flexible, or durable and it does not feel soothing either. The previous cream kept my skin relatively cool. Now, it heats up badly which increases my inflammation and flushing.

Perhaps Prof Zhao was trying to 'improve' the formula ( the base ointment), so that it did not have a tendency to separate in the pot any more? Some people found this bothersome, but it wasn't really. Just a quick stir and it was ok. Perhaps in the effort to alter this, the end product has turned out completely different?

Hopefully you will get some feedback about this from the factory.

Thank you.
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Walter
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Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Walter »

Hello

The formula doesn’t change, it is a medicine and if they want to change something they need to apply for a new licence
which takes a very long time.
Let me tell you that the ointment is not made to cover up skin imperfections but to heal the skin,
it has no cosmetic function like you used it for, you use too much as a layer and that is not the idea.
We always write to use just a tiny bit, I use myself already for more than 10 years and it always has been like this,
I use as a maintenance treatment once in a while.
If you put a layer then it act like you describe, it doesn’t matter if you do but doesn’t help the healing process neither.
If you want to cover-up imperfections during the day then you need to use something else,
there are many cosmetic products out there made for this purpose and use the ointment only during the evening/night,
(after cleaning the skin very well from the daily makeup)
this evening/night treatment is enough to heal your skin problems which is the meaning right?
I sent your message to Prof Zhao.

Walter
Mistica
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:33 pm

Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Mistica »

Hello Walter,

It seems you misunderstood my explanation.

I did not say I use ZZ cream as a cosmetic makeup. I said the consistency of the ZZ cream now behaves like a bad, water based makeup and won't adhere to the skin. It disintegrates as time passes. It does not control my symptoms as well now. PLUS, it does not have that dewy white sheen any more which has been noted by others. My face burns more.

I use ZZ cream to reduce and control facial inflammation, which reduces my redness and flushing.
I benefit from sulphur and zinc, but these ingredients alone are not sufficient for my problems. ZZ cream has other things which help a lot.

I only apply a thin layer to most of my face. I put a little of the cream on the back of my hand and add a daub ( tiny amount) of water. I mix it. I also rinse my face first, so that it is damp. Then I apply the cream quickly, to get an even, finish. It is barely there at all, but at the same time, does provide some coverage in the form of a white sheen, which is what zinc does. I can make facial movements and the cream stays in place. Now it cracks and comes off.
On the upper cheeks, where I have bad vascular damage, there are two areas, where I often apply a bit more, but not to the point it is really thick.
The old zz cream could achieve this without really using much, as it had a different consistency. I see a lot of people on this forum and others do the same thing.
I even emailed you a copy of one of the posts from this forum speaking of the same thing.

But the main point you seem to have missed, is that I am using ZZ cream as a medicine to control and reduce inflammation and to reduce flushing. If I were to stop using ZZ cream I would get lots of inflammation which would result in massive flushing, redness and, yes, outbreaks of papules and pustules too, but in my case I don't think they are only due to demodex. Weak veins leak proteins into the skin.
Many cases of rosacea facial outbreaks are due to SIBO as has been demonstrated in studies and human trials. I am being treated for that as well.

However, once the facial tissue and veins in particular have been damaged, ZZ cream is a very helpful way of helping to heal it. So, while it is a medicine designed to only treat demodex, it appears to do more. Even your old friend Brady Barrows, who also sells this cream, uses it for the same purpose. As you know, he has used ZZ cream for many, many years.

Cosmetic products only serve to irritate my skin severely. I never use them.

I have used different sulphur products in the past and while they were somewhat helpful, they were not as good as ZZ cream.
Aside from the medicinal herbs, ZZ cream contains menthol which interacts with the TRVP8 receptor. This is how it reduces pain and itching. It also seems to lessen flushing.

I understand there is a patent on this product, but you have also spoken of the difficulty of mixing and stabilising the ointment base, which is why I referred to this as a possible explanation.

Thank you.
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Walter
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Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Walter »

Hello again

Wouldit be possible for you to ship me one of those jars you complain about?
so I can send it to the factory.

Thanks

Walter
Julie
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Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:18 am
Location: Florida

Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Julie »

Hello,

I ordered 2 jars in February and stored them in the fridge. Opened one of them for the first time last night and noticed the ZZ cream is like a watery lotion. So I opened the second jar this morning and it is the same thing. Could the jars have the wrong product in them? Mine is also from batch 1311131. It is not the same product I have been using all these years. Hope it still works.
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Walter
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Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Walter »

Hello Julie

We are investigating this issieu and will let you know,
the only reason can be the base of the cream
so it will still work the same.

Will update you when more information

Walter
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Re: New formula is a disaster

Post by Administrator »

Hello all

The problem with the different consistence of some ZZ ointment is investigated in the factory and the reason is found.
It turns out that 102 jars were added to our lot from 2000 which were made for the north of China, because it is so cold there the base of this ointment is different, more liquid, however the active ingredients are the same.
this of course should not happen, Mr. Zhao sincerely apologized for this and assured us that
this will never happen again, the responsible person is replaced.
Customers who have a jar(s) like this and would like a replacement, please email us so we can avoid abuse of this situation.

We apologize for this to happen.

Best regards

The Demodex team
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