Even More Fantastic Skincare And Where To Find It

[botemp]

Thread 1

Thread 2

For those who are taking a peek and wondering whether thread 1and 2 are worth reading we mostly discuss a bit of advanced skincare here with a perspective of seeking out the right ingredients for our particular needs. Distinguishing the acid toners from the actives whilst avoiding the truly unimpressive and harmful ingredients with a hope to achieve a bit of anti-ageing, alleviate irritation and sensitivities with some idle chat in between deviations on this thread are mostly my fault.

If you're in need of some advice coming to grips with your skincare routine please don't hesitate to ask, we don't bite, only occasionally sting with a bit of Biologique Recherche P50 now and then . Just make sure to state clearly what your concerns and needs are, skincare is highly individual and a random recommendation for a 'good' product will be completely different from one person to the next.

If you want help, have read through the previous threads, but if you still have questions use the following form to make life easier on us. We generally answer up to two people a day on a first come first served basis. Not everyone will have answers and sometimes we can't answer you at all. We're only a bunch of amateurs that can respond by suggesting what we would do in your place, for any severe conditions please seek out professional help.

Skin type:

Approx age (range):

Primary skin concern:

Routine :

AM :

PM :

Makeup : eg. no/light coverage/medium coverage/heavy coverage

Occasional treatments:

Things I've tried in the past with disastrous results:

Things that are really working well for me now:

Any dietary/health concerns/pregnant:

What I'm willing to spend on a single skincare item: eg. >£10, £10-20, £20-50, £50-100, no limits.

I specifically [want help with/am looking for a product to/am curious about trying]:

[AuroraPolaris]

Checking in
And thanks bo (sugarless, of course)

[wiltingfast]

whew! new space, lovely!

[wiltingfast]

I see TO are going to bring out some "colour formulations with mindfulness" no less . Doesn't sound very scientific!

TO is The Ordinary by the way (for any new readers)

Please note am rank amateur and still prone to impulsive purchases Mizon alcohol filled cream, I'm looking at you so won't be venturing much actual advice!!

[botemp]

Fuck mindfulness I may be a tad sick of mindfulness and what it pertains to colour I really wouldn't know...

Quick catchup from tailend of last thread:

Enid , though mind you hormones can make one appear a bit butch though stupid doctors claimed for so long nothing was wrong with me as I 'looked' feminine enough

Hollin, ooh so the Heimish is a keeper, iirc it has ethylhexyl palmitate so am hesitant but saw there are teeny baby ones on ebay may get some. Is the EH primer the Benefit Porefessional dupe?

wilting which primers specifically were you using, am wondering what could be the cause.

[wiltingfast]

I tried Laura mercier original and now bare minerals original. Would it be dimethicone? But that's in piles of stuff...

[botemp]

Dimethicone is generally the least irritating of the lot, Cyclopentasiloxane is a possibility but it doesn't appear to be in the LM. So just to check is it this BM one and this LM one?

[wiltingfast]

Hmm, yes it is....

[OpenMindedSceptic]

Checking in

[hollinhurst84]

botemp - I don't think it is, the benefit one is v silicone feeling to me. I have NYX Angel veil which I think is the hourglass primer dupe. The EH one is brightening and not at all slippery feeling

[EnidButton]

bo Doctors do tend to be crap when it comes to hormonal problems.

Pupsie So sorry about your FiL.

Minty They are the very best dogs. Very very funny and incredibly loving. Have you had one before?

I used the Kiehl's micro peel last night. Don't use it every night as I'm still sinning and using the No7 micro dermabrasion scrub 1-2 a week. Anyway my skin has calmed right down today. Doesn't feel like it's on the edge of an acne flare up, all bumps have gone down, active blemishes have shrunk. Has to be the Kiehl's.

I like the new approach of taking it really slowly. Feel much more reassured I'm not making things worse etc. I might have a full routine in place by this time next year.

[EnidButton]

Do beauty sites do Boxing Day/new year discounts?

Don't know whether to buy the Kiehl's peel and eye cream now or try to hang on a week.

[ScoobyDoosTinklyLaugh]

Checking in

Sorry to hear about your FIL pupsie

[yongnian]

Oo spangly new thread and similarly catching up from end of last thread, I was utterly wiped yesterday.
bo I have also tried a beauty blender on The Palette (as it is now known seeing as we haven't had our micro-influencer full-size samples yet). It was good, though gave much heavier 'made-up coverage', I found. Have also tried a concealer brush. They all do slightly different things, which is handy depending on what you're after.
wilting I too have purple shadows, which are also sometimes brown and sometimes blue....there are two different under-eye shades, a peach for fair/medium skin and an orange for dark skin. I'm using a mix of the two for my mixed-race skin (currently in paler winter mode). So you daub it on and literally then conceal or tinted moisturiser or whatever you usually use there, over the top, blend...and hey presto! There is also a pinky 'radiant' shade which you can then use at the outer edge/inner corner as a light-reflector for added bounce.
Also - your redness primer woes, I tend to be sensitive to very silicone-y stuff in that way too.
hollin good round-up, you sound to have tracked down some good products there, notes on wish list . Re hormonal spots I found a combo of Chinese meds and low-sugar low-carb has done wonders for me...now just get an occasional bit of bacne (yuck) but think that is because am not as assiduous skin care wise there as on my face. By the way, on your rec I ordered some Epsom salts...came today- looking forward to a good bath and hopefully sleep tonight!!
aurora re SPF balling, your method sounds good...I am also trying a 'tap-tap' method which is working, avoids balling by not rubbing I suppose.
pupsie

[botemp]

My mistake Hollin, it was a different EH primer that's the benefit dupe (Pore Ever).

My best guess is the high silicone content and/or fatty alcohols too wilting, there's little else in those primers that I can think of causing that.

IME doctors tend to be craps when it comes to female stuff, when I had excess testosterone (you know the predominantly male hormones) they had tons of information, studies, etc. It was a startling difference to how much they know and can do to treat the imbalances related to female hormones. Back to skincare, the beauty sites do sales but they're usually getting rid of old stock, Enid. Kiehl's rarely are a part of that unless it's an item that's being discontinued. Best chance is to sign up with their newsletter, they do the occasional offer, last had 20% off on BF but I won't be expecting something anytime soon.

Can't believe we missed out the adorable Jeeves in our title discussion, should I just ask MNHQ to change the title to Jeeves And Friends Want Their Stila Palette

[Pupsiecola]

Thanks Bo for starting new thread, and everyone for the kind thoughts.

Not much to report here in the land of skin care. I have decided how to gift all my Balance Me stuff though. I'm going to split it between the mum who does the admin for youngest DC's football team, and the two chalet hosts who will be looking after us over xmas. Just emailed the company to confirm their genders. Will get them some choccies too. I always feel for them, as it's usually their first xmas away from home, and it's so early in the season so they've only been in situ for a couple of weeks. Think the £15 box of goodies will defo spread some cheer.

[botemp]

Enid, just remembered SpaceNK sell Kiehl's who do regular offers. I actually received a £15 off coupon with a £60 spend and whilst heavily contemplating stocking up on overpriced mascara I don't think I'll use it but not sure if it's transferable as it's part of my n.dulge account with them but you can always give it a try?

[AuroraPolaris]

Oh yeah, the day I get to the bottom of my silicone sensitivity will be a happy one indeed!!!
I think that when it's in skin care and formulations that are supposed to penetrate the skin they give me spots (tiny white heads usually on chin/ lower checks) but in makeup it doesn't seem to have that effect. That might also be because I don't use foundation every day or something like that and my CC cream is free of them. I wonder if my concealer has silicones? Probably as it's EL.

In my experience TOTM breakouts can really be influenced by elimination of sugar. Once I went on the zero sugar diet I noticed a very big difference. I think fried foods are also worth looking into in that respect.

[AuroraPolaris]

My blush was lost in the post, by the way. Perhaps shipped to the North Pole by mistake? They are sending a new one....

[EnidButton]

Bo I do get feel unique and look fantastic offers all the time and I think one of those so Kiehl's. Thank you so much for the SPNK offer. I might have to wait another week before buying. Is the code valid until past then?

[EnidButton]

I really see a difference in my skin, spots wise, when I cut out sugar. It's really beneficial for anyone who is anxiety or pms prone too.

But the past couple of weeks I've been for meals and been baking Christmas goodies and have failed massively on the no sugar front. Usually my willpower is great.

[Dulcimena]

Thanks for the sparkly new thread Bo

Pupsie sorry to hear your news - best wishes to you

Hollin ty for the round up - I was wondering where you were :)

Agree with all PPs that doctors are generally rubbish with hormone stuffs

Also agree with Enid that cutting out sugar makes a huge difference in lots of wonderful ways but is so hard to do

My Benton Snail Bee Essence arrived today, finally! So this goes after serums but before moisturiser/oil, right? My skin has turned a corner and is looking and feeling alright again, but I reckon I'll give it a few days to make sure it's settled before introducing anything new.

I have a question - has anyone tried both TO Buffet and Matrixyl? I'm getting to the end of Buffet and wondering whether to repurchase or try the Matrixyl as they sound fairly similar. Would love your thoughts, please.

[hollinhurst84]

I think Deciem were overwhelmed. I got part of my order today, some is out of stock argh! I ordered on Black Friday and it's only just arrived

[MintyChops]

Thanks for setting up the new thread Bo and I would be more than happy to wait for your thoughts on the Shiseido ss, great!

[JDSTER]

Thanks for the new thread. I've been following and enjoying, just not much to add. Ive had few random spots but I've been eating far too much sugar lately, mince pies, stollen and a Christmas cake I made in Oct still to be unveiled!
Someone was asking about Sanskrit saponins from NIOD. I like it actually. I use it every morning. It doesn't lather (good of course) and doesn't leave me dry or tight (also good!) Smells a bit like coffee.
One question please. If I use an oil at night, after serums (using up NIOD copper cais followed by multimolecular HA which I like) do I also need a moisturiser? I'm combination/oily so don't feel dry without. Any thoughts about the pestle and mortar retinol oil? Where would that fit in? Thanks

[FizzyBubbly]

Thanks for the new thread Bo!

And to you Pupsie, I hope your FIL gets the best care possible

Looking forward to lots more skincare chat, I must say touching every bit of wood around me my skin this last couple of days seems to have reached a turning point. Skin is clearer and smoother and my purple acne marks have faded loads. Products I've introduced in the last few months (very phased may I add!) are TO Vitamin C (was already using a different one but judging by the colour it had oxidised long ago!), Cerave PM, and TO Matrixyl so it must be one or a combination of those.

I've just received the Body Shop Chamomile Balm in the post which I'll start using soon, and I used my PC BHA lotion for the first time tonight. Just goes to show how similar sounding products can act so differently as I've been using Bravura 2% Salicylic for nearly a year now so am pretty used to it, but as soon as I applied the PC version my whole face flushed immediately. It didn't take long to calm down but it wasn't something I was expecting!