🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Is Everyone Having Botox Without Me? 💉

[botemp]

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For those who are taking a peek and wondering what this all about, we mostly discuss a bit of advanced skincare here with a perspective of seeking out the right ingredients (rather than the latest new shiny product and all its empty promises) for our particular skin 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. Newcomers are always welcome but please note the following:

Questions and asking for help on this thread is encouraged, however, we can’t give you a specific routine to follow and hope it works out for the best. There are no overnight miracles in skincare whether it be in the form of products or techniques. It’s about perseverance, understanding your skin, assessing its needs and responding to that in a diligent manner.

These threads were created to help those who want to learn for themselves. We’re a group of interested and invested skincare nuts happy to offer tea and sympathy and dole out advice. Everyone’s journey with skincare is different, what is universal and binds us is that through actually learning about the different active ingredients it helps us get to know our skin and help us adapt as it will change many times throughout our lives - with seasons, hormonal changes, ageing, genetics etc. It's in everyone's best interests to get to know their skin and to keep reviewing those changes with the confidence that comes from the gathered knowledge here. We really encourage you to spend the time reading through previous threads and linked info sheets that the many contributors have taken the trouble to share.

By no means are we experts, we're only a bunch of amateurs that can only respond by suggesting what we would do in your place, for any severe conditions please seek out professional help.

Ahem, and finally a little note on spending. I'm well aware these threads cause many to reach for their wallets and spend with wild abandon. There can sometimes be a bit of a frenzy surrounding the excitement around a newly discovered product or on the back of great improvements when someone reports back. This is all great, it doesn't however, mean everything that's a sudden miracle for one will be it for you. Usually, it's a light bulb moment for connecting the right skincare ingredient with an individual experiencing a specific problem. Take your time to mull over decisions and question whether it's right for you too. Skincare is highly individual, it's a slow game that should cost mostly in patience, input, education, and perseverance. Please don't make it cost you financially needlessly.

I am very slowly working on consolidating the gathered information from previous threads into easier to read formats but it’s slow going. I would suggest reading thread 1 and at the very least the following info sheets (provided they apply to you):

Where to Start

Basics of an Actives Routine

Skin Types vs. Skin Conditions Info Sheet

Anti-Ageing Info sheet

Adult Acne Info Sheet

Understanding Which Sunscreen(s) to Buy

Do I Really Need to Wear Sunscreen Every Single Day of the Year?

A Damaged Skin Barrier - Now What?

NEW SERIES:

So You Want To Buy A Retinoid - A Guide

December 2019: Time for The Snailies way more reliable and better than the MN recommends annual roundup (yes I'm still bitter about them quoting me in isolation and making me sound like a wanker please don't revoke my special image allowance privileges, MNHQ )

Also: Thread 20 in time for 2020!!! Ahem, where are my presents?

[botemp]

🐌🐌 THE SNAILIES 2019 🐌🐌

The Well Hello There - newest and latest find that gets your motor running

The Flusher- money spent on this product would have been better put to use by flushing it down the toilet

The Jack & Rose- the product you’ll never let go of because there’s plenty of fucking space for the two of you on that piece of wood. Damn you, James Cameron, for breaking my poor little tween heart .

The LTB- it all seemed so promising, everything was going so great, then they turned out to be a narcissist gaslighting bastard

The Child Prodigy- that one product that’s annoyingly good and isn’t afraid to be smug about it

The Worker Bee- never the centre of attention but has been steadily chugging along like no other

The Troll- the one where you repeatedly asked, ‘Is this doing anything?’, but continued to use it anyway…

The Flabbergaster- that one product or technique that wasn’t really supposed to be used like that or delivered well beyond your non-existent expectations

The Sinner- oh, admit it because we’re all guilty of it, what did you do or use that wasn’t all that sensible like take an acid bath and had the disastrous results you really knew to expect


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Link to template in Google docs just download a copy for yourself and save yourself some copypasta agony.

[EnidButton]

Thank you for the sparkly new festive thread bo 💗

[SallieSallow]

Thanks Bo love the thread title and my answer is yes

Will have a think about the Snailies, don’t think I’ve had any major product fails this year but might include some past disasters and disappointments in case it helps any newer posters/readers.

[botemp]

Yeah, for next year some tinkering of the Snailies may be in order to keep them relevant to our synced periods routines. Perhaps that'll be the Sheepies Client, our thread wildchild, will obviously win The Least Sheepiest

[SallieSallow]

Thread 20 you definitely deserve a reward for that Bo 🎁 💝 🎖🍾

[SallieSallow]

yes Client is definitely our wild child especially when she mentions washing her face with (what I always read as) kitchen cleaner.

And I think Enid has a few wild child tendencies too

[ClientListQueen]

I'm a wild child?! Lord

[ClientListQueen]

Wild child probably sums up the photos from my latest shoot actually
Purchases
Bobbi brown crushed lip in hippy shake (perfect my nude lip shade)
Bobbi brown luxe kohl
Came with some samples too of a matte lip, mascara and eyeshadow stick

[botemp]

Yes, rewards and lots of presents, please, and for that wanky MN Recommends quote of mine to be expunged from my record, please 🙏

Obviously Enid has wild child tendencies too, she went to Mallory Towers after all.

It's almost like the old days tonight when we'd be chatting up such a storm we ended up in trending.

[botemp]

Hippy shake, definitely sounds like a wild child colour and you were totally smelling like one recently with the patchouli hair mask a couple of weeks ago.

[ClientListQueen]

I'm planning my makeup for a night out tomorrow, let's hope it goes well! It did look surprisingly good in the pics

[Pupsiecola]

Thanks for the new thread Bo. I'm off to the Alps tomorrow for a week of skiing (unlike some previous years it looks like there will be sooooo much snow). Different resort to usual = different pharmacie :-)

[botemp]

Safe travels and hope you won't be hindered too much by the strikes, Pupsie, hoard your fuel and all that.

[BlueSkyAtChristmas]

The snailies sound good to me as a Newbie. Will save me scrawling back through the last threads!

@botemp I think there will be unwanted surratt lid laquers on eBay if kumugi is your colour. It is very shiny so not sure if that’s the look you want. But it isn’t sticky so sits nicely on my face

[BlueSkyAtChristmas]

Please post your synced products for us newbies and any buying tips for Timeless vit C as I’m definitely getting that after the Dr Sebagh stuff runs out. and at synced periods!

[botemp]

Blue, yes, I have eBay alerts set up for products I use often and since Surratt is niche so long as it's unused (easy to see) I'm not too worried. The lid lacquer has been popping up lately and I do like the look of the colour. There's actually a shop carrying Surratt here but they don't sell the lid lacquers (yet).

People ask for this quite a bit but I'm always hesitant about posting a list on here because for many it just means that's all they'll look at without reading anything else and just slap on a load of actives all at once, skip the SPF because why bother if the sun isn't out, etc. etc. Not that I think you're asking for that, you've been here long enough but anyone just opening the thread skimming over large blocks of text will utilise it as such. I don't mind giving out product recs in conversation, where appropriate, but I tend to avoid being badgered for product recs with no context to go on by posters just popping in because there are no universal answers to this. In a way, skincare is really simple but it's made very complicated by many and I don't really want to further contribute to that confusion of that by piling on another bulk of products to try 'that work' when that only works if x,y,z which gets ignored as people tend to be overly product-focused.

The Snailies will give a good impression anyhow and if anyone asks we're usually good at recommending something and giving duplicate answers

[BlueSkyAtChristmas]

thanks @botemp for your explanation- completely understand as it makes sense! I think I’m ok for now until I run out of product and looking to replace something. I might spend my Space NK points during the sale on Dr Dennis Gross and the Surratt smokey eye baton

If anyone UK based has buying tips for the timeless vitamin c (recommendations of stores online) please let me know. It sounds better than the Dr Sebagh as it’s watery which I would prefer. I’m finding the vit c powder/ serum combo very sticky.

What I have noticed from following a proper routine is that my makeup is sitting better. It lasts longer and I don’t look a mess by mid afternoon. My skin looks noticeably more radiant. Fingers crossed it lasts.

I’ve avoided using the Frezyderm around my eyes because that area was gett

[BlueSkyAtChristmas]

Oops posted too soon. Was just saying skin around my eyes feels a bit sensitive. There’s some sensitivity around my nose too. So will go easy on the acids- upping my use of the Vit E malin and Goetz moisturiser for bedtime- and using the Cerave hydrating cleanser for morning and bedtime

[botemp]

This is the official Timeless retailer for the UK and Europe, Blue. Don't order too far in advance as you want it as fresh as possible and you need to keep it in the fridge otherwise it oxidises before you can use it up

www.timeless-uk.com/

[BlueSkyAtChristmas]

Just wanted to say that this thread has really opened my eyes. I have tended to fall into the trap of thinking that higher priced skincare = better results. But I’m starting to question the recommendations of certain beauty “experts” and wonder if they’re more on the side of brands at the expense of consumers’ wallets. I’ve been using the INCI decoder and it’s an eye opener!

[BlueSkyAtChristmas]

Perfect thanks @botemp I’ll use the up the Dr Sebagh first and purchase it early next year when I’m ready to use it

[botemp]

Those that accept PR/press samples/freebies just don't experience the loss of capital of a beauty purchase themselves and that will influence their opinion no matter how much they claim it doesn't and they only recommend things they love, blah blah. You make different choices when it's your money and that ascribes different senses of value.

The Timeless serum is very similar to the gold standard of Vit C serums, Skinceuticals CE Ferulic (as much as possible considering it's patented, the Timeless workaround is very clever though). Skinceuticals gifts their serum to beauty editors and influencers, and not just once, they keep them permanently restocked.

If SC was sending me their Vitamin C serum on repeat I'd never bother looking at anything else, it's the nicest Vitamin C I've ever tried but I find it too much money for what it is and the slight edge it has over Timeless isn't worth 5x the RRP to me. Doesn't matter that I can afford to, it just doesn't have value to me.

In that gifted scenario I'd never dare recommend what is essentially a copycat version for far less money in fear of offending SC who have been so generous with me all this time. I'd just mention the SC as the best thing since sliced bread and absolutely buy it if you can afford it but if you can't afford that maybe look at something like The Ordinary they're ok too. When really they're horrible to use and potentially quite irritating but the price point is so low they're not realistic competition to those who spend £££ on skincare like SC because it buys them a sense of assurance.

These types of 'authentic' recommendations from 'honest' experts really just prey on fear and lack of knowledge, and are a little belittling with the suggestion that good skincare comes at an inflated price and if you're a sad sod who can't afford that you have to thank your lucky stars that there's something sort of okay out there in your price range. It basically encourages those with a moderate budget to overstretch themselves.

Essentially that's why I prefer not to be too product focussed on here, I'd rather supply the knowledge that allows people to confidently make their own choices with whatever budget they have. It's not an approach that makes any money though. Not complaining, not interested in making money off the back of others lack of knowledge that I'd be knowingly withholding, only to impart in small sound bites to strengthen a sales pitch, to keep my own cash flow going. If others sleep easy earning their money in that manner that largely favours the industry with their following indirectly contributing, that's their choice, but I couldn't do it.

[EnidButton]

My lipstick is here! Haven't had chance to really look at it yet. Tomorrow I'm having a day in with films and snacks so I'll be Sunday barefaced with bold berry lips 👄

[ClientListQueen]

I am incredibly drunk and have taken my makeup off and done a full routine. Yay me

[EnidButton]

Well said bo 🐌