🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Vanities Are The New Shelf Porn

[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?

So You Want To Buy A Retinoid - A Guide

MAY 2020: We're in lockdown and it's doing weird things to our faces

[Pupsiecola]

Thank you Bo

[ClientQ]

Shelf porn. I'm waiting on glass stands for my mirror to rest on so it'll look better then! I'm not one for having everything tidied away, prefer it to hand
And some skincare I'm shielding and have nothing else to spend my money on, I'm not suggesting people run out and buy all this as I couldn't usually afford it

[Pupsiecola]

I'm sure it's a case of you knowing exactly where everything is Client! Is that the new CH kits?

[Pupsiecola]

PS, with you on the spending. Our food bill is beyond ridiculous (me, DH and 17/15 year old boys). The only other thing to spend on is skincare lol. I bought some TTDO balm yesterday. I've been using up the oil form that I bought for DS but that brought him out in spots. I don't like it either. So it's been relegated to the shower. I also ordered some more Aveda Hand Relief (saucy name!!) and the foot version. I've also ordered 3 different SPFs mentioned here from eBay to try out.

[ClientQ]

They are the kits
My glass stands just arrived so it's a bit prettier now

[Jedstre]

Thanks for new thread Bo.

How are you finding the Vit C capsules client and have you tried anything else from the CH bags?

I like that Aveda hand cream and foot cream pupsie. I used to buy a lot from Aveda, mostly hair products, but not for a while.

untamed I have always continued retinoids over summer other than if I go on a ‘sun holiday’ then I stop about two weeks before and don’t take it with me.

vegancow I’m fair and the Heliocare tinted gel is ok for me.

[ClientQ]

I am being VERY restrained and using stuff up and replacing as I go with the stuff from the kit
The vitamin C capsules feel nice, smell good and I liked the texture, used one this morning

[UntamedShrew]

Thanks for summer/ winter views - agree this year likely to be very different anyway in costa del garden... so I’ll continue for longer with the PC retinol treatment and then maybe upgrade to something stronger via dermatica - sounds like a few of you use and I’d assume you’d recommend them?

[Jedstre]

First month of Derrmatica untamed and I’m happy with it (I’ve got three months free so what’s not to like )
Seriously, I do like that the tret and niacinamide are combined in one gel that’s a very pleasant texture.

[Pupsiecola]

Happy with the Dermatica too. Completely missed the free 3 month offer. Doh.

I agree it's a nice texture. I barely need a moisturiser before bed feels-wise (been doing night-time routine around 7pm). But I do use one anyway.

[Pupsiecola]

Current routine: not typed out here for ages:

AM
Cosrx low pH Good Morning Cleanser
2-3 x per week - PC Resist 2% BHA or LRP Effaclar Astringent Lotion
Timeless Vit C
Inkey List Caffeine Eye Serum
Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturising Lotion with 2-3 drops of PC Peptides Booster
SPF - either Biore Watery Essence or LRP Anthelios Gel

PM
Either TTDO balm or Curel Cleansing Gel and/or Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser depending on SPF/make-up use
Every other night - Tret with nia (soon going to every night)
Cerave PM Lotion (with a drop or two of DE Marula Oil where necessary)

Any feedback?

[Stinkyjellycat]

Wow, these threads are amazing. So much Information!

I have been using 0.05 Tretinoin every 3 days (or nights I should say) for a few weeks. I’ve been buffering it with CeraVe pm cream. I haven’t had any redness or flaking yet though when I put moisturiser on my skin, it feels a bit like I’ve got sunburn. Should I expect redness and peeling to start at some point, or is this a good sign?

[Pupsiecola]

I've had very slight peeling on my cheeks and nose since starting 0.025 Tret Stinky. But it's better in the last few days (been using for a couple of weeks every other night). I'm taking that as a sign that I can try every night.

If I were you I'd probably go to every 2 nights OR stick to 3 but don't buffer and see how you go.

I also get the very slight tingly feeling with moisturiser but it doesn't last long at all ( a minute perhaps).

[agteacht]

If you get peeling how do you treat it? Just moisturise to remove? Preparing myself as my dermatica order is in the post!

[Pupsiecola]

ag I've just carried on with my routine as normal. The peeling (very mild) has been on waking. My morning cleanse, Vit C and moisturiser has rectified it. (I've held off acids the last 2 weeks whilst getting used to the Tret).

[Stinkyjellycat]

@pupsiecola
Thanks for the advice. I’m so worried about looking like either a lobster or a lizard but is ridiculous given that we’re still in lockdown and only DH and DC will see me! I used a retinol once before and on day 3 I looked like I had really really bad sunburn and it put me off using it again. It’s take me a while to get the courage to start again!

[Pupsiecola]

I understand stinky (feels rude appreviating that!!).

I went in to hard too fast 3 years ago with Neostrata and had the same experience. Then dialled it back with LRP Redermic R (twice through) then Pestle and Mortar (twice through) then back to Neostrata and I had a much better experience with it!

[agteacht]

Pupsie - oh interesting, I was just going to hold off on acids on the mornings after tret - but I think your approach is better to start with.

[Pupsiecola]

I'm wondering what to do with my hair. It's naturally brunette and I've had it coloured with semi-permanent for the last few years to match my own colour although I've gone half a shade lighter the last few times. I have a lot of hair. According to my hairdresser I don't have many greys, but feel what I do have shows. I've not gone this long without colour so it's interesting to see what colour my roots are and how much is grey.

At my last appointment my hairdresser said she's growing her colour out and is going to go with the greys. We are the same colour. She's about 4 years old than me. She has a lot more grey, she says. She told me to follow jackmartincolorist on IG (wow!).

Anyway, I've always been a brunette. My eyes are brown/green (hard to say some days!). I suit deep, bright warm colours clothes wise. I'm seriously thinking about going gradually lighter, but I would be lost re what colours would suit me. I guess it's based on hair, and skin, and eyes so maybe it won't change that much and I'm overthinking it?

[Stinkyjellycat]

I have extremely thick, dark (Asian) hair but I have a lot of grey now, far more than is typical at my age. I have decided to go significantly lighter, though I’m not sure what exact shade I’ll be aiming for. I think dark hair can be really ageing as you get older, even if it’s natural. I’ve thought about this for ages but I’ve always been reluctant to do it as I feel very attached to my darkness!! I do think it may change the colours I can wear though. I have very fair skin too so I look best in winter jewel colours and I suspect this may change if I go lighter. I might have to use this as an excuse to get my colours done professionally by House of Colour or someone similar.

[botemp]

Catching up.

Skinful, the DE is pretty high strength already, the only next step up I can think of is the Medik8 Crystal Retinaldehyde because that's one conversion step less than retinol and high strength. I think Jedstre jumped in with the 10 strength as an experienced retinol user without issue.

Storage, Muji has some nice things. Most of my skincare is scattered around the house though so I don't really have a need for anything specific. I have all the backups living in a hallway cupboard, my vitamin C is down in the kitchen as are all my sunscreens as I use that straight after. Cleansers in the bathroom, so it's just a handful of items. Still contemplating a skincare fridge in the bedroom, perhaps then I'll need some form of proper orginising storage.

Vegan I haven't used the heliocare tinted gel (it's fragranced, I think) but Lisa Eldridge uses it and despite looking about the same colour (the studio lights make her appear fairer) she's only slightly darker than me and it looks good on her.

I'm curious why they put a derivative in a capsule for those vitamin c capsules. It's stable so it has no added value, seems a bit wasteful unless you travel a lot.

Welcome Stinky, 0.05 is pretty strong to start with so definitely stick with the buffering (AC changed that to buggering ). It sounds like you're currently going through the thinning phase, where skin temporarily thins before it thickens again but it gets very sensitised and it takes little to set it off. It lasts a few weeks, usually, and things that you tolerated fine previously suddenly feel awful. I couldn't wear chemical sunscreens anymore and had to switch to mineral. Is it the Cerave pm that's causing the burning sensation? Peeling is not a guarantee or necessity but I had a similar experience to yours when introducing Tret whereby it all seemed relatively fine until the burning, then when that settled I thought that was the worst of it and then moved up a tad too quickly in frequency and had to step back a little and had some peeling.

I'm trying to figure out hair too. I don't think dark hair is necessarily ageing it's just down to there being very little in variation as there seems to be espresso brown and then there's black with little nuance in between. My mother had nearly black hair (also of Asian decent) and black just looked ridiculously hard on here. I'm more of an espresso brown and I've had demi permanent (not for greys, just for variation) and it wasn't as solid but it still lacked the nuance of normal dark hair. I never really had a lot of grey hair up until now, a handful at most, but lockdown stress has prompted a fair few around my temples to sprout up. I've discussed it with my hairdresser previously and probably will go for hand painted French ballayage in shades quite close to my own (basically the colour it the ends 'bleach' out to from the sun in summer, so it's just painting that colour up so retaining the variation and the nuance of dark hair) and the few greys will just colour along with the lighter colours. Expensive first investment (€300 IIRC) but the upkeep wouldn't be as crazy with frequent root touch ups. Or so I've been promised, anyhow.

[ClientQ]

If anyone fancies some frivolous listening, I can recommend the double cleanse podcast (makeup artist and his twin who talk about makeup and skincare)
The killer cosmetics and sponsorship episodes are great. I'm not a podcast person but I'm addicted to this one great listening while I'm in the bath or doing makeup

[VillageFete]

@ClientQ My kit arrived today too. I got kit 1 (bought two in the end as DP was trying to get me one and we both managed to get through to the checkout at the same time without realising!) I’ve been very restrained and not used any of it yet as I’m happy with my current products but will replace with the kit products once I run out.
Dying to try the Dennis Gross peel pads, which contain lactic and mandelic acid I believe? It says to use every day but i’m thinking twice a week will suffice as I like to use a glycolic AHA peel twice per week? Will I need to scale it back?
That Sunday Riley autocorrect eye cream looks great, although i’m happy with my Cerave eye cream!

Can honestly say that discovering this thread is one of the best things i’ve done. The difference in my skin is noticeable and has given me so much confidence.
It’s been about 6 weeks of my new routine and I went out without make up on yesterday and I looked ok Vit C has been a game changer for me.

[Stinkyjellycat]

Thanks for the welcome @botemp
I’m getting the burning sensation in the morning when I’m using La Roche Posay’s Cicaplast. It’s on like that very briefly so not a problem as such (yet) but it does sting.
The slow and steady nature of using Tretinoin is really frustrating for an impatient person like me. I want to notice a difference now, not in a year’s time so I’ll really have to resist the urge to move to quickly!

[agteacht]

Here is my current regime. Would also appreciate the critique:

AM
Cleanse - Kate Somerville goats milk
Glycolic - nip fab or pixie pads / glow tonic
Vit C - Oskia or Kiehls serum
Eye cream - Inkey caffeine or Kiehls avocado
Moisturiser - Kate Somerville goats milk
SPF - Clinique super city block SPF40

PM
Oil cleanse - Plantastic Beauty Pie
Cream cleanse - KS goats milk / Cerave
Retinol - Medik8 6TR
Eyes - Inkey caffeine
Then either Kate Somerville peptide 8 or Ordinary rose hip oil

From a retinol perspective when I start Tret next week I was thinking of using Pixi Retinol tonic on the other nights rather than Medik8 in order to give my skin more of a break.