Update on my attempt to look younger

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

I posted here about a month ago about my withering beauty (hem hem) .... My big issue was skin and generally looking fat, wrinkly and a bit fucked. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/1855920-I-need-to-get-off-my-ass-and-drop-10-years-from-my-face

Gots lots of advice (thanks!) then went on amazon.

Dh keeps saying I "suddenly" look ten years younger, says I look glowing and that my eyes are clearer. He has no idea I've been Making An Effort (fags aside) so I'm over the moon (especially as that's what I said I needed to do...lose ten years). I can see I look a lot younger too and it's amazing as I'm getting v bad sleep right now (teething babies) and feel exhausted.

So I just wanted to share what I've been doing in case anybody else is on the cusp of panic about their looks....especially if you're skint like me! I had no idea you could change so much in a month....and I only spent about fifty quid!!!!

1. Stopped smoking (about two months ago)
2. Stopped drinking almost entirely..had 2 small glasses wine this month (used to have that a night)
3. Stopped caffeine, replaced with carbonated water and mint tea...both are particularly good for skin.
4. Started taking biotin for skin and hair
5. Loreal renew serum on eyelashes (couldn't afford rapid lash) keeps them from dropping out, so they get longer some short bits which have always irritated me have filled in and I can't tell which eye, so it must work...I always look as though wearing mascara.
6. Dermaflannel technique using microfibre cloths from amazon.
7. Lemon and aspirin scrub for blackheads twice week....works brilliantly.
8. Bought peptabright for reddened chin.
9. Did pearl drops for one month, which lightened my teeth considerably....well 3-4 shades I think?

10. then bought hydrogen peroxide 3% been using it as mouthwash every few days, it's made my teeth really shiny. (Stopped that now)
11. Scale n polish at dentist
12. Got eyebrows threaded.
13. Moisturise coupon morning and night with shea butter.
14. Daily pregnacare

I been trying to sort out my nails too...but they are still grey ... Tried whitening them with denture tablets but no change :) any tips welcome!

Still planning on facial exercises, have done them a few times but keep forgetting.

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Nah, no peelin. And yep, I love cake and wine but was getting seriously upset about my appearance....normal at 39 I suspect!

I wanted to use crest strips, but....it's just peroxide which is 90p from a chemist and a couple of swishes a week apparently does the same but you can't avoid it hitting your gums....

[Elsiequadrille]

Goodness, 90p! Will have to look into that.

[RaisingthedeadArizona]

Well done Fergus. Esp on the smoking/drinking and caffeine. They must have been hard to forego. And brilliant that people are noticing the effects of your new regime too.

I'm also a dermaflannel convert. My skin has never looked clearer/fresher/more even. I got the Amazon ones first then got the Bravura. I prefer the cheapo Amazon ones. They work better for me.

Coconut oil as face/body/scalp moisturiser and hair de-frizzer and for oil pulling mouthwash. Teeth have whitened by one or two shades and staining where teeth join are nearly gone.

More protein in my diet and started iron tablets. Have only been doing this for a week but already feel a bit less slug-like and DP said I looked well today. Usually he says I look tired out (probably because I am).

[lucysmam]

Can I have a link to the microfibre cloths from amazon please? Have looked at the Bravura one a couple of times but it's a bit too £££ for my purse atm

[lucysmam]

Really? I shall add some from Poundland to my list for Tuesday then and try them, thanks

[hoboken]

So impressive, Fergus. Where do you buy hydrogen peroxide?

[Coumarin]

Has anyone tried Spirulina? I used it during IVF to up my protein levels but apparently it's good for skin or something too?

I read your first post Fergus and I'm curious about the red toothpaste. Did you get some? I've never heard of it before so wondering how it works.

[ProtectiveMother]

V interesting and well done!

Can someone tell me what you do with the flannels? Just scrub your face with them like an exfoliating treatment?

I have given up alcohol too for a good while now gradually. I also don't eat sugar for a few years. It's really ok if you use grapes , bananas, honey, maple syrup and other fruit at the beginning but with me I was just trying to limit/cut out actual refined sugar ...

I definitely need to try and limit my caffeine now though! Carbonated water may be the way!

[ProtectiveMother]

Nb I also don't eat wheat. Cutting out wheat and sugar has led to a drastic weight loss!

[Redtartanshoes]

Watching with interest

[FunnyRunner]

Also watching with interest. OP sounds like you are doing really well

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Frownies... Forgot I tried them too! It's worth it before a big day, I'd say, you whack on the p,aster when you go to bed and you have a smooth brow in the morning for a few hours. I think anusol does a better job of tightening the skin tbh.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00027DMSI/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Renewal lash
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002E9H6SY/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Peptabright
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DVOIOY6/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Biotin
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004H7GB9G/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Lucysmam...heres the face cloths:
Face cloths
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AGBXWU8/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Coumarin: Toothpaste is called email diamant...I got it off amazon but it just makes your tongue bright pink. Plus they overcharged postage by a fair bit which really annoyed me, I wouldn't buy it again tbh.

Hoboken: Peroxide from boots, they have it under the counter. Boots sells 9% so I do a cap in two caps of water, some swishing around then spit and mouthwash immediately...it doesn't taste bad while you're doing it, but when you're spitting it out, it tastes pretty nasty.

So, Protective mother, wheat and sugar....what did you substitute? And pls tell me about the drastic sight loss! I've tried rye bread but it just made me feel a bit sad....think I just need to quit bread full stop

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

You use the flannels to stroke upwards quite lightly....the first time I looked sunburnt which freaked me out as I've got horribly sensitive skin. Apparently it's good for reducing pore size and leaning them.

[ProtectiveMother]

So could I just use a facecloth and rub upwards quite hard? (Might be missing the point)

Right well I followed an old Indian birth diet a few years back. Lots of rice, wheat free pasta, rye bread or Genius or Yes you can bread, crackers, oatcakes, nuts, potatoes (lots of!), fruit, healthy vegetables...

Re weight loss well I was a 14 and now I'm a 10/12 but I was never doing it to lose weight. Just kind of happened. I also do yoga and walking, swimming, running.

[ProtectiveMother]

Re: the sugar in the beginning it was hard but a half a teaspoon of honey in camomile tea in the evening, a few grapes, a banana, a fruit dessert made with maple syrup, natural yoghurt with spoonful honey etc etc are great replacements to ward off cravings in the early days but the idea isn't to overload on these instead ;-)

Then with the wheat, in the early days, the wheat free stuff didnt taste great but I really like rye bread toasted with peanut butter or honey and now I actually love the taste of the alternative breads I've listed :-)

[milkyman]

Nu Nails cream from Boots is amazing

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Oatcakes! I never thought of those....sugar I can manage just about, but wheat....I've already failed today!

[ElizabethBathory]

That's really inspiring OP! What pearl drops did you use? I had a look on Boots and there are loads of different products so I couldn't decide...

[youretoastmildred]

you are an inspiration!

About the skincare stuff: if you don't mind me asking, what was your skin like before? I have tricky sensitive skin, very very dry but also prone to spots. I am interesting in deep cleaning without irritating. what is your skin like?

thank you!

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

mildred, i have awful psoriasis; My skins dry dry dry, the only part with any oil is my nose where of course I have a lot of blackheads. Before I was white grey complexion, now I've got a permanently rosy glow. Overall it's a lot clearer.

So anything I've tried has been gentle and it's been fine for my skin I'd say its ok for most people! Anybody with dry skin shoukd get hold of shea butter, it's got the highest healing fraction of all topical oils and I can see my psoriasis Improve day by day

[JimmyCorpseHell]

Firstly OP, you have the best user name ever
Secondly, great thread. Especially re: psiorisis. Thank you!

[ProtectiveMother]

What kind of Shea butter did you use ? (I imagine you're like me in that you can't use anything with perfume?)

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

This is the stuff. If you have dreadful skin, it's the biz. At one point I looked like a burns victim as my P was so bad. I rubbed this in five times a day, wrapped my limbs in cling film and bit by bit it almost disappeared. 1kg lasts about six months and its all you need :)


www.amazon.co.uk/1kg-Organic-Shea-Butter-Unrefined/dp/B004SM9CZK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1382992150&sr=8-4&keywords=shea%20butter&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21