Fuck this shit. I've decided I'm going retro with my skin care.

[HoneyDragon]

It occurred to me the other day that I like Steam Cream because it's like a cold cream, but lighter.

I used cold cream (Nivea) every night throughout my teens and early twenties.

It's occurred to me that I've only ever adapted my skin care when stuffs been discontinued or because I've got older and you are supposed to change and you age.

In all honesty my skins no different to it was 15 years ago apart from the odd wrinkle.

I picked up some Nivea last week pm in pound,and and I had forgotten his much crap it gets off my face and how nice it leaves my skin.

So I thought back, and I've spent the last 10 years trying to find a cleanser as good as Himalaya cleansing milk, and non have been, not even close. Even Lancôme and Clarins. You could see the grime come off your skin, and it melted make up in seconds (stung the eyes though so used Nivea to remove eye up).

So I've ordered some on Ebay that is imported.

And ditto for Ponds Vanishing Cream. That was so good in the mornings that I could go without make up and it kept my shine free all day. And when I put make up no primer was required.

So I've sourced that too. Up till now never occurred to me to see if they were still been manufactured else where in the world.

I am happy and excited, and can't wait till they come

What other products were really brilliant that you just can't get in the UK anymore?

does anyone remember the magazine adverts for Rimmel lipsticks and nail varnishes? Used to be loads of small pics of a womans lips/nail showing the different colours available. I used to be a 'Russet in Gold' and 'Heather Shimmer' fan meself

nails

I use cold cream to remove make up, it's the only thing that doesn't aggravate my eyes and to clean my face at night time, as it saves night cream faffage

Does cold cream remove waterproof mascara? It's the bane of my life. Have tried so many eye make-up removers: cheap, expensive, in-between ... Everything works for a bit and then stops working.

I presume you wash the cold cream off with soap/water afterwards?

Well you could but I'm a slap it on wipe it off with tissue/toilet roll kind of girl.

I bought some Astral cream from Superdrug today, it's half price! It smells amazing, kind of clean and a bit powdery and old fashioned. Planning to use it as body lotion.

Also, Gridelin from CTG - thanks for mentioning this amazing product, I loved it and I can imagine that lovely rainwater smell now. I would so love it if CTG came back to life, it was pretty much my favourite company, and I used to leaf through the catalogue every day, planning and plotting what to buy.

Back in the 90's when the Boots Natural Collection was huge they used to do a tea tree oil control 2 in 1 toner type thing. It was absolutely amazing at removing home hairdye stains. Nothing worked like it.

Cold cream is great if wiped off with hot flannel

I've loved reading this thread!! When I was a teenager the must-haves were Body Shop lip balm but only the kiwi one was cool for some unknown reason, also Miss Selfridge black eyeliner pencil and Impulse Captivation.....I remember going to a scout disco with friends and we were rather liberal with the body spray.....we got in the car to go and my friends dad had to get out and have an almighty coughing fit!!!

What else? Constance Carroll lip glosses, oh and Lou Lou perfume!!!! I loved the Body Shop for skin care and used to take the empties in for refilling, such a good idea!

I still use Nivea, never stopped! And I read in Just Seventeen that Claudia Schiffer used olive oil to condition her hair so I've been doing that for 15 years. Have to say coconut oil is better Claudia - doesn't turn your hair from blonde to browny green.

You can still get Mudd masks, I love them, they form the key part of my weekly pampering bath! Scrub with Clearasil, apply mask, lie in bath til face feels rock hard, remove with hot wet cloth, apply oil, massage, then Nivea. I'm proper 80s with my skincare! Superdrug sell them and also do their own brand version which is ace, and in sensitive and hardcore deep clean varieties

As an aside, I have recently started using Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser and it is identical to Clearasil creamy cleanser (not sure proper name) for twice the price.

Since reading this thread I've been massaging Nivea cream into my face (from the navy tin - pound shops!) and taking it off with a warm flannel. My skin is lovely and soft!

I need to get some Nivea! It doesn't make you spotty, does it?!

Nope. I have a tendency to spots and Nivea has never triggered them. It does feel very thick and shiny so only use as a night cream. But I wake with smooth soft skin. Wouldn't use in day - though actually I did today cos haven't left house

Nivea made me spotty. I posted about it above. Lots of little, sore chin and nose spots.

Just thought of another one. Nailoid in a little round blue pot. It was a waxy cream to rub into nails to condition them. I have never found anything else as good

This thread has been great fun to read. I have decided when I have used up all my Clinique, recently found out from a mini facial that my skin is very dry but does not feel it, so obviously Clinique not working, I will buy that new range from Superdrug, B. It is supposed to be paraben free and just as good as Clarins and the big names. For me Simple cleanser is brilliant and have used for years. Also for hot cloths, I bought 20 dishcloths for a £1 about 6 years ago and they are just as good as muslin cloths. I have also recently bought Vichy products, currently reduced by £7 a product, plus with points from Boots saved a further £6. My skin feels great and better than using Clinique. I can't believe I have said that!

Nivea to me is so strongly perfumed it gave me rash. Clinique also strips my skin, even though I tired the mildest formula, they tried to sell me the even stronger stuff, just because I had darh hair?!

For me the oil cleansing method is brilliant, but it was too fiddly to maintain. Now it just use simple cleansing products and moisturisers, always the richest formula they have, and not conversely be skin is much less spotty and feels smooth an plump. I believe that dry flaky skin clogs up pores just as much as oily skin.

I also use tretioin, a topical retinoid. It is an acne treatment, but also is anti-ageing. You are meant to get it on orescriptin but I get it from India when my mum visits (I have fair white European skin though, only pointing this out as we are talking about skin care!). It takes a while for your skin to et used to and you go through a flaky phase at first, but you are left with smooth, blemish and wrinkle free skin. I also don't use it evey day. You have to wear string sun protection with it though as it can make you skin photosensitive though. But wearing a sunscreen is probably a good thing anyway!

Imso I used Isotrex for many years for acne made my skin great but the peeling of skin was strange may try again one day. Simple products seem to be a winner all round.

Back in the mid 90's I was never without my Rimmel Earth Star lippy, Gap Dream (?) perfume and a gigantic bottle of Boots baby oil.
Hair was perfected with lashings of Insette - you could crack nuts on my fringe!

I'm not sure how retro this is but its certainly easier on the budget- sea salt or table salt mixed in a bowl with a splash or two of olive oil. Use as a bodyscrub in the shower or bath, be careful not to slip if you have put too much oil in the mix. Pat dry with an old towel, then walk around tidying up naked for a couple of minutes. Super soft skin.

Also mayonnaise is reportedly good for hair as a conditioner although I hate the smell so haven't tried it. I did however try the recommendation of mashed up bananas at 12yrs and it was hell getting them out of my hair. I must have spent half an hour putting that apple shampoo back on!

I also used to use the boots cucumber range, use cheap baby body lotion to take off make up and I was think about those japenese face grains from the body shop last week. Although they didn't smell nice.

Ooh, I like this thread. I used E45 cream all through my teens until my boyfriend told me it had steroids and all sorts in it. WTF was he thinking of?

Might have to go buy myself some of the Boots cucumber stuff. Their gel that someone mentioned was amazing when you'd just shaved your legs.

Does anyone else remember, not that long ago (ten years? A bit more?) Botanics used to do a dinky little pot of eye cream that was a pinkish shade with a sort of mousse texture? It was amazing and the only eye cream that's ever felt vaguely useful. I don't know if they stopped doing it (I went through a skint stage and stopped buying, anyway!).

Oh ... also remember my mate and me making sugar scrub for our faces out of Cosmo or something. Literally, neat lemon juice on face, rub in castor sugar, leave, rinse.

I'm cringing but we were amazed it did feel quite smooth (as, er, things tend to when you've basically sandpapered them ...).

I use baby lotion to take off makeup, and Boots moisturising cream as face cream I've used these since my late teens. I'm now 50. My skin is bloody fantastic for my age. Everybody comments on it.

I have tried others, but they just don't do it like this combo do. I once stopped to try out some foundation on a very expensive makeup stand. The assistant told me I must spend a fortune on products to get such great skin. She nearly fell off her chair when I told her...

It's even better if Boots have a buy one get one half price offer on! I think I spend about £3.00 quid a month on skincare

Imsooverit- A friend of my Mum's worked for Clinique and told us that originally Clinique's USP was that it was £££ high end stuff for bad skin, hence very strong harsh concoctions. Obviously as an advertising soundbite "for people with bad skin" didn't really pull in the hordes, so they subtly changed it over the years to bring it line with all the other high end ranges. And that's why it is very very harsh stuff still.

I can't use their skincare at all. Makes my face look like I've been at the sandpaper.

Isitpimms- was Impulse Captivation in a shocking pink can? I had the pink one and the black one which was called IIRC Nirvana. Smelled like a tart's boudoir (according to my Dad )