amazing faces-join our quiche and watch the years roll back!

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sorry for rubbish title, it's been a very long day!

For lapomme - and others!

www.cultbeauty.co.uk/competitions/cult-beauty-box-caroline-hirons

Itsalldrama I can't believe what great results in such a short time! Lucky you.

euphemia are you using any retinol products at all? I had sore skin this weekend but realised I had used a FAB pad in the evening and they can react with retinols to cause irritation. Added to that a run the next day so SPF and sweat on top of already unhappy skin and youch, it was pink and sore like yours. I've now spilt my hoard into an AM box and a PM box under my sink so no more absent minded aciding!

And my skin is happy again - I had Sunday off everything, just Cerave every few hours. Seemed to work really quickly so I'm back on everything as of last night. AND had my first compliment!! Admittedly from my 3yo DD but she can't stop stroking my face

Yup. On retin a every 3 days. I didn't use on the same day, I don't think I'm going to use in the same week in the future.
Will wait to heal completely before starting up again.

Itsalldrama Don't shoot me but those forehead lines are not going to go away with any skin creams. Retin A may help a little bit over time, but it's best on sun damage, less so on expression lines.

However, I can tell you that those lines respond amazingly well to botox. They will totally disappear and it will be miraculous.

Euphemia I have had similar burns in a similar spot. Ease off on everything, except maybe something bland and very moisturising like a non-fragranced face oil or Nivea. Give it a couple of days and when you go back to the acids, go gently.

I'm loving this thread because it's helping me really strategize my skin care routine. I had a pretty good one involving Olay Regenerist (especially that night time glycolic stuff) and there were real improvements. But then I started with Retin A and it threw me off. I was doing only Retin A and Nivea at night and sun cream during the day (with a supposed AHA toner that I now thing was probably rubbish.)

Then last week my Botox nurse told me about making your own Vitamin C serum and then I found this thread. So I am really on the ball, now. I am (carefully) adding glycolic acid back in to my routine as well as just starting the Vitamin C serum. The Vitamin C needs a few weeks to really show in my skin but the GA is already making a difference.

I have done Retin A (started with .05%) for two months, now, almost every night. I am definitely seeing a difference. My skin is clear and luminous. The GA is giving my skin a silky texture.

I also have very little acne, now. I get the very odd spot. Maybe one a month or so. Some dark marks (scars? sun?) on my cheeks are fading. I was always really red-faced but I am not, now.

Thanks fabulassie I won't shoot you ;) I know it won't make them disappear but my skin overall looks better at least , might forget the retin A and just continue with what I'm doing , I agree with Botox ! It's magic but unfortunately I can't afford it now ... Sob ... Used to have 3 a year up to a year ago , think that's why I'm fixated on those bloody lines every time I look in the mirror ;) would have some more immediately if I could !

Aw! :( I'm sorry that it's not in your budget, now.

TRY to not fixate on them. Other people don't, I can assure you.

I know this sounds like something your/our mothers would say but I do believe it is true: the most beautiful thing we can do to our faces is also the cheapest and that is to smile. Get some pretty lippy and dazzle 'em with a smile.

If someone swatted me upside the back of my head for what I just said, I can't say I'd blame them. LOL

Hi Can I join the quiche ?
I am 51 - pretty plain if Im honest but this meant I looked after my skin in my teens and twenties onwards - have never sunbathed and have worn SPF on my face since then because Joan Collins said so !

I have a couple of tiny age spots on one cheek, hardly any wrinkles and quite a fine pored texture but I need a bit of a boost generally.
Skin is combination, oily on nose and chin and has felt very meh and grubby recently.

I used REN glycolic mask for a couple of nights ( I had a sample)and the difference was amazing ,so here I am !

Lol fabulassie :) I do love my lippy :)

Please critique my regime

.

AM: Elemis Pro Radiance cream,washed off with warm flannel.
Elemis Apricot soothing toner spritzed.
LOccitane Immortelle cream ( have seen the Beautypedia reviews - am sticking with this anyhow,its brilliant)
LOccitane Divine Cream ( see above , makes my skin texture really fine)
Vichy Ideal Soleil SPF 50 Mattifying face fluid ( smells gorgeous)

PM : Double cleanse:
Body shop Camomile silky Oil, remove with warm flannel ,followed by Pro radiance as above.
Nip and Fab Glycolic pad.
Spritz with Pro radiance Apricot soothing toner.
La Roche Posay Redermic Intense.

I am going very carefully as I have super sensitive skin.
I have recently had very sensitive ( excruciating spots) under my nose and dry skin above, nothing looks nice, it looks oily and dry around my nose

No expert to critique a routine and I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon... But why two creams in the morning? Is one a serum? IDo not I'd swap one cream for a more active serum to address whatever you concern is.

And only other thing you might want to try is doing the Nip & Fab in your am routine, not pm - acids and retinols work better when kept well apart.

Oh Ok - will do the Glycolic in the morning.

I have always used both in the morning but may be I will do the Divine at night .

What's the difference between divine and immortelle?

untamed I did not know that about acids and retinols, hmm might need to change things a bit

first impressions on day 2:

loving the nip&fab pads which smell nice too although no tingle - does that mean I need something stronger?

LRP effaclar tonic, looks and smells like windowlene, not liking as much as the nip &fab

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread. My skin is looking so much better, and I have realised that changes I was putting down to ageing and inevitable were actually me not taking care of myself. I feel so much better.

I don't know
I have taken the Divine out in the past but I really find it affects the appearance of my skin.
Its finer and smoother with the Divine.

I did also buy a serum today - the Superdrug B Advanced serum .
No idea when I should use this but it has lots of anti aging ingredients that Hot and Flashy recommended.

Divine costs more than Immortelle and is somehow 'creamier'.
Both are very very good.
Divine smells of stale cat's piss however, whilst Immortelle smells, well, divine.
I am using Immortelle spritzy thingy as my hydrating toner.

Thanks so much Plumstone! Asian routines are fascinating, will definitely look into them. Continuing with quirky K-Beauty products - today, wearing wonderfully soothing snail goo on my face after a sweltering hot day...

The hardcore acid stuff is really scaring me off. I'm giving glycolic acid a break, using it just once or twice a week, as I really don't want a setback. I did not use Nip + Fab pads last night, just a sleeping mask, and can't see a difference. I still have a glow - so I think that I need plumping and hydration more than buffing and exfoliation. When I had the awful perioral, the derm explained that harsh clansing routines disrupt the barrier function of the skin, resulting in a warfare of cytokines and inflammation - explained in detail here. In some skin types, a silent inborn structural defect is actually activated by harsh outer environments and the result is visible skin damage. While peels peels make the skin appear nicer, they actually damage the protective barrier. So it is a mixed blessing! So if your skin is raw, discontinue everything and support the healing process! In my experience, zinc and good ceramids help. If your skin is finicky, protecting its lipids is really the key!

Thanks Sangria
I have experimented without the Immortelle and my spots come back( DD as well)
The Divine makes my skin really soft and fine .
Im going to use the B Advanced serum in the morning with the Immortelle and Divine with the LRP at night.

Will report back !

I have another couple of questions, apologies if they've already been asked.

Home made vit c serum - is it ok to use am and pm or is just once enough? Is it ok to use with retinol, or should they be kept apart?

I presume retinol and retinyl are the same, is it ok to use more than one product at a time that contains retinol (serum and cream) or should it be one or the other?

If using glycolic/salicylic pads dont use a retinol serum at the same time?

Thanks.

You can use Vit C with retinol, they complement each other.

The amount of retinol in cosmetic products is low so you are prob fine using more than one retinol product but start with one only first just in case you react.

And I use my acid about 30 min before Retin A - I'm OK with it but suspect it's not the 'official' advice