All these skincare threads...

[FannyFernackapan]

Are figuratively making my skin break out and weep.

Loads of people putting glycolic acids, retinol, BHA, 5% salicylic acid etc etc etc on their faces. I honestly can't believe half of what I'm reading and I think the long term effects of this won't be good. It's such a 'new' thing and I really couldn't disagree with CH more on some of her ideas.

I'm obviously not a facialist. I'm 43 years old but am pretty much wrinkle free and have 'normal' skin which is probably dehydrated now that I'm knocking on a bit. I put time and effort into looking after my skin and I DO use some faintly heavy duty stuff ( a pumpkin enzyme mask once every few weeks and a sweep of Alpha H maybe once a week now ) but I truly believe that as you age you should look to nourishing, moisturising products that add glow and lustre as opposed to harsh chemicals that you may think are doing 'something' because they're making you break out, but I fear that all they're doing is stripping your skin and ensuring it'll be sensitive and prone to inflammation forever more .

Im not advocating a return to a quick swipe of Simple toner and a blob of Nivea and I love my high end products - namely Eve Lom, Algenist, Oskia, Omorovicza etc but all this daily chemical applying concerns me.

Anyone agree? Or are you all going to flame me ?

In a nutshell, hot cloth cleansing is just taking your cleanser off with a wet flannel rather thsn cotton wool.
It gently exfoliates and removes the cleanser better.
Companies have leapt onto the bandwagon and produced all manner of special cleansers, but any cleanser is fine.

Do you have to use a new flannel every day? Do you mean taking make up off?

Yes and yes. Just lob the cloth in the washer.

So, it's only for make up wearers? I mean, it's a make up removal method not a cleaning your face method.

Well, as a non-makeup wearer, it's how I cleaned my face without knowing it was a 'method'

Making it a 'method' means companies can sell you packets of muslin cloths for ££££s. If you just do it yourself, it's washing your face with a flannel

All I know is that before I found that thread I had bad acne that was getting me down and flaky skin old cystic acne deep red scars. I had it for years and antibiotics wasn't working.

Now I have a couple of newer scars that have faded lovely, I have had ONE spot in two months, just one! My skin feels smooth and plump and it is a nicer colour and looks healthy. I do have old scars that are yet to fade which makes my chin still look bumpy but I am working on them. I used to get at least 4 cystic spots before my period and many other sores ones. I am amazed that I spent years looking for something to work and now I have found it.

I use retin A and have had no bad effects from it at all. That has been proven over and over again to help with ageing and acne though. I have had no purging or redness with any products.

I think the acid toning and double cleansing made the most difference for me and I could not be happier.

I use CH's recommended cheap acids pads and mostly aldi serums. The most expensive thing I use is Liquid Gold once or twice a week. My cleanser is like £2.50 for a big bottle and I have three quarters left after two months of using it.

I can't tell you how lovely it is to not wake up to new painful sore cystic spots.

I know. I've been using a flannel for years. So, I'm rather amused by this new cleansing method. Though I'm partial to the odd wet wipe cloth too.

How long before soap and water is repackaged as a new thing?

A friend of mine uses Astral moisturiser. I always find that funny too. It's really old school. Like cold cream. Her skin is amazing though.

It comes in vats. A big pot of white gunk.

Another friend uses Anne French. Remember that stuff? It used to be advertised in Jackie magazine.

I have only just got my skin back under control after trying retin-a cream. My face was peeling and was so dry and uncomfortable I started using thick greasy moisturisers, which clogged my pores and made me break out in the worst zits I've had since I was a teenager! Nothing stronger than Pixi Glow or Liquid Gold for me now.

Starring nature-derived glycolic acid (it comes from sugar cane), this overnight treatment harnesses the cell-stimulating and exfoliating properties of alpha hydroxy acids, which melt the 'glue' that binds dulling dead cells to skin surface, revealing the healthy 'new' skin cells beneath. What's more, by lowering skin's pH (from 5.5 to around 3), this stimulates cellular activity - accelerating repair and renewal processes, as skin works hard to re-establish equilibrium.

This is what is says about Liquid Gold. Please don't take this the wrong way, but is this actually true? It melts the "glue" that binds dulling dead cells? Stimulates cellular activity. Can it actually do this?

Actually this is one of the rare true claims in the beauty industry. Glycolic/lactic/salicylic acid all help old dead skin cells on the surface of your skin break off revealing newer skin underneath. Salicylic is oil soluble so also clears up blackheads. They've also been shown to increase the thickness of your skin which makes it look younger.

So amazingly, for once it is true.

thisishowyoudisappear

Because your skin doesn't necessarily need the same treatment every day. If my skin is feeling fairly normal, I will use a light milky lotion but if it's stressed or dry it might reapond better to an oil-based cream. Likewise, if I've been wearing tons of make up or sunscreen I might need something thicker to get it all off.

Ahhh, can't beat a tub of white gloop

You see MamaLazarou that's where I would disagree with CH again. Your skin takes 6 weeks to turn over - that's weeks to see any real response to products, it isn't different every day. All the day to day adjustment to my mind is just stressing it out.

I'd rather just have a bunch of products I know work and use the same everyday - and when I'm using the right products my skin is exactly the same everyday, it's what I thought was the aim of the game.

I'm an Astral devotee, have been for about 15 years. Never been even slightly tempted to try any other moisturiser. Its perfection on my skin, my face practically sighs with pleasure when I put it on! And I think its got mineral oil in it too, so CH would probably disapprove

Can i ask a couple of thick q's?

So, I rarely wear make up so any cleansing would just be to remove daily grime / oil /build up etc

Double cleansing: is that just using a cleanser, then using it again?

Is hot cloth cleansing just wiping a cleanser on your face and then using a warm wet flannel to wash it off?

I have normal / oily skin, slight blemishes, increases slightly before period, pores visible on nose and chin...

Joyce you are correct on both counts - some people use different cleansers for wash 1 and 2.

As a non-makeup wearer I don't double cleanse - when I wear makeup I just automatically used a micellar water and then my normal cleanser, so was double cleansing without realising.

You would probably see a real difference from using a salicylic acid product and oil-free moisturiser.

Several years ago I decided to up my skincare game. Up until then I'd been a cleanse, moisturise and spf kind of woman but I was 50 and well what did I have to lose? I had no history of allergies or skin sensitivity.

I tried a number of products: AHAs, retinols, serums ... a bit scattergun but nothing you couldn't buy over the counter in any store.

To cut a long story short, I ended up with the mother and father of all reactions. At one stage, the only thing I could put on my face was olive oil (which incidentally worked very well). Things did calm down but now I have very sensitive skin and only trust a tiny number of products.

If I could have my time again I would:

1. Ask myself exactly what I wanted a new product to do and why I needed it e.g. why 2 cleansers? what does that serum do that a moisturiser won't etc?

1. Be sceptical about anything recommended on a blog or skincare website unless I was positive the review wasn't sponsored.

1. Introduce one new product at a time and wait at least 4 weeks before trying the next one.

1. Stop at the first sign of any irritation and fuck any instructions that say otherwise.

1. Keep a note of ingredients so that I'd have some idea what to avoid.

1. Not treat my face like a chemistry lab.

Sorry for long post

Kundry

Ok, thanks for reply: Can you suggest / recommend a salicylic acid product & oil free moisturiser (pref with an spf?)

Can I suggest you ask on the dreaded amazing faces thread?

Anyway for a range of budgets:

Clearasil pads - cheap, may feel too harsh for some
Effaclar Duo - brilliant, uses up quite fast
Clinique Mild Exfoliating Lotion - not as strong as the rest
Paula's Choice 2% BHA - the product that got me into skincare, still my favourite

I haven't used a moisturiser with SPF per se but tend to find the SPF product mositurising enough as I'm on the oily side.

I've liked Sunsense Daily Face, Avon Anew e-Defence, best is Heliocare gel which is unsurprisingly the most expensive.

Oh and listen to Floisme's advice, especially changing one thing at a time and waiting 4 weeks.

ah thanks, I haven't seen the amazing faces thread so will try to find it!

Will start with budget clearasil pads and see if my face explodes.

Double cleansing seems easy, may even stretch to a flannel!

My mum thinks I use too many lotions and potions on my face, and she and I have roughly similar wrinkles

Unfortunately I inherited my dad's acne prone skin not her wonder skin, and so a bit of soap and water isn't nearly enough to keep it under control

Probably about half of the people on the Amazing Faces thread use Astral. I've used it all my life, especially on my neck.

Nivea blue pot is another big hit, though it is thicker than Astral so doesn't absorb as easily.

CH likes both IIRC.