Fantastic Skincare And Where To Find It

[Pupsiecola]

In honour of bo who has been so helpful on the first thread, which can be found here...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/a2759152-Skincare-Ingredients

Oh pleeeease don't speak of gold! Now I want one too!! Reminds me I still have a Casmara mask!

Speaking of there is a very good therapeutic German massage/ bath oil I was treated with after my accident - lavender, rose and gold. So if someone if feeling really poorly it's something you could try.

By the way - I could still see the effects of the rose mask this morning so don't know why I was underwhelmed last time.

Well there isn't much evidence that gold is a star ingredient, just some very limited and older studies that it's skin soothing, anti inflammatory, and can be brightening. The Casmara masks are definitely brightening but there's more at play there than the gold powder in it.

Oh the new Shiro shop , you lot are not helping with my wanderlust...

It's odd isn't it, Aurora, sometimes sheet masks do more than other times, it really is about choosing the right one at the right time sometimes.

For anyone in need of some Paula's Choice bits , skincity have 25% off all PC today as part of their advent calendar and they sell a lot of the travel sizes too, they're based in Sweden but free delivery throughout the EU (and they're very quick usually 2 days with me). They also have 50% off the By Terry Cellularose Blushes, I know those are also supposed to be fab but they seem to be selling out quick.

Yeah bo funny with that mask and it was also quite cooling and I could feel that even after I took it off not to mention there is so much product in the envelope I used it all over my body! Well, that's one more Narüko product that I like

... but you are making me google blushers again!!!!

My heimish balm came so I'll use that later, it smells nice, almost herbal
Colourpop lipsticks came and I got customs charges but they're pretty so...

Afternoon all! I’ve been lurking since the first thread started and have enjoyed reading every single post. I’ve made lots of notes, learnt loads, and have made a couple of purchases but now wondering about the next steps needed in my routine (if any!)

In the last year I've been lured into buying whole routines from Bravura and Kiehls but now know much better than that!

So, here’s my skincare questionnaire:

Skin type: Combination/dry, early rosacea (easily flush, a few broken veins on cheeks) prone to acne, had a large cystic outbreak in June that lasted 3 months and now have purple marks and pits in its place. Large pores either side of nose. Fine lines on forehead and 11's.

Approx age: 34

Primary skin concern: Anti aging, healing my acne scars

Routine:

AM :

• Cetaphil cleanser (replacing with LRP Toleriane dermo once finished)
• TO Vitamin C
• TO Matrixyl (only just started this but liking so far)
• If skin feels dry Kiehls Hydro Plumping re-texturising serum (don’t think I’ll repurchase)
• Clinique City Block SPF 40 (hate this, Biore watery essence is waiting in the wings once it's finished)

PM :

• Coconut oil cleanse x 2 as I wear heavy coverage foundation. Started using this when my Bravura oil cleanser ran out suddenly. It’s ok but looking for something else
• Cetaphil (switching to LRP soon as above)
• Retin-A 0.025% every other night and I alternate between Bravuras 2% Salicylic and 10% Lactic on the other nights
• TO Matrixyl
• Kiehls serum as above
• Cerave PM

Makeup: Heavy coverage

Occasional treatments: None

Things I've tried in the past with disastrous results: Had to instantly wash off a Bravura Glycolic cream as it burnt like hell!

Things that are really working well for me now: Not sure… the Retin-A is definitely controlling the acne. No adverse effects from any part of my routine

Any dietary/health concerns/pregnant: No

What I'm willing to spend on a single skincare item: Up to £15 for cleansers etc, up to £50 for wonder products!

I specifically [want help with/am looking for a product to/am curious about trying]:
A routine critique would be appreciated, plus from reading these posts a few products have sparked an interest, not sure if I need them or where they would fit:

• Paula's choice BHA to replace Bravura Salicylic when it runs out
• Verso eye cream (on my Xmas list!)
• Think serozinc sounds beneficial but not sure where that would fit
• Oh and of course the legendary Lotion P50! In place of the lactic when it runs out?
• Oh and Benton Snail gloop sounds good too

Thanks in advance for any comments, and for all the skincare education thus far!

Guess I must have got my skincare mojo back - body shop balm and snail poo cream arrived today and I am already looking forward to getting home to try them!

Aurora and Bo, it sounds like you like the TO matrixyl and niacinamide so I might get these on order too for when my Olay serum runs out. I'm going to brave the P50 after Xmas so it would be after that on some nights. Would I use both or alternate? Am already using TO retinol serum on alternate nights.

Bo, I tried your application method for the TO vit C and it worked much better so thanks for that! Think I was using too much to start with and it was just sitting on my skin as a result.

And hello fizzy! Hope you'll like the watery essence more than your city block, that's the swap I made too and it is a million times nicer in my view.

botemp Thank you so much, I have only just seen your reply. I have used the effaclar duo+ before and really liked it so will definitely get that again. I think I'm going to have to read everything through a few times to get my head around it!

By blemishes I do mean occasional spots, often TOM-related but they can pop up anytime. I also have large pores and blackheads, have never suffered acne though.

I will start with phase 1 as soon as possible, thanks again, you are very kind to take the time to do this

Shrew you can definitely use the TO Matryxil or Niacinamide after P50. The normal version in fact contains niacinamide. Just don't use P50 together with retinol, IMO it's simply too much.
And don't forget to introduce one new product at a time!

Fizzy sorry but I have no experience with rosacea. I think though that both LRP and Avene have special lines for that but maybe you should also see a derm?
Didn't Dr Sam B do a video on rosacea once? Does anyone remember it? I could look for it later but probably bo has some ideas.

Thanks Shrew! Yes I'm sure it'll beat the Clinique hands down.

Aurora I forgot to add to my routine above that I have (but rarely use) LRP Rosaliac UV Legere as a moisturiser that is supposedly anti redness. Don't like the texture and it doesn't seem to do much. The rosacea is very mild and doesn't seem to be getting worse so I won't bother with a derm just yet

Fizzy I'm sure bo will be along with great suggestions, but in the meantime, azelaic acid is indicated for rosacea. If you're not going down the derm/prescription route, the ordinary do a suspension that may be worth looking at. Check the other ingredients of course.

Do you know if anything specific triggered the issues in June? Any new products at all?

Fizzy forgot to say you should definitely give Serozinc a go! Apply it after actives and before serum.

Ah yes Dulci I made a note of azelaic acid when it was brought up a while ago, along with mandelic I think?

The only thing I can think of regarding the cystic acne was that I started up weight lifting again for the first time since having children. I've read that the extra testosterone produced when lifting heavy weights can cause acne and also that a side effect of lifting is that the body goes into an inflammatory response, which can be seen via various conditions (many of which are skin related).

Let me see if I can dig out my 'before photo' which is after the acne had subsided but before I started taking my skincare seriously...

wheat - I like the Clinique balm too
I think it's pretty inoffensive (if no lovely smell that goes with it!)
Others I have tried and liked are trilogy and temple spa but probably similar price points
I'm about to try heimish all clean balm off eBay which was £14 so I will review (will try it tonight!)
Also merumaya balm is nice but different, it's a squeeze tube and goes to more of a light milk when massaging so not as grippy as the Clinique

here we go. Also shows how pretty much non existent my rosacea is, which usually only flares up after a sweaty aerobics class

May I ask the gurus for help please?

I recently changed contraceptive pill and it seems to have given me new skin, shit skin, evil skin. I get spots on my chin and my nose is covered in blackheads. I have dry skin and when I put my makeup on it's like it's not setting, just sitting on my skin ready to slide off but I'm not at all greasy/oily and never have been.

I have in my possession: (the treatments) Paula's Choice BHA & retinol, Pixie Glow, (the lushes) ultrabland, charcoal soap, mask of magnanimity, full of grace, grease lightning and hundreds of moisturisers. I alternate between soaps and use my treatments probably once a week. Certain moisturisers give me those odd white beads under the skin too. What am I doing wrong and what should I do please?

I bought LRP Toleraine dermo cleanser and an SPF 30 today, but I threw in a moisturiser as well and when I got home I realised it was very heavily perfumed. Can someone tell me exactly which LRP moisturiser to get for day for dry, dehydrated skin, please? I think I can swap it, it was on 3 for 2 so although I now want Face Theory moisturiser instead, I don't think I can return it without getting a replacement product. (From Boots if anyone has experience in returning 3 for 2s?)

Bo, the site I bought the Decubal from in the UK are now saying it's out of stock - maybe you should start exporting it after all! Also the Superdrug serum is amazing, I can see a visible difference.

That should have ended 'thank you very much for awesome advice!'

I'm here, I'm here...

Fizzy

I'm assuming the Tret is prescription and even if it isn't I really can't comment on that.

Can I ask why you're coconut cleansing twice followed by another cleanser. Does a single coconut cleanse not do the job, if so I'd really get to replacing this ASAP. Clinique TTDO balm, possibly the Bodyshop Chamomille (though this contains fragrance)?

Routine wise I would consider using the BHA in the AM post cleansing to get a bit more frequency out of it. As I understand it you now do Retin-A on night 1, BHA on night 2, AHA on night 3, unless I have misunderstood.

Yes, serozinc might be useful, especially when suffering from active breakouts.

It's the Verso eye serum if we're going to be pedantic about it. I'll keep an eye on the Skincity advent calendar for you (I usually buy it from there), they might just do a deal on it in the run up to Christmas like they did with Paula's Choice today.

If we're talking Benton snail goop as in the steam cream I'm not 100% confident how this will work for different skin types, it's not super heavy but may only be suitable for night time if you're combo/oily. The essence should be good for all skin types but with the acne scarring in mind perhaps the CosRx 96 Mucin Power Essence as mentioned by Lumpy (iirc) may be a better fit. There's a somewhat pricey ($4) sheetmask version of it too, but have yet to read any reviews on it.

P50 - yes, I do think it would be good for you provided you can tolerate it. I'd offer a decant but I still have yet to restock and am nearly at the end of my own bottle.

With the early rosacae you're in the same boat as Pupsie, so depending on how severe it is you probably benefit from similar products and she seems to be doing well with the PC BHA and BR P50W.

Azelaic acid like Dulci mentioned also crossed my mind but I'd use that instead of BHA, probably not both.

Mandelic acid (poss. peels as an occasional treatment) also worth considering specifically for the acne as it's the only AHA that can penetrate deeper into the pore level (like a BHA) and relieve congestion but you'll have to see how it fares with the rosacea sensitivity. I know SR-skincare sells them for v. little at various concentrations, not sure on that brand as a whole, Lumpy if you're still about didn't you purchase some things from them some time ago?

Which BHA are you considering? The resist or clear version may suit you slightly better, though you can't really go wrong with skin perfecting liquid.

Shrew

I tend to use my strongest active that isn't Retinol after p50, currently that's the Niacinamide which I also use together with the TO Retinoid.

Nothing wrong with Clinique Wheat, I think a lot of people just like the BS because the price point feels like better value for money (especially with the codes), in comparison BS is actually quite expensive outside of the UK and I have failed to ever be wowed by them, the prices especially. If you like Clinique stick with it unless you really need something at the BS price point.

Fizzy, I believe vigorous exercise and rosacae don't go well together and the advice is to do low-impact only. Can I ask, do you wear makeup during exercise too?

Badgerit, I vaguely know what you speak of as I had a period of that myself and I do believe it's hormone related (mine to PCOS), it's like having a fortified skin barrier and it appears nothing is sinking in and things just sit there. Spots can just sit under the skin, inflamed (painful at that) not doing anything and only come out with the most harshest of encouragement, ingrown hairs, etc.

Is your routine steady at all, or a myriad of passing products currently? I think an exfoliating AHA is best for the above but the Pixi glow is somewhat useless as an exfoliating one. How have you been tolerating it so far? Do you have any clay masks? This helps as well.

user, if you like the cleanser or spf so far why not get a backup of that? The Toleriane Fluid is ok for dry/dehydrated but a better match for normal-combo-oily.

Off to sleep now - it's one hour later here - so just in short re the Clinique TTDO. I've used it and it's certainly OK but don't buy it anymore because it contains a plastic.

I'm still on the lookout for a balm free of MO, plastics and in my case coconut oil (sigh), as I don't think EH is worth the price.

At the moment I'm sticking to oils - DHC, Sulwhasoo and Caudelie and Toleriane in the AM.

Aurora, have you tried the balmology one? It would be the only one I used if I could afford it, I adore it and the smell!

Aurora, you might like the elemental herbology balm cleanser?