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

Yes I had about £60 worth of oils and butters and other various things in a shopping cart (had to make sense of a £10 delivery charge after all) before realising I'd have enough for 20 cleansing balms or so which I'd never finish up within 18 months...

Think the Nia took about a week for me to notice an actual difference Dulci. For skin that isn't as reactive as mine I'd say two weeks but then again I already had a lot of Nia in my routine so if you're going from none to some it might be a quicker thing to notice.

No but bo you could make your cleansing balm and sell them to us
aurora thanks...but aren't you in in the Netherlands? I'd be happy to send you a bottle and a pre-paid envelope as another poster is doing with pupsie

Thanks Bo, that's good to know. I had a bit in other products but I have definitely noticed something in the past few days. Thinking about it, that could also be not wearing makeup... Interesting regardless and thanks again for the quick info.

I find that Nia doesn't really make for glow but rather helps knock out the redness and unevenness in your skin tone which just emphasises the glow that was probably already there but not as even an pronounced as before, at least that's the theory I'm going with.

Haha yongnian, I would have to make a custom one to suit everyone's individual needs on here, although I guess that should be possible considering the contents of that basket

Glad you're enjoying the caffeine dulc. Thanks for making me smile with your "a la Pupsie" too .

Well I was going to watch the last episode of The Crown tonight but Netflix wouldn't work so I watched the first episode of Rillington Place which was a tad more chilling. (I read a book on the subject about 20 years ago so knew what to expect).

I'm off to bed. Night all.

Interesting link re Sephora. Pulled out of Japan in 2001! Do you think they were just ahead of their time?

Bo I admit i had to read your theory several times. Science!

It's late... it's far more likely I'm on nonsense speak that makes little sense .

I think so Pupsie. I love that you can test everything out etc. Especially when we do so much buying online now.

Night night all.

BTW, I'm interested to know more about the Estee Lauder SPF someone mentioned upthread. Anyone else used it/know much about it?

enid my skin hates ttdo balm too! I thought I was onto a winner when I had used over half of the pot with no reaction then my skin started going crazy when I used it! I gave the rest of it away!
I also find I hate the things that Paula's choice rates and vice versa! She hates dermalogica and I get on well with (a few) of their products (some are awful for me too though) and she raves about most things Clinique and my skin hates everything from that brand with a passion!

Yongian it's fine I have a few tiny bottles of samples knocking about and in any case I think you would need Dutch stamps.
We just help each other however we can and spread some kindness around

bo my imagination traveled very fast when I was googling that site - body oils, home scents, candles the lot! We could make Xmas presents next year!

Re what you said about professional women around you. I find that it's a bit frowned upon, as in not serious or intelligent/ intellectual enough, in the sense that it's OK to take care of yourself and have the basic routine, but if I tell someone I'm really interested in skincare and that I read about it and buy stuff from Japan on eBay they just don't get it
And many women do want to improve what they are using and understand things better but they maybe think they'll get there but going to a beauty counter and just stock up on whatever brand will have more aggressive sales technique... or worse, buying (dodgy) creams from their local beautician

Also wanted to comment on how much our "conversation" about ingredients has changed during the last few months thanks to TO. Ingredients we indeed may have discussed in the past but had to hunt for in different products have now become the products themselves and we can thus plan and execute a very tailored routine.

Pups it was me who mentioned the Estee Lauder SPF. I personally really like it, it glides on and gives my skin a lovely glow. It works really well as a primer before make up as well. I am not an expert at all but I had the Anthelios SPF before and hated it. This stuff actually feels nice to put on.

There have been a lot of newer SPFs coming on the market with a better cosmetic elegance but in my opinion the Japanese ones are still superior in terms of coverage, formulations, and type of filters used. The Western ones from high end cosmetic and makeup brands come close but it's not quite the same due to restrictions in the US market and they're about 2-4x the price of a Japanese SPF.

Paula's Choice likes a lot of things which I consider 'plastic' things as that's how they tend to feel, lots of silicones, lots of ingredients that are derivatives of others, fatty alcohols, etc. as long as it contains a bunch of antioxidants, no fragrance, and no alcohol, they rave about it. Much of their products are formulated as such too but my skin is not a fan.

I'd been looking into scented candles before too, Aurora. Couldn't decide between ethically dodgy soy wax or tougher to work with rapeseed wax. Can also make some straight up cleansing oil with a bit of polysorbate-80, don't think I'd be into making soaps but who knows. Didn't think about body though, I could probably finish things up if I include the body . I think I need to set up a little lab .

It is weird here, isn't it. Even wearing makeup or a lot of it is seen as a personal failing in certain circles. I remember being the student rep doing the interviews for applying students in my uni and a teacher adamantly wanting to refuse someone because 'they were too orange' (she went a little heavy on the bronzer) 'those were not our people' apparently never mind her portfolio or how she did on the entrance exam .

Many do want to improve but I suspect most just give up go back to their Hema routine, maybe visit a beautician or an aesthetic clinic but generally go back to declaring it all not working. There's very little willingness to educate yourself on these things, people mostly just want to be told what the right product is and they can't seem to grasp there isn't one as it will be completely from different one person to the next.

I do like how TO has changed that conversation (don't think these threads would exist without it) but at the same I have a lot of reservation as to how people approach it. Think Nabootique was the one who raised that as a valid point on the first thread that TO was meant to encourage people to educate themselves on the ingredients, the reality is most people won't, either just copy paste one of the suggested routine, get an advice from Victoria's Health via email, think it's a whole routine, toss out their old one, when it's mostly a selection of serums, and come away unimpressed. There's been a few disgruntled posters on separate TO threads already and not everything from TO is as fab as we'd like it to be.

bo if you didn't know about my sensitivities etc and this was my first question to you what products would you recommend for a sensitive combination skin that has an oily surface but severely dehydrated underneath with redness and prone to breakouts, often feels irritated/itchy/tight.
Just answer this as if you have no idea of all the products I've tried in past etc. thank you

Dulci I noticed a v quick reaction to the niacinamide. It has tightened up the pores on my cheeks to almost invisibility and it did that within a week I'd say. However things have plateaued since. I'm using it about a month.

It hasn't had much impact on my redness alas. Maybe that is more cumulative? I have v persistent generalised red tone to a lot of the skin on my face. Nothing has ever had the slightest impact. I've small but again v purple under eye marks too.

Tried out my my new mizon hydra cream last night and it definitely has made my skin more comfortable last night and today. Make up has gone on better. We'll see how it goes.

That's good to know, wilting ty. I am definitely seeing something happening so I'm glad it's not just placebo.

I have been thinking about the dry/dehydrated issue discussed upthread and I'd love your opinions on something. I found both Cicalfate and Serozinc clogging, and am now experiencing a bit of clogging (not sure how to describe it, not black/whiteheads, not cystic acne, just tiny practically invisible clogs) and the newest product is TO Nia + Zinc. So, I was wondering if the zinc could - perhaps not directly causing the clogs - be mildly drying/dehydrating and therefore increasing the likelihood of clogs forming? Does that make sense...? I'm applying the principle of KP (build up of keratin around follicle) being more pronounced on dry skin and wondering if using zinc, given that it can be drying, could provoke/exacerbate a similar reaction. I've never had this problem with zinc s/s, but that's usually in a more moisturising base so might explain it? Thoughts welcome...

So my estimation of a week wasn't that off after all . I do think there's different types of redness though, I have some naturally in my undertones little influences that, it's just there and most people will have this to a certain extent.

Jo, with what purpose? It's the most common skin type on this thread and I've answered those at length already, it's the same bounty of products that do the rounds here over and over again. I don't rec those because they're the best possible product out there but because they're the least likely to cause irritation and getting most routines to a place to start addressing the other issues plaguing someone with a steady, if boring, routine they can build upon. It's cleanser, some form of HA serum usually, moisturiser, SPF.

Zinc in SS is Zinc Oxide which is a very different form of it. Zinc can definitely be dehydrating, it's powdery and anything powdery is dehydrating/drying ime (hence why it's used on shiny t-zones, high coverage foundations have higher % off it, etc). I think in general zinc as an ingredient works better for oily/combo than other skin types, though the opinions on it are mixed (PC thinks it's q nonsense ingredient for example but I know what a godsend Serozinc is to many and that is pretty much pure zinc and water and I doubt it's the water doing the works in that product). I'd have to look up the INCI on the PC's choice one but don't think that one has the zinc in it, pricier but at least a possible alternative in the same concentration.

Thanks for the superspeedy reply, bo. Appreciated, as always. I'm not necessarily looking for a replacement because on balance I like what the nia is doing, but it would seem to suggest that I need to up the exfoliation in my routine, despite using P50W alt nights. We talked about mandelic before and I need to get on that! I was just curious really if anyone had experienced similar and if my laboured musings might have legs.

In truth it may just be hormonal, as I've got older my skin is definitely affected by the cycle more, sigh...

You didn't handle BHA well right? That was the reason for sticking with the W iirc?

I have been reading a theory lately and contemplating trying it myself for those with normal/dry skin that don't necessarily need a morning cleanse (as in not overly sweaty face come morning, water rinse would suffice) to do an acid toner cleanse instead (so just use it as you would a micellar). I might try it next week and see how it works out for me as I'm not the biggest fan of morning cleansing in the winter and it would help me finish up the last of my P50W quicker and get to use my new one already.

That's right - great memory. (How on earth do you keep track of everyone?!)

Interesting about acids in the morning... I am happy to be a guinea pig My morning cleanse is the Ren non-foaming face gel, so it's pretty lightweight, would you suggest P50W after that or instead of it?

Bo, sorry, a further q for you, this time hair related. Leonor Greyl serum de soie, have you tried it? Any good, iyo? I've read mixed reviews...

So interesting how differently ppl react to even the greatest products like LRP SZ. For me, even though I have no spots or any other issues, it's still such a great product.

Dulci - if you still like it you could try spraying it into your hand and then patting it into skin. Just as an experiment.
Also - if you feel you are already accustomed to the P50, you can try it (very carefully) every night for a week or so. I have done this a couple of times when I had SOS situations (few months ago, e.g., my face became full of tiny bumps following a small food poisoning) - used P50 AM and PM followed by SZ and just Lotus oil (and SPF obvs) and it always seems to work wonders. The bumps were gone in about 4-5 days, phhhhewwwwww!

bo - i did try the no morning cleanse thing a few year ago and within a couple of weeks has some spots and I don't particularly sweat at night or anything, so I think it's very individual. Mind you I just rinse the Toleriane with water in the AM as opposed to full cloth cleanse.

Also re what we discussed before - I think it's very connected to Calvinistic values and the way some ppl were brought up and the whole dress down culture here (which in general I approve of - dress up if you like, wear your jeans if you like and if it's appropriate).

And, ehhmmm, in case you didn't know the sale at the Bijenkorf has already begun. I might have broken my vow... (and now find myself dreaming of a certain Furla blue hand bag) but I had to hang around waiting for DC what else could I do... and some of what I bought is for DH

It would be in place of cleansing, the theory made sense, as stupid as I find the marketing on Nip + Fab as 'cleansing' pads they technically do perform like a cleanser but you need a relatively bare canvas which morning skin tends to be with dry/normal skin. I think it will lessen the impact of the P50 somewhat but since you're upping the use that's what made it worth trying to me. I'll keep the rest of my routine the same for now but in the future if it proves to work well I might change out the actives and I'm not sure if I'd continue to do it in summer.

Yes have used the Leonor Greyl SdS, stupidly picked it as a sample thinking it was for the face . Have bought it too though (have naturally wavy hair, not a lot of frizz but I usually like some product in it for the ends), it's very similar to the Kiehl's silk groom serum but without the 'nasties' if you will. It's a finicky product, unlike the Kiehl's I can't use it on dry hair, and it does very little if I put it in wet and I leave it to dry naturally, however, it's great for a blow dry but only with a boar bristle brush, it looks shit with a synthetic or synthetic mix brush ime. I don't like it anywhere but near the ends, felt it made me go greasy really quickly if I used it near the roots.