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

The Bravura hylauronic serum is really really nice, not sticky but £25 so I'd like an alternative.
I ordered the face theory serum in the Black Friday sale and tried it last night, felt nice to apply and has more than just hylauronic in it. Has anyone else used it? Regenacalm it's called I think

New to the thread, hello everyone!

Botemps, I could really do with your help if you don't mind me crashing the thread like this?

Here is my questionnaire:

Skin type: Combination

Approx age (range): 34

Primary skin concern: Oiliness

Routine :

AM : Cleanse (Burt's Bees Soap Bark and Chamomile or L'Oreal Skin Perfect gel), tone (L'Oreal Skin Perfect or Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix), serum (superdrug hydrating one), moisturise (an oil free neutrogena one)

PM : Don't shoot me but face wipes, then tone, serum as above, Garnier miracle sleeping cream, nuxe huile prodigieuse or vichy night detox

Makeup : none on skin, just mascara and eyeliner or eyeshadow

Occasional treatments: Dr Organics mud mask, nuxe fraiche mask

Things I've tried in the past with disastrous results: Urban Veda sandalwood toner

Things that are really working well for me now: I'm not sure that anything is but I can't seem to figure this stuff out on my own!

Any dietary/health concerns/pregnant: None

What I'm willing to spend on a single skincare item: I'd prefer to spend no more than £20 on a cleanser or toner and no more than £40 on a serum or moisturiser.

*I specifically want blemish-free skin that glows and not with oil!

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

bo It's personalised after a consultation so not really treatment. I'm basically using it for anti aging although it's very hard sell. They say you can't buy the same concentrations over the counter. I only went for a holiday manicure!

Non beauty related but I'm having a nightmare with my kitchen and I am so stressed I think my head might explode. Actually then I wouldn't need skincare. So perhaps it is skincare related. Sort of. I have just posted in AIBU about bollocking my PM if anyone cares to tell me I'm justified.

Pupsie I'm too chicken shit to post in AIBU but the PM sounds the farthest thing away from the title, or professional for that matter. Can you finish without him at this point?

Am on phone now so can't answer most and will be home late tonight. boglin you're in line after storm and jdster.

Nabootique did you ever try the P&M HA serum?

I've just taken delivery of the P&M HA serum! Will report back when I've been using it a while but used it last night and this morning and like it so far. And I love their packaging shallow.

Pupsie hold on in there! It sounds horrible...

Just noticed new emoticons- nothing to do with skin but I HAVE to use them they are so cute AND I've just (almost) finished a week of holiday school crafts with kids so I'm

Hi! New to thread and seeking advice. I have read some of the posts on previous thread but not all, so you may have covered the issues I have.
Me: early 30s, am finally clear of cystic acne but left with pitted scars and mottled cheeks. I have a bit of redness as well as enlarged pores on nose and cheeks. Blackheads on nose and chin and the beginnings of creases around eyes.

In the past three weeks I have altered my regime slightly so I now use:
AM: elemis sensitive face wash, pixi glow toner then The Ordinary Matrixyl+ Niacinamide + Hyaluronic acid then aldi Q10 day moisturiser
PM: elemis cleansing oil, elemis face wash, pixi glow toner, hyaluronic acid + retinol + vitC then aldi q10 night moisturiser.

I only selected the ordinary products based on email recommendation from Victoria Health, so am not sure if these are right for me. Also, from previous posts I may be using the toner too much? So really, my questions are:
Am I using the right products for my skincare needs?
If not, what should I change?
Also, sounds stupid, but do I apply these products all over my face or target specific areas?
Thanks in advance!

Yes I normally steer clear of AIBU bo but I needed to rant!

Wilting a few years ago when I tried applying 100% argan oil to my face I noticed my skin was not looking its best the next morning and at times even had the odd spot.
Maybe the pure oil is too much for you (mix with moisturizer) or just stop?

Woman good for you you are finally rid of the acne!

Sounds as if your skin is still very "raw" so IMO you are using too many actives on the same day and maybe some of them are too harsh.
I think I said this a few days ago - most of us over here have concluded that one active per routine is enough and it should normally be applied right after cleansing.

So-
Cleanse
PM - acid or retinol
AM - Vit C
And then continue with serum and moisturizer (or oil at night)

I haven't used Pixi Glow but I think** some here think it is too harsh.

bo I was also eyeing that mask
Very curious to hear further thoughts on the UB mask. I used to add rose hip oil to my DIY mask.
When you put a sheet mask over the other mask what do you do after you remove the sheet mask? Wash off or pat in?

Started on TO Matryxil tonight. I like the gloopy texture but can't comment further yet. Skin feels nice and plump at the moment, but I did apply Sulwhasoo GOA ampoule and Sulwhasoo ginger oil over it

I tend to use one active in the AM (at the moment TO alpha serum)
Then PM I alternate either retinol or niaci - I do use HA from TO with the niaci

I use one in the morning and two in the evening.

Vitamin C in the morning.
HA or Retinol in the evening.
Niacinimide every evening, usually mixed with moisturiser.

What is this Matryxil? I must look at that.

Re the LRP Anthelios, I'd bought it back end of the summer, before joining the first thread but have heard the fluid is the one. I will pick it up in France at Christmas to give it one last shot.
Re the HA discussion, I've not had any drying effects from my TO one, seems to work as it should.
Rubbing my hands in anticipation of my goodies trickling in over the next few days. (Have I said that twelvty times already?!) think I'm going to phase in in order of need...most pressing issue is seb derm currently so will kick off with that. Stila colour corrector and ecotools brushes can start immediately. Presumably there'll be no issue using the konjac sponge straight away? I got a camomile one professing to be good for red reactive skin. (Look how many I'm trying to justify wheedling in at once!)
Then next might be the BHA 1% sample...then...oooh I can't decide...it's like Christmas come early! Actually, this is my Christmas present to myself so it really is come early.
bo that chaga mushroom cream you linked to a while back...have you tried it?

By actives as in acids or retinol I meant BHA/AHA (in acid "toners") not HA etc...

I did a whole bit on Matrixyl on the last thread Pupsie < insert stern face here, with a santa hat for Aurora . Were your hands glued to your screen from all the crafting ? Go on, get some Benton snail masks, you deserve to get some of your own goo!

cherryburn, anything you didn't buy from P&M ? I quite like their moisturiser, brilliant packaging.

Pupsie wrt to the HA serum, did the indeed work for you in the past? I'm wondering with all the products you're currently using if you really need a standalone HA serum, the face theory moisturisers contain quite a bit as do a few of your other products, the PC Nia booster, the Retinol serum, etc. Maybe it's not working for you since you don't need more of it? Just playing devil's advocate here.

yongnian I've been thinking about it today and you're right, I don't see grey properly. I sort of figured you meant in a colourblind way as unable to perceive it or see it as a different colour but if you ask me to visualise the colour grey I can't come up with one single one as it just doesn't feel like one colour... I think I need to lay down after this realisation.

Only tried the Chaga Tundra thing on my hand, it's a really weird texture. Almost like a set custard and requires a bit of work to get absorbed, what are the main reasons you're looking into that?

Rastel38, I can sort of see the point of Obagi if you're under a derm's supervision, I'd still tag it as too pricey for what it is but if you're on a specific prescribed regime it's not good to mess with that but otherwise you'll find most of what you're using from Obagi in the French Pharmacy brands at much better prices and probably better formulations too.

wilting, I really think they need to rename that a 'B5 serum' as it's more of use for people who need a bit of panthenol, great for those with excess oil/acne/breakouts but I don't think it's a good all round HA serum by the sound of it where The Buffet does a better job.

shop, the regenecalm is the Retinol serum. Pupsie is using it too.

woman, from a quick glance you're missing some basic essentials and have too many things going on at once. You really need a proper SPF in there as you're acid toning and using retinol. Would be my first priority while you scale back a bit by as others have mentioned by alternating your actives.

Wrt scarring I'd be looking to step up the acid game, not in using it more often but getting a stronger one (pixi isn't all that strong, nor does it have the best pH to be exfoliating) and possibly some at home peels. I know there's a few on here that get them from Bravura but regulations have changed around them, so input from others about this welcome . Think about getting some BHA too for the nose and chin area.

Going to look into JDSTER's routine now whilst waiting on Storm's responses.

Excited!

bo Thanks so much, appreciate your reply.

No it's a really hard thing to get your head round this seeing many other colours...it took me ages to understand what he was talking about...not like colour blindness at all...he will see yellow, lilac, all kinds of colours in grey (depending on what he's looking at, light etc..) I can never say 'pass me the green one over there' as it will be a totally different colour in his world. Maybe you do have tetrachromacy then bo...
Back to skin....did a bit of reading up on chaga and it's supposed to be full of phyto-nutrients...I vaguely remember it from use in Chinese herbal medicine. I see you can buy powder form and tincture...can't resist the temptation to contemplate concocting some kind of mask....I'm going to buy some to take internally anyhow.

JDSTER

First things first, firmness is a really hard thing to tackle. Loss of volume is difficult to reverse but you can make an effort by focusing on collagen production and hydration. So Vit C, Retinol/Retin-A, are the ones to be looking at. Also including plenty of collagen stimulating foods (Omegas, berries, bright coloured fruit & veg, etc). Facial massage will help a bit if done consistently and daily, it's not a miracle worker or anything but it has some efficacy. Just look up a few youtube videos to get the motions right (it's about upwards movements and not so much circular). The body shop do a little massager that looks like a penis that's quite good and cult beauty sell those Jade ones that are supposedly brilliant but I've never tried that one personally.

The Cerave cleanser has SLS in it so I leave it up to you, if it's not irritating or drying stick with it but consider something gentler like LRP Toleriane Dermo in the future and use that after the BS CB too rather than doing that twice. Over cleansing, ie. going for squeaky clean and ridding skin of all natural oils can result in over stimulating oil production again. The first cleanse should be oil based to dissolve makeup and SPF, the second water based to gently cleanse the skin. A double oil setup is a bit full on and only for those who really can't tolerate otherwise. It is not a commandment to cleanse twice, if I'm not wearing much there are plenty of times where a single oil cleanse followed by acid toner is more than sufficient.

How long have you been using the NIOD and PC BHA now? And which BHA specifically?

TO stuff, I'd keep back the Buffet while you're still using NIOD molecular HA. The Niacinamide is good for pores and Vit C will help with the collagen. There are a few contraindications with the copper though iirc, Vit C may be one of them so check the NIOD site.

The only effective pore reduction (albeit temporarily) I've ever experienced and does more than the bha/clay technique is the Glamglow Supermud mask (the Origin version meanwhile did nada, supposedly the new L'oreal ones are good and the words glamglow dupe have been doing the rounds but I have not tried it). I'd snag a sample of the glamglow or one of the baby tubes if you can and if you get on with it you can try to incorporate them 2-3x a week as an intensive treatment to really clean everything out and then use BHA and an incidental mask to maintain the results.

Deciem advice against using their Vit C with Nia, so yes, in that sense you probably shouldn't use Vit C + Cerave PM together although the science behind it is a bit flawed.

Facial oil after serums is absolutely fine.

While I think you'd benefit from a Retinol you need to give the copper a chance first to do its thing, it's a bit one or the other. Though I have to say most users of the Copper either love it instantly or are left a bit meh about it. Aurora, did you use this once? Can't remember if I'm making this up or not...

Sorry Bo. Be gentle with me lol. I will go take a look.

I don't think I have it like your DH, yongnian, or I'm better conditioned to it as I never have arguments over colour, but do about undertones and shade variations (I'm always right ).

Powdered Chunga mushrooms... ooh that does sound exciting to put in a clay mask. Or even better a pumpkin mask. Is it organic by any chance? I don't dare buy anything non-organic from China, unless it's not from China.

Here you go Pupsie, I have the whole thread backed up in one doc so it's easier to search through:

botemp Mon 24-Oct-16 22:52:09