Even More Fantastic Skincare And Where To Find It

[botemp]

Thread 1

Thread 2

For those who are taking a peek and wondering whether thread 1and 2 are worth reading we mostly discuss a bit of advanced skincare here with a perspective of seeking out the right ingredients for our particular needs. Distinguishing the acid toners from the actives whilst avoiding the truly unimpressive and harmful ingredients with a hope to achieve a bit of anti-ageing, alleviate irritation and sensitivities with some idle chat in between deviations on this thread are mostly my fault.

If you're in need of some advice coming to grips with your skincare routine please don't hesitate to ask, we don't bite, only occasionally sting with a bit of Biologique Recherche P50 now and then . Just make sure to state clearly what your concerns and needs are, skincare is highly individual and a random recommendation for a 'good' product will be completely different from one person to the next.

If you want help, have read through the previous threads, but if you still have questions use the following form to make life easier on us. We generally answer up to two people a day on a first come first served basis. Not everyone will have answers and sometimes we can't answer you at all. We're only a bunch of amateurs that can respond by suggesting what we would do in your place, for any severe conditions please seek out professional help.

Skin type:

Approx age (range):

Primary skin concern:

Routine :

AM :

PM :

Makeup : eg. no/light coverage/medium coverage/heavy coverage

Occasional treatments:

Things I've tried in the past with disastrous results:

Things that are really working well for me now:

Any dietary/health concerns/pregnant:

What I'm willing to spend on a single skincare item: eg. >£10, £10-20, £20-50, £50-100, no limits.

I specifically [want help with/am looking for a product to/am curious about trying]:

[botemp]

We can look forward to Easter when all the emoticons have cute little bunny ears

Ooh live reporting from the slopes on skincare . Are there any decent pharmacies there? I've only ever been skiing in the US, Japan and Belgium, not having ever been to the Alps I feel an utter tit

[botemp]

I lie, I've been skiing in Italy but somehow that doesn't count as the Alps in my mind .

Oh you're a fellow princess and the pea, I think I've been called that since I was a child, my mother took a strange amount of pride in that .

[AuroraPolaris]

Your mom sounds lovely bo. She must have been quite young when she passed away
sadly my mom managed to ignore the fact she had a very sensitive child... but that's for another day

Yeah we need skincare reports from the slopes ladies. We are going to a cabin in a forest for a couple of days so I'll have no skin care news at all.

Yongnian I hear you re Xmas prep - I made about 100 cookies for Xmas school dinner today and wrapped presents for teachers (kids have lovely teachers this year so I'm very grateful).
I've mailed you the Cosrx so it'll be waiting for you when you return.

[EnidButton]

That's my nickname too! Due to me needing a ££££ mattress, two mattress toppers, a fluffy cover on top of those and particular type of sheets or I can't sleep. TBH even then it's hit or miss.

Stress Sorry about that. I must've assumed they lasted forever. The little set bo linked to looks very good though. I really like that exfoliator. It's surprisingly effective.

[AuroraPolaris]

Why can't you sleep? I've also got a ££££ mattress because of all my back problems... sigh...

[Pupsiecola]

I've had three centrifugal juicers and one masticating (slow) one. My understanding was that the centrifugal ones can destroy nutrients due to the heat created during the process. Not sure of the science behind this. However, when I had the slow juicer I used it far less frequently because of the chopping up into smaller pieces (although I found the process of actually feeding them into the juicer rather satisfying). I make juice for four of us and it became really time consuming. In the end I sold it and went back to a centrifugal one. Much like SPF, the best juicer is the one you will actually use...

[Pupsiecola]

Where are you skiing yong? We are in the Alps from Friday...

[AuroraPolaris]

We are all peas in a pod, or princesses balancing on a thread.

DS1 wants us to get a juicer (he loves shakes with spinach and cucumber) but TBH he eats lots of veg already and for breakfast he always wants eggs anyway. I know very lucky to a have a child that adores veg... he's also very sensitive as is DS2

[botemp]

Also got the ££££ mattress, giant down duvet (which I have to get covers from France for), ££££ linens, the list goes on. We may as well rename this the Princess and the Pea Club .

My mother was very convinced though that I had a sensitive disposition, as it expressed itself in many ways, health, skin, food preferences, emotions, etc. Immediately dropped the Highly Sensitive Person book in my lap as soon as she came across it. Thankfully she was good with it, she always saw it as a great source of creativity and encouraged that heavily so I was very lucky with that. Yeah, she was pretty young unfortunately, early fifties.

I need to bake cookies too, promised to visit my grandmother on Tuesday and she was so looking forward to the cookies I brought her yesterday. Need to source a nice tin for them though as she likes to show them off to all the other old biddies that live in her building, think I'm all out of the nicer ones.Gave her a Harrods one once, I think it's her most prized possession these days .

Yes it does take longer too with the slow juicer, I just tend to devote one day a week to it then freeze it into little bottles (supposedly this keeps the nutrients at their best for the longest) and take them out the night before. I think there are some pricier models out there that do higher volume slow juicing without needing to cut it into tiny pieces.

[AuroraPolaris]

Wow bo that's really young. So tough, also for your grandma. My mom is 79 now so it's a completely different story. She started chemo today, but orally.

Our duvet is 240x260.... but I looove my bed, it's so comfy. Actually going away can be a problem when you've got a lovely bed.

DH is asking why I'm laughing out loud...

[AuroraPolaris]

That's what I tell my kids as well, that it's not easy to be sensitive but it's a great treasure. And they are both very creative.
I've put a lot of work into it, especially with DS1 (therapy mindfulness you name it) who had very tough time when he was small (he also had a bad accident at school when he was six) but it's going great and now they are growing to be sensitive and strong!

[botemp]

Tell him you've found your tribe .

Without turning into a complete sob story, my mother's mother passed away quite suddenly when my mom just started on her chemo, so I lost them both in a short succession of time and they were probably some of the most important influential women in my life, probably still to this day. Enough of that now... for your mum though.

This is the slowjuicer I use, Aurora, I have to say my teenaged cousin who has hated anything green (even candy) for as long as we can remember loves using it when she visits, just likes dropping pieces of veg in it and turn into juice and mush and then actually drinks it .

[AuroraPolaris]

Princess and the pea society

[botemp]

My mother said similar things, she'd always point out the positive, how absolutely wonderful it is to see and experience the world is such a unique perspective, and even better to be able to share and contribute with that to make it a better place (she was very up there with the positivity but it wasn't the annoying ignorant branch that pretended nothing bad ever happens as long as you think positive thoughts). If people complained that I was soft spoken she'd always counter with well she can hear and listen very well, not everyone needs to speak that loudly, etc. and always sought others to see the positives of it. Twas very lovely and it's wonderful to hear you're doing similar for your boys .

[AuroraPolaris]

Wow bo **
A few years ago we lost my dad's sister then his wife (who I loved very much) and my grandmother (though on mom's side) in close succession....

[botemp]

With us it was five within 1.5 years, my great uncle commented it was just like the war time only to soon die thereafter. The majority were elderly though so in a way that's very different.

[AuroraPolaris]

Sounds like a truly unique woman bo.
Yeah that's basically what I try and teach the boys and of course support them when things are difficult though I also stress that that's how things are at times, simply difficult and our set of mind is what can then make a difference.

[AuroraPolaris]

My grandmother (mom's side) was over 90 and had Alzheimer's so it wasn't so tragic but aunt and SM had cancer...
My mom has now the same cancer her mom had (though my grandmother survived the cancer).

[EnidButton]

Aurora No idea why I find going to sleep so hard. Been like that since I was born. It could be a symptom of my illness (me/pots) but who knows. It does make senses hyper sensitive but been like it before I became ill. Have to have complete pitch black and silence too. Slightest noise including anyone breathing wakes me up. It's ridiculous really. I pick hotels based on their beds but only really ever found one that was perfect.

I sound so fussy. 👑

You're Mum sounds lovely bo

[EnidButton]

*your

[AuroraPolaris]

Everyone deserves here this evening.
Sorry to hear it's so though for you enid.

Off to sleep now, or at least to try....

[botemp]

I pick hotels by their beds too . The Leading Hotels of the World branch seem to be the best (think they used to be called something with leading luxury in the past). The American higher end ones aren't too terrible either. France allround sucks for beds

Cancer sucks, Aurora. Can't make it any prettier than that unfortunately .

Heading to bed too, sorry for the deviations everyone, I did warn for them in the OP.

[yongnian]

for the moms...and daughters...and grandmas.
I hear ya on the princess and the pea (actually one of my fave bedtime stories as a child) and on the deluxe bed you can't wait to get home to. Plus also hearing you aurora on those of us whose sensitivities were not regarded well...big thumbs up from me to anyone who is/has raised their sensitive child positively. DD1 has HFA/DCD and sensory processing issues, so this is very much on my daily menu too. Creativity is a great channel, I agree.
But no, everyone, I'm not skiing....not even slightly...I will be mostly found lounging, mooching the aisles of the enormous fab supermarche a walk away (and will also be buying food etc there, not just spending hours in the parapharmacie section honestly), treating myself to a trip/fun pass in Sephora, dining with our French family etc etc...it's a home-from-home scenario. Naturally this includes mediating between the pre-nager and the three-nager/all usual domestic duties etc etc, but hey, in France so, chic-er.
I am regularly mocked by all and sundry for how often I find reason to go the supermarche and secretly pretend to be an actual French person despite my French being distinctly average
And no, not Alps, but South.
So, basically my life but with more access to skincare earthly paradises, better wine and general French stylishness.
I will be turning to you, my online community for support and possibly intervention enabling particularly in Sephora.

[EnidButton]

bo My favourite hotel bed was in a Sofitel in New York. It was enormous (sure it was bigger than a European super king) which probably helped. Sound proofed windows, floor to ceiling double lined black out curtains, that extended three foot past either end of the windows. Best night's sleep I've ever had away from home. Americans know how to do bedrooms.

Sorry, I'm going off topic, but I suppose there's a tenuous link to skincare. Sleep is good for your skin.

[EnidButton]

Thank you Aurora for you too.

Yong I can give only encouragement and peer pressure when it comes to Sephora I'm afraid.