Yet More Fantastic Skincare and Where To Find It

[botemp]

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

For those who are taking a peek and wondering whether thread 1,2, and 3 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.

This January we're doing some added extra chitchat about food and diet and reducing or eliminating sugar for both overall and skin health. Recipe sharing encouraged.

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 in as much detail as possible, 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, please do read through the previous threads first. It takes a lot of time and effort to answer these queries and often the answers can be found in previous threads, but if you still have questions use the following form to make life easier on us. We generally answer one or 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.

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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]:

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Ahem, and finally a little note on spending. I'm well aware these threads cause many to reach for their wallets and spend with wild abandon. There can sometimes be a bit of a frenzy surrounding the excitement around a newly discovered product or on the back of great improvements when someone reports back. This is all great, it doesn't however, mean everything that's a sudden miracle for one will be it for you. Usually, it's a light bulb moment for connecting the right skincare ingredient with an individual experiencing a specific problem. Take your time to mull over decisions and question whether it's right for you too. Skincare is highly individual, it's a slow game that should cost mostly in patience, input, education, and perseverance. Please don't make it cost you financially needlessly either.

Poor bo ** Hope it doesn't get really bad and don't go clicking on shopping baskets like Yong has been doing

Coconut do update us as to your son in the future. We can certainly all learn from each other's experiences... and good luck of course!
If you need recipe inspiration just ask here. We've also been posting recipe links and I'm always looking for inspiration myself
Agree with bo that OTC products will not really improve dark circles but you can certainly plump the skin in the area to diminish their "appearance". You might see an improvement if you stay off the sugar, though, but it'll take a long time.

Oh, and another snack idea I learned from a cousin - take sushi nori (seaweed sheets) and cut into small squares and put in a small bag or little container to take along. My kids are crazy about this and even ask for it at home sometimes, so much so that now we buy nori all the time.

Oh no bo I've digitally infected you, have I? Sorry!! Eek, I may be excommunicated!!!!

Grrrrr don't know why all that text came out bold

coconut on dark circles, I have hereditary ones that are very dark, as I'm mixed race. At the moment the toddler is doing her best to darken them further, so they are brown whilst my skin is in pale winter mode, so pale yellow....not a good look.
I've never found anything to lighten them either...as others said good hydration, good sleep (if you can get it!) and then effective concealer is the best I can do to mine.
If you want me to bore on about the Stila colour corrector palette, which has been the best thing I've found for them (and everything else!), I'll be happy to!

I don't know what you mean! aurora oh ok I know exactly what you mean about me and my online baskets

Well I was expecting our cycles to all sync up any day now, yong but I guess I got treated to digital germs instead

Yes, Nori sheets are great. Also a great Japanese snack is edamame. I always have a bag of those in the freezer, takes less than a minute to steam in microwave or pan. Top with salt (I like the Maldon smoked one for this) and (black) sesame seeds. I like them cold too.

The digital baskets are safe for now, Aurora, but I'm heavily contemplating DIYing a Super Beta Booster Serum after talk of Enid's B5 search and looking into its properties (also very easy to diy, found the powder with gracefruit which you can add to any water or cream base) and combining it with Niacinamide (B3) in a Beta Glucan base (a step up from hyaluronic acid derived from yeast, mushroom or oats that's less sensitising but great at hydrating). Still looking for a good beta glucan though, have only found a yeast or oat one and I want a mushroom one or a mixed one and preferably liquid.

Haha, are you on that website, bo?

No, I'm not on that website I'm on several all at once

Oo alchemy, I like the sound of that...ha who knows but the skincare nerds' cycles aren't all aligned by now anyway?
My matrixyl has arrived by the way, so looking where to ease that in...PM I suppose..

Yong I use it now AM and PM -
After mist in the AM followed by snail poo and PM followed by thicker Sulwhasoo GOA ampoule.

I'm having trouble with TO Vit C. I think that and the cryo therapy are not a good combo. There are days my skin peels a bit so want to mace it to PM but that is when I use other actives. Dilemmas, dilemmas...

Tomorrow I'm completing one month of cryo every day and will then probably reduce to 2-3 times a week at least till the end of winter. Pain in my arm is not completely gone but much better and have now also began manual therapy. It's done wonders for my headaches! Must say my skin has become extremely bright. It's very clear and bizarrely bright, almost as if I've had something done (at least it seems so to me ). And my hair is very very soft...

Wow, sounds quite mind blowing! And impressive results, great news that you are in much less pain.
I moved TO vit c to PM for other reasons...can you cycle your actives i.e. Vit C one night, another active the next....?

Difficult cause I'm already alternating between P50 and Retinol 1% in the PM... I applied it after acid and mist this evening and my face became very red, though now it's perfectly calm again...

Random tip but it might help someone! With the horses my hands get horrendous and I hate the feel of hand cream so only use it at night. In desperation I slathered flexitol heel balm on mine last night and a pair of cotton socks before I slept. Wow, I actually have vaguely normal hands!

Hollinhurst - if you get very dry hands, perhaps some of those cotton gloves for use with moisturiser? I do sometimes when I've been overdoing the nail polish. I also regularly sleep with socks & a massive amount of foot cream on. Usually helps - if I'm going on holiday I do it several times in the fortnight before I go.

Aurora, you can try the Vit C with retinol if that works texturally? I saw on Ratzilla they're bringing out a sensitive skin version of your super waterproof Anessa SPF (no fragrance and alcohol) it currently sounds like my dream summer holidays/outdoor sports SPF but no INCI available currently. Can't remember if you bought it because it was cone free or just low cone though.

Ah Flexitol....hollin it's my go-to for so many things...I hear you about winter-horse-hands...

Yeah it's around my thumbs that are the worst plus I type a lot at work
I use that neutrogena one but when it says just a dab... More like half a tube

Morning all hope Yong and Bo have woken up germ free

I've decided to go back to basics for a bit. Something's not agreeing with my skin and I can't work out what it is. My skin is rarely clear of spots so it's hard to tell what's working and what isn't.

First week of quitting sugar has been a success! Only 3 occasions where I've knowingly had sugar; a small piece of apple strudel offered at a friends house, some shop bought soup, and we had a Chinese one night but I chose a baked tofu dish which didn't have a sauce so probably the best choice on the menu. Feeling good so far, any cravings have been quashed with nuts.

Lurker here - just wanted to say I love this thread, I wish I had made notes though! Had an overhaul of my skin routine and my skin is now looking much better thanks to all of you! My basic routine seems to be sorted, except I still haven't found a physical spf that I really love, so on to other bits and pieces now. I have got mild rosacea on my cheeks, the bumps seem to have calmed down a lot with my new routine but it's still a bit red. I have bought some azelaic acid from the ordinary, does anyone know if it's safe to use in pregnancy or while breastfeeding? I waited six weeks for it to be delivered now I'm a bit nervous to start!

Just to clarify (before I get a telling off!!😂), I am still using an spf I just don't love it!

Azelaic should be safe to use during pregnancy, it's often prescribed in higher % to treat melasma in pregnant women because other options are off the table.

Depending on budget and your tolerance of silicones there should be plenty of physical SPF options out there. Can you narrow down your requirements?

Will be interested to hear how you get on with the azelaic cad I have similar issues (though vastly improved now) and just received some azelaic but can't use it yet as easing other things into my routine.

Hi yes i live on the isle of skye, recently got same day urgent appt and ecg, chest xray the next day. Have to travel to inverness for speciality clinics with consultant but other than that fab.

Is it the peach colour in the stila concealer that is good for dark circles? I dont like looking ill all the time.

Yes will update re son will get him out in the sun today help his peely wally skin.

The sugar detox also had an app that explained the diet plan. Really faffy not nice food. I made the flapjacks and they were like eating sawdust. I have lots of cookbooks and am very interested in nutrition so have adapted. I am eating bliss balls with dates and seeds to satisfy cravings.

Hopefully with no sugar my skirt n will see the benefit.
Have a nice saturday xxx

Skin not skirt though my waistband is far too tight
@fizzybubbly how have your cravings been?

hollin can I give you this recommendation for the split thumbs and outdoor hands generally:
bathing-beauty.co.uk/product/gauntlet-hand-salve/
It's actually designed by a friend (so, disclaimer but I'm honestly not biased, I just know how she designed it and have road tested it lots) who has horses and it's been the life saver of her hands, my hands, DH hands (lots of outdoor work) SILs hands (nurse) and MILS hands (houseproud and prone to life long chaps)
The rosemary is antibacterial etc, a little goes a long way - put it on before and after.
coconut the peach and the orange are for dark circles, depending what your skin colour/tone is. I use peach underneath and a bit of orange on my dark.