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.

Is it the tube version you use Aurora? I was looking at the little bottles version and they seem to be mostly dimethicone, unfortunately the sensitive skin version looks to be based off that. Although there are a few other sensitive skin ones coming to the Japanese market so that's promising. I'm pretty sure the tubes just got reformulated, they're very popular products so I doubt they actually discontinued them. Yes, yes, April sounds about right

Bug still here, had hoped to go ice skating this weekend too but out on natural ice was looking unlikely anyhow , my head feels three times its weight so apols if I'm not coherent. Attempting to keep up but probably doing a shit job of it. I'm responding to what I can answer quickly and making note of things for later.

cad186 definitely go slow with the azaleic, it's a silicone suspension and considering your previous bad reaction to smashbox primers (silicone central) caution is therefore warranted. makes note for physical SPF recs

depressingskin, would you describe your skin as sensitive? Those with psoriasis and other skin issues on body usually are so extra measures need to be taken wrt product choices and with that I'm wondering how well suited you are to the N&F products (and I am assuming you are using the pads post cleansing, not post Toleriane fluide as it is written now). Have you introduced all these products (at once) in the past month? Has a GP or similar ever had a closer look, I'm looking on my phone at your pics so probably not the best judge (not that I am normally anyhow, medical things firmly belong with those that studied it) but I think it would be good to rule out rosacea and/or seborrhoeic dermatitis.

takes note to draw up file for depressingskin

themumfairy, start using moisturiser, get a proper cleansing routine going in the AM and PM. Be sensible and use SPF. Get a hydrating serum or toner. You're at an age now that you can't rely for your skin to sort itself out with minimal care. Plenty of info on this thread and the ones preceding it.

Are you certain it's not a breakout rather than purging, Storm? Is it in a usual area? I've never purged but from what I've understand of it it comes and goes quicker and shouldn't be heavily inflamed. BHA can cause reaction if not well tolerated and the same goes for HA, especially the low molecular weight stuff that Deciem seems to favour. Can you draw up a timeline of when you started on the HA, was your skin acting up then already?

Stainless, I'm not sure what the BHA % is for the N&F pads but PC have the max strength available and it certainly is the better formulated one of those available. makes note to check Stainless' file for best BHA choice from PC, though you may find the answer when I respond to Pupsie.

Pupsie, the PC Clear Regular Strength contain some additional beneficial ingredients for those that suffer from continual blemishes/active acne. Licorice root extract to help with both inflammation and reduce redness and healing of PIH, a few additional hydrating ingredients (I suspect to counteract the slightly more drying formulation). The PC Clear extra strength and Skin Perfecting Liquid have the same ingredient list but I suspect the extra strength has a stronger concentration of penetrating ingredient to help cut through excess natural oils/sebum but it may just be identical .

I think for you the liquid is the best choice since it's mostly pores and redness you're addressing (and you could also look at the Resist version which is more pore refining geared with additional anti-ageing ingredients) but you'd probably be fine without it if you ever switched to P50 normal strength.

purple15 the Ultra is only really an alternative if you tolerate silicones well and since that's not universal it makes a poor rec for me to suggest to everyone but if you tolerate them well without issue you can always look into that.

Enid, do you think that Colorphlex/Oloplex dupe from Amazon would be interesting that they're going on about on the dupes thread?

Hi Pupsie I've got both PC BHAs and I definitely prefer the clear version. I got the skin perfecting one a while ago to address pores/SFs/blackheads but I don't think it did much.

Bo sent me a sample of clear regular version which I prefer. It doesn't leave a film on my face like the other one.

Aurora sent a decant of cosrx bha which is a different form of bha but seems possibly more impressive on the skin clearing front although I've only used it a few times. It actually left my face a bit dry which I haven't had a problem with since adding an HA into my routine. That being said I am impressed with it and may go on to purchase it

Thank you for replying botemp, until quite recently I would not have said that I had sensitive skin, I never seemed to react to perfumes or makeup, however, I have only developed psoriasis within the last 18 months, so I think it would probably be wise to treat as though it is for now. Your mention of seborrheic dermatitis gave me a light bulb moment as I have this in/behind my ears and on my scalp at present and have been given a cream for this so I would say it is very likely.

Enid - re the hair, mine is also naturally very shiny & soft. When it was very long I always had a really hard time getting it to stay up in one style all day, I'd have to re-do partway through the day, no matter what I'd used (unless it included half a can of spray) as my hair just has loads of natural slip. DD's hair is just the same, it looks like I've put loads of siliconey serum on when I often forget to condition it & just use a homemade spray-in when I'm combing it after her shower... wouldn't be so bad if she didn't have a Rapunzel fixation!

For the ends, could you perhaps try coconut, argan, or jojoba oil? Either as a pre-wash treatment (leave in for a few hours) or just a drop or two gently rubbed through the ends while your hair is still damp? I include jojoba and/or argan in DD's leave-in spray, along with pure AV gel (humectant), rose or orange water (smells nice, this is about 90% of the volume of the spray) & some essential oils. Tea tree oil supposedly stops the headlice - we've been lucky since I've been using the spray...

depressing, I'd definitely leave the N+F stuff aside for now until someone has been able to have a look at it. The LRP won't be likely to irritate but keep an eye on it anyhow.

I think jojoba might be good Lego good idea. Also I'm going to find a different hair salon and get some layers put back in. My hair is ridiculously thick to be one length at the back and it makes the ends feel dryer I think. I'm just being fussy.

Hadn't seen that thread bo will check it out. Olaplex has caught my eye before.

Feeling horribly down today. Might buy some shiny spring make up to see if that helps. Although I prefer what brands bring out for Winter, Spring stuff always has the prettiest packaging.

Dupes thread

Do share the pretty Spring packaging, I'm unlikely to buy anything pastel but I like the look of it. Dior always has the prettiest stuff for that time of year.

Enid I also just remembered, it's worth figuring out whether your hair is low or high porosity. How to check. Once you know this, it will give you a better idea (before buying products) of whether your hair will react well or badly. My hair basically non-porous so there are some things I avoid, same with DD's hair. If you fry it daily or bleach it, it will pretty much always be porous though...

Oh thanks for that recommendation also yongnian . My hands are terrible despite lavish lashings of Welevda SkinFood and cotton gloves. Hate the smell of the Heel Balm though wish I could tolerate it! Reminds me of mothballs for some reason.

Should I be adding in retinol and vitamin c to my routine? Going to see GP re cause of redness under nose and broken capillaries.

Current routine.

Am
LRP touleraine cleanser
TO niacinamide
To Azaelic acid
Pai moisturiser
Body shop SPF 50

PM
EH cleansing Balm
LRP touleraine cleanser
To niacinamide
TO azaelic acid
Body shop vitamin e moisturiser

Twice a week AlphaH liquid gold
Twice a week pai rosehip oil ( not on the same day as th alpha H)

Concerns, other than the redness are fine lines around the eyes, grooves from nose to chin and general downward face fall.

46 years young
😉

Lego Ooh interesting. Thanks, I'll have a look.

Thanks for the info re the BHA.

I've been reading more about the difference between dry and dehydrated skin and the more I read, the more confused I become. I think the most useful info was on the LRP website (although it conflicts with other stuff I have read). My skin is never flaky. It feels unbearably tight once I've showered/pre moisturiser. I used some of the Pai oil last night (not used oil for a few weeks) and it drank it up; 6 drops (face and neck) soaked in within seconds (having sprayed first with the Seroznic). I never look greasy. So I'm thinking normal, but dehydrated right? (I do drink 3 litres of water a day, but I understand that this is partly irrelevant). It's sensitive too, although (touch wood) I am tolerating everything I've thrown at it since September (other than a coupe of spots).

Have Ben meaning to ask,mainly because of its absence among your recommendations for oil cleansers, what is your view on Elemis collagen pro cleanser and Elemis products in general?
I have a small cleanser in that I was given as a gift. It is the smell that puts me off..not mothballs this time but Vicks!!

Those that sheetmask together stay together, Stainless . Speaking of masks Dr. Dennis Gross has started selling Casmarra mask rip offs for megabucks. We're always so ahead of the crowds, Aurora. I need to stock up before anyone else discovers them.

Skinful, I wouldn't be adding in any actives until your GP has taken a look at you.

Wrt Elemis, in my book, it's an overpriced and over-fragranced spa brand. Great for those who like nice smells and nice sensorial products but it's not performing skincare and charging similar prices. I understand their popularity but it's very much a brand that causes a lot of irritation to those prone to sensitivities.

Pupsie, I think your confusion with dry/dehydrated probably isn't being helped currently by the weather and spending a lot of time indoors with central heating. I sort of define dry as an external tightness, like a cracked surface that stretches itself and dehydration as a tightness that pulls inwards but this may be completely my personal interpreations. Most likely it'll be a combination of both in different areas of the face. If you really want to monitor it you can quite cheaply acquire one of those skin hydration machines from amazon or ebay. They're not hugely accurate but you can see the impact on hydration and lipid levels.

stainless I've got the clear regular strength as a tester size and skin perfecting liquid as a full size.

The skin perfecting liquid leaves a film on my skin whereas the clear regular strength feels dry after application, which I prefer. I haven't tried the extra strength but I remember on a previous thread someone rating it for clearing SFs and it's how I came to be in possession of a couple of samples from this great community of skin nerds (and nerds in training) .

In that same spirit, if you'd like me to send you little decants of them both just PM me

I've tried 50 shades of snail technique. It helped a bit but not a sudden transformation and I didn't get the 'grits' or whatever it's called. I'm planning on going for a dermalogica facial at some point as I've heard they do extraction as part of the facial and then I plan to keep on top of it myself with clay masks and AHAs which I'm doing anyway.

Thanks bo .Advice gratefully received..my purse says thanks too!
Dreadful shortage of GPS here so appointments now well into third week of February. That is mainly why I have put off making an appointment as I reckon there are other people in more need than me and my red undernose.

I've just tried the dry shampoo. Very happy with it. It may well be a bit of a revelation. Did anyone else do that porosity test? Mine stayed on the top so very low porosity which surprised me. Going to see which products would suit it best. I do have a Aveda clarifying shampoo which I've got out of the habit of using. Still haven't tried the PK Elasticizer but will do this week.

Thank you all for your excellent skin wisdom! I love this thread! I have a quick question regarding the order to put serums on and if this makes a difference? Specifically with my PM routine:
Cleanse with TTDO
Then tone with Pixi glow tonic every other night
Superdrug hydrating serum
TO buffet
TO retinol 2% (every other night not when using the glow tonic)
Moisturiser

Is this correct order? My skin is looking good at the moment and I like the products I'm using but what to make sure I'm using them correctly.
TIA

depressing I asked about your psoriasis because coincidentally I'd been speaking about it to a friend who also suffers from it and to someone who knows a lot about nutrition. This last person told me he has seen tremendous improvement in psoriasis sufferers who have gone gluten free. I am not someone who believes everyone should go gluten and/ or lactose free, but I do believe in the "concept" of gut leak, which leads to inflammations and subsequent "leaks" in other systems or parts of the body, because I have seen this with my DS, who is lactose intolerant.
I am certainly no expert and do not suffer from any skin condition myself, but you might like to google psoriasis + gut leak and decide if it's worth trying a gluten free diet for a couple of months.

In the meantime, like bo said, stay away from strong stuff and stick to the simplest, gentlest things available. You could also consider trying the Hübner silica gel I wrote about upthread (or even the oral pills?), and investigating which oils (and in which formulation) can deliver some relief, so you can stay away from the cortisone as much as possible.

bo how dare they copy our masks and charge €€ for them!!! Ehmmm, coincidentally I have to make an order from easypharmacie (as they are the only ones that stock the organic hair gel DS uses, grrrr), so I might slip some masks into my shopping basket. Have you tried any besides the gold?
Noticed a physical, silicone free Bioderma SPF 50, if anyone its interested (I remember there were a few ppl who were looking for something like this last spring on the AB thread).

Re Anessa - indeed I use the tube, not the little bottle. As you've seen, the formulations are completely different, plus the tubes have skin care ingredients.

Hope you are doing better and sorry you missed the skating... We managed to have a day full of fun on shallow canals close to us. The kids were on the ice basically the whole day!

itsautumn the retinol should go straight after cleansing and before your serums. Why are you using with the Superdrug and the Buffet? I think you could split them between AM and PM until you finish the Superdrug and then see if Buffet is enough or if you want to replace it with another TO product, which might be more effective. You've written nothing about skin type etc, so it's hard to recommend further stuff....

Thank you Aurora. My skin is pretty normal I'd say but prone to a bit of dehydration especially this time of year with the cold and central heating. I'm 40 with some fine lines around the eyes but other than that my skin is pretty clear. Just want to keep the fine lines at bay for as long as possible! I'll drop the Superdrug serum in the PM.
I find the buffet quite sticky but it does seem to make a difference so I'll stick with it for now.
AM routine is
LRP toleraine cleanser
Superdrug serum
LRP fluide
Anthelios spf
Make up
My night moisturiser is loccitane Creme divine which was a gift. It's ok but I'm not that keen on the smell and it's too expensive for what it is. Any thoughts what I could replace it with as I'm about to run out. Thank you!

Thanks for doing my work for me Aurora . I have a green/blue Casmarra one which is for intense hydration. It does a good job too but hydration is always less impressive on me than brightening/resurfacing type products. I've been eyeing the red anti-oxidant from them to try.

I'm all pouty about missing the ice skating fun and while still attached to a duvet I'm pretty sure I'll be better by tonight, throat still sore but sinuses are free and the brain seems to be functioning as it should again.

What do you want from a moisturiser autumn? Something a little heavier than the Toleriane? Have you considered an oil ? You could also consider LRP Redermic R since you don't really have any retinol in your routine currently.

Bo, yes a bit heavier than the Toleraine. Have used the sanctuary therapist secret oil before which was nice. Any other recommendations?
I'm using the TO retinol 2% in the PM. Can I use both? Thank you

Ah sorry, was looking at the later routine. In that case, LRP Redermic is superfluous. What type of budget did you have in mind for oil or moisturiser?

FFS! why all of a sudden has my hylamide subq and moisturiser started stinging my skin?! I seem to be getting more blotchy and breaking out in sore lumps and spots too! Haven't changed anything at all for quite a while now!