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.

(That's my dressing gown lol).

Mint Do you track your ovulation and period cycle? Even roughly? I get pms symptoms at ovulation as well as before a period and if it's a skin flare up month, my skin is sensitive, kind of tight and sore feeling and I get breakouts on lower jaw and either side of chin. So yours could be hormonal maybe? Evening primrose, once a day, and zinc have helped me with hormonal breakouts as well as moods. Are you drinking enough water?

Looking very good Pupsie! The tub of PL E comes with a shower cap. It's quite big though, even with my long hair stuffed into it, so you still need a small towel to keep it on. Happy Birthday to your DS, hope you have a lovely day,

Hollin That's loads! They used to take the piss out of me at uni for cutting everything open but you can get another week or two out of things if you do. Must admit I haven't been doing it for a while though.

I was really shocked. It's the Missha perfect cover in #13 which is the palest shade, I do really like it

Thanks enid. I bought the travel size; the cap must come with the larger one (which I shall be purchasing!).

enid you have hit the nail on the head! My skin always flares up just before ovulation, during ovulation, then during period and just after so basically most of the bloody time! I prob only have one clear week, 2 weeks if I'm lucky.

Ok so my hair floated which I think means low porosity? Which is weird because I would have said my hair was porous! I read that low porosity hair should avoid butters and oils which defo makes sense for me because they weigh my hair down and leave a "coating" on it plus my hair gets greasy at roots quick, BUT.......my hair is coloured and very damaged so I need something that's going to cleanse well (but also gentle as I have scalp sensitivity) but that's also going to repair and moisturise! I've yet to find a shamp n cond I like! It's even harder with an itchy sore scalp!

Pupsie Glad you like it. I use it about once a month or once a fornight. Really like it.

Mint Have you tried reducing refined sugar? No idea what you eat usually but is there anything like that that could be reduced? More greens and cutting out sugar makes the biggest difference for me. Don't get obsessed with it, just see if having less helps. You might already.

I was surprised my was low porosity too although it matches the description well. Don't know why I thought otherwise. I like a little bit of oil on the ends. Just have to be careful not to overdo it.

Have yet to catch up but Dr Sam is definitely lurking on this thread show yourself already, new video: , there is also mention of Oribe

That's very suspicious.

Enid wins my prize for best use of random film clip to illustrate bo's suspicion!!!

I may have found my new favourite weeknight dinner... miso soup! Unpasteurised miso (so it's ticking the "fermented foods" box), some dried seaweed, a few bits of veg, a few soba noodles, & some prawns, chicken or tofu. Low cal, low sugar, quick & relatively cheap. I'd been looking at other fermented foods - sauerkraut, kimchi etc but they seem a hassle to make & I can't buy decent (additive-free) ones locally.
I'm also contemplating making yoghurt in my instant pot... think I'll be slightly gutted if it doesn't work though.

pupsie your hair looks great!
I've been wearing my hair with its natural curl/wave pattern for the last 10 months since a disasterous haircut whilst my usual hairdresser was on mat leave, so am enjoying the hair chat. Good news is she's back now so looking forward to restoring hair order, tho will keep curly.
In other news, during my recent bug when aurora somehow saw me online shopping from my sofa I tried the Dr Jart BB cream that bo mentioned for £8 from Boots (I was doing a legitimate non-skincare order that needed another £8 to do click and collect rather than dragging myself miles to the bigger branch!)
Kinda like it, if I'm literally going out the door barefaced, to the horses or something. But I tried it with The Stila underneath and oh boy, it was a really weird combo...didn't do me any favours at all.
Strange thing the BB, not really sure what it is. Going to use it like a TM anyway but stick to the usual if I'm going somewhere where more than my horses will see me....
Skin is looking a bit inflamed after its recent battering by tummy bug/migraine/period-fest. But otherwise, the new TO matrixyl is easing in without probs.
Not much else to report.

Hello! Just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Bo & all you lovely ladies for your advice and experience. I've been reading, making notes and researching from Thread 1. I've had problem skin since about age 12, and was still getting whiteheads (!) let alone red bumps until a month ago. I thought I had been taking good care of my skin (by over cleansing & using physical exfoliaters!) and just sort of accepted that I had bad skin.
Since overhauling my routine with your advice, I am blown away! I can't stop looking at & touching my face ! I was doing my makeup today & unconsciously forgot to put on foundation. I have NEVER not worn foundation to work in my life. And my period is due tomorrow! Anyway, what I'm trying to say, is that I'm so so grateful. Thank you again. I didn't realise just how bad my skin was until it improved so dramatically over the past 6 weeks. Please let us know when you start your blog Bo, I don't want to miss it. Xxx

Pupsie your hair looks lovely! Your darker patches are a colour similar to mine I mean the colour it's dyed in.
I've known for a while my hair is extremely not porous cause there are a fe bits that almost refuse to be dyed (I put the developer on for 10 on its own before proceeding with the dye). It's also extremely dry, so whichever products I use are all meant to strip it as less as possible and hydrate it as much as possible. I've used so much stuff in the past, and done so much stuff to my hair from a very young age... now I just wear it natural and it's cut in a very layered way to encourage volume around the face, as it's also quite fine.

As to neck creams and this is coming from s person that bought Lancôme necklace cream st the ago in 30 why would you? What could be the advantages of something like that not even discussing the INCI of that specific cream which includes about five silicones over just using what you use on your face on your neck and chest????

Lego DS2 has very dry hair and I wish it didn't have to be washed every day, but my boys are very active and I know they literally roll around on the playground during break plus do sports etc so their hair smells from dust and so by the end of the day... it's great you are already taking such good care of your DD's hair!

Will watch Dr Sam tomorrow... don't have patience now...

Sunshiney I'm so so glad to read your skin is doing so much better!!! Reading these kind of posts really makes me happy!!! Please don't hesitate to ask for specific recs or just to join the chat

Hollin cutting tubes up is so very satisfying!!!

They had a sale. And there was a discount code. I have no other excuses

sunshiney78, that's so lovely to hear! Just like Aurora, these posts cheer me up to no end and make all the effort on here seem very worthwile , and a good reminder to get on the blog thingy already despite the daunting amount of work it may appear. Would love to glean into those notes of yours.

Lego, , that's not miso soup! That's ramen, in Hokkaido style to be exact (they sometimes add corn from a tin and a square of butter on top, they're weird up north but they need the extra sustenance in the form of dairy since the winters are so cold).

Be careful though with Japanese food because it can be very high in salt, especially the fermented products like miso and soy. MSG also very prevalent. I quite like the Clearspring miso but the prices here for it are extortionate. Have been meaning for a while now to make my own fresh tofu because it's a 100x nicer and have looked into making my own miso too but that might be a step too far. I actually quite like miso soup as it's supposed to be, without noodles and bits as breakfast or an afternoon pick me up. Also have a look at Nabe for a nice winter warming dish and Pho (Vietnamese though). The Just Hungry and Just Bento blogs are nice for Japanese foods, although she's been sick for a while and since it's cancer I've sort of kept my distance out of self preservation, but I hope she's doing okay. La Fuji Mama also worth a look, she does more family style recipes. Peaceful Cuisine on YouTube also has some nice things now and then, though he's mostly vegan and does a lot of sweeter recipes. JapanCentre is great for delivery, I order from them now and then as not everything is always available here in the Japanese foods shops.

Will be expecting a video on Japanese fermented foods in your diet and the benefits for your skin in your next video now, Dr Sam

I found a diy clay treatment for hair using montmorillonite clay that I have anyway, it's slightly alkaline. I'll finish with an ACV rinse and see what it does. I'm thinking low porous is a bit like dehydrated, you're looking to add water rather than oil, then seal it all in. Maybe I should just put some HA serum in it instead .

Ahem, no excuses not to share the code Hollin.

Oops it's on the front page of the website (look fantastic is where I bought from)

Lol. I ordered the Shea Moisture shampoo and conditioner last night hollin, and the Coconut and Hibiscus Style Milk. Having read lots of reviews and considered ingredients I went for that shampoo and conditioner as I felt it best suited my hair. We shall see...

www.sheamoisture.com/Manuka-Honey-Mafura-Oil_c_1668.html

Just looking at the ingredients of the Coconut and Hibiscus. I read that low porosity hair doesn't do well with extra protein, and also that coconut oil is too heavy. But my hair is v different to yours I think hollin. Mine's a 2a/2b. Individual hairs aren't thick, but I have a LOT of hair.

Aurora my hair is coloured but only a semi-permanent on the roots to cover the grey. I don't have a lot of grey, but because my hair is quite dark they really show. She does a really good job of matching it to the rest of my hair! She'll sometimes just wet and rub the root colour into the rest of at the sink and leave for a few minutes to even it all out but I like that it looks quite natural in real life (lighting in that photo not good!). I've gone half a shade lighter because I think that's more flattering as we age (I have quite pale skin). But I don't want to go too much lighter as I wouldn't want it to affect the colours I wear.

Also wanted to say I've been using my old (not out of date, just pre-October) Eucerin Hyaluron filler cream every other night. It's reminded me how much I like this product. Will defo repurchase.

I have a lot of grays (from a relatively young age too)... but because hair is curly and light you see it less. I'm also not super fussed if you can see a bit of roots otherwise I would have to colour it every three weeks

Oh and forgot to say I also loooove miso soup. So does one of the DC, it's one of his favorite snacks!