Ditch The Foundation, Embrace Some Fantastic Skincare Instead!

[botemp]

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

Thread 4

For those who are taking a peek and wondering whether thread 1,2, 3, and 4 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 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.

Make sure you've read the earlier threads (or at the very least the first one) so we're not being asked to answer to previously raised questions. 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 relating specifically to you, 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.

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.

Eek popping back on and it's all moved on apace...first time in ages I've had hormonal acne in my cheek hollows and neck - albeit tiny piffling things compared to the cystic monsters I used to have. Not sure what's gone on...been continuously ill for a month now tho so prob that, Plus had a sugar moment at the worst place in my cycle...also now using BHA 3xtimes per week, so wondering if it's bringing stuff up...anyways I have nothing else to report except I'm still thinking about buying that other horse

I'm a liquid lipstick user but I'm one of the matte fans! V popular I believe are Armani lip maestro (won allure beauty awards), ABH liquid lipsticks for their staying power and stila as well
YSL are also meant to offer the best range of finishes as opposed to just matte (vinyl cream I think is the name)

Is there a picture of the horse haunting you, yong? Do share, you know how good we are at not dissuading you away from purchasing expensive things she shall be called Sisley Stila at this rate

Speaking of pics, keep meaning to picture my fancy Japanese products with the funky packaging for you but forget to whenever there's proper light. So you get stock pics instead to make up for the evil spots and no horse. The first one in the Sake bottle you basically just want for the crazy pretty packaging that you might mistake for an actual nice bottle of sake (there's even several warnings on it, saying it's not safe to drink), it looks even better in real life in that misty box. On top of that it's a really nice emulsion with lots of fermented sake goodness smells faintly like it too. It works great for combo/oily skin as a moisturiser on its own and for very dry-normal skin as a moisturising layer before moisturiser for added hydration (or as a very light moisturiser in summertime). Did I mention it's really pretty , lovely glass bottle too. My favourite rice bran oil is from this brand too. Speaking of, someone asked me about oil and I forgot to reply, either Felix or eversions, RBO would probably do well for you. yong which one is the one you use as I'm assuming that'll be easier to get in the UK?

The other is just pretty typography on a basic HA toner (but a lovely basic one at that, I have the orange one) and I love the effort they took with the graphic design except on that minty green one considering this is a very cheap product in Japan (I think it's about £5 for 200ml). It's not pretending to be something it's not but there's a definite care for the design that I highly appreciate and looks so much better than that boring Hada Labo.

Also I'm totally happy with my Manyo Factory fermented goodness loot, all TO trialling has made me forget how much I like all things yeasty and the crazy glow it brings with it. I guess my skin just really likes getting shitfaced

Thanks for that Hollin, I'll have a look at those. I loved the colour on the Hourglass one but it wasn't always the nicest to wear comfort wise. Those Armani ones seem strangely popular with Asians (they seem to buy them in bulk here), always thought they were just lip glosses .

Hi everyone!

I'm still enjoying the products I'm using and haven't felt the urge to switch (unheard of) for ages.
Reading this thread had definitely replaced the almost obsessive reading of blogs and reviews which would always lead to a binge on skincare products. It's a strange feeling after so many years in that cycle.

I've been using the body shop SPF for a while now but from March to October I usually use Ultrasun SPF30 as it's claimed to be a once a day sunscreen. I'd never go that long without reapplying if I was in a hot country but figured as it's under makeup and just for day to day it would be ok. Does anyone have any thoughts on once a day and also if it would still work over actives? The
Manufacturers advice is on clean skin before serums.

Just popping in to say that I tried the unoaked red wine AND an oaked one (only in the name of science, obviously, and on separate occasions!) and there was definitely less of a redness flare-up with the unoaked - many thanks for the tip, will stick to unoaked from now on.

Hmmmmmmm now those are the kind of graphic prettiness that would tempt even me to put up with the wait times for ordering from Japan... sod the ingredients just the graphics would have a sheer placebo effect
Will have a look at my rice bran bottle (i decant for daily use, the massive bottle is in food cupboard downstairs) but think it may be alpha something- will check.
Yes, there are many several pictures and videos of said horse which I keep crooning over like a lovesick teenager but I'll wait to reveal till I've - ahem, ahem, seen her in person next week...cough cough, did I mention that...oh wait, maybe not...anyway I'm sort of popping in on my way home 2.5 hour drive both ways will have taken my own fifty gazillion pix and vids by then. (Or poor long-suffering/enabling DH will have done..)
Stable name is actually quite similar to Stila already!! If I buy, I could rename her niacinamide or something

The Japanese products look gorgeous! I'd love to go to Japan but I'd probably have to take an empty suitcase because I'm such a sucker for quirky packaging. I'm an advertisers dream. Especially any inanimate object with a face on it My friend lived in S. Korea for a couple of years and I used to love seeing her pictures of all the cute everyday items

Ooh, I'd love a horse race where I could bet on Sir Retin-A, Niacinamide, Glycolic Thunder... No one's going to bet on poor Lactic Acid, I fear. For whatever reason that sounds like a horse that would just end up going the wrong way and expels horrendous farts.

I shall call mine Surratt which actually sounds quite horsey and poncey, possibly an Arabian thoroughbred since I somehow ended up buying two more blushes and am now contemplating the highlighter and want some of the Smokey Batons now that I've discovered they had a huge price hike but are still available for the old price in places so automatically think I must stock up .

Did score an e b a y bargain by being the only bidder on an Aerin Weekday Palette for £9.99 so have a backup for my beloved Aerin bronzer, sort of (it's about 2/3 the size plus the other bits, but it shall ease the discontinuation sufferings).

Aerin would make a nice companion for Surratt, no? She'll be a lovely honey blonde colour.

Shop, as far as I'm aware most of the science boffs and derms all denounce the once a day application as nonsense and actually quite damaging to advertise products as such. The first or last advice is a bit more complex when you layer skincare, generally you need to leave your sunscreen alone (ideally 30 mins) before putting anything else over it in case you disturb the coverage and it's best advised as the final layer of skincare (though opinions on this are mixed, it usually has to do with whether or not the formulation has good penetrating agents or not).

I'm eyeing up the secret key starting rose essence

Pics or it didn't happen, Hollin . Iirc it's a very pretty bottle, contemplated it myself for a bit but the whole limited edition thing put me off though.

It's on my eBay watch list while I browse. And read up some more!

I have found some products in the drawers of doom that I'm not sure are worth using
RiRe hydrogel mask pack
3W clinic Aqua glow mist
Mizon good night white sleeping mask

Oo mint that's good news! Happy quaffing!
Good eBay score bo no not envious at all after having lusted at the Aerin stuff on your recommendation
Yes, Aerin and Surratt could be very pretty Arab types whilst we lay odds on Galactomytes and Sir Glycohad...and coming up on the outside is My Salycilic....and yes, poor old Lactic Acid ok, don't get me started on this one...
So, my rice bran oil brand is Alfa One, for anyone interested, food grade, cheap as chips.
Isn't there a Bioderma spray that aurora recs for over make up? I'll be trying this myself in the next month or so (already use Bioderma photo derm and top up later in the day with Dr Jart BB spf 40)

Just saying hi before I drop off the thread. I'm still waiting for the mystery eye condition to go. Bruising has gone as has the redness. Dry slightly itchy patch on top inner corner of eyelid. Strange.

That's so boring sorry. No skin stuff to report apart from I baked breakfast muffins for DH yesterday so had to test them. Spots today. 🙄 So definitely a wheat thing.

Bo where did you get the sake emulsion from? I've been looking for something to use in same place as my pixi glow, that is divine

Hmm I'm not sure how I came across as being cross with bo but if I did then my sincere apologies. I will just remain as a lurker on this thread in the future and get any ideas from other peoples recommendations with similar skin issues. Thanks for all those who have ever suggested a product or given me any helpful advice on this thread, I shall continue to enjoy reading but will not ask any more questions. Thanks again.

mint - you've read it wrong she's saying she isn't. That it's not coming across as YOU being cross with her but that you're exasperated with your skin

I'll repost edited version so you can see what was meant!
I'm not reading you mint/jo, as being cross with me btw, or anything directed at me. Just read it as someone very exasperated with the cycle where nothing seems to be improving/helping and feeling quite helpless as a result, which isn't a fun place to be. I'd love to be able to help but I am in no way capable of tackling the various issues, nor the isolated parts.

Perhaps cross was the wrong word. More what dulci said about laying the responsibility at someone else's feet being unfair.

"I'm very willing to add products that will do this as I want to be happier with my skin but as you say u are reluctant to recommend me anything so am at a loss".

bo, yes, my bad! Haha! I've just ordered the sunscreen and CosRX BHA from Amazon, both on Prime next day delivery. So I can start using the sunscreen on Friday - very exciting!

Hi Bo I definitely wouldn't recommend that NIOD cleanser as a stand alone product. I would liken it to applying baby oil to your face. It leaves a very oily residue and I didn't actually find it an effective cleanser. A duff NIOD product in my opinion.

... Still here, ladies. Minor house repairs last week and this week a combination of a tight deadline plus school holidays is sucking up all my waking moments!!! I haven't even caught up. Maybe later tonight...

Hollin I have the secret key rose edition essence and I love it. My skin just soaks it up like nothing else and everything else goes on like a dream after. It's very reasonably priced - I would like to try the naruko one as well but it's like 3 or 4 times the price and I've just bought P50 so gotta make some savings!

Bo, your galactomyces niacin package arrived already! Thank you! I have of course whacked straight on my face it was acid night and all, so am expecting to look totally splendid tomorrow!!

After gothamista raved about the TO niacinamide last week I got it out (had gradually abandoned it) and put it on last wed. My face is flushed all week after it. It had been looking so good. Fecks sake. It does not in any way hurt or sting when I put it on, but my skin clearly doesn't like it. Not even when watered down with other stuff.

Seemed great at the start but I'd say I had quite the 40y+ oily shell now that's gone it's a bit of a no from me for the niacinamide. At least the 10% one.

She's reviewing again now, the lactic acid and retinoid get a big thumbs up. The 23% vit c is a NO. Review here

I think this is next on my list as a cleanser to try
https://fiftyshadesofsnail.com/2015/07/05/review-botanic-farm-grain-ferment-cleansing-sherbet-oil-cleansing-tips/