Fantastic Skincare - Snail Optional 🐌

[botemp]

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For those who are taking a peek and wondering whether previous threads are worth reading, we mostly discuss a bit of advanced skincare here with a perspective of seeking out the right ingredients for our particular skin 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 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 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.

Thanks bo

Slinky Have you read the previous threads? You wear makeup but it isn't clear if you double cleanse in the evening. To get the most out of treatments your skin needs to be clean. You say water makes your face dry and itchy. Do you have hard water where you live?

paperdoll I can tell you didn't read the previous threads. :) If you wear makeup and then wash your face with warm water at night you're taking nothing off, so small wonder your skin is showing it. Or is there a makeup remover step you missed?

Hi Banivani

Yes I've been following the threads and plucked up the courage to ask for some advice.

No i don't double cleanse and the water is hard here yes. I see that LRP Toleraine Dermo cleanser is recommended so might give that a try. I think the Nivea is too greasy for me. My skin is fairly reactive and marks/reddens easily so tend to use sensitive cleanser which more often than not seems to equate to dry in lots of products. Not sure i need so much moisture !

Thanks

Sorry also meant to add had thought about doing ling cleanse and was also looking at cleansing oil/balm but was concerned about the greasiness again.

slinky Thought so - we have hard water here too and I recognise that taut feeling...

Don't be afraid of double cleansing. It really is the first step to better skin, but basically it just means a) remove makeup and sunscreen b) wash your skin, now that it's exposed. People use micellar water and similar as a first cleanse. I prefer a liquid emulsifying oil cleanser - lasts a long while and just rinses off. Then a low-pH cleanser that foams. There is no greasiness left then.

I think it's a good idea to switch to the LRP cleanser. I use L'Occitane's shea butter oil cleanser at the moment as a first cleanse, it's grand if you want to try a product like that. Should be fairly easy to get a hold of.

I can't be sure but I wouldn't be surprised if your skin feels greasier (you mention feeling the serum is enough as a moisturiser) because it's not completely clean?

I've tried the odd No 7 product and never been impressed, but that's me. Tried googling your serum, but am not sure I found the right one. It's seems like a silicony one? Looks to me like more money than substance (but like I said, I'm predisposed to not liking no 7 )

banivani You're quite right there, obviously it will vary and things might be changing with the younger generation, but the older one, like my parents are like your describe. My mum loves skincare, has a small collection of face oils and loves everything new I send her way. In fact I've just picked up the M&S beauty box for her (slightly cheating there, as Mother's Day is not until 26/05 in Poland ) as I know she'll love it.

I was trying to write a bit more about Polish skincare but my mind went blank there. And yet every time I visit my parents I come bag with bag full of goodies. Though that's probably more to do with the Pound to PLN exchange and excellent promotions in Superpharm and Rossmann.

My absolutely favourite thing to buy are Biovax hair masks: www.biovax.pl/maseczka-250-ml,34,pl.html don't think they have an English version but should be easy to Google for the ingredients. I love them, with Latte being my favourite, but all the ones I've tried were good. They also come in 20 ml sachets to try.

There seem to be have been a big shift towards more "natural" skincare lately, it's all about the natural oils and ingredients in brands like Sylveco, Vianek, Organique, Resibio and loads more. I've tried a bit of Sylveco and liked them all.

There's also a fair bit of pharmacy brands like Iwostin, Dermedic, Pharmaceris and loads more. I've dabbed a bit in Iwostin and it was all good.

And there's always Inglot, my first ever make up brand. Every time I'm visiting I promise myself to look up some of the eyeshadows but there's always something else.
Usually clothes. Usually Promod.

Bought the Neutral toner. The free hand cream will be nice too.

I have a bit of a thing for hand creams. I have dozens of tubes in drawers and the cars. All get used. I've seen threads where posters have concluded MN that handcreams are "an old lady" thing but I disagree. Daft term anyway.

Did anyone see my question somewhere up there ^^ if not I'll ask again just incase....what's the diff between matrixl and ha?

Also I can't get over how quickly any spots heal up and fade now. It's amazing. I know I've gone on before about it but can't get over how one little cream (cicaplast) can sort out a problem I've been trying to fix for 20 years.

I've no idea sorry mint. I know I don't get along with ha. But that's it.

Thanks arahia! My realisation that Polish skincare might be worth my while came quite late. My MIL has always brought home stuff but what I saw from her didn't really impress me ingredient-wise or for that matter scent-wise... so I kind of ignored it, I thought it was her thinking that stuff from home was better just because it was from home. My husband and I haven't travelled a lot to Poland ourselves for various reasons. But I've seen a bit on the internet these past few years so I spent a solid afternoon in the Dziwnów's cosmetic shop last summer reading INCI:s because my Polish is too rubbish to understand anything else really, haha. I'll be sure to look into the hair masks if we go back! I didn't want to buy anything too dear because I wasn't sure what I liked and was being haphazard in my approach, so I stuck to like Ziaja and Bielenda. And the Bielenda sunscreen is really nice, a favourite of mine. I'd like a higher spf that's all. Next time we might have to go somewhere with better shopping, for at least a day. ;) And I'll have to go have a treatment of some sort.

Banivani

Yes you could be right about the dog or cleansing as at the moment i am cleansing with the Nivea then applying the serum on top so not washing the cleanser away first. Prob why I'm greasy !

So i use the Toleraine first then a mild foaming cleanser ? Anything you recommend ?

I was so baffled by choice with the serums i just went for the No 7, your right it is silicony. Again any recommendations ?

Basically i just want someone to give me a list of recommended products i can buy ! I'm interested in TO but don't know ow which products to go for.

Thanks for your advice

Double cleansing not dog

What's this about the free Burt's Bees cleanser on Facebook? I can't find it anywhere!!

I've checked and can't find it again now it must have been via another company

slinky I'm not sure i feel qualified to recommend really and also I'm doing most of my shopping online these days so mightn't be what you're after at all. But I'll wing it and see if Botemp or the other gurus shoot me down...

Go to The body shop and get samples of their chamomile cleansing oil or chamomile cleansing balm, or maybe to Clinique counter for their Take the day off balm. Try double cleansing and using the LRP cleanser after every PM, see how you like the oil/balm before you commit. Use a hydrating serum after... but what to recommend... have you tried Babor products? Solid Swiss brand. Expensive but good. I really liked serums from Estelle and Thild, Swedish brand. I think looking in a shop with open testers could be good. Look for something with hyaluronic acid high in the ingredients and maybe niacinamide too. Avoid essential oils like citrus or lavender until you figure out if you can take them. Something that feels wet, like. I am so scientific.

I think you'd benefit from some sort of acid really. And I've really gotten on well with the ordinary lactic and HA...

JDSTER thanks again for the pointers.

It's my birthday so I've treated myself to Paula's choice BHA liquid and spf 30 skin balancing moisturiser and trial serum. Mum bought me olay featherlight (I think it's called) so I'll try that but I'd already ordered my PC products. I've gone back to using simple cleanser and stopped using the No7 and my skin feels smoother and plumper already. I've got a trial size of Estée Lauder eye cream I am really liking. I can't say I'm noticing much difference using the efflacar product. Disappointing really but holding out hope for PC!

Wore double wear today and 3 spots have come up. Folks bought me bareminerals in fair so I now have my right colour so will be happy! Brother and sis in law to be got me a one on one makeup lesson so if I can get my skincare sorted I can put the lesson to good use!!

I am c&p Botemps basics for people

Skincare 101 or How to Get Started with a Proper Routine When You Haven’t Got One or Something Vaguely Resembling It

Where to start

The basics: Keep your face away from the shower water, it's too hot. Embrace the sink as your face’s new best friend.. Tepid water, clean flannel every day. Wash hands before starting routine. Acids need to be introduced slowly, some purging may occur but should not continue, nor should continued irritation with any product. Generally introduce products slowly (cleansers are exempt from this), 2 weeks apart.

In terms of informing yourself, you’re probably well on your way. The most important thing is to start mapping out the time you’ll take for yourself on the daily. The routine which will allow you to see more of a difference is in the PM and this is often at the risk of being hurried or forgotten. It really is a point of it becoming a habit which it’ll become soon enough with continued use but some tricks to actually make it happen are the following:

-Tying it to dental care: cleanse first, then brush teeth etc. (assuming you’re at least dedicated to this 2x a day), then finish up routine.

-Doing your routine as soon as you get home from work/after dinner/with DC around bedtime or equivalent to have it done early in the evening around a set moment and not needing to worry about it or feel too tired for right before bed.

-Moving everything but your cleansing routine out of the bathroom so you can’t be harassed out of there during the morning rush, take time in a more peaceful setting or whilst doing other things, etc.

In terms of tools it’s probably worth getting a set of dedicated flannels to be used once a day (I prefer the plusher top of the line ones from Primark, the ones from Ikea 10 for a pound or thereabouts are a bit rougher and not suitable for sensitive skin but may be fine for others, some may prefer muslin, etc.)

Product wise you’ll want to find an SPF you’ll enjoy wearing on a daily basis first and not an SPF in another product such as moisturiser or makeup. These are rarely broad spectrum and often don’t provide the promised coverage. You’ll want an SPF30+ in winter and SPF50 come summer time. If you can find one you like that is sweatproof great, otherwise, you’ll most likely need a separate one when spending long periods of time outdoors and/or doing exercise.

If you can only manage the bare minimum on the daily then it should be cleansing + SPF in the AM and cleansing + moisturiser or facial oil in the PM. In saying that it’s also a good strategy to keep your routine small to start to keep it both manageable and achievable but also to avoid the inability to track possible incompatible products.

Relegate products that aren’t working for you now to body care.

Order of things to buy and try

Phase 1: SPF + Oil Cleanser (for PM) + Cream or other gentle cleanser (for AM and possibly double cleanse if necessary/wear makeup)

Phase 2: Moisturiser and possibly a Hyaluronic Acid based serum for hydration

Phase 2.1: If at this point you still feel like you could use a bit of extra moisturiser a facial oil at night will help out.

Phase 3: Start researching Active Ingredients that will address your specific needs/help address your skincare goals eg. Exfoliating Acids, Vitamin C, Retinol, Niacinamide, etc.

what hollin said

Enid, cicaplast sounds interesting! Is the the baume LRP?

Thank you for the advice hollin, putting a routine in place is where I need to start first before anything.

Sorry banivani, I haven't managed to read all of the previous threads yet, you're right. I started to and it was all going over my head a bit, but I'll go back and do that. Thanks.

Banivani thanks so much i will definitely do the double cleansing and sample balm/oil first. And look for a decent serum and look into acids - I'm very grateful.

Hollinhurst thanks, i did read the basics in the original thread but i will have another look thank you

I find the acids confusing as to which one for which skin type guess i should do some research !

Good link here
https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/1fx45x/ahasandbhaswhatsthedifferenceandhowto/

I agree, acids are a bit confusing but that reddit link is great.

slinky let us know how you feel after some double-cleansing. I found a direct difference in skin texture when I started double-cleansing, but then it felt like my skin stalled and I had to move on to heavier things. It's definitely the first step though in my opinion.

paper come back and ask questions if you need to. :)