Fantastic Skincare - we're snail here 🐌

[botemp]

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I am very slowly working on consolidating the gathered information from previous threads into easier to read formats but it’s slow going. In order to make use of the below form and join in I would suggest reading thread 1 and at the very least the following info sheets (provided they apply to you):

Basics of an Actives Routine

Where to Start

Anti-Ageing Info sheet

Adult Acne Info Sheet

For those who are taking a peek and wondering what this all about, we mostly discuss a bit of advanced skincare here with a perspective of seeking out the right ingredients (rather than the latest new shiny product and all its empty promises) 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 and the linked docs) 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 . Please note, the form is not here to generate a routine for you, sometimes it involves product recommendations but mostly it's there so we can answer a specific question without having to go back and forth endlessly. Also, 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]:

---

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.

User The scent doesn't sound too bad. I'll have a look at it when I'm next in town. My hair is long, slightly wavy and thick. I like a bit of weight at the ends after washing it so usually use conditioners with a lot of oils in. This one has argan oil and is called 'heavy cream' so I'm thinking it could've been the clarifying shampoo that's caused the huge fluffy hair. So not so bad as it'll only be a once a month shampoo.

I got some blotting sheets in a beauty box and they're really good. Can't remember what they're called but I'll try and track them down!

Christ, they're not cheap. Glad I got them in my box which is about a tenner!
https://www.beautypapier.com

Thanks user I'll definitely try the balm. LRP is definitely becoming one of my favourite brands

I've been trialling blotting papers by Essence, cheap as chips too. I would have normal-ish skin (as I have got my dehydration sorted) but being menopausal (sigh) I find the need to blot my face especially as it gets warmer out.
They are not fantastic but handy to have in the handbag.

I also trialled the 7 skin method last night after watching Gothamista's video...I kind of enjoyed doing it. I have Kiehls 'Activating Treatment Essence' and never really knew how to use it, so gave it a shot. Have to say, face feels divine and soft today. I might do it weekly, as it forces me to slow down my evening routine for one thing.

Argh, my tablet keeps swallowing my posts so I'll keep this short.

Got my EPP delivery, & the decant that Bo kindly sent me, thank you. I'll start trying it out when I've tested out the TO Niacinamide a while longer. It's the greenest thing I've ever seen! Smells very nice, quite herbal. Do you buy it from Rakuten?

Re the Mama Labo hand cream SPF, - yes I'd thought to have that for my bag. It's small & so cute! We don't have a car & are outdoors people - so while I'm only a recent convert to facial SPFs, I've always been fairly good about covering up & wearing a hat. Tend to neglect my hands though, & frequent hand washing = my hands definitely reveal my age. I'm still looking for a non-staining, affordable (large size) SPF, 30 or higher (especially as I recently started running). Preferably not a spray, as I'd like something I could decant into a small tube for my bag, if I can't get the Mama Labo.

I'll drop the Niacinamide to twice per week. Blemishes are in usual places. The worst one is on one side of my neck - I have a specific patch there that's a real problem, I always seem to have a spot or the mark left from one (& because I'm so pale the marks can last several months, no joke). Hopefully the Cicaplast will help with that.

Re import taxes - I'd forgotten about that, thanks. Can anyone recommend a website that clearly explains whether an order will qualify as a "gift" or "other goods"? As I've had deliveries marked as either recently, there doesn't seem to be any logic to it. Really not looking forward to having this headache for all my orders after the dreaded Brexit. Yay...

Enid I reckon it was the conditioner that made ur hair fluffy, the all soft range is known for making hair almost too soft and therefore fluffy. I'd try a different conditioner with the cleansing shamp next time to see.

Has anyone tried this www.superdrug.com/Skin/Face/Day-Cream-Moisturisers/B-Nourished-Advanced-Serum-30ml/p/303104

It has Hyaluronic acid and Niacinamide in. After your comments Botemp, i was trawling the internet looking for products!

Mint Thank you. I'll do that. Annoying when it was ££. I bought the conditioner and the hair mask in it. I think I get better results with the £4 Garnier one I usually use. And that's a big bottle.

I know Enid I hate it when I spend ££ and then don't like the products!

nickpic, the serum you've linked has Alcohol Den. as its third ingredient (ie. a ton of it). Alcohol is pretty much the worst adversary to dehydrated skin. It has it place in skincare with moderation to act as a penetration enhancer (in SPF is the only place I really make allowance for it but the majority of Acid toners will have it).

By the sound of it, your increased pore appearance really is down to dehydration if they're clean. Since dehydrated skin tends to pull tight it tends to exaggerate texture both in terms of vertical fine lines and pores.

There isn't always a direct correlation between body and facial skin but if you're suffering from eczema you're probably residing on the dryer side these days. Dehydration in the skin generally tends to kick in mid-twenties (as our body just stops providing the key building block to buoyant hydrated skin in lesser amounts progressively) and it often takes a while for us to get to grips with it and understand the ramifications. Having started a 'proper' skincare routine earlier probably wouldn't have made that much difference to that development so don't fret about it.

I think it's probably an idea to try the Urea 5% cream from Eucerin knowing what we know now. In terms of a hydrating serum, I'll give you two options and you may like to get both and alternate or layer use.

The first is the Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Hyaluronic Acid Lotion from Japan (available through eBay or Amazon, expect a delivery period of 2-3 weeks, IME eBay is quicker). This is quite a heavy duty HA serum with a more viscous consistency with a good variety of different Hyaluronic Acid weights that will work on the different levels of the skin.

The second is Hylamide SubQ Anti Age (available at Boots where it's sometimes on offer or through the Deciem website). It has a similar makeup of different weights of HA with some added anti-ageing peptides (full disclosure: it's all new technology that hasn't been proven, just suspected to work. I generally rec this as a hydrating serum that's easier to obtain but is more expensive for a smaller volume). If you can stretch to the NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyalorunic Complex (also from Deciem) I'd get that instead (this is an even smaller bottle).

In terms of routine, for now, I wouldn't fret too much about other ingredients like Niacinamide, etc. until you get to grips with the dehydration. You need to introduce everything gradually anyhow to isolate any product reactions (allow 2 weeks at minimum between introducing a new product with the exception of cleansers and water sprays):

AM

Wash with washcloth
Thermal Water Spray (I prefer the one from LRP but in your case, Avene may be better suited, the silica in it will help lock in a bit of extra water) to help subsequent product penetrate easier.
HA Serum (see above)
Thermal Water Spray (see above)
Eucerin Urea 5% Cream (this comes in two variants, for normal-dry and extra dry skin, I'd see how you go with normal-dry first)
A stand alone broad spectrum sunscreen

PM

Oil Cleanser
LRP Toleriane Dermo Cleanser
Avene Thermal Water Spray
HA Serum
Avene Thermal Water Spray
(You could do HA serum here again if you feel your skin would be receptive to it/in need of it)
Eucerin 5% Urea Cream

The reason I'm suggesting the 5% Urea cream is that from your picture I'm guessing your skin has built up in thickness somewhat in reaction to the dehydration. The 5% Urea has mild exfoliating properties that will slough that off somewhat to help penetrate the outer layer of the skin and making it more susceptible to accepting product without the extra delivery vehicles. It should also help somewhat with the dull appearance of it. It this doesn't seem enough then it's worth considering an AHA 2-3 weeks at night (starting with using it 1-2x a week to build up tolerance). The Ordinary (again Deciem) Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution would probably be a good one to start looking at but I must stress again that an a standalone broad spectrum sunscreen must be in place first as this photosensitises the skin and makes it more susceptible to sun damage and therefore photoageing, resulting long term in worse skin rather than better.

applepineapple, unfortunately, I do have to point out that using P50 and prescription retinoids is heavily advised against and I'd probably say the same for TO AHA+BHA peel. Retinoids work at the starting point of the cell turnover process by accelerating it and AHA/BHAs at the tail end of it. You're risking overexfoliation by using both conjunctively (are you using Differin daily?) which isn't a good place to be as you'll have to stop using all forms of actives and go into barrier repair mode for a quite a long period of time before having to build up everything gradually again with usually added sensitisation. There is an argument for the conservative use of a low % acid toner to help slough off the dead skin that comes with the increased turnover from a prescription strength retinoid but the two you are using really don't fit that bill, unfortunately. The P50W once a week maybe, but be really careful with it then and probably best to use with a damp cotton or spray with thermal water after to dilute it slightly.

I do occasionally rec the body shop as a first cleanse but mostly to those who like a bit of fragrance or have no issue with it as it contains both fragrance and fragrant compounds.

The Melano CC would fit your needs for a Vit C post spot treatment but that also contains fragrance (it wasn't irritating to me but no guarantees), it's a bit unusual Japanese citrusy, think Yuzu and Pomelo. You can consider, albeit more pricey, the PC RESIST 25% Vitamin C Spot Treatment. Comes in a travel size to somewhat mitigate the cost but it doesn't take away from the fact that it will be an expensive product but if used sparingly on spots only may be the thing for you? Enid's beloved LRP B5 may be the thing too, so probably best to try that first and be diligent with the sunscreen too.

Lego, yeah it does smell strong but it doesn't contain any fragrance. The smell is a lot lighter and actually quite pleasant green tea-ish when you foam it up. I think I forgot to include a note but you need a coin-sized amount and here's a good video for how it foams up with a foaming net

I've never bought from Rakuten. The headache is too large with that site, most sellers will only send through EMS (which is extortionately high for anything of weight) whilst the site gives the option of SAL and they won't tell you the shipping costs until after you go through the payment process as they have to physically gather the order and weigh it. Add in automatic credit card charges and usually difficult communications. The lower prices really don't work out. I used to use a personal shopper but she's moved. The Kibiki is available through eBay, it is very dependant per seller whether they mark it as gift or not. Technically it's illegal to do so and Japanese sellers are less likely to not follow the procedures to the letter as it has huge ramifications to their business. So IME professional sellers are upfront and if you're unlucky you'll be paying import taxes and the admin fees. I don't mind the import taxes, they're really not that high and it only feels fair that I pay those, it's the admin fees that piss me off (hence why I like Amazon JP as they don't charge any). I recently had to pay €15 import tax on something really small that through the fluctuation of currencies came in just of the exempt threshold. Less than €1 of it was taxes, the rest admin fees and the admin fees go up % wise here so it's hugely frustrating.

Thanks again, that's brilliant. Just knowing that hopefully my issues can be helped is amazing.
I have booked an appointment with a lady that I have used to have my one and only facial, she has suggested a few options over email, but the products she has suggested do not tell me what ingredients they have in, so hard to make a decision really. I'm off to goofgle all you have suggested / no ironing getting done by me today!!
www.crystalclear.co.uk/product-category/consumer/category/facial-in-a-box/

Hi botemp thanks for the advice. I must say that I built up to using Differin daily and I feel it has helped my skin massively. I haven't had any irritation from using the P50 or The Ordinary peel but I will be more aware of this from now on. I probably use the P50 less that I thought, I bought it mid March and I think I've used it maybe four times.

What would you say a compromised skin barrier is? Would it show through products stinging on application and increased breakouts? I would be interested to know as although I haven't had any of the above it would be good to know what to look out for.

Thanks for the cleanser and Vitamin C recs, I'm not averse to all fragrance, I just don't like heavily scented creams etc on my face

Hello everyone. I haven't been on in yonks, maybe not even since the first thread!

Just wanted to pop in and say in case people hadn't noticed, Victoria's Health have the NIOD MMHC at half price (although they don't mention that. They've just dropped the price to £19). I think this is because it will be discontinued once the MMHC2 launches, although maybe as it is not advertised at 50% off they're keeping it but at the lower price. Are they saying it was overpriced to begin with!?

Naboo! You're back.

Mint It is a bit annoying. suppose I expected amazing things. It's not bad though so I'll use it. Maybe try it with a different shampoo. At least my hair feels super clean and light which will be good for getting a colour put in next week.

Free samples in the post today. And possibly the most middle class shower gel sample - quinoa, and labelled as gluten free

quinoa shower gel! Definitely need feedback on that!

See. I joke not

OMG I've just seen the price...

£15 for 200ml?! Shit me, I'll make sure I get two uses out this sample

Water it down!

I'm laughing at the middle class shower gel, must be upper middle at that price! I've also just ordered the bioderma nude touch SPF, I bought on amazon but the blurb on the bioderma website was telling me I needed to shake until I heard balls (presumably translated directly from French) & I had a very childish giggle to myself.

I'm hankering to order more cicaplast stuff namely the hand cream and lip balm, has anyone tried them? I'm also looking at the redermic eye cream from LRP, it's quite pricey so any reviews appreciated. I currently use the hylamide sub q eyes and whilst it's ok I don't love it in the way I love the serum so am open to moving on.

Olli have you tried the soaper duper shower gel yet? I'm loving it! Definitely buying the ginger one next.

Well ive bought a few products of the list, got an oil cleanser, the urrea cream and also the Sub Q anti age serum.
Will cross the others off my list as i go.
Thanks again feel like theres a light at the end of the tunnel ☺