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]:

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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.

Forgive me for I have sinned, I used bar soap and shower water in my face just now.

I had to get some chip grease, booze stickiness and possibly trace amounts of puke off drunk people.

Followed by cleanser, serum, moisturiser, and oil though.

Banana I know u from another thread somewhere else, I've had a name change since and it was a long time ago now but just wanted to say hi and

Enid, I haven't tried it as it's not my favourite smell not that most are but the Ecover almond handwash is supposed to be quite moisturising as it has added almond oil in it. I usually have the lavender or lemon one out of convenience (cheap and easily available) with no ill effect with those but think they'd be similar to most hand washes.

Thanks for answering us, @bananafish81. I'd always estimated you'd be out around £500 with a consultation and the prescriptions and possibly a short follow up. No need to justify your choices to us, you seem confident and informed about your decision and that's all that matters. The only time I get arsey about injectables is when it seems to be this war on expression. I have a friend who is a theatre actress and she gets repeatedly told to get botox by various directors (who hold a lot of influence over the direction of her career) because apparently, her face is too expressive . Silly me thought this was a thing you'd want in a stage actress, I honestly don't even think it has anything to do with how she looks, it's just another exertion of control which that industry seems rife with.

Sorry, went a bit off topic there. Would be curious to know, since banana mentioned these are Harley St. prices, if there are similar practices nationwide. I'm not in the UK so have always been under the impression it's pretty much just Harley St. that offers this and that it's pretty tough to find similar practices elsewhere. There was a thread on here from someone asking about Scotland but lost track of it, wonder if they managed to find someone as it seems a bit odd that it's only available in London.

otyt I didn't know we were a Catholic thread . I don't think anyone can blame you after that! Just in case, no self-flagellation necessary, you're forgiven .

JDSTER I'm really glad I started using Differin, it's diminished the amount of spots I get around my period and I don't really get any at other times of the month now either. I started using it every few days and working my way up to once a day. I did have some flaky patches and breakouts about a week or so into using it but I've been very lucky with my skin and had no irritation or stinging obviously I'm using it for acne purposes and I cant really speak for the anti-aging properties.

bo I'm more jedi than catholic but thanks for the forgiveness

Unfortunately, I'm not all that well versed in the Jedi but speaking of Star Wars please tell me I got the right one, I've just noticed Boots are now selling that Storm Trooper-esque LED Acne mask and it's on offer for £39.99

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Light Therapy Acne Mask

I linked to a few reviews from the US a while back, the general consensus was that it does work really well but that the economics of having to repurchase the activator for no other reason than to make more money for Neutrogena was a major drawback. Though you'd expect someone would have found a hack for it already by now. Anyhow, it seems a relatively affordable way to trial LED therapy for acne.

Thanks for the update banana. at having "shitloads" of spfs to use up. It will be really interesting to hear (and see) your progress. Oh, and I had no idea that if you put @ in front of user name you get an email from MN to tell you!

apple thanks for differin info. I'll probably try it at some point as an alternative retinoid. Colleagues often hop over to US where it's easily available.

@JDSTER just testing

mint

I've caught up, mostly. I am interested in the NIOD copper peptide serum but not sure where I would fit it into my routine. How often do you use it nab? I think I too am probably more red than I realise.

I've had my hair and and coloured and I hate it. 😫 Feel like have already cried crying. It's so much shorter than I wanted and the layers are sticking out. Wish I'd left it. Took me years to grow my hair nice. Feel so frumpy now.

Sorry, not skincare related but needed to share. I was proud of my hair.

enid. No platitudes but sorry you're feeling upset by it x

Thanks JD I know it's ridiculous really. It really is a bad cut though. And my roots don't match the ends.

Enid it's not ridiculous to be upset by a bad cut & colour. I'd be upset too.

Oh that's upsetting Enid. And not at all ridiculous, especially given it's taken ages to grow it. Can you complain? Is it long enough still to have someone improve it?

Thanks Appreciate the sympathy. It's not long enough to be corrected. It's not short short but much shorter than I've had it in about 12 years. I think it's reminding me of when I last had it like this. It wasn't a very happy time.

I've washed it already. About to dry it. I'll just keep reminding myself that fretting won't make it grow back. Not sure how to grow out layers though, I can't remember what I did last time. Argh, I need a decent hair salon.

Oh I'm sorry Enid I'd be upset too I have difficult hair and a too short cut/too many layers really has an impact not only on how I look and feel but on how much harder it is to manage.

Is it still long enough to wear up or tied back? And hopefully you can get the colour corrected even if the cut isn't salvageable.

I'm not too bothered by the colour now. It's a semi. It'll fade and wash out. It's the bloody stupid layers. The front has very little layers (thank god!) but at the back there's 3 or four with one that kind of stoops half way up my head so there's a visible bump where it ends. Is shorter layers at the back of the hair normal?

Properly hate it. I was too proud of my hair really but because I'm ill there are days I can't even shower and I look grey but I could always think, 'at least my hair looks nice'. Feel really down. I know it'll grow but

And I can put it on a ponytail but whereas before it was a nice thick swooshy ponytail, it's now a weird sticking out 4 inch long layered thing.

My turn to have a rant now too....my skin has gone weird! Have broken out in loads of sore rashy spots on neck and few on face! They have little whiteheads ontop which can literally be scratched off! This usually happens to my skin when I'm on antibiotics but I'm not on them now!!

Right, I'll stop going on now and try to focus on positives because I'm making myself ill getting anxious about it. Fringe is ok and grows fast. Colour not the best but not disastrous and will fade/wash out. Have straightened the ends a bit and it's sitting slightly better, enough to live with until it grows. Annoyed I have to use straighteners after 4 years without but needs must.

It's absolutely not what I asked for though.

You had that last month too Mint remember? Could it be hormonal?

Enid did I really? Did I say the same thing?

Enid - if you want to grow your cut out as fast as possible, I'd try scalp massage. Every day, for at least a week each month, you need to give your scalp a pretty vigorous massage with your fingertips, 3-5 minutes should be enough. Some people do it every day but it can irritate, so I think 2-3 weeks of no massage is generally recommended in between massage weeks, at least until you see how your scalp reacts. I used to do this (before I realised how much hair density I'd lost due to medication & chopped it all off) & it does work - I nearly doubled my monthly growth rate. Allegedly, it works even better if you can do it with your head upside-down - either lean right forward or lay with your head off the edge of the bed.

bo that mask looks like a cross between a storm trooper and robocop

enid sorry about your hair, could you let us grow a while and then have it cut better to mask the choppy layers? (Obviously not by Edward scissor hands again)