Fantastic Skincare: Skin (almost) sorted- decent fucking summer fucking clothes would be fucking nice. Don't ask us about our hair 🐌

[botemp]

Thread 1 Thread 2 Thread 3 Thread 4 Thread 5 Thread 6 Thread 7

I am very slowly working on consolidating the gathered information from previous threads into easier to read formats but it’s slow going. If you wish join us on this thread I would suggest reading thread 1 and at the very least the following info sheets (provided they apply to you):

Where to Start

Basics of an Actives Routine

Skin Types vs. Skin Conditions Info Sheet

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. Newcomers are always welcome but please note the following:

Questions and asking for help on this thread is encouraged, however, we can’t give you a specific routine to follow and hope it works out for the best. There are no overnight miracles in skincare whether it be in the form of products or techniques. It’s about perseverance, understanding your skin, assessing its needs and responding to that in a diligent manner.

These threads were created to help those who want to learn for themselves. We’re a group of interested and invested skincare nuts happy to offer tea and sympathy and dole out advice. Everyone’s journey with skincare is different, what is universal and binds us is that through actually learning about the different active ingredients it helps us get to know our skin and help us adapt as it will change many times throughout our lives - with seasons, hormonal changes, ageing, genetics etc. It's in everyone's best interests to get to know their skin and to keep reviewing those changes with the confidence that comes from the gathered knowledge here. We really encourage you to spend the time reading through previous threads and linked info sheets that the many contributors have taken the trouble to share.

By no means are we experts, we're only a bunch of amateurs that can only respond by suggesting what we would do in your place, for any severe conditions please seek out professional help.

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If you pose a question and we need more contextual information to answer properly we may ask you to fill in the following form. Please only use this form when asked, unsolicited forms will be deleted. Responses to the form can be found here

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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.

MAY/JUNE 2017: It’s summer and some of us are hourglasses (and otherwise beautifully shaped) that desperately need to bitch and moan about the severe lack of clothes available to us. Also, some of us are recovering from a ‘fine’ butchering to our hair. Don’t ask. Some of us suffer from all of the above. At least the weather is good, wear sunscreen.

*feeling sore to touch

Older . I hope you have a peaceful weekend planned and that next week is better.

Enid I am just done with my second bout of Footner to. Am determined to keep on top of it now (said that last year lol).

I had my eyerbows threaded on Tuesday. Had my lower lip done for the second time. This time I've come up with 3 little spots above my lip now. I think it must be the nia which I put on that night and omg it stung. Won't be doing that again!

Also, I get a recurrent, intermittent patch of eczema on one elbow. LRP Cicaplast is really helping (I think more than my steroid cream).

Thanks enid and pupsie

I have some dry, empty spots that I think it might help heal up. Will try savlon on the one that hurts to touch in my hairline and is not going away at all.

Anyone know where I can buy a white microfibre hair wrap/turban? You'd think it'd be an easy thing to find but Amazon's full of bright pink ones and bad reviews.

Body scrub lovers might like these 'Italy towels' being discussed here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2967959-Recently-discovered-Korean-Italy-towels-and-they-have-all-but-got-rid-of-my-keratosis-pilaris-and-severe-dry-skin I'm going to give them a try.

enid you mean like this?

Ooh yes Older. Thank you!

I'm guessing if this was a thing I'd have heard about it, but I don't suppose there's such a thing as a personal shopper for your face? I just want someone to give me a skincare routine and tell me what makeup to use. I appreciate all the work you ladies do but I wish you could just look at my face and tell me what I need and what to do with it!

Have some too, otyt. Good on you for seeking out the doctor.

Enid, possibly weird idea but how would the B5 be as a foot cream?

Those Italy towels are really popular with AB bloggers. My mum was a devotee but she got hers from Japan and they were called something else but it was quite the ritual to be used at an onsen (Japanese hotspring) which required a lot of washing and rinsing. She replicated it at home with success but she had super dry reptile skin so all the effort was kind of worth it, don't know if I'd be prepared to spend that much time on it for just the KP which seems pretty well behaved this year.

Hmm I suppose it sort of exists notamammy but it's usually tied to certain brands/shops and no real guarantee of what you're really buying into. A dermatologist that works more on the cosmetic side would theoretically be your best bet but they are rarely unaffiliated. I guess the closest thing is those facials Caroline Hirons does, I actually think if you're in a one on one situation with her you're far more likely to get helpful advice from her than what her blog is but I would rather spend my money with a dermatologist who actually looks beyond the appearance of the skin. A well trained dermatologist through experience can potentially signal issues you're unaware of like prediabetes, food intolerances, etc. and IME systematic skin issues tend to be tied to other health problems.

The reason I called an end to the questionnaire and catered routine on these threads is because it was turning into an answer response system that cost me a lot of time and from those requests people rarely stuck around when the focus of the threads has always meant to be about self education because skincare isn't a static thing. It evolves continually and if you're unable to anticipate that yourself as you're solely relying on someone else's assessment it means with every small change, season, hormones, etc. you'd be shelling out for another consultation. Fair enough if you've got the cash and are willing to spend it PM me for my paypal and it's probably a better allocation of resources than spending it on high end skincare that sounds nice but at that price level it just makes sense to see a good dermatologist.

Older here's some from me too... depression can be a bitch, glad you're seeking support...

Enid I found a hair turban in TK Maxx, might be worth a look? And you've reignited my interest in Footner - I've always avoided it because the results look a bit ewwww but the prospect of baby-soft feet is fairly appealing at the moment! Thank you as well for your Cicaplast recommedation - DH is using it on his sore, cracked hands :)

John lewis have those hair turbans in white

Decathlon sell those hair turbans.

Has anyone used Clinique dramatically different gel?? My skin needs moisture as suffers from dehydration but creams just feel so heavy on my skin and it looks shiny!

Thanks botemp I thought that might be the case. I'm wary of going to a particular brand as they'll just tell me to use their stuff and I'm a salesperson's dream so I'll just buy it and I really can't afford to do that! I don't think my skin is bad enough to go to a dermatologist either, it's just not great.
I'll keep trying out different things and seeing what works. Although I know I need to follow the basics more religiously (like drinking more water than tea) before expecting a miracle answer.

enid It's not what you're looking for but I find a white muslin cloth so much better than a microfiber turban. Maybe it's just that my turban is a bit shit, or that my hair loooooves to cling onto water, but I found that it never stays on my head right and doesn't soak up any moisture. Whereas I can wrap my head up in the muslin cloth and it sucks up so much water. I also use it for when I'm applying a hair mask.

JUNE EMPTIES/ON TRIAL/PLANNED PURCHASES/SPECIAL MENTION

EMPTIES
Sanoflore essence merveilleuse - was using this as a night time serum. Have liked it and will check out their other one in this range when am in France end of the month, and either RP or buy the other
No other empties this month - am virtually at the end of at least 4 products but not quite

ON TRIAL
TO Agireline - supposed to be good for dynamic fold so using it on nasolabial creases. Liking so far.

PLANNED PURCHASES
I RP'd:
TO HA
TO Niacinamide
TO moisturising factors
I Purchased:
TO squalene (have liked in other products and I like a good fatty facial oil) - not introduced yet
TO agireline (see above)
TO - one of the other vit C's due to the desperate lack of 23%...I'm still eking my old one out so haven't introduced yet
Hair wise:
Lush shampoo bars x 2 ( RP)
H'sua Wen hair treatment (RP)
I will purchase this month, some of this wish list, in France:

Night cream
Eye cream (LRP redermic?)
Facial oil (sanoflore?)
Masks
Cicaplast + b5
Bioderma hydrabio
Topicreme body
Dermaphil hand cream and lip balm
Petit Marseillaise shower cream
Soap
Mavala polishes
Bigune make up
Une make up (bought a cream blush at Christmas and loved so keen to try more)
Kiehls eye cream
Sephora ????
Christian Lennart Rosewater
Bioderma crealline
Small Serozinc

(It's a lot I know but I stock up as it's cheaper...)

SPECIAL MENTION
Have got TO Ha back in my routine which I am appreciating anew. Skin looking bouncy.
Hoping TO other vit c will be good - the thought of spending 2 weeks without vit c with new scars/hyper pigmentation in 35 degrees is making me feel nervous...

Hi, this is my first time posting here. Just wanted to share a new product I've been using (and loving!!) - Avene Very High Protection Emulsion SPF50+
£4 off at Boots

I have sensitive, dehydrated, acne prone skin which reacts easily (my skin will break out in hives if it doesn't like a new product). This is the highest protection face sunscreen I've ever purchased - UVB rating 50+ and UVA/PPD rating will be at least 17 (or more). It doesn't irritate my skin whatsoever, protects my face nicely from Florida's rays, and I've noticed my acne scarring has slightly reduced... probably because I previously wasn't wearing adequate UVA protection.

Starting my trial of TO Azelaic acid 10% in my endeavour to permanently get rid of red cheeks. Do I wear moisturiser after? I have no idea.
They are however less red now I've started using all these various TO products and ditched the Glycolic for a while.
Plus my LRP antihelios 30spf is helping on sunny days, my skin seems ok with this and it likes the LRP mist spray for when I get caught out by the sun such as after work etc. Just don't spray it with your sunglasses on your head.

Oooo I've just seen on the TO site that they are to be bringing out a Vit C 30% suspended in silicones. I'm guessing this is to make it less grainy.

TO are also going to be bringing out suncare, mineral UV filters, something else to look forward to. Let's hope they are similar to Biore.

Special Sunday Supplement with added shelf porn today! Well, I'm going to attempt a copy paste on mobile anyhow. We're in Antwerp for the weekend so it's only Belgian shelves, which is just like the French stuff but with grubbier fingerprints and weird kinks at inflated prices. Will report back later on things of interest I managed to slather on backs of hands.

Excuse the fuzzy quality, I was deliriously happy as I've spent stupid amounts of money on clothes that fit me, that I absolutely love and most importantly made me feel and look amazing. Including a Helmut Lang dress that made OH literally fall out of a chair in one of those uber minimal spaces with monastery silence for music. Needless to say the dress got bought and I need more Helmut Lang in my life

Will catch up with rest of thread later.

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT

The mid-year Japanese Cosme Awards are out (ranked by sales and popularity and only new products to the market are eligible)

Best Pick Nivea Sun Creme Care UV Cream SPF50 a bit of a heavier formulation, as I was reading it I was thinking ‘this would make an excellent hand cream’ (no Avobenzone used) only then to read that’s exactly what Ratzilla uses it for. Haven’t checked prices yet but it is a cheap product in Japan so with a bit of luck under a tenner.

Why You Need A Non-photosensitive Fragrance - adding this more out of personal interest, I react very badly to fragrance in products, can’t really wear it as perfume either without it smelling like toilet cleaner and have been expanding my ‘research’ into photosensitivity and phototoxicity lately so anyone else in the same boat (or just an interest in fragrance) might find this a good read. I’m also seeing a rise in fragrance that isn’t alcohol based with the more niche perfumers (not oils) and am wondering if that’s also somehow related.

Victoria Health Newsletter - with info on the NIOD sunscreens (all physical, I sense a very houlier than though stance on chemical sunscreens coming your way from DECIEM, which they will instantly waive away as soon as the Ordinary comes out with a chemical or combination sunscreen).

Synthetic “Melanin” Could Act as a Natural Sunscreen - interesting new research which is looking into melanin production. The basis being that melanin occurs in response to sun damage to help protect the skin from further sun damage (ie. tanning or burning). The melanin bit (provided it works properly) is actually a great natural defense so if they’re able to imitate the melanin production synthetically without the sun damage as stimulus we’d have naturally higher defenses against the sun, it wouldn’t take away the necessity from sunscreen altogether but it certainly has promise. Early phases of research so it’ll be quite a while before we see anything on the market, if it’ll even be available OTC.

Beauty Business News I and Beauty Business News II

Indeed Retinol Reface Review - uses the same type of synthetic retinol as TO but this product is somehow more aggro.

Ipl Treatment For Broken Capillaries (Cynosure Icon)

TCA Peel Vs Glycolic Acid Peel: Which One Is Better For You?

Which La Roche Posay Anthelios Sunscreen Is Right For Your Skin Type?

Three Advanced Skincare Hacks for Acne

Here's What We Know About The 2 New Vitamin C Serums From The Ordinary

Full disclosure, I’m really hesitant in including this as I’m not a big fan of universal regimes (as a regime should be something you build up slowly when we’re talking actives), nor do I think you can realistically create those from a blogger perspective without it being heavily coloured by your own views and experiences (as that’s all you really know) and then transposing it onto skin care types you only know in theory. Personally, I think there’s a lot missing and a whole lot that’s superfluous but that really is a difference of opinion. I’m also a bit iffy with this blogger’s very cosy status with Victoria Health (and therefore Deciem) and their continual inclusion of her blog in their newsletters. Don’t think any of it’s undisclosed or anything like that (and she appears to be a competent and thorough blogger) but undoubtedly such close relationships colour views whether you want it to or not. Anyhow I’m including as it may be helpful to some of you but not as something to follow blindly. The Ordinary – A Recommended Routine For Every Skin Type

VIDEOS/PODCASTS

How can you find a cheaper natural lip balm? Episode 161

-Eh… more disclosure time. I’m getting a bit weary with Gothamista’s natural talk lately (which inevitably always leads to endorsing high end ‘natural’ skincare- when there’s no such thing, even ‘organic’ is completely unregulated and is purposefully misused in marketing). I’d have to go digging again but the whole sunscreens are ruining ocean life spiel is very unbiased. Undoubtedly chemical filters aren’t the nices things in the world but equally physical filters aren’t great either from an environmental impact point of view. Anyhow, beyond all the ‘natural’ and safe for the environment talk there may be some interest for body sunscreens in amongst these for you all.

I hope everything works as it usually does, happy reading and weekend everyone!

Forgot to mention, SkinCity is having 20% off Medik8 this weekend so of interest perhaps to anyone with plans to try one of their cleansers (the gentle one for most skin types, there's a salycilic one called beta something that could be of interest for those on prescriptions that are proving to be highly inflammatory or the truly oily, and another one for those in the redness/rosacea boat. All three use decyl glucoside that I find really helpful with keeping pores clear anecdotally but another science based blogger had said similar). The travel sizes are only 7 euros now and shipping is free. I'm quite curious about their creamy cleanser as a first cleanser but unfortunately that only seems available in a full size version. For the other products IME the Medik8 products tend to be cheaper elsewhere, at least that's the case for the Vit C and R-Retinoate I was looking at.

Thanks for the Sunday supplement bo

Im on a big first cleanser hunt. Ive looked at eleventy billon at this point but am afraid of all of them

Don't want

Parfum
Shea butter
Castor oil
Argan oil
Rose hip oil
Orange peel oil
Grape seed oil
Coco glucoside
Ethylhexyl Palmitate (the latest baddie)

Any thoughts welcome!

Am thinking about the niod ester cleanser
I recognise nearly nothing in it so maybe it would be ok?!

Or this one might be ok

m.eu.feelunique.com/p/Aveda-Botanical-Kinetics-All-Sensitive-Cleanser-150ml

Or this one

m.eu.feelunique.com/p/Dr-Hauschka-Soothing-Cleansing-Milk-145ml

?

wilting I've got NIOD cleansing ester- I got it as part of one of the NIOD kits. I tried it on holiday and it didn't suit me at all. I found it very oily and therefore difficult to remove. I guess you can have it if you'd like. I can't see my using it again.