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

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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. 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.

On your horse?!!!!! Riding 17km 3 hours, 8 weeks after surgery.....? Are you Wonder Woman!!!?? No wonder your hair's looking epic...ok that's irrelevant...
Antioxidant, ok thanks...
Anyone else....?

Yes, on the horse she had a great time! I did also do a spin class last night

Wowser, I'm glad you're both doing so well...is endurance your thing then or was that a long meandering summer evening hack type thing...hoping to ride tomorrow myself...had 2 months off due to utter tedium, but also because I unexpectedly lost my youngster recently

Oh I'm so sorry it's somehow worse when it's so unexpected
We do dressage normally (schooling at medium) but met up with someone from a FB group and decided to go out exploring. Had to contend with a kissing gate plus a very noisy wooden bridge
I just think hacking is great for brain and fitness. Horse is 22 and carted me home as fresh as a daisy while I'm wincing on the sofa

Bo Thank you very much, will keep you posted x

Sorry yongian I saw that after I had posted, so sorry to hear your sad news x

Thanks both, yes it has been rubbish.
Deffo, olli hacking for mental refreshment and fitness. My lot don't really do much else, they don't exactly work for a living . Your mare sounds fab.

She's looking cracking for her age, really settled today as it was quite hard work despite a lot of it being in walk. This is last year on her

Yong sorry I couldn't just read that and not comment. There aren't even any words to express how sorry I am to hear that awful news, sending you a big bear hug and

So sorry yong. You inspired me, if that's the right way of saying it, to share that I'm facing difficult times ahead. My dad is in hospital and has been for about 6-7 weeks. He's taken a turn for the worse this weekend. I'm in London this week working but made the decision to cut short and come home so I can visit him. He's not local so I need to get a flight later today. I'm just sharing now because although this is a S&B thread, and we don't know each other it feels a friendly and safe place to write about it. Thank you to everyone who shares other parts of their life on here.

for you both yong and JDSTER. Wishing you lots of strength and a listening ear if you need it. We may just be a bunch of anonymous randoms on the internet but it doesn't stop one from caring or worrying when a prolific poster suddenly goes quiet or is having a tough time.

JDSTER Thinking of you, sounds like you have a lot to deal with x

JDSTER so sorry to hear about your Dad. Hope you will both feel comforted by your being able to visit. for you both. I'm glad this feels like a good place to share.

And thank you mint bo and jdster. He was a very tricky horse whom I had a very close bond with as a result and his death was totally unexpected, which was a horrible shock.

Oh multiple post alert.
olli she is lovely. Blue matchy looking good too!!

Got to make an effort! She does give me the look of "are you actually joking human?" Sometimes when I try a new colour on her

Olli your horse looks fab for 22 I'm a rider but sadly not an owner, I so wish I was but I just don't have the time. I am lucky enough to ride a fantastic boy tho, I love him and the not sensible part of me wants him! I've just come from a fantastic jump session actually! Envious of your long hack.

yong sorry to hear you lost a horse Re Vit C usage, I originally started using it for hyper pigmentation. I don't have this problem anymore but continued using partly for antioxidant benefits but mainly because my face really likes it. I've always used it on my entire face though, simply as it never occurred to me to use in the required areas only when I first starting using

For JD too.

Can I ask what HA people use aside from TO one? I'm using TO currently, which I have no problems with but I'm interesting in trying another product to compare.

JD Really very sorry about your Dad. If you ever need to talk we're all here for you. Love to you and your family.

Thank you all for your kindness. Dad in in ITU on a ventilator so doesn't know I'm there. Devastating to see him like that. He was fit and well 2 months ago. I wish DH was with me but he has to be at home with the children.

Hang in there, JDSTER. Hope you have some other support around you in lieu of DH for now. Your dad may not be aware but I'm sure he'll appreciate your presence nonetheless. I remember when my Gran woke in the ICU and she was a bit out of it but did manage a small smile and a rather raspy, "I knew you'd all be here." and then proceeded to demand who was looking after her beloved doggie that instantly validated our feeling to constantly be there.

Sorry, I realised I neglected to answer questions previously and thank Olli for confirming my fears and selling it to me even more with promises of 'wash of colour' thankfully the Paris shop seems to have shut down so my wallet appears somewhat safe.

wilting, yes I've noticed a definite stabilisation which is frankly a bit odd after so many years of being all over the place, but I'll happily take it .

yong wrt Vit C I use it sort of for:

pigmentation- more the inhibition of melanin production rather than treating existing pigmentation as I don't have any unless you count that one burn mark on my neck from the curling iron but I'm genetically predisposed to them. My Mum and Gran both had quite a bit of pigmentation as they loved being out in the sun (not full on tanners but definitely not SPF fanatics) but they had much darker skin and it actually made them look youthful as it sort of has that freckles effect, same way older Italian women all look great with a few sun spots. I am far too pale to get away with that and I know this type of damage won't show up till much later so Vit C and Sunscreen to prevent it from growing wild later. Also for PIH as that lasts a lot longer without using Vit C, will then use it topically more often or apply more heavily.

The antioxidant properties I view more as a bonus, I think if it was just using Vit C for that I'd be looking for a sunscreen that has it integrated into the formula (usually a different form to L-AA) rather than a stand alone product. Although I do live in a very dirty city (though not really visible) so the anti-pollutant/free radical protection it offers as an antioxidant may need to be boosted to something more stand alone on that basis.

Thirdly, although I'm probably a bit early with it, or rather using a higher concentration than necessary, for Collagen synthesis. Vit C is crucial for the process, our body has it already but the amount decreases with age from your early twenties onwards and Collagen helps with elasticity/firmness and the basic scaffolding of keeping your face 'up'.

Light exfoliating properties- pretty sure this why I initially became so enamoured with Vit C (at the time I wasn't all that knowledgeable and it was pure dumb luck that I used it).

Also, my skin just really likes it and it's quite apparent when I stop using it. I rate Vit C far higher over acid exfoliating, I could easily do without the acids but I'd struggle without Vit C.

I use it all over the face and on the neck for the burn marks.

For those interested, I have quite the Vit C testing schedule lineup going at the moment. My TO 23% is nearly finished and I've bought the SkinCeuticals to try but can't take that on holiday as it needs to be kept in the fridge. Skincity gave me a sample (a really generous size, think it was part of an offer but I didn't realise it) of the Medik8 CE-Tetra which is oil based Tetrahexyldecyl Acetate. That will hopefully see me through the holidays (looks to be about a month's worth). Then, depending on how much I like the Medik8 Tetra I'll try the TO Tetrahexyldecyl Acetate version for comparison and then move on to the SC. Once done with SC I'll probably want to try the Medik8 CE-Theon which is very comparable to SC (similar in formula and L-AA based with Vit E just using L-Glutathione instead of Ferulic).

Bali, currently using the Kohaku-Hada Lotion (Moisturising in Amber) from Japan which is officially a toner. I also use (although have been skipping it this summer in favour of a freebie from Kiehl's which is technically a hydrating toner but it's basically glycerin and squalane in liquid form that works perfectly as a light moisturiser for me) the Tenshi No Bihada HA cream from Japan. I did check out the Vichy 89 Mineral serum/moisturiser/lotion (depending on country what it's labelled as) when I was in Belgium the other week and I really liked the feel and promise of that (more gel like but not heavy, not siliconey either). Will buy that as soon as the Japanese lotion (which is lovely and functional and very cheap at 200ml but I'm a bit bored of it) is finished.

I've had some spots on my chin but my sleep is utterly shocking at the minute. Between zopiclone, hypnosis apps and swearing, I'm still not sleeping until v v late and then waking up feeling hungover and wrecked. Possibly due to changing my eating habits as well, I've lost 16lbs so far

Are you eating on a different schedule, Olli? I know that can affect it with me. Everyone around me seems to be on ludicrous fasting diets that seem the furthest thing from healthy and wreaking havoc on their sleep patterns too.

Not really but I'm out of routine with not being at work

I'm having a rough week mentally with some things that are going on. What little luxury thing can I buy to make myself feel a bit better?

I feel like you're the guys to ask. Something under £40 preferably. Beauty stuff or anything else. I know buying stuff probably isn't the healthiest coping mechanism but I'm viewing it as self care.

Hmmmm. Personally I would go either really nice bath stuff/scrub or perfume!