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.

Bo - love makeup have a 20% discount this weekend only on viseart palettes. As you were

Perfume would be nice. I keep looking at the Valentino Donna one. Or Elemis bath milk. That's very comforting. Good ideas thank you. 😊

If I had the cash I would probably buy from here. Haven't tried the body stuff but it has good reviews. I got the clementine tea and it was the nicest I've had in a long time
http://www.lolasapothecary.com

What is this love makeup you speak of Olli

Do you feel like getting out of the house, Enid? I always like the ritual of going to counter, usually one I'd hesitate to frequent otherwise like Tom Ford or Giorgio Armani. Worth seeking out that Power Fabric, maybe? Or the Kiehl's Creme de Corps, IIRC that was on your wishlist. The whipped version may be a nice treat. I usually just end up spending more on something easily where I'd otherwise uhm and ah, I think as long as you're aware rather than mindlessly spending it's not the worst of coping mechanisms.

You know what I've always wanted to treat myself to but can never fork over the money for, those Therapie Detox Salts that are supposed to smell amazing and deliver a superb bathing experience and knock you out after to give you the best sleep ever. Just looked it up, exactly £40

I've been eyeing up the neutral matte palette for so long
https://www.love-makeup.co.uk/viseart-m-110.html

Oh well you three have really gone and done it now, haven't you, with your talk of retail therapy, washes of French eye palettes and discounts.....
especially because the petit pro palette looks lovely and is discounted to £20 and I could justify because I'm travelling shortly even though I'm going to France so it's like coals to Newcastle
Avast ye!!!!
Anyway, thanks bo for the explanation of your vit c use....I'm currently weighing up what I do currently with the other options, as opposed to the dreaded pilling effect of full face usage....ponders....
enid please continue to share your therapeutic buying deliberations so we can live vicariously through you.
What's in those therapie salts to justify the price? I really like kniepp salts - very effective but nowhere near the price...you must be able to get then in holland easily bo ??
Clementine tea sounds delightful too.
I have another beauty-related straw-poll coming up but will wait till more vit c users have been along.

Late to the dance but however.. .vitamin C....is there info on your recommended ones in one the threads? Just remember lots of people hating the texture of TO vit c

My mum used to draw me a Kneipp bath whenever I was ill . The eucalyptus one was great if you had a heavy cold and the lavender for if you had trouble sleeping. Their bath oils are nice too.

Ahem... I will confess to having contemplated the following on the basis of the Therapie INCI more than once before denouncing it as utter stupidity:

1. Rent or steal from work a cement mixer approx €7 free for half the day. Or DIY with a bucket and power drill. Or use the KitchenAid with the paddle attachment, sorry Enid.

2. Pink Himalayan Salts €19.95 for 5 kilos
   Essential oils; Geranium, Rosewood, Patchouli, Lavender, Juniperberry, Lemongrass, Grapefruit. Roughly €3 each at H&B
   Powdered Amethyst WTF that is for??? €3.95 for 5 grams

Total Ingredients: €44.90

3. Fancy Miron Glass Jar €6.70

4. Attach some sort of hygienic bag to line the interior of the cement mixer, toss in salt and start feeding it droplets of essential oils. Bottle in the fancy jar and ziploc bags.

So at a little over £40 I'd get 10 jars of the stuff and probably have plenty of essential oils to do it all over again.

I'm nuts enough to do it.

Yes, thanks Olli [passive aggressive emoji], I'm probably now going to waste the entire night on deciding which palette to get. I like the petite pro but £6.5 shipping costs for me means I either tack on more or accept the loss of the discount to shipping costs. I originally wanted the Cashmere Chroma but now wondering whether the Minx is the nicer or if I should just go nuts and go for the Sultry one... argh! I'm surprised you'd be wanting the neutral mattes though, Olli, figured you'd go for one of the brighter ones.

Skinful, it's difficult with Vit C as the ingredients are very cheap but highly unstable so it's one of those products I'm always on the lookout for a better version for. TO and its horrible texture sort of fill the cheap and functional slot which sort of eliminates the direct competitors purely on cost if we're disregarding the Skinceuticals/Medik8 pricepoint (over £50). I think the Nufountain from Amazon (US) is supposed to be decent but it will oxidise and has to be kept in the fridge. Skin Actives one has similar maintenance requirements and may be a bit much for beginners. I'd have to think what others have been discussed, there's a lot in silicon bases out there (like the indeed labs one) but there's issues with those texturally and whether you're really getting the promised dosage due to the heavy weight formula. Sorry, can't remember them all now anymore.

I'm massively drawn to bright red/orange but also copper tones. The ABH modern renaissance is probably my most used palette!
And oops. Sorry
But no eyeshadows for me, I've already got er... yeah let's not go there!

Lots of REN and shiseido stuff on TK maxx website

Gah. And Mio liquid yoga which I've wanted to try for ages. Just when I can't afford it! It's £15 on TK maxx website

Well I'm sure they flatter your colouring immensely, me... ehm I just look like someone's punched me in the eye or I have some horrible infection

Yeah you do have to be really careful with it. I need liner on the top lid and careful blending with a good transition shade to make it work

Excellent suggestions thank you! No decent counters near me but I might be near/in a city sometime next week so I can go then. Just talking about nice frivolous things has made me feel better.

Going to have a browse of the lola's website as it all looks gorgeous. Kiehl's is firmly on the list although I have just bought a lot of Eucerin body lotion and the red Garnier one so perhaps it can wait. Birthday isn't too far off. adds to list

Never tried kniepp. Lavender sounds very nice. I have a huge glass jar with salts in. Those ones that come in a big blue and white plastic bag. Sure they were only about £5. They really help sleep.

Hi botemp and all other brilliant posters. These threads are so good. I've been lurking for ages but finally taken the plunge to join.

I was wondering if you could advise. I've looked after my skin relatively well since mid 39s, now 39.

I've had 2 children in quick succession and have found that my skin is prone to quite bad sensitivity flare ups on my cheeks. I want to use actives but am worried it's just going to make it worse.

I use phyto corrective by skinceuticaks and clarins oil to try to combat the sensitivity, on top of my regular cleanse and moisturise regime.

These ones. www.boots.com/westlab-pure-mineral-bathing-epsom-salt-1kg-10187096 Epsom salts apparently, don't know if they're different to the rest. Anyone know? Sure I knew at the time but it was a while ago. They last a long time. (Boots link but you can get them cheaper elsewhere I think.)

I think some bath oils or salts or a milk is the way to go for my soothing treat purchase. I've just bought some Dior mascara and finally used up the Lancôme teint idole samples so bought a bottle of that. Might wait until the Autumn/Winter palettes start coming out begire buying more make up. The Christmas stuff is always nice. (Too early? )

Avene is on offer at Boots, buy one get one half price. LRP is 25% off but again, might be on offer elsewhere too. I stocked up on Avene water.

Dammit this sounds heavenly www.lolasapothecary.com/bathing-rituals/queen-of-roses-bath-milk £70 though. 😕

Hi Screamer Cross posted there sorry.

I'm using easy para pharmacie for LRP, seems to be so much cheaper
I saw that and it did sound amazing!

No problem Enid!

Welcome Screamer! What kind of sensitivity flare ups do you have? Irritability, redness, broken skin, all of the above, or something else? Is the sensitivity something that emerged with the pregnancies or has it come on stronger? And I'm going to assume you meant mid 30s as I'd be well impressed if you managed to pop out two kids within half a year at 39

Yes, there something about Epsom salts, can't remember what's so special about them but it's something. helpful

I just remembered an impulse/indulge buy that I never lived to regret and kind of want to go out and buy again just thinking about it the Tom Ford eyeliner pen.

Thank you! It's definitely got worse in and post pregnancy and I would say it was slightly itchy red patches. Almost like eczema but not rough or scaley, and solely on my cheeks. I actually meant 20s, although that has taken a bit of a battering since having kids.

I use avene gentle face wash and I tried LRP Tolereine but felt like it might actually be making my cheeks worse.

You're sure it's not rosacea?

Enid, just remembered... the SpaceNK sale usually has nice bits and bobs too. Need to stop now as bed calls but so is the SpaceNK sale

I'm pretty sure it's not rosacea. I do get eczema elsewhere, mildly. How would I know if it was?

My dear dad died last night. I was with him when he died and able to make decisions about stopping treatments that I knew wouldnt help. He then passed very quickly. It's been such a short illness and I thought he was getting better. I just can't comprehend that he's gone and I won't see him again.

My deepest sympathies, JDSTER and have some unmumsnetty hugs too if you can stand them right now. It will probably all feel a bit surreal for a while as you adjust to this new reality. Take good care of yourself and allow others do the same for you.