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.

Tantpoke When I wear sunscreen I wash it off with water in the evening, would that not be enough? I tend to find that less is more with my very dry skin. I could try the cleansing lotion that I use after make-up, as I know that's OK for me and I've got some already.

Bo I think mint reacted to Ultrasun - can't remember the specific details but I don't think it worked for her. Glad you're ok btw!

Cinders yes you definitely need to cleanse properly at the end of the day.

JD re silicones, I quit them in hair products because I found I was getting irritation on my scalp and around my hairline from conditioners, hair serums etc. I'd originally eradicated them from skincare due to issues but not from hair stuff. Honestly I'm not sure if it's made a difference to my hair, I like to think that it's less dry, but the main thing for me is the skin contact issue.

cinders yes treat your spf as you would foundation so cleanse with whatever cleanser doesn't irritate your skin.
Are you able to use Balm cleansers at all? Worth trying the free Clinique take the day off sample that was mentioned earlier if you can get hold of it. It's my cleanser of choice although I do follow it with a milder cleanser, as I like to double cleanse. although I'm aware too much pfaffing could irritate your skin type more.
Even a mild micellar water like Simple is better than nothing, just saturate a few large cotton pads to wipe it off.
I am no expert and hopefully bo will come up with some suitable cleansers for you.

Tantpoke This is where my ignorance shows, I have no idea what a balm cleanser is. I could definitely try the Clinique one, when I wear make-up it's Clinique. Or I'm pretty happy with my goats milk cleanser, I just hadn't thought to use it for sunscreen (which is pretty stupid of me, thinking about it).

I've tried micellar water in the past for removing make-up, and it felt fine at the time but after a few days my face was sore. Though whether that was the make-up (just foundation and blusher) or the micellar water I don't know. I haven't worn make-up for more than a few days at a time recently, so it hasn't come up.

Bo yes I'm one of the ones who didn't get on with ultrasun, I found it very drying, made my skin itchy,it felt very heavy and clogging. Also when it came to removing it at the end of the day my face would sting

Now,how to describe Balm. It's kind of like Vaseline, but not, you rub a grape size amount between your palms to melt, rub it gently on your face and massage around to loosen your spf / makeup. You then rinse it off with warm water, it emulsifies so goes milky, then you clean it off gently with a flannel or muslin cloth rinsed in water.
You can then go in with a mild either, milk / cream cleanser (or I use a mild gel type cleanser) to then clean your face better. The Balm removes your spf / makeup and the second cleanse is to clean your face.
I would avoid micellar water then as it doesn't agree with everyone.
Sounds like a Pfaff but it's worth it and it's nice to cleanse the day away. Just don't leave it till you're too tired.

Oh and this arrived today. I have never owned a hair dryer and the diffuser looks like a scary weapon

Olli sorry I meant to say that tattoo is lovely. Am desperate to get my next one

Thanks for the sunscreen recommdations, Bo, I think I'll probably go for that one linked via the blog, if / when it comes back into stock. The 1l bottle is actually amazing value. I'll have to wait though - I've got some Biore SPF (the 2017 version) coming, will trial alongside my 2015 formula & give feedback. Also a TO order. Plus we're waiting for a brand-new appliance to be fixed... it arrived yesterday, DH fitted it & it immediately flooded the kitchen. So I'm hoping that the engineer will find an obvious fault with it & not try to blame DH, or we will be down several hundred pounds for a machine they can potentially refuse to repair. I really can't afford to pay for it repaired or replaced if they deem it our fault. I can feel the wrinkles & grey hair forming as I type...

bo you fainted at the gallery?
thanks I'll look thru () those sunscreens later.
That 50 shades thing looks interesting, and slightly horrifying at idea of grains coming out.

Olli argh needles that's pretty

How have you never owned a hair dryer?!

Dulci I don't think I've had staining but I don't really use sunscreen much... I think 30 would be enough as I'm mixed race. I've not bought any yet
The attached photo is my leg and my brothers leg, one of use doesn't go outside much/wears jeans all the time but we used the be the same colour 😂

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OMG sorry I don't know how I missed that! Hope you're feeling better now Bo. I sometimes faint with the heat, too - I have a USB desk fan which I find helps, although obviously you'd need something portable for when you're out & about. Perhaps a beautiful Japanese style folding fan?

I'm determined to try Biore spf this year, I only have a few small tubes of ultrasun face I got free in an M & S summer beauty Box. ( I bought 4 boxes last year for £10 each) they were stuffed with goodies for face and hair etc that I fell in love with.
In fact talking about hair, mine is currently covered in batiste dry shampoo, there was a brilliant product I use all the time by Percy & Reed 'volumising oil no oil' works wonders on my shoulder length fine hair, also in the box.
My skin looks amazing this morning, I'm really pleased. No redness at all, I'm tempted not to cleanse and go out make up free. I'll be indoors all day apart from walking to the car and back for a couple of minutes so may skip sp as the weather is pants to.

*spf

Bo I have a question I'm dying to ask.

If i wear fake tan on my face (which one would you recommend) and would that mean I should skip all acid toners and some other products. Could some products take the tan off or streak it or react with it?

Tant - not Bo, but acids and other exfoliators will cause fake tans to fade more quickly, yes. Fake tans just superficially stain the skin, so shouldn't otherwise react with anything (unless you are sensitive to specific ingredients within them of course).

I really must do an info sheet on why wearing SPF 365 days a year is the most sensible option. Despite it being cloudy and (thankfully) rather cool here today the UV index is still over 3 which I count as the mimimum advice to head surrounding prevention of skin cancer. So wear sunscreen

Tant, I don't fake tan my face because as Dulci mentioned it rules out using all forms of exfoliants (which includes Vit C, Niacinamide, alongside the more obvious AHA/BHA and Retinoids) or risk losing the tan much much quicker and usually not in a uniform manner. Skin health trumps colour in my case and bronzer serves me fine. However, the prime reason why I don't is that all fake tans disclose somewhere on the box that the process alters the pH of your skin temporarily without indicating whether that's lowering or raising it and for how long. Neither one is ideal. High pH can mean an onset of skin conditions esp. if acne prone, low pH can result in more free acid availability with otherwise well-tolerated products from your routine like Vit C, AHA and BHA and to a certain extent Retinoids vastly increasing the risk of sensitivity and/or reactions. When I fake tan my body it definitely dries/dehydrates the skin so I suspect it's lowering the pH but I can't say for certain.

Cinderella, sunscreens are literally designed to be like a shield that sits on your face to protect you from harmful UV rays, by its very nature it is difficult to remove in order to provide that protection and last while doing so. A cleanser really is essential with removing that, only relying on water is definitely a sure way to irritation. I think the Avene Cleansing Oil I mentioned previously will serve you well here as its not drying. I think the Clinique TTDO balm may be a bit too full on for your skin and since you don't wear makeup not really necessary to use something so heavy duty. Your current cleanser may equally work well depending on the type of sunscreen (you'll struggle more with a waterproof sports type sunscreen that a lightweight daily one).

I think the Vichy SS I mentioned in the summary contains Avo in SPF50 version. Can't say for certain but the SPF30 seems Avo-free but some older INCIs (from ca. 2012 and some US ones) indicate the SPF50 has Avo in it, so buyer beware.

Ha no, that time in the gallery was a performance art piece entitled 'Reaction to the Butcher', otyt Am still fine, took it easy yesterday despite not really needing to and paying attention to what I eat. Heat has disappeared overnight so that's helping too.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and the white goods woes, Lego. I've signed up to be notified (in case you haven't done so as well) for when the Uncover ones come back in stock again. The litre one really is good value, especially if you're slathering it on a whole family throughout the year.

I may be in need of the pout couch later, getting my hair cut by someone new later, high end/a list salon but they are still training 😂 I'm playing with fire here.

Hopefully I will have the balls the tell her off if she get liberal with the snipping, I told her it's not being cut straight already, might tell them to cut it dry so they can see what's happening.

And to top it off she's already called me 'Hun'.

Older - I just never have! I don't own a brush or comb either

Olli that's so weird. you finger comb?

Only when it's wet with conditioner in, I don't brush or comb it any other time. Mega curly hair

@bo thanks very much for the links, made things much easier! I never even considered a translation 😂. I couldn't get the SPF to be delivered to me?? Not sure what I was doing wrong? Just kept getting an error message saying couldn't be delivered to my address (warned you, I'm useless!) So I just ordered the moisturiser. Thanks

@dulci thanks for the eBay link for the moisturiser. I ended up just ordering from eBay as it worked out only a pound or so more than Amazon for the one item with postage and I've got money sitting in my PayPal.

cinderella I also ordered a wee sample of the goats milk cream as they had free delivery. Not necessarily for my face, but I get dry skin (and eczema occasionally) on my body.

Thanks x

Olli yeah, no combing when dry here either, I don't want the massive Afro

I like this diffuser so far, it fits half my head in at a time
Only done it to take the dripping wet out of it (I'm doing curly girl method so no shampoo, no towels) and leaving it to air dry now

my hairdryer is so loud I haven't really used it in months so I don't piss off the neighbours. kinda want a dyson

I plop my hair in an old t shirt and sometimes sleep with it in the t shirt, which has the interesting affect of making my hair look much shorter because the curls are so tight.

Weirdly plopping gives me frizz which is annoying. I know people work out their hair porosity etc... Mine took 7hrs to dry in 28c heat and I was out walking it's ridiculous