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.

My Ordinary stuff has arrived. I'm excited to start using it. I'll trial the Buffet and hyaluronic acid first to see how I get on.

Dream did you aim for the free shipping?

*Older8 no I bought them from Asos and was making the most of the 20% off!

olli my hair doesn't frizz so long as I don't move too much if I'm sleeping with my hair in the t shirt.

Dream ah ok, makes sense

Hair cut has been called off owing to a gas leak

botemp Thanks for all the advice, I've gone for the Skinceuticals Mineral Radiance SPF 50 defence, so I'll see how I get on with that. From the reviews, it seemed like the one most likely to suit me. I'll see how I get on with that an my normal cleanser (I've dug out a pile of old flannels for night time face washing in the sink), and then maybe try the one you recommended if I think I need it.

vaz I'd be interested to know what you make of the goats milk cream.

MAY EMPTIES, TRIALS, AND PLANNED PURCHASES

EMPTIES
TO Buffet (again) - have already repurchased. Actually bought two this time.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence - have re-ordered. Love this.

Gosh eyelash serum - final verdict is that I'm not sure if it's done anything. Won't repurchase but if I notice my lashes shrinking I'll let you all know.

Ultrasun Family 30 - have repurchased

PRODUCTS ON TRIAL
Tenshi no Bihada gel cream - bought this after Bo mentioned it as the ingredients looked good. Weird texture, like very slippy jelly. It may have caused a few odd spots on my nose (may also have been one of the s/s below). Jury's out.

CosRX Blackhead Power - for enlarged pores either side of my nose. Not sure it's doing anything yet...?

TO 10% Argireline, aka "Botox in a bottle". This is odd. Just like water, but not. I use a drop or two around eyes and forehead before applying anything else, 2x per day. No results yet (reasonably) but my forehead feels weirdly "heavy" after application. I can of course move my forehead but it's like I have to try slightly harder. Tightening but not drying? Can't explain better than that. Very odd - will persevere.

TO 30% peeling solution. I am warming to this despite the beetroot colour. Results short-lived (like 24-36 hours) but beautifully smooth and glowy skin for that time.

Ultrasun Extreme SPF50 - helpful for my patches of hyperpigmentation, but makes my eyes itch and water, and feels heavier than the Family SPF30.

Ultrasun Face SPF30 - not bowled over. In comparison to the Family SPF30, it's thicker, drier and possibly mildly clogging.

Sunzapper Zinc Stick SPF50+ in "skintone". Lipbalm-sized, skin-ish coloured stick. Great for covering my hyperpigmentation.

Sunsense Kids SPF50+ roll-on. Hopeless! Settles in any available creases, doesn't dry or set at all, hard to apply evenly due the roll-on. And it's got cyclopentasiloxane - I did check before I purchased but must have found old/wrong ingredients. Harumph.

Organii High Protection Sun Milk SPF50 - useless. Silicone-free and fully mineral, but also thick, chalky, gloopy, tacky (understatement).

PLANNED PURCHASES

I bit the bullet on the MUAC shipping costs and have a selection of sample peels on the way to try out.

I think that's everything for now.

Phew, I got off mildly there, thanks Bo!

With all this talk of sunscreens, I've recently tried the LRP Ultra Light SPF50 as a more sweat resistant/hot weather appropriate SPF compared to my usual Biore and it's really not great under makeup - lots of pilling and feels heavy (although it would be fine for the beach or a makeup free day).

Was a Shiseido Senka one mentioned as a suitable summer facial SPF? Any others I can try? I've got dry skin but tolerate Biore and the Body Shop one pretty well.

Sorry, vaz, I totally forgot Amazon JP stopped shipping sunscreens due to mail restrictions.

dream, one at a time is the standard advice here. Be careful with the HA, very few (predominantly oily/acne prone) get on with it. Some have found it to be terribly dehydrating instead.

Cinderella, that's a good solid one. Hope you get on well with it!

The Shiseido Senka is more for winter than summer Tsm. Aurora, who has similar dry skin to you used this one last year and liked it a lot. It's not exactly cheap but she could wear it as a moisturiser. She did use the 2016 formulation and it does seem to be somewhat different from the new 2017 one iINCI wise.

Thanks Bo, that's the one I was thinking of!

Olli - lovely tatt! Last one I had was over my hip bone - my tattooist advised using Ametop numbing cream - it was (almost) bliss! No more tears :)

bo lol, no probs, thought it was just me

I wonder if u could do me a favour and give me your opinion on the next 2 sunscreens I'm considering trying? If anyone has tried them, please chime in!

www.elaveskincare.com/products/daily-skin-defence?variant=1044922376

and

www.kiehls.co.uk/skin-care/category/sun-care/ultra-light-daily-uv-defense-mineral-sunscreen/KHL111.html#start=4&cgid=face-sun-care

thanks x

vaz, I used to use the Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily Defense SPF 50 loved it but not the price tag (was much more expensive than now even). I've tried the mineral one you linked in store and it seems a very nice texture, you could easily ask for a sample (apols Cinderella, I'd forgotten about Kiehl's and their excellent sample service, in case the SC doesn't work out this and Clinique may be something to look at). It's very similar to the Clinique Mineral SS IME, which also isn't bad, just expensive (keep in mind with daily use you'll go through a SS of around 50ml in about 2 months). The only thing that would put me off the Kiehl's mineral SS is the low-ish UVA rating (PA+++ is about PPD 8-16, the average Bioderma Mineral SS is PPD25 for comparison). No mention of sweat and sebum resistance either.

The Elave has no INCI so I really can't comment on it much as the entire brand is new to me.

If you're looking for a nice cosmetically elegant (tinted) mineral sunscreen and you're not too pale and have combo-oily skin the Bioderma Nude Touch is really great, especially if you have oil control issues. It's almost like a foundation (the texture pretty much is like a serum foundation) but you do have to be lucky with the colour. I think it's under a tenner with EasyParaPharmacie.

Thanks Botemp I'll start with Buffet and try HA in 2 weeks. Collected my LRP SS today also. I'm all set for upping the skincare regime now.

Thank you all for a great thread, I've learnt so much, just finished reading thread 1, working my way through them all.

I'm back on the pout couch. All the clothes I ordered in the Asos sale are rubbish. Got more stuff coming tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Is it usual for combo skin to go a little oilier in Summer? Why is that? Just my chin area mainly.

I feel like I'm about to do a bo and faint. Fucking primark queues.

I forgot be a ruffled dress that I actually liked in H&M but it felt crap quality and I don't think I'd wear it enough so it's not worth it :/

Oh yes bo I forgot you fainted! Meant to post. Hope you're feeling a lot better now. It's much cooler.

I am joining in with my empties etc. :) Most of my empties are already favourites as I have been doing a 'use it up' project for the past couple of years, trying to trim my stash ;)

MAY EMPTIES, TRIALS, AND PLANNED PURCHASES

EMPTIES
Neutrogena micellar water - won't be repurchasing, found it quite harsh on my skin.

TBS SPF - love this but Body Shop won't ship to me in Ireland (or let me use my forwarding service in NI grrrrrr. So will have to wait till I go up north in the summer. Refuse to pay over-inflated prices in ROI).

TO Buffet - love this, am planning on re-purchasing. Can't say exactly why I liked it except it made my face feel more hydrated.

FaceTheory night cream - also very happy with this and will buy again once I use up another couple of night creams.

DHC cleansing oil - almost finished this and have another waiting to be opened...I think this is great for my first cleanse

Pestle & Mortar HA - my holy grail daytime serum, I must have bought 4/5 already. Not cheap but a bottle lasts a good 6 months and I only use 3 drops in the morning after Buffet.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps (the tub version which has an almost-coconut fragrance). This is lush. I got it in duty free last year and it really is the most luxurious treat. The fragrance lasts all day so I tend not to combine with perfume. I might get another when I go away in July.

PRODUCTS ON TRIAL
P50W Yes, so far I like this. I have been using it x2 a week for a month or two. It doesn't really sting, I also don't see any WOW results but will plug away.

Blithe Vital Treatment 8 nourishing beans. Gothamista made me buy it...I was keen to try out the 7 steps method, so I do this once a week and love how my skin feels after it, almost like a facial. This stuff will last me a decade.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - had this ages, only started using it the last week or two, lovely and refreshing but tends to cause my makeup to fade off so I keep mostly for evenings.

TO MAP- just bought but won't start until my LRP Redermic C is all used up.

Joico moisture recovery treatment balm. Bought this for my long, over-processed hair and then went and had 4 inches chopped off! I will still use this once a week though as my hair is coloured and needs extra love.

PLANNED PURCHASES
LRP Toleriane Fluide
LRP Toleriane cleanser (the US version, will order when DH next in the US)
Superdrug hydrating serum
re-purchases: FaceTheory night cream, TO Buffet and glycolic 7%

I've just caught up. Sorry to hear about the fainting bo.

I've opened all the SPF links. I need something sweat and waterproof for running. Also wondered, do people use face SPF on their decolletage, or body SPF? Bo do you consider the Neostrata SPF (tinted) to be a winter sunscreen too?

I will do my empties tmrw :-)

bo thanks for your fake tan advice. I ended up cleansing as usual this morning and applying makeup because after a few minutes my skin started flushing just by walking around. So annoying. At least it looked good for a few minutes.

Hopefully my TO purchases will arrive soon, looking forward to using them.

Not entirely sure which to use first the TO Vit C, nia or retinol. I will only use the retinol when I know it's not going to be sunny the next day. I think maybe the nia first.
Any suggestions?

Sorry to hear about your fainting episode bo, you take care 💐

As it's hot weather season, the little spray cans of water, (LRP and avene, probably others), are very handy at the moment. Keep them in the fridge overnight to take out with you in the morning. Good for a refresh, for cooling wrists and any skin irritations caused by the heat.

You can get ones like MagiCool that I think spray out cold without the fridge but reading the ingredients I wouldn't want it on my face.

Enid sorry to hear that the asos stuff wasn't great. Hope today's delivery is better.

Did you post a little while ago that the CosRX blackhead power had maybe caused some irritation on your nose? (Apologies if it wasn't you!). If it was, did you carry on using it or discontinue?

miffy That Blithe Vital stuff sounds gorgeous. What's your skin type again please?

MAY EMPTIES
Natura Siberica Rhodiola Rosa nightcream - meh. No repurch. Gave a small cheer when it ran out
PC super antioxidant eye serum - quite liked this but not enough to repurch as am currently enjoying something else instead (see on trial)
Bioderma Crealine - will repurch in Jul/Aug in France it will be my 3rd
Christian Lennart Rosewater - love will either repurch this brand or another in U.K. (Bought it in France but it's in a large glass bottle)
Dermaphil Jeunesse de Mains - love will repurch in France in July/Aug
PRODUCTS ON TRIAL
Embryollise Lait Creme Concentre - using this on neck and décolleté in the am. Nice enough.
Dr Haushka pumpkin hydrating mask - using this as a fill in nightcream (it's a mask with heavy cream consistency which you can blend with moisturiser but I just bang it on for night.)
Kiehls Avacado eye cream - JDSTER kindly sent me samples of this and I really like the consistency. Considering buying full size
Neal's yard frankincense facial mist - meh. Will use til I find a good Rosewater or repurchase Christian Lennart
Cattier mallow hand cream - very nice but prob go back to Dermaphil tbh
Bioderma Sensibio micellar - had a small bottle of this for travel, bought for daughter...using in place of regular Bioderma Crealine...don't like this as much
LRP Toleriane - I LOVE THIS STUFF. Love love love
PLANNED PURCHASES
TO vit c - repurchase waiting on stock
TO nia - repurchase
TO HA - repurchase
TO moisturiser - repurchase
Night cream- still undecided as to what
Rosewater toner
Also need some hair stuff - shampoo bars from Lush, their pre-wash hair treatment H'Suan Hua (have repurchased all these about 50million times) and need some more Bumble and Bumble curl refresh stuff (also repurchase)
SPECIAL MENTION
I am giving side-eye to PC BHA 1% - seems like EVERY time I use it (couple times a week) it produces bumps under the skin, like tiny cystic acne that never come to anythin. They then hang round for aaaaages, seemingly impervious to any further treatment. So, frowning at this product currently.
That is all.

bo is that Dutch sun cream water/sweat resistant? googles translation is confusing me there is lots of mention of lubricating

Dulci Don't think it was me. Can't quite remember who it was. Or was it someone with the p50w that I'm remembering. I did have a small spot come up so I reduced how often I use it to just twice a week instead of every night.

yong which LRP Toleraine product is it you liked?