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.

botemp I sometimes buy frozen avocado for my smoothies (in case I run out of fresh ones) so if I were you I would peel and freeze in ziplock bags, gotta be worth a try!

bo is your first world avocado guilt induced by a certain article in Vogue, by any chance? If so, I read it too, and I have the same problem..

I like this recipe for avocado. It's the kind of recipe where you can swap things out depending on what you have available/like too, so e.g. I often substitute kidney beans instead of black beans, just use Cajun spice mix instead of the dressing, shove it all in a tortilla etc..

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/black_bean_and_avocado_32747

Oh yes i have avokado guilt too ;)

Trousers: www.cosstores.com/se/Women/Trousers/Trousers_with_folded_waist/46887-67553798.1#c-22755 ;)

Roaccutane not for me I think, I only have bad acne on my jawline and neck, not on my body too like my girls. I don't feel it's justified considering the side effects, I'm not as convinced it'll help since this must be a hormonal issue I mean. :/

Thanks mintleaves, but 3 tins of beans for 4 people also the Hemsley sisters scare me I make a variation of that sometimes as that's pretty much a basic Mexican concoction, I think. I just have gluten and protein with it . No, it wasn't Vogue, can't remember where I read it now, I think it was one of those viral news stories reiterated 10000x over. I did just find these Avocado Chile Lime Glow Pops on Vogue that look promising and involves the freezer.

Those trousers look lovely, bani. I'd be too short for them but I like them in typical COS style. Aren't topical retinoids worth considering though? Something like Adapalene or Epiduo (since you're already on the BP).

Avocados in smoothies are horrendous. 😖 I'm a big fan of the ol' nutri-bullet smoothies and I like avocados but never should the two meet.

No recipes sorry. I tend to just eat them on their own. There's a trick to seeing how ripe they are by flicking the stalk bit off the top, green is unripe, dark brown is over ripe. Needs to me somewhere in between.

MAY EMPTIES, TRIALS, AND PLANNED PURCHASES

EMPTIES:

SVR Sensifine moisturiser. Not bad, not quite right for me. I'm not sure if it's slightly too rich, or it's the inclusion of niacinamide, but nope. I've relegated it to a hand cream.
TO MAP. Definitely made a difference to my skin. But, it pills if I rub anything in on top of it. It's very thick & doesn't seem to go very far & seems pricey per use, on that basis. Nope.

PRODUCTS ON TRIAL:

TO Buffet. Bought this as a cheaper alternative to Vichy Aqualia serum. Liking it so far. No obvious increase in any issues, my previous issue of dehydration seems to be staying away. Sinks in quite well. I've reordered it.

PLANNED PURCHASES:

I want the SPF Bo linked to previously, in the massive bottle... but need to put that on hold for now as I'm a bit broke.

I love lime. There's a salad I do with strawberries, cucumber, avocado, feta cheese, mint and lime. So those lollies could be good.

Bani Those trousers are nice! And I don't usually like cos stuff.

Personally not a fan of avocado in smoothies either, I have similar ambivalence against bananas in smoothies. Then again I don't like creamy things and anything that's very fatty tasting. I've only just seen those lollies require one avocado so that leaves me with eight more... avocado brownies it is then...

Since Lego mentioned the Aqualia I'm reminded that Vichy have released a new hydrating serum that I'm liking the look of, not on EPP yet unfortunately but around €20 here for the RRP (so am expecting it to be around €15 on EPP). It's the Vichy Mineral 89 HA Serum (but it looks like the US has a gel moisturiser too) that's unscented (my main issue with Aqualia) and unlike a lot of HA serums is just a single HA, not lots of different molecular weights that can cause irritations. No silicones either.

Do any of The Ordinary vitamin C products not cause pilling while still containing enough actives? I use LRP Redermic C which is 10% and would like to increase this but cannot be doing with pilling (as I experienced with Indeed Labs' Vit C 24% product). Many thanks!

I've brought the Ordinary coverage foundation, and both the High Spreadability Fluid primer and the High Adherence Silicone primer. How do I know which works best with the coverage foundation, which if any would work with the No7 Instant radiance foundation?

Sorry, the Ordinary website didn't offer any pointers (athetoid I could see)

Thanks

Thank you for trouser compliments. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 My hsband said I looked like a hippie ceramic artist person. The description wasn't inaccurate 😂 But STILL. He then said ninja but too late I say!

I've been using retinol products for a while, The Face Theory one is the latest but I liked The Ordinary more. Did have Epiduo once in my youth with no great success but then I knew less about skincare then. I just don't like doctors... would rather not go.

Not - generally silicone goes with silicone and water with water
Coverage feels water to me, not silicone so I would use the fluid one with that
Best is to check the ingredients in foundation and if it has silicone high up, use a silicone primer

I once got Gulag Commander... it wasn't totally inaccurate but it beats looking cookie cutter in my book. Those are the types of thing I like with COS, the sharper architectural minimal pieces, but they seem to be doing less of it at the moment. If it was a skirt (preferably in white) I'd be all over it. Might try them on anyhow and see if I can take them in and not look cut in half.

miffy2, I haven't experienced pilling with the 23% but others have had issues with it. I'm not sure what the other two Vit Cs on offer are like.

I'm not sure NotTheQueen, I thought the two primers were for different skin types (one mattifying for combo/oily and the other for dry).

yong that's actually really interesting. Id had a bit of break from the PC BHA because I'd been on holiday and then ill and my skin was great so hadn't bothered, so it had been 3-4 weeks since I used it before last night. I didn't even consider that being the cause because I'd not had a problem before.... it's all over my face, forehead, cheeks, nose and neck I do use the PC all over my face and neck so maybe it is that I never get spots on my forehead or neck even when my skin was really bad. Wahhhhh this is so annoying!

How long does it take to disappear? Is it wishful thinking that it will go away overnight as quickly as it appeared?

Maybe it's time to jump on the P50W bandwagon.....

bali that's does sound a bit suspect, and similar to what's happening to me i.e. I only get the spots where and when I use it (I use it in a tiny area though but that makes the effect more obvious)
I'm afraid my spots from it just sit there for ages. They don't behave like regular spots but do subside eventually. I've actually massively backed off from using it now, for this reason.
Will have to check the ingredients but it has a very silicone feel to me and I am very dodgy with that elsewhere i.e. Will get spots all over my scalp if I use a hair product at the roots with it.
I think there are other BHAs available with no/less silicone in....SHOUTS anyone??!!
I can't do P50W because I have rosacea.
miffy I managed to swerve the piling with TO VITC in the end by pat-pat-patting whatever I was putting over the top, plus letting it all sit for a while before touching my face.
In other news, I have a charming bite of some kind on my jaw, itchy and slightly swollen, looks like it will scar. Slathered in cicaplast and will go to antihistamine cream if it doesn't settle. Gah.
I can't even enter the fray with the subject of summer clothes, am v overweight just now and resigning myself to swatheing myself in asymmetric linen from a French market, at best....I might actually just go the whole hog, return to my ethnic origins and go for hot-fat-glam shalwar kameez...not sure how well that will go down in France however...perhaps in Macron's new centrist utopia it will all be fine...
I digress.

Ooh bo I am not jealous of that you win already!! Double gah!!

Bali, if you hadn't bha 'd in awhile, would it be a bit of purging? The snail cast has a great podcast on acids and one of the girls said using the wrong one on her skin have her massive spots which caused a lot of damage. I can't recall what was what now but here is a LINK

I tried those COS trousers on and I can tell you all they do not suit rectangles

Tried the 23% for the first time this am. Wow it stings a LOT. Went red again when I popped on the lrp but that died down quickly. Red again when I put on my spf but again died down. Makeup (which I was worried about) went on fine. I did a lot of patting in of products

So far, so good!

Bali and yong - yes that's been my experience with salicylic previously - and in fact could explain the recent spots on my nose (have been trialling quite a lot this past month).

Neither CosRX Blackhead Power nor TO 2% Salicylic have silicone in, but on reflection one of them may be the product responsible for my bumpy nose...

Has anyone here ever liked the Liz Earle C&P?

Reading the sticky thread in chat where they got people to test it and I'm amazed at how many like it. It's the worst stuff I have ever used and really damaged my skin. Took about 9 months to a year to get my skin feeling ok again after just one use. I might have had a extreme reaction maybe but I've definitely read lots of other reviews saying it almost burnt their skin. Some might have been on here.

It's horrible, made my skin bright red

I'm not up to date but bo, one of "my" sites has been hacked, I think . How dare they!

it's pretty bland, just redirecting to a different pointless website and the client might not realise for ages. it's not as exciting/vile as the prostitution website I ended up on yesterday

Oh the plot thickens dulci.
TBH I cannot see it's doing anything whatsoever for me other than giving me these little spots so might just ditch salicylic altogether....

yong that's exactly the conclusion I reached
Until I decided I really really wanted to get rid of the visible pores either side of my nose

Thanks for the new thread Bo.

Just catching up.

I've not used Cleanse and Polish for years but it used to make my skin very red and stingy, I've always assumed it was the eucalyptus oil, but a friend and my SIL both still swear by it, so they inherit any samples I get when ordering from the LE website.

Summer clothes woes here too - can anyone recommend where I could try for basic vests that are long enough to come down over hips? I usually go to M&S but this year their vest are so short in the body. I have a long length tank one from Hush but it comes down to my knees and I want ones like that but shorter, ideally in more colours than black, white and grey. I think I may as well ask for unicorns.

Empties
Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating serum - it was okay and didn't irritate and was inexpensive but I've moved onto Hylamide SubQ which I've used before and already had in cupboard. Will try Buffet next.

Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir - I used three bottles of this but I think it was making the eczema on my eyelid worse as it must have been migrating. Eczema has died right down since I stopped using it.

Darphin Intral Serum - again I was using bottle after bottle of this and I thought it might have been making me more red, then I read about the pink dye on here. So I've decided not to repurchase for now and try other things. Pics have been taken to assess my skin's redness going forward.

Elemis PCMC - will not repurchase as it balls up under my LRP SPF

Products on Trial
Lierac Diopticreme and Dioptigel - found these in my local TK Maxx at £4.99, so thought I'd try them. You only get 10ml each so smaller than usual eye creams, liking them so far, especially due to eyelid issue!

Toleraine fluide - liking this so far so stocked up on two further bottles.

Melano CC vit C serum - been using for 2 weeks maybe, this smells like fizzy orange used to smell when I was little but not a strong smell and it doesn't linger. This is my first Vit C serum, it gives me glow

Planned Purchases
P50w travel size
TO Niacinimide
Heimish All Clean Balm
Slowly using up my less-than-ideal products and excited to replace them with cheaper/more efficient alternatives.

Special Mention
LRP Anthelios 50 ultra light fluide, getting on really well with it and relatively inexpensive, on my second bottle.