🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Hot Snails, Summer in the City - Now with added shelf porn!

[botemp]

Thread 1 Thread 2 Thread 3 Thread 4 Thread 5 Thread 6 Thread 7 Thread 8

I am very slowly working on consolidating the gathered information from previous threads into easier to read formats but it’s slow going. In order to make use of the below form and join in 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

NEW ADDITIONS since last thread:

Do I Really Need to Wear Sunscreen Every Single Day of the Year?

Understanding Which Sunscreen(s) to Buy

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.

AUGUST 2017: Sunscreen is pretty much non-negotiable at the moment (not that it’s ever not ), RL bumps have been met in the road for some, unfortunately. Grief sucks but we do our best to offer a bit of comfort even if it is just something as inane as skincare chat . Some of us are lucky enough to be nerding out in French pharmacies whilst pretending to do that holiday thing, the Shelf Porn Off is still on…

I can't believe we're on thread 9

Frivolous post so ignore if you will but just had to share. So in search of a winter coat without a real clue of what I'm wanting I came across this

Before I forget, Enid, I can't remember if you lot are lucky enough or not to have access to elf but I think their HD setting powder is also highly rated and mostly silica and no talc. Not a 100% formula though.

Whilst we're on the subject of loose powder, admittedly not really my thing but what is considered the preferred application method? I like a velour puff but find it a bit too mattifying for my tastes but a powder brush is too wishy washy.

I'm using the ELF one and it's pretty decent

Thanks for the Elf reminder. 🐌 I know Olli recc'd that one and the MUFE but I think I saw some reviews that weren't keen, so I'm ruling it out for now. I feel like I'm on a proper mission to find The One. I like a nice shallow mission.

I was going to ask about application too. Watching YT videos, patting a huge amount on the under eye area with a beauty blender and then brushing it off seems to be the thing but I've always just lightly swept a very small amount over my t-zone and then cheeks with a fat powder brush in a sort of rolling motion. Might try the YT way.

I have noticed that those who like to 'bake' and contour and like the Laura Mercier translucent powder, also like the rcma. I don't like the LM at all. Might be a coincidence but something to consider if anyone's thinking of getting the rcma.

Currently looking at Givenchy powder reviews. Will prob get MUFE to try.

at the snail buttons. If that was a snail brooch I'd buy it.

This is one I'm eyeing up
http://lostinpretty.com/2016/04/nature-republic-green-tea-pore-powder/

Urban decay used to do the most perfect silica powder but I think they've discontinued it

This is the discontinued one 😡
http://www.musingsofamuse.com/2010/01/urban-decay-razor-sharp-ultra-definition-finishing-powder-review.html

Love those snail buttons!
What are the chances of a Koh Gen Do import from HK on eBay being fake, do you think bo?
It's reduced from equivalent of £44 to £31....
Can't join in with the powder recs as its something I virtually never use. But out of curiosity, this 'baking' thing, is this where you leave powder on for an insanely long time then sweep it off and your make up is indestructible? Why does it work?

Is it a reputable seller by the eBay matrix? CosmeDe by any chance? I think they and Sassa are known to sometimes sell fakes but I think it's not malicious, they just end up with wrong stock sometimes as it's very incidental. Isn't KGD available in the UK though, Suqqu always comes out cheaper from Selfridge's than from Japan. Was it the concealer you were looking at? I can check the Amazon JP price if they ship it.

I've never really understood the baking thing, I think the theory is that body heat makes it meld into the base upping the coverage and limiting slide ability as it's stiffer, a bit like strategic caking I suppose. IME on anyone with a bit of dehydration or age it just makes fine lines appear throughout the day that aren't otherwise there, but again never got into it as it's really a high coverage thing.

I've just bought the bioderma shower gel so will report back....

I'm a lurker here, hope you don't mind me asking a question. Really struggling with puffy under eyes and bags. I have TO caffeine eye serum which does help, but minimally. I use quite a lot of other TO products including the C serum (the 20% one) and retinol.

Just wondering if anyone has come across anything else that helps?

Welcome, Wtfdoicare! Always welcome to ask questions, no guarantees we can always answer them.

It depends on what type of puff/bags you're dealing with. If it's genetic, there's little to do about it in terms of OTC treatments. If it's general aging, pretty much the same beyond managing the puff.

Are you using an eye cream or moisturiser in the area currently? Is it heavy? I find that eyes tend to get quite puffy, if they're prone to it, if using heavier creams at night, a serum or eye gel is then preferable.

Vit C and Retinol product specifically formulated for the eye area can help with the appearance of them as it encourages collagen and elastin production. If the skin has gotten weaker with age this may help tighten it up slightly, but the results are marginal and take time.

There's that device I linked to a few pages back, that may perform similarly but no guarantees.

Those little slug eye masks/patches can work quite effectively by taking the puffiness down (quite cheap from S. Korea but the Skyn Iceland are the cult product here) but it's a temporary effect, of course. Japan also has heated eye masks (sounds weirder than it is) that are used at the end of the eye that are also quite effective at taking puffiness down and carrying that forth to the morning.

Might do an info sheet on eye care actually, a lot of confusion around it.

Thanks so much botemp! I shall look into the eye masks including the heated ones, but yes, I suspect they are inherited.

These are the heated ones from Japan. I've been toying with the idea getting some myself purely for the relaxation aspect of it.

I've never tried the Korean ones but the Koelf and Secret Key ones are liked a lot.

These warming ones have been everywhere recently, obviously Korea do it first then it comes over here!
http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/beauty/skincare/news/a41970/spacemask-review/

Mint have you tried Aveeno shower products? Also, have you tried Pure Potionss* Made for eczema sufferers but probably good for anyone with dry/sensitive skin. They've got 25% off at the moment with code ECZEMA2017. (Not sure of on everything or only some products). I've used their Skin Salvation cream and lip balm and they definitely help to soothe affected areas so I'm pretty sure they wouldn't irritate your skin.

Bagel I don't get on with aveeno unfortunately, I know I'm in the minority here though. I'll see how I get on with the bioderma one for now. Thanks for the suggestion

bo yes it is cosme de. It is the Maifanshi moisture Concealer think it's called, yes be handy if it was stocked uk...
mint I know you've bought the bioderma now...I have very tetchy body skin and use atopic stuff. Not tried bioderma body stuff but had no problems with any of their sunscreens or other facial skin care (where am also prone to irritation but in a different way). Have found a lot of the French pharmacy stuff to be good for atopic-type skin and particularly rate some of topicrem's products when you're next looking. Not altogether sure if stocked uk as always buy it in France, but easyparapharmacie may have...
The 'baking' thing, eek I can only imagine what that would do to my skin - it would fall off in irritation I think....some people must have industrial strength skin! And yeah, I think I would instantly look 10 years older by the sounds of it...oh well, just wondered.
I'm in here blathering away just to distract myself from my imminent house move and the fact that I'm effing sick of packing boxes.
Hence fantasising about rare products and curiosity about beauty techniques I categorically know I'll never get involved in....

I apply loose powder with a big fluffy brush, I tap the excess off first then just dust over my face. I avoid putting it near my eyes and don't really get the baking thing, I've always thought that's one of those tricks people use to make their selfies look better but doesn't look that great IRL, bit like the 'extreme' contouring and highlighting.

Talking of loose powder, I wore the RCMA for work today and I'm very impressed. It had clagged a tiny bit round my nose by mid afternoon, but I think I'd been a bit heavy handed on my nose and it wasn't bad - I could only see it when I peered very closely in the extremely harsh shows-every-flaw type mirror in the office loos. I wore it over IT cosmetics cc cream, nothing else primer, concealer or powder wise and I stayed pretty matt/unshiny all day with no touch ups. I've dispensed it into the powder pots I got from Amazon which helps with application, but it's still very hoofy poofy and a bit messy, not good for travel or out and about - but it lasts all day so unless I'm going out straight after work I won't need to retouch anyway.

Aww l love the snail buttons Bo 🐌🐌🐌 agree with Enid I'd definitely buy one if they did a brooch.

yong, they have it on Amazon JP for about the before price + taxes and delivery so it's definitely priced in the right bracket. I suspect Cosme DE is discounting it as either old stock/unpopular colour in SEA anything darker than slightly tan basically. I've bought with Cosme before, they're really slow to dispatch but beyond that no issues and the items were legit. All things that are not very popular so I felt fine purchasing with them, think the KGD concealer falls into that category. I would contact them and ask the date of manufacturing/expiration though, it's not an item you'll use up that quickly if it's like the LM Secret Camouflage, so if it's already 2yrs old it may not be as much of a bargain.

If, however, you're intent on losing yourself on the internet looking for weird and wonderful things from Japan. Canmake (a drugstore brand, too cheap to fake) has a similar concealer palette that's hugely popular. From the more high end Japanese brands, IPSA and THREE both do really popular concealer palettes that I've been tempted to buy far too many times, they're really highly rated.

I also basically want everything from ADDICTION by Ayanko, currently lusting after the Cheek Polish in 08, which is more of a highlighter/luminator that I think would suit my greenish/neutral undertones in a way that the western versions don't, it looks identical to the Nars liquid blushes but Ayanko had them way before him I'm also pretty sure Ayanko and Surratt are manufactured in the same factory (packaging and products are nearly identical, just different shades). Speaking of Surratt, Enid, their loose powder (in Matte) is also supposed to be super fine, it even comes with a mesh/net packaging because it's so finely milled but you have to buy the two separately, no talc or HA in the INCI but up there in price if you buy the powder + compact, but something for your long list perhaps?

user, if I do happen to stumble across that coat in my size I suppose I could just swap out the antler buttons and sell them to you lot as overpriced brooches Also, I've also just realised it was a WOOL coat, it's snail on sheep action harmony...

Ok so I've used the bioderma wash twice now and my skin has been itchier than usual! And my hands are dry and sore
Just bought soaper duper wash...

On a more positive note, I'm loving the maybelline brow satin!!

I use a big fluffy brush (Zoeva 101 Luxe Face brush) over most of my face with my ByTerry loose powder then switch to the Zoeva 105 highlighter brush for under my eyes - still really love that powder although I know it's full of HA so no good for Enid :(

*Mint" good to know about the brow satin - I'm using ABH Brow wiz and it's a bit spendy for an eyebrow pencil!

Would HA in a dry powder over moisturiser, foundation and concealer be that bad do you think bo? Though actually you prob can't answer that, there's only one way to really find out.

I'vr narrowed it down to MUFE and the Givenchy one. Givenchy actually cheaper given the amount you get. Just hesistant to spend yet more money on powders. It shouldn't be this hard.

Hi I'm back. Not been well recently & I'm off sick from work so I can't really afford lots of nice skincare stuff so I've not been on the thread. Sorry! I do need some advice though, if anyone can help. I'm still having problems with my scalp - undiagnosed itchyness, could be neurological to do with my condition. But I scratch & it's sometimes sore. Need a decent shampoo, that won't irritate my rubbish skin on my back (very stubborn adult acne). SLS seems to irritate it. I've tried the Eucerin PH5 as a shampoo, & it's slightly better on my back but my scalp is much worse, & hair never feels clean. I have limited use of one hand much of the time now, so I need something with more detergent action I think! My hair is very short, BTW, & I don't use conditioner - I just want it clean. And it has to be fairly cheap... so what should I be looking for in terms of ingredients? Or can anyone make any particular suggestions?

Lego have a look on Amazon at the amargan daily moisturising shampoo