🐌 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

I know JDSTER but sometimes my question gets lost after lots of other posts so I like to remind you all....it's my dry sarcastic sense of humour, it gets me in trouble lots

purple15

Will attempt to rejoin thread and be helpful. ;) Flakes you say - not pilling, but flakes?

Lavera is a bit forgettable, I blame their very 90s packaging but INCI wise their formulations are usually a better choice over Weleda, Hauschka, et. al. They're cheaper too, thankfully the Germans are brand loyal, I doubt they'd still be around otherwise.

bani, we haven't discussed them much beyond their launch. I did incidentally start on the 5% this past weekend, it's very much an oil so I didn't really want to layer anything else over it. I don't know how much oily/combo skin would like the formulation on the back of that. In contrast to the (old) 2% AR emulsion formulation, it only contains the Ester of Retinol and not a combination of Ester + Microencapsulated Retinol so I'm not sure how effective I'll find it, but can't really say until at least a few weeks in. It's the same Ester as what Sunday Riley Luna uses which is a very hit and miss product so I'm expecting this product to be much the same in that sense. Makes for a nice short routine though, I just cleanse and apply the Retinoid.

JDSTER, spot treatment is pretty individual, for me, P50 takes them down within hours, other AHAs do a similar job but not as quickly. For some, it'll be BHA (those CosRx pimple patches are good for those) that helps extract deep gunk and hurry the process along. For some, it'll be drying it out with BP or those Sulfur solutions (Mario Badescu does a famous one but I believe any pharmacy will sell it and a few of the Korean brands have them too). By my estimation it's AHA/PHA for those that struggle to break through skin and come with a heap of inflammation, BHA for trapped deep-rooted excessive (oxidised) sebum production (so they're extra gooey/cystic types but usually the lonely cases), BP and Sulfate if it's a bacterial (ie. multiple) and excessive oil issue. Sometimes you need to do a bit of both or more, eg. dislodge with AHA, encourage out with BHA then contain with Sulfates/BP.

Oh, and don't forget Enid's much loved Cicaplast, still no idea how that's working aside from being anti-inflammatory but it seems to work

WRT DH, it sounds like a hair follicle thing, those can last forever and at some point, it does resolve itself when the hair stops coiling over itself and manages to peek out but it takes forever and ever if you poke at it as the skin just seems to thicken up in response. As others have said, seek out the GP if he wants it lanced for risk of infection if a strong AHA isn't up to the task (if you've got something high Urea (well over the 20% mark) you could give that a go)

Purple, when do the white flakes appear? Is it skin flakes or product residue?

If it's product, I'd say wait 20 mins after the Fluide before applying sunscreen and apply it in two thin layers instead (patting it in), leaving a few minutes in between. You may also find it helpful to apply the Buffet on slightly damp skin to aid absorption.

VH just sent out a new newsletter with some more info on that horribly named lovechild, EUK 134. They've also launched a new Derm based brand (I've yet to look into it further) but it sounds promising the PHA/AHA sounds very much P50 inspired and there's a PHA/BHA version too and it doesn't appear to be horribly expensive.

JDSTER was it you who asked about spot treatments? I've recently been trying the balance me radiance oil in the roller ball (Hirons recommend it ages ago but I never tried it until now) I dunno how it does it but it actually does work! I just rolled some oil onto any breakouts before bed and they had gone down dramatically by the morning!

I think it's pilling if that means the product residue. I doesn't seem to happen until iv put the lrp spf 50 on.

I dont feel like I can't wait longer than 20/30 minutes between products.

I'm

Thanks for all the 'spot' advice and recommendations (including you mint) Lots to go on there. DH does suffer with ingrown hairs on his face too Bo I can't think what BP is?

I was reading VH newsletter this morning and wondered what you'd think of new skincare.

Well not British Petrol but Benzyl Peroxide, JDSTER.

Purple it's only 20 mins between moisturiser and SPF and then maybe 5-8 between two SPF layers. You could cut down the 20 mins to 5-10 mins too. Are you quite oily, is your skin absorbing the products well or does it tend to sit around?

I do NO wait times because my life is too short and I have no pilling unless it really is products that don't get along ;)

Re: the retinol I was thinking of trying the 1% pure retinol this winter (just waiting for the Dark and Gloom to set in). I've used the advanced retinoid 2 % for a good while and I'm not feeling it. It's pleasant enough to use, but I see no astounding benefits? Thinking of going hardcore.

Cicaplast only for dried up spots to reduce the scabby bit and the red/pink/ mark faster.

Thanks for clarification Bo .

Purple I wonder if it's just the spf that's the cause of the problem, as in the cumulative effect of the other products before, and it's the adding of the spf that's the problem. I find that a 'hardcore' spf like LRP (as opposed to a more cosmetically elegant product like Japanese SPFs) does cause a pilling effect when layered and is one of the reasons I don't like LRP SPF for day to day use (that and it makes my skin very oily).

Botemp
Thankyou for the reply
I was rushing earlier so didn't really read it xx
In the morning I will try your suggestion patting the TO Buffet
Then 20 mins
Moisterisor then twenty minutes
Spf one layer
Wait ten minutes then another layer just patting it
I'm not that oily. And I must admit I don't really want to change anything because my skin is the best it's ever looked.
I do use differin ( prescribed by consultant through GP for acne) and have done for years.

Purple Are you putting 2 layers of SPF on, or have I read that wrong?

FWIW I get bad pilling with LRP spf 50 used before makeup and only use it as my "going for a run" spf!

JDSER I have tried the Biore watery Essene
But because my skin looks so good I don't want to change anything

Tsmummy08 Just going off what botemp suggested doing two layers ?

JDSTER I use bare minerals blemish therapy on spots but I don’t get cystic ones, just annoying little whiteheads that are easy to pop & the blemish therapy (it’s a powder) dries them out, I think it’s sulfur with salicylic acid.

I’ve not used any of the new TO rets yet banivani I’m using up some of the ‘old’ 1% and that’s slow going as I’m only using it twice a week now.

I’m thinking of trying some full on prescription strength retin A but not sure I could deal with the flaking, does anyone here use it?

purple I was going to ask of you use actives like retinol at night (is that what differin is?) as when I get flaking/peeling from ret it’s not usually visible until I put makeup on the next day. Though it does sound like yours is pilling, maybe try a different/lighter spf as I agree with JDSTER that LRP is quite heavy for under makeup.

mint I don’t use eyeliner very often, and never on my waterline so I can’t help you there either

purple i have to say i did not get along with that sunscreen at all - I think it’s awful. Plus you have to shake it - my life is too short. I didn’t even notice until the shaking bit until a week in. :(

Well, I used the Sukin shampoo this morning. Seemed ok, weird herbal smell, in an inoffensive kind of way. But I've just realised... my scalp hasn't been half as itchy today. Not sure if it's a psychological thing - I haven't actually thought about it as I've been quite busy today. Hoping it sorts it (but OMG the price - I'm looking at potentially losing my job after Christmas ). But still yay for the improvement!

Purple - I use the same first three things as you, & the same SPF on a very sunny day. (My usual SPF is Biore). The only difference is that I actively add moisture in the form of a water spray - currently either Avene as they do a massive tin of it which is decent value on EPP, or (I usually use) Serozinc. Either seems to work fine. I gently rub each layer on & don't usually allow them much time to dry before adding the next... I've never had any pilling or flakes with this combination. I have combination / slightly dehydrated skin.

banivani
I don't shake it at all. Will try tomorrow . Will report back with all your suggestions.
I didn't realise that the Lrp spf was a very thick one.
If these suggestions don't work I might try the Biore watery Essenes again.

LegoCaltrops Will try the Biore then if the suggestions don't work
Thank you

I feel like my forehead has been getting greasy overnight lately and it feels a bit congested. Nothing visible but it's got tiny bumps on it. Just not smooth like it was. So I thought I'd skip the Toleriane on there tonight in case that was sitting on the surface but nope, still feels a bit oily. Probably an exfoliation issue then. I haven't found anything that will exfoliated effectively and not break me out.

Hi everyone. I have a lot of catching up to do, I've been MIA for a while.

We've had drama here. My lovely, lovely FIL (v. early 60s) had a heart attack whilst on holiday. Sadly after many weeks in itu, he passed away so rl has been crazy and I literally haven't had time to go on MN.

Anyway, I don't have much to report. My face went horrible; really dry with tiny spots around my nose, plus random big painful spots cropping up all the time. All in all it was all extremely annoying. My sugar intake increased which I'm sure contributed along with stress.

So yeah, i don't have anything useful to add, I just need to catch up!

Bali
*
Purple* I got pilling with lrp spf too, try the new avene anti ageing spf 50 (its fragrance free unlike some of theirs) I've had no pilling whatsoever and it isn't greasy.

Bali

I'd forgotten about Lavera, wasn't it over here for a time - maybe still is. I'm looking forward to the browsing!

I wonder what the new line in VH is like? Lixir, it's called. I decided to order one of them but would be useful if my brain would remind me which .

botemp followed your routine this morning and I am amazed its 90% better. The only thing it was a little white just in a couple of places. I think now I know what I am doing, patting the spf and not rubbing until I have rubbed it all away, I will get the hang of it.
I also shook the bottle which I don't normally do. can I ask why do I put two layers of spf onl
So yes I am very pleased.

Just to say a massive thank you to all the advice I have been given over the last few months. My skin has never looked so good.

Bali