🐌 Fantastic Skincare: The Snailaversary and Winter is Coming, Luckily, we're Part Sheep 🐑

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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. 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

NEWish since previous threads:

Understanding Which Sunscreen(s) to Buy

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

NEW since the last thread:

A Damaged Skin Barrier - Now What?

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.

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.

OCTOBER 2017: It's our snailaversary ! Our baby ripe toddler skins are about a year old now, or rather getting together on these threads about a year ago. I can't believe we're all still finding things to chat on about between the hair disasters. I know I always encourage a bit of catching up at the beginning of the new thread with how everyone's skin been progressing over the last couple of weeks/months but now I'm demanding more and would really like to hear how everyone is doing a year on now, or however long you've been with us. Basically, pledge your undying love for these threads

NB: I've removed the form from the OP as I felt there really wasn't a need for it anymore. I think I've also answered enough of those forms in their previous incarnation for a lifetime so it may just be a selfish decision but it's been made

I bought it when I baked a lot, patisserie type things, that require a bit more skill and more hands if you use a handheld mixer. Certain types of cake that need a lot of air to rise (like a genoise) are had to do without one. Similarly, Italian meringue buttercream. Also, the cookies from the Milk Bar cookbook really can't be made without one, and they taste really different to other chocolate chip cookies recipe. I'd only get one if you're really into baking as a hobby or regularly make pizza dough or something like that.

Giving up sugar is why it's become a bit defunct now. Though for large batches of dough (which the Magimax can't handle) and specialty breads (like focaccia) it's really handy. I also have the pasta attachment (came free with it) and that's been used far more than I thought it would.

I also got the KA blender with it for free, but that's been terrible, it's really heavy and unwieldy and if you don't set it up exactly right the liquid spills everywhere still waiting on those fangs

I'd like to see end of year round up/review posts. Have to have a think what I'd include.

I am wheat free bo but massively fell off the gluten free wagon on Christmas Day. I'll be farting climbing my way back on to it tomorrow because I definitely feel better without it. Kind of worth it though. Will checkbthe book out thank you. I'm planning on baking for DH and family mainly at first.

Great idea on end of year round up. I love hearing everyone’s experiences of products.

I'm actually quite curious to see how many are using the same items, we tend to influence each other on here quite a bit and it seems one could almost draw up a core routine that most will be using.

Indeed, and I wonder how much our routine has changed over the year. At the start of the year were we using a lot of TO products and are we continuing to repurchase or have we found better serums/actives?

Yes, I think if we'd done this last year (though not really possible as we only just started chatting a bit) TO would have come out as a firm fave/brand of the year type thing. This year less so, I expect.

And Bo I meant to ask how did you go about giving up sugar? I know you’ve talked about this before but I can’t remember the details.

I gave up wheat when I was pregnant first time round as I was following ‘the gentle birth method’ which advocates giving up wheat and sugar but I never managed to give up sugar. Honestly, I’ve eaten so much sugar over the last couple of weeks

I just did DIY dermablading with a scalpel
It went surprisingly well, although of course I don't recommend the DIY approach, health and safety and all that

OLLI

You're not in prison, are you using a teeny tiny phone someone smuggled up their arse?

JDSTER, it was motivated by health (the insulin resistance was messing far too much with my system and taking over my life) so I think that's what made it easier for me, I could see the trade-off quite quickly. Although I do have quite stringent self-control when I need it, and don't have an addictive personality type.

Quit from one day to the next, allowed myself one sugar day every other week, which basically meant I was wasting two weeks thinking about what I'd have that day, I'd only do one thing so it had to be extra special.

I had a brief period where I would write down everything I'd think I want sugary treat-wise (for my one sugar day), and then assess that most of those things I didn't really like that much and had forgotten about pretty much soon thereafter, but just felt like having, either because I saw it or something reminded me of it.

Then that sugar day became once a month and I was supposed to go every other month but I just sort of forgot about the date at that point, and often missed it only realising after. Now if there's an occasion I'll indulge or there's something extra special but it's not really the same anymore once you stop eating it, the reward incentive is gone and everything tastes way too sweet to the palette.

I did consciously choose not to do replacement sugars, as I could quite easily bake up a storm with those, but the psychological component isn't really tackled if you still get the sweet incentives all the time. I do eat naturally sweet things, fruit, veg, complex carbs, etc. and occasionally maple syrup. I was already low sugar before that, so the switch was also less severe, I suppose.

Nope, I'm at home. I watched two YouTube videos and bought the correct tools
Went v lightly but the dead skin and hair that came off my face holy crap there was a lot!

Did you just do this to join in on that lipstick in the washing machine thread?

I've just realised you meant 'dermablading', not 'microblading' hence my thoughts of prison cells and DIY tattoos...

I think it's known as dermaplaning too
I'm just too tight to pay £50, and having watched 2 videos, obviously I'm now fully qualified
Anyway I didn't cut myself so we are all good. I do however have a giant incredibly sore spot in my eyebrow and my hourglass goodies haven't shipped yet

I'll be curious to hear what it does for your makeup application, assuming that's why you're giving it a go. I'm too scared of it, I think my skin would act out in revolt, it only just about managed to tolerate the incidental dry shave when it was getting lasered.

Btw, not sure if it's still there but the SpaceNK sale did have that Nars x CG collab tinted moisturiser in deathly deathly pale in it. Think you'd had that on your list, right?

I did! Off to look
Yes, my makeup is sticking to dry patches no matter what skincare I use so I decided to go for a slightly more drastic action
I will report back!

I use one of those eyebrow razors to take the peach fuzz off my jaw and top lip, is that like diy dermablading or is it more hardcore?

Argh must be sold out as I can't even find it

Pretty much! I'm using a scalpel...

I'll try anything once

I watched a youtube video before shaving my chin hairs last month, one woman shaved her whole face and was very matter of fact about it and couldn't understand what the problem was
So feeling empowered I dry shaved the little area under my chin that was driving me mad with a normal razor, I figured it would be the same as dermablading
It turned out fine actually and now my annoying hairs grow at the same rate so I can go back to plucking them now if I choose to.
I have just made the big step of omitting sugar from my coffee , its going better than expected so I'm happy with that.

Update. My face has not yet dropped off, there is no blood and my makeup went on like silk

Is your skin also less dry now olli ?

I'm so tired what with being ill for a week and Christmas shenanigans my body clock is shocking, I fell asleep last night at 9pm woke at midnight then stayed awake till 8am then fell asleep till 11am

This is so not cool, any helpful suggestions?

I use one of those little eyebrow razors that Enid mentioned for fuzz at the sides of my face as well as lip and chin hairs. I’ve tried various other hair removal methods but they all give me a rash and there are now too many chin and lip hairs to keep on top of with just tweezing I haven’t noticed the shaving making my skin any smoother though, maybe I need to try a scalpel!

I’m eating far too much sugar at the moment, I’m not planning to cut it completely but will certainly be reducing drastically come January. I also need to lose weight but I had an eating disorder in my teens and 20s which still occasionally rears it’s head so need to be careful with diets as anything too restrictive/prohibitive can be a trigger.

Tant I am having sleep issues at the moment too, I’m a very late sleeper/night owl at the best of times but with so many late nights recently and no routine I’m practically nocturnal at the moment, I doubt I’ll get back to normal until I’m back in work on 8th. But I don’t need a lot of sleep and never have done, I was one of those nightmare non-sleeping children that are always being discussed on here driving their poor parents insane.

Blimey I’ve just had an email from Victoria Health - my Black Friday order that I’d completely forgotten about has been despatched
As well as the 2 hand chemistry sets that I definitely wanted, I seem to have ordered a niod set as well which I don’t remember at all, it’s only £8 though so will see what turns up....

Tant sorry I meant to say in my reply to you to try and stay up later (what is your normal bed time?) and see if you sleep through. If I went to sleep at 9 I’d wake up for a few hours later in the night too. Maybe we should go over to AIBU or Chat and see if anyone has any sleep training tips for us

Ooh look triple post 👑👑👑 😊 😊 😊