🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Happy Snail Year, Bring Spoons!

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Thread 1 Thread 2 Thread 3 Thread 4 Thread 5 Thread 6 Thread 7 Thread 8 Thread 9 Thread 10

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?

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.

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JANUARY 2018: Thread 11! we're getting old. A recap of The Snailies categories for those still meaning to get round to them:

🐌🐌 THE SNAILIES 2017 🐌🐌

The Well Hello There - newest and latest find that gets your motor running

The Flusher- money spent on this product would have been better put to use by flushing it down the toilet

The Jack & Rose- the product you’ll never let go of because there’s plenty of fucking space for the two of you on that piece of wood. Damn you, James Cameron, for breaking my poor little tween heart.

The LTB- it all seemed so promising, everything was going so great, then they turned out to be a narcissist gaslighting bastard

The Child Prodigy- that one product that’s annoyingly good and isn’t afraid to be smug about it

The Worker Bee- never the centre of attention but has been steadily chugging along like no other

The Troll- the one where you repeatedly asked, ‘Is this doing anything?’, but continued to use it anyway…

The Flabbergaster- that one product or technique that wasn’t really supposed to be used like that or delivered well beyond your non-existent expectations

The Sinner- oh, admit it because we’re all guilty of it, what did you do or use that wasn’t all that sensible like take an acid bath and had the disastrous results you really knew to expect

I got it from a Belgian pharmacy online, the normal price is 30, but I don't think they ship to the UK or the shipping wouldn't be worth it. It's sold out currently but it's around £23 on EPP. It's only 10ml though so in comparison to SkinCeuticals it comes out at around half the price per/ml but I estimate it'll last me 2-3 months.

It does seem to be on offer and cheaper on escentual, also out of stock but available to pre-order.

Just popping on to say hi . Product wise nothing has changed for me really since my last snailies update a while back as I haven't finished any products and I'm happy with my routine.
I will however be buying the Eucerin 5% for when my skin needs more oomph based on everyones love for it.
I will also buy I think either PC bha or one of the P50 now I'm getting to the end of my liquid gold which has lasted forever as I only use it once a fortnight although actually I have a couple of unopened mini bottles but want to try new products.
I do need a new serum though a HA one, something to boost moisture.
I still havent opened my NIOD box from ages ago I really should use that up first.

However on reflection here's my list anyway

The Well Hello There - Cicaplast mains - if it's this good on my hands then I'm defo getting the one enid is always on about for my face. I bought this with another lrp hand cream ages ago which I've just finished. I looked at my hands the other day and thought omg they look so old so opened the cicaplast mains and they literally went baby soft overnight.

The Flusher - any product by Liz Earle, doesnt suit my sensitive skin at all

The Jack & Rose- My LRP Toleraine fluid

The LTB- nothing

The Child Prodigy- My beloved Murad anti blemish cleanser or Murad Vit C cleanser

The Worker Bee- Clinique TTDO balm

The Troll- TO Vit C 23% and TO Retinoid 2% - I will only know once I actually finish them.

The Flabbergaster- Simple Micellar water ( used about once a fortnight ish )

The Sinner- Vaseline around my nose every 2 mins inbetween every sneeze during my cold, left me with blackheads, but I will use again because it really did miraculously clear my red flaky skin. Nothing a clay mask cant solve.

That's interesting Enid I think wheat is also an issue for me, it definitely makes my ibs worse and gives me trapped wind pains if I eat a lot of it in one day. So if you wasn't having a sandwich/roll for lunch what other things would you have? Lunch is one thing I struggle with for wheat, breakfast is fine as I usually have granola yog and fruit or a non wheat cereal (although some days I do really want chocolate orange spread on TOAST)

I'm also interested in non-wheat options. I know it's a problem for me - I have to stay right off it or it provokes my IBS. If I have wheat the initial reaction is severe & then it's just constant grumbling pain... I'm just too lazy to properly cut it out. Lunches are the issue, and eating out. I also need to stop eating dairy as it makes me intolerably congested (I've tried excluding it in the past; much improvement) but again, it's hard. Two really difficult things to not eat.

Ah sorry - Lego here.

Mint I kind of combine breakfast with lunch tbh. So porridge with berries and seeds quite often or the schar gluten free rolls, toasted with peanut butter and some fake chocolate sauce stuff (choc shot), baked potato with various toppings, pimped up salad, rice, veg and chicken etc.

Gluten free pasta is very good btw. Can't really tell the difference.

Enid - is there a particular type or brand of pasta you prefer? For example, buckwheat, rice, hemp? I can't have soy as it provokes my migraines. I've picked up a pack of the Schar bread to try - I've tried wheat free bread before but never that brand. Going to to leave dairy for now & concentrate on one thing at a time or it will be too much to cope with. Dairy, especially milk, is really hard to avoid.

No particular brand or type for pasta. Just whatever is available. There was one that was made just from peas! It was green. Surprisingly very nice but haven't been able to find it recently.

Doing things a bit at a time is a good idea. Like with the skin products, easier to see if anything is making a difference and to know what it is.

Unrelated note, think I might be due on, that and having a bad health week has given me the proper blues. Hoping a shower with my new enormous bottle of shower oil and a hair mask might perk me up a bit. Self care and all that.

Joz You might find the bread hard to spread things on sometimes. Lack of gluten means it falls apart easier than proper bread. It's why I get the rolls. Weirdly they're not always like that. Makes good toast though.

joz you mention migraines. I’ve just started having them in the past year. Fairly mild compared to what some people have but I get altered vision in my right eye so I know it’s coming. I take painkillers straight away which takes the edge off. Anyone else suffer and any words of wisdom? I’ve never had them before so wonder if it’s hormonal (early 40s) or eyesight related as that’s definitely getting worse.

👋 hi I'm new! Really want to sort my skin out so I'll read all your useful links then come back to chat!

I just noticed the thread title!

JD I do, as a symptom of whatever else I have. At least 1 a week. Only thing that does anything for me is a cold flannel on my forehead and something hot on my feet. If I'm washing my hair and feeling heady, like one is coming, running very cold water onto the back of my neck and base of skull seems to help. Otherwise I'm interested what others do too as nothing seems to do that much, just have to wait them out in a dark cool room with lots of cold water to drink. I feel like anything that reduces inflammation helps. Ibuprofen, cherry juice, cold stuff.

If you went to the docs they'd say to get your eyesight tested and ask if you're stressed. If you go to the opticians before the gp you can tell them you've ruled that out (or not?) already.

Hi Ooh Welcome!

user I live by you and would be interested to know if you find a dermatologist! There are loads but I don't know where to start

Right I'm going for that shower. See if I can snap myself out of the grumps. 🙄🌈

Thanks enid. Due an eye test this month. Will definitely get booked in. I do think it’s stress related too.
joz just realised you’re lego

Thanks for the replies

Bo... I have had eczema since childhood but it is definitely nowhere near as bad as it was when I was young. Plus, over the last 3 years I've been much better with my diet (heavily reducing sugar and dairy) so I don't really have much eczema at the moment. I would have always said my skin was dry but since i've got older I don't think its particularly dry but very dehydrated. Pretty sure its changed with age and ?possibly diet? but also I think I just understand my skin better. I used to slather it in heavy thick creams and oils that would then block my pores and give me spots. Now I use more 'layers' specifically designed for dehydrated skin. My skin can be a bit reactive to stress or heavily perfumed products (or overindulgence...like now) but is generally behaving well!

I ordered the eucerin dermatoclean cleansing milk with my escentual order (currently 33% off French skincare) because it was cheap but I will still throw in a LRP cleanser to try with my next easypharmacie order. Do you still think the dermo LRP would be better than the hydrating one considering I'm definitely more dehydrated than dry? ...thanks

Re migraines....

I was diagnosed with migraines last year after being referred urgently to neurology with some really weird "funny turn" like symptoms (which my GP thought was seizures/stroke like symptoms). I never actually get the headache, I just feel like complete crap. Really difficult to describe, not a 'sicky' feeling, I just feel horrendous, then I literally freeze (cant move my arms/hands/legs) and cant talk at all. Very frightening.

The neurologist suggested a preventative daily tablet which I don't want as it doesn't happen all that often. The next suggestion is to alleviate the symptoms/prevent escalation to full blown thing when I feel it 'coming on'. He had 2 suggestions (I've to experiment and report back at my next visit) Either a one-off high dose of aspirin (900mg!) which works fabulously within a minute, or Rizatriptin ( a migraine tablet that dissolves on my tongue) which also works fabulously within a minute. Both have been brilliant for me and I carry them with me at times. If I miss the 'warning window' and end up with the full thing DH can just pop the Rizatriptin into my mouth because I cant swallow/drink.

sorry for the long post but I know how upsetting migraines can be and these have been amazing for me

Apologies for the triple post....here are my SNAILIES

The well hello there...currently testing superdrugs pure hydrating night serum (love the normal day one) and really liking it

The Flusher...TO niacinamide and zinc left my skin tight and sore feeling and the TO caffeine eye serum made me look like I had the undereyes of a 90 year old!

The Jack and Rose...Eucerin Aquaphor healing balm. Looks just like Vaseline, but SO SO much better. After trying literally every every eye cream and serum on the market for my crepey dehydrated undereyes, (which all made me look puffy like I had been crying for days) I tried this after reading about it on makeupalley reviews. I slather this wee beauty on morning and night and my eyes have never looked better. I have literally 10 backups (although a tube lasts forever).

The LTB...nothing terrible this year. I'm learning to stop buying crap that doesn't suit my skin!

The Child Prodigy...I really love EL ANR. I tried to go without and then got another sample and realised my skin loves it and definitely looks better for it. But annoyingly expensive.

The Worker Bee...this year; Superdrug pure hydrating serum, Eucerin Ultra Sensitive Soothing care for combination skin (everything I've always wanted a moisturiser to do), TTDO balm. Ongoing; LRP micellar water, Ren Evercalm cleanser, bravura toner. Nothing exciting but all doing a stellar job.

The Troll...cosRx snail essence. Some nights I slather it on and in the morning my face looks and feels wonderful, other mornings, no real difference but i quite like the texture and enjoy the layering! Not caused any problems though.

The Flabbergaster...again the Aquaphor for my undereyes (cant rave enough) and also Lansinoh or Bepanthen for an overnight lip balm!

The Sinner...nothing this year

I've changed my skincare up again and it's improved my skin massively

Am -
Boots botanical cleanser
Kikumasamune high moisture lotion (ceramides)
Nip fab kale fix moisturiser

Pm
LRP toleriane and warm flannel
Rose water or the high moisture or an acid pad
HA serum or REN omega oil serum
Yes to cucumbers moisturiser

I add a sleep mask if it feels dry, if I break out (hormonal) then I do nothing except cleanse, acnecide and moisturiser

Regarding migraines - the most important thing is to try to identify your triggers. There are so many different types of migraines that advice regarding treatment can differ likewise. However i would definitely recommend keeping a diary about everything - the weather, your sleep, menstrual cycle, diet, mood. If you identify any possible triggers, try cutting them out (if possible) then reintroduce to test.

A trigger/symptom diary is an excellent idea. 👍🏻

I used the Elemis salt scrub all over before showering with Bioderma oil and daaamn I am smoooooooooooth.

Hair mask has worked wonders again so hair is feeling soft too. Clean fresh sheets on the bed, hot drink, toast. Feeling much better. The self care thing worked. Firmly believe some grooming rituals and looking after your skin and hair is good for your mental health. Is for me anyway.

That Elemis body scrub is very good. Annoyingly as I think it's £££ and for the amount you use each time it works out even more ££. But it smells so nice... might have to ration it out a bit like I do the bath milk.

I will do my Snailies. Promise.

Salt Glow is £40. ffs.

It's on here for less though www.fragrancedirect.co.uk/elemis-frangipani-salt-glow-body-scrub-490g-0060442.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=merchant&utm_keyword=foo&istCompanyId=17773c4e-a26f-4631-9b91-73e6422dbe77&istItemId=qmattqawt&istBid=tztm&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImuX0vo7C2AIVg73tCh270ggeEAQYASABEgJt6vD_BwE Anyone used them before? Seems a suspiciously good deal.