🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Happy Snail Year, Bring Spoons!

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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?

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 keep my Vichy Vit C in the fridge (in its box), would and have done the same for any water-based L-AA Vit C serum, that should slow down the oxidation and extend the shelf life. Elspeth, like the others, TO Vit C 23% was unpleasant to use but I tolerated it for the sake of economics, I wish I hadn't because it was stealthily worsening my dehydration (I had put it down to weather). I reacted instantaneously to the Vit C 30% so don't really have a good grasp of its effectiveness, and the tube lasts about a month for those that can use it. I haven't tried the derivatives as L-AA remains the gold standard and is my personal preference.

Lego/Joz, wrt dairy I tried three different elimination diets, one lactose-free- so still some dairy (which didn't show any difference), completely dairy free (which was a minor improvement) and then cultured dairy only which showed similar results to going completely dairy free. So I'd say there's more variety to it, lactose-free is the easiest to follow as there's plenty of dairy products that are just without it, cultured dairy is more traditionally made and therefore still around but less readily available and much more expensive usually.

It's only by coincidence that a lot of recipes I use are now gluten-free, for lighter crispier things I find using different varieties of GF flours work a lot better, equally gooey fudgey things. It's only recipes that require a lot of protein to work (like bread) that it's a tougher substitute. Anyhow, I now prefer overnight oats pancakes to the US fluffy ones, and a Breton buckwheat crepe to a plain flour one. It's mostly come from playing about with different recipes and understanding the different qualities of the flours. Taste profiles too, a lot are more earthy and nuttier. I like spelt a lot too, I find it more digestible but it's not GF I believe. Also always use stone ground wheat flour when I do use it, I find it very hard to digest otherwise, especially in a whole wheat variety. Word of warning, a lot of GF flours go rancid quicker so I keep them in ziplocks in the freezer.

JDSTER, I had migraines in the past, they usually lasted 5-7 days, 3 of which where I was unable to do much except sit in the dark, was very lightheaded, despite there being a palpable heavy pressure on it, and had difficulty focusing my eyes. Thankfully not all that often and they were very much related to my insulin resistance and how that interacted with my hormones, especially if I was missing a period or supposed to be ovulating, IIRC there was a correlation with free testosterone spikes/high androgen levels. As soon as I went low GI they became really rare and since quitting sugar altogether I haven't, fingers crossed, had any.

Welcome, Ooh!

vaz, sounds like your dehydration is more prominent than actual dry skin, so in that sense, you could try the new Toleriane cleanser. It does say anti-dryness on it in big letters but I think it's more related to anti-dryness as the cause of a compromised skin barrier, which dehydration would fall under but not traditional dry skin.

Oh, he's adorable, Tsn! I thought it was a stock photo initially, he's very much a 'perfect' example of his breed. How suitable to be getting a new dog in the year of the dog, although officially the Chinese new year hasn't started yet.

Oh, I thought I had exciting news for you BAUMMMMME lovers, they're launching a Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Anti Wrinkle Cream (note, not anti-ageing, ergo complete and utter marketing bullshit). The cream looks shit, it also contains the questionable HEPES ingredient mentioned above WRT the Lancome horror. The serum looks more promising but they've gone and put fragrance in it so sad I can no longer use fangry

user, forgot to add, the Vichy has a little 1M expiration once opened symbol on it.

Does the LRP dermo cleanser cause flakiness?

In good news for me my spot has totally flaked off overnight just leaving a little bump but Dd has a patch of flaky skin where her neck reaches her ear. It isn't sore at all & im wondering if it's because she didn't moisturise after (eucerin urea dry relief was out of stock so on order collecting tomorrow?)

Also please can someone re-post the questionnaire for me please?

Just bought aspirin, going to try the 900mg for migraine

Thanks Bo I’ve seen the 1m thing on the Vichy Vit c now, I never even looked at that it’s such a small bottle it didn’t occur to me it would go off before I’d used it up.

Mine seems fine (no change in texture, consistency or smell etc, and I’m not having any reaction to it) but it’s been sat on my dressing table just in the glass bottle so wondering if I should bin it now.

I’ll make sure I keep the next one (if I RP) in the fridge but I didn’t notice any dramatic difference so not sure if it’s worth buying again, though of course it could have gone off which is why it isn’t working.
I ordered on 1st November so presume I would have opened it round 8th so it’s a month out of date now

Mint Please check with your GP first. 900mg is a very high dose and not everyone is suitable for it. They'll know if it's ok for you.

I've used the Vichy clay mask I use on my nose, on my chin for the first time. Pretty sure this was a mistake and I'll be moaning about breakouts in a couple of days. But it's congested with itty bitty minuscule dots and blackhead type things there and I'm sick of it.

Here are my snaillies...have probably left out a few from early in the year, probably as they are best forgotten!
HE SNAILIES 2017




The Well Hello There - Codage intense hydration serum and Vichy 89. Gives my skin just the right amount of plumping, elasticity and hydration. Instant love for both.


The Flusher - many TO products…azeliac acid, lactic acid, caffeine, basically everything I could get hold of. After about a year of trialling I think the ones I would (and have) repurchase are Buffet, Matrixyl, Glycolic and one of the oils…if I ever run out)


The Jack & Rose - Dermalogica essential cleansing solution - I have an enormous salon size bottle of this and it is my go-to comforing cleanser, Garnier eye make up remover (purple, non-oily version) which I have used for years and which has no equal for me.


The LTB - Fenty foundation. So disappointing. Every time I try it now after a really good one (YSL All Hours; Clarins Extra Comfort, IT Cosmetics CC) it looks so patchy and drying. I am also convinced I was sold a different shade to the one that I tried on :(


The Child Prodigy - Drunk Elephant C serum. $$$ but so worth it, I have finally found my HG of C serums. Will need to save so DH can get it in the US every 6 months.


The Worker Bee - BR P50. Used a small bottle of the W version before moving on to this. It exfoliates just the right amount, I use it x2 or x3 per week and my skin feels fab the next morning.


The Troll - Expensive creams like L’Occitane Divine cream…oh my it smells SOOO good but I doubt it does anything for me long-term, once the Oooh factor has passed (feels divine on though, to be fair). I have finished up a pot and am dithering over whether or not to re-purchase.


The Flabbergaster - Ceramidin cream. I expected to need this occasionally, to comfort stressed skin, but it has become my almost-daily moisturiser, under spf. Might not be the case all year round, but in these cold days it has been a godsend.


The Sinner - Nothing really, although I did purchase an M&S motorised cleansing brush which I know tends to be a bit of s sin round these parts ;) I don’t use it very often, only if my face feels particularly clogged up. I also wasted lots of money on Vitamin C serums and creams in 2017, some of which went straight in the bin but I have thankfully found my ideal one now (see above)

I also thought I would add a note in for my 2018 goals:
-use up and/or discard any superfluous products in my wardrobe
-look into getting some salon work done on my face and neck once I have succeeded in my weight loss goals (ie flabby neck!)
-write out and stick to my routine for 6 months and re-evaluate skin condition at that point

Yes, please do check with your GP first mint. The maximum strength available here is nearly half that and already sold with lots of words of caution.

Alexander, in general, the LRP Dermo Cleanser isn't one I'd expect to cause flaking. It may help it along if your skin is shedding in response to something else but it's generally very gentle and not stripping. I've removed the questionnaire link from the OP per this thread as it never got used. The questionnaire itself got limited into a form only to use when asked basis as it was asking too much of my time and after some discussion, we all felt that it wasn't being used for self-education which is the focus of these threads.

user, you can see it's oxidised if it's much darker in colour, officially orange/rusty but it starts out as orange so a bit tough to detect in that regard. I wouldn't bin it, but would put it in the fridge from now on. It's a bit of a palaver to get used to, in the end, I just moved my entire AM routine to the kitchen.

Joz's name change has reminded me I really should have thought of a Saggy Pagan Arse award for the Snailies. What it would have been about I have no idea... possibly a brand that sells you a load of PR nonsense NIOD.

As the slowest snail of them all, here are my Snailies 2017

👑👑👑🐌🐌🐌

The Well Hello There - I have two that I can't choose between and they're both body products. Elemis Frangipani Salt Glow Body scrub Holy crap, this makes my skin so smooth and really does make it glow. Like mannequin level smooth. Can't stop stroking my arms. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Bioderma Atoderm shower oil Soothes, smoothes and feels quite luxurious despite being reasonably priced. Definitely a new staple product. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

The Flusher - Clinique Take the Day Off balm Feels, smells and looks like lard and I like my cleansing balms/oils to smell and look at least a little bit fancy. That could be forgiven if it hadn't broken me out, not cleansed that well and made my eyes sting. It's a no from me. 👎🏻 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

The Jack & Rose - Zero surprises what this is... La Roche Posay Cicaplast b5 baume. Has transformed the way my skin heals and the way I treat my skin.
The pigment marks left by spots used to take ages to heal and got me down as the cycle of, spots, marks, poking at skin to try and improve the appearance, more spots, more marks...never seemed to be broken. Until this little beauty. Combined with zineryt and some dietary changes, spots are no longer a big problem. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

The LTB - I don't have a current one for this but, one that comes to mind from just before these threads started is, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum. The sample I had seemed to brighten and smooth so I invested in the full size bottle, realised 2 weeks later that it was causing terrible congestion, oiliness and cystic spots. Nope. 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

The Child Prodigy - Hand Chemistry Pro Repair Skincare for hands Overpriced because they know once someone uses it they get hooked on the very good visible results it gives. The smug manipulating bastards. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
(

(my skin type is combination/dehydrated with acne prone chin and jaw. Body skin is normal to dry, sometimes sensitive.)

I've been looking at that Atoderm shower oil. There's one that comes in a vast bottle of about 750ml, not sure if it's the oil or a shower cream but I really like the thought of this huge pump bottle in my shower. Seems very satisfying. Though will probably get manky, let's face it......

I think I'll pass on both those TO Vit C products. I was ambivalent about both anyway. It's a shame Vit C is so expensive in other brands. It's the reason I haven't really delved into it yet.

That LRP serum looks interesting. I'm actually using a Lacura one at the moment, the red one, but it's the consistency of syrup which is a bit yukky. I was going to go back to my old reliable Vichy Aqualia, but might give that a punt instead.

I bought the 1litre bottle Elspeth. It does look impressive on the shelf. It's a good buy if you know you like it. I'd get the smaller bottle first.

Enid what results do you get from The Hand Chemistry hand cream? My hands just look old 😱

The two things I've started doing which make a difference is
Hand cream before bed, a decent layer. Usually neutrogena or weleda skin food. The body shop honey and almond is an amazing not greasy one
Lip balm before bed! I'm obsessed with the Hurraw moon balm still, it's so lovely

Enjoyed everyone’s snailies. Enid....”because I’m a tit when it comes to a bit of luxury” that made me laugh 😆

That LRP hylau B5 serum was featured in an article in Sunday times magazine. It’s £37 which I was a bit at the price.

A couple of people have mentioned BR 50. I have an unopened bottle of w version, awaiting the right time to start using it. I’m thinking next month, after holidays. The sales assistant said use it every day for 50 days. Is that right? Also, the fact I’m using a retinoid, do I need to stop? She also said no other actives, I think. Any advice please?

Elspeth There is Cosrx Triple Lightning Vit C serumm* but I'm not sure how easy it would be to get in the UK (as it's over the customs limit).

Skinful It's gradual and subtle but they just look brighter and better. My hands were good to start with as, like Olli, I'm obsessed with layering on handcream every night, but this one seems to do a little bit more than moisturise. You have to use it every day for a couple of weeks to notice anything. That said, or dry hands I'd recommend using an oily body scrub on them (soap & Glory sugar crush is nice) then something like Neutrogena non scented (red top). So long as they're not sore or chapped. Then once they're not as dry as often, try the hand Chemistry one? Just because I think that'd get the best results. (Up to you obviously! )

JD It's true though.

my hands were good to start with Gaah, how smug? 🙄 By good I just mean no major issues or excessive dryness. My cuticles are prone to dryness though. The Hand Chemistry Cream is very good rubbed into cuticles.

And I just realised you didn't say your hands were dry Skinful. Ignore me, I need food. 🍗 So in that case the HC cream is worth a try.

I love hand chemistry too, same as Enid I didn’t have any major dryness or cracked skin or anything like that, mine just looked a bit old and were getting wrinkly. The hand chemistry doesn’t feel all that rich/moisturising IMO which I like as I’m not keen on feeling of the heavy duty hand creams and I don’t like highly perfumed ones either. But I did wonder at first if it was going to do anything and was a bit meh about it - at about the two week mark I really noticed the difference, I agree they just look brighter and better and mine are definitely younger looking.

I also love, love, love the bioderma shower oil - just as well as I also have the mahoosive 1 litre bottle.

See User's description and explanation is way better than my attempt Skinful. It's my experience with it too.

I've eaten now.

Thanks Enid and bo but why should I ask gp first?? On my pack (300mg) it says take 1-3 so 3 would make it the 900mg so it must be safe?? It just says about asthma and stomach ulcer sufferers to check first??

I'm still breaking out in sore spots, I'm now wondering if like Enid it's the ANR??? But I just don't want it to be that!! I love the feel of it etc and without it I don't have the extra hydration step and it's the only serum/oil I seem to be able to use that doesn't sting, doesn't make my skin red and completely absorbs! It's strange because my breakouts at the mo are mostly on my forehead where I hardly ever used to get spots!! Don't know whether to stop using for a while?! 😩.

mint just that not everyone can tolerate a high dose -900mg being the max and obviously we don’t know your medical history so just a case of being sensible really (I’m a prescriber by the way). You’re right asthma and stomach ulcers are a contraindication. I’ve taken the 900mg but it’s occasional rather than regular. How often would you be doing it? I would say if occasional use and no contraindications then fine, otherwise should be prescribed, hence seeing your Dr.

Same, Mint just because it's the top dose and not the one most people have, and as it was off here that you heard about it I thought it was better to be cautious. Plus thought it best to check it for contraindications with any other pain meds you take for the fibro. Not an expert or anything mind.