🐌 Fantastic Skincare: The One Where Sallie Swallows Dermaplaned a Lion Named Fabio

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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.

I am very slowly working on consolidating the gathered information from previous threads into easier to read formats but it’s slow going. 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

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?

MARCH 2018: We managed to live through hairmageddon without any major losses. We welcomed some new inquisitive faces, reunited with some much missed old ones, and are delighted at the thought of a baby snail on its way. Now, all we need is the weather to start cooperating and match the levity in our moods…

I now have horrible visions of mint, aka the routine police, coming after me with a kipper

Anyhow... No wonder the Vichy Water is such a rampant adulterer when I never mention him but he's in action after cleansing and then tissued off.

Sophie, thanks for the derm relay. We do indeed have very similar skin. I have always struggled with moisturisers and moisturising ingredients and have always just tended to avoid them as much as possible. Interesting all round, I should really look into Frezyderm more to get a better grasp of it. Might just get the SPF for now, have you started on yours yet?

WRT micellar, from Lab Muffin explains it all on a nerdier level. Serozinc is just zinc in thermal water, it's soothing to inflamed skin.

peony, are you applying makeup straight after SPF or leaving some time in between?

Enid, I don't really see anything in that INCI that would deliver those results, I think it's mostly the combination of constricting and intense hydration with a physical occlusive (the patch) that creates plumper skin, thus the blue shadow is sitting lower and less visible.

JDSTER, I think I used Natural in the Bioderma Nude Touch which confusingly was the lightest colour but it was a touch orangey and drying for me.

Pupsie, in terms of pharmacy finds there isn't much. There's Connettvina which is a bit like Homeoplastine, all round ointment thing, but the gel version is like an HA version which you can mix in with your moisturiser for an added hydration boost. There's also lovely rose waters, Santa Maria Novella is the famous one (I like the Orange Blossom one more personally) but there's Robert's as well in a lovely retro blue bottle.

Not S&B, but definitely stop by Bonci for pizza by the slice, not to be missed. Forgot what they're called but the gelateria near the Trevi fountain is worth the hype but Grom is always excellent too.

Totally forgot to mention exciting news. Medik8 have recently launched an eye system with the R-Retinoate ingredient. It's a combination of serum and patches, don't think I'll be trading in my Verso for it but it does look interesting, you only use it once a week but they promise results in 30 days again so I am wondering how potent it is and if I can buy bare patches like that and try it with the Verso.

blog.medik8.com/introducing-the-r-retinoate-rejuvenating-eye-system/

Fillers it is then bo Thanks for looking anyway. It's a shame they're too expensive for everyday use.

I think I'll be stuck in bed tomorrow. Can feel it coming on now. Slurring brain. So it's face mask day tomorrow. Still loving papaya enzyme mask and Vichy clay mask. Patchwork masking works well for me.

Pupsie beautiful Rome, I remember as a Uni student sitting at the fountain with my friends in the Piazza Di Santa Maria in Trastevere drinking bottles of beer from a small shop just out of sight of the main square having watched the locals buying it there and sitting at the fountain watching the world go by and enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Happy Days.

I hope you’re not laid low for too long Enid “patchwork masking” what a great phrase . I think I might head off and do that now, before bed.

Bo I meant to ask why do you like the Edenens (I assume the milky cleansing oil when I looked it up)? How does it compare to DHC for example?

Pupsie hope your enjoying Rome. About 12 years or more since I was there. I came home with some rose waters in beautiful looking bottles for me and SIL, who loves all things rose.

JD Thank you, fingers crossed. Patchworking masks is a bit of a eureka moment for me skincare wise.

I've been to the South of Italy and could have easily stayed there for good. Amazing food, people who talk with their hands a lot, everywhere closed for siesta in the afternoon and then reopened at night. Perfect! God the food though. I'm convinced I'd be a silken smooth goddess if I ate like that all the time. Or huge but happy.
The most beautiful woman I ever saw was in Martina Franca, like an airbrushed supermodel.

Fish, figs, lemons, tomatoes, pasta, bread, gelato...supermarkets with entire aisles dedicated to Nutella...

Never been to Rome though so I'm no help but I think I just decided where to go on holiday.

Thanks everyone. Bo we are staying in an apartment a 2 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain and reckon we walked past that gelato place last night; queueing out the door! We've been super organised and booked a table for our first night dinner last night. Also got a steak restaurant booked later in the week, and a night-time walking tour of The Vatican. Got a couple of other walking tours bookmarked and some other restaurant for brunch or lunch or dinner. All whilst keeping the teens happy .

Pupsie - hope you have a fabulous time in Rome!

Enid - how are you feeling today?

Hi Bo, glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. If you don't use moisturising ingredients then how do you hydrate your skin (notice you don't use any HA)? With your AM routine is it a combination of the Kiehl's toner and your SPF? And you have the LRP Ultra Nuit in PM.
Using nothing on my skin now and I don't really care for it. On the positive side, I feel like I'm not getting any brand new spots (the dermatologist said any that come out were lurking under the skin anyway because of the time it takes for the skin to complete a cycle) and any spots I had are going much more quickly. But straight after cleaning my skin feels tight and generally it feels dry and has more fine lines. I think the Mineral 89 was doing a good job (although was that one of the things giving me spots? It's very confusing .

I still prefer the Toleriane cleanser to the Frezyderm one she gave me as I think my skin doesn't feel as dry with the LRP. Am wondering if maybe it does leave a film on my skin like some other posters mentioned but that I didn't realise. Perhaps that's why I prefer it!

The Velvet Touch SPF is quite a different consistency to my Avene one. It's more solid and is a gel really. I started to wonder if it might block pores because of its consistency but it does melt right in. Again, confused

Thanks for the Micellar video - took me back to my chemistry days

You are also a great advert for the R-retinoate products Bo. They should start paying you commission!!! I've written down all the ingredients for the R-retinoate Youth Activating Cream, the 3TR serum, the Eye TR, the Verso super eye serum and the P50W and will ask the dermatologist next time I'm there. I don't think Medik8 and Verso products are particularly well-known here. I also spotted the new Medik8 rejuvenating eye serum. It's pretty pricey though for something which is a 4 week treatment only.

I had to use my LRP cicaplast for the first time yesterday, its like magic, so soothing and works very quickly doesn't it, reducing stinging and redness.

I became very red and sore around my eyes even though I had avoided that area with products, they still tend to creep in somehow.

I'm going to apply cicaplast in the pm to prevent products from creeping in around that delicate area for a while.

Sophie would you mind listing the ingredients in the frezyderm spf please, I've looked online but can't find them anywhere 🙄.

Hi Mint, I wrote them all out** a bit further up this thread. Was for the SPF 50. Would you mind looking there? For some reason I can't upload photos and I don't want to write them all again if it can be avoided!!!!

Here it is copy and paste from above:

Velvet Touch SPF50 with colour:
Isododecane, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Octocrylene, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ethyl Ferulate, Disodium Uridine Phosphate, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Dimethicone/ Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-5 Trioleate, Glass Beads, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499.

Velvet Touch SPF50 without colour:
Isododecane, Octocrylene, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Bisabolol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Disodium Uridine Phosphate, Ethyl Ferulate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Glass Beads, Polyglyceryl-5 Triole-ate, Silica.

How exciting, my first empties post! Otherwise known as dissertation procrastination.

MARCH EMPTIES, TRIALS, AND PLANNED PURCHASES
Skin – aging (49), oily (but less than it used to be), not reactive to ingredients (yet!), reactive to handling, heat, cold

ROUTINE

AM
LRP toleriane dermo cleanser
Vichy Liftactiv vitamin C
Vichy Mineral 89
SPF (currently have six in rotation )

PM
LRP toleriane dermo cleanser
LRP redermic R (face and eye versions)
Two or three times a week I use Paula’s Choice 2% BHA liquid
Vichy Mineral 89
Bioderma hydrabio crème and TO rosehip oil mixed together

EMPTIES:
None as yet – finishing the TO buffet, HA and 2% retinol in squalene on my neck and chest atm. Probably won’t repurchase.

PRODUCTS ON TRIAL:
All of them are on trial really as it’s only been two months since I gave up the soap and Nivea. No bad reactions to anything. My skin overall looks amazing compared to how it did – it’s bouncy, less oily, pores improved although not perfect, some people have commented and someone at work last week thought I was 35! Happy to lose 15 years

I’m also lucky that I don’t seem to react to anything I put on my face (I hope I don’t regret writing that). My skin is sensitive to physical elements rather than ingredients I think. It still doesn’t appreciate too much handling and I suspect that when summer arrives it’ll still not like heat in much the same way it’s not liked the cold weather we had recently.

Of my six SPFs I shall be sticking with the heliocare 360 gel that I used all last year. Not enjoying the Avene anti-aging one, doesn’t rub in and leaves a white cast on me, the Eucerin I like but really stings my eyes, LRP and a Japanese one (yellow bottle, begins with a S) are OK but prefer the heliocare.

PLANNED PURCHASES:
Vichy vitamin C (even with the faff of wrapping it in foil, storing it in the fridge and it smelling like ham).

Love the hydrabio crème but probably too heavy moving into summer – am keen to find another with niacinamide in. Considering the gel-crème version but its reviews aren’t stunning. And like the sound of ceramides. Does anyone know if Boots are going to start stocking the CeraVe PM? – fancy giving that a go.

Also debating the BR lotion but nowhere within a hundred miles of me sells it and its expensive (especially for a student). Can anyone recommend an alternative that is as effective but easily accessible. It won’t be for a while yet as plenty of PC BHA left still

SPECIAL MENTION:
The Paula’s Choice BHA lotion.
LRP toleriane dermo cleanser – can’t articulate why exactly but I love it.
And everyone on these threads. A) for providing weeks of dissertation distraction reading thousands of posts and the ingredients rabbit holes I keep finding myself down, and B) for the wealth of knowledge here that has enabled me to finally have skin I’m starting to feel proud of.

Oh sorry Sophie I forgot you wrote them out recently! Thank you for copying and pasting them again for me

I tested the Mario Badescu facial spray with rosewater today, it's lovely, really refreshing, hydrating and smells of roses which is actually nicer than I was expecting.

I had just had my eyebrows threaded and my eyes were still feeling a bit sore from last night so I just spritzed myself in Urban Outfitters. It dries quickly, was fine over make up and just left my skin feeling amazing actually.

It's one of those things you try then think about for a while and feel like you really need esp with the warmer weather coming up.

jdster the hush jeans did not fit well sadly

My sea kelp coral has arrived so I'll try that out later.

I am knackered after a long but fun shopping expedition with DD who now has boyfriend/mum jeans which look amazing on her and we couldnt find any for me

"for the wealth of knowledge here that has enabled me to finally have skin I’m starting to feel proud of." That's lovely MrsD. Both that your skin is looking so great and that the ladies here have been so helpful.
What do you mean by "handling" your skin though? Do you mean touching your face throughout the day? Good luck with the dissertation and your studies in general

Mint, you're more than welcome

Tant - sounds like you had a good bonding day with your DD!

Feel like my skin is drying out/more dehydrated. Plus am breaking out quite a bit at the moment 😩. Could it be the itcosmetics cc cream? Or something else 🤔

Ok so the Sea Kelp Coral is a gel, it does tighten your face when used alone (esp lines around the eyes) and dries out to be non sticky.

I used it last night followed by the lrp cicaplast which did pill a bit.
Woke up to lovely refreshed skin though, this is not a recommended routine obvs, I just wanted to soothe my skin.
I used the sea kelp this morning following my NIOD CAIS and topped it all off with LRP toleraine Fluide non oily, which did not pill.
I'm not planning on going anywhere today but if I do be interesting to see how makeup reacts on top of it all.
I really do want the Mario badescu spray to spritz on right now actually, I may have to purchase.

Hope you're doing ok, Enid

JDSTER, I like the Edenens as it's quite cheap and it's sunflower oil based rather than olive oil. Technically olive oil isn't all that great for skin but since you're washing it off it isn't a massive issue but I do find the DHC a little too stripping on my skin as I don't wear a lot of makeup and IME they perform similarly, my skin is just less dry with the Edenens. I also really like the Muji Sensitive one that's now available in Europe, that's also olive oil based, so not too dissimilar to DHC and also v. affordable provided you're not paying for international shipping.

Sophie, I don't tend to gravitate towards HA, as IME, as your derm noted, I get over-saturated and get break outs from HA overuse, and specifically the supercharged different molecular weight mixes so tend to prefer low % simplistic versions like in the Vichy Mineral 89, or alternative hydrators like Glycerin. However, HA specific products from Japan have always served me well. For moisturising ingredients I tend to go for low quantities, rice bran or wheat germ oil, squalane all seem to do well in that regard, but thicker more viscous oils are less preferred. I like Urea as well, I do quite like the Tenshi No Bihada HA cream which your derm would probably approve of as it's almost like water on the skin, extremely light but with a few helpful key ingredients.

I agree the R-Retinoate eye system is eye-wateringly expensive, I do find it intriguing, wondering whether it's a particularly high dose or something.

Just out of interest, is the water 'soft' where you are, as that may explain why your derm suggested the Frezyderm that sounds a bit harsher on the surfactants. We've had it on here before that people didn't take well to LRP Toleriane due to oilyness but also that it left too much of a residue in soft water areas.

Shame about the Hush Jeans Tant. I wonder if they’re the same style as last year? Remind me please, what’s with the sea kelp

Thanks for explanation bo it’s one to bear in mind as it’s inexpensive.

Have your samples arrived mint?

Great news Mrsd that your skin has improved. Bouncy, less oily and pores improved

The sea kelp is similar to an ingredient in Creme de la Mer JDSTER

So far I really like it, my skin looked amazing today when I went into town and was forced to stare very closely at it after the girl on the benefit counter finished applying their bad girl bang mascara.
Which I loved and ended up purchasing along with their boi-ing hydrating eye concealer because I couldnt decide on an eye cream this morning on the Easyparapharmacie site to include with other purchase so decided this would be as good as any

I'm intrigued by the sea kelp, despite (or maybe because of?) the lovely bowl of jelly photo of it on the website I am really trying hard not to buy anything at the moment though.

I couldn't even find a price for the medik8 eye system but pretty sure it will be more than I want to pay so I'm probably best off not knowing. But it has reminded me that I bought some of those gel eye patches from Skinpep and haven't tried them, must remember to do that soon as they are more my kind of price at £2 odd - whether they actually do anything is another matter of course.

I am still in the market for a really good active but non irritating eye cream, but I'm reluctant to pay the big price tags to try one so am probably out of luck.

JDSTER no they haven't! I actually called them again today to find out if they were definitely sent but she couldn't find any record of it! She then went to check stock of the samples and said they only have Alaska! (The last lady told me she had groenland!) anyway she said she would post out the Alaska tomorrow for me!