🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Heatwave, schmeatwave, we've got our trusty SPF50 and are donning wide brimmed hats

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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?

NEW SERIES:

So You Want To Buy A Retinoid - A Guide

JULY 2018: Sorry, terrible title, I haven't been keeping up but I assume Dr.Sam’s new cleanser will have some fans on here.

Must admit I was put off buying the Dr Sam cleanser now we've had a small insight. Maybe if I didn't have one I was happy with but the lrp is fine for me.

I have birthday spends so decided I want some make up. Either lips or eyes. Prob both Now it's almost Autumn which is my favourite time of year for style & beauty. Any suggestions welcome. Some of the new Hourglass stuff looks good.

Belated happy birthday to you Enid .

😊 Thank you.

Happy birthday from me too Enid! 🎂🎈 No advice to give but enjoy spending your birthday money

No advice either Enid (other than I like Bobbi Brown lip colours-my favourite nudes from there) but happy belated birthday 🎂

I think there’s better cleansers out there than Dr Sam’s, although I say that without trying it, but I like the cleansers I’m using thank you very much

Thank you Sophie and JD I had a really lovely day. I love B.B. but there's something in their lipsticks that I'm allergic to so I tend to avoid. I'll have a look to see what else they have though. I think they're my favourite make up brand atm.

I'm having a bathroom cabinet/cupboard clear out (again). I took out what I actually use regularly and it's still pretty full Maybe I just need a bigger cupboard...

Happy birthday Enid

I have also decided to stick with my beloved LRP dermo cleanser rather than trying the Dr Sam one. Partly because I find her a little irritating, partly based on the review earlier that confirmed some of my thoughts. The final straw was seeing her on instagram last night telling me that it’s good manners to do your brows or some other such bollocks .

It gave me totally irrational rage, probably because I was shattered after two very stressful 12.5 hour shifts in a row but definitely because I like my Spock eyebrows just the way they are thank you very much. Live long and prosper 🖖 (except for Dr Sam who’ll not be prospering from me)

See, completely irrational

MrsD- I won’t link to the YouTube video she did on brows then. ]My beloved cleansers are cosrx low ph morning cleanse and LRP toleriane (but not dermo cleanse- it leaves too
much of a film on me).

Happy belated birthday Enid 🎉

I LOVE the hourglass ambient lighting palette (but think you might already have it? I know a few people here do as they recommended to me but can't remember who it was!) The veil finishing powder (think that's newish) is ok, but I prefer dim light from the palette.

I'm also sticking with oil followed by LRP as a cleanser, the Dr Sam one didn't appeal to me as doesn't remove eye makeup.

Oh an my LRP is the toleriane hydrating, I didn't try the other one has had been warned about the Film Issues.

(I made that before reading about polite brows, I have to say the rage is totally rational, the next title will have to have 'Spock brows live long and prosper' in it somehow...).

So is Dr. Sam just turning into a full on social media shill personality? I mean if the bag brand was tagged and accompanied by some bollocks copy edit that wasn't, 'squee! Look at my new bag I bought with all your cleanser money?' I'm going to assume it was gifted or at least bought with a nice discount.

Back when she had the Dr Sam in the city intro I used to roll my eyes a lot too, selling herself as a luxury brand has always felt a touch like an overreach, but the information is solid. I don't need to like her personality entirely to appreciate that. I can't really get on board with her single cleanse only doctrine, or undying faith in the comedogenic scale but that's just difference of opinion. Unless she's talking skincare I don't care much for Dr Dray either.

And now for some relativity, I present to you who I initially thought was a parody of a rich lady dermatologist but I guess she's real. I wouldn't listen to her for dermatology advice, it's all too brief and wishy washy but it's definitely one of those channels that has you wondering why someone has a YouTube channel.

Just one last thing about the cleanser, I dont think it was even meant to be anything special. Just steady and dependable. I don't like the PEG-6 Capricylic- Capric Glycerides in it, it makes me break out with continued use and I know I'm not alone on that but that's where my issue with Dr Sam's uncritical approach to the comedogenic scale comes in. Also relying on a single cleanser means it's going to have to be a little bit more hard working with the surfactants, so it was never going to be gentle.

Anyhow, happy belated birthday, Enid! I hope you had a cake in the shape of Cicaplast

Cutesy, I find due to the difference in consistency, you get more out of a single pump in the untinted version, so I use fewer pumps (3.5 for just the face) that's about the same amount as 5-6 in the untinted formulation. I do wear a SPF30 underneath so I feel safe enough with those two without it being too full coverage.

Bluebell, as a serum here too, I'd think it would be far too gel like to work as a toner.

Sallie where do you buy the lrp hydrating cleanser from? Am considering trying it as the original dermo one definitely left a film on my skin. I am happy with the avene extremely gentle cleanser but just incase I feel the need to try something else....🙄

Oh, and oil cleanser DHC, followed by the toleriane hydrating, same as sallie. Winning combination for me at night.

Spock brows

Sadly, my Spock brows are becoming less Spockish as I get older; the pointy top angle is becoming rounded. Definitely the worse thing so far about having reached 50. I mourn my disappearing Spockishness.

As a Star Trek fan and a proud owner of Spock brows (surely the coolest dude in the Universe), one of my biggest disappointments has been the fact that I can’t actually do 🖖. On either hand. Life is so unfair

I wish I had Spock Brows, better than my Little Sperm Brows lord only knows what Dr Sam would have to say about them

Mint I got my LRP from easyparapharmacie, this is it (think they have the name slightly different but it is the same one)
www.easyparapharmacie.co.uk/la-roche-posay-toleriane-soin-lavant-peaux-sensibles-400ml.html

Thank you Sallie x

Can anyone body please help? My pores look massive? And I think my skin looks really uneven? I’m 29 and I’m currently using a hot cloth cleanser weekly, retinoid a couple of times a week but cleanse and moisturise daily. I’ve also just started using the la Roche pousay(?) spf each day.
Any advice welcome. Pic attached;

Hi MyUserNam, I am sure the others on here will be able to give you some really good advice. I'm not the best person for that! It does look like your pores are quite clogged to me (blackheads).

I've had issues with products clogging up my pores and causing spots so it could be that. You need to have a look at the ingredients. Perhaps you can tell us the names of the things you use as the people on here are very good with products and ingredients. Bo also has some info sheets on skincare at the start of each thread which are definitely worth reading.

Bo, at Dr Liv!

Sorry I should have added, that picture was taken today when I was getting my eyebrows done, the black specs are just from the henna. I don’t think the pores are actually clogged, just large. Could products be making them worse?

Are you using a cleanser with a surfactant to get rid of oils? Hot cloth cleansing is fine to remove make up but doesn’t cleanse pores. I use the neutrogena face wash and it is perfect.
Get some salicylic acid too.
Everyone else on this thread is more knowledgable but I recognised that skin type and it worked for me.

I want to be dr liv!
She looks like she is doing seriously well.

Myusernam, it's difficult to say as it's such a closeup picture with henna speckle, but are your pores enlarged but not filled with anything? I'm not in the business of diagnosing anyone, but if that's the case coupled with an uneven tone, by which I assume you mean redness, and if that's predominantly concentrated around the nose and cheek area, then I would ignore all well meaning advice on pore reduction for now and make an appointment with your GP or a dermatologist to check if you have rosacea.

In the meantime be gentle with your skin, don't hot cloth cleanse, don't use fruit acids or other AHAs, don't use products with essential oils, or fragrance. Be very cautious with retinoid use and consider switching to a physical sunscreen if not already using. Your skin looks sensitised to me, so that's advice I'd suggest to follow regardless of a rosacea diagnosis or not. Following proposed treatment plan (if it is indeed rosacea) you can consider incorporating azelaic acid, salycilic acid and barrier strengthening ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol, beta glucans, etc.

Myuser I was going to say sebaceous filaments (similar to blackheads but a lot harder to get rid of) until you mentioned the henna flecks. It might be useful to see another pic without the henna as it's hard to tell from that photo what's henna and what's your skin, which is why people have been saying blackheads etc.

I agree with Bo that the redness/unevenness could be rosacea and would follow her advice of seeing your GP first and treating your skin very gently in the meantime. Even if it's not rosacea redness does usually indicate sensitive skin and you might be reacting to something in your current routine. When did you start using SPF? as you say recently but we've had a pretty long hot summer so the sun might have caused some damage/sensitivity too unfortunately.

I'm debating whether to add Vit c back into my routine, I know this has been discussed already but my memory is shocking - who is using the GOW one and what do you think? What is the texture like as I'm after a watery/non-sticky one, and (burning question of the day!) has it made any difference/improvement??

I use the GOW Vit C, Sallie. The pump is iffy, the first one broke down on me and they sent me a replacement which is a bit like dealing with a premature ejaculator every morning but the product itself is decent, watery and non-sticky. Initially I found it a bit strong and drying but since I've been using it with my Selenium Granions I've not had issues with drying anymore. I'm not sure if I'd RP, I preferred the Vichy but I have probably 2/3 left of my current one and I can just swap the pumps and still use up what's left of the first one that's been sitting in the fridge (didn't realise I could unscrew the pump before making my complaint, otherwise I would have just decanted it into a new bottle). It works for me in the sense that I don't have Vit C withdrawal symptoms but it hasn't done anything amazing in the way Skinceuticals noticeably did and the Vichy to a lesser extent.