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

[botemp]

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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.

Wow, so many posts since last night!

Welcome songs.

pupsie I got a sample of coconut elasticiser in M&S box. Smells lovely (I like coconut) but to be honest, I always think best to stick with the original.

Agreed JDSTER. I've just ordered the original.

Glad you like it Baby. I will look at that Clinique scrub. My lips feel so soft today and the Lanolips went on a dream and looked more lovely than usual!

Welcome Song 👋 and thank you for your very informative and interesting posts, I hope you'll continue to share

I hate micellar water or should that be it hates me, it makes my skin feel tingly/itchy and stings my eyes really badly, mind you have only tried the one think it was the garnier pink one. I'm not looking to add one though as I like first cleansing with an oil.

I'm not keen on lipscrubs either as I do find they seem to make my lips worse, but I had the same issues with pretty much all lip treatments till I started using Lansinoh.

I've been to Boots, picked up my Essie polishes but they'd sold out of lanolips and decided against getting an eyelash curler as Mint reminded me that they used to pinch me before so think I'll have to do some research using Bo's links. Who knew they were so complex

@Pupsie: I also have the Clinique half scrub half lip balm pot and I use the scrub only at night. I wish there was a clear version for night use. It's a gentle enough scrub (if not used too often) and it leaves the lips with a comfortable feel.

Occasionally, I used crystallized honey as lip scrub and that worked as well. :)

Totally agree with you about dermatologists, Song. I'm sure most of them are good with actual medical issues but not very sympathetic about the effect skin issues can have on you, or even up to date on newer treatments.

The ones I've seen have sometimes known less about eczema than I do and we're prescribing stuff which was so basic it was ridiculous. It's very much a mindset of "it's a condition that won't ever go away, deal with it"

True to a certain point, of course, but I've managed to get my skin feeling much more comfortable and 90% better, through skincare advice on forums like these.

The derm my daughter saw for her acne was also v "old school" some Glycolic facewash and antibiotics. No hydration, gentle cleansing products, basic stuff but perhaps they don't see that as their remit? I don't know.

My ancient eye lash curlers in case anyone's interested

Thanks tant. Oooooh do boots still sell those curlers??

I think I've said before that I was referred to a derm about 8 years ago because I had a really sore, raised, red couple of inches of skin coming out from one side of my nose. My GP thought it was eczema and we tried a couple of things but nothing worked. I have private health cover so off I went to a local derm. I left in tears. The first thing she said to me was "have you ever lived abroad?". She was very patronising and quite mean. (I hadn't lived abroad then, although 3 years later). She terrified me with her instructions about wearing a hat most of the year "even if you're outside the school gates for just a few minutes". I get the point. I really do. But she was just pretty horrible tbh.

With derms is there an actual difference between derms and "cosmetic derms"? Or is it just choice, and following the money?

Song the avene extremely gentle cleanser has never contained fragrance, however the formula is different to how it used to be. I've been using it quite a while now with no issues (the previous formula irritated me a little)

I want to be in The Blocked Pore Patrol. :D =)

No worries song I hope you like it x

“The blocked pore patrol” . I feel a thread title coming on........

Can anyone tell me if they saw results with the ordinary retinol ? I've got the 0.5% been using it for 6months 4 times a week and its not done anything for me! I'm guessing I need a stronger retinol?

whyme, by our estimation the TO retinols go off before they can be of any effect. Their downfall has always been their formulations and packaging, though these days the abhorrent behaviour of the CEO may trump that... Don't go stronger, just get a better brand known for its retinoid products.

Ahem, you can all be in the blocked pore control but I'll have you know my pores are very much unblocked, thank you very much. And just because I'm feeling ornery I'm vetoing the thread title too, it's not even vaguely smutty enough sounding to land us in the sex section.

WRT derms, I do think we sort of associate them as skin people but their actual field is a lot broader than that. As much as I want them to be great for helping everybody, if we have to pick and choose, of course I'd prefer them to be up to date with the latest research on skin cancer than less serious skincare issues that aren't potentially deadly when they have a general practice. I do think they can be a bit off the charts when it comes to avoiding the sun, but then they do see the worst outcomes of that damage. It makes sense when pigmentation is the issue and you're potentially undermining the treatment but for most mortals it really is overkill.

Speaking of overkill there was an interesting Q&A on Nadine Baggott's channel with the derm behind Environ (I think). The UVA/UVB chat was interesting, although it was a bit tough to follow in between the accent, the interview taking place in a cab, and NB veering off topic once or twice, so at some point I understood him to say he was relying on his Vitamin A to protect him from UVA rays He was talking about orally ingested Vit A in high concentrations, I think. Anyhow, controversially, he's not a big SPF advocate for year-round use since it's all about UVB and what we want protection from (year-round) is UVA but there are no stand-alone UVA products to use when there's no risk of burning, which is pretty much 2/3 of the year for most of us. I lack that man's confidence to rely on topical and ingested antioxidants but it has left me wondering when they'll start marketing UVA products already. Or at the very least standardising the UVA ratings to something legible.

I am a bad bad skincare person. Not only am I using imported retinol, I've had Botox twice
I decided the pain lines from my spinal pain/surgery were just bothering me way too much. On the upside I am still using SPF
Exits thread from wrath of botemp

@botemp: I also watch Nadine Baggot, I saw the vitamin guy, banging on and on about how all you need is vitamin A, in products and internally and then increase the dose slowly to be able to tolerate higher amounts of the stuff. He was very lax about sunscreen, but it's the "one ingredient" boasting that turns me off. I prefer Paula's Begoun's approach of using a mix of good ingredients because there is no miracle ingredient (for everybody anyway).

He sounds bonkers. Tomatoes are meant to help with the sun but obviously you have to eat a ton, and ithey can be a trigger for rosacea.

Hello all, I'm still here and have been following along but got sidetracked by school hols, festival, back to school and work :)

Pupsie Thanks for the update on DE at SpaceNK - FINALLY!!!!

Olli If you're a bad, bad skincare person, I must be the daughter of skincare satan

Updated routine below, although not a lot has changed:

Mid 40s, dry skin

Morning
Oskia Renaissance cleaning gel (running out)
GOW Vitamin C
Superdrug Serum (HA)
Ceramidin Cream
SPF Frezyderm over the summer, now switching to Biore Watery Essence as the sun is getting weaker

Evening
Caudalie cleansing oil usually or Lush Ultrabland (if wearing a full face, which is rare)
LRP Hydrating cleanser (running out - I like this one will RP if possible but looks like I'll be back to the other Toleriane one - why don't they stock it in the UK? Annoying)
Pestle and Mortar Retinoil - this has been lovely over the summer, no irritation and my skin looks fresh in the morning, but I'm hoping it's been doing something while I have a break from Retin-A which I'll go back to shortly.
I've been using the P&M for 2 days then using BR P50 or a gycolic for a night (with Neal's Yard Rose oil or CeraVe PM on top). Then back to P&M.

In other news, my skin's been itching like crazy for the last couple of weeks, which is driving me batshit crazy. No rash, just intense almost painful/burning itching, all over from head to toe (although not all at once)!! DH thinks it's stress.... my liver enzymes were normal as of 3 weeks ago and my kidneys are fine... if anyone else has experienced anything like this and has any advice, I'd be eternally grateful - PM me if preferred. Obvs the next stop is my GP but they are overstretched and I'm reluctant to bother them with something that has no obvious physical symptoms, fingers crossed it resolves soon!

Tsmummy I've had that itching you describe, I had it years ago and for me it was caused by an extremely stressful period in my life so your DH could be right. Obviously it could be entirely different for you but just thought I'd let you know.

Thanks for that Mint, there's a lot of "stuff* going on so it may well be my body's reaction to underlying stress but it's highly annoying!

Tsmummy I hope things sort themselves out very soon for you 💐

Thanks for all the advice from everyone.

I've started on the LRP Toleriane cleanser and the Eucerin 5% urea night cream, which sits a lot heavier than I'm used to, but i do like the feeling however I could possibly improve my technique for massaging it in.

I've brought the LRP retinol and intend to use it three days a week to start, however haven't tried it yet as Monday is swim day and I didn't want to risk any reactions.

Are there any other swimmers on the thread, and if so do you change your routine for the days that you swim?

I can really feel the tightening effect from the water, even though I avoid going under as much as possible, so cleanse and reapply my moisturiser afterwards, but would be interested if there is anything else I should look to do too?