🐌 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.

Koko my 10 yr old DD has just started looking after her skin.. I've got her using a v mild soap and flannel at night, followed by some LRP Toleriane Fluide that I had knocking around.

Just had a notification that Cult Beauty will also be stocking Drunk Elephant along with Space NK (who start stocking on October 3rd).

Anyone want to join me in a friendly wager about how expensive the C-Firma will be?!

Tsmummy08 I'm going for £90. Or thereabouts. I just know it will be well overpriced.

Kokoloco I suggest www.boots.com/la-roche-posay-toleriane-dermo-cleanser-200ml-10083653

But have a look on here (it's American so some of them are not available here )
www.beautypedia.com/best-products/?skincare_group[0]=cleanser-reviews&rating[0]=5

@Tsmummy08 I'm gonna say £85 but the question is, is it worth it ? I was thinking about trying some products, but no idea which ones...

BabyP and MsN I was initially thinking £80 as it's $80 in the US.

I've paid US prices for it before quite happily - it's a great product and I've been eagerly awaiting its release over here since Sephora blocked UK IP addresses earlier this year..... Of course exchange rates are dire and set to become worse in a few months, so it may retail closer to the £90 mark.... If it goes above £90 I'll redouble my efforts to get it from the USA!

I was waiting for drunk elephant to be available in the UK because I have no way to get it from US (other than the website I suppose, but that would mean duty taxes). They have great reviews on beautypedia. I don't even know what to try, they also have an interesting eye cream.

Kokoloco Perfect! Then you can both use it. 😁There is no need for teens to use products marketed for teens (sadly they could make their skin worse, especially the acne ranges because they are usually too harsh).

Koko if your DD wants to start using a night time moisturiser in winter she could share your cerave PM, it's very mild and gentle.

I don't think I'll be buying any DE unless they do sample or trial sizes

The pink grapefruit neutrogena cash wash has 2% salicylic acid. It totally destroys all blackheads. I absolutely love it.
I will defend it even though it foams a bit!

Hi all, I've now been following the acne helpsheet for a couple of weeks but I seem to be having a bit of a breakout, although the overall appearance of my skin has definitely improved. Is this a normal thing to happen or do I need to look for different products to use? Wasn't sure if I would initially get a bit worse before I got better!

Cake what products are you using? How quickly did you introduce new products? Could it be a hormonal breakout?

Its great that you've seen an improvement in 2 weeks but don't be disheartened that you've had a breakout.

Cake some people do mention a purge before improvement when introducing new products so it could be that or hormonal like Bluebell says. What are you using and did you add them all at once? As it could also be a case of too much too soon and your skin can't cope.

Koko use them up on body or hands, I used up a lot of stuff that my face didn't like on my lower neck and chest.

Hi, thanks for the replies. I've come down with the cold so I think it was that causing my breakout. Even with the breakout and no improvement in marks yet (which I obviously wouldn't expect) my skin is definitely glowing more than before!

That's good to hear Cake and hopefully the breakouts will disappear along with the cold!

Hi All, haven't been on these threads in an age but two products from GoW turned up yesterday that I must have bought in a red wine haze, oooops.

The Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum and the Vit C & Ferulic Acid serum.

I have no idea how to use these things....!

Does it matter whether its morning or evening? Can I just slap 'em on one after the other or do I use one in the a. m. and one in the p. m. ?

I'm not really using anything else except the Vichy 89 in the mornings under my moisturiser, so plenty of room to add them.... But how???

Koko I'd bin the cleanser as sounds like it might have gone off. Definitely don't use the pads on your face but you could use them on your body if you have areas (ie scaly legs) that need a bit of extra exfoliating, but if you have excema or reactive/sensitive skin on your body then I wouldn't use them at all as they are quite harsh I believe (never used myself). Astral - hands.

Hi Elspeth 👋 Vit c in the morning on clean, dry skin followed by moisturiser (if needed) and spf. You could still use Vichy 89 as well if you wanted, after the Vit c and before moisturiser. I've just introduced the medik8 Vit c and have stopped using 89 in the mornings as didn't feel I needed both but will reassess when the weather gets colder.

No idea about the others as I don't know what they are or are meant to do, does it say anything on the Victoria Health website as they're normally pretty good at giving detailed info on products they sell, if not then might be worth messaging GOW and/or VH and asking.

Koko and elspeth just to say I agree with everything Sallie said, nothing else to add 😂

OK so this is what it says:

Garden of Wisdom Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum: an advanced skin brightening & lightening serum to improve the appearance of age spots, freckles and other hyperpigmentation skin concerns.

Alpha Arbutin and Kojic Acid Serum helps correct uneven skin tone, age spots, freckles, melasma and hyperpigmentation. Alpha Arbutin serum is a natural alternative to hydroquinone which can cause inflammation. Containing high strengths of both Alpha Arbutin and Kojic Acid, this lightweight skin lightening serum penetrates the cell layers to inhibit pigment formation and ensure even distribution of melanin.

A professional formula, Alpha Arbutin serum also contains niacinamide, also known as Vitamin B3, and Paper Mulberry both of which help correct uneven skin tone to reveal a clearer complexion.

Directions:Apply a sufficient amount of alpha arbutin serum to cover the face onto cleansed skin both in the morning and evening. Can be used with other serums.

So I'm not sure if I chance it and slap it onto the top of the Vit C, or use it underneath...... or just keep it as a stand alone?

I don't understand if it affects the efficacy or dilutes the potency in some way if you layer and layer.