🐌 Fantastic Skincare: We're So Drunk We're Seeing Elephants 🐘

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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

WRT to The Ordinary/Deciem:

Most of us had long since stopped using it, partially due to the inconsistency of formulations and the worrying behaviour of the CEO on Social Media.

For more info on the latter, overview here

A good overview of alternatives is here

Since that compilation, other brands like the Inkey, Revolution Skincare, QRXLabs, and Alex Steinherr x Primark have launched with similar products/concepts.

From the limited experience on here, the Vitamin C 23% and Azelaic Acid from Garden of Wisdom (at Victoria’s Health) is well liked and much preferred over TO versions.

OCTOBER 2018: In other news, we’re two years old this month! We’re so old- Drunk Elephant is finally available in the UK, but all this celebration is probably overshadowed by the fear that our beloved LRP Toleriane Fluide may have been discontinued

Thank you all Enid my husband is on a diet so I don't dare send him in search of cheesy crackers - he'll kill me!

bo it's true that a retinoid is the natural 'next step' for me, but as I'm not certain I'm done with having children/breastfeeding, I've decided to wait before embarking down that road (should be definitely done within three years max, so hopefully can wait until then!)

JD that's very interesting about the CeraVe stuff - my daughters both get random eczema flare-ups on their faces (usually a reaction to cheap make-up/masks ); what's the texture like on the oily cleanser? Is that just for the face? I will look up the HA serum for myself too, thanks.

Sorry, it was Bagel who posted about the CeraVe products - sorry and thank you for that useful photo!

JD I've 'listened' to you all talking about the LRP Toleraine stuff for so long now, I may just have to take this opportunity to dip my toe in the water and see what the fuss is all about! It's true I rarely wear foundation, so don't 'need' hot-cloth cleansing, but I've never found the Superdrug one too harsh or drying; but still, it might be time for a change...

I don't have KP (luckily for me), but that PC BHA mask sounds interesting... thanks bo.

Chester, in terms of price the LRP caring wash is quite well priced, I think it's £10 from most places online (EU) for 400ml which is the same price per ml as the Superdrug although the latter probably goes on offer quite a bit. Not sure what the US price is, but similar I believe. My LRP TCW seems to be lasting forever as well, how quick do you go through the Superdrug cleanser?

I'm contemplating ordering a super popular Japanese sunscreen that has a bit of a lilac hue that combats sallowness. Fellow sallow folk have you ever done lilac colour concealing and found it helpful? I think it means I'll end up looking a touch paler but I don't mind that in winter and I have plenty of lovely blushes but I'm not sure if it'll just read like horrible white cast instead. Ratzilla seems to like it a lot.

botemp - not specifically concealing/colour correcting but I have a BB cream that is purple, and also a becca purple primer (backlit one) and I really like them both

Bo I’ve tried a few lilac toned products over the years, the most recent ones I can remember were a cc cream from L’Oréal and a primer from bare minerals. They did make me look too pale and left that horrid noticeable cast - but I’m a medium sallow (yellow!) rather than pale sallow.

Did anyone order the Lisa Eldridge velvet lipstick set ? I'm annoyed that by the time I found out about it is was sold out.☹️ I wonder if there is any chance of it coming back in stock. The lipsticks do look amazing.
www.lisaeldridge.com/shop/product/1540033019947/#.XAQBccanx-E

BabyP I've never found a red to suit me otherwise yes I would have bought the whole set. I agree they look amazing and so pigmented.

Reds on me always look like I'm 5 years old having raided my DM make up bag

I know what you mean Tant 😀 My biggest fears with reds and other bold bright colours is that they wear off unevenly or they bleed at the corners of the lips or they get too dry looking ( matte ones ) so I stress myself thinking I look like a clown.

Chester it was a US lady who posted the photo of the CeraVe. Is UK peeps were all very jealous of the range available! She said the oil went on better on dry skin than on damp but didn't say any more than that. Worth a try if you can get it, at CeraVe prices.

I wouldnt mind the bleeding its just they never suit my colouring and lips.

Red or very deep/dark lipsticks look clownish on me, I think it’s because I’ve got full lips but they’re not very shapely or well defined. I can do lipstains, tints and glosses in red but not a proper lipstick. Also find most lipsticks too drying, especially the matte ones.

Boots seems to be finally getting more cerave products in stock so fingers crossed we may actually get the full range here one of these days. I like the look of the body wash and moisturiser in the pic too.

Hi
I agree purple tinted stuff gives a weird diseased sick hue on me anyway.
Sounds bad but a rose gold (go very very easy) works best for perking me up.
I have a sallow south med/middle eastern colour that ordinarily should be tanned but I live in the UK. A pale rose gold highlighter makes a massive difference.
For sallow complexion, I also recommend erborian cc cream or a very very pale bronzer like les sahariens
But not all together at the same time!!

Is anyone using Tretinoin on here?

Tsn and Sophie, IIRC JDSTER and I think Sallie has some contraband that she's too scared to use.

I'm on the pale end with neutral/green undertones. I have pale bronzers which look great in spring/summer but awful in winter. A browny-rose cream blusher usually does perk me up well when going sallow but it's a bit boring and requires a matte sunscreen which makes the rest a bit dull looking, I can take it up on the temples but that's about as exciting as it gets. The Erborian cc cream is too dark for me, I think the lighter shade too rosy. Pale rose gold highighter doesn't suit me either, I'm such a weird colour . But I do have typical East Asian colouring and they are the ones raving about this SS. I'm still on the fence, though, Ollie, do you not go very pink as a result?

I've never met a red lipstick I don't like. Exaggerating a touch but all my lipsticks are pretty much a variation of red. I contemplated the LE lipsticks but with international shipping, it made more sense economically to get the trio set (as that had free shipping) but I really didn't need another lipstick, never mind three.

Bo I ended up ordering the only shade remaining, the orange-red one, but it's actually the type of red that suits me the most. The sets were more affordable because of the free shipping. I can't believe the sets were sold out in less then 10 minutes, it sounds like they didn't make a lot of them. :(

I don't seem to. This is the purple BB cream, I'm wearing it today

Oh dear then scrub that advice. I got nothing else!

JDSTER yes I'm using Tretinoin. I'm struggling a bit because I'm into my third month and still keep peeling now and again. When it happens no amount of moisturising seems to help. How are you finding it?

I’m a strange colour too Bo and there’s no rhyme or reason as to what shades will suit me - both in makeup and clothes The hourglass ambient lighting powders are the best things I’ve found up to now for brightening my complexion and making me look more healthy. I’ve never tried anything in Rose gold though Biologi so will have a look into that.

I did eventually pluck up the courage to use my contraband 0.25% tret last winter, no bad reactions but I did get quite a lot of peeling & flaking which I hate as really gets as it’s very noticeable when I’m wearing makeup. Didn’t see any positive results but as it’s a long term treatment I probably didn’t use it for long enough, think I gave it about 6 months. I started it up again this winter but the peeling annoyed me again so I’ve ditched it for the pestle and mortar retinol oil.

Erborian cc cream is amazing. You need the tiniest amount and it has some good stuff for your skin in it too, it won a Beauty Bible testing award recently. Expensive though.

Hi all -

I've been lurking for months, but coming out of hiding to say I've been using tret for around 6 months. I started on the .50% and have just gone up to 1%. I was a bit flaky on the .5% to start with, but it settled down pretty quickly. I've not had any adverse reaction to the 1% so far. I use it every third night generally - alternated with AHA and azeliac acid. I have to say the GOW azeliac has made a massive difference on me, so much so that two friends noticed and have started it themselves.

I use tretinoin 2 or 3 nights a week. I never had any side effects or peeling. I am using 0.5% and very small amount

My skin tolerates tretinoin pm few nights a week and vitamin c AM daily well. I tried to use Alpha H Gold and it made my skin so shiny - awful! I gave up on it. Few weeks ago I tried sheet mask from gift with purchase and end up really irritated my skin - this one

www.spacenk.com/uk/en_GB/skincare/treatment/masks/rose-gold-brightening-facial-treatment-mask-US300050270.html

I made an attempt to ad Drunk Elephant TLC serum few nights a week but it seem to bring back the sensitivity that I felt after the mask. I am disappointed, I wanted to love this!

I think I am going to give it a break and stick to my current routine for few weeks to fully get over the irritation from the mask and try TLC again.

JDSTER I've used tret in the past (over a year) but like Sallie have ditched it for the P&M oil recently as my face seemed to be permanently pink after I started using it again in September. I'll give it another go in the New Year...

Thanks bo for the reminder of who is using tret. sophie was the one I couldn’t remember, who told us in detail what her derm advised. Ts I knew you used it and interesting that you and sallie have moved over to something less irritating.

I have some “contraband” and decided to try it, having used and tested a variety of retinoids in the lead up to this. I used it once last week and my skin was a bit dry and flaky after 2 days. I used it again Saturday night but upped the moisturiser usage afterwards and no signs of dryness so far today. I’m not sure about upping the usage longer term. I wouldn’t want to use it over the summer, for example. I know people do but the absolute avoidance of sun which is required, puts me off slightly. I’m by no means a sun worshiper and wear spf 50 every day but still, I’d be paranoid about a single ray!

I’ve been using and enjoying Medik 8 crystal retinal so I’ll probably stick with this longer term. bo are you still using/enjoying your Medik 8 retinol?