🐌 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

Pupsie, technically every time you use an acid for exfoliating you're doing a peel. The salon/derm versions just use a higher strength. I'm not really convinced of their use if you already regularly 'peel' with an acid toner. There's more potential for downtime and damage if not administered properly, I'd personally only be comfortable receiving them from a dermatologist office.

Lumene, I'd say Dr Emma Wedgeworth would be a good one. She works at Dr Sam's practice with a specialisation of acne, rosacea, and eczema.

Dr Frances Prenna Jones could also be of interest if you're wanting any sort of anti-ageing treatments, but that tends to be her specialisation.

Expect to pay £300 for the initial consultation.

Thanks Bo. Yeah I get that and I do use acid every other day. We are out in the burbs and she has just been on a course to do microneedling. She was saying she doesn't know how to market to ppl round here because none of her clients have heard of it and obviously it sounds a bit freaky if you don't know what it's trying to do. I'm not brave enough! My skin is mostly an oasis of calm these days and I don't want to rock the boat. It's an excellent salon. I haven't had a facial for years but have had massages and pedis there regularly. She was very complimentary about my skin. It was nice to not be sold anything either (because she asked me what I used and I obviously I told her!).

Hello everyone, Thank you for your help regarding my eye makeup! Can I officially join this thread?

I thought I would share some of my skincare likes/dislikes. Firstly, a "dislike" - Clinique Moisture Surge! I bought this after reading rave reviews online and a recommendation in The Times. Unfortunately it caused the worst spot breakout I've had for years, and I'm 54! All down one side if my face. So it's been relegated to a neck cream and doesn't make much difference there, but at least no spots!

Secondly, an unexpected and reluctant "like", because it's so expensive. Has anyone heard of a make called Germaine de Capuccini? The beautician at my hairdressers sells it, and it's very pricey. I'm not one for expensive moisturizers and resisted her hard sell. However I took some testers and really like the TimeExpert Rides. It's run out now and I'm vaguely considering actually purchasing some. I also liked TimeExpert Lift Eyes. I've looked online and there's nothing about this brand, just reviews of their spas.

My manicurist (who is also a beautician) was quite about it, whilst at the same time NOT being a hard sell person herself and not pushing her own brands, and agreeing that moisturizers are not as important as what goes on under them, like serum etc.

I mentioned the brand NIOD to the manicurist beautician and she knows it, whereas the hairdresser beautician selling the expensive cream hadn't heard of NIOD. Which made me think Pah! to her expensive brand, she's not even heard of NIOD! But now I really like the expensive cream that no one's heard of!!

Little skin update. I have blusher on but no foundation or concealer

Hello everyone! I’ve been lurking on these threads for a while and I thought now would be a good a time as any to say hi.

Nigella it’s funny how things things vary so much between people. I absolutely love the whole Clinique moisture surge line, especially the moisturiser!

Thank you so much Bo and Baby, I will look into that.

That's impressive Olli! Your skin looks great.

Looking great olli what's your routine now then?

Looking fab Olli!

Hello everyone who is new-ish to the thread 👋🏻

Hope you all have had a nice few days whatever you got up to.

I have some new bath bits to try out and lots of very lovely nail polishes. There's one (zoya Isadora) that I basically want to cover myself in, it's so gorgeous, but don't thing that would be good for my skin somehow. 😬

I know it was discussed recently but did we ever come up with a solution to stained nails? Mine have a faint tint of yellow from the dark burgundy colour I've been wearing. A buff might do it but if there's anything else I could try too?

You could try scrubbing your nails with some whitening toothpaste and a nail brush. It can work. Others I have heard of soak the nails in a steradent tablet solution. Do you use base coat under the polish? I change my polish every 2 days, and use every colour under the sun and rarely get staining. Greens and blues tend to do the worst staining IME.

You look very nice Olly ! :) I assume it's partly because of the 2% BHA you are using. I wish I could brave the world without coverage but sadly I constantly seem to have some acne mark being very slow at disappearing.

Spuriouser Hi! 👋 :)

Routine

Am
Boots botanics lotion cleanser
Melano CC vit C
Alpha H hydration moisturiser
SPF (whatever I have!)

Pm
Eye makeup remover (usually boots)
Cleanse with something - alpha H balm, cerave, heimish balm
Thayers witch hazel toner
Paula's choice BHA OR prescription strength retinol OR REN omega 3 serum
Moisturise with moogoo blemish moisturiser

Hi everyone >waves< Merry and Happy everything

My routine has stayed exactly the same and my skin is still very happy so all good on that front.

Thanks for helping save a fortune this year!
My routine (comments very welcome)
AM
Grape seed oil (to protect skin in shower) then neutrogena pink salicylic acid face wash on oily bits.
Serozinc
Olay sensitive niacinamide lotion
Korres matte spf and ultra sun

PM
Grape seed oil cleanse
Toleriane foaming face wash or neutrogena if any blackheads
Vichy normaderm salicylic acid toner or serozinc
Grape seed and rosehip oil
Or The ordinary MAP vitamin C serum x2 per week

As a result I now just use a touch of erborian cc or B.B. tinted cream - 99% of redness and blackheads have gone

Thanks all

Laurie and Bo I've been using Skin Aqua Super Moisture Milk - nicely moisturising and great for my dry skin. I use it on top of Ceramidin cream but it would work as a moisturiser for anyone with normal skin.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MRBST6H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

Olli looking lovely and fresh as always :)

Enid you could also try 3% hydrogen peroxide (in some contact lens solutions!), or lemon juice for your nail staining or give a light buff with a 240 or 200 grit buffer. And always use a base coat, I use Superdrug's base coat on my toes and on the very rare occasion I'm taking a break from gel.

Oh and aside from a litre of Lush's Snow Fairy shower gel from DD I didn't get any beauty related Christmas stuff but I am heading to Space NK today to pick up some DE goods ordered with some discounts before Xmas - C-tango eye cream and the hydrating serum :)

I was considering trying the Protini as well but talk of hairiness is a little offputting, I've got enough perimenopausal hag-hairs to try and contend with thankyouverymuch!

I finally found the end of year round up, totally forgot I used the MN emojis as inspiration.

🐌🐌 THE SNAILIES 2018 🐌🐌

The Well Hello There - newest and latest find that gets your motor running

The Flusher- money spent on this product would have been better put to use by flushing it down the toilet

The Jack & Rose- the product you’ll never let go of because there’s plenty of fucking space for the two of you on that piece of wood. Damn you, James Cameron, for breaking my poor little tween heart.

The LTB- it all seemed so promising, everything was going so great, then they turned out to be a narcissist gaslighting bastard

The Child Prodigy- that one product that’s annoyingly good and isn’t afraid to be smug about it

The Worker Bee- never the centre of attention but has been steadily chugging along like no other

The Troll- the one where you repeatedly asked, ‘Is this doing anything?’, but continued to use it anyway…

The Flabbergaster- that one product or technique that wasn’t really supposed to be used like that or delivered well beyond your non-existent expectations

The Sinner- oh, admit it because we’re all guilty of it, what did you do or use that wasn’t all that sensible like take an acid bath and had the disastrous results you really knew to expect

My skin is unhappy at the moment! 😫

My Jack & Rose is definitely tretinoin 0.05%. It took time and perseverance but it really has got rid of my adult acne - not going to be stopping it for the foreseeable future.
(Although I do have to be careful with what products I put on my face. Using a new SPF (sample only luckily) twice gave me huge under the skin spots on my chin a couple of weeks ago. So perhaps my LTB should be Ducray SPF 50!)

My Worker Bee would have to be FrezyDerm Mild Liquid Wash - does a great good of removing all dirt, make-up and SPF without being too harsh or needing a second cleanse.

I had all my Sinners removed by my dermatologist

Not using enough other products to fill in any of the other categories.

Thank you for the nail suggestions. A light buff sorted it but if it happens again I've made note.

Miffy I've never had staining before as I do use a base coat. Not sure what was different this time. I'll do two base coat layers from now on.

Nails currently having a rest. I've filed them very short and put nail envy on them and they look very healthy again. Back to decent eating now so hoping they'll grow back strong.

Yay Snailies! I'll do mine in a couple of days (when this cracker of a headache has gone). TS I have some Snow Fairy too. Love the pear drops smell.

Yay Snailies 🐌 🐌🐌 thank you Bo

I’m not sure if I’ve got an entry in all the categories this year though, will have to have a ponder...

I do have a question though - I want to start using Paula’s choice BHA again. I’m currently using pestle and mortar retinol oil every night, no peeling, flaking or irritation of any kind - I actually find it very moisturising & quite soothing. I know there’s a few others here using the P&M - do you think I could risk using the BHA on the same night or will that make my face melt I wouldn’t normally consider it but with the P&M being so gentle wondered if it might be ok. I’d finish off with cerave PM.

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What about A313 then if you distrust the 2.5% claimed by Viola Skin?

Apparently it's 2%? Do you think that's right?

sallie I use PC 2% BHA before Differin and get no adverse reaction although I leave at least half an hour between each product.