🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Is Everyone Having Botox Without Me? 💉

[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

December 2019: Time for The Snailies way more reliable and better than the MN recommends annual roundup (yes I'm still bitter about them quoting me in isolation and making me sound like a wanker please don't revoke my special image allowance privileges, MNHQ )

Also: Thread 20 in time for 2020!!! Ahem, where are my presents?

@VillageFete I generally put SPF on when I get ready in the morning even if I have no plans to go outside. Mainly because I often end up popping out in the garden with the dogs/chatting to out neighbour etc. so even on days I am not leaving the house I end up spending the best part of an hour outside. I am on the equator though so even on cloudy days it's easy to get burnt. I have on several occasions got burn through glass so better safe than sorry.

Popping in so I don't lose the threads, not that I'm keeping up. Frankly - but I'm not trying to police the conversations, this is solely my issue - there's too much makeup talk. I zone out and then hey presto I'm five pages late.

All of that changes of course when I want something makeup related. For example, my trust Missha BB cream isn't really doing it for me any more, so I'm going to have to dive in to look for options. Bleurgh. Please do summarize for me if this has been a massive discussion somewhere that I missed (this is very cheeky, I know).

I'm also going to have to dive in and pick a new sunscreen soon because I'm running out of the Elizabeth Arden 8 hr whatsit one that I got because it was on offer down town this winter. It's ok, but leaves a bit of a cast (not an issue for a winter pale face), is a bit oily for summer skin and full price is much too dear. I cba to shop online even though I'd love to try Hada Labo before I die. So I'm thinking of getting Eucerin, they have a gel one which is quick dry something out now. Or maybe the "actively works against pigmentation" one.

Hair? I bought a straightening iron to try my hand and waving my hair a little to make it more Parisienne. Is it working? Is it fuck. My hair is so unreceptive and I am so so bad at stuff like this.

Client, it's the next day, have you scrunched yet?

Fete, there's a ridiculously long info sheet in the OP why the mandate on here is sunscreen, always and forever but the TL;DR version is that we basically wear sunscreen all the time because UVA rays are the same year round and pass through glass those are the rays that put you at risk for skin cancer and cause premature ageing. Also most of us use at least one active that causes sun sensitivity so there's little choice about it because not doing it renders the use of actives as pretty much useless as potentially instead of anti ageing we'd be encouraging ageing.

Bani, I think the BB cream answer on here is Nars tinted moisturiser. Sunscreen from a shop, depends on the shop

@banivani why isn't the BB cream doing it for you?
@botemp yes! Here you go. I suspect I need a little less cream and a bit more gel but I do like it

Every single day it is then! My sister (A nurse who is working the Covid positive ward) came to my house today to stand in the path and see my kids through the window. Couldn’t risk standing anywhere near her of course but I noticed through the glass that her naturally beautiful skin looked like it really needed a boost. Cue a 20 min skincare chat through the window. Lots of miming going on. She’s 29, absolutely gorgeous with flawless skin, but she said herself her skin is looking dull lately and there’s some fine lines around the eyes. She’s never exfoliated, she doesn’t cleanse and she doesn’t wear sunscreen so i’ve just ordered her some online. I gave her my Dermalogica microfoliant to start her off. She’s a soap, water and moisturiser kind of girl. Never really wears make up as she is lucky enough to not “need it” in the way that her older, less attractive sister does

Am I correct in thinking she should start off with cleansing am & pm, SPF 50, maybe a HA serum and some moisturiser and see how she goes?

At 29 she's unlikely to need HA, usually for under 30s it's cleanser, Vitamin C, good barrier support hydrating moisituriser and SPF. Unless there's other issues there's really no need for anything more than that. Regular cleansing would see her revive her skin quite quickly. However, since she's likely wearing masks with lots of friction and rubbing, now probably isn't the best time to start on new skincare products with actives in it. AFAIK they're not supposed to wear anything under their masks, but that may only be applicable to the very frontline ICU only and those specific masks. I'd be gifting her a fat tube of LRP Cicaplast to use at night to help ease the aches of wearing a mask all day to use after cleansing and worry about any serious skincare later.

It's looking good Client, bouncy and soft. Did the products make you have to wait longer or does it always take this long?

It always takes ages I find it best to sleep with the cast then scrunch in the morning if needed
I've been for a walk previously in heat of 27c (washed hair and went out for an hour) and my hair was still sodden
Diffusing it can take 90 mins

Mind you, Fete, it entirely depends what she cares about. I've been using a Vitamin C since my mid twenties as that's when skin biologically starts to age, and a retinol (preventively) since I was 29. It's debatable whether that was overkill or just sensible and I lack a twin to measure it against.

Client, I always have to diffuse for half an hour and then can't be arsed anymore. It's usually enough to set the cast and be able to sleep in it up. My hairdryer is dying on me, I think, it's now taking even longer... Is Dyson still the best out there for curls, I'm really reluctant, the vacuum we have isn't that great.

I found no difference in drying time TBH between a cheap dryer with the GAMA diffuser and the dyson. My hair is so low porosity it's just clings on to water

Dyson seems to suggest their hair dryer causes less damage. Have you found any difference in that? GAMA seems to have a Dyson dupe, still expensive at about half price but if they're known for a good diffuser it could be a good buy, possibly.

It's hard to say really - I only ever use v low heat. I would say the dyson runs hotter than most. On the lowest heat it still gets too hot for me!

@botemp I’ll get her some Cerave cleanser and moisturiser as well. I’ll have a chat with her on the phone when she gets the chance and see what her aims are. She just looked tired today and her skin looked dull, but totally understandable given the situation at work. She was having a moan today about the fine lines she’s developed around her eyes, so maybe it’s worth her looking in to some preventative anti ageing.

I ordered Hado Labo moisturising lotion from Timeless UK and it’s been dispatched. I’d really like to try the Timeless serums at some point. They are next on my list for future purchases.

It does sound like dehydration which is probably understandable due to circumstances. You could decant her some HL if it arrives (I assume you got the original one) or the Vichy Mineral 89, or the superdrug simply pure hydrating serum.

I currently have the hyaluronic acid B5 serum and Coenzymes Q10 serum from Timeless. I bought them at tkmaxx as they recently changed their packaging. The hyaluronic is nice and quite similar to the Skinceuticals but I only really use it occasionally. The coenzymes Q10 I'm not sure does much of anything but I'm pretty maxed out with skincare in terms of actives so I'd probably not notice if it did do something.

Oh that rephr makeup brush I bought? Gorgeous. So I was cheeky and sent them an email as I reviewed the brush and asked if there was a discount code
They emailed back saying if I was happy to wait for production (10 or so weeks) I could have 50% off as many brushes as I wanted

Giant chin breakout today suspect hormonal. And I've reached 7 months of using prescription tret - still not sure if it is actually "doing" anything

@ClientQueen It's behaving streakier, I'm not getting the my skin but better feeling any more. :/ But I can't buy fecking NARS for fecking NARS money :O I'll obviously have to try a sample now

Sun screens I'm considering are for example this

int.eucerin.com/products/sun-protection/sun-gel-creme-dry-touch-spf-50plus

Hi lovely people. Really enjoy this thread and have got some good ideas and info from it. My skin is much improved with regard spots and looking brighter from a year ago. Just looking to see if anyone could recommend some products as things runs out.

I'm 40 have sometimes sensitive skin, open pores, some wrinkles, prone to dry patches. But issue with being prone to blocked pores and Milia. So looking for a new moisteriser, a sunscreen SPF50 and a hyaluronic acid. Mainly if anyone has any suggestions of products that might not give me milia.

My Routine is

AM

• Cleanse: Environ low foam wash or sometimes Cerave smoothing wash (happy enough)
• Timeless vitamin C or P.C BHA (really like these the PC really helps my pores)

- Environ Vita peptide eye gel (really like)

• Hado labo Hyaluronic acid (meh)
• Image Matt moisteriser SPF 32 (Matt as Skin was oiler/cystic acne before Yasmin sorted it out)

PM

• Environ low foam wash
• Indeed Labs reface retinol (really liked this) Got PC 1% retinol to step up (seems ok)
• Cerave facial moisturiser lotion (a bit meh)

Thanks for any info lovely knowledgable people.

Sorry, I thought I'd responded already. Just in my mind, it appears.

Client, yeah rephr do those 50% off offers a lot. There's a whole overview of the brushes on the fude Reddit.

Bani, I like that Eucerin has licorice root extract in it, however it has homosalate which has a bit of a reputation depending on who you listen to. As of yet it's not considered bad but if something doesn't need to be sold in the US formulators tend not to use it so I don't really know what that signifies. Just that it's odd. Forgot previously, other TM of choice on here is Bareminerals complexion rescue.

Hello bee, are the milia underneath your eyes or elsewhere. AHA would probably be worth trying as you don't appear to be using heavy occlusive moisturising products (although not sure on the SPF can't find an INCI quickly but did notice it has a physical screen in it, there's no evidence behind it but I do know some people get milia from zinc oxide). But AHA shouldn't be used under eyes which sort of leaves you with seeking an in office treatment like a peel or removal.

Thanks so much @botemp the milia are not under my eyes, just dotted around my cheek bones, nose, forehead. Just wondered what could have been causing them and looking to pick up a stand alone sunscreen and moisteriser so don't want to exasperate them further with a poor choice. Taa

You could go for the Dr Dennis gross pads, they're meant to be quite good for milia and I have found them scarily effective with minimal use. Granted I had the extreme ones and didn't realise it untill after I used it

You may just want to skip moisturiser in the morning and use just SPF especially with the warmer weather. Frezyderm is pretty good since it just sits on top but not noticeably, it doesn't settle into your skin taking up pore real estate iykwim, it's almost like a primer, slippy texture when applying then imperceivable.

That's great thanks ...off to Google the Dr Dennis pads 👍

My Dermatica prescription has been dispensed. Tretinoin and niacinamide, both of which I’m using anyway. The tret is actually a lower % than I’ve been using. Oh well 🤷‍♀️

I've already got the rephr 3 brush, have ordered 1, 13 and 15 so all eyeshadow brushes
Will try the marmalade gel again with less of the clumping cream!

@Jedstre Where were you purchasing your tret and niacinamide before signing up with Dermatica? Keep us updated with it.

My Hado Labo HA light moisturiser has arrived, as has my Vichy thermal spray (Which I LOVE already) I will be using the Hado Labo in my PM routine and the plan is to cleanse, Vichy mist, Hado Labo, mist and then moisturise. I keep reading on line that you need an occlusive moisturiser over HA? Would my Olay/Cerave be ok? Or do I need to buy one that’s thicker/more moisturising? The problem is that anything too thick/heavy on my skin leads to lots of Milia, whereas my Olay suits me just fine. Only been using Cerave for a few days but so far so good (It’s bloody tiny though)

Hi @VillageFete. I got the tret from Spain. I’ve been using g 0.05% for a while now and dermatica have sent 0.25. I’m not too bothered though. It’s basically free after all! I’ve been using niacinamide in a moisturiser. It’s a la Roche posay one.