🐌🐌 THE SNAILIES 2019 🐌🐌
The Well Hello There - newest and latest find that gets your motor running
Most recent addition would be Cerave Hydrating cleanser, been using it long enough now and am thoroughly in love.
2018 Snailies: Switching from ordinary cod liver oil to fermented Cod Liver oil capsules from Armorica.
The Flusher - money spent on this product would have been better put to use by flushing it down the toilet
I’m trying to think there wasn’t that much trial or error this year. Skin Aqua tone up UV essence SPF50+ was crap though, I was seduced by its popularity in Japan and lilac colour to knock out the sallowness but it stank so bad. I’m usually okay with fragrance in Japanese sunscreens as they dissipate quickly and don’t irritate but this one smells awful and it lingers everywhere. I keep trying to use it up on the body but still have hardly made a dent in it. Am tossing it after this.
2018 Snailies: GOW Vitamin C 23% version 1.0
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.
Prescription Tretinoin, I was hesitant at first but my dermatologist did really know better and my skin is ridiculously great. Also, love the most minimal routine that comes with it as well, wash face, dry face, apply tretinoin, done.
(Prescription) Minoxidil, I started in January of this year after putting it off for forever (didn’t like the idea of being on a topical medication for the rest of my life) but am really glad I did and am kicking myself for not starting on it sooner, my hair has almost been restored to what it was. Still have a touch of thinning hair but it’s not noticeable to anyone. The biggest difference has actually been around the temples, wasn’t even aware that made such a difference and wasn't aware how much the hair loss had been affecting me mentally either so it's been a big relief.
Tentatively, Cerave hydrating cleanser is probably here to stay. As is Timeless CE Ferulic, verdict pending on new packaging.
2018 Snailies: Frezyderm Velvet Face SPF50+, DHC Cleansing Oil, Christophe Robin Haircare
Previous Snailies I’m sure it included Verso Super Eye Serum, Biologique Recherche P50, Vichy thermal water, LRP Tolerian Ultra Nuit (discontinued)
The LTB - it all seemed so promising, everything was going so great, then they turned out to be a narcissist gaslighting bastard
Me 
for playing a bit fast and loose with prescription Tretinoin, I started really really carefully and then swung the pendulum the other direction a touch too soon before middling out to a happy medium.
La Roche Posay Toleriane Cream Riche. I thought it would be nice and soothing for my Tret face, but it’s too rich even for that (for me) and it broke me out. Although technically this would be ‘me’ again, I’d ordinarily instinctively avoid such a rich moisturiser but my brain insisted I’d need a rich moisturiser. Stupid brain.
2018 Snailies: GOW Vitamin C 23%
The Child Prodigy - that one product that’s annoyingly good and isn’t afraid to be smug about it
Prescription Tretinoin. Sigh.
2018 Snailies: Medik8 R-Retinoate, which I noted was something of a Hannukah miracle as I bought it in 2017 and it still wasn’t finished. It’s now 2019 and still not finished (have only been using it sporadically since starting Tret late spring) 
The Worker Bee - never the centre of attention but has been steadily chugging along like no other
La Roche Posay Toleriane Sensitive Cream (not the rich one). Bought this to replace the discontinued (although it might be back now ) LRP Toleriane Ultra Nuit. I like it, don’t love love it but it actually does everything I’d want from it. I’m currently using Cerave PM Moisturising Lotion and I’m really tepid about it where everyone else seems to love it and I’m kind of missing the Toleriane Sensitive at the moment. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…
Alpha Skincare 12% Glycolic body lotion (ordered through Amazon US). Just a really nice body lotion that stops me from needing to scrub buff and lotion and just do it in one go.
2018 Snailies: LRP Toleriane hydrating wash (sorry buddy, you’ve been replaced) and LRP Toleriane Ultra Nuit (now discontinued and another you don’t know what you’ve got…)
The Troll - the one where you repeatedly asked, ‘Is this doing anything?’, but continued to use it anyway…
I think I may have had a troll-free 2019? Is that even possible?
2018: Ogliotherapie
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
Tripollar pose, I really wasn’t expecting amazing results or weight loss, but it did what I wanted it to do (loose skin tightened up within reason) and I really wasn’t expecting it too. It was extremely time-consuming effort and had my arms not shown pretty significant improvements quickly I’m not sure if I’d persevered. Expectations weren’t high which probably helped as I’d probably come out disappointed if I had taken the glowing PR babble as gospel.
Snailies 2018: Pommade A313
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
Me again with the Tretinoin, going quicker than planned and using overly rich creams that would otherwise make me cower in horror. They were minor blips on the road though. Also the occasional mix up of days and using P50 on Tret nights and not wanting to skip Tret and thinking if I left enough time in between it would be ok. Well ok turns out to be a very flakey peeley ok.
Also, having a sales chat with the derm's laser person (when I already have a laser person who I like and wouldn't think of leaving) but wanted to discuss a patch of potential pigmentation. Derm's laser person was a scary sales tactic person trying to sign me onto thousands worth of unnecessary peel sessions where I would be forced to buy and use the accompanying skincare regime for another couple of hundred euros. All this for a teeny tiny patch which is most likely a PIE and a simple laser procedure of under a 100 euros could potentially fix. But yeah, let's not even discuss that, go with the peels and book now as the slots are filling up even though they will do absolutely nothing for the PIE and will absolutely wreck your hypersensitive skin and make you break out from the mandatory skincare line .
Snailies 2018: Packing all my skincare items in hold luggage and airline then misplacing said luggage.
Current routine, just for reference:
AM
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser (on wet skin)
Vichy thermal water (live in a hard water area, this helps a lot with my sensitive skin)
Timeless CE Ferulic
Hydrating toner/serum patted in if I need it (Kiehl’s Ultra facial toner because they keep giving it to me for free, would not rec ever paying out for it.)
Cerave PM moisturising lotion if needed
Frezyderm Velvet Face SPF50+
PM
Night 1
DHC cleansing oil followed by Cerave hydrating and Vichy TW
Prescription Tretinoin
Night 2
DHC cleansing oil followed by Cerave hydrating and Vichy TW
Biologique Recherche P50
Hydrating toner/serum patted in if I need it
Verso Super Eye Serum
Cerave PM moisturising