🐌 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?

Hi Handsoff, I love their body products and was using the Marine cream when I joined this thread years ago but switched to a more basic (cheaper) moisturiser and saved my money for "actives". The Marine cream is lovely for dry skin but there are more effective and more reasonably priced products out there (depending on your needs)...

Hi Sophie, I remember you! HAd a look at the Global Bae hats - they look amazing, I was saying to DH a few weeks ago that I need a really wide-brimmed hat this summer :)

My skin is looking pretty good at the moment, and certainly much better than it was earlier in the spring - no more Winter Pink Face on steroids.... I've introduced a fairly basic actives routine:
Inkey List PHA 3 x week in the morning (anyone else use an acid in the morning?)
P&M Retinoil 6 nights a week
Plus regular cleansing, moisturising and SPF of course...

I'm thinking about introducing vit C again but unsure...

Not sure if that's helpful to anyone but wanted to let you know that it looks like my extreme sensitivity due to over-zealous product use has been sorted out!!

Babe not Bae but it works I guess!

My dermatica has just arrived! That was speedy

What did you get @ClientQueen ?
I have become spot prone during lockdown and so I was prescribed adapalene retinol 0.1% with niacinamide 4%.

Place marking 😊

Here's mine

The strong stuff!

It's only 15ml? Huh, I thought it was 50ml, suddenly not so cost efficient.

Sorry there's suddenly a lot of new faces and questions, welcome everyone, I'll get back to you ASAP as it's a lot to read and respond to now.

Sophie, no I'm still put off by the name of the global babes hats 🙈 I'll get one if we go on a proper sun holiday (I'm not a fan but I'm sure there will be one at some point).

Pharmacy dispatched this morning so it'll be here Thursday 🤞

CGM CHAT, I never saw the original but got the gist of it. I don't think she's all that reliable, the FB groups she runs is a bit rabid, people were going so far as saying DC was the cause of their cancer. I think there are a lot of other explanations WRT hair loss and as mentioned previously the CGM in its purest form stands counter to standard hair care advice for a healthy scalp. Some people manage fine (same as with skincare, some people can throw the kitchen sink at it) but I don't think it's a one size fits all and I feel there's an unhealthy encouragement of continuing on when things aren't working.

I found a pretty good tutorial for heat cap online, which makes it exactly to your head size which is very appealing as my head is on the smaller side. I need to get some extra fabric and hopefully find elastic (they're used for the homemade masks) but will get on it sometime soon.

It's a small bottle Bo!

However, a pea sized amount is approx 0.25 ml and I'm using it every 3 days, so that's about two months use. It works out to less than £11.50 a month (including p&p), that's OK for me.

Yeah, but you're on adapalene, you can get that from the boots or superdrug acne clinic with a similar online setup. I think that's £20 for a tube and that's 50ml. The tretinoin they obviously have a bit of an exclusive on as the only other option without a derm consultation is Obagi Medical which I think is £70ish for a 50ml tube (and an obligatory sale pitch where you must resist coming home with all the other products) so it's not the bargain I assumed it was. I pay under €20 for a tube of Tret (50ml).

The Boots adapalene is £28 for 45g or £38 (with hydrogen peroxide) for 45g. My GP never signs off on online prescriptions, so I can't use them.

English, but the whole point of the Boots and Superdrug acne clinics is that you do your consultation with them, not needing to get a prescription from your GP, it's not an online prescription dispensing service. It's just like Dermatica, it's an online consultation service that gets you a prescription without a fee for the consultation (well you do pay for it through the prescription product). Dermatica just charges almost 3x the amount for it when you take into account shipping costs and it gets cheaper with Boots if you buy multiple tubes at a time. For adapalene the costs just don't add up with Dermatica.

Welcome Marahute, Vitamin C would be a good one for the morning. Timeless is a firm favourite on here. If you've never used it before, introduce it gradually.

Welcome Handsoff, brands you've mentioned are ones generally avoided on here as they're full of common irritants (which are best avoided anyhow but they really don't play well with active skincare). With those brands you're pretty much paying 90% of it for the marketing, some for the jar and then a bit for the actual product. They feel nice to use and as if you're treating yourself but there's nothing to them and they don't progressively improve skin despite all the wordy promises it comes with. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not going to really do anything for what you're trying to tackle (mild signs of ageing). The basic setup of actives is a daily sunscreen (non negotiable), Retinoid, vitamin c, barrier support product, potentially a hydrating booster and/or acid exfoliator.

Hiya again, Tsm, have you used P50 before, if so, how does the INCI PHA compare? I've used acids in the morning, especially when I was introducing Tret as it avoided mid-day 3 sudden onset dusty face Have also in the past used a quick swipe of acid in place of cleanser in a rush, wouldn't recommend doing that long term but it works in a pinch. General advice to use it at night is due to sun sensitising properties but it's not in the scope of Retinoids so less of a die hard rule.

Hello Marahute

To those watching videos re skincare, I also found the videos of the dermatologist Dr Emma Bunting very informative (especially re tretinoin use).

Hi Tsmummy!!! Glad to hear your skin is doing so well. I have also suffered with over-zealous product use in the past. I think it's quite easy to do. Re the hats, they are pricey but so worth it IMO. This summer will be my third summer with the hat. They are also so wide that you can read under them as well and are very handy if you can't find an umbrella at the beach.

CGM CHAT Thank you thisenglishlife. I've seen guides like this but I'm not sure hair porosity is so simple to assess.
I've no idea about this DC woman Bo - never followed her blog. My cousin sent me the video because she knew I used DC products. I actually really liked their styling cream and I've still got gel left. Good luck with the cap-making! Impressive. You will provably have made it before mine arrives given the state of our postal system

Hi everyone, DP kindly informed me yesterday my back no longer looked like I'd been attacked by ants. Hoping that means my experimental use of the anti dandruff shampoo on it is working
sophie those hats are interesting but I'm really not sure I could pull one off I generally look a bit insane in a giant hat but it would be nice to read on the beach without applying cream to my nose every 5 minutes.
Anyone have any opinions on beauty counter? A friend has been drawn in and is desperately trying to sell me their resurfacing peel. I tend to avoid MLMs but maybe it is magic and I'm missing out

@botemp As always thanks so much for your much appreciated reply!

My adapalene/niacinamide cream combination has worked really well on my lockdown skin. @botemp I used the Caroline code, so it was only £2.90 (postage price). I think I'll cancel my subscription (and start over when I need tret, but I'm only 30 - so don't need it currently).

I really like the Dermelex spot treatment cream - non irritating and non-drying, leaves my skin hydrated and smooth, whilst being effective.

I might get some azelaic acid, any recommendations? I was thinking Garden of Wisdom.

Some empties

Have you tried this version of Wet Skin Miracle @ClientQ (?) www.boots.com/sanctuary-spa-wet-skin-radiance-jelly-200ml-10263336
It's a great gel version without the mineral oil and with AHAs added to resurface and exfoliate.

@thisenglishlife oh yes, I have two of those and two of the normal scent I find the jelly one the most hydrating
The version in the pic, I HATE the scent

Oh, your pictured one sounded like it would smell nice!

If you like a strong lily scent then yes I was hoping for more rose and less lily
The Yope conditioner is VERY scented too, I prefer the oat one but TK maxx didn't have any last time I went

The Yope oat milk conditioner sounds interesting, I might get that once I have finished my Body Shop banana hair mask.