🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Vanities Are The New Shelf Porn

[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?

So You Want To Buy A Retinoid - A Guide

MAY 2020: We're in lockdown and it's doing weird things to our faces

Bo - It's the Blood Sugar Diet - Mediterranean based, but on 800 calories. Most people on the thread though tend to do a variation of it, such as 5:2 fasting. Over past 3 weeks have lost 10 lbs, so it does work.

Just need to lose another 6 lbs to be at target weight, and then will reassess.

Guess I am trying to make lockdown work for me by addressing issues such as my skin and my weight.

No tret face sallie but was using it anyway and using retinoids in some form for ages. Dermatica dispense tret and niacinamide in a combined product so irritation should be less anyway. I’ve just altered mine to come every 56 days rather than the default 28. There’s a button to cancel so no commitment.
You can get your first month free sallie at the minute with covid (free three months for nhs) and just pay £2.90 postage. You might have to wait on a waiting list once you’ve registered but I only waited a week or so.

Thank you Jedstre the free month swung it so I’ve signed up waiting list is 5-7 days.

I think my lack of success with retirides could be because I’ve been inconsistent with it due to tret face, especially in cold weather when I’m also contending with winter skin. Hoping this might be a gentler option so I’ll be able to keep using it year round even if it’s not every single night.

Great sallie. Nothing to lose for that first month. I’m sure you’ll like the texture of the combined product better than the retrides. They send 0.25% for first month then increase to 0.5%. They didn’t email and ask how I was getting in with 0.25% just automatically upgrade so something to be aware of if you continued with the subscription.

Yeah the texture is lovely. I've noticed a difference in a month and I was using tret for 6 months before!

I can't actually remembers where I bought my hat Global Babe hat from [embarrassed].

I’m looking forward to it now

The mix with niacinamide is a bonus as I’m buying it separately at the moment so that will be a saving too.

Timeless back in stock, have now managed to order it!

Heliocare samples arrived! Got samples of the tinted SPF, in Pearl and Beige. They are both quite light, and am probably in the middle, but think I will opt for Pearl which is the lightest. May just use for Zoom meetings and LRP the rest of the time.

Also, at the risk of getting from Bo, am quite liking the retinol Pixi tonic. DD1 seems to like the one in Vitamin C.

wish DD1 would let me take a photo of her skin as it's so so much better, and don't think she has had a new breakout since she started new routine. Not completely healed, but definitely going the right way.

Pupsie have you had much luck with DS blackheads?

Just a couple of comments and also a question for Botemp.

First yes to whoever said about the 'film' after cleansing with LRP Toleriane Dermo or whatever it's called. I used this quite happily for a bit but found after I'd sensitised my skin (with I think The Ordinary 23% Vitamin C but possibly a combination of TO LA and 2% Granactive Retinoid but Vit C pushed it over the edge) it did tingle a bit/felt uncomfortable, which surprised me.

After skin recovered a bit I switched to CeraVe hydrating because it was cheap to try and that did definitely sting. Switched to Avene Extremely Gentle (thank you Bo) and I love it so much. I do rinse it off though, but I used to do that with the LRP too. I'm using retinol again (see below) and I sometimes feel a tingle from sunscreen but never from my Avene. I was surprised to see you saying it's a bit drying, Bo, can't say I noticed.

I'm using the Indeed Labs Retinol Reface thanks to Bo's retinol sheet and I'm very happy with it. My skin looks better in general and there's an improvement in texture and a softening of lines. I got it on offer in Boots so it wasn't expensive to try. I was curious about the percentage, Bo, as I couldn't find that anywhere, so thanks for that also.

Anybody who might be reading these threads and suffers from breakouts, I can't recommend double cleansing enough. It makes such a big difference.

And now my question for Bo - saw you saying that tret can increase facial hair and I was wondering if this is also the case with retinol? I've noticed a slight increase but I was putting it down to the peptide (s) - can't remember if there's more than one - in the formula rather than the retinol. I've had increased hair from peptides before (TO).

Love these threads and have learned so much about just caring for my skin rather than trying out so many different lotions and potions as my DH calls them.

MrObama I just don't really understand those Pixi toner. They put two of the most light sensitive actives in giant clear bottles to deteriorate from the go, it's just pointless and a waste of good ingredients as they're essentially useless as actives. You're left with a hydrating toner, nothing wrong with those, and no other red flags of irritants in the ingredients, so crack on, but I'm still at the company for marketing it as active skincare. I am curious to know what colour the vitamin c one is, anf if it isn't orange already, will it become so?

Bally 🙈 that's a lot of name checks I don't recall saying Avene sunscreens are drying, recently I did say the mineral tinted rubbed off on clothing but I don't remember saying they're drying?

Indeed Labs Retinoid, I'm not sure exactly, it might be out there but it's easy enough to categorise as a starter retinol of 0.3%. tbh due to the whole conversion process it goes through the percentage of retinols is only of interest when a brand sells different strengths of the same product. It's become a rather deceptive marketing thing instead, eg. the no.7 one is 0.3 but marketed as 1.5, it just looks silly (as did their giant waitlist, turns out those were people participating in a raffle x1000 for that).

Retinols can definitely see increased hair growth too, just to be clear they're not encouraging anything it's just the accelerated turnover of dead skin cells that gets the hair through the skin a lot easier and/or prematurely.

Bo - Have tried to post a photo, but not having much luck . The Pixi Vit C, is light yellow, and the retinol is a lightish lavender.

Not sure about the tinted Heliocare though, and am leaning towards the tinted Neostrata. The Heliocare went on fine, but a couple of hours later it was a bit flat. Then again if I was actually outside, would reapply every couple of hours anyway.

I did get the No 7 Retinol, but am going to hold on until I've finished the LRP as don't want to introduce another product at the moment, if that makes sense? At the moment, and hope this won't jinx it, but I do usually have sensitive skin and have not had any reaction to the LRP retinol not the Medi8 Vit C intense. (nor the Pixi products but don't use them every single day). But have done patch tests, waited 48 hours, introduced slowly and not all at once, so maybe this made a difference?

Not exactly skincare related but has anyone bought a face covering yet? I'm looking for a cotton washable one. My hairdresser has asked all customers to wear one and bring hand sanitizer when she starts up next month.

No, we're only required to wear them on public transport which I won't be using anytime soon. I'm rather wary of them as they're quite suffocating and I'm sure my skin will revolt with any prolonged wear when you add in summer heat which makes the whole prospect rather off putting.

There's some nice ones here with proceeds going to charity but with shipping they come up expensive if you're just buying the one. Loads are making them though. If I need one I'll probably make one myself out of a more breathable material like silk or bamboo and do the whole filter thing with kitchen roll paper. The non medical ones really aren't going to protect you much anyhow, so it doesn't really matter.

I do also really like this Jean Paul Gaultier one but not sure if they're selling them.

Pupsie My sister in law has made us some masks. Some dodgy print ones and now some plain white ones. I haven’t worn them yet. I don’t use public transport and have had only brief visits to shops.

Probably me Bally who mentioned the ‘film’ I always do when that LRP cleanser is mentioned.

Pupsie Your hairdresser is opening???

ilove she has tentatively booked clients from 7th July but will postpone if not allowed to open. She works alone in a self contained purpose built room in her house and has a very loyal, long standing client base so she has rebooked all our appointments. But she has bad asthma so she will abide abide by any rules and so will we.

A few years ago a client went to her with a chest infection a week before Xmas and my poor hairdresser was so poorly herself for 2 weeks over Xmas. Completely ruined her Xmas as she spent it in bed.

pupsie - I'm also quite loyal to my hairdresser - why aren't they essential workers . She is evangelical about organic hair dye, and the details the science of it, which I have to say, I don't really understand. My hair doesn't really need it, but I quite like the colour she does for me which has reddish undertones.

I spend so money trying to look natural

Have you found a remedy for your DS blackheads?

Lol ilove. I hear you re "natural".

No not yet re DS. I haven't get ordered the PC travel size acid. I think it was out of stock when I looked so that's a helpful reminder. Thank you for asking!

Sorry Bo my post was a bit unclear - it was the Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser I thought you said was drying, not the sunscreen. Just read back my post - sorry about all the name checks! Eternally grateful for your sharing of knowledge. I suppose I won't really know about my hair growth until I use a retinol product without a peptide in it. I have the type of peach fuzz that's nearly entirely unnoticeable and I never gave it so much as a passing thought until it got noticeable when I was using TO Buffet. Went back to normal when I stopped using it.

A funny thing about sunscreen - I decided to take a peek at the Colorescience one linked on the thread (sun forgettable total protection face shield SPF 50) and right at the bottom it says "90-day supply based on typical use" for a 55ml bottle.

colorescienceuk.com/products/sunforgettable-total-protection-face-shield-spf-50

Jedstre you're so right about the film, thanks for pointing it out.

apileof - I so wish colorscience did samples! Only managed to get ones from Heliocare as I was ordering Medi8 C Intense and asked if they would add the tinted ones. Wish manufacturers would realise I am so so loyal and once I like a product, I stay with it...

Well, usually

I so wish sunscreen wasn't such a difficult thing in general, mrobama! It's so hideously expensive for such a small amount for a good one.

Sorry mrobama meant to say please update on the No 7 retinol when you start using it, and I forgot to bold your name. I think I might avoid it if it's got matrixyl in it though - hair growth as mentioned above. I'm probably going to try Medik8 next for retinol, though I do really like the fact that the Indeed Labs is a cream rather than a serum.

My dermatica has been approved and should arrive in 1-3 days, impressed with how fast they were in the end!

I’m not sure I’ll be able to cope with mask wearing as anything covering my face or round my neck makes me feel like I can’t breathe & I get panicky. I should be able to avoid it as don’t use public transport & not planning to go to the hairdresser or shops etc. If supermarkets bring them in I’ll just use a silk or cotton scarf and try to keep it fairly loose but I’m very much hoping they don’t.

One thing I very much do want doing is the fillers for my droopy mouth but I wouldn’t be able to wear a mask for that anyway so presume it will be a while before I can have it done. Not sure if I’ll bother with Botox again but the fillers made a massive difference.

Pupsie I bought some masks from Etsy sellers - I can PM you the links if you'd like? I've used them on the few times I've been into a supermarket recently, but I seem to be the only person using one...

I've booked a Botox top-up for July but no word from my hairdresser yet. DH did my roots a few weeks ago with the same dye used by the hairdresser - he did an excellent job, but I won't be letting him near me with scissors :)