🐌 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

Good evening all!
I am so glad I found these threads they are full of such insightful and supportive advice. I have used @botemp cheat sheets to start a proper regime but feel I've hit a brick wall with my skin and could really use a bit of help.
Would it be super cheeky of me to post my current regime to ask for a tweak/advice or better to start a new thread? I seem to fix one problem and start another and at almost 30 should have this figured out

It's quiet on here so go ahead cherry

I'm really enjoying the timeless vitamin c
Also my new lipstick! They do nudes and reds and a matching lipstick for each one

morning all-- yet another newbie - am looking for a little clarification. I have been using PC BHA daily for years- have just introduced PC clinical 1% retinol to my routine- am alternating it nightly with the BHA- is that a sensible routine? dont currently do anything in AM except cleanse, moisturise and SPF. Am looking to add a Vit C serum and thought I would start with Superdrug as a test- but not sure which is better- Booster or 10% Booster (am guessing 10% as is more expensive)- thanks for any advice

Hiya badass. Are you building up the retinol at all? Usually it's best to start using 1-2x a week and slowly building up to more frequent use over the weeks. Alternating probably is good because you won't need to rely so much on BHA with the retinol in place.

WRT Superdrug vitamin C, I'm assuming the 10% is this one? Tbh, I'd go for something else, this is a derivative with very little research behind it so I wouldn't be able to tell you if the concentration percentage is effective or not, for L-Asorbic Acid 10% is the minimum you want generally, the other Superdrug c serum is a different derivative which is generally more of interest if you're acne prone.

If you just want to try it you can get the Vichy liftactiv antioxidant one which is 15%L-Ascorbic Acid and only 10ml (store in the fridge though it oxidises quickly). Not the cheapest out there but it is a true gold standard vitamin c serum with a good formulation as opposed to a derivative. Generally recommend the Timeless CE ferulic on here which is around the £25 mark for a 30ml bottle which lasts a good few months.

Thanks Botemp- I started the retinol with 3 times a week- with only the very mildest of reactions- literally a flake or two. I just bought a mega bottle of bha (limited offer) so hope I keep using it! Am just not sure what I should be building up to- retinol 4 times a week and BHA 3 times? Or vice Versa? Will look at your vit c recommendations- however keeping in fridge is a huge negative. Am highly unlikely to go to fridge every morning! Am usually rushing out of the house as it is.... thanks so much for the help

Sorry for all the questions- but do I need to worry about Timeless saying do not use with retinol ?

I think they mean within the same routine, which you're not planning to do. Are you looking at the UK site as unfortunately it's often out of stock so you need to check in every few days (I think someone on here established Wednesday as a restock day).

WRT retinol use, it tends to be every other night, some daily. It really depends and just let yourself be guided as to what feels like a good balance for you, the results are not dependent on maximum use and/or percentage but more from consistent use without major irritation.

Super!!
Cerave hydrating cleanser or la Roche posay to clean with
Spray avene thermal water
Superdrug simply pure hydrating serum
Eucerin moisteriser
Occasionally squalane from the ordinary if I feel a bit tight or dry
Ocaasionally cicaplast baume 5 if feeling a bit dry or irritated
Once in a blue moon I use effaclar duo on a spot that's popped up
Bioderma photodeen 50+ for spf

My main concerns are I keep breaking out in headless spots/lumps around my eyebrow and jawline (8 right now) They can be painful and take easily 2 months to fully go, by which point the odd one has cropped up somewhere else.
When I wash my face it feels dry and clean, throughout the day I feel more oily and can't keep a full face of makeup on as it sinks or slides off.
I do think my skin is dehydrated though, it is a little dull and doesn't spring up and wi feel really tight if I don't moisterise.

I have yet to find an spf I get on with and have used a few, I can always feel them sitting on my skin if that makes sense and they tend to pill too.

I saw a facial expert prior to lockdown who told me it wasn't acne and recommended I used a range by image skincare vital c, I bought the cleanser and it was nice enough but made zero difference I feel.

Please help me before I lose my mind with all of this

I'm a little confused too cherry, what exactly is your skin type as you seem to be treating it as if it's very dry but I'm guessing it's more combo/oily?

Have the headless spots always been an issue or is it something new?

I think (might be completely wrong) but my skin is dehydrated combination. So I think maybe I am using creams that are a bit too moisterising for my skin and that is why the make up is sliding off if that makes sense.
My face is slick to the touch around my brows and forehead but cheeks/jaw are always tight as if I've caught the sun (in feeling, not colour).
If I don't do anything other than wash my face I will feel quite tight and my makeup will last a while longer.
Anything geared towards oily skin dries me up too much and leaves me feeling sunburnt and uncomfortable.
The spots have been on and off for a while, good weeks and bad weeks. Have tried a few prescription antibiotic things from the GP but nothing really made a difference.
Acnecide helped remove them but then left awful dry flaky patches.
I don't mind having the odd spot if I can get the rest of the skin looking and feeling happy again.
In terms of suncream I can always feel it on my face, slick and as if it didn't sink in properly

I think this all came about a few years ago I have a series of chemical peels that looking back I feel weren't needed and were much too strong. I felt I'd damaged my skin barrier, which is why I was using the gentle but moisterising recommendations from your cheat sheets.
Sorry for the essay

No worries Cherry, essays are helpful. I see, yes, it does sound like your skin has more lasting skin barrier issues and it explains your behaviour with the heavier products better.

Main struggle seems to be keeping water in so you're experiencing dryness (which is atypical) and dehydration and the dehydration is probably setting off extra oil production (where some in the t-zone would be normal) and potentially breakouts due to added heavy products that tackle dryness.

IME the classic humectants, hyaluronic acid, tends to be a bit of a wild card when dealing with a 'leaky' barrier. Has your routine ever been hyaluronic acid free as I do get the idea that people with your skin issues often struggle to use it without irritation which isn't always immediately visible but builds up gradually (could be the spots under the skin potentially?).

I think lighter textures may be of use for you, ie. silicone based. Have you ever tried the Frezyderm Velvet SPF50?

It's probably also worth exploring alternative humectants that are also exfoliating like lactic acid and potentially prebiotics. I've two products in mind, though I've used neither and haven't really looked up reviews on them but I doubt they'd inform me much as your issue is quite specific. So, the Pestle and Mortar lactic acid NMF looks to be a good support player and then there's also the Gallinee face vinegar which is prebiotics and lactic acid. The latter comes in a large sample size available at lookfantastic. But I'm curious about the HA, so I'd consider seeing what it's like without it, I think it's just in the Superdrug serum and potentially the Cerave hydrating cleanser. I'm assuming it's Toleriane dermo cleanser that you have as well, some people have issues with residue with that. All things to explore fist, probably.

For a hydrating serum alternative without HA (if that does indeed turn out to be a factor, I'd just see if after a couple of days irritancy goes down) then I believe indeed labs does an HA free one.

Bo - for past few days have been having a reaction from Cerave Hydrating Cleanser - it felt like a stinging sensation.Not sure if it's related to Skin+Me, but have been using same tube for past few weeks, so it's a bit weird. Used to use demo cleanser but agree with the residue point you made in the above post. Any cheap suggestions?

Vanicream is supposed to be the gentlest thing out there. Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser is also good. I don't think I recommended Cerave in the damaged skin barrier sheet (should probably check). It's definitely one that's good for general skin with some sensitive skin but I don't rec it for truly sensitive skin and I too occasionally experience the stinging sensation with it when sensitised by Tret (which can flare up with seasonal changes).

@botemp thankyou for being so helpful and patient with me, really appreciate it

To be perfectly honest with you prior to those skin peels I was using whatever buzz product was in the latest magazines and never really had a routine as such.
More recently I have never been without the HA serum though so makes sense to drop it out and see if that helps.
I have never tried the spf you mention so will look about that one. I tried a bioderma one and la Roche posay both of which I felt were too heavy and pilling.

I will take a look at those 2 recommendations tomorrow and see which is best to try out. Are they instead of the cerave or dermo cleanser or should I look out for another cleanser too?
Gosh it's so hard being a woman sometimes

Thanks Bo - as usual, that was great advice, so using Avene. Vanicream is so expensive here in the UK, which I can only guess is US customs charges and is being imported in small quantities.

Am quite impressed with Apothaka comforting moisturiser at the moment. It's quite light, which I like, and is non fragranced.

Cherry I have been using the P&M NMF for 2-3 weeks and I really like it. I'm sure it's helped my skin settle in the aftermath of trying Skin+Me and Dermatica.

Ilove I cannot tolerate the Cerave cleanser, even at the point where my skin was fabulous and easy going (comparably speaking). Both times I tried it it prickled very strongly from the moment it touched my face. I've been using their night lotion for years so I'm not new to the brand.

@NinnyNewName super I will get the P&M online and give it a whirl.
I don't think the cleanser is irritating my skin as such, I just don't think it's the right product for me if that makes sense. Like it's not actually adding anything positive (might be expecting too much ha!!)

New thread, I was scrambling for a title, not sure about it

new thread

Will attempt to catch up over there.