🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Vanities Are The New Shelf Porn

[botemp]

Thread 1 Thread 2 Thread 3 Thread 4 Thread 5 Thread 6 Thread 7 Thread 8 Thread 9 Thread 10
Thread 11 Thread 12 Thread 13 Thread 14 Thread 15 Thread 16 Thread 17 Thread 18 Thread 19 Thread 20

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

Hmm, well there's essential oils and fragrance in there which is probably isn't the cause but it's not helping the situation either. Anyhow, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate is likely the issue. For one, it penetrates more efficiently than L-AA ascorbic acid which potentially makes it more irritating than L-AA (and it's not like L-AA is irritation free for everyone) and then it converts into L-AA which is possibly another point of potential irritation.

Hmmm. I'll try and work out what it is
I've recently started dermatica but I was using tret before so don't think it's that
Of course it could be stress/shielding etc and I'm waiting on diagnosis of a thyroid issue that they're refusing to medicate

@botemp thanks for replying!
The scarring is pigmentation. My skin is generally uneven too and probably sun damaged.
Acne not particularly problematic at the moment although I have had 2 really deep painful spots in the last month which I’ve struggled to leave alone and marked my skin again
I don’t know how to handle these types of spots that never come to the surface? It drives me mad knowing there’s gunk trapped under my skin.

@ilovemydogandmrobama2 I have actually had some laser hair removal done at one of the Skin clinics. I believe it is a ‘proper’ laser that they use and I’m still happy with the results after 5/6 years, no regrowth yet.
With hindsight I don’t like the way the pricing and packages are set up though and I don’t think they did a good a job as possible, in order for me to have to buy more sessions. I might be totally wrong but that’s my experience if it’s any help!

@botemp - of course you're right but just got a bit giddy about the tinted SPF. But probably not a great idea to purchase a new product in lockdown without being able to try the colours first. Will just order more Avene. Reliable.

@heartbeeps - That was pretty much my conclusion about Skin clinics. I started to look into the number of sessions available, but it's a package of 8, which would be overkill except for my legs .

Have been using PC 1% BHA Calm, and really really like it. Doesn't sting, but some difference after a week, like a deep clean.

Botemp - as it happens I don't like coffee so anecdotal yes but fits in with what you said!

Heart, in that case it's probably best to go the prescription tretinoin route with Dermatica as they can also prescribe it with hydroquinone in to help with the pigmentation. It's an online dermatologist service where you pay a monthly fee for your product (you can stop and start at any time) and send in a questionnaire and a few pictures. It also means that if your acne does regress on POP they can also prescribe antibiotics. SPF absolutely mandatory with that though, no getting around it.

Can you discern whether it's cystic or just a 'normal' below the skin spot? If it's the latter, I have yet to try it but it's a French pharmacy staple, Hexomedine Transdermale is meant to be really good with taking down the inflammation of those. It's quite cheap but you'd need to order it from an online French or Belgian pharmacy.

Vitamin C can also help with pigmentation but it's probably better to leave that for now and get used to using tretinoin/hydroquinone first. I'm not sure if there's still a waitlist with Dermatica but it goes pretty quickly.

MrObama, a nice tinted SPF is real nice in summer but it is a bit like buying makeup. Some are a little too flat iykwim. The only one I can think of to buy sight unseen is the Neostrata/Exuviance one as that one is sheer (but evens out just enough) and unlike most mineral sunscreens it doesn't go ashy at all so the colour is very neutral and suits most, from fair-ish to medium. I wasn't a big fan of it (didn't absolutely hate it either) as a sunscreen but I'm in the minority, maybe I had an off bottle 🤷

Ooh interesting cad. I wonder if a caffeine supplement would do anything, if there is such a thing.

Scrap that, I looked at the article again. It's the polyphenols from caffeinated coffee not the caffeine that's helpful. Not sure where else you'd get those polyphenols from, I'm sure someone's working on it.

Perhaps I should do an experiment and start drinking coffee see if it helps!

Has anyone tried this Avene tinted SPF?

Pupsie, yes, it's lovely (by mineral SPF standards) were it not for staining things. Nothing major, think the edges of clothing, don't take a nap on a pristine pillow, etc. but still annoying.

Cad, I'm not sure how scientific that all is...

Pupsie - haven't tried the tinted one, but am a huge Avene fan, so will be waiting to see what others think.

Botemps - Have ordered the Neostrata, although quite like the Heliocare gel, really need a tint and am somewhat reluctant to wear foundation at the moment. Having lots of Zoom meetings though.

Heart/Bo - although this thread has made a bit of an impact on my debit card, the advice about the laser treatment pointing out that the Lumea is a good option, has saved me loads, so thank you.

Always happy to save people money. The Neostrata looks good on camera bit like you've applied powder, as in the effect of a powder polish iykwim not that you look powdery. Just make sure to really shake the it well before use, I think that's where mine went wrong as a load of clear sticky liquid came out (I did shake it but not enough, I guess) and I think that changed the consistency of it for me from then on.

Bo How did you find the colour of the Avene tinted SPF? Was looking at a video by Dr Dray who said it was suited to darker skin types...

I've dug out the couple of mineral SPFs I've had but should probably replace them as they're a few years old (Baremineral Prep Step - okish, and Skinceuticals - awful!)...

Tsm, the colour isn't that dark, but it's not light either, sort of a light/fair colour but it's not pink or yellow in undertones it has a slight sludge green/beige tone to it. Medium tones will struggle less with it than someone who has pink undertones. It was actually quite a good colour for me as I'm fair but with neutral/olive undertones but finding it smeared everywhere put me off and I also questioned how well it stayed put because of that. I think Dr. Dray also refers to skin tones in the dermatological sense (Fitzpatrick scale) which probably confuses it further, I'm a Fitzpatrick 3 or 4 (haven't tanned in years so can't say for sure anymore) that would put me in 'medium' but I'm on the fairer side.

Ha, I remember your Skinceuticals disaster was it the fluid version in the bottle or the tube one?

Love your description of the colour as sludge green! I might have to take a punt on it just for that , although it does sound like it might work quite well and isn't that expensive if it's a mistake. A mineral SPF is probably a good idea given how sensitive my skin has been to actives recently, so if that doesn't work I'll try the Neostrata one.

It was the bottle version of SC, so disappointing!!

Thanks @botemp that’s really useful.
Did a little bit of reading and think I might try out the Hexomedine transdermal. Have never found a spot treatment that really works.. having said that I probably don’t give anything a proper chance before I give in to the urge to squeeze
I’ve signed up to the waiting list for Dermatica. Think I’ll focus on a good basic routine with an spf until I speak to them and go from there.

Not blow dried my hair straight for 8 weeks now. I usually tie it up. It desperately needs a trim and a thin out, and my roots doing. But as I said previously I am thinking about going lighter.

I wonder what I could do to make it a little less frizzy and a bit more defined. I don't like lots of products, no movement etc. Any ideas?

This is from the back. It's very strong hair. It's not particularly thick but I have a lot of it. Short to medium layers don't worry. A I can easily look like a triangle head. So weight and length is easier i would just like to be able to wash and leave without 20 minutes blow-drying.

Don't *work

bo thankyou I'll maybe give heliocare a try I get on well with LRP my only complaint is occasional eye stinging and it's a little sticky when first applied.
I tried a new bb cream yesterday by nip fab, I bought it weeks ago but hadn't tried it as I wasn't going anywhere. Sadly I've had a bit of a reaction to it, was itchy within 10 minutes of applying and a few hours later my skin was very red and blotchy, antihistamines have helped but my skin is very sensitive today.
pupsie from the pictures it looks like we have similar hair, I keep mine reasonably short at shoulder length with only long layers. I generally wash it in the evening and put it into loose plaits while I sleep. Keeps it less frizzy without blow drying

Ladies, I have the BYBI Buckuchiol booster and it’s lovely. It’s 1% Buckuchiol in Olive Squalane. Really moisturising. My question is, would you put this on before or after a Niacinamide serum? It just says on the packaging that it’s a booster that can be added in to other skincare products.

Do report back Heart, I'm quite curious if the Hexomedine really is any good. Simple routine with SPF sounds like an excellent plan.

That's annoying out, nip and fab is a bit dodgy though, I tend to swerve it completely which is easily done here as it's weirdly expensive.

Pupsie, as out is sort of saying, if you want to wear it with your natural texture than it sort of needs to be cut for it, and that's pretty much keeping it at one length with longer layers, if any. CGM styling products aren't that noticeable or stiff (with the exception of gels, mousse and foams but you scrunch those out when dry) and you'll likely need something to tame it since you usually colour and heat treat it.

Fete, tbh boosters are a new thing and I don't think it matters all that much, I tend to think of them as things you add to moisturisers so I'd layer over a niacinamide serum but I think that's also a booster so there's probably no right order, you could probably just add it all to a bland moisturiser 🤷

CGM CHAT: Sophie are you still about, has your cap come in yet? I still haven't bought any samples as still stuck trying to decide what without losing the plot. I did sprits some Ouai wave spray (not CGM) in because that has a fair bit of protein, it makes my hair frizzy (think flash drying but it's also supposed to give beach hair so may just be the intention) but it's manageable with gel and it's definitely confirmed I do want some protein in my stylers, just trying to decide where and what product now...

@botemp I don't know if you can get it where you are but AG recoil is supposed to be amazing

Yeah, I've had it cut like that before. It's still frizzy and doesn't go quite wavy enough, unfortunately. It's more of a texture thing than a cut thing in my experience. It is overdue for an Elasticizer session and that will help a bit. I've had some horrific haircuts with hairdressers who just don't get my hair. Been with the current one for 5 years and she does.

I've had it shoulder length before, for many years. Think I prefer more length as easier to wear up and easier for exercise/my lifestyle.