🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Jump through flaming hoops, repeat, 'Beauty is Pain', and acces to this thread will be unlocked

[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

Interesting Sallie! Yes my brows are disappearing and I get them dyed and threaded monthly, it's painful and annoying so I've been looking into microblading too... I think it means stopping retinoids for a while beforehand?

I didn’t know about stopping retinoids, I’m going to contact my aesthetician about my droopy mouth (not sure what’s allowed under current covid legislation but presume she will) so might ask her about microblading, she doesn’t do it but I know some of her colleagues do.

I use these brows as well, they look surprisingly ok but I have to trim them down a bit to get them thin enough for me and it’s a bit fiddly especially rushing in the morning.

www.amazon.co.uk/Godefroy-Brows-Transfers-Long-Lasting/dp/B089LVSLXJ?th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

The Maybelline peel off ones are pretty good as they stain the skin which is what I need seeing as I’ve no hairs , hoping the ones from yesstyle will do the same job.

A question please. My son is developing a lot more spots, predominantly on his forehead. Current skin regime at night is clean and clear face wash (salicylic acid) a spray of LRP zinc followed by LRP effaclar cream/gel. He doesn’t have long hair over his forehead and I do remind him not to touch his skin. I wondered about using acnecide on individual spots but I know it an be drying and bleach pillowcases! Any thoughts? @QueenPaws I think you sometimes use acnecide. What do you do about pillowcase? Thanks

Is clean and clear not very drying? You could try one of those sulfur drying pastes which are hot and miss or Zineryt, I thought the latter is OTC in the UK too but maybe that's just where I am?

Not clean and clear it’s the neutrogena visibly clear. Amber coloured one not grapefruit which is quite drying I believe. Looks like zineryt will be px as has antibiotic.

@Jedstre it worked well for me - I followed the acne.org regime until mine cleared up, and just kept an old towel and old pillowcase as yep, it bleached everything it touched!

Two products out, two in. No I haven't deliberately gone from budget to bougie, it just worked out that way

TO squalane - bland, cheap but works ok. I don't love it
LRP ultra - too rich for day but great for night. I got bored though as it lasted forever!

Deviant cleansing concentrate. Used once and adore it so far, emulsifies nicely, smells a bit nutty/herbal and I didn't need much (bonus pay treat)
Kate peptide moisturiser, haven't used yet (CH kit)

So after thinking my skin has settled down after the coil removal this week i'm back to several spots all along the skin and jaw line a combination of cystic and puss filled. Think I will take a trip to the pharmacy and see if they can recommend any over the counter things to try as i've no idea what is actually available here. Sadly my budget won't currently stretch to a dermatologist.

Out, if you can get Zineryt or Inderm (or generic equivalents) OTC those should help. Otherwise sulfur paste is often available at pharmacies for cheap but they're a bit hit and miss as to whether they work, they basically just dry spots into submission, very gentle though.

Thanks bo I went to the chemist this afternoon and the pharmacist suggested benzoyl peroxide, I have a tube to try but after getting home and reading about it I'll be proceeding with caution as it seems it can be very drying. Think I'll have to return at the weekend and pick up a more heavy duty moisturizer. In good news my discovery of Instagram beauty sellers is opening up many more brands, a lot are stocking cerave, there was a moisturiser they do you all love right?

BP tends to be hardcore although it depends on %. I know the UK it has a weird legal framework which means you can only get it in the higher percentages as opposed to the lower better tolerable percentages

It's the PM moisturiser that we all like (well not all, I'm a bit meh about it but I'm an exception). Name changes somewhat per market, I'm assuming you're getting US stuff but otherwise it's the one with Niacinamide in it as one of the first ingredients and no SPF called facial moisturising lotion but so is the body lotion (without the facial) and then there's one with SPF so it gets confusing.

Its 2.5% the pharmacists here are often a but enthusiastic to hand out the hardcore, DP went to get something for a migraine one time and returned with tramadol.
The BP was pretty cheap so I'll try it and see how it gets along with my skin. Lots of people online saying they had good results just using it as a contact therapy then washing it off so I'll switch to that if irritation occurs.

2.5% is the gentler concentration and generally easier to cope with. Acnecide is 5% and tends to have all the sensitivity issues. Yeah, it's often used in cleansers at 2.5% in the US and that works well so it's not something that necessarily needs to be left on.

Has anyone tried Dr Sam Bunting moisturiser?

Feel the need for something a bit heavier now that winter is coming and need something to cheer me up as depressed about working from home forever

Quite like the cleanser which makes my skin feel a bit, oh I don't know, bouncy?

I think a couple on here tried it and were meh about it. No one repurchased it anyhow. I'm not sure it's that heavy though. Depends on how you define heavy and what you're currently using.

Hi all :) My first time posting on here.

I was just looking for some advice. I have been using Avene Triacneal Expert for the last few months which contains 0.1% retinaldehyde. I am running low and I am not sure whether to repurchase or whether there is something stronger available over-the-counter that I should buy instead?

I find it confusing as I have read that retinaldehyde is "stronger" than retinol and it is the best retinoid available over-the-counter and only prescription products are stronger? However I have also read sources that tend to imply that retinol is better?

I am in my mid 20s so I mainly use it for hormonal acne and the Triacneal has worked really well for that.

Hi hopefulness, retinaldehyde is not necessarily stronger but it works more effectively and quicker in theory as retinol converts to retinaldehyde and then to the active ingredient (tretinoin) so it's one conversion step less. Because the conversion process requires certain conditions, which will differ from face to face having, one step less means it's more likely to do what you want it to do and less gets 'lost'. Stronger, as in you noticeably have irritation, doesn't necessarily mean it's working better.

If you want to switch to something else that has more of a noticeable effect than what you're using now I'd suggest looking at Medik8 Crystal Retinaldehyde, it is more money though, unfortunately.

Same ingredient but more sophisticated in its formulation (as retinaldehyde is not stable so delivery systems are key, Medik8 as a brand is very good at this) and therefore seems to be more effective, so much so you have to work up to the percentage of retinaldehyde you're currently using while the Avene is generally considered quite gentle to use. I'm not sure if switching to the same strength would be sensible, their customer service should be able to advise best on that.

Bo - am using Avene Tolerance Emulsion and have been for past few months. It works and is non irritating, which I suppose is a good partner for any potential irritants with Skin + Me. I really need to stop looking for the Holy Grail don't I?

Hopefullness My experience with Medic8 is that it's one of the best brands you can get before going to a dermatologist and the ingredients are quite good.

@botemp @ilovemydogandmrobama2 Thank you both for your replies. :) I am happy that the Avene is working still so I think I will stick with it for now and then move onto Medik8 when I am a little older (and hopefully have more disposable income lol!)

If it works for you hopefulness definitely stick with it. A few years from now there may even be something more interesting.

MrObama, doesn't that come in a richer version, a cream version instead of emulsion, or just called riche?

I can recommend the Curel as a mid-richness moisturiser.

Hi again Ello, did I ask about rosacea last time as those are quite classic rosacea symptoms? Especially the makeup sitting in all pores noticeably (rosacea has open pores with not much in them so they make for nice make up pools ). It cosmetics cc cream is worth considering, the founder has rosacea and specifically designed it for covering rosacea, it's quite a bit of coverage for something called a cc cream.

Barrier issues and HA can be issue for some, this is more an anecdotal thing I've noticed than backed by any science but the lower molecular weight HA definitely is prone to irritate and a weakened barrier is vulnerable to irritants. It can also be an issue of HA just being added willy Billy to everything and there just being too much of it.

Bit difficult to see what everything is with the picture. SA Cleanser probably best for your KP as it's a bit stripping, the hydrating cleanser is a wild card, some people have had averse reactions to it but for general skin it is generally good. For both issues, (barrier or rosaceae) it's probably best to avoid anything with fragrance in it.

Willy Billy 🤣 nilly, obvs

I put in an Amazon JP order and chucked in the Hada Labo with tranexamic acid (like it very much so far) and the Nivea SPF, the PA+++ one in a pump. Can't remember who on here is always lyrical about that one but I like it too, it has a very nice skin finish.

I also got an email from Lisa Eldridge with new products coming on October 3rd, I may actually buy something this time.