🐌 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 - Dermatica offering prescription Azelaic Acid at 20%.

As a standalone? You can easily get 20% AA from the Boots and Superdrug acne clinic, whole tube for the price of a single months subscription at Dermatica which is 15ml, I think?

@botemp - it's not on subscription, but as you mentioned as a standalone. I did go onto the Boots website, but they asked for identification, but no way to upload, so after 25 minutes, they banned me from applying for 7 days.

DH is howling that I have managed to get a ban from Boots!

So ordered the Dermatica.

Banned from Boots that's some accomplishment, you need to commemorate that somewhere.

Is it the cream or gel form, iirc the gel 15% is better than the cream 20%, I'd be scared if it was 20% gel 😬

Hi @botemp, I’m in need of some advice as I’ve basically had the same routine for a few years but my skin seems to be changing now I’m a bit older. Not sure if it’s dry or dehydrated though. My current routine:

Cleanse - LRP Toleriane cream cleanser
Toner - pure rose water, sometimes neroli water if I can’t get rose water.
LRP spray - the one in the blue can
AM only, Melano CC serum
Alternate PM only, BR P50
Kohaku hada amber lotion
LRP Toleriane Sensitive Fluide
Eyes only, Bioderma Sensibio eye contour gel
AM only, Biore watery essence

I have combination, sensitive skin, gets dehydrated quite easily. Used to be oily when I was younger (am 40) but more settled now, but I do still get a few blemishes. I’ve recently noticed patches of dry-looking, almost crepey skin on my forehead & cheeks. I don’t have any wrinkles yet. My skin is still producing some oil, including on those areas & I’m careful not to use products that strip it. I do eat plenty of healthy fats - seeds, avocados, fish etc. It was on these threads that I got my routine sorted but maybe it’s no longer suitable for me, I don’t know. I think I’m premenopausal as well.

Yeah, sounds like dehydration, maybe try some cicaplast in the drier areas at night to get a bit of a richer product in? Potentially the sensitive fluide was good when you were oilier and now you need something a bit more occlusive. Have you been cooped up with the pandemic, as that has also definitely impacted a lot of people's skin.

I have a chronic illness which leaves me bed bound at times, although other times I am fine & can get out as normal. I am more vulnerable due to it though as I’m at higher risk of a stroke & I have quite bad asthma, so I’ve been mostly staying in until I had my 1st vaccine a few weeks ago. Spent 3 months in bed last summer due to my illness as my clinic was closed & couldn’t get my usual treatment. Definitely looking older, my jawline isn’t as firm any more. Will try the cicaplast, thanks. Do you think I should also switch to a different formulation of the BR P50 when I next buy a bottle? If so which one? The one I use does still sting/tingle a little for a second or two sometimes.

In that case, for now, I'd attribute skin weirdness to being indoors so much as well as being ill for so long. It sounds like you've had a tough time of it, hope you're feeling better now

You could consider switching to the V formulation as it's gentler (but not as gentle as W) but has some more nourishing ingredients that focus on barrier health so that could be a good fit. A bit stronger but not as strong as you have now is the PIGM 400 version, it's more for pigmentation but it's also a little brightening. The latter has a very short expiration date though (6 months) so if you can't buy the travel sizes it's not the best value for money (the travel size lasts me 6 months when used every other day).

I'd probably go for the V next time then, thanks. I've ordered some Cicaplast. I looked for the tube I thought I had & discovered it's nowhere to be found. Obviously it expired or got used up & never replaced. I am much better than last summer, thanks. I don't have any pigmentation issues, thankfully. Barrier & blemishes always been an issue but I've never been a sun lover (I've never sunbathed in my life, literally) so the only discolouration I get is after a spot - & that doesn't happen so much anyway now I have a better routine & less blemishes generally.

Hello! I used to follow these threads a couple of years ago and got my routine sorted. I've now got an 18 month old who doesn't sleep through the night and its showing on my face! I'm thinking of adding a retinoid to my skincare so will have a look at the guide but I also need a new Azeliac acid as the GOW was I was using has changed and it doesnt seem to suit my skin now. I've been looking at the Paulas Choice one is anyone has an experience with it?

Currently my routine is
AM
LRP Toleraine cleanser
Superdrug serum
Cerave PM moisturiser
Neostrata tinted SPF 50

PM
Emma Hardie Moringa cleansing balm
LRP Toleraine cleanser
GOW Azeliac Acid
GOW Niacinamide
Superdrug PM serum
Cerave PM

I've got quite sensitive skin and melasma too.

Good to hear you're much better now Excellent

Hello bluebell, provided you're not supersensitive and done breastfeeding it sounds like Dermatica would be your best choice. It's a prescription tretinoin dermatologist service and they will mix in other actives like Azelaic, since you have melasma I suspect they'll also put in hydroquinone. If you're not interested in the latter you can also consider Skin + Me (direct competitor, there's some differences but overall the service and guidance seems to be better, they have said they'll get hydroquinone too at some point in the near future but I'm not sure when that is exactly). They're both subscription services, you upload pictures and fill in a questionnaire, no charge for the consult, just for the monthly subscription of the product (it's something like 15ml) you can choose frequency and stop and start the subscription at any time you want.

@botemp - that's so funny. Just emailed Skin + Me about hydroquinone, and also to find out when they will stop increasing the tret and put on a maintain type dosage.

@Bluebell9 - Some on this thread prefer Dermatica, and some prefer Skin + Me. Dermatica has the consistency of a gel, whereas Skin + Me is more of a cream consistency, which personally I prefer, although have ordered the Dermatica AA.

Thank you @botemp and @ilovemydogandmrobama2, I will have a look at both.

Update that the ameliorate is definitely my HG for my bumpy arms!
The cerave SA has urea in so I've been using a bit on my feet and they are like baby feet now with a microplane foot file

I bought some Ameliorate a couple of weeks ago. I'm really struggling with the smell! I'm okay with stuff not smelling 'nice'. I'd rather have unscented. This is grim. To the point where I had some on my hands and it was keeping me awake the other night, as I sleep with my hands near my face.

Does yours smell Queen?

I found a travel size ameliorate and agree it smells like off milk but I only use it on my legs so it doesn’t bother me. Legs are softer but still have bumps but I’ll use it up and see what happens before I get the alpha stuff Bo recommended.

Also found travel size ebrorian primer & CC cream, when & where I got those lord only knows but not much impressed with either of them.

Bought some heliocare tinted spf, not keen on that either as it’s a bit drying but might be ok once we’re into summer.

Timeless Vit c not arrived yet and haven’t used the bear 🐻 was really not the right time for me to buy it but wanted to take advantage of the discount.

Yes it does stink!

Didn't realise we were already almost out of space, new thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/4226644--Fantastic-Skincare-Bear-Shaped-Pseudo-Face-Vibrators-Dont-Ask-us-What-Theyre-For-eo

(And, yes, lactic acid stiiiinks, there's little disguising it).

I got some too and don’t mind the smell- I fact I hasn’t noticed it had one. I am using it on my face.

@botemp hi, hope you're well.
Thank you for your recommendations of spf 50 (mineral) for use with tretinoin.
I found a good 'un, but it's now out of stock across the UK :-(
I'd like to go back to my La Roche Posay as it suits my sensitive skin so well www.boots.com/la-roche-posay-anthelios-shaka-ultra-light-facial-sun-cream-spf50-50ml-10259635
It's a chemical, though. Would the protection be as good as a mineral one?
Many thanks

Hi popular, refresh my memory, please, were you having issues with pigmentation and on hydroquinone (but it made it worse, or am I confusing you with someone else)?

FIY, we've moved onto a new thread, link is a few posts back just in case this one fills up.