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

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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

Babooshka, just a heads up, the Dr Sam SPF is a combination sunscreen, so both mineral and chemical. continuing to use SPF 30 when very slowly introducing it, technically you shouldn't, but if you are primarily indoors, winter hours with little light, and you keep away from the windows (1.5m minimum) you may get away with it but it's not really recommended advice.

Just to give you an overview of how I introduced it, I used to use r-retinoate every other day, I switched that to three specific days to make it easier to remember, then used Tret on the fourth day (mo-we-fr r-retinoate, Sunday tretinoin) for two weeks, then stopped using vitamin c when doing Tret twice a week (Wednesday and Sunday) stuck to that rhythm for a while, think 3-4 weeks then gradually swapped out the other days, then I eventually used up r-retinoate on the alternate days but that was months down the line. I've stuck with the low concentration and I think I'm a year and half in now, and just use it nightly now and am considering moving up to 0.05% but probably once winter is fully here.

SuperFairy, while the idea is good, the solution is simpler than capsules, just keep your vitamin C in the fridge. Capsules are handy for travel but that specific formulation is a bit of a waste as it's in a silicone base, it wouldn't oxidise anyhow (or certainly not at the rapid speed a water based version does). Vichy does some ampoules here but I'd only consider those for travel only, tbh due to cost (it's 10 ampoules ) and it's only 10% L-AA. Cheaper to just buy a mini skincare fridge if you don't want to use your kitchen one.

MrObama, my pigmentation issues are PIE, after a spot is gone it'll stay red for a really long time (weeks) and then finally turns into a PIH and only then vitamin C will tackle it, but tack on another couple of months or even over a year in some case, thankfully I don't have spots often but the aftermath is a pain in the ass. The TXA means they never get to that PIH stage and they go quicker so I'm really pleased with it and PIH that were there have cleared up quicker too as well as some general redness.

I'm not sure about the Inkey list one, I was intending to buy that but then saw a Gothamiata video (I think it's this ) and she recommended the Hada Labo over the Inkey list as the concentration was higher and also contained vitamin C so I'd see benefit from that synergy twice a day, plus hydrating HA is helpful this time of year too. I think what was timeless UK and is now something else also stocks Hada Labo but it was oos when I was buying, ordered through Amazon Japan as that would get to me the quickest (4 days or something like that).

Bo - She is a bit shouty, but quite knowledgeable, and after various translations think I managed to order the one you suggested on Amazon UK.

It’s a combination one? Well now I feel silly! Oh well, ordered it now so I’ll proceed cautiously and see how I fare. It was a bad reaction to Heliocare spf at least 5 years ago that got me onto mineral ones, skin was fine but my eyes were so sore and red, wouldn’t stop watering, I always suspected it may have been an allergic reaction to their patented ‘Fernblock’ ingredient so hopefully that’s all it was and I actually can tolerate a chemical spf.
Thank you very much for sharing your introductory tret routine, I like the idea of picking 1 specific day per week to start off with and go slowly from there.

@Babooshkayaya1 - I also had a huge problem with sensitive eyes with sunscreen. Have you tried Altruist Face fluid? I don't get a reaction from it, and it's fairly affordable. Definitely Don't get the anti redness unless you want to look like Donald Trump

Ooh, no, I haven’t come across the Altruist one, thank you - and for the anti-redness heads up, no desire to channel Donald!

I've spent a lovely afternoon reading this thread. I used to be into skincare, then I fell ill (often rely on mobility aids now) and it took me everything to wash my hair and brush my teeth.
I would love to have more of a skincare routine. I'm using cerave moisturiser and have an old bottle of neostrata. Eventually I'll start retin a. In the meantime what would be the best products and good routines? My skin is dull and tired, saggy and dry, some fine lines. Should I add vit c to the cerave and glycolic, anything else?

Hi Bloomed and welcome 👋

Sorry we’ve been a bit quiet here, think everyone has a lot on their minds.

I’m not familiar with neostrata, is it an SPF? If not then you definitely need one, ideally spf 50 but minimum 30. I’d go with 50 if you’re going to start on vit c and you’ll definitely need it once you start retinol.

Most of us here are on a cleanse, Vit c, moisturiser, SPF routine in the morning and double cleanse, tret or acid toner, moisturiser routine in the evening but which products will depend on your skin. Is it dry or just dehydrated, do you have any sensitivity or intolerances etc, it’s Bo’s fact sheets on page 1 of the thread might give you a steer on this.

Tretinoin is the only product I believe that has any affect on sagging, you can order it from Dermatica or Skin+Me who are online dermatologists.

I’m in a Vit c dilemma at the moment as the one I use is being discontinued in the U.K. so I’m on the hunt for another.

Thank you! Neostrata is a glycolic. I'm using a high factor sunblock already.
I think the next step is a vitamin c product and then I'll start looking for a retinoid. Let me know which vit c product you decide on SallieSallow. My skin is a little dehydrated

Hormonal acne breakout here and peeling from tret. Attractive!
Dermatica I never peeled with, skin and me I do

Forgot to add I am off to dermatology on Friday, nothing beauty related but I have severe chronic urticaria. I'm seeing the urticaria specialist king after an 11 month waiting list and hoping to try a drug called Xolair

Sorry, yes I've been elsewhere. Nice to see you here too Bloomed no help with vitamin c at the moment as our preferred one is now no longer sold here. Which one are you considering Sallie? Did you see the other one I posted with the LowpH trademark thingy

Yes Bo that’s one of the ones I’m considering, also GOW which I know had the annoying spurty spout 💦 but can’t remember what the verdict on the actual product was, though don’t think anyone here uses it anymore so likely not great. Also looking at the Inkey list but can’t remember if that’s been tried and tested here.

I’m not desperate yet and don’t like buying it too much in advance anyway so have a bit of time to decide.

Queen I’ve got a bit of peeling going on but it’s my usual winter skin rather than specifically tret. Which has reminded me I need to cancel either skin+me or dermatica, not sure what to do as think skin+me are more ethical and helpful as a company but still prefer the texture of dermatica

I've also got my derm appointment tomorrow. I've had a bad time with my eyes. They became very swollen and itchy and sore and red for about a week. I am fairly certain it was eyelid dermatitis. I saw my optician who confirmed my eyesight was not affected. I changed Omega 3 supplements and I think it was a reaction to the new one. It sounds a bit bonkers! I remember 10 years ago when DH changed protein powder and had an awful rash as a result.

Good luck Queen.

Bo am loving the Hado tranexamic acid. Using just this and Skin + Me and several have commented my skin looks great not anyone whose allowance I pay either

I got the mother dirt moisturiser for a teeny amount (swap site) so I'm going to try that later

Hi bo. Once I stop living in pjs I'll be back on French matters 😉
For vit c i may use some vouchers on a bottle of SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic while brighter souls work out the ultimate potion.

Ha, Bloomed I think most of the thread is in exercise gear (whether there's actual exercising is unclear 🤫) and I've just bought a shapeless sack dress from Cos so you'd be in good company in your PJs

CE ferulic is usually on offer here so I have thought to just get that next time too as at least that's always available. The serum 10 (also Skinceuticals) is an alternative, same serum just 10% instead of 15% Vitamin C and half the price. Anything 10-20 is good, the higher percentages are usually suggested for pigmentation (but tbh I don't think vitamin c is the top choice for this anyhow, see my renewed love of tranexamic acid above) and there's generally the idea that your own body produces less vitamin c available for the skin as you age but I'm not sure how the percentage correlates to age exactly but maybe menopause is a good indication as that's when collagen production really plummets, ie. the higher percentages of 15+ would make more sense then?

Me too, MrObama, me too. Are you also looking like an ethereal ghost without all the redness? It seems a really happy match with Tret, I agree. I'm already halfway through the bottle but I use it on my bottom legs too as I have some pigmentation from ingrown hair scarring.

Sallie, gow, yeah it was okay, but overall I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. I've not heard many good things about the Inkey list vitamin C.

I GOT APPROVED FOR XOLAIR FOR MY HIVES

Glad you got a good outcome @QueenPaws.

I had a really positive appointment with my Derm just now. Very different from my only other Derm experience, 10 years ago. I wonder if it was because we're a similar age, ie we both grow up in the era where a bit of a tan was healthy and SPF was for holidays only. We had a good chat about skincare, actives and HRT.

She thinks the eyes, which have all but cleared up, is dermatitis and I've just bought the ointment she recommended. With her magnifying glass and light she could see some very faint redness in that area I was struggling with, between my nose and mouth.

She thinks I do have very mild rosacea and she has prescribed Soolantra for 3 months. No need to go back for a review unless I need to.

She recommended LRP Redermic R and C (no surprise there) after that and building up from there again. Which is exactly what I did last time:

LRP Redermic R -> Pestle & Mortar -> Neostrata

She also recommended LRP Anthelios SPF (again, no surprise there).

She said she's got quite hardy skin but she has an Obagi retinol in the cupboard for a couple of years because she can't be bothered to deal with the tret face she knows she'll get.

She was quite complimentary about my skin which was nice given that it's not at its best in a couple of areas. I appreciated her non judgemental, approachable manner.

Bo That's exactly what I look like... . It's a really cut back routine, but seems to be working

Ninny So pleased you had a good appointment. When I first came on this thread, you suggested taking it slowly with LRP Redermic

Well remembered ilove. Took me 2-3 years to move through those products. I thought I was safe with prescription retinol.

Ninny Sounds like an excellent appointment and so great to have an understanding Dr. Sounds pretty reassuring and sensible advice?

And congrats QueenPaws - I've heard of Xolair as an asthma med but didn't know about urticaria... fingers crossed for you!

I've just had my second delivery from Yesstyle - and now have enough SPF for the next year :) Purito and Skin Aqua Moisture Gel

Plus another lip tint AND the CosRx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream - which I highly recommend for tret or winter face. It's REALLY rich but not greasy, smells good, lovely stuff. I'm going to do another order pre-Brexit - maybe including that Hada Labo lotion....

Still being pretty basic with my routine and glad I switched to the MAP version of vitamin C. No red face, just occasional stinginess if I've used a bit too much tret (still doing Skin & Me, at 0.021%, increases to 0.024%)

The Hada Labo tranexamic acid lotion has MAP in it too Tsm, just in case you needed convincing how long does it usually take to get to you Tsm, because I'm thinking pre Brexit plus Christmas you probably need to order around now but their black Friday offers are usually very good, I think they do singles day too which is about now, I think.

👻 Ghosty elbow bump, MrObama I've finally ordered some vanicream cleanser from the US btw.

Good to hear good experiences with the derms.

Mine was excellent. He's an urticaria specialist and I was just talking about the hives and then suddenly wailed down the phone at him. He said "I'm so sorry, it's debilitating isn't it?"
Then he said right, enough is enough, I'm prescribing Xolair, start in 2-3 weeks, it's so unfair on you if we don't

Queen mine is a rosacea specialist: that's why I chose her.