🐌 Fantastic Skincare: Bear Shaped Pseudo Face Vibrators, Don't Ask us What They're For(eo) 🐻

[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

I wasn't sitting on my hands and I have no regrets (so far ). I mainly use black Friday to stock up on year's supply of things I continually reuse, like toothpaste. I got a boatload of cerave, etc. It's just easier than remembering to stock up whenever there's a 3for2 offer going.

Were the mystery bags at Beautylish, I think those tend to vary in quality a lot. Not sure I like Wayne Goss enough to take the gamble, I notice his stuff comes up for sale on resell sites a lot and I doubt they're sending out PR as if they have unlimited funds like a big beauty brand.

Speaking of Beautylish, Sallie I know you shopped a lot of Hourglass there once, do they do offers frequently? The black Friday stuff wasn't very interesting. Now that I have beautiful surratt eye shadows I realise I need some better eyeshadow brushes which I can only order from Japan or Beautylish.

I’ve not bought anything from Beautylish for ages Bo partly because Hourglass started getting easier to buy in the U.K. and cheaper too with Space NK and cult beauty offering good discounts, the actual product prices on Beautylish were always cheaper but taxes and P&P really bumped the cost up.

I also stopped as I have enough Hourglass to last me a lifetime I still love it and would happily receive it as a gift or buy with a voucher etc but I really, really don’t need any plus I’m on mission Super Scrooge at the moment due to work situation.

In other news my brow lady has got covid, she’s fine (mild cold symptoms) but can’t do my adjustments till 18th dec now.

My Black Friday orders have started to arrived
Cult beauty - ouai hand wash, fresh soap, candle
Kiyo beauty - er. A LOT of hair styling products
Only curls - mega hold gel
TK maxx - 2 x birch and brook candles (my new faves)

I'll update when the rest arrive

Did everyone start opening their advent calendars ? I didn't get any beauty one this year (or in the last few years for that matter), but I don't deny it's exciting to open them every day. I got myself a herbal tea advent calendar instead ( yes, I'm weird).
Yesterday Lisa Eldridge launched liquid eyeshadows and they are all so beautiful. It's very hard to choose, she has 5 shades, I'm sure she will add more. When she launched her first red lipsticks I hoped this will turn into a brand like Charlotte Tilbury and I think it has, and in sure she will come with more interesting stuff. I wish she was available in a store like boots but her batches are too small I guess.

Hi, I’m not exactly new here but have been AWOL for a few years don’t ask what I use on my face atm

I was wondering if I could get some advice to help a friend out for her Xmas present maybe. She just completely shaved her head because of hair loss and she mentioned to me about needing to get a tan on the top of her head so it better matched the darker sun damage bit on her forehead, that set my alarm bells off and I told her definitely not to do that and that I thought it was possible to lighten the sun damage. She is really quite pale naturally not super into tanning and early thirties.

I can remember bits of what i read year’s ago but as lightening wasn’t something I was into I don’t remember that much, but I do remember that stuff like AHA needs SPF and I am willing to lecture her on it.

I don’t think a one time peel would be her bag, having her face fall off on zoom won’t look great but maybe a very simple routine would work, she has her hands full with a toddler but no hair to faff with in the morning now which frees up a bit of time.

Does anyone have any advice or know if it would be safe to take her to a Deciem shop for example and get them to advise?
Thanks

Hi, older, I remember you, I think you were pregnant last time you checked in, I'm guessing they're a hyperactive toddler by now

Tanning your head is indeed a very bad idea. WRT tackling sun damage, it depends how bad it is. The gold standard would be to sign up with Dermatica and get a hydroquinone and tretinoin prescription (provided she's not breastfeeding or TTC), that'll be the quickest and likely most effective fix (although no 100% guarantees and all that). If money's no object a series of laser treatment could help but it'll be a longer process with a period of not so nice skin in between potentially. But that's if we're talking about proper sun damage that doesn't budge, if it's just this summer's tan from being outdoors and not using SPF then a standard acid toner (aha or pha, product choice would depend on her skin type) would be the quickest and simplest fix.

How are everyone's brows looking? I got a brow pencil from Surratt in my Black Friday madness and it's really good but I have to be a bit careful with it as it gives a bit too much presence for my brow, I may switch to the blonde colour when I got to refill it. Anyhow, it's made me conclude I really don't need to get mine professionally done, they really don't require that much extra attention.

Hello wise people, Merry Christmas.

May I be so bold as to enquire whether you know of a substance that so far has proved rarer and more elusive than gold, frankincense or myrrh?

Namely a cruelty-free moisturiser with ceramides but without silicone or shea butter?

Well that kind of depends how you define cruelty free, cerave is cruelty free but not through its parent company L'Oréal allowing third party testing. I'm not up to date on the mandatory testing in China policy, it was supposed to be abolished in 2020 then 2021 but I haven't heard anything about it but it should be gone soon, if that's already happened then cruelty free is easier to find. I'd have to think about alternatives in the 'China is still a thing' scenario, Paula's Choice has silicones in, I think, maybe face theory has something? There's Dr Jart (ceramidin liquid is without Shea I think) but not sure what their cruelty free status is, South Korean brands are hot on that but they're also pretty much right next to China.

Quick Google, unless I'm reading over it, the inlet list has one that would fit your criteria, I'm not up on their CF status but I'd be surprised if they weren't.

*Inkey list, stupid autocorrect

The Inkey list one is a brilliant shout thank you.

I go by No China Sales/No Parent Co or 3rd Party Testing and it fits the bill.

Thanks bo! Yes I was pregnant, she's three now and I have another one too, a baby boy.

She is BFing her own toddler which I know rules out some stuff and she wants another after spending the day sniffing my baby

I don't think it's that bad, it's not like she lays in the sun just only using SPF15 in makeup I think. Just in contrast to her very pale scalp it's dark. Will have a look with her for acid toner and some SPF, be nice to make a day of it in central London without the toddlers buuuuut covid so who knows.

Congrats on both babies if she's breastfeeding then it does limit options. I'd go for an acid toner and maybe a pigmentation serum with kojic acid and tranexamic acid.

I know GOW have a kojic acid and arbutin (also good with pigmentation) serum that's meant to be good for sun damage.

Vichy have a new serum (liftactiv B3) with tranexamic acid and a bit of glycolic in it (and a few other skin tone evening ingredients like niacinamide and I think licorice root). I doubt the glycolic in that will have the full impact of a standalone acid toner but it's probably more manageable for a busy mum to just steadily use one or two products instead of having to remember to use which product on which day and building up use, etc. just means it might take a bit longer to see results but it's not going to be an overnight miracle thing with any of the other options either. And obvs, she'll need to use decent sun protection but you already know that.

Yougotthis I hope it works well for you

Oh and in the interim and maybe a better idea for a day out for the two of you. Maybe visit a nice beauty hall for some bronzer instead just to fade out the harsh demarcation line?

I remember you Older, and oh my goodness, I can't believe how much time has flown by!

Congratulations to you!

I remember you too Older can’t believe you have two little ones now - congratulations! 👶🏻👶🏻🍼🎉

My brows are still very faded, adjustment on Saturday, it got postponed as brow lady had covid - no symptoms apart from a bit of a cold but she obviously had to do the isolation. I’ve got my covid booster on Sunday so hoping that won’t affect the results but I’ll ask, I can postpone the booster though would rather not as I’d likely have to wait till January to reschedule and don’t want covid over Christmas!

No advent calendars here of any kind, I’m still on Mission Frugality as leaving my job end of Jan and hoping to be able to take a couple of months off before finding something else.

I’ve been tempted by the Lisa Eldridge eye shadows but managed to sit on my hands, especially as I rarely wear eye shadow these days. If I get a non work from home job in the future I might indulge in some new makeup but at the moment my stash will see me through for years

Nothing exciting here
Makeup the other day, no foundation as masks kind of ruin that!
I did get a ciate collection which is really really nice, the palette especially. Out of stock but attached a pic

Skin is behaving except for my back. I hate the duac the doctor gave me as it bleached everything even if I let it dry really well. Got a soap from Amazon which had great reviews and so far is working but lots of red marks left

Thanks all for the great advice a couple of weeks ago. I now have some better and cheaper azelaic acid as well.
I have the retinoids information and would love to buy the Medic8 but am loathe to spend the money over Christmas! I may get the La Roche Posay and there are so many others that I can see on the Boots website but I don’t know if they would really be any good.

South, trying to remember, were you quite sensitive/rosacea and it was the R-retinoate from Medik8 we discussed? In terms of a gentle budget retinoid to test the waters with which you can get at Boots and similar the Indeed labs retinol reface is a good starter retinoid. If it was the crystal formulations we discussed, Avene does a retinaldehyde one (called retrinal ) that's meant to be good too. More budget, Geek and Gorgeous A game is also similar formulation with an increasing strength option and gets good reviews but a bit of a hassle to get in the UK.

Avene would be a good compromise as it is retinaldehyde. Anyway both are a good price.
Medicat8 does look nice but definitely a stretch and I am bothered about it not agreeing with me!
P50 has been great but needed diluting as it is paint stripper and I am 43 so a bit much.
Thanks again!!

Avène has been changing names and discontinuing and introducing new retinaldehyde products instead, so to avoid confusion, this blog post has a helpful overview (provided they didn't go changing things again).

Glad to hear the p50 modification means you can use it better now.

I bought the Avene Triacneal based on that article as it contains retinal. Let’s see how it goes.
Thanks for the detailed feedback. One of the biggest impact on my skin has always been diet so I think sticking to lots of fruit and veg is also the best way to look less red and inflamed!

Diet as in rosacea triggers? Or just generally eating well equals better skin?

I noticed today that the Liberty's online shop is selling p50 online, they don't ship it abroad so I couldn't see beyond that, but can it just be chucked into a basket without issues? Would be nice to know there's a flaming hoop free option for it, also first orders get 10% off although it's probably excluded in the fine print somewhere.

Liberty is a good place to buy p50 online without questioning (I used to buy it in France while working there before lockdown)….They regularly have it in the sale and Liberty normally gives vouchers out every few months if you buy bits and pieces. I very occasionally buy Bao Bao bags or candles and then get a lot of discounts.
I couldn’t tell you what Rosacea food triggers, (except alcohol), but my skin responds well to healthy eating. No surprise I guess.

Botemp - I just did add to bag and went as if to check out and no questions
Ooooohhhhhh ACTUALLY you are a genius!! I have signed up to the liberty subscription box so I get £20pm.. I may save it and get the p50 with it!