🐌 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

Oooooh! Interesting....

Can anyone recommend a less expensive alternative to Recherche Biologique P50 please? I've been using it for a few years but TBH I can't really afford to buy the same again. I'm combination sensitive, still get a few blemishes occasionally but they're pretty mild these days. I currently use:

Medik8 gentle cleanse foam wash
Rose water toner
Biologique Recherche P50 3-4 nights a week
Kohaku hada labo serum, mixed with
Melano CC serum in the morning
LRP sensitive fluid
Biorr Watery Essence in the morning

TBH I wonder if the BR is perhaps a bit strong for me now anyway, I'm early 40s & sometimes my face is still quite pink in the morning after I've used it. It didn't used to do that, it's only been the last year or so that's been happening.

That's a tough one, I think for combo sensitive skin either Paula's Choice BHA (although that probably isn't that cheap either) just for the combo/sensitive aspect but for something more like p50 Pestle and Mortar NMF toner or Gallinee Face Vinegar, both are gently exfoliating while preserving barrier health so not as aggressive as P50 but does have all the barrier nourishing aspects of it (aside from PHA) and you could probably use them more often but that would somewhat make the affordability aspect defunct. I think they're about half the price of p50, maybe a little less and can probably be purchased with a 20% off offer whenever one of those is going. I think the inkey list also has a PHA toner, as does Medik8 no idea if they're any good, Ren also does a lactic based toner but iirc may have some common irritants in it. All other dupes tend to have glycolic acid in which I wouldn't recommend for sensitive skin. I've not used any personally (except Paula's Choice, which is great but very different from P50), I think pestle and mortar would be the one that I'd take a chance on in terms of ingredients and acid content, although Gallinee sells a travel size so that could be a good first to try, but I suspect that's the mildest.

Sorry, paragraphs would probably have been nice

Thanks @botemp, I've ordered some of the Gallinee in the small size. Low price = good. I'm happy to start with a mild one & work up.

Hi! I'm an avid follower of this fantastic thread and I know a lot of you use vitamin c in the morning and tret/acid (alternating) in the evening. I also use the foreo bear with the snail mucin from cosrx (big follower of the thread as mentioned ) and I'm wondering that if vit c and tret/acid should go on the skin first post cleansing - how do you incorporate the snail stuff and the bear. Do you cleanse, do the bear and snail mucin in the morning and then 20 mins later do vit c, moisturiser sunscreeen etc say? So the snail stuff is absorbed fully before the vit c goes on?

Not sure why I'm focusing so much on this tiny detail when my jowls are hanging off my face at 34 but perhaps this is the key to why I look like a melting candle!

Hi one day, sorry I'm a bit slow at responding. So long as something is oil free, lightweight and water based I layer it underneath the snail muccin and then do the bear thing and then rest of my routine. So acids and vitamin c would probably go underneath depending on formulation but tret wouldn't.

Hi everyone 👋

Just popping into say hello but one day I do the same as Bo - timeless Vit c (it’s watery/oil free) then the Cosrx snaily stuff followed by the bear, I don’t do anything else in the morning apart from SPF then make up if I’m intending to wear it.

Apart from adding Vit c back in I’ve still got a very basic routine but now my brows have settled will start adding acid toner and maybe tret (not decided on that yet as my skin has not been any the worse for not using it). I’m a bit low on P50 but not sure if I can afford to repurchase so having a look at some of the other options mentioned above.

Hi the Glossier solution contains lactic, glycolic, salicylic acids and gluconolactone, niacinamide and acetic acid (vinegar) so it has the p50 basics. No onions though!
It is definitely strong stuff.

Thanks so much botemp and Sallie! I will put my vit c on first then (I use the skinceuticals one) and then the snails and the bear.

That looks good South thank you I’m on the Glossier website now but have got distracted browsing through makeup I do not need

Waves to everyone - Was getting major irritation using usual Dermatica (tret and hydroquinone) so asked for azeliac acid and niacinimide to be taken out, which has made such a difference.

@botemp - you were right. After following Dr Natalia Spierings on Insta thinking she was being altruistic about advice, she has launched a book [grin.] So your theory that there must be some agenda was right. I was wrong. But do still like her basics approach.

Has anyone tried / got an opinion on Trinny London skincare?

Haha MrObama, she took her time showing her true intentions then I was listening to a psychologist (or maybe it was an anthropologist) about social media gurus the other day, apparently you should judge people by their hair, or more how much they seem to care about it, very specific outward signs of vanity are apparently quite indicative of manipulating personality types and you're usually right not to trust them.

No opinion on Trinny skincare, didn't even know it was a thing, but if it's also bankrolled by Saatchi like the makeup line is, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

I'm currently being sucked into a microplastics in cosmetics wormhole. I'm fairly convinced it's mostly scaremongering (it includes things like silicones, pegs, polyquats, acrylates, etc) but the EU is announcing legislation on it so it can't be entirely scaremongering. I suspect it's a dramatised for effect/impact type of thing atm but it's going to mean a lot of reformulations in the near future.

There was recently in the press about a study where micro plastics is now in the human food chain (don't really want to think how they tested), so good that that cosmetics are under scrutiny. The amount of single use plastics really does frustrate me to such an extent that started using products from a small company where it was possible to purchase refills. It ended up being insanely expensive so went back to plastic

@botemp - Interesting point re: hair.

Waves to all 👋

Just popped on to say if anyone is in the market for a new tubing mascara I highly recommend the Glossier one & it’s not expensive.

I’m also liking the Solution south mentioned above so thank you for that rec

I’ve still not gone back on tret I just can’t face the dusty skin tret face scenario

I’m having my droopy mouth fillers done again soon, no Botox this time as don’t think I need it since having my brows done

Hello all, I fell of these threads a while ago but back hoping you can all share your wisdom. I've been using skin + me for the last 4 months and my skin has never looked so good. No spots, less blackheads and a healthy glow. However I've ran out and am struggling to get more shipped in. I've managed to source tretinoin locally but it's 0.05% whereas the highest I had via skin and me was 0.015%. What's the best way to go about introducing the higher strength? Or should I just hold out for a few months until the shipping is working again. I never had any issues with skin + me other than very slight dryness around the nose when first starting

Sali hughes has brought out her own skincare with revolution

https://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/sali-hughes-skincare-launch/amp?fbclid=IwAR37VJXmajUknh3z29bpGAvYU5eaLH6GoL-J3ADcPImg-Is9CTrJoB5jBtA

Ooooo- can’t wait for @botemp’s critique!?

Is that acid like p50 with some tranexamic in it?

What is this cheap stable 15% vit c??

I can't really tell from that blurb and the linked site doesn't show the products. Stable vitamin c means a derivative so the 15% percentage is rather meaningless or if it's the formula that's stabilised it's questionable that it is then actually effective so first impression isn't great. It does look like a lot of the products are heavily inspired by other cult products, I have mixed feelings on that.

@for, I think buffering is probably the best way to go. Add about a rice grain size worth of the tret to a bland moisturiser and probably start using it every other day or even longer in between just to see how well you're adjusting to it.

My atting doesn't seem to work on the new MN platform, last bit was to forest.

Hello! Amazing amount of information on this thread - thank you. Currently battling jowls and pigmentation...bought a Foreo Bear and hoping for improvement.

I've tried endless firming moisturisers etc which seem to have no effect. Was toying with signing up for Face Yoga...

thanks @botemp I have been doing this, so far no major dryness apart from round the nose which is being kept under control by slathering on LRP cicaplast. However my skin is looking awful after 2 weeks of this. The skintone is uneven and a lot of large cystic type spots along my jaw line and white heads on my forehead and chin. I have read about purging caused by tretinoin but I didn't experience this at all with skin + me. Hoping its just the stronger strength causing this and my skin will be back to looking great in a few weeks.

Reviving this barren thread, hope you've been getting on well with buffering Tret @Forresttheout

I have sunscreen news, I found a new one from Avène that I really like, anti age unifying tint SPF 50 which has a really nice skin tone evening quality and gives the slightest hint of that Bonne Minne thing that was all the rage a few years ago (basically looking like you're super healthy). It adapts to your skin tone but I do think it leans warm but maybe that's just on me?

Also, our local consumer authority thingy tested some sunscreens and some tested well below advertised protection, most were cheapy brands but one which took my notice was the Clinique body one that's similar to the mineral face one I sometimes recommend on here for face because it's so surprisingly nice to use for a mineral, so I guess that's why if it only offers something like SPF 18

Also, WRT my microplastics deep dive, turns out my initial hunch was right, mostly activist scare mongering.

Interesting @botemp - I’m always on the hunt for the perfect spf- I agree with @NinnyNewName neostrata is pretty high up there as I need mineral. Too many bad experiences with chemical… Though I have been repurchasing the Sam Bunting one as it’s a thicker consistency and a bit more moisturising I think. Is the new avene one mineral @botemp ? I can only see a spf 30 antiredness one on my uk Google- is it in a white or orange tube? Maybe we don’t have it yet??

I’m not pregnant anymore (woop woop!) so building back up on the crystal retinaldehyde- so looking forward to being on full strength again! Too sacred to try tret- I have really red- prone and sensitive skin… will save for my forties in case it all goes wrong then!!

While I was ordering the medik8- got sucked in to their advanced night repair- designed to go with your retinol- and I really like it. Only thing that’s come close to the exorbitant 421 lipid repair skinceuticals for me so far if anyone else is looking for a cheaper alternative.

Managed to resist their copper peptides serum though - has anyone else tried this? Any good? Do I need this? Or did I do well resisting?