🐌 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

[AnotherMansCause]

Hi, can you recommend a toner for me please? I usually use rose water but the aromatherapy shop I've been going to for years has closed & it seems quite pricey on line. My routine is currently as follows:

LRP Effaclar H face wash
Pixi Glow toner (too drying I think, it stings a bit) - I've only been using this a couple of months
Kohaku Hada labo Amber lotion
Neutrogena hydro boost cream (day & night versions)
Biore watery essence SPF50

Am several months post roaccutane. No real spots, a few minor blemishes occasionally but they clear up pretty well & quickly. Main issue is skin dehydration & slight flakiness which seems to occur randomly, it could be to do with the weather, if I catch a cold, pollen levels, how tired I am... and sometimes my skin is great for several days & completely comfortable. IDK maybe I should just try to find a decent rose water supplier on line. Skin was dreadfully dry while on roaccutane but it's not any more, just comfortable now, mostly.

Would also appreciate recommendations re face wash - I've always preferred a wash - as I'm still using the stuff I used whilst on roaccutane. It's nearly finished now though. Am mid 40s, no wrinkles, skin sensitive. I use a microfibre cloth daily.

[botemp]

If you're post roaccutane it is probably a good idea to switch out the oily skin products like the face wash. Cerave hydrating cleanser is a solid one for most, LRP Toleriane hydrating caring wash is also good.

Pixi glow toner shouldn't be drying, but the stinging which you might associate with drying astringent toners of the past is probably an indication that it's too irritating (glycolic can be quite irritating and I assume the roaccutane will have sensitised your skin). So either reduce use (glycolic really should be a 2-3x a week thing, or less) or take a break from it.

WRT rose water, do you use it for the soothing aspect? Or do you just enjoy using it? I tend to view it more as an add on, other products are probably more effective and multi purpose (eg. Aveeno calm and restore triple oat serum). But if you just want a rose water toner because you enjoy using them, I think the last one I used was a Kiehl's one which was a GWP which was fine and very long ago I used Santa Maria Novella's rose water which I do remember being nice.

[AnotherMansCause]

Thanks, I'll try the Cerave one. I'm not having much luck finding anywhere that has the LRP in stock, one place online has a very large bottle but I'm wary to get a large size straight off, I've reacted badly to niacinamide before. I bought the LRP Effaclar H as it's specifically recommended for roaccutane, & other drying type face treatments, but it's not cheap & it's a pain having to order it. My local shops are small & rubbish, the nearest decent sized shops for skincare are an hour / a £10 train ride away. I usually stock up 3-4 times a year when I have an appointment in the city so I plan my purchases in advance.

TBH I'd like to keep the rose water in my routine as I've consistently had no problems with it in over a decade, no increase in dryness/dehydration, stinging, anything. When my skin is really sore - if I've forgotten my antihistamine & then we get a high pollen day for example - I just wash with a microfibre cloth with oil & water, & then use the rose water. Loads of products that are supposed to be for sensitive skin either sting or make me break out so it's just quite reliable. Unfortunately since I lost my local aromatherapy shop, getting hold of it is less reliable.

[Mummyingetc]

Hi all

@StrychnineInTheSandwiches any update on your haul? I’m particularly interested in the illyoon ceramide and the Corsyx overnight goopiness??

I’m on the corsyx vit c serum which I think I like better than geek and gorgeous as it seems more moisturising- @botemp will tell me now that it’s because the vit c in it is useless but I really struggle with dryness.

I use the Paula’s choice 0.3 retinol over the medik8 Crystal retinal because it’s got the Bakuchiol in it as well- when I was pregnant and couldn’t use retinol my skin seemed to really like Bakuchiol so I thought this might be good.

What I really want is the skinceuticals lipid repair 4:2:1 or what ever the ratio is but is sooo expensive! I’m continually hunting for something as plumpy but without the price tag- tricky when I can’t tolerate niacinamide. Everything has niacinamide!!

Simple cleansing oil and LRP toleriane with occasional p50 pigmentation are the only other things I use so don’t think I can de-escalate anything potentially drying there…

Any ideas gratefully received!

[botemp]

Nah CosRX doesn't churn out junk but iirc it's a silicone base so it's probably less effective of a formula but probably not entirely useless.

I had a Google as I remember there being a Korean dupe for the Skinceuticals. Atopalm have their MLE line which is the same as 4:2:1 ratio. I think it's this one but I also see they have this one under a slightly different brand within the same company, same ceramide concept but this one looks a bit more like the Skinceuticals so maybe that's the dupe 🤔

It's cheaper on Stylevana but they look to have a UK shop so that's quicker.

[botemp]

No niacinamide in either btw, or I failed to spot it in the INCI which is possible as they were long...

[doorornottodoor]

@Mummyingetc just butting in here if I may! For plumping I love the LRP hyalu b5 serum. I also love the Cicaplast cream from them which calms down redness and you can use to buffer retinol. I also recommend the Avene sunscreen . My face has really calmed down using a combination of these. I’m able to use glycolic and retinol again. The sunscreen particularly is great with no itchiness and no pilling. Slightly oily on my very oily t zone but I can live with that! I have spent so much on sunblocks over the years I’m delighted to find this!

[bonfirebash]

Swishing in to add I still love treluxe serum and gel (yes I've NC as ever!)

No exciting skin stuff. Skin and me have upped my doser to 0.1

[Martinisarebetterdirty]

Is anyone using tret and peptides and vit c? Where do you put the peptides? I’m thinking of the new Boots serum that came out.

[botemp]

Martinis, no, I don't use peptides in skincare, I'm still not entirely convinced by them (I did once use a deluxe sample of Bioeffect and thought it did something stupefying but the science is a bit iffy around peptides so I feel it's very much about formulations and that's difficult to discern as a lay person) but worst case scenario they act like a hydration serum so they're not a complete waste. Treat it like that as to where to fit it in a routine too, it doesn't have a very special formulation like actives so just use it after any actives and before moisturiser.

Bonfire I really should give that treluxe serum a try, I think I've worked through most of my excess products to warrant it. But just remind me what the magical thing about it was again?

[Bonfire23]

Botemp - I don't actually know! It has great slip and just seems to smooth everything before I put a hold product on
They've brought out an aloe primer which looks interesting. Currently I'm blind testing products for a premium curl brand, first wash day with it tomorrow

[botemp]

Ah interesting do let me know how the blind testing goes. I'll see if I can get a sample of the serum somewhere. My routine is rather low maintenance ATM, just mousse and I'm quite happy with it but a bit of extra smoothing is always welcome.

[Bonfire23]

I will. No idea on the brand. It says premium U.K. curl brand for type 3-4 hair, lots of nice oils, squalane and no surfaces or silicones

I'm getting good results with mousse too at the minute

[Martinisarebetterdirty]

Thanks bo, there’s certainly a lot of anecdotal chat around this so I’m tempted to investigate further.

[Shadyboots23]

Update that what I was testing was the new curlsmith range that's just come out!
Went for a cut with the lovely Hairking Callum which was a reshape and trim more than losing the length, pic of the cut