Skin care - tell me all of the advice

[Oohthedrama]

I’ll come back when I’m hooked up to something with caffeine in it ‍

 

[chocolate choux]

I’d recommend checking out Reddit SkincareAddiction. It’s pretty intense but there’s a wiki which covers EVERYTHING - how to build a routine, which ingredients to use for particular issues, holy grail products, useless/damaging products. People post before & afters so you can see what could be achievable for your skin. You can also ask questions - the user base seems really knowledgeable. I’ve not been interested in skincare for long but I feel like I’ve learned so much and my skin is looking better than it has done in years

 

[Carapop]

https://www.paulaschoice.co.uk/skin-perfecting-bha-liquid-exfoliant/m2010.html this one is the one I use they do a 30ml mini if you want to try it first!

hello!
to balance out the oil you’re gonna need more hydration in your routine so i would look at hydrating products - snail mucin by cosrx is great, niacinamide will also also help with oil balance, hydration and a lot of other things too.

re: tret and retinol, you would only use these in the evening - i wouldn’t use them every night if you’re sensitive as you could damage your skin barrier - tret in particular is really strong. maybe start with a retinol and see how your skin reacts - the inkey list one is a good place to start. i use retinol every other night and every morning after using it i follow up with vitamin c and spf - make sure you’re using spf if you’re using tret/retinol, you should be wearing it every day and it is the last step in your skincare routine so after moisturiser and before any make up!

spfs i like (i can be quite sensitive and i hated heliocare for the same reason as you) - la roche posay anthelios, bondi sands, elizabeth arden city smart prevage, ultra sun.

re: bha yes you can still use it just not on the same nights as retinol/tret

You are an angel thank you so much

I’ve just spent a small fortune on Paula’s choice. I could have just bought the exfoliant for €30 but it’s free shipping after €150 so rather than spend €15 on shipping, I spent €170 on skincare. And free shipping! Bargain

 

[LowCalCalzoneZone]

If anyone's after an SPF recommendation, I've been using Cetaphil for the last couple weeks and it's been pretty good. A lot of them make my eyes red and itchy but this has been fine. Not too greasy on either and no breakouts yet

It wasn't too expensive - I think it's usually about £9-10 but I got it for £6 on offer in Sainsbury's

 

[catscradle]

The best sunscreen I have ever used is the Biore Aqua Watery Essence - it's a dream to apply and there is absolutely no white cast/greasyness. The only downside is that it usually takes a good 3-4 weeks to arrive from Japan on Amazon...

I was wondering if anyone could recommend me a good daily SPF (preferably SPF 50) that goes well under makeup and doesn't leave a white cast/greasy film? I've tried La Roche Posay but couldn't really use it properly as it had such a white cast and pilled.

Also how much sunscreen does everyone here apply lol? I know the official recommendation seems to be 1/4 tsp which is surprisingly quite a lot. I have a small face though so could probably get away with applying a bit less. I find it tricky to find a sunscreen where you're applying a sufficient amount but without looking like a greasy mess or a ghost lol

 

[under the ivy]

I bought Caroline’s book, had a flick through and realised it was her blog in paper form. So I sold it. I find her routine a bit much tbh - you don’t need acid everyday!

I’m heading to Primark this afternoon and I’m going to look at their skincare bits. The Alex Steinherr range is really good.

 

[Sw4]

This is a really useful thread so thanks for starting it!

I'm in early 30s and my skin isn't especially bad, but it's not good either. I don't have problems with acne or wrinkles (yet!) but my skin quite dull looking and scars easily.

I also feel like in the last year or two my dark circles have dramatically worsened and my eyes have changed shape somehow, they used to be lovely almond shaped but now seem less so and more sunken. Eyeliner no longer seems to look as good as it did and my waterline somehow seems more swollen than it used to be.

Any good eyecream and eyecare tips? I am of Indian descent and I know the dark circles thing is pretty common. Have tried the Ordinary caffeine solution but didn't find it made any difference. Happy to splurge on a decent eye cream but just want it to be the right one!

 

[under the ivy]

I’ve just bought the Dr Jart Cicapair trial kit - I have persistent redness on my cheeks (I think linked to my eczema) which feels flushed. I’m worried my skin barrier has been damaged due to retinol use so I’ve eased off that the past week and have been using hydrating and calming products.

I hope it’s good, I’ve read good things about it.

 

[Rothsey]

Is it the purifying clay mask? If so I have it and really like it! But I’m pretty sure it’s just the same as any other red clay mask



I had my first hydrafacial today and already loving the results! Deffo going to book in for a few more - they recommend every 4 weeks for the first couple. As soon as I laid back the lady said I was congested around my t zone with very dehydrated cheeks, and also I have a milia on my chin! Has anyone else ever had / cured milia? It’s been on my chin for forever and I thought it was a wart or something haha

I had a milia on my cheek that I got rid of myself. I got some antiseptic wipes and milia needles off Amazon. Watched more extraction videos than I can count and went in! After the very satisfying removal I stuck a spot dot over and went to bed. A little gunk came out when I removed the spot dot, but the milia hasn’t come back. I did it a couple of months ago x

 

[petitspois]

I think the confusing thing for me is I read what I should be doing and I get it, I just need help finding products that are likely to be suitable (i.e. the popular ones) rather than a really long and costly game of trial and error. I'm really thankful for the tips I've had here this week.

What I find hard is when you then see fb posts or clips and people talk about applying one thing in the morning, another in the night, one about 3 times a week but never the same day as A, applying B in the summer but never in winter, C mixed in with moisturiser but never near the eyes and D is essential but never too often. It's a minefield.

I'm also really conscious that it seems to be relatively new to massive popularity so I'm trying to keep perspective and think 'does that person who is recommending you do those things actually look good?'.

 

[Snowjoke]

Thanks guys, I'm a bit confused about the oil/balm + another cleanser though. Won't oil make my skin oilier? Does anyone have any recommendations for a relatively cheap one? I've looked at the body shop tea tree stuff and it looks good - would that be the first or second cleanser?

Go for the Super facialist vit c+ Brighten skin renew cleansing oil!!! It’s unreal for the price and can get it on prime free quick delivery! I got it for £8 during the week. I’ve repurchased this many many times…. It’s better than the environ pre cleanse oil and the Clinique take the day away balm and less than half the price! Also smells unreal lol I recommend it to all my friends aswell it’s such a good product

p.s I use it as a pre cleanse to remove make up, just rub on make up face and remove with a warm face cloth

 

[TJ90]

Cleanse, tone, moisturise and Botox.

 

[Lolly4321]

Thank you all so much for your quick replies! It’s just hard seeing how much it’s getting him down so I’ll get them ordered! Love the sound of these sticks…I can steal them as well! x

 

[Libbylulu]

@Snowjoke, @Shineyshine - 4th day on REN ready steady glow and absolutely ! Thank you and anyone else who recommended it!

I had a little trial of this in my advent calendar. I’ve used it the last few days, along with taking a probiotic and my skin looks better already. Hopefully it will continue as my rosecea was getting beyond a joke

 

[under the ivy]

Yes I agree - you don’t need all of the products Caroline’s book mentions. I’ve made that mistake before! I just think HA, Vit C and Niacinamide are good all rounders.

let us know how you get on! X

 

[noseybirdxo]

does anyone have any recommendations for a cheaper alternative/dupe to liz earle cleanse and polish? I need to cut costs and just can't justify repurchasing right now, but am scared to change something that has always worked so well for me.

ps a few months ago I asked for advice on my dry and slightly reddish skin (mild rosacea symptoms) and the advice I was given has TRANSFORMED my skin. I can't remember when I last had any dry patches, my pores have significantly reduced in size and I also can't remember the last time I had a spot either. So a huge thank you!

This one from Superdrug - their E range is really really lovely!

 

[kittypaws]

Do you use spf before or after moisturiser? I was told by a very good beautician I should use it before but I’ve only seen people mentioning on different threads that it needs to be put on after.

SPF is always last x

 

[IndigoViolet]

Try the colloid patches. The Cos Rx ones are good and cheap. Zitsticka contain spot fighting ingredients (salicylic acid, etc) and are pricier but they often do deals on their website.

 

[petitspois]

I’ve been looking into skin care that will help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around my eye area (I’m 38 and think I should start doing something about it!) I have been recommended Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate but it’s quite expensive (I’m willing to pay it though if it works!) Is it worth it?

I’ve also looked into The Ordinary Retinol in Squalane, but wondering if I should start from 0.2% or 0.5%? (Complete beginner on retinol)

I saw a really interesting programme about the science of skincare a couple of years ago and it stuck with me. Lots of it is genetics which you can (sadly) do nothing about. In terms of what products work, there are lots than make your skin feel or look nice but they are all temporary and their effects don't last longer than they are on the skin.
The only things that worked and made a visible difference were retinol and sunscreen. Retinol is proven to reduce lines and wrinkles and sunscreen prevents them.
In addition, products with vit c brighten the skin and products with hyaluronic acid plump up the skin as it attracts water.

In terms of retinol, it all depends on how sensitive your skin is as retinol is an irritant. There are loads of videos from Dermatologists on youtube that explain the various different products that contain retinol in a range of forms. I really recommend Medik8 retinol. If you sign up to their emails you get 15% off. The packaging is really good and allows you to get every drop out. It's made a difference to my skin, for sure.

 

[Oohthedrama]

Still in awe of anyone who can write this much detail in a post at 3.20am.
that is one bad ass post........
respect for the thread. respect for the AM finger cardio.

I'm not with it yet (as I havent had coffee) to talk about a full routine, but current holy grail is NIOD FECC

I love any product that looks like it’s called Feck.