Beauty products that actually work

[Vintage Paw]

My experiments with Avene confirm it's shite. Something in the range actually makes my skin flare up.

So far, my dream regime consists of:

* cleanser = Lush Ultrabland or pure almond oil or grapeseed oil or somesuch thing like that, washed off gently with a flannel and warm water
* toner = Lush Eu Roma Water (I keep some downstairs too, it's perfect in winter to spray some on your face and refresh it when it's dry from central heating, and likewise in summer when you're too hot)
* moisturiser = Aveeno (not Avene ) standard face cream, the one in a 100ml tube or Aveeno body lotion (the one with the shea butter, with the blue stripe across the bottle)

Frankly, I can't be arsed to go through the rigmarole of trying to find something to calm down my skin any more. It is what it is, I guess. I'm not about to be trying out for any beauty pageants, so as long as it's not painful and I can keep it from at least flaring up badly I guess that's good enough.

 

[sojourner]

That sounds like a good thing to me. Saves me having to pluck'n'shave!

Ah mate, you really don't wanna do this to yourself!! It fucking KNACKERS, honest.

 

[moonsi til]

I'm not keen on No7 products after trying a fair few of them over the years with that £5 off voucher. My number one hate is their face wash in the blue pump bottle which dried my skin and made it feel so tight. Next up are the 2 peel off masks that ripped the hairs off my face. I actually sent these 2 back in the post with a letter such was the bloody damage. Currently I'm happy with the nail polish only & the face brush thing though that has gone wonky since I left it in the shower.

I'm on the look out for a new face cream with at least SPF15. I'm currently using products from www.amieskincare.com but I feel the need for more. Also need to drink more water, it's one of my new year must do's and so I'm failing.

 

[Mogden]

My face care is all Lush stuff which is great for my skin and would be even better if I could be arsed to do it every day. It's pricey but I actually finish the pots and bottles off rather then buying cheap bits here and there and not finishing them.

 

[Ms T]

I got some Armani Luminous Silk founation on Manter's recommendation and it really is the bollocks. Spendy but they also gave me a generous free sample of concealer which is also good.

At night I am currently using Ren Omega 3 Optimim Skin Oil which I like.

Am slightly embarrassed to recommend this as it's ridiculously expensive for deodorant but Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist is the best deodorant ever. Smells lovely, no stickiness or white marks and keeps me bone dry all day. I got it at 20% off and apparently it lasts for several months so that's how I justified it to myself.

 

[Ms T]

I've had massive pores for years now but have decided that this year is the year I start looking after my skin properly. So no more babywipes/dragging my skin with shit. Proper cleansing and toning, regular facial scrubs, pore minimiser, the 'beauty' serum, and a matching moisturiser.

Have to say, there's already been a massive improvement to my skin. Well chuffed

I made this decision last year and my skin is really benefitting. I found Caroline Hiron's blog really helpful, especially her "cheat sheets". It means spending more money but you only get one face!

 

[May Kasahara]

Ms T I saw that DK deodorant recommended on All Worn Out and she said exactly the same as you

 

[Looby]

I read a concealer review in the guardian magazine and the Aldi one is apparently really good and £3.49! Not enough coverage for spots but great for dark circles.

 

[sojourner]

I made this decision last year and my skin is really benefitting. I found Caroline Hiron's blog really helpful, especially her "cheat sheets". It means spending more money but you only get one face!

You know what? I didn't even use moisturiser til I hit 30 and the years of full-on partying made a sudden appearance on my face! Now that I'm the grand old age of 47, I reckon it's about time I gave the biggest organ of my body a little pamper!

That looks like an interesting blog, will check it out thanks I was lucky in that I got given £50 for my birthday so for a bloody change I decided to actually spend it on myself, instead of putting it into the daily budget. Really chuffed I did now

 

[Looby]

I used to make half arsed attempts at looking after my face. I'd buy products and use them occasionally but had no routine. The week I turned 30, my skin went to shit, acne and other problems. I was then diagnosed with PCOS so it's all hormone related.

Now I cleanse, tone and moisturise and spend a lot more on skincare than make up or hair stuff. I've tried various cheaper brands but always come back to Clinique. I particularly love their moisturising gel as it's not too heavy. I buy it from boots so the advantage points build up quickly and try to spread it out so it doesn't run out all at once.
Every couple of months I do a tour of the Clinique counters for samples. These are big enough to get me through short trips away and festivals. [emoji41]

My skin is pretty much line free but that's the one benefit of being fat. [emoji1]

 

[sojourner]

Every couple of months I do a tour of the Clinique counters for samples. These are big enough to get me through short trips away and festivals

Ooo that's a good idea! When I was mooching round Boots I decided to try my hand at getting samples. I have never ever done that ha I didn't know the etiquette so thought it best to seem as though I wanted to try a certain thing, and asking for that. Which worked brilliantly! She gave me a full glass tube of both samples - the pore refiner serum will last for ages, a tiny amount goes a very long way

I'm gonna do that this year - a pre-festie scavving sample run haha

 

[Looby]

I'm usually honest and say I'm going away and don't want to take my full size products. They're generally pretty generous. [emoji4]

 

[sojourner]

I'm usually honest and say I'm going away and don't want to take my full size products. They're generally pretty generous. [emoji4]

Nice one cheers

 

[sojourner]

Haha Ms T - a bit on that blog about 'mattifying' products just made me laugh: Skin is not designed to be 'matte'. As above - your skin has plenty of time to be matte when you're dead. You know - no signs of life? That's matte.

 

[Plumdaff]

I read a concealer review in the guardian magazine and the Aldi one is apparently really good and £3.49! Not enough coverage for spots but great for dark circles.

I have the Aldi concealer and can vouch for it. I use it everyday for work. I also use their serum which is good too and also only £3. Don't touch their body moisturiser though, it's pants.

 

[Ms T]

Ms T I saw that DK deodorant recommended on All Worn Out and she said exactly the same as you

That's where I saw it recommended, and the reviews were uniformly good so I went for it. Not sure there's any going back now as it's way better than my previous deodorant of choice, Mitchum. It was even going strong this morning, pre-shower and post-Pilates class. And Hendo told me I smelled lovely yesterday and I wasn't wearing perfume.

 

[izz]

My experiments with Avene confirm it's shite. Something in the range actually makes my skin flare up.

So far, my dream regime consists of:

* cleanser = Lush Ultrabland or pure almond oil or grapeseed oil or somesuch thing like that, washed off gently with a flannel and warm water
* toner = Lush Eu Roma Water (I keep some downstairs too, it's perfect in winter to spray some on your face and refresh it when it's dry from central heating, and likewise in summer when you're too hot)
* moisturiser = Aveeno (not Avene ) standard face cream, the one in a 100ml tube or Aveeno body lotion (the one with the shea butter, with the blue stripe across the bottle)

Frankly, I can't be arsed to go through the rigmarole of trying to find something to calm down my skin any more. It is what it is, I guess. I'm not about to be trying out for any beauty pageants, so as long as it's not painful and I can keep it from at least flaring up badly I guess that's good enough.

My skin is as reactive as fuck and it was decades before I found anything I could use without going bright red for hours afterwards. MAC Tranquil cleanse-off oil and more recently Elemis Melting Gel cleanser. Neither make me red, the latter is particularly brilliant. Moisturiser, MAC face and body. About £20 each but each lasts for 4-6 months easy. If you can get your Vintage Paw on a sample of the Elemis I would bet you'd be pleasantly surprised, there was a time I thought I'd never have dealable-with skin again but happily I was wrong.

With you on the Avene all the way, zackly the same thing happened to me and caused Despair. Life is skin Joy now though

 

[sojourner]

That blog Ms T mentioned - the woman's a bit scary int she? Also, she reckons that sugar kills yer collagen off! I've never heard that before! So, I eat choccy every single day, I smoke spliffs, and I drink a fair bit. I'm fucked, aren't I?

 

[gaijingirl]

right well I read the blog and I am totally and utterly confused. I don't even know what half that shit is and I do always wash my face in the shower, which is apparently wrong. I'd like to get into a little routine and sort my skin out - it's not terrible but showing it's age. I made a note of the things sojourner recommended from Boots. I don't have a skincare routine other than I occasionally use a facial wash/scrub in the shower. On the rare occasions I wear make up I use those make up removal wipes - and actually I tend to wear tinted moisturiser only and if I'm going all out, some powder on top. I do like mascara though. In all honesty, i'm not going to do that lady's routine - just isn't going to happen. So what's a very very simple skincare routine? I don't cleanse my face at night at all, or put on moisturiser - so I suppose I should do that maybe?

 

[wtfftw]

I'd say moisturiser is the first step. By which I mean the one to do if you don't do anything else.

 

[Red Cat]

right well I read the blog and I am totally and utterly confused. I don't even know what half that shit is and I do always wash my face in the shower, which is apparently wrong. I'd like to get into a little routine and sort my skin out - it's not terrible but showing it's age. I made a note of the things sojourner recommended from Boots. I don't have a skincare routine other than I occasionally use a facial wash/scrub in the shower. On the rare occasions I wear make up I use those make up removal wipes - and actually I tend to wear tinted moisturiser only and if I'm going all out, some powder on top. I do like mascara though. In all honesty, i'm not going to do that lady's routine - just isn't going to happen. So what's a very very simple skincare routine? I don't cleanse my face at night at all, or put on moisturiser - so I suppose I should do that maybe?

I've been waiting Ms T to post that she's found the elixir of youth, cos that's the one I'm going to buy, but she keeps changing her products

 

[gaijingirl]

I've been waiting Ms T to post that she's found the elixir of youth, cos that's the one I'm going to buy, but she keeps changing her products

she looks bloody amazing though - maybe that's the trick - changing products lots.

 

[Ms T]

right well I read the blog and I am totally and utterly confused. I don't even know what half that shit is and I do always wash my face in the shower, which is apparently wrong. I'd like to get into a little routine and sort my skin out - it's not terrible but showing it's age. I made a note of the things sojourner recommended from Boots. I don't have a skincare routine other than I occasionally use a facial wash/scrub in the shower. On the rare occasions I wear make up I use those make up removal wipes - and actually I tend to wear tinted moisturiser only and if I'm going all out, some powder on top. I do like mascara though. In all honesty, i'm not going to do that lady's routine - just isn't going to happen. So what's a very very simple skincare routine? I don't cleanse my face at night at all, or put on moisturiser - so I suppose I should do that maybe?

Stop using the facial wipes and get a balm or oil cleanser. Take it off with a flannel. Use a serum and a moisturiser. Maybe an oil at night (after serum) - sweet almond oil is good and cheap.

 

[Ms T]

I've been waiting Ms T to post that she's found the elixir of youth, cos that's the one I'm going to buy, but she keeps changing her products

A young person at work was literally flabbergasted when I told her I was 44 today. I think she believes we all turn to wrinklies after the age of 35.

 

[Ms T]

she looks bloody amazing though - maybe that's the trick - changing products lots.

Just trying stuff out, innit. I like the Uma Brennan range in Boots, which is reasonably priced, especially the Vitamin C Cleansing Oil and the Rose Cleanser.

 

[gaijingirl]

Stop using the facial wipes and get a balm or oil cleanser. Take it off with a flannel. Use a serum and a moisturiser. Maybe an oil at night (after serum) - sweet almond oil is good and cheap.

thanks.. so would this Uma Brennan Rose Cleanser followed by the No 7 Time Delay serum from Boots and then a moisturiser be right? (and if so, what's a good moisturiser - I do have some Body Shop Night cream which I bought several years ago... )

 

[fizzerbird]

That blog Ms T mentioned - the woman's a bit scary int she? Also, she reckons that sugar kills yer collagen off! I've never heard that before! So, I eat choccy every single day, I smoke spliffs, and I drink a fair bit. I'm fucked, aren't I?

so am I then!

 

[fizzerbird]

Since our local Aldi opened last April. I've been using (not as regularly as I should) their day cream and Q10 night cream which is really cheap and I think has made a difference to my maturing skin. I think I may try their concealer as recommended above.

I also use pure organic coconut oil as a face and body moisturizer a couple of times a week...a little goes a long way.

 

[kittyP]

That blog Ms T mentioned - the woman's a bit scary int she? Also, she reckons that sugar kills yer collagen off! I've never heard that before! So, I eat choccy every single day, I smoke spliffs, and I drink a fair bit. I'm fucked, aren't I?

You might be but at least your enjoying and living life

 

[Ms T]

thanks.. so would this Uma Brennan Rose Cleanser followed by the No 7 Time Delay serum from Boots and then a moisturiser be right? (and if so, what's a good moisturiser - I do have some Body Shop Night cream which I bought several years ago... )

Try and get one with hydraluronic acid in it - Lidl do a day cream and a night cream with it in which is quite good and non-spendy. I also like Lidl's Cold Cream as a cleanser. If you use a flannel, that will exfoliate you as well.