the constant canvas: skincare!

[schiaparelli]

[bels]

My ~ 15mo skincare shop. Even though I'm pretty sure I have another month or so left of cleanser/toner. I'm nearly out of moisturiser and sunblock though and the sun has strated to come out.

Noticed that Paula has introduced a MACHO MANLY SKINCARE line named PC4M as though it's some kind of anabolic steroid or high spec gaming PC case. I decided to try out the night creme because I wanted a different moisturiser to use at night.

I wish my clothes shopping was like my skincare shopping. Every year buy the whole range from one brand then forget about it until its worn out.

[fun_yunchables]

current skincare regime:



malin+goetz grapefruit cleanser
this is a really gentle cleanser which doesn't overly dry your face which is really nice, but i've found that if you live in an area with hard water (looking at you socal), you have to put a little extra effort into making sure you rinse the cleanser off completely. otherwise, i really like how gentle this cleanser is. smells kind of weird to me but not a big point against it as it rinses off odor free.

aesop b & tea balancing toner
it's pretty nice for my combination skin. the toner is pH balanced, although it does have some kind of alcohol (? benzyl i don't know chemistry someone help) for drying so it might irritate some sensitive skin.

aesop parsley seed serum (moisturizer)
man, i previously had the m+g vitamin e moisturizer and i thought that was pretty light in terms of greasiness/oiliness, but this absolutely is much much better. it's more like a gel in consistency which you work into your skin, and it absorbs SUPER fast which is nice. if you don't want/like/can't use cream moisturizers, this is incredible.

shiseido spf50+ sunscreen
it's okay. it's not an asian market sunscreen (which i do want to get but i believe zinc oxide sunscreens are banned?), but it works. i mostly stay out of the sun when possible anyway, so *shrug*

[nick]

Any personal suggestions for acne scars? I had some pretty pronounced breakouts after a failed 3 week experiment with Stridex (Guess my skin doesn't play nice with the stuff, which has left me with some acne scar 'constellations' (as my brother calls them).

Got a box full of Korean stuff (My inner weeaboo couldn't resist for this long) coming hopefully this week, I'll let you guys know how that works. Looking most forward to moisturizer in the form of a gel/liquid, hopefully it feels nicer than smearing Cerave paste all over my mug.

[schiaparelli]

repped me above and said niacinamide, vitamin c, retin-a for acne scars when i asked her what she used. haven't tried retin-a, but i have a few products with niacinamide (notably the missha first treatment essence, which has a really nice overall brightening effect for me).

i used to use OST C20 for vitamin c and it faded some sun spots on my face pretty quickly. i have a new bottle of a diff vitamin C i am trying out (not that the OST was bad—i loved it, and the C21.5 formulation is supposed to be really great, it's also 21.5% vitamin c instead of the previous 20%) and will update you if it helps out with the acne scars on my chin.

my chin has been purging a bit so i've gotten a lot of tiny pimples, but the area is overall smoother now so yay~

[bels]

Schia I don't have much opinion on the Paula's choice moisturiser. It's all that I have used for the last three years. Every so often I use some bog standard nivea face cream and I don't catch fire or anything but the PC wears a bit lighter

[bird.in.flight]

Currently using clearasil as a cleanser and algenist's hydrating essence for a toner: looking for a moisteurizer for combination/somewhat oily skin - I've wanted one with decent sun protection, as I live in Australia, but at this point it seems the best idea might be to go with a separate sunscreen - any thoughts?

[pirxthepilot]

can anyone recommend a moisturiser with sunscreen (doesnt have to be too high, maybe 15 or so) that doesn't make eyes sting? i wear contacts and this is always a problem for me. the ones with zinc oxide seem better for this, but i have dark skin and always get that whitish ghostly look.

[bels]

I thought that the state of the art wrt sunblock moisturiser WA's keep them separate?

Either way I've used Paula's, Neutrogena sheer and Kiel's. All pretty high SPF. But none have stung me. The Kiel's feels a but heavy though

[mofaux]

I like design of the aesop labels, but proactiv+ is a game-changer

[UnwashedMolasses]

New haul!



Will post reviews once I've used them for a bit.

[vos]

Anyone have any experience with coconut oil or jojoba oil as a moisturizer? I've been trying to move away from chemical products and I've heard coconut oil and jojoba oil are good natural options

[hmwut]

[schiaparelli]

physical sunscreens (with zinc oxide or sometimes titanium dioxide) will give the whitish cast. you could look into chemical sunscreens, which generally do it less/not at all? i've heard really good things about and you could check around for reviews re: the white cast. other options to check out: and for things that supposedly don't leave a white cast. i'm trying to buy a new sunscreen rn, and these are my top options.

re: the hada labo one, by one of my favorite skincare bloggers suggests that it's decently moisturizing. i would still, however, recommend doing a moisturizer and sunscreen separately, since most combined versions are kind of wimpy.

[yourdad]

My main problems seem to be that my face gets really oily after an hour or two of washing my face. Using a toner and moisturiser extends it only by another hour. When I'm working, i just quickly wipe my face with my hand because I can't realistically step away to the washroom every 45min to pat my face dry. It's starting to show now because I've developed a few pimples on my cheeks.

Current routine:




I don't use an actual "toner" because I find that all the ones I've tried ( and ) dry out my skin too much. I asked a friend, who works as a cosmetician, what I should use and she suggested using the cleansing water because it's very light and helps clean off anything I might have missed when washing my face. I've only been using it for a few weeks but it doesn't feel too different.

The moisturiser is new too. Before, I was using only after washing my face which was alright but I still broke out, albeit less than before, so I tried the toners. Once I introduced a toner into my routine, everything got thrown into array. Not really sure what to do :(

On the side note: does anyone who wears glasses find that they get oily around the frame? Or is it just me?

[pips]

I have really oily skin too. My frames slide down my nose all the time, not because they fit improperly, but my face is just that oily. Washing it daily helps a lot since wiping doesnt remove all of that gunk (shoutout to for this idea).

I havent found the perfect solution to my face's oiliness but there are several things you can do and see if it helps:

1. Oil Cleansing Method - basically washing your face with oil instead of soap cleansers, the premise being like dissolves like. There are lots of resources on the net on which types of oils to use depending on your skin issues, but castor and jojoba are some of the most common. Usually people with oily faces have skin that is actually dry, likely because of over-cleansing, which forces the sebaceous glands to compensate. OCM will not dry out your skin but will still remove any dirt or makeup. Not everyone has had success with this though—for some it can result in cystic acne so proceed with caution. I personally use an oil cleanser from Muji.

2. Moisturize with oil - lots of people use oils like rosehip and argan as a moisturizer with great results. Apparently with prolonged use this can help regulate oil production. Havent tried this one yet because I am not sure how the oil will react with the other stuff in my skincare routine.

3. Use a primer or a sunblock that dries matte on the mornings - Asian sunscreens are good at this. Anessa and Shiseido Senka are some commonly recommended brands. You need to use sunblock anyway so why not get one that helps control oil while you're at it.

4. Mud/Clay Masks - Dont know the science behind it but clay masks can help regulate oil production, especially those with kaolin clay. In my personal experience it does but again, with regular use.

5. BHA toners - some toners with BHA claim to curb oiliness. I use a BHA toner but I dont think it makes a difference regarding oiliness. Regardless of that, BHA is great for oily skin if you have acne problems on top of that.

My face is now less oily, but it's still an oil slick by midday. I had a case of adult acne that started late last year, which tanked my self esteem after having relatively okay skin for a long time. Had to do an overhaul of my routine to fix it. Slowly incorporating new products to address specific issues like PIH but here's what I use nowadays:

AM - Dermalogica Soap Free Cleansing Gel, Cosrx Returning A-Sol Toner, VMV Armada SPF 45

PM - Muji oil cleanser, Dermalogica Soap Free cleansing gel, Cosrx Returning A-Sol Toner, Hada Labo Hyaluronic Lotion, Hada Labo Hyaluronic Milk

+ MBD Black Pearl mask once a week.

The Cosrx Returning A-Sol is a winner and worked better than the stuff my derm prescribed for acne. Non-drying, cheap, and actually works. The hype surrounding it is well-deserved.

[nick]

[schiaparelli]

[bels]

I also found not having a fringe or ever touching my face really cut down on the amount of spots I got.

I was getting sick of using four cotton pads per day (one for toner, one for exfoliator) and then binning them. Mainly because I couldn't get a good brand delivered via subscribe and save so I would always run out.

Anyway I bought these pads off amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0026WHEDG/r ... hable+pads

Which work OK but aren't amazing or anything. The main problem with them is that they're super absorbent so sometimes it feels like they suck away all the exfoliant/toner, which is sort of not the point if that's the stuff I'm paying for.

[vgtbls]

People always saying "You were at ______ and outside all day? But you're not sunburned!?"

Should I tell them about sunscreen? Do they know??

[ptozzi]

I don't use any skincare products. In search of a cleanser I can use in the shower. What can you guys recommend? Currently considering CeraVe foaming cleanser.
Also interested in moisturizer recommendations.

[bels]

Whenever I try to tweezer tame the monobrow, I get spots.

Should I: Somehow up my plucking game (via some sort of product I guess because I already try and do stuff like after a shower pluck with the direction etc?) or should I get professional help (if so how so, go to a Turkish barber I guess.)

[vos]

Anyone been on Differin before? Derm put me on it, I'm 2 weeks in almost 3, and this shit honestly sucks. Please tell me there's light at the end of the tunnel.

[Cowboy]

Can I hear people's experiences/gripes/approval of Accutane

Just started it, flaring already and I know it'll be a drag

[jrisk]

, I was on accutane for the six months or whatever. It worked really well for me. It was pretty rough in regards to dry skin but that's the only side effect I encountered while being on it. I imagine it'll be kind of sucky for you especially come winter time and dryer weather. It also sucks waiting the 3-4 months before it actually starts working. Just follow your doc's directions and be patient. I didn't have any depression-related side effects but it's different for everything. Your doctor will probably ask you about it every time you go. Listen to them and be honest. It's not worth being on if it's going to screw with your emotional state.

[Cowboy]

Yeah so I actually just did my first check up yesterday.

The first month is like a roller coaster cause halfway through I was doing really well acne wise but on weekends I debate which is super stress so even the pill couldn't keep my face clean post weekend. So it would like flare at the beginning of the week and calm by the end.

Doc upped my dose.

Only side effect is the lips so far but I'm sure it hits heavy later on

Thanks Jrisk! Will keep in mind as I surge forward

[Suquida]

Does eos make anyone else's lips peel

They're so neat looking and nice to hold and I want to like them so badly but I'm not entirely sure they're working very well

[yourdad]

I tried using EOS but it just felt like I was putting Vaseline on my lips. Much happier after switching to Burt's Bees

[Ques]

I bought myself some Muji "all in one essence" and "cleansing cream" for my birthday which are, I think, a moisturizer and a cleanser, respectively. I've been applying twice daily, when I wake up and before I'm off to bed, and I've never felt happier with my skin! didn't realize skin could actually be this soft... thinking of going back and picking up some of their other stuff to try it out, maybe the "organic whitening essence" or the "toning water"

Anyone have any other muji skin recommendations? it's kind of hard to find skin stuff that I can trust here in China

[Cowboy]