How do you make your skin smooth and flawless? #2

[cold_sun]

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I usually drink vanilla scented green tea with sugar, do you think it has the same effect as plain green tea ?

 

[The_Ida]

^Sugar is bad for your skin, so it probably has the opposite effect.

 

[StarsInHerEyes]

^^Try sweetening it with honey, or some other natural sweetener, if the Vanilla isn't enough.

 

[diesanni]

You could always try Stevia. Or try white tea, I find it has a natural sweetness to it and I do prefer the taste for sure.

 

[cold_sun]

ok, thanks for your answers, Ill try it without anything first and if that doesnt work out, Ill get Stevia/honey

 

[Miwi]

So yeah, water does have a huge effect on skin.

I agree, I also noticed that we have very hard water here in the city. My bf lives in the countryside and everytime I'm there I don't need hair conditioner and I can feel that water is softer and it doesn't dry out my skin.
Not to mention how good it tastes!

 

[The_Ida]

ok, thanks for your answers, Ill try it without anything first and if that doesnt work out, Ill get Stevia/honey

Honey = sugar. Still bad for the skin.

My BF's mum has a book on how sugar damages and ages the body, I need to read it She was so shocked after she read it.

 

[loonaka]

Yeah I was a bit surprised when I found out that honey is just as bad for you as sugar, but it taste more so you need less and in that way it is a bit more healthy..no? yeah?

I just used this amazing mask Yesterday, I think it is called moistfull massage mask from Etude House..I have dry skin and it worked wonders^^ I never thought a mask cold actually do anything because the few I have tried didn't have any effect on my skin, and I only tried this one because I got it for free^^ haha (cheap Asian ) But I was really good, so if you have dry skin and want smooth run to ebay or Korea and get one

 

[gian-franco]

how much do you care about using ecological products?
is loreal really so bad for your skin?

 

[loonaka]

is loreal really so bad for your skin?

I think you get what you pay for..but I really like the L'oreal eyemakeup remover but the Lancome one is better but again more expensive.

 

[StarsInHerEyes]

Back to the sugar debate...too much refined and/or processed sugar is bad for your skin, however, if you have a diet relatively low in these, a teaspoon of honey will not make you suddenly break-out. It's all about moderation.

 

[amazingGrace]

I think you get what you pay for..but I really like the L'oreal eyemakeup remover but the Lancome one is better but again more expensive.

Lancome is owned by L'Oreal . (so is Shu Uemura, and the Body Shop for that matter )

 

[The_Ida]

Back to the sugar debate...too much refined and/or processed sugar is bad for your skin, however, if you have a diet relatively low in these, a teaspoon of honey will not make you suddenly break-out. It's all about moderation.

Surely one teaspoon of honey won't harm anyone, but one shouldn't have much sugar in one's diet at all. It ages the body and therefore the skin tremendously. It doesn't break you out, I never said that. One might as well try to eliminate sugar as much as possible, for example by not drinking tea with sugar/honey, no sugar on cereal etc.

 

[gian-franco]

Lancome is owned by L'Oreal . (so is Shu Uemura, and the Body Shop for that matter )

I didnt know that!

 

[offtodreamland]

cleanse, exfoliate when you need to, and invest in a great moisturizer
and avoid dehydrating your skin

 

[Kalenya]

Hi! I'm a fairly new poster, even tho I've been religiously reading this boards for years now. Please excuse me if this is the wrong place to post this but I need advice on skin care, and thought you could help me.

I'm turning 30 next week (Agh, I said it xP), and I really want to intensify the attention I give to my skin and body. They have both been neglected for the past six months, because I've been unemployed, and developed a really low self esteem, and a hint of depression I'm currently fighting (hard! heh)

So, I really want to take charge, and feel better, improve my health, and my appearance. And as everyone here seem really in the know, I'd appreciate any advice you could give me.

I've gone back to drinking two cups of tea everyday, plus plenty of water, but I still drink two to three beers each weekend. I wonder if I should quit alcohol completely, or this amount is not something to worry about.

Plus, I want to invest in some skincare, also body but specially for my face, and really don't know what to buy. Reading about retinoids and peptids makes my head spin, but I really want something that will help me with my problems. They are basically dullness, and the fact that I lost a lot of weight a few years ago, and my always full, round face now is a bit... "sagged", my cheeks draw a line downwards that I hate, and I don't know what to do about it...

(this is a really really bad, no make-up, really tired picture for reference... please do not think I look like that usually xP)

Also routines, foods, sports (should I take ballet? yoga? damn I'm lost...)... I'd really love any avice you could give me.

I am hesitant about starting a new thread, but maybe is the best idea?

(And sorry for the long post....)

 

[Kalenya]

Ugh, I'm sorry, it seems I am unable to learn how to properly post pictures... I wont try again as not to embarass myself, but if you copy and paste the link, I believe you'll see the picture. If not, you're not missing much, trust me, LOL...

 

[The_Ida]

^You have nice skin, don't ruin it Nothing can be done about sagging except for surgery, but maybe your face isn't exactly sagging (I can't see any sagging!), maybe you're just not used to seeing yourself a couple of kg's lighter?

Dull skin? Exfoliate (NOT with a physical exfoliant, you know, anything with grains in is a no-go). I love Mario Badescu's Glycolic Foaming Cleanser.

If you have any sun damage, use a Vitamin C serum (I think Murad has some good stuff).

Just find a moisturizer you like, really...the one I like is super cheap (Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre), it's €10 for 75 ml and it lasts forever. Skin care doesn't have to be expensive. Don't buy into expensive moisturizers unless it has active ingredients.

Oh, and a gentle every-day cleanser. A lot of people like Clarins and Dermalogica, I use a cleansing oil from Shu Uemura...it's SUPER important to cleanse in the evening, never in the morning (unless you forgot...)

 

[miu_miu]

Kalenya, firstly I think it's really wonderful what you've said! I think everyone has points where they feel down & don't take as good care of themselves, but sometimes taking charge of this aspect can help you in other parts of your life. Secondly, your skin looks great! You're very lucky to have an even skin tone

For basic skincare, you don't say what kind of skin type you have (oily, dry...) but yes exfoliating will help with brightness & removing dull skin, you just need to not overdo it. Retinoids, antioxidants and sunscreen are the gold standards for anti-aging. For retinoids I would recommend Avene Eluage (this does do some "exfoliating" also). Sunscreen is trial and error but European formulas such as Avene, La Roche Posay and Bioderma offer superior protection. Look for UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) protection - you need 1/4 teaspoon for your face and don't forget hands and neck because those give away age very quickly. You may find that using a sunscreen means you don't need an extra day moisturiser as well. Vitamin C - La Roche Posay Active C is supposed to be nice, and in general C is used best in the morning because it aids the protection of your sunscreen - retinoids used best at night because they can break down in sunlight. Oh for body, I like Korres body butters for very dry skin

I wouldn't worry too much about the beer - enjoy it Although red wine has antioxidants and other health benefits if you wanted to switch! Your diet should have lots of oily fish, dark leafy greens - the more colourful the food the better. Blueberries are a particularly good fruit too. Exercise will be good both for your skin & your mood so choose something you'll enjoy.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on B)

 

[Kalenya]

LOL, The_Ida, Thanks! I don't know if sagging is the right word, as english is not my first language, or maybe is just what you say, that I'm not used to the shape of my face as it is now...

I don't have sun damage, "luckily" you could say, but its mainly because I had some problems (melanoma problems, heh) two years ago, and any kind of tan is banished from my existence, LOL. I sit in the sun ten minutes before ten AM every morning, and thats it for me. Sometimes I blame my skin's dullness to that, and i'm tempted to try those Shiseido products to make pale skins glow, but I'm afraid I'm not *that* pale...

Glicolic exfoliation?? I'll definitely look into that, thanks! I've never really thought about it, honestly, and usually just use clay and/or purifying masks every couple of weeks.

I usually use Olay "daily facials", I've tried several other products, but these foamy cloths seem to be the best for me, but I must admit that, as I do not use foundation everyday, I sometimes skip this step. I know it doesn't matter, as it is not just make up what your skin needs to get rid of, so I'll do my best to cleanse everyday.

Amd moisturer... I can't seem to find any that really works for me. I've lately tried Philosohpy's "Hope in a Jar", Olay's "Complete Care Multiradiance", and Bobbi Brown's "Vitamins Enriched Face Base". This is the one I'm using now, and with Shea butter and vitamins it feels really rich, and I guess it'd work as a night cream, but during the day my skin soons feel dry and dull on the cheeks, and bright and oily in the nose...

I'm thinking about getting some Origins skincare for my birthday, but I still am not sure about that. Would you recommend any? LOL, I'm so lost...