[˚Greedy for Ari˚]

Originally posted by Santaus

Aye aye.

1) 22
2) Combo, I guess. Can dry a bit at times, especially during winters.
3) Little but barely noticeable on my temples.
4) Nope.
5) Nothing I can think of/name. I mean, sure, others who look after their skin properly likely have a better, smoother texture etc, but I'm just motivated to improve & then maintain skin health and delay aging, the usual.

Thanks a lot! What kind of products should I use, especially when it comes to the moisturizers/creams. I don't really exfoliate and haven't moisturized regularly thus far, so clearly I can make improvements.

Seems your skin is in great condition! I wouldn't recommend any Vitamin A moisturisers since you don't need it. I guess its all about maintenance and a slow improvement.
Exfoliate with anything that has a bit of texture to it, like small beads or sugar scrubs. Neutrogena has some nice ones.
I'd recommend a clinique moisturiser (lotion) for day and night, i don't think its too expensive..



Or you can go for a cheaper one.



Remember every skin is different so i'd recommend using it out for a few weeks and seeing if theres any improvements.
Also get anything with SPF 30+ for daytime to prevent damage from sun!

To wash your face, I've heard AMAZING things about this. I wish i could get my hands on it but theres none of it where i live.

[Santaus]

Will do. Thanks again. I personally find the huge selection of cosmetics very overwhelming, like where do I start and what should I get. And then there's the "science" and all the marketing statements. Some of it is also quite expensive in my eyes for the purpose. While I want quality and "results", I can easily find better/other use for the extra money too.

BTW, all these brands have their own online stores, but is there an online retailer that sells a variety of brands. It probably is cheaper to purchase online after all.

[˚Greedy for Ari˚]

Originally posted by Santaus

Will do. Thanks again. I personally find the huge selection of cosmetics very overwhelming, like where do I start and what should I get. And then there's the "science" and all the marketing statements. Some of it is also quite expensive in my eyes for the purpose. While I want quality and "results", I can easily find better/other use for the extra money too.

BTW, all these brands have their own online stores, but is there an online retailer that sells a variety of brands. It probably is cheaper to purchase online after all.

I wouldn't recommend online for some of them, i would notice on amazon some get 1/5 star reviews because a fake or expired package would arrive.

[HungryByTheBuffet]

Originally posted by Santaus

I stumbled upon this thread, and since I've been lately thinking more and more about skincare and how I should start to look after mine better, I guess this would be a good place to start. Could one of you - the males in particular - walk me through your procedures and habits. What should I be/start doing for my skin health? I'd like tips and product recommendations etc. I'm not looking to pour tons of money into cosmetics and devote myself to hardcore routines, but the essential and cost-effective stuff would be nice.

Let's say I do the bare minimum now.

Originally posted by Santaus

Will do. Thanks again. I personally find the huge selection of cosmetics very overwhelming, like where do I start and what should I get. And then there's the "science" and all the marketing statements. Some of it is also quite expensive in my eyes for the purpose. While I want quality and "results", I can easily find better/other use for the extra money too.

BTW, all these brands have their own online stores, but is there an online retailer that sells a variety of brands. It probably is cheaper to purchase online after all.

The best thing you can do to delay aging is apply facial sunscreen, which will also protect you from other signs of sun damage. Research shows sun damage accounts to up to 80% of signs of aging, wrinkles, sun spots, lose of collagen production, etc.

Since you're looking for a simple bare routine, I suggest you do something that looks like this.
Morning: Wash face with water, apply sunscreen.
Evening: Cleanse with a gentle cleanser, moisturize.

Since you aren't looking to spend money, cheap good options that are widely sold so you can buy them locally easily:

Cleansers : Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, SebaMed Fragrance Free Gentle Hydrating Cleanser.

Moisturizers: CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM, Cetaphil Lotion, Nivea, Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel.
Or anything that works for you and is moisturizing, since you aren't looking to treat anything, just get moisture after a cleanse.

For sunscreens the market is a bit trickier, western sunscreens are often not aesthetically pleasing (look oily, aren't fun to apply. etc) Asian sunscreens are much better plus offer better protection against UVA rays, the main con being that you have to order them online, but they're often cheaper than western ones anyway, you can look them up on amazon or ebay.
I recommend you read reviews and decide which sounds best for you, Biore makes some fan favorite Asian sunscreens such as:

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, Biore Uv Aqua Rich Smooth Watery Gel (very similar to the watery essence but is bigger), Biore UV Perfect Face Milk Sunscreen (dries very matte but can be drying if your face leans on the drier side)

Some liked western ones are:
Eltamd UV Clear SPF 46, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch.
Paula's Choice and La Roche Posay also make some good options.

As for tips: keep up with a routine, don't miss a cleanse or a sunscreen application, consistency is key with skin, try to not touch your face during the day or expose it to elements (dust, smoke, etc), don't stay too long in the sun even with sunscreen, stay in the shade, hats and sunglasses can help too. be gentle with your face when doing your routine. and practice good health and hygiene.

Sorry if this is overwhelming or useless btw

Since you aren't looking to treat anything, sunscreen is the best thing you can do for prevention, the cleanser and moisturizing routine can help your face improve too. Skincare is kind of a commitment so I can understand if you find it too expensive to get into or too much to keep up with, since you don't struggle with anything you could get away with not doing anything probably.

[˚Greedy for Ari˚]

Originally posted by HungryByTheBuffet

The best thing you can do to delay aging is apply facial sunscreen, which will also protect you from other signs of sun damage. Research shows sun damage accounts to up to 80% of signs of aging, wrinkles, sun spots, lose of collagen production, etc.

Since you're looking for a simple bare routine, I suggest you do something that looks like this.
Morning: Wash face with water, apply sunscreen.
Evening: Cleanse with a gentle cleanser, moisturize.

Since you aren't looking to spend money, cheap good options that are widely sold so you can buy them locally easily:

Cleansers : Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, SebaMed Fragrance Free Gentle Hydrating Cleanser.

Moisturizers: CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM, Cetaphil Lotion, Nivea, Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel.
Or anything that works for you and is moisturizing, since you aren't looking to treat anything, just get moisture after a cleanse.

For sunscreens the market is a bit trickier, western sunscreens are often not aesthetically pleasing (look oily, aren't fun to apply. etc) Asian sunscreens are much better plus offer better protection against UVA rays, the main con being that you have to order them online, but they're often cheaper than western ones anyway, you can look them up on amazon or ebay.
I recommend you read reviews and decide which sounds best for you, Biore makes some fan favorite Asian sunscreens such as:

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, Biore Uv Aqua Rich Smooth Watery Gel (very similar to the watery essence but is bigger), Biore UV Perfect Face Milk Sunscreen (dries very matte but can be drying if your face leans on the drier side)

Some liked western ones are:
Eltamd UV Clear SPF 46, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch.
Paula's Choice and La Roche Posay also make some good options.

As for tips: keep up with a routine, don't miss a cleanse or a sunscreen application, consistency is key with skin, try to not touch your face during the day or expose it to elements (dust, smoke, etc), don't stay too long in the sun even with sunscreen, stay in the shade, hats and sunglasses can help too. be gentle with your face when doing your routine. and practice good health and hygiene.

Sorry if this is overwhelming or useless btw

Since you aren't looking to treat anything, sunscreen is the best thing you can do for prevention, the cleanser and moisturizing routine can help your face improve too. Skincare is kind of a commitment so I can understand if you find it too expensive to get into or too much to keep up with, since you don't struggle with anything you could get away with not doing anything probably.

Totally not useless. I loved every bit of this post

[Santaus]

Originally posted by HungryByTheBuffet

The best thing you can do to delay aging is apply facial sunscreen, which will also protect you from other signs of sun damage. Research shows sun damage accounts to up to 80% of signs of aging, wrinkles, sun spots, lose of collagen production, etc.

Since you're looking for a simple bare routine, I suggest you do something that looks like this.
Morning: Wash face with water, apply sunscreen.
Evening: Cleanse with a gentle cleanser, moisturize.

Since you aren't looking to spend money, cheap good options that are widely sold so you can buy them locally easily:

Cleansers : Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, SebaMed Fragrance Free Gentle Hydrating Cleanser.

Moisturizers: CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM, Cetaphil Lotion, Nivea, Sebamed Clear Face Care Gel.
Or anything that works for you and is moisturizing, since you aren't looking to treat anything, just get moisture after a cleanse.

For sunscreens the market is a bit trickier, western sunscreens are often not aesthetically pleasing (look oily, aren't fun to apply. etc) Asian sunscreens are much better plus offer better protection against UVA rays, the main con being that you have to order them online, but they're often cheaper than western ones anyway, you can look them up on amazon or ebay.
I recommend you read reviews and decide which sounds best for you, Biore makes some fan favorite Asian sunscreens such as:

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, Biore Uv Aqua Rich Smooth Watery Gel (very similar to the watery essence but is bigger), Biore UV Perfect Face Milk Sunscreen (dries very matte but can be drying if your face leans on the drier side)

Some liked western ones are:
Eltamd UV Clear SPF 46, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch.
Paula's Choice and La Roche Posay also make some good options.

As for tips: keep up with a routine, don't miss a cleanse or a sunscreen application, consistency is key with skin, try to not touch your face during the day or expose it to elements (dust, smoke, etc), don't stay too long in the sun even with sunscreen, stay in the shade, hats and sunglasses can help too. be gentle with your face when doing your routine. and practice good health and hygiene.

Sorry if this is overwhelming or useless btw

Since you aren't looking to treat anything, sunscreen is the best thing you can do for prevention, the cleanser and moisturizing routine can help your face improve too. Skincare is kind of a commitment so I can understand if you find it too expensive to get into or too much to keep up with, since you don't struggle with anything you could get away with not doing anything probably.

Thanks, this was very helpful and insightful, actually. Appreciate the fact that you included an abundance of examples/recommendations. As a matter of fact, I visited a few shops and a department store today, and not gonna lie the cosmetics sections are quite overwhelming. They also favor local brands a lot, setting them up with their own stands, say Lumene for instance.

Admittedly I've neglected UV protection to some degree. While I'm cautious with the sun and don't really pursue a tan, I should still use sunscreen more regularly. But like you said, the usual stuff that's readily available isn't really ideal. Better make a habit of applying sunscreen then. That small commitment goes a long way after all.

What comes to cosmetics spending, I have two reasons why I'm reluctant to go all out: 1) I find it hard to swallow that there'd be real advantages and significant difference in effectiveness between the affordable and high-end stuff to justify the prices and make me pay the extra, rather than spending it on something else. 2) I like to invest in things that last longer and I have prolonged use for, as opposed to something that is used up in a couple of months's time.

[˚Greedy for Ari˚]

Originally posted by Santaus

What comes to cosmetics spending, I have two reasons why I'm reluctant to go all out: 1) I find it hard to swallow that there'd be real advantages and significant difference in effectiveness between the affordable and high-end stuff to justify the prices and make me pay the extra, rather than spending it on something else. 2) I like to invest in things that last longer and I have prolonged use for, as opposed to something that is used up in a couple of months's time.

Tbh I'm quite the opposite. When it comes to skincare i want to make sure i have the best quality.
Not that drugstore stuff isn't great, but the face is probably the most important part of the body.

Even all the beauty guru's on youtube, they'll spend $2 or $5 on foundation no problem but you'll notice their creams are like $80.
Of course they need extra care to their skin, as do i since i do put makeup on my face and need to make sure i counteract whatever negative effects it has on the skin.
But most high end products have special ingredients you won't find in drugstore ones.

Usually in high end products people won't notice a change in your skin, or sometimes they do but not as much as you do. Like with my Lancome or Lamer creams, i notice the texture of my face changing, the fine lines reducing and pores minimising. It could be placebo but my mom and best friend also notice it too. Also when you spend a lot of money on a moisturiser you feel tempted to use it since you did spend the cash if that makes sense.

But definitely start small then gradually build up. Whenever you want to buy an expensive product, go to sephora or amazon and read reviews and see the ratings. Get other peoples opinions, not the sales associates.

[pepsimanvn]

Let's share our skincare routine, guys .

[HungryByTheBuffet]

Originally posted by ˚Greedy for Ari˚

Totally not useless. I loved every bit of this post

Thanks, love this thread, I'm kinda obsessed with skincare

Originally posted by Santaus

Thanks, this was very helpful and insightful, actually. Appreciate the fact that you included an abundance of examples/recommendations. As a matter of fact, I visited a few shops and a department store today, and not gonna lie the cosmetics sections are quite overwhelming. They also favor local brands a lot, setting them up with their own stands, say Lumene for instance.

Admittedly I've neglected UV protection to some degree. While I'm cautious with the sun and don't really pursue a tan, I should still use sunscreen more regularly. But like you said, the usual stuff that's readily available isn't really ideal. Better make a habit of applying sunscreen then. That small commitment goes a long way after all.

What comes to cosmetics spending, I have two reasons why I'm reluctant to go all out: 1) I find it hard to swallow that there'd be real advantages and significant difference in effectiveness between the affordable and high-end stuff to justify the prices and make me pay the extra, rather than spending it on something else. 2) I like to invest in things that last longer and I have prolonged use for, as opposed to something that is used up in a couple of months's time.

Glad I could help. Yeah visiting stores like that is gonna be super confusing, there's a sea of skincare brands and products out there and it's impossible to know what you should buy without some internet research, and even then it's hard to know where to start, that's why I suggested some products for you to research to ease yourself into the world of skincare, you should check them and and the products Greedy suggested out and find out what sounds best for you from each category (Cleanser-Moisturizer-Sunscreen).
When you never had a proper skincare routine it's kinda hard to get started since you don't know how your skin reacts to things yet, so it's hard to decide what products sound like they would work with your skin the best, so getting started and keeping track of how your skin looks is key.
You should choose the products and buy them without getting too distracted at the cosmetic section.

It's great you're cautious with the sun, a sunscreen commitment will definitely go a long way, since you aren't looking to treat anything, protection from sun damage is the best thing you can do, UV also prolongs acne scars, makes them more visible and red and delays their healing, so it should help with fading what little scaring you have too.

You should definitely not swallow that, It's not always wiser to go with high-end brands (in fact it usually isn't imo, depends on the type of product though) most cosmetics products are on the gimmicky side and are ineffective if not harmful, that applies to both expensive and cheap cosmetics, that's why research should always be done before purchasing one of them, the products I suggested are on the cheaper side, and the routine I suggested is on the more basic side since it doesn't sound like you need anything too extensive, just getting started with the basics.

I can still understand the hesitation from getting into the loop of purchasing them, since you don't suffer from anything you want to treat, the benefits can be less obvious in the short term making you feel like you're throwing money away, so it's kind of a lifestyle decision you have to make, either way is fine.

Also, if you do get into it and start a nice routine and wish to add more products to start actively improving your skin texture, color, etc, you should look into adding a Chemical Exfoliator and a Vitamin C serum into your routine, both are extreamly beneficial to improve the looks of one's skin, but you gotta get comfortable and happy with the basic routine first and make sure everything is working with your skin.

If you need any help with anything or you have any questions about the products I'll be around to help.

[Santaus]

Originally posted by ˚Greedy for Ari˚

Tbh I'm quite the opposite. When it comes to skincare i want to make sure i have the best quality.
Not that drugstore stuff isn't great, but the face is probably the most important part of the body.

Even all the beauty guru's on youtube, they'll spend $2 or $5 on foundation no problem but you'll notice their creams are like $80.
Of course they need extra care to their skin, as do i since i do put makeup on my face and need to make sure i counteract whatever negative effects it has on the skin.
But most high end products have special ingredients you won't find in drugstore ones.

Usually in high end products people won't notice a change in your skin, or sometimes they do but not as much as you do. Like with my Lancome or Lamer creams, i notice the texture of my face changing, the fine lines reducing and pores minimising. It could be placebo but my mom and best friend also notice it too. Also when you spend a lot of money on a moisturiser you feel tempted to use it since you did spend the cash if that makes sense.

But definitely start small then gradually build up. Whenever you want to buy an expensive product, go to sephora or amazon and read reviews and see the ratings. Get other peoples opinions, not the sales associates.

Sure thing. I get that. I'm just a very frugal type and carefully consider all bigger investments, which this will be in the long term. Sometimes I feel like overly so.

Originally posted by HungryByTheBuffet

Thanks, love this thread, I'm kinda obsessed with skincare



Glad I could help. Yeah visiting stores like that is gonna be super confusing, there's a sea of skincare brands and products out there and it's impossible to know what you should buy without some internet research, and even then it's hard to know where to start, that's why I suggested some products for you to research to ease yourself into the world of skincare, you should check them and and the products Greedy suggested out and find out what sounds best for you from each category (Cleanser-Moisturizer-Sunscreen).
When you never had a proper skincare routine it's kinda hard to get started since you don't know how your skin reacts to things yet, so it's hard to decide what products sound like they would work with your skin the best, so getting started and keeping track of how your skin looks is key.
You should choose the products and buy them without getting too distracted at the cosmetic section.

It's great you're cautious with the sun, a sunscreen commitment will definitely go a long way, since you aren't looking to treat anything, protection from sun damage is the best thing you can do, UV also prolongs acne scars, makes them more visible and red and delays their healing, so it should help with fading what little scaring you have too.

You should definitely not swallow that, It's not always wiser to go with high-end brands (in fact it usually isn't imo, depends on the type of product though) most cosmetics products are on the gimmicky side and are ineffective if not harmful, that applies to both expensive and cheap cosmetics, that's why research should always be done before purchasing one of them, the products I suggested are on the cheaper side, and the routine I suggested is on the more basic side since it doesn't sound like you need anything too extensive, just getting started with the basics.

I can still understand the hesitation from getting into the loop of purchasing them, since you don't suffer from anything you want to treat, the benefits can be less obvious in the short term making you feel like you're throwing money away, so it's kind of a lifestyle decision you have to make, either way is fine.

Also, if you do get into it and start a nice routine and wish to add more products to start actively improving your skin texture, color, etc, you should look into adding a Chemical Exfoliator and a Vitamin C serum into your routine, both are extreamly beneficial to improve the looks of one's skin, but you gotta get comfortable and happy with the basic routine first and make sure everything is working with your skin.

If you need any help with anything or you have any questions about the products I'll be around to help.

So supportive. Now I just gotta follow through with the plans and act on them following your instructions.

So Chemical Exfoliator triumphs the physical one?

Thread bookmarked.

[pepsimanvn]

I guess in your daily skincare, there are different levels you should go through gradually.

1. use sunscreen. the rule of thumb in skincare is, if you only use just ONE product to take care of your skin, it should be sunscreen, no question asked.
2. the traditional 3 step skincare regime: cleanse, tone and moisturise

From level 3 onwards, don't get too crazy too fast

3. exfoliation: chemical or physical, but the trend now is chemical
4. add in vitamin C
5. add in vitamin A

After this 5 levels, I guess there's very little you can do to up your skincare game.

[HungryByTheBuffet]

Originally posted by Santaus

Sure thing. I get that. I'm just a very frugal type and carefully consider all bigger investments, which this will be in the long term. Sometimes I feel like overly so.



So supportive. Now I just gotta follow through with the plans and act on them following your instructions.

So Chemical Exfoliator triumphs the physical one?

Thread bookmarked.

I try

Physical exfoliators are definitely a more debatable subject than chemical, they're abrasive and can harm your skin, more so if it's on the sensitive side, some people swear by them though, for me personally physical exfoliation makes me break out and makes my skin angry, it tends to irritate the skin even if you can't see it.

Chemical exfoliation also tends to do much more than physical, it can improve skin tone, fade scars, some help a bit with anti aging, etc, and is overall definitely preferable to physical ones in every sense, plus there's chemical options that are just as cheap as physical nowadays.
Chemical's biggest/only con is probably that the cheaper options can have irritating ingredients in them so you have to be careful with them and incorporate them slowly into your routine if you don't want to suffer irritation, plus since it's a leave-on active there's a bigger chance your face won't agree with a chemical exfoliant.

Originally posted by pepsimanvn

Let's share our skincare routine, guys .

You start

Originally posted by pepsimanvn

I guess in your daily skincare, there are different levels you should go through gradually.

1. use sunscreen. the rule of thumb in skincare is, if you only use just ONE product to take care of your skin, it should be sunscreen, no question asked.
2. the traditional 3 step skincare regime: cleanse, tone and moisturise

From level 3 onwards, don't get too crazy too fast

3. exfoliation: chemical or physical, but the trend now is chemical
4. add in vitamin C
5. add in vitamin A

After this 5 levels, I guess there's very little you can do to up your skincare game.

There's some miscellaneous stuff like face masks, and it overall depends on your needs, since an acne prone person could also use a spot treatment or other acne products, you can also add a pure antioxidant product, but overall yeah that's a great level measurement for an over the counter routine.

[Santaus]

Originally posted by pepsimanvn

I guess in your daily skincare, there are different levels you should go through gradually.

1. use sunscreen. the rule of thumb in skincare is, if you only use just ONE product to take care of your skin, it should be sunscreen, no question asked.
2. the traditional 3 step skincare regime: cleanse, tone and moisturise

From level 3 onwards, don't get too crazy too fast

3. exfoliation: chemical or physical, but the trend now is chemical
4. add in vitamin C
5. add in vitamin A

After this 5 levels, I guess there's very little you can do to up your skincare game.

Had to google what "toning" is exactly. Never heard of facial toners.

Originally posted by HungryByTheBuffet

I try

Physical exfoliators are definitely a more debatable subject than chemical, they're abrasive and can harm your skin, more so if it's on the sensitive side, some people swear by them though, for me personally physical exfoliation makes me break out and makes my skin angry, it tends to irritate the skin even if you can't see it.

Chemical exfoliation also tends to do much more than physical, it can improve skin tone, fade scars, some help a bit with anti aging, etc, and is overall definitely preferable to physical ones in every sense, plus there's chemical options that are just as cheap as physical nowadays.
Chemical's biggest/only con is probably that the cheaper options can have irritating ingredients in them so you have to be careful with them and incorporate them slowly into your routine if you don't want to suffer irritation, plus since it's a leave-on active there's a bigger chance your face won't agree with a chemical exfoliant.

So that I'm fully prepared, could you also recommend any chemical exfoliators? Also, which should be the preferred choice, a plain sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF? I guess sunscreen since they offer better protection?

[˚Greedy for Ari˚]

Vitamin A in summer is risky but pays off if the cards are played right.
You NEED to apply sunscreen if you're exposed to the sun since your skin is shedding, but that new layer of skin will be gorgeous.

[HungryByTheBuffet]

Originally posted by Santaus

So that I'm fully prepared, could you also recommend any chemical exfoliators? Also, which should be the preferred choice, a plain sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF? I guess sunscreen since they offer better protection?

Chemical exfoliators are a bit complicated, first there's two kinds of chemical exfoliators, BHA and AHA, BHA is better for acne prone skin as if fights acne, also good at shrinking and cleaning pores, AHA tends to do a better job at evening skin tone, fading scars, and anti aging.
BHA is Salicylic Acid, then there's 3 types of AHA acids, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Mandelic Acid, Glycolic is the strongest followed by Mandelic with the weakest being Lactic.
You can't just use any product with an acid as an exfoliant though, an exfoliant is one because it's manufactured at the right PH for exfoliation and is well formulated for that purpose.

AHA also causes your face to become more photosensitive, making sunscreen a safety MUST rather than highly recommended.

There's different percentages of both BHA and AHA, BHA is usually sold at 2% BHA, in most countries it's the highest legal amount permitted to be sold, AHA comes in more of a variety, from 8% to 10% to 14% hundreds% for chemical peels for experienced users, a good amount to start with would be 8% or 10%.


So basically based on what sounds best for you, there's a lot of options, most of the good ones you'll have to order online, the cheapest most available BHA is Stridex Maximum Strength Pads, it's available at department stores making it easy to buy, but it can be VERY irritating, if you go for it you would need to use it once every 5 days at night then SLOWLY increase usage as your face adjusts, you'll also need a nice heavy moisturizer. a more premium BHA would be Paula's Choice options, Paula's choice make fantastic BHA and AHA's, they have them in liquid options and lotion options, but the price is fairly premium.
a good AHA brand is Alpha Skin Care, they make a great selection of AHA's, they're also sometimes sold at department stores.

But you should really have a basic routine before starting to get into those stuff, follow your basic routine for a while so you know it fully agrees with you skin so you can start experiming with stuff like that.

As for the sunscreen, definitely use a real sunscreen, not SPF moisturizers, their protection is often a joke.
Also make sure you get a broad spectrum sunscreen, at least 30 SPF.
Or if you go with the Asian ones, at least 30SPF and at least PA++++ (PA is their scale for UVA rays, as western sunscreens are only obligated to share SPF which is for UVB)

[˚Greedy for Ari˚]

DAMN sis you should manage Sephora's cosmetic area, you'd boost their sales by 185%

[Santaus]

Originally posted by HungryByTheBuffet

Chemical exfoliators are a bit complicated, first there's two kinds of chemical exfoliators, BHA and AHA, BHA is better for acne prone skin as if fights acne, also good at shrinking and cleaning pores, AHA tends to do a better job at evening skin tone, fading scars, and anti aging.
BHA is Salicylic Acid, then there's 3 types of AHA acids, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Mandelic Acid, Glycolic is the strongest followed by Mandelic with the weakest being Lactic.
You can't just use any product with an acid as an exfoliant though, an exfoliant is one because it's manufactured at the right PH for exfoliation and is well formulated for that purpose.

AHA also causes your face to become more photosensitive, making sunscreen a safety MUST rather than highly recommended.

There's different percentages of both BHA and AHA, BHA is usually sold at 2% BHA, in most countries it's the highest legal amount permitted to be sold, AHA comes in more of a variety, from 8% to 10% to 14% hundreds% for chemical peels for experienced users, a good amount to start with would be 8% or 10%.


So basically based on what sounds best for you, there's a lot of options, most of the good ones you'll have to order online, the cheapest most available BHA is Stridex Maximum Strength Pads, it's available at department stores making it easy to buy, but it can be VERY irritating, if you go for it you would need to use it once every 5 days at night then SLOWLY increase usage as your face adjusts, you'll also need a nice heavy moisturizer. a more premium BHA would be Paula's Choice options, Paula's choice make fantastic BHA and AHA's, they have them in liquid options and lotion options, but the price is fairly premium.
a good AHA brand is Alpha Skin Care, they make a great selection of AHA's, they're also sometimes sold at department stores.

But you should really have a basic routine before starting to get into those stuff, follow your basic routine for a while so you know it fully agrees with you skin so you can start experiming with stuff like that.

As for the sunscreen, definitely use a real sunscreen, not SPF moisturizers, their protection is often a joke.
Also make sure you get a broad spectrum sunscreen, at least 30 SPF.
Or if you go with the Asian ones, at least 30SPF and at least PA++++ (PA is their scale for UVA rays, as western sunscreens are only obligated to share SPF which is for UVB)

Very informative. You've built quite the knowledge on skincare. Plan to pursue career in the field?

And I agree, I'll start with the basics first. I just wanted to use the opportunity to learn more. Since I have no issues with acne, anymore that is, AHA would seem to be better suited for me.

I do wonder why there's such a difference in sunscreen composition, and if the Asian products are clearly better, as you say, why haven't we adopted those here. This was brand-new information to me. Lucky Asians.

[C SLAYCLAIR]

my hair is thinning out so bad guys idk what to do I bought rogaine

[HungryByTheBuffet]

Originally posted by ˚Greedy for Ari˚

DAMN sis you should manage Sephora's cosmetic area, you'd boost their sales by 185%

d gimme a recommendation

Originally posted by Santaus

Very informative. You've built quite the knowledge on skincare. Plan to pursue career in the field?

And I agree, I'll start with the basics first. I just wanted to use the opportunity to learn more. Since I have no issues with acne, anymore that is, AHA would seem to be better suited for me.

I do wonder why there's such a difference in sunscreen composition, and if the Asian products are clearly better, as you say, why haven't we adopted those here. This was brand-new information to me. Lucky Asians.

Probably not it's just a hobby, who knows though.

Yeah I think AHA is a better fit for you too, AHA is also less irritating and more moisturizing than BHA, so it's a lot less likely to cause issues.

The Asian sunscreen market is highly competitive unlike the western one, Asian skin beauty practices are ahead of western ones in quite a few ways, daily sunscreen is a lot more common there for anti aging purposes, they also have a bunch of ingredients and filters the FDA and other countries haven't approved yet making for much better formulations, they also care much more about UVA which is the main cause of aging and they have a separate measurement for its protection (PA and PPD), while western sunscreens only care about SPF which is UVB which causes burning, and don't have official guidelines of letting the consumer know about the amount of UVA protection settling for the vague "broad spectrum" term.

There are some good western sunscreens out there as not all countries are as behind with the regulations, but most of the time it isn't beneficial enough for a western brand to invest in a product they can't widely sell in other countries like America.

[pepsimanvn]

Originally posted by HungryByTheBuffet

You start

I could get a bit crazy with my routine but now I try to keep things simple. My skin is combination oily.

Morning: Simple cleanser > nuFountain C20+Ferulic > Curel intensive moisture cream > Skin Aqua clear milk sunscreen
Night: Simple cleanser > retin A 0.05% (every other day) > Curel intensive moisture cream
I also use an exfoliant with 10% glycolic acid from Paula Choice about 2 times a week.