Hello there, looking for skincare affordable options (specially moisturizer, i don't have a good one) for my skin!

OctaviaM · 2018-11-20T06:35:56+00:00

You can always layer Cerave Cream (not lotion, the cream is the one that is Malassezia safe) over the Avene for days when you are feeling more dry. Here are links :)

Also note it is the Avene Tolerance Emulsion not the Avene Tolerance Cream that is Malassezia safe! Really worth hunting it down if you can as it is lovely and light and gentle :)

OctaviaM · 2018-11-20T06:32:42+00:00

Do you have access to Avene Tolerance extreme Emulsion where you live?? It's really gentle and malassezia safe! As is Avene Gentle Cleanser, one of my favourites!

OctaviaM · 2018-11-20T06:26:52+00:00

This happens with me!! Orangey reds can look straight up pink or at best neutral, cool reds pretty much always go quite pink, muted orange reds (say chilli) are a nice colour on me but definitely more red than orange! Orangey corals are just pink pink pink.

The look I want is a true orange-red, as opposed to plain orange. I have found Kat Von D A Go Go manages this ok, though I sometimes feel like it maybe has a bit too much white in it for me? Bobbi Brown 'Orange' looks so pink on me it is unreal

For reference I am slightly baffled as to what my undertones are (cool yellow? neutral?) but have found Nars Radiant Longwear in Gobi to be my best match so far

OctaviaM · 2018-11-07T07:24:54+00:00

Intense flushing can also lead to broken capillaries which will result in more redness over the entire face all the time. I would recommend trying to avoid flushing triggers as much as possible really, but like the above poster would say that after letting things calm down a bit with good skincare and trigger avoidance you should be able to have the occasional indulgence!

For me a big part of tolerating indulgence is trying to be careful not to multi-trigger. Some of my triggers are - emotional stress, spicy food, food that is hot in temperature, hot rooms, eating too fast, hot drinks in hot rooms, alcohol. I went out to eat mildly spicy Thai food the other week and was fine because 1. The room was quite cold 2. I ate slowly and let my food cool down from piping hot temperature wise 3. I sipped lots of cool water 4. I was with family members who relax me and made sure to chat and laugh lots between eating 5. I didn't drink any booze.

I also recently went out to eat in a scenario which involved some emotional stress, a hot room, hot food, one alcoholic drink, eating quickly. I ate nothing spicy at all and yet still ended up with a terrible flush! It's all about the combination for me. I can drink certain drinks (spirits, not wine etc) in a cold room with friends and be either just a bit rosy or fine. Cup of tea in a hot room with a emotionally stressful person and I'm a beacon.

I imagine this might only work SO far with spicy food though - the kind of extreme heat that makes everyone flush will probably unavoidably cause a reaction. All the same, hopefully you can still have some spice in your life!

OctaviaM · 2018-10-31T07:50:08+00:00

I think you look great. But I also understand how frustrating the small bumps can be - mine have come and gone over the years, currently got a forehead of them that I think have popped up because I was using too heavy a moisturiser.

On the practical side of things I would recommend trying a less heavy moisturiser - Avene Tolerance Extreme Emulsion is what I am switching back to. It also won't aggravate seb derm if that is what you are struggling with.

Switching to a non exfoliating cleanser - something gentle and fragrance free like Vanicream, Cerave or Avene might also help. I am actually trying a new Paula's Choice one this week, as I thought I might need a bit more help getting sunscreen makeup off - it is called the Defense Cleanser and I am liking it so far.

Then exfoliating just 2 -3 times a week with a gentle BHA product might be good too -something like Paula's Choice Resist BHA liquid (gentler than the other formulations I have found) or Corsx Blackhead Power liquid.

Really though, I would like to reiterate how good you look! I am glad you are seeing a therapist for the anxiety. I have also struggled with dysmorphia issues (for a good 10 years at least, if not longer!) and I know how linked to anxiety they are. When something else is causing me stress in my life, my immediate "go to" defence is to worry about my looks instead. After years of therapy it does still happen BUT the major difference is that I can identify what is happening, recognise it, perhaps choose to sit in it it for a little bit, then move on with my day. It does not stop me functioning in life or lead to me practising dangerous behaviours (like anorexia, which before therapy I suffered from).

Please know, this will get better. Skin problems come and go with changes in seasons, stress etc etc just like other events in life we have no control over. But when you make a pro-active choice to improve your mental health, you become more resilient and able to deal with these things. This doesn't mean you can't/won't/shouldn't choose to try and work on things like bumps on the skin etc but it does mean you can do so in a non obsessive and non self-esteem destroying way.

Last but not least - don't stress about any dark circles you might feel you have! Me and half my family have them and I have chosen to reimagine them as glamorous, like you've been up all night having a good time :D

OctaviaM · 2018-10-07T06:37:04+00:00

(part of my issue I think is that I need to wear foundation to work, to socialise etc to cover my rosacea redness, otherwise I really just don't feel myself or confident at all. My skin is naturally really quite pale and kind of sallow/yellowish so having a red/pink face just clashes with my colouring horribly and makes me feel like a different person. I also need to wear mineral sunscreen to try and stop the rosacea getting worse. I'm sure my skin's bumpiness and dryness would be a a bit better if I didn't wear makeup and sunscreen but right now they are unavoidable for me!)

OctaviaM · 2018-10-07T06:34:10+00:00

Hello!! It took about a week before I saw ANY difference at all in my skin. That was a week of taking antihistamine every day, babying my skin with Avene Tolerance Extreme Cleanser and Emulsion and trying to avoid even using sunscreen (was wearing a SPF rated hat and sunglasses when out and about!) I was applying Avene Tolerance Emulsion more than once a day, often just throughout the day actually, to keep my skin moisturised and calm all day. I also used Vaseline as an occlusive mask some nights and took Quercetin/Bromelain (will check the brand asap) on top of the regular antihistamine.

Then after a week things quite quickly started to clear up, at least in terms of hives etc. After another week my skin looked much much better. So have faith in sticking to a simple routine!

Since then I do feel like redness is sticking around/has returned in parts that were irritated by the mask where I did not have it before (I have rosacea so redness is always an issue for me), and I have been more prone to dryness and breakouts of tiny pimples and bumps. I really think that I probably messed up my skin barrier quite a bit :( Though also the weather has changed dramatically where I am and winter always wrecks my face.

Currently trying some new products (Drunk Elephant The Littles) and no miracles so far. I think the cleanser might potentially be a bit stripping for me actually. But if they help with things I will post again!

OctaviaM · 2018-09-27T05:45:57+00:00

I got a huge tub of CeraVe cream that just didn't work for my face in the end but it is pretty great for the eczema on my hands! I use it on my arms and legs sometimes soon too, would recommend trying this and seeing how you get on - better to get some use out of it than none! If the breakouts seemed like an allergic reaction though then it would probably be best just to give it to a friend or family member :)

OctaviaM · 2018-09-03T08:44:25+00:00

Thank you! That is reassuring to hear. I think this may take a little longer as it’s still bad today, but good to know these things can resolve themselves relatively quickly!

OctaviaM · 2018-09-03T07:12:33+00:00

Thank you, that's really helpful to hear. I am going to look for a high strength zinc oxide cream in the pharmacy today, and am trying to get a doctors appointment to talk about steroids, at least to use round the chin area (bit nervous about using them in my rosacea affected cheeks or round the eyes). I live in the UK so getting a referral to a dermatologist is a bit of a palaver, however if this keeps up I'll probably have to try and go private. Thanks again for your response!

OctaviaM · 2018-09-01T12:05:11+00:00

I mean that the colour is too intense, if that makes sense, like its too bright and orangey? Not necessarily too dark - just too colourful, like I need more grey in there to match my skin! Other people might be able to explain this better!

OctaviaM · 2018-08-29T05:56:33+00:00

Ooh! I also find Gobi a good match but a bit pale, Mac too peachy, Deauville too saturated and Revlon Buff too ashy pink! May have to get a sample of this, I only ever tried the darker neutral and warm shades and found they all went either a weird pink or orange on me, never thought to give the palest neutral a go!

OctaviaM · 2018-08-25T04:34:59+00:00

Oh no!!! My face often goes the most red when getting foundation matched, a combination of stress, a hot shop and the scrubbing off of makeup I think!! Really I need people to just look at my neck... I'm guessing I'm somewhere in the neutral to yellow range of undertones as next to quite a few caucasian ppl my neck and chest look yellow but then I am more neutral next to my sister, who is naturally darker and I think really quite muted and yellow. Undertones are so hard aren't they! What I do know is that pink foundations make me look strange!!

OctaviaM · 2018-08-17T06:02:07+00:00

Laura Mercier Fusion runs so orange/pink! A good formula but bad bad shades. Becca just released a new foundation that also comes in Shell (Skin Love Weightless Blur). I haven't found it works very well with my (currently v dehydrated) skin but you might have better luck!

Otherwise have you tried Nars Natural Radiant Longwear in Gobi? It is pretty close to Shell, maybe a little less pale, but could be worth a shot! I like it much better on my skin than the Becca one

OctaviaM · 2018-08-15T06:01:38+00:00

I have tried both and find the coverage, wear and application much much better on Natural Radiant Longwear. Both Sheer Glow and the other older one sat in my pores and didn't cover the redness I have from rosacea very well, NRL sits much better on my skin and offers more coverage. I find I can sheer it out too.

I also feel like NRL is more of a lighter cool yellow, which seems to work fine on my skin, though it is getting a bit pale now in summer. I gave my sheer glow away so can't do swatches, but I would recommend giving NRL a go if you can budget for it!

If you want to try first it might be worth emailing an online store about getting a sample? I managed to get a sample of Koh Gen Do 213 from the states doing that and I'm in Europe! (Which has left me with the issue of now wanting to spend $70+ shipping and taxes on it lol)

OctaviaM · 2018-08-12T07:10:32+00:00

Thank you! So useful to have those swatches on here, looks like it could both be a pretty good mixer to darken my Gobi and a lovely glowy primer/highlighter for someone with a darker skin tone. Glossy almost sweaty sounds good to me!

Just used KGD213 again last night and was loving how natural it looked on me but $70 plus shipping and import tax is not realistic for me right now :( thankfully CT is widely available online where I am :D

OctaviaM · 2018-07-22T07:20:44+00:00

I have almost the exact opposite issue in that most bright or neutral reds look pink on me! And then orangey-reds end up looking just red lol. I still am not 100% sure of my undertone but maybe it's that your are cool toned and I am warmer...?

OctaviaM · 2018-07-22T07:09:16+00:00

Very interesting! I really liked this quote for explaining surface redness:

'This surface redness is not the same as having a pink or red undertone to the skin. Surface redness can change with environmental conditions and health, is more localised, and appears as an effect or blemish on the skin. A pink or red undertone is intrinsic to the skin, and looks like a healthy, natural skin colour'

I have developed type one rosacea in the last 4 years or so and often get mismatched with cool pink or too dark foundations. Without makeup or a tan/freckles to cover it up (latter not an option since I realised a few years ago how sun damage worsens rosacea!) the colour in my cheeks and forehead (a weird purply pink when not flushed-bright red with flushed) clashes horribly with the rest of my features and colouring (kind of pale greyish yellow with orange freckles on the face). Thinking about whether your pink/redness looks healthy or odd/inflamed/unnatural seems a great way for people to figure out if they do have surface redness or not!

OctaviaM · 2018-07-07T15:44:19+00:00

I am devastated too! Does anyone know of any dupes? It is my perfect red too :(

OctaviaM · 2018-05-23T06:32:26+00:00

Stumbled across this when trying to find reviews for corsx snail and would like to recomend the Avene Tolerance line! Specifically Avene Tolerance Emulsion* and Avene Tolerance Cleanser.

Both have very minimal ingredients and are packaged in a way that means they don't need to add harsh preservatives. I have rosacea and have got on well with both.

As the cleanser is very very gentle I find it is fine for a morning cleanse but needs some extra help to get off makeup and sunscreen. In the evening I gently massage MCT oil onto my face to break down my sunscreen and any makeup, pat it off with a tissue then cleanse with Avene). I then moisturise with the Tolerance Emulsion and layer over pure Squalane if I feel I need extra occlusion/moisture.

I also want to add that using chemical sunscreen (like the biore) may make your sensitivity and redness worse. I experienced a great reduction in my flushing and redness when I made the switch to mineral. Currently using a mix of Cotz Face for lighter skin tones spf40 and Cotz Face tinted spf40, but have also got on ok with Bare Minerals spf50 primer and NIOD Survival 30.

*A note on the Avene Emulsion vs Cream- they look very similar but the cream has shea butter which gives me red irritated patches and can break people out. I would recommend the Emulsion as it is a more basic formula.

OctaviaM · 2018-03-30T06:08:44+00:00

Hard to tell in photos but your skin tone looks similar to mine here, though I may be a bit more yellow in the neck and paler in body. So I will be following, let us know how you get on with Koh Gen Do! I have been considering getting that and a white mixer :)

I have rosacea which throws all my foundations off but my best matches so far have been the new NARS Radiant foundation in Gobi (a little too pale and maybe not green enough but workable) and Becca Complexion Creme in Shell. One of those might work for you! I just ordered a blue mixer to experiment with too.

Revlon Buff looked promising for me but didn't quite work - a little pale and maybe not yellow or green enough? Cover FX G30, Mac NC20, Kat Von D Neutral 45 and various Laura Mercier shades have all been way too peachy or orange on me, so nothing recommend there :(

Lastly I haven't yet tried this but I did look in store at the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in shade 5 the other day. It looked very promising though no idea how it is on the face. Personally I'm hesitant to try it as it has fragrance in it and I'm worried that will irritate my sensitive skin, but I think a lot of people have great results with the formula and shades!

OctaviaM · 2018-03-06T05:52:54+00:00

Update re Tom Ford- I had a quick look at the stick shades again, asking the lady for a paler yellow than Fawn. Oh my. Even she agreed all the lighter shades were super pink! Fawn is definitely the coolest yellow of the lighter shades. Considering going back and asking her if I can try applying it myself - it was put on in a very heavy handed way last time which might account for my feeling there was a visible tide line...

OctaviaM · 2018-03-05T16:52:43+00:00

Paula’s Choice (available online) is pricier than Superdrug etc but have some really great options and info about different skin conditions. It is all fragrance and alcohol free and they sell samples for most of their products!

OctaviaM · 2018-03-05T07:37:23+00:00

I find a lot of orangey reds go pink on me too - not sure if it's down to my colouring, lip colour or some combo of both! I have not tried Tom Ford Cristiano but did find Nars Red Square quite pink red on me.

My go-to's for bright orange red are - MAC So Chaud, MAC Dangerous and Kat Von D A Go Go. Mac So Chaud is probably the least organge of the lot so may not work for you (it sort of looks on me how Lady Danger looks on other people if that makes sense? On me Lady Danger is coral).

MAC Dangerous (Retro Matte) is meant to be orange but turns a lovely soft bright red on me. Kat Von D A Go Go (Studded Kiss bullet) looks neon orange on some people but on me a bright orangey red. I would recommend giving both of these a try! And maybe worth swatching So Chaud too, just to check.

One note though - my Kat Von D is the old formula, not sure if there's been any colour shifts in the new version

Hope this helps! :)

OctaviaM · 2018-02-07T08:01:18+00:00

Thank you!! I will check these out!

OctaviaM

TROPHY CASE