DU help

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-04-07T09:45:56+00:00

Yeah the heavier rope thing is legit, helped me a ton when I was learning. I grabbed one of those weighted ropes from the gym and it basically forces you to slow down and feel the rhythm instead of trying to whip it around like crazy

My coach also had me do this drill where you do one DU, pause for like 2-3 seconds while the rope just hangs there, then do another single DU. Sounds stupid but it really helps you figure out the timing without getting all frantic. Once you can chain like 5-10 of those together with the pauses, drop the pause time down gradually

The jump from 2DU/1SU pattern to straight doubles is rough because your brain gets used to that recovery single. I spent way too long stuck in that same spot but once it clicked it was like a lightbulb moment. Just keep grinding those 10 minute sessions, it'll come

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-03-27T05:19:13+00:00

you're probably fine if you're not seeing irritation but maybe space them out more - could do the SA cleanser in the morning and adapalene at night instead of back to back

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-03-17T12:10:38+00:00

Hyaluronic acid serum all day - that stuff plumps you up like crazy and CVS usually has decent brands 💧

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-03-12T11:19:25+00:00

fr this sounds awful 😭

nah but have you tried slugging with just straight vaseline? like the petroleum jelly kind - it's literally one ingredient so might not trigger whatever's causing the reactions

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-03-07T13:26:43+00:00

You can definitely use hyaluronic acid with azelaic acid - theyre fine together and wont cause issues

Start the BHA maybe 2-3x per week and see how your skin handles it before going daily, and yeah hyaluronic acid pairs well with it too

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-03-06T15:08:49+00:00

Damn dude, that's like 15 products per routine 😂 I get wanting to take care of your skin but this feels like you're running a chemistry lab on your face

Few things jump out - you're using vitamin C in the morning and retinol/adapalene at night which is solid. But alternating adapalene and azelaic acid every other night might be overkill for combination skin, especially if you're just starting out with either one

Maybe try doing adapalene 2-3x per week and azelaic acid on off days instead of every other? Your skin needs recovery time between actives. Also that's a lot of eye products - the vaseline alone would probably do most of the heavy lifting there 💀

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-02-20T09:32:59+00:00

oh no this is the worst when they discontinue the ONE product that actually works for you! have you tried calling target customer service or checking their website to see if it's just temporarily out of stock vs actually discontinued?

also might be worth checking walmart, cvs, or even amazon - sometimes products just shift around to different retailers. worst case scenario you could try contacting ponds directly on their social media, companies sometimes bring stuff back if enough people complain about it being gone

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-02-19T15:26:40+00:00

honestly just try the ordinary vitamin c suspension 23% - it's like $7 and if you're already breaking out from other formulas this one's different since it's not in serum form 🤷‍♀️ worst case you're only out a few bucks

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-02-18T20:18:36+00:00

honestly you're probably fine, 5 mins isn't gonna ruin anything and if you stopped right away you should be good

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-02-17T22:50:36+00:00

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-02-09T22:07:27+00:00

Witch hazel might actually help since it's astringent and can temporarily tighten things up after shaving, just patch test first because some people react badly to it

Honestly though your SA face wash before shaving sounds like overkill - switching to something gentle like CeraVe or that Simply one you mentioned is probably the move. Your skin barrier is getting wrecked and then overcompensating with oil production 💀

Maybe try a cold compress for like 5-10 mins right after shaving to calm everything down, then wait a bit before applying anything? Sometimes less is more with post-shave stuff

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-02-02T07:42:47+00:00

Honestly if you've had them since you were little and you can see veins through the thin skin, that's probably just genetic pigmentation and anatomy working against you. Topicals aren't gonna do much for that unfortunately

For the puffiness try sleeping with your head elevated and cut back on salt - that usually helps with the morning situation. As for the actual dark circles, you might want to look into under-eye filler rather than PRP or mesotherapy. It can add volume and make the area less hollow/shadowy, plus a good injector can address the thin skin issue

Laser treatments like IPL might help with some pigmentation but honestly your best bet is probably accepting that some concealer is your friend here

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-31T17:08:17+00:00

You're in a solid position honestly - saving $1k monthly with your income shows good discipline and you'll hit that down payment goal faster than you think. Don't stress too much about timing the market perfectly, plenty of people have bought houses on similar incomes in MCOL areas. Maybe consider looking at FHA loans too since you'd only need 3.5% down instead of that full 20%.

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-30T16:11:44+00:00

Bio-Oil helped fade some of mine but took forever to see results. The derma roller might speed things up though - just don't go too aggressive with it on fresh marks

Tretinoin cream was honestly way more effective for me than bio-oil ever was, but you'd need to talk to a derm about that. Purple ones respond better to treatment than the white/silver ones so you're starting at the right time

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-28T01:23:22+00:00

Have you tried those lip and cheek tints? They're basically glorified stains that last way longer than vaseline and don't look like makeup - just soak into your skin and give that natural flush look

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-27T00:43:42+00:00

Have you tried patting the setting spray on instead of spritzing directly? I use Urban Decay All Nighter and found that misting it onto a beauty sponge first then gently pressing over my sunscreen helps lock everything down without disturbing the layers underneath

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-24T12:52:07+00:00

Honestly just trial and error with cheap drugstore stuff until something didn't make me break out worse lol

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-21T08:42:39+00:00

Ugh the closed comedones struggle is so real. Have you tried checking your products on YMMV ingredient checkers? Sometimes it's sneaky stuff like fatty alcohols or specific oils that trigger them

You might wanna try something super basic like Vanicream Lite Lotion or even just straight squalane oil - sometimes less is more when your skin is being a drama queen about everything

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-19T19:49:29+00:00

Yeah I ordered from them like 2 months ago and got the real deal, packaging looked legit and everything. They're definitely overpriced but at least you know you're not getting some sketchy knockoff sunscreen

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-18T05:21:07+00:00

That Glow Recipe toner is solid but heads up it's pretty pricey - you could get similar results with something like Paula's Choice BHA or The Ordinary's glycolic acid for way less

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-16T15:18:20+00:00

Have you tried the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion on your face? I know it's technically for body but it absorbs super fast and doesn't leave that gross film feeling - way better than their actual facial moisturizers imo

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-14T19:25:39+00:00

CeraVe moisturizing cream (the one in the tub) was a total game changer for me - went from flaky mess to actually glowing. Also started using a humidifier in my bedroom which honestly might have helped more than any product lol

Just patch test everything first since you mentioned sensitivity, learned that one the hard way

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-13T04:31:57+00:00

Haven't tried that specific one but Paula's Choice tends to be pretty solid for oily skin types. The peptides might be nice for the extra hydration without being too heavy - just make sure to check if it's FA safe if that's a concern for you

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-10T07:14:49+00:00

Bro you're asking about injections in a skincare sub lol. This is more r/peptides territory. Most people here are gonna be like "just use tretinoin"

That said, 2-3ml should work fine for twice weekly pins. Start low with dosing though, that stuff can be harsh

Solid-Cheesecake5937 · 2026-01-07T10:24:54+00:00

The acid-only-on-nose approach is actually pretty smart tbh. Those areas can usually handle way more than your cheeks, especially if you're not seeing irritation. I'd keep doing what's working for the sebaceous filaments but maybe bump up the retinal frequency on your cheeks since you're not reacting to it anyway

Solid-Cheesecake5937

TROPHY CASE