/ot/ - off-topic

Garlic is my secret weapon. Yeah, it stinks so fucking bad and makes your vagina taste straight grody. But. It's truly the holy grail of anti-aging. I'm not going to make a list of all the benefits of garlic because google, but trust me. This stuff is godly. I know a man who is 80 years old, but he looks 60. It's because he takes garlic every day. I take it as often as I can go without getting my pussy ate. Typically on my little "no head" breaks I'll eat at least 4 cloves of garlic, in soup or otherwise. I'll eat a clove or two plain even with some juice or water, now. Fresh garlic is more beneficial than anything else. I have acne prone skin and excess sebum, but the antibacterial properties of garlic keep it at bay.

Prevention lies in the little things. Seemingly insignificant things that wear on us every day.

Ummm let's see. Small tips.

When I drink soda, I use a straw always and drink water with it to protect what I have left of my teeth from seven years of puking. They look fine, but I know it won't last. I also keep awareness of what foods have lactic acid in it, like yogurt, so I can flush it out of my mouth with water.

I used to have problems with deep blackheads and scarring from them. At the time I thought harsh treatment was the only effective way to rid of them. This was before I discovered aha/bha.
I used to use a sonic radiance clarisonic (even though I was only 19) because it was less harsh than the regular model. I've since then switched to the Foreo Luna. I thought they were stupid for so long, but now I have more knowledge on skin health and know that gentle is better long-term. Be gentle.

I like the Cosrx brand, and use their AHA/BHA products, as well as their oil-free moisturizer because the skin around my eyes is susceptible to fordyce spots. The su:m 37 rose cleansing stick is gentle and effective too.

I try to do a lot of little things to help prevent aging. So, at minimum it helps to do… you know, the obvious basics. Sun screen, moisturizing all over twice daily, lots of water, a skin care routine.

I used to think makeup and style would make me like myself better, or be more attractive. But the secret to real confidence and physical beauty is not as simple. Plus, makeup is artifice and when you take it off you are still faced with your real mug. Sometimes that's rough lol.

Taking care of my hair, body, and skin was probably the best thing I started focusing on for myself. Those Instagram thot tutorials only get you so far. Getting into the science of taking care of yourself rather than covering or concealing is a thousand times more satisfying.
I'm currently saving up for a slight rhinoplasty, because again, I want natural looking perfection.

Effortlessly perfect is my goal. Bella Hadid is like, the poster child for sculpting yourself into something better lol.

I swear the funniest posts on this website are when dorky girls think they're beauty queens because they just discovered basic hygiene

Man this thread just sounds kind of creepy anon and kind of like >>130867 said.

I'm pretty sure none of use here are perfect 10/10 hotties so the tone here of "perfection" and "narcissism" weirds me out (anyways, is it really narcissistic to take care of yourself? I'm pretty sure it's normal).


Personally I've always been into "traditional" female hobbies including self care. I've gotten more and more into it as I've gotten older.

Body care wise:

-Exfoliate in shower with Italy towel all over body (mostly on arms and behind legs though).

- After shower apply Stridex all over legs, underarms, and bikini line. I epilate so this keeps ingrowns at bay. I wait 10-15 minutes will this product works before any other steps.

- Light moisturizer after shower followed by a thicker one like body butter after the first one is absorbed. Reapply if needed again but 30 minutes after.

- I do use papaya soap on arms/legs/and stomach occasionally. Rub it all over in the shower, leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse. I like to have an even skin tone/lighter tone anyways.

- I wear sunscreen all over exposed body daily. If I'm wearing something like long sleeves and jeans I don't put it on under those though.

Face care: I have a 7-10 step routine on daily basis, adding and taking away some items here and there depending on the day. I keep it shorter in the morning at around 5 items. Sunscreen everyday, I stick to waterproof/sebum proof formulas to prevent reapplication (I don't spend too much time outside just went commuting). I do wear a pussy sunscreen like biore watery if I am just going to chill at home, since I have huge windows with tons of sunlight.

I can list my full face routine if anyone is interested overall it's like 1-7 essences/ampoules, 1-3 actives (listed below), 2-3 moisturizers, sleeping pack/aquaphor and eye cream.

Active wise I use a BHA x2-x1 a week, AHA %10 2x-3x a week ( like you anon >>130866 i did use the cosrx one but for me it was too weak, whatever works for u though), and retin a 2x-4x a week.

Once a week I do a "deep clean" sort of "treatment" where I apply a BHA, wait 15 minutes, apply a clay mask, remove mask and oil cleanse for a minute or two. This really cleans out any excess oil and clogged pores for me. After the oil cleanse is done I rinse my face, apply my first treatment essence and A-Sol (Cosrx) and use a sheet mask for 1-2 hours. Then I finish the rest of my routine. I usually don't use retinol or AHA on these days since the BHA/mask combo is "harsh" enough IMO.

I'm not super into "home remedies" too much but there are some things I do like to do. I buy raw honey from the farmers market and put it on my face around 2x a week.

I also drink two cups of green tea a day, and after brewing the tea I "rinse" my face with the tea bag.

I take a prenatal vitamin, multi vitamin, spearmint, green tea supplement, ginseng supplement, and calcium. I don't KNOW if ginseng/green tea etc is really making a huge difference but it's not harming me or my health so I will continue to take it. I do think adding the regular vitamins have actually helped though.

>>130868
I seriously don't understand how you find the time and energy for all this, then again my skin is pretty nice as is, and i'll probably pay for my laziness in my thirties. I just use wipes for makeup, perfume free lotion in face, face scrub in shower and moisturize when i remember. I mean, 5 steps in the morning? I start work at 8 and would rather sleep tbh. Envy your commitment!

>>130869

Honestly, I know it sounds "long" especially for mornings but it takes me 7 minutes max! I'm also like you, I wake up 20 minutes before I leave for work because I'm a sleepy head and don't really wear makeup much (I do put on some eyeliner and mascara, occasional brow powder and maybe BB cream max so like 2-3 minutes)

I don't really "wait" past 30 seconds-1 minute between morning products, just as long as they are decently absorbed. After I do the skincare I go eat breakfast, after breakfast and brushing teeth I apply sunscreen.

My night routine is the much longer one, with the wait times and masks it can be 1-2 hours max.

Also honestly anon, you could easily bring your skincare game up super quick and easy by adding retin a and some sunscreen in there. As long as you moisturize, exfoliate lightly (with retin a and you can use an occasional light scrub in shower) and use sun protection you will be A1. The retin a is amazing, anti aging and anti acne, and will help clear dark spots or scars ad well.

I just really enjoy skin care as a hobby so I take it in a more long route haha.

Like the other anon said, it's not really narcissism, especially since people expect you to look flawless at all times and treat you better as a result.

I used to be a weeaboo NEET who didn't shower for weeks, so my routine is still very minimal. I don't like doing too much to my skin.

Being from where I'm from, I can't really be expected to look like the OP image since my facial features are drastically different (tall nose, diamond-shaped face, big round eyes, relatively thin and small lips) and I'm a busy student with shit time management skills so my routine kind of has to be adjusted to my appearance and lifestyle. I did get clear, fair skin though so that makes it easier.

>Cosmetic Procedures
I've had several moles removed from my face. I plan to take off a few more when I get more money, get laser hair removal and a nose job.
>Fashion
This one is kind of bittersweet. I love weird, colourful fashion but it's so hard to pull off and I always looked ridiculous in my teens. It took me a long time to learn how to deal with VPLs, tucking (shirts), etc and proportions. I started dressing bland, the only colours in my wardrobe now are green, brown and grey. It's much easier to dress myself now. I also found a nice tailor and got designer glasses that suit my face shape.
>Beauty
>>130869 said it right, I'd be way too lazy to have an elaborate routine but I do get a gold star for trying. I don't like spending money on products so I mostly buy Korean stuff, though I don't necessarily follow up with the extensive routine.

Morning:
-wash face with lukewarm water
-wash my pits with soap and water
-put on lightweight lotion
-put on concealer, sunscreen, lip tint and fill in brows very lightly
-if I have time and energy I usually do a full face, which is just added eyeliner and mascara with a light wash of eyeshadow

I still don't know what to do with my hair. It's armpit length and very thick so I rarely wear it up.

Evening:
-wash everything off with Etude House cleansing oil
-use a mild cleansing milk if I'm not feeling lazy for good measure
-AHAs/face masks/serums go here if I'm feeling up to it
-Some watery lotion
-light moisturiser
-heavier moisturiser
-bed
>BODY
-wash hair once a week
-shower once every 2 days (I swim a lot so I shower and wash my hair at the pool on the off days, and I don't sweat much otherwise)
-epilate pits, epilate face with that epistick thing and tweezers or wax strips
-sometimes I even remember to plait my hair when I go to bed so it doesn't tangle

I don't understand people who say makeup takes them 5 minutes and it's like a full face, mine takes me at least 45 mins. I don't even do all this crap diligently, if I did I'd have zero time left for homework and studying.

If anyone has tips on how to get started with hair I'm all ears. I already use a nice shampoo and conditioner, and some spray mist thing.

Thanks OP for the garlic tip, I will definitely try to incoroporate it in my diet more.

I avoid sun, but I don't ever apply sunscreen. I drink lots of water, I don't make facial expressions too much to reduce wrinking, I don't drink alchohol, abuse drugs or smoke so there's another plus.

I don't have a routine for my face, aside from applying organic sunflower oil which is heavily underrated imo, on my face and hair before I go to sleep. I don't wear makeup except for formal occasions.

I never ever sleep on the side, I have managed to have a habit of sleeping on my back without moving much.

As for the diet, I eat mostly fish and sea fruits, wild salmon is my favorite food. Othertimes meat, and very small amount of carbs and dairy. However real dark chocolate (not the typical sugary garbage) is my weak spot and I like to munch on it every few days. And a person that looks stunning for 60yo, she looks at least 20 years younger, says that she kickstarts her day with oranges and carrots in the morning so I've started doing that.

And I drink tons of water and tea, organic matcha and guarana in particular. I drink soda only on family gatherings or christmas holiday (basically the same thing), or when I feel sick. I feel disgusted with myself when I do that. I haven't tasted fast food in more than a decade.

I do intermittent fasting, all the people that I know have aged incredibly well have small portions of food and eat seldom. I feel better when I eat less and perform faster and with greater results, so it's not just to keep my weight down. I can go up to week without eating and feel ok. But I don't have or ever had an ED.

I take long walks almost every day after work, and I do a short set of body weight exercises in the morning. I would like to start yoga, but that would put me in danger of socializing with others and being obliged for small talk, so I'll try to find a good online course.

What else? I brush my teeth with special carbon toothpaste twice per day, have a shower gel free of any harmful chemicals, I also wear quality clothing that doesn't stink of chinese factory from miles away, so haut couture all the way.

Probably there are some other minor things that I can't remember now.

>>130870
> by adding retin a and some sunscreen in there. As long as you moisturize, exfoliate lightly (with retin a and you can use an occasional light scrub in shower) and use sun protection you will be A1. The retin a is amazing, anti aging and anti acne, and will help clear dark spots or scars ad well.

Could you elaborate more on the retin part? Which products do you use?

>>130872

I'm also this >>130868 anon.

Retin A wise I use prescription Tretinoin. I wait 20 minutes after washing face to apply it and then wait 30 minutes before applying any other face products. You can also actually mix it with sunflower oil by the way, it should help cut back on potential irritation.

It makes your skin cells to renew faster, so it exfoliates, removes scars, hyper pigmentation, helps prevent/reduce small lines or wrinkles, and reduces acne.

You do NEED to use a sunscreen with this product (and also with a lot of other actives like AHA) otherwise you will fuck up your skin majorly.

I will add some concrit now , feel free to take it or ignore it but I wanted to do this as you seem concerned with anti aging/health/body care :

>I don't make facial expressions too much to reduce wrinking

Honestly this does little compared to sun care prevention. Ofc making tons of exaggerated facial expressions all the time will wrinkle you faster but never underestimate sun damage.

>I take long walks almost every day after work, and I do a short set of body weight exercises in the morning.

How do you avoid the sun? do you walk at night and work out indoors away from the light? even driving to work will give you a lot of sun exposure.

Now that my sun autism is over, I do want to add if you really don't get much sun at all you don't -need- to wear sunscreen. You won't die if you don't wear it but it's important if you are using actives or care about aging/hyper pigmentation.

>I do intermittent fasting

I just looked up this term and it seems I sort of do something like this since I don't really have a night meal/dinner every night.

>can go up to week without eating and feel ok

I'm sorry but this is no way is ok or good for you.

Something "healthier" that I would recommend to you is doing a "liquid" only diet (not forever but only a few days) instead of no food at all, mostly vegetable juices this way you don't deplete your liver (and other organs) and don't break your muscle down.

Your body cannot sustain itself inside healthily without some sustenance, assuming you go up to a week water only.

I am also like you that I feel better when I eat less. Although I don't do any fad diets or liquid diets (I have done one day once in a while were I focus on mostly liquids with some solid vegetables thrown in as well) I do eat on the lighter end often. Calorie counting isn't a thing for me at all, I just eat whatever feels good.

>>130868
What epilator do you use? I want to get one for Christmas since they're a little pricey but I'm not sure which brands are the best.

>>130873
Retin A sounds great and I would love to use it, however I started reading some reviews and it's always the negative ones that get stuck in my mind. I have sensitive skin although I never had problems with it, no acne and rarely do I get a pimple, so when I read about red blotchy skin it makes me hesitant.

Although thanks for the tips, I will definitely consider applying it. Also some of the tips here >>130868 are really good.

> Honestly this does little compared to sun care prevention. Ofc making tons of exaggerated facial expressions all the time will wrinkle you faster but never underestimate sun damage.

Yeah, I don't know why I wrote that, I guess because my mother always had an expressionless face and she has aged really good, and I always remember her telling me not to look angry as it will give me wrinkles when I get older.

> How do you avoid the sun? do you walk at night and work out indoors away from the light?

I'm fortunate that I have a workplace near my home, so it takes me 5 minutes of walk to get there. And I live in a place where the Sun sets quite early so I can take walks after work safely without worrying too much. If it weren't the case I would use sunscreen far often. I might start applying it during trips.

As for the fasting part I rarely fast up to a week, maybe every month and half. Usually it's just for two days or 3 tops.

> Calorie counting isn't a thing for me at all, I just eat whatever feels good.

Sames. Calorie counting makes me more hungry than usual.

>>130874

I got this epilator. I did a lot of research and found that this one was the best IMO for the price. Not too expensive (under 100 bucks, mine cost me 70 dollars) but nice quality and brand so it will last a long time.

Cordless and rechargeable, has a little light, can be used wet or dry, has a little "massage" cap and a regular one. I also like that it's pink haha.

If you have never epilated before, it hurts the worst the first time. If you want to make it easier, I recommend getting an underarm wax (or wherever you will epilate) before to remove all the hair. As the hair starts gradually growing back you can epilate it.

Overall epilating has saved me so much money, I used to either get waxed (super expensive) and razors were expensive and irritating. Make you exfoliate regularly though or you might have ingrown hair issues ( I always do if I don't exfoliate this area).

After epilating an area swipe some stridex in the red box over, might sting a tiny bit but you should be fine. You can wipe the area down every few days or everyday with this for "aftercare". I also use the italy towel but only on my legs really, not underarms as they are too sensitive for this.

>>130875

Retin A can really make your skin blotchy and damaged if you overuse it and don't care of your skin properly. It's really easy to hurt yourself if you aren't diligent.

When I first used it (have been using this since I was 16) I got blotchy skin because I used it too much and damaged my moisture barrier plus I did not use sunscreen regularly with this so I had very irritated skin.

Nowadays, I don't use it daily and always check my skin out to see if it's possibly getting irritated (does it look dehydrated? does it look blotchy? does it feel strange or tight after cleansing with water? etc).

Glad the tips sounded interesting to you :) I will admit you made me want to be more active… I also want to start yoga, but at home!

>>130874
I got a cheap Remington one and it's great.

>>130876
> When I first used it (have been using this since I was 16) I got blotchy skin because I used it too much and damaged my moisture barrier plus I did not use sunscreen regularly with this so I had very irritated skin.

That's good to know. So I'm going to follow your advice and apply it 2-3 times per week, and follow the steps. I'll first test it on a small patch of skin to see how it goes. I hope I get to find a good retin-a cream here where I live.

> I also want to start yoga, but at home!

I keep telling myself that I will start, but I never do it, so this thread has also encouraged me to start tomorrow. Thanks anon <3

The problem is that if you're not born with a face like, let's say the one on the OP photo, rigorous self care only takes you so far. In the end it boils down to being able to afford some good plastic surgery.

>>130879
Yeah ofc, that goes without saying, but it depends what your goal is in the first place. Obvo most of us mortals can't look like gorgeous supermodels, but we can go from potato to pretty cute depending on what we were blessed with.

I don't really want to be a super pretty supermodel, I just want to look as nice as I can. Pic related for example isn't terribly stunning imo but she looks great in her own way and comfortable with who she is, and that's what matters. We're all gonna look silly when we get old anyway.

>>130880

> I don't really want to be a super pretty supermodel, I just want to look as nice as I can.

I want to have the same sophisticated appearance like Gillian Anderson in the Fall series. I know she is considered sexy, but what I want to achieve is the smart style, while not trying to look younger when I'm 45+.

>>130880
Not sure whether Inès de La Fressange is the best example for someone not stunning… the woman in a goddess, no matter what her age.

>>130882
Meh, I find her relatively underwhelming. She just looks like an average formerly attractive middle aged lady to me.

>>130884
I love how she always says that when she has a literal turkey neck.

>>130885
Judging from recent pictures of her, it's not working for her face either. Spoony, no one is going to take beauty advice from you, you look like an alcoholic mom in her late thirties

>>130867
Eh, I think it's funny. I wouldn't take beauty advice from a lot of anons here, especially since most of them are tacky weeaboos.

But I've found some innovative gems on here, even if it's like digging for diamonds in horse shit.



My hobby is myself, and looking how I want. Being attractive is important to me. Using it to my advantage is important to me. Everything else takes a back seat. I don't talk about it out loud and I pretend it's effortless, because it has more perks than setbacks. You have to have enough self awareness to know that you're crossing the line of basic self care into vanity and self obsession. I know I've crossed that line. And that's okay. Because I'm a shallow bitch that couldn't live with myself if I looked like, say, Spoony.

>>130887
> But I've found some innovative gems on here, even if it's like digging for diamonds in horse shit

So tell me, ITT what are the diamonds and what is horse shit according to you?

>>130888

I'm curious to know too

It's pretty unnecessary to wear sunscreen / SPF everyday if I don't actually go out right? It doesn't have any other benefits?

Because I'm pretty sure my skin always seems to get worse whenever I try moisturizer with SPF in it.

>>130890

>It's pretty unnecessary to wear sunscreen / SPF everyday if I don't actually go out right?

Yup. Keep in mind even sitting in front of open windows you will still get the UV rays.

>moisturizer with SPF

This doesn't offer you any real sun protection sadly. If anything, I hate how they market this to consumers, so they think they are "safe" when they are not :(

if anything you should get a super cosmetically elegant sunscreen like biore watery essence (7-12 dollars, you can get it on amazon with prime too!) and apply it only when you will get sun above any moisturizer you chose.

>>130890
I just bought UV film for my windows. I live in the darkest place on the planet though, so even in the summer it's not bad. It all depends on where you live, my sister works in Vegas in the US and she never sits near windows and drives a car with tinted windscreen and windows.

>>130892

Tinted windows doesn't make much of a difference. It has to be a special UV film which doesn't mean it has to be "dark" looking.

>>130893
That's what I meant by 'UV film'.
I'm ESL, if that wasn't clear.

>>130894
oh ok, sorry! I just wanted to make sure because I know some people here where I live think that just tinted darker will protect them very well.

>>130887

It's actually tragic how uninformed some people on here are about skincare, because it's those same people that act like they know so much about it

>>130896
>>130887
Riight, so how about you two enlighten me with your patrician beauty tips? I want to shit rainbows too.

>>130897

I never said I'm a ~skin care guru~ I was just saying how it's funny when people like the anon I posted act like they ~know so much about skin care and everyone else is wrong~ when they say things that are clearly incorrect.

Kind of like those people that go around saying things like "rubbing lemons on your skin is so good for you!" and they think anyone who doesn't think so is an idiot.

>>130898
Alright, but since you do pertain to know better because you imply that others are in wrong, it would be nice of you to share your beauty secrets with others, no? C'mon :3

>>130899

I implied that some people here, like that anon, act high and mighty when the things they are saying are obviously false. It doesn't take a genius to know that acne scars "are due to bad diet and skincare" or that rubbing lemons on your skin is shit horrible for you

I've already shared in this thread and in many others. I'm guessing you feel some sort of inferiority and felt like I was personally attacking you when I was simply making a general post.

>>130900
What? Nobody mentioned anything of that sort, what are you on about?

This is a thread for personal beauty tips and you are free to criticize others, but by that you also imply that you know better. What's the point of going in this thread if you're not going to contribute with something interesting?

You didn't even mention what you consider as a bad advice, just like this anon >>130887 , at least be constructive in your criticizm but you're not even capable of that.

It's pretty pathetic tbh

>>130901
>>130900

quit shitting up the thread with fighting and give out some advice, both of you

>>130901

Fair enough, I'll post a few "dont's" and quick tips

>saying acne scars is a result of "bad diet or bad skincare" is wrong. Acne scars are often inevitable after certain kinds of acne (especially the ones being pointed out by that anon as they are caused by permanent collagen loss). You can get rid of hyper pigmentation but often it occurs right after/during acne so it's not really preventable.

>don't put things that will fuck up your skins ph. This includes weird diys with lemons, baking soda etc. If you want to try some "home" products on your skin, honey is pretty good for its humectant and antibacterial properties.

>diet can be a trigger for some skin issues for someone people but overall it's not really related to how someone's skin looks.

>don't "steam" your face, it has no real benefits (although warm water could help loosen up comedones for extraction) and can damage your skin.

>don't use harsh abrasive scrubs like those walnut scrubs or things like sea salt. they can really damage your skin. instead opt for jojoba beads or sugar if its softened enough .

>watch out for skincare products full of essential oils. They are often irritants or even phytotoxic. I.E lavender.

>you don't need an eye cream, you can just use regular moisturizer on your eye area. Albeit, it should be mild enough to not irritate you eyes. Personally I have an eye cream but I also sometimes use regular thick moisturizer on there

>If you start to get moderate acne you should consult a doctor if you can. There are certain types of acne that are resistant to "regular" products like BHA/AHA and may require antibiotics or anti fungals (some "acne" is fungal).

>keep track of the ingridients in products that break you, and ones that don't. Once you get a group of products you know broke you out you can find out the common ingredients that are comodogenic or irritating to you skin and can now avoid them when making purchases.

>holy trio of anti aging will be retinol, vitamin c, and sunscreen. Those products stimulate collagen growth and help fight fine lines and age spots. The sunscreen is a must if you are using these two products (retinol is photosensitizing , vitamin c isn't but you wan't to avoid more damage so you don't lose your results).

>>130903
All those tips are ok except:

> diet can be a trigger for some skin issues for someone people but overall it's not really related to how someone's skin looks.

I strongly disagree. Unhealthy diet reflects on skin.

But thank you for your input. I'm slightly clueless on retinol, could you tell me which products you use?

>>130904

I usually don't really want to post about how "diet" can corelate to your skin because it becomes more "medical" than other advice quickly.

It's one of those things that you always should discuss with a doctor and/or nutritionist (if you plan on changing your diet greatly, especially for skin)

Acne and other skin issues are multifactorial, so offering diet advice can be tricky. I do advise to note if you have diet "triggers" in your skin so you can avoid those. I personally avoid dairy and high sugar because they are my "skin triggers" (but also I have dairy issues so I cannot eat it anyways, maybe this is why it makes me break out more haha).

Diet wise for my skin though I've found that taking vitamins and certain supplements have certainly helped!

>retinol

I use a prescription retinol cream (tretinoin), these are heavy duty and can be found in a multitude of strenghts. If you live in certain countries you can find them prescription free.

You can also find "lighter" retionols in certain facial creams or oils. For example Sunday Riley's "luna oil" is a retionol suspended in an oil blend. These sorts of products aren't as strong but are also way less potentially irritating than the stuff I use.

That being said you can always get prescription strength retionol, and apply a moisturizer prior to it to have less possible irritation (although it works best on bare skin). You can also mix it with certain oils, like sunflower oil. Using it sparingly can also be a good option if you are sensitive, i.e 1x-2x a week vs daily.

>>130905
> I personally avoid dairy and high sugar because they are my "skin triggers" (but also I have dairy issues so I cannot eat it anyways, maybe this is why it makes me break out more haha).

Sames. I have also noted that people who consume dairy too much tend to have bad skin, or at least in my experience.

> That being said you can always get prescription strength retionol, and apply a moisturizer prior to it to have less possible irritation (although it works best on bare skin). You can also mix it with certain oils, like sunflower oil. Using it sparingly can also be a good option if you are sensitive, i.e 1x-2x a week vs daily.

Noted. Thanks for the advice!

>>130866
Honestly ditto on garlic. Used it as a last resort on my piercings that refused to heal over 2 yrs. They healed in a month with garlic. God bless garlic

>>130880
Ines de la Fressange IS stunning and effortlessly chic, the perfect french woman. And she is supermodel beautiful to me. She is 60 years old and just look so fresh. I can only dream of aging as well as her.

>>130905
>>130903
How do you take care of hair removal on Retin A?
I stopped using it because if I waxed it would tear my skin.

I can't learn how to thread for the life of me and my upper lip starts growing back in 3-4 days after I remove it. That means I can't afford to get someone else to thread me.

I'm a somewhat hairy brown girl and it's such a pain. Even if I only apply it to my cheeks/forehead Retin-A somehow still affects my upper lip area.

>>130910
>>130910

I pluck or shave

I just did my first sugar scrub in a while and my skin is so soft and glowing. I'll probably try and do them more often, like once every week since it's winter and my skin usually gets all dull.

does anyone in this thread have good scar/dark spot healing advice? i'm trying to get over compulsive skin picking and a few months ago i got a skin infection on my legs so i picked at the scabs and now they're starting to scar.

>>130913
For some reason, Simple's toner has really helped in reducing my acne scars. I think it might be the witch hazel? There are a lot of articles about it. I never tried it by itself though so I'm not sure.

Any advice for lightening freckles? I've got about as many as a ginger, and am already as pale as one (in fact I'm paler that all the ones I've met in my life), but I have really dark freckles. They're on my face, on my shoulders, on my chest, on my legs, on my arms, on my back, there's even one of my friggin ear and its really starting to bother me. I'm not really looking to cover them up with makeup (because I don't wear makeup, haven't ever in my life, plus I can never find any in my shade) or tan at all. I tried looking at some skin lightening products though all I can get is about black girls bleaching their skin/racism stuff and nothing about lightening freckles. Also heard some stuff about lemon juice though I'm not sure if its actually legit or 100% bullshit. Somebody please help my poor snow white ass.

>>130915
lemon juice will ligthen your skin, but it's bad for your skin.

I use pic related to get rid of hyperpigmentation I got from acne, so it might help with freckles.

I'm black so, there's that.

>>130915
Vitamin c, niacinamide, licorice, lactic acid, and probably a few more I am forgetting about. Look for skincare with these ingredients, it should help them fade

A good simple mask for when you just need an extra little boost is to mix some sea salt with coconut oil and put this on your skin in a thin layer add wear for like half an hour. Your skin will be so soft afterwards

Does anyone in here ever do meal replacement shakes? I used to be anorexic but I have been trying to heal myself, and the doctor suggested I drink them because I told him how I don't feel like eating a lot of the time and they have brought my appetite back! Also i guess I was very malnourished before, I've noticed my body can perform better now and I don't have permanent mental fog anymore and my skin looks better. If any of you have the same problem as me (or the opposite and you snack out of boredom) then meal replacement shakes are a good way to get your nutrients without having to pig out

>>130915
>I'm so pale u guise!!!
no1curr

>>130920
lol somebody is jealous. Don't worry anon, all skin colours can be beautiful, even yours :-)

>>130921
>jealous
How did u know :(((

Seriously, gb2reddit with your snowflakey pale princess pissing contest.

>>130920
i took it as she mentioned it bc she wants a way to lighten her freckles w/o whitening herself bc she is already super pale

>>130922
>assuming that other anon was me
Honestly I do like my pale skin, so I don't want to change it, but it can get a little annoying, so I slightly complained at first. Along with that I wanted to avoid advice I've heard already, like "just cover it up with makeupz!" "just get a tan u nasty ghoast, den they nawt shows ups as much! lolz", which I didn't want to do/haven't worked. The last part was just a joke.
Not really that mad, just wanted to give clarification. Rereading my post, I did mention my paleness far too many times that necessary, so I'll give you that.
Anyways, I just wanted advice for lightening my freckles, and I'll def look into the stuff >>130916 and >>130917 said. Thank you darlings!

>>130924
Also stay out of the sun, it will only darken them and it's really bad for your skin, you probabably knew that already, do you wear sunscreen? Also just eating more vitamin c has a visible noticeable effect on the skin!!

>>130922
Also I say also a lot also you are very angry lol I wasn't the freckle girl I am just someone standing up for her for no reason and giving her advice

>>130925
Oh yes, absolutely. I live in a very sunny place (nothing like Arizona, but not a whole lot of overcast happens, mostly clear skies for most of the year) and I wear it when I go outside. I typically wear darker clothes (I find they compliment my skin better) that are also quite modest, so I only put it on places like my upper chest and face. If those clothes don't block it out properly, should I put it everywhere? My biggest concern with that though is will it clog up my skin badly? Or has it otherwise damaged my skin already? I don't have a very complex skin care routine, I use a deep cleansing scrub every shower (only shower once every 2-3 days, helps my hair/skin from overproducing oils), some astringent, then moisturizer with some acne cream on the inner corners of my nose, since I tend to get lots of little pimplies there. So hopefully that got rid of whatever.

Don't feel bad >>130926 I tend to use parentheses a lot, similarly to how you say also! We all have our quirks I suppose.


(Rant incoming)
On another note, I also used to use this once a week scrub.. mask.. gel.. thing. It has this whacko stuff called "resveratrol" I think but I was also sold it by some vender guys and I feel like I was told lies? I was smart enough to haggle though and got it for $40 (traditionally like $140 or so). They were a desperate company me thinks, which is why I feel I got it for so low, but eventually was able to set up a small shop in my shopping center. They demoed their moisturizer on me and it actually felt quite nice, but the price was completely unnecessary. They gave me a years supply of the weird gel shit, and it definitely only lasts a year because 1. its really fucking tiny 2. I'm 95% it went from "gel-like goop" to "this is some fucking firm ass gelatin shit right here" after about the one year mark passed. Wasn't that good, kinda hard to get off, kinda sticks to tiny face hairs (always got it stuck around the sides of my jawline for some reason, maybe I'm getting weird light haired sideburns?), also really weird cause when you massaged it into your face it starts to peel up(?). It smells absolutely wretched too. 2/10 do not recommend. Kind of a blogpost but do not get fooled by the cute, fast talking, well groomed, Spanish guys that sell this mess! It is all a ruse! A ruse I tell you!
If any are curious, the brand/company is called "Vine-Vera". Would love to know if I got duped!

>>130927
Yeah, your clothes don't block out the sun entirely, there are uv filtering clothes but you probably don't have those lol. Also you need to reapply your sunscreen since the spf indicates how long it lasts on your skin, but apparently spf's higher than 30 don't actually work? Idk, they shouldn't clog you skin though, as long as you scrub it off good. What kinda moisturizer do you use? I like cocoa butter mixed with shea, but I also use oils on my body a lot as sort of a mask
And that sounds really awful lmao. You could have gotten something nice from the drugstore that worked way better, I think that guy was just trying to make a buck lol. Maybe it had some good ingredients but he would have told you what it was, they were a new company so they probably didn't know what formulas were hits or misses. Maybe it was a peel of mask or one of those gel things? I can't remember what they are, I always hear about them in asian beauty though you like massage it on your face and it takes of dead skin and comedones. But yeah, next time just get something basic that foams up nicely and has some benefits, my cleanser has jojoba and olive oil in it I think but it's by garnier. Have you heard of double cleansing?

this is probably wishful thinking but is it possible to not age horrifically without being obsessive about sun protection? when I tan I get these freckles on the bridge of my nose and under my eyes and they're so cute, I wouldn't want to give those up for the world.

>>130928
I've heard about spf 30+ not working, though personally I could never find anything over 30 so I don't know! Thanks for letting me know my clothes don't do what I thought they did! As for my moisturizer its basic as hell, I really need to step up my skincare game but I don't have like a shit ton of skin issues anyways other than some small pimples on my nose and the typical blackheads on the nose + white heads on the chin. I have really normal skin I guess, not really dry, not really oily, just in the middle? So its never really on my mind when I'm going to buy stuff. I use the "Dual Action Moisturizer" by Clean and Clear. I actually haven't heard of double cleansing though it sounds a bit frightening because I remember hearing people say it's not good for your skin to cleanse a whole lot! Strips it of the natural oils it needs or something. I hear a lot of things, I guess haha
Looking it up though it seems fine, I'll make a note for when I go shopping next time to look for that stuff.

Another question though, I've been wanting to dye my hair back to black (yeah I know, black hair, dark clothes, "im so goffik u goise!"), since the last time I did it was like almost 2 years ago. I just don't want to damage my hair, but it want it to be permanent. Before I didn't care about all this and I had a black, super butch pixie cut, but what used to be my roots is now basically all of my hair, with kinda black tips. My hair is already really dark but I know for absolute certainty I'd look wonderful with long, soft, black hair. Anyone know of good permanent hair dye that won't damage my hair like hell? Or even demi-permanent hair dye that is okay to apply so often?

>>130930
Oooh girl I am being so helpful right now! Lmao but yeah I don't have any really bad skin things like acne scars or pimples, but I was starting to notice wrinkles and I'm young and it's better to be preventative than try to "reverse" it, plus I just want to be careful. I just always hear about black ladies who slather themselves in cocoa butter everyday and their skin is like babies afterward, that's what I want because my skin is sort of dry. My face wash claims to be moisturising but I haven't noticed a significant amount of moisturising from it, I still like it though and it does brighten, maybe you could try it? It does make your skin softer, but you still need a moisturiser. Just try to look for products that are "brightening", also do you like face masks? I personally love em. Also, double cleansing usually entails an oil cleanser first so actually it's good for your skin, those people meant harsh cleansers like soaps and acne cleansers.

Also, try out manic panic's raven, or if you want something more long lasting try the brands that say they have better quality ingredients that are gentler, like there is one called Olia by garnier that has olive oil in it, you could always just use a hair mask too if your hair is dry. I do recommend the manic panic one though, gentlest thing ever. Lol you're so goth, you're gonna see yourself on this site soon amongst the likes of Felice Fawn and Wylona Hayashi

>>130931
>>130930
I too used to think wearing clothes was protecting my skin from the sun, and it's true that wearing sleeves and a hat is better than having your bare skin exposed, but the sun's rays will still penetrate your clothes especially if you live somewhere sunny. I once got a tan through a pair of jeans, and I wasn't even in the sun that long lmao, it was just particularly sunny that day. I wear a lot of black too, so I tend to overheat in the sun lol

I even was wanting to start carrying a parasol around, but it's not common at all and people will think of me as a weirdo. Maybe if I moved to asia, but then you guys would call me a special snowflake. Does anyone here drink green tea or any tea? Just another one of my little tips, drinking green tea is amazing for your body, I like the kind with ginseng and lemon added to it. I drink all sorts of tea though, I like the benefits. also I forgot to add >>130930 eating foods that have beta carotene and lycopene (tomatoes) and vitamin c can protect your skin from sun damage! :)

Sorry for the late responses, gotta sleep some time!

>>130933
I would like to get a parasol as well, and I'm not really concerned about looking like a weirdo, because I basically already do! I'm not like goffik as hellz but wearing dark (as well as vintage, that's my style ;) ) clothes in the middle of summer tends to get a few strange looks. I also love drinking tea! I find it is much better for me than coffee, plus I don't have to put a bunch of creamer in my tea!
>>130931
Thanks for all the help love! I'll look for that one by Garnier!

I think a lot of it is both self care and genetics. The women in my family all look their age or a little younger, the only ones that don't are the heavy smokers. My own mother smoked for years but quit, and now is plump but I think it helps smooth the wrinkles so she looks right we're she needs to be. Everyone who meets me for the first time can't believe I'm almost 30, they always seem to think I'm just around the legal drinking age in the us. I chalk this up to my general sun avoidance and slowly amping up my skincare routine (and probably also the fact I can still break out teenager style; probably makes them think I'm actually 19 qq)

Hoho wow, now im a little jealous of you guys.
Im severely allergic to most cosmetics and all the stuff i could use is too expensive for life so i kinda let go of my skin. I do apply sunscreen everyday while its still pricey and irritates my eyes a little (40$ for a 50ml bottle, yeah).
So what i do is wash my face in the morning with cold water, apply sunscreen and im good to go.

>>130936
I don't know where you are in the world but Ultrasun makes a super non-irritant sunscreen, I use their tinted screen, it feels noticeably less 'itchy' than any foundation.

Tbh what you're doing is a pretty solid base routine. Eating well, sleeping well, drinking plenty of water and using sunscreen are always going to be way better for your skin than anything you could apply topically. Have you tried using something like coconut oil, rosehip oil or rhassoul mud for cleansing/moisturising? not sure how allergic you are lol

>anti-aging skincare
if you are really serious about not getting wrinkly chuck your miracle garlic, schticky asian cosmetics, retin-a at 20 and random exclusion diets and just save money for cosmetic surgery when you need it. i just recently came to this conclusion reading older women on the internet that are still obsessed with their looks. it's not like that crap helps when you really start deteriorating, and even if you avoided some deterioration, you still probably wouldn't be satisfied, because you are a vain hoe who can't accept reality. i mean, it's a fun hobby and all, but i wouldn't expect more than superficial results. and this approach also absolves you of the torture of peeling from retin-a for the rest of your life.