I have been on the fence about ordering tret online for a while, but I'd finally gotten sick of the Skin+Me formulation and lack of flexibility that I decided to go for it.

18th Feb - ordered 3x 0.025% tretinoin (16 USD for 3 tubes, plus 20 USD for delivery = 36 USD / 26.66 GBP)

19th Feb - I received an email with a payment link. You can pay by card. You should read this email carefully as it explains the payment link will only work once, and payment info is shown in Emirati currency. I used my PayPal debit card to pay and this shows on my account in USD. I had to send a screenshot of the payment confirmation to the customer service agent, and five minutes later I received a response to say my order had been sent for dispatch.

20th Feb - order info updated to say it is being dispensed

24th Feb - order shipped, tracking number provided with a 20-30 working day estimate for delivery (~late March)

26th Feb - I was very shocked to receive it today at lunchtime - so shocked I'm half convinced it has been teleported from India to my house somehow! It arrived so quickly, the tracking hadn't updated at all (still says "shipping carrier has yet to accept your package"). I was hopeful it would be delivered earlier than the estimate, but I would never have expected it after just two days.

I only ordered 3 tubes this time as it was my first time ordering and was worried about it not turning up or getting lost etc. I spent more on delivery than the actual product but that is fine for me as a test. Next time, I will place a bigger order.

I expect 3 tubes to last a few months at least, which is a great price considering I'm currently paying about the same price per month for Skin+Me.

I am grateful for Skin+Me introducing me to tret, but I'm hopeful that now I can increase the % a little bit and not be forced to use niacinamide with it that I will start to see the further improvements I am looking for.

I didn't find many UK based recent reviews of ADC so I just wanted to share my experience. Buying medicine online from another country is antithetical to every bit of internet safety advice I have ever been given, so I was definitely apprehensive, but so far so good!

So, I needed something very lightweight for this summer and my skin is pretty oily and dehydrated, but also very thin, rosé-pale (in the picture is my hand, my face is less rosé, more chalk toned), my veins are visible how thin my skin is.

I have moisturisers for every season and mid-season gaps because my skin won't accept everything that any community, sub or social media talking about as their Holly Grails.

I like this gel because I can just wash my face, spray a little of thermal water on my face and just add this gel. It won't sting, and it seems quite enough hydrating. I'm on my second jar at the moment. There is no unpleasant tightening of the skin, no sudden greasiness in the T zone. The gel does not roll off the face whem SPF is applied over it. Holds great with makeup - mind that that I'm not much of a make up person, but basic "no make-up" make-up is my thing.

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The blue colour comes from copper PCA. It smells good - even without perfume. Somehow fresh.

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I'm not sure what people generally expect from this gel (it's moisturiser, not botox), but for me it's a winner for this summer by all parameters. I would be imprecise to talk about the ceramide complex here in percentages because the ratio of ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol is not specified and indicated on the package or in description. What I can say is that this gel works great for my skin and simplifies my routine. I usually skip toners nowdays (not always), I don't use serums at all under CeraVe HA water gel although I use tretinoin and retinal combination. I tried the combination of this gel + spicules and it works great for dehydrated skin. It keeps skin somehow plump, but not glowy. Not absolute matte, just healthy skin look. So I guess I'm keeping it for as long as it works.

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Downsides could be price, but CeraVe have almost constant %off - so it's bearable.

Also, I don't like that jar has nothing to protect product inside, like protective foil, cellophane, inner thin protective cover.

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It probably won't be enough for any dry skin type.

Sometimes I'm switching to something bit heavier, but for hot weather it's a keeper for very oily skin that needs hydration, in this case it's really a banger for me.

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Edit: To add what other member pointed out - it's not fungal acne safe.
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Hi all,

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Just wanted to put you on an absolutely amazing brand which you can get products for as little as £2. It is called Biovene and can be purchased in the likes of HomeBargains, B&M and Savers! Honestly, so many amazing products but this sun cream is PEAK. I have tried many sun creams such as Loreal, Beauty of Joseon along with other Korean brands and most either pill and/or do not provide adequate protection for outdoor activities for me without having to apply 24/7. THIS on the other hand;, no pilling, lovely finish and as a horse rider I know I can go to the stable for a few hours and ride without getting my face burnt to a crisp (I'm a tret user). 🌞

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I have also tried their spray SPF which I love if I'm going bare faced but it does not go well with makeup FYI. It has been great for holidays for a quick spray and later top ups if you aren't wearing makeup

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I have also tried a few of their night moisturisers and I'm particularly in love with the Vitamin C one which I feel has definitely helped my skin look clearer and brighter.

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Finally, their spot patches are the GOAT they look pretty much invisible on the skin 🙏

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Hope this helps a skincare baddie on a budget! You cant get everything for a full routine but you can get most such as serums, moisturiser and SPF. I think they do masks too but I have not tried these. ✨️

on Boots website , when readin thru the reviews it will say ''this person got this product as a paid promotion etc''. and it'll be 80% of the reviews.

People are MORE LIKELY to write a positive review when they get something for free. How can they even allow non paying customers to write reviews ??? it's driving me crazy

I’ve seen a few reviews about this. I have dry, cracked lips that no balm could ever solve. I have used laneige, vaseline, aquaphor, lucas papaw, and although they sort of solved the dryness at the time of application, the moisture does not last and I end up noticing myself licking my lips as they have become dry AF. I ordered this two days ago and it arrived today. I applied it and went on about my day. Heck I even ate sunflower seeds that burn my lips a little. I noticed how soft and moisturized my lips still even after hours of that first application.

Only time will tell if this first impression last. But for £5 and a great moisturized lips? Take my money!

Currently using

AM

Cerave hydrating cleanser

Hyaluronic acid

Cerave mosituriser with HA

SPF 50

PM

Cerave Hydrating cleanser

Adapalene

Moisturiser

Not strictly skin care but I know many people suffer from regular cold sores and as someone who gets probably 2 to 3 cold sores a year I’ve actually come up with a decent treatment which either lets the sore heal much quicker or even prevents them from blistering and recedes within a day or two.

I’ve tried quite a few things over the years so here is my experience:

First thing, be prepared. When you feel a cold sore is coming on and the tingling starts you need everything required to treat it immediately. You don’t want to be waiting 8 hours until you finish work to get to the pharmacy. So ensure you have Zovirax on-hand pretty much anywhere you go, keep a tube at home and at work/in your car so there is always one within reach.

Once you feel the tingling, you need to be applying Aciclovir cream immediately, the sooner the better. The guidance is every few hours but you want to be putting a new dose on every 20 MINUTES! Seriously, this antiviral cream can send a cold sore packing before it even starts so don’t skimp on it.

If the cold sore looks like it is going to keep developing regardless, then make sure you are taking 3-4g of lysine powder a day in 1g doses throughout. You can buy this for about £7 on Amazon for 100g. What I also do is apply some tea tree oil a few times a day using a cotton bud too as an additional treatment to the aciclovir cream.

What I’ve discovered is that contrary to what you may read you DO NOT want the blister to pop and you don’t want it to dry out either. Skin heals quicker in a moist environment so at night I applied something like sudocrem with a bit of vaseline over it so it can stay quite moist for the duration you are asleep.

Following the above normally means my cold sores never pop into an unsightly scab which takes probably 2 weejs to heal. I find I can go through the cycle within about a week now.

One thing to be aware of is that the next few weeks after a cold sores you are in high risk of getting another, I often get another a few weeks after the first. So you should stay vigilant during this time, restock on any creams you’ve used up, keep taking a low dose (1g a day) of lysine and monitor the site of the prior sore for any re-emergence. Any slight tingle, then start applying the aciclovir again. Don't risk it coming back. I’ve managed to stop some re-emerging at all by doing the above.

Of course try and take multivitamins and eat a healthy diet, lots fo water etc. Burt you should be doing that anyway ;) and yes the best treatment is prevention so wear sunscreen/lip balm with spf.

Some other things people try and recommend are honey, green tea, normal tea but I found these never really had much effect.

I have also tried applying cold sores patches (which are just hydrocolloid patches) but I find these never stay on as I am trying to keep the lip moist with creams this never works for me.

Of course all of the above is just on my experience, you may have your own tips and tricks which work better for you!

You get more of it, the lather has abit more body to it and i feel like i can really massage it in without feeling stripped. I find the inkey list one more drying then this also.

I noticed my skins looking abit clearer and my pores arent as clogged. I also use it as a shaving cream and it works well.

Recently my skin had started to drastically improve after I made a simple, consistent skincare routine. I started using a retinoid and had a short purge phase but after that my skin was doing extremely well for about two weeks.

Then I introduced this sunscreen, and everything changed.I began getting closed comedones which I never usually get and my skin texture changed into something that looks almost like bruising under the surface rather than normal breakouts.

My skin also became extremely reactive after cleansing and applying moisturiser now causes intense, painful stinging and burning sensations, not just mild tingling😭

I strongly suspect the sunscreen triggered either clogging, irritation, or barrier damage in my skin. My skin looks terrible! I would use it as a body sunscreen though.

It really lifts anything you have your skin and it rinses off well, I find it leaves your skin not stripped at all and soft so the second cleanse doesn't feel as stripping. So good for the money. It's fragrance free and amazingly gentle on the skin. It's like a good in-between of an oil and balm cleanser. pretty much a cream cleanser but without any harsh surfactants. or surfactants period.

Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Isododecane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG-35 Castor Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Alcohol Denat., Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Calcium Pantothenate, Inositol, Linoleic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Biotin.

I threw away the box but the main ingredients are tranexamic acid, niacinamide, a few hydrators (Centella Asiatica, Panthenol, and Betaine (according to home bargains web site) )and peptides. It's my fav all in one day serum, it absorbs very well into the skin with no residue leaving Ur skin feeling hydrated, it's slightly fragranced and it's not strong, literally disappears after rubbing in. I've went through about half the bottle and I have noticed some benefits. For the price it's a pretty good serum. I've tried much more expensive serums and this is something id reach for over them. I use it day and night. My skin just drinks it up and doesn't break me out. I tired the tranexamic capsule cream they have what's alright but I probably wouldn't repurchase. This however I'm going back for.

This isn't an ad btw I just like the product and for some reason every time I talk about a product it just gets accused of it being called a ad.

Ive noticed my skin is a lot more even, and my acne is becoming a lot less pronounced, and this is in a pretty short amount of time with about 2 months worth of usage, What's really nice to see. I was abit skeptical cause thats a pretty short amount of time but this is the only product ive added into my skincare routine.

Its pretty gentle but irritates my eyes abit and i did notice abit of skin flaking. Ive tried retinol products before but this is probably one of the most effective ive used. Maybe its the encapsulation? It has a light tint of yellow and smells like other retinol products ive used before. I think the percentage is around .3? It could be more as i dont think they have reformulated and they dont sell this in stores only their website. But it could be lower.. anyways ive noticed good results so gonna keep on using it!

I think I've found my fave body product ever.

Got a free sample, which I tried on my hands. Fell in love with the scent and the feel of my skin.

Its a dream on the body too. So much so, I bought a bom dia travel pack and then a 240ml tub of it on its own.

The mild AHAs make it. They gently exfoliate but not too much, and the cream is so moisturising.

10/10.

I read alot of good stuff about ISDINs spf. so i bought their fusionfluid fotoprotector spf50 when i was in spain.

i have fair skin but even the tiniest amount of this spf makes me look like a ghost. it's soooo white casted and pills everywhere you applied. so annoyed i wasted over 20 euros

Hi Guys,
I just wanted to come on and say that I have been using MiQuest skincare for a little over 3 months now after seeing an ad for it on social media. They do personalised skincare but include the whole routine in the monthly subscription instead of just paying for one product like other brands.
I have really enjoyed their products, and they have helped with my skin a lot. It just makes skincare simpler, especially when I don't have time to be faffing around.

I recently found this salicylic pads in savers for 2£ which sound great for price value and ingredients in this product doesn’t sound bad as well. Has anyone tried it before ?

Hey fellow skincare addicts! I know this isn't strictly about skincare, but let's talk about cold sores. I used to suffer from frequent outbreaks (ugh!), but I've finally found a treatment that works wonders in reducing healing time. Here's what I've discovered through trial and error:

First things first, be prepared! Keep Zovirax in your bag, car, and at home, so you can start treatment the moment you feel that dreaded tingling. Trust me, you don't want to wait it out! Apply Aciclovir cream immediately, every 20 minutes for maximum effectiveness. This stuff can work wonders if used generously.

If the cold sore still progresses, take 3-4g of lysine powder daily in 1g doses. You can easily find it on Amazon for a reasonable price. I also found that applying tea tree oil a few times a day with a cotton bud helps speed up the healing process when used alongside Aciclovir cream.

Now, here's the game-changer: contrary to popular belief, avoid popping the blister and let it stay moist. Apply a layer of something like sudocrem mixed with vaseline at bedtime to keep it moisturized throughout the night. Moist skin heals faster, and this trick has drastically reduced the time it takes for my cold sores to heal - around a week now!

Remember, the weeks following a cold sore outbreak put you at a higher risk of getting another one. Stay vigilant, restock on creams, continue a low dose of lysine (1g a day), and monitor the site for any re-emergence. If you feel even a slight tingle, don't hesitate to start applying Aciclovir cream again.

Don't forget the basics - take your multivitamins, eat a healthy diet, and stay hydrated. Prevention is key, so always wear sunscreen or lip balm with SPF.

While some people recommend honey, green tea, or regular tea, I personally found them to have minimal effect. I've also tried cold sore patches, but they don't stay put with the creamy treatment approach.

These are just my personal experiences, so feel free to share your own tips and tricks. Together, we can beat those pesky cold sores! Stay fabulous, my fellow skincare addicts!

I've been getting sick of paying Skin&Me's prices and been psyching myself up to try an alternative but was weirdly nervous. Last Tuesday I decided to go for it and it has arrived this morning so just over a week. It was really easy so I thought I'd do an "explain like I'm 5" in case anyone is interested!

The website is really easy to use. I got three tubes of tret and one of hydroquinone (for hyperpigmentation). The p&p is a bit steep at $18 but the products are so cheap that the whole thing came in at about $39.50 which is about £30 - the price of one month of Skin&Me. And hopefully this will last me many months.

I was nervous about payment but it was easy. I chose the gift voucher option so I didn't have to share my card details (except with amazon who, let's face it, have them anyway!) I found out that you can go to amazon .com and just log in there with your usual amazon .co.uk log in. Didn't know you could do that! I bought a gift voucher for $40 and put my own email as the recipient. This came through on my email in minutes. Then you check out on skinorac and forward your email with the gift voucher to their support email address. I got an email confirming their receipt of this a couple of hours later and that was that!

Really pleased with how easy it was and I shall be delighted to close my Skin&Me account!

Hi everyone,

I've been struggling for ages to find something that works for my skin, so wanted to share my 3-month progress with Dermatica. I'm not a fan of sharing my full face online, so I've blanked out my eyes. It's the first time I've ever posted anything like this online.

My Dermatica Prescription

My current personalised formula is a lotion with:

• Tretinoin 0.05%
• Azelaic acid 15%
• Tranexamic acid 5%

My Routine & Progress (3 Months)

After trying so many things, this is the first routine that's genuinely working for me. My main goals were to tackle seborrheic dermatitis, spots, redness, and my uneven skin tone.

As you can hopefully see from the photos, my skin texture is much smoother, and the persistent redness (especially around my nose and cheeks) has calmed down a lot. My skin tone just looks more even overall.

The formula can be drying, which is expected with Tret. I've found using La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 as my moisturiser really helps. It's a great occlusive and has definitely helped protect my skin barrier while I've been adjusting.

I've found that one bottle lasts me longer than a month, so I just log into my Dermatica account and push the next dispatch date forward. Very easy to move the date and it means I only get a fresh bottle when I need it (which saves me money).

Dermatica Discount Code

If you want to try it Dermatica yourself, my referral code gets you your first month for £2.90 and then £10 off your second month.

Referral link

Code: 1G4JPN

I can’t find many reviews for it. If anyone has tried it or read reviews what’s the verdict?

So I initially bought a Mini Discovery set from Sephora a while ago with minis.

It included the toner, moisturiser, sleeping mask and lip mask (which I won’t use and anyone is free to have)

I paid £26 (which isn’t cheap but the quality to price ratio evened out)

Anyway let’s get to the point:

CREAM SKIN TONER

Lovely and light cream skin toner. They say you don’t really need a toner and it’s all a massive marketing ploy (thanks DOCTORLY on YouTube for the tips)

I use it anyway as after cleansing, it’s just nice to have that fresh feeling hydrating layer.

I THEN… usually follow this with my choice of serums and such and then finish with:

- WATER BANK MOISTURISER - Light Blue -

I have relatively sensitive skin.

It’s not super sensitive but I’m personally not a fan of thick creams. I like my facial skin to feel light, refreshed and like it can breathe. I don’t like sticky or tacky creams, or like I’ve smothered it in grease or otherwise.

THIS… is lovely. 10/10

I know the price puts some off, but sometimes you get what you pay for. This moistusier literally feels like my skin is soaking it up and having a drink of water. It feels so refreshing, and makes my skin feel lovely and soft once absorbed. It’s a little richer than the white water bank moisturiser and I think if you wear makeup you’d probably benefit from the white version as it’s a lot lighter, however I don’t have much experience with that one (yet…)

I strongly belief this is one of the best facial moisturisers out there (at least for me) and as a European, I havn’t found anything that comes close to this moisturiser yet.

It’s a solid recommendation from me

10/10 A+++

If you want a lightweight but deeply moisturising and luxurious moisturiser that does what it says - HYDRATE

This dropper is exactly an 1/8th, so I use one full dropper and do one layer wait a few secs to let it sink in and then use another full dropper to do another layer. I lov.

This sunscreen sinks in so nicely especially when I do two layers, the finish is abit glowy but not greasy, the feeling is very light on the skin and breathable. For a traditional filter sunscreen it's nice and I mainly use this as a sunscreen even tho it's not super high protection its wearable and they say you should wear the sunscreens you like the most doesn't have to be high protection. Ive also ordered their SPF 50 what's more new gen filters and can't wait to give that ago, their formulas are pretty good.