Foil Challenge

[ather]

I know we all talked about this but I need it in writing to hold myself more accountable! I have picked out around 28 foils that I am hoping to get through by the end of Feb. that’s 1 foil a day unless I decide to stack more than one! Here’s what I’ve picked randomly! 

 

[ather]

@itsfi  Interesting the Amika shampoo was meh and the conditioner was great! 😊 I don’t think I have tired anything from this line but I think I have a sample I may need to dig out! 

The vegamour gummies aren’t in Canada. Sadly. Or they aren’t on Sephora. I’ll have to check if I can actually get them here. I didn’t think our vitamin rules are that picky but maybe they are? 

[itsfi]

Hmmmm, as I think about it @ather, it's actually fairly common for me to like a conditioner but just think the corresponding shampoo is just meh or okay. At least with foil samples; is that weird? Could be my hair. 

Do you have the amika Mini Soulfood Nourishing Mask 3.3 oz / 100 ml? That's a good one. I also like their amika Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo (the original, not the "plus" version). At one point it was my go-to dry shampoo and then it was unseated by K18 Biomimetic Hairscience AirWash™ Dry Shampoo.  

[ather]

@itsfi  I do love the amika Mini Soulfood Nourishing Mask 3.3 oz / 100 ml  it’s great with my hair also!! And I’m currently working my way through a bottle of amika Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo 9.5 oz / 358 ml  but I can’t wait to finish so I can buy the K18. Sadly I don’t tend to use dry shampoo often so it takes forever to go through a bottle. 

[itsfi]

That's not a bad thing that you don't go through dry shampoo very quickly @ather. I have to say that I've been reaching for the K18 less, even on weeks when I'm curling my hair often, but I also feel like with the K18, I can use it and my hair doesn't feel (or look) like it needs another round or day of dry shampoo. I do like that a lot. 

[ather]

May Foils!

I liked everything!

Tatcha The Texture Tonic AHA Liquid Exfoliating Treatment 5.07 oz/ 150 mL #did dry my skin out. But I like how smooth it made me feel.

Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment #made my skin very sensitive. I have more but I think I may gift them or ration it. #

[itsfi]

@ather, lovin' the photo bomb by the fur baby. It's too bad that the exfoliating treatments made your skin dry or sensitive. Do you have an exfoliating product that works well for you?

[ather]

@itsfi  Aww thank you! 😊 I did have a good picture but I opted to post the photobomb one!! Hmmm I’m trying to think of there is one I don’t notice an issue with. #SEPHORA COLLECTION Gentle Exfoliating Peeling Serum with Niacinamide + Lactic Acid 1 oz / 30 mL  I believe didn’t cause any issues for me. I will add it to test out again. But I remember it didn’t cause any issues. I’m also wondering if my skin hasn’t been the best all week. Last Saturday we had a soccer tournament all day Saturday and it was so windy and I had wind burn. And after that I planted my garden. Monday and Wednesday night we had soccer again and it was cold and windy both nights. I end up with a blanket wrapped around me to protect me from the elements. Tomorrow calls for rain. So that will be fun for soccer! ⚽️ it might not be the best skin to use it but I had some texture that I was hoping to resolve with the exfoliation I think due to the wind burn! 

[itsfi]

@ather, I do like that Sephora Collection peel - it's gentle and effective. It may make its way into my project pan later in the year and I'll start to incorporate it back into my routine at some point. I recently hit "pause" on actives, exfoliants and peels, and am keeping to a super simple skincare routine while my skin barrier is in what I hope to be the final stages of its recovery / healing mode. 

[ather]

@itsfi  Oh no. What caused your skin to loose its barrier? Anything in particular or just life? I hope your skin heals super fast! 

[itsfi]

@ather, I wondered what it might be and I feel like it might more than just one thing that caused my skin barrier to be compromised. That said, I suspect the major reason is the number and frequency with which I had been using products with actives in it. I KNOW!!! I'm usually pretty good (or at least I think I have / had been) of not overdoing actives, but after going through some of my products, I'm realizing there are some products that contain actives that might otherwise be less potent but when you take into account the products with actives that I might be using, whatever their dosages, the volume adds up. If I stuck with one or possibly two of them on a weekly basis, with just using them once per week, I imagine my skin would be fine, possibly a smidge sensitive, but otherwise, fine. But, cumulatively, and in combination with probably not moisturizing my skin enough and the weather/HVAC situation, my skin was really, really dry and irritated, with flakiness and more and lingering redness.

The Rhode cleanser includes pineapple enzymes (an exfoliating enzyme). And the Augustinus Bader Essence also contains actives. And add to that a peel every week or every other week, and my skin was just like "hey there, let's dial things back a bit!" I've been on a back-to-basics (and I mean very basic) skincare routine,  morning and night, and my skin has responded really well to it - I'm very happy about that. 😊 

You raise a very excellent point, not surprising! Life probably is playing a bigger part with it; I hadn't really considered that, and I should have. Well, we're on the mend so we'll focus on making sure there are no hiccups or minimal ones along the way. 🤞🤞

[ather]

@itsfi  Aww. Well whatever the reason I hope it gets better fast!! 

[itsfi]

Thank you @ather. I've seen some marked improvement over the last couple of days, which is comforting, since the dry patches were recovering at a snail's pace about a week ago. 😅 I just need to be better minded about which products I use when and to make sure that I don't use certain combinations of product in the same routine. Have you ever had different routines for use on different days?

[ather]

@itsfi  Yes! I actually use either retinol or an aha on separate days. I try and leave a day or two between them. And when I notice my skin talking back I just skip both all together until I feel my skin is better. I actually tried to incorporate some Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum  foils and my skin is extra dry now. It could be the combo of the Rhode cleanser with pineapple enzyme and the TLC together that was to much. I only used it once a week and 2 times total so I’m surprised I’m so dry. Lucky enough it’s not bad. But I do notice most acids I can only use once a week. 

[itsfi]

Hmmm… do you think the non-summery weather has anything to do with your skin being drier than usual this time of year @ather? 

[ather]

@itsfi  That’s also a great observation! It totally could be. My work has the air conditioning on so that could be drying me out more than normal. I actually was thinking with all the rain I would be less dry but I didn’t think about the air conditioning being on. So you definitely may be on to something!!! I’ve been using the Rhode milk and Glaze and RBC and my skin feels like it’s on the right track! 

[itsfi]

@ather, I feel like the heating and air conditioning systems can play a big factor, especially because it runs all day, which let me just say, I'm thankful for because not having it is no fun. Has it been windy or cooler when it rains? That may be a contributing factor as well. Rain here is usually accompanied by wind and rain so even with the moisture and hydration, there are drying factors. Rain while on vacation in Hawaii? Usully warm so not drying. 

Your skin loves the Rhode products! 😍 Do you use all 3 of those products morning and night?

[ather]

@itsfi  So funny thing it’s always windy here. Like always. It’s pretty annoying. I miss a calm day! This season for soccer was so bad. It was either cold and windy or raining and windy every game and practice except the last one! Which it was still windy. I felt bad since it was so windy it would pick up the soccer ball and put it in the goal without trying 🤣 I remember one game Felix was upset they didn’t get to switch goals so they got the advantage! 

I do use all 3 morning and night! Unless I am in a hurry and I only have time for the milk and the glaze to dry enough before I do my makeup! It happens some mornings are just not my morning! I also use the cleanser at night only! Which ones are you using? 

[Mellmars1185]

May Foils = 3

I have been MIA for a while but now I am back and it feels amazing!

 

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, we're glad you're back! How did you like the scent on the Moroccanoil shower gel and body lotion?

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Thank you 💞🙏. To be honest the shower gel smell ok but I wasn't noticeable after showering. I wasn't much of a fan of the lotion. It smelled 'off' to me. I prefered the texture of the body souffle over the lotion. I found the lotion a bit runny.

[ather]

@Mellmars1185  Good job!! Welcome back!