Update on my attempt to look younger

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

I posted here about a month ago about my withering beauty (hem hem) .... My big issue was skin and generally looking fat, wrinkly and a bit fucked. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/1855920-I-need-to-get-off-my-ass-and-drop-10-years-from-my-face

Gots lots of advice (thanks!) then went on amazon.

Dh keeps saying I "suddenly" look ten years younger, says I look glowing and that my eyes are clearer. He has no idea I've been Making An Effort (fags aside) so I'm over the moon (especially as that's what I said I needed to do...lose ten years). I can see I look a lot younger too and it's amazing as I'm getting v bad sleep right now (teething babies) and feel exhausted.

So I just wanted to share what I've been doing in case anybody else is on the cusp of panic about their looks....especially if you're skint like me! I had no idea you could change so much in a month....and I only spent about fifty quid!!!!

1. Stopped smoking (about two months ago)
2. Stopped drinking almost entirely..had 2 small glasses wine this month (used to have that a night)
3. Stopped caffeine, replaced with carbonated water and mint tea...both are particularly good for skin.
4. Started taking biotin for skin and hair
5. Loreal renew serum on eyelashes (couldn't afford rapid lash) keeps them from dropping out, so they get longer some short bits which have always irritated me have filled in and I can't tell which eye, so it must work...I always look as though wearing mascara.
6. Dermaflannel technique using microfibre cloths from amazon.
7. Lemon and aspirin scrub for blackheads twice week....works brilliantly.
8. Bought peptabright for reddened chin.
9. Did pearl drops for one month, which lightened my teeth considerably....well 3-4 shades I think?

10. then bought hydrogen peroxide 3% been using it as mouthwash every few days, it's made my teeth really shiny. (Stopped that now)
11. Scale n polish at dentist
12. Got eyebrows threaded.
13. Moisturise coupon morning and night with shea butter.
14. Daily pregnacare

I been trying to sort out my nails too...but they are still grey ... Tried whitening them with denture tablets but no change :) any tips welcome!

Still planning on facial exercises, have done them a few times but keep forgetting.

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

If anybody has any advice on retin A, id appreciate it....Ive got pretty deep lines nose to corner of mouth and can't afford fillers etc.

[SunshineSuperNova]

I'm a bit confused about no. 13 - did you mean coupon? :)

[Jemimapyjamas]

Oooh, thanks Fergus! Am feeling a bit old looking too (am 39) and could do with some pointers as too brain mushed and busy with Other Things to work them out for myself!
Need to cut back booze really. Have two glasses every night so not loads in one sitting but it does add up. Thankfully don't smoke though.

[Mumraathenoisylion]

That sounds excellent, might take on some of these..particularly the alcohol one.

With the lemon and aspirin is it just lemon juice with crushed up aspirin as a scrub?

[MorrisZapp]

Coupon is face in central Scotland :)

[TheFarSide]

We need before and after photos

[Ujjayi]

Cutting out drinking always has a significant impact on my appearance. I've been doing "Sober October" for MacMillan and I can see a huge difference in my skin - and reduced puffiness in my face.

OP can you give some more info on the lemon & aspirin facial scrub please?

WRT your nails. I find OPI nail strengthener is making a difference to my knackered brittle nails. They are definitely looking brighter as well as breaking less.

[OneLittleLady]

Is there anything else as effective as the asprin scrub for blackheads? I don't think I should attempt it with the asprin as I am actually allergic to asprin when taken as a tablet so shouldn't think I should put it on my skin?

[squoosh]

Mint Julep Masque is great for blackheads too.

[squoosh]

Oh and well done OP! Bet it's given you a massive boost.

[FaddyPeony]

oh really interesting, well done OP.



Tesco Barbara Daly range used to do a great product for nails called 'Goodbye Yellow'. Not sure if it still exists but I need to get me some if so. It's cosmetic but it gives a pretty clearish/lavender sheen to nails.

[FaddyPeony]

OP did you really go cold turkey on caffeine?
HOW?

[JimmyCorpseHell]

Coupon = Scottish for face...I think (just from reading Irvine Welsh).

[JimmyCorpseHell]

Oops - someone said it already

[libertychick]

Well done OP - that's inspiring. Kicking fags, booze and caffeine all at once takes serious will power!

[SunshineSuperNova]

Thanks for clarity on coupon - I'll add it to my store of interesting uses for words :)

[WishIHadAFunkyName]

How inspiring!
Thanks for that. I'm going to try some of those. In particular;
Using pearl drops
carbonated water and mint tea
biotin
dermaflannel
regular moisturising

[frankietwospots]

What amazing tips and well done you! I second the Goodbye Yellow tip for nails. It's brilliant. Off to Google Biotin...

[HelloBoys]

Faddy - not tried it YET. but spoken to a friend of mine who's been caffeine free for a year.

she used to be a coffee fiend.

she just replaced it with green tea, and did it a few times a day, not gave up all caffeine per day, and say had 2 coffees and 3 green teas (with no caffeine).

You can get decaffeinated green tea from health food shop, Tescos do a clipper one etc.

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

The aspirin lemon juice scrub/ peel involved dissolving four or five soluble aspirin in lemon juice, mixing to a paste and applying to skin (just my nose). I put leftover lemon juice on chin (always reddened). Washed off pat dry after 5 mins.

The salycylic acid in sone chemical peels is extracted from aspirin, all In All v cheap way to get chemical peel....you can also buy salicylic avid from amazon...it's only £14 per bottle...

You can also use dissolved gelatin which is big source of vitamin k and collagen. It's v messy tbh and I scared my kids big time....lumpy goo on face. You ave to work v quickly though and smear it on straight away. It was a disaster for me!


Thanks for tip on goodbye yellow, will get some!

Re caffeine. I just d it slowly. It took me six weeks to get from 4 espresso per day to genuinely not wanting any.

Carbonated water s genuinely really refreshing plus the mineras help remineralise your teeth. I added lemon slices to make it seem more like a treat (sad).


I've been assuaging lip balm in several times a day and the seem to be back to their normal size, must be the massaging effect.

My hair seems a lot glossier too. But as hair is dead, I've no idea how!

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Thanks for your supportive comments btw. From tomorrow I'm starting facial exercises and Im Quitting sugar....this will be the hard one :(

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Ps re biotin. You can megadose for really thin hair nails and dry skin, but if you have normal skin, it can cause acne. I'm on 10000mg at moment which is hefty....But ive got skin that cant even tolerate shower gel so it would take a miracle for my skin to be oily enough for spots. I bought it for, £5.99, producer is Natrol.

Shea butter is excellent for psoriasis nd other skin conditions. Amazon too.

[Twinklestein]

I don't drink caffeine, I missed it for a for a short while & now I can't remember what caffeine felt like.

People have mentioned green tea as a stimulant. You can buy it chilled as well as drinking it hot. For energy boosts I also use the following:

Purdey's Elixir (contains gingseng)
Superfood smoothies (wheatgrass/barleygrass/spirulina etc)
Bee pollen
Acai berries
Goji berries
Raw organic cacao beans (from which chocolate is made)*

*contain small amount of caffeine.

[Pinupgirl]

Well done op. But I think I shall stick to the vino and cakes and save for botox!

[Elsiequadrille]

Well done, Fergus!

I don't drink alcohol or caffeine, well very rarely the former, a couple of glasses of something a year. But would like to drink more green tea (I tolerate camomile best). Also use derma flannel (the Bravura brand) finally got it to work for me. I use crest strips every so often for teeth whitening.

The aspirin and lemon doesn't produce peeling skin like the salicylic acid does it? I love the effects of salicylic, but the peeling afterward is a nuisance, significantly more than the gycolic acid I'd tried previously.