13 replies to this topic

[Glitterball]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone here knows of any UK-based websites that sell mandelic acid?

Thanks.

[kazza]

Ooooh you beat me to it!! I found a product range called Ishtar skincare (not 100% on address so just google it) and it's apparently the only UK supplier. It works out cheaper than getting it shipped from the US anyway.

I've been reading loads about this recently due to coming across LionQueen's posts and recommendations. It sounds fab so now I want some. It sounds ideal for me as I have loadsa blackheads/blocked pores, especially on my nose, and nothing seems to work regardless of the claims.
She also recommends green cream, but that's American too so might go for Avene's Diacneal, as I want a retinoid. Such a shame we can't get the same stuff easily over here.

[Glitterball]

Thank-you soooooooooo much! That's me now ordered some of the 10% mandelic acid- here's hoping it works on my many stubborn blackheads! I don't know how I didn't come across that website before- I had been searching the internet like mad! I'm so happy now . I'm also looking into that Diacneal stuff you mentioned as I've heard loads of positive things about green cream, too.

Yeah it is really annoying that not everything is available over here... I hate reading about some wonder product and getting all excited about it, only to discover it's only available in the US. International shipping charges HURT.

[kazza]

Well let me know how you get on as I haven't got around to ordering anything yet. Typically Boots appear to sell everything in the Avene range bar the Diacneal. Will have to do a more thorough search I think. Def want a retinoid aswell and LQ (and others) also recommend BHAs, of which Paula's Coice is a supplier. There's a European one which might be kinder on the shipping charges but I can't believe there's no-one in the UK that does it.
All the best in your search and I'll post if I turn up anything at my end.

[Glitterball]

Well I've been using the mandelic acid serum and glycolic acid cleanser I ordered from that Ishtar Skinlights website (thanks, kazza!) and it's simply fantastic!

Most of my skin problems are blackheads- I have loads that have just refused to go away and stay away forever. My skin is also really oily and I have huge gaping pores on my cheeks (lovely, I know). After I managed to get rid of my inflamed acne I sort of resigned to the fact that the blackheads/ large pores were here to stay (sheesh- I'm starting to sound like an infomercial!)... But no, the mandelic acid serum is working a treat! My blackheads are totally disappearing. I've still got quite a few but I can actually count them whereas before, my nose just looked bruised as it was just a big mass of blackheads! I can actually see a couple of cute wee freckles on my nose that I haven't seen in years as the blackheads hid them! I'm not noticing a huge difference in pore size just yet- the pores on my left cheek do look slightly smaller but my right cheek hasn't really improved (maybe that's because I sleep on my right side and rub the product off? Hmmm, I don't know). But I'm sooooo pleased with the results so far!

The Ishtar Skinlights people are also a really nice company to deal with. The cleanser was sent separately from the serum because there was a delay in it arriving to them or something and they sent me a hand-written note to apologise. 'Twas a nice touch!

Anyway, just thought I'd update you with my results. I was so disheartened reading about the different mandelic-acid containing products and how fantastically they worked as I thought if I wanted to try it out, I'd have to pay huge international shipping charges but no, I'm so happy to have found a UK-based supplier and that the mandelic acid is doing everything that LionQueen promised it would! Yay!

I'm eternally grateful, kazza!

[gareth]

Hey Glitterball,

Did you buy the glytone and ultralase 10?

Sounds like i'm similar to you in that blackheads was my major problem. I live in uk and bought some mandelic from gow in the us and it is amazing stuff, i don't have hardly any now! But it does cost quite a bit so just wondered exactly which products you bought.

[mikepepsi]

Ishtar are a fantastic company who will send samples, But unfortunately for me i used a sample as well as their face wash and the face wash feels very stick and lacks cleansing ability, and their mandelic acid serum was drying, of course.

However i was beginning a minor breakout when i trialed the products, but they certainly seemed to actually make things worse unfortunately. i know this isn't the case with most people, and as with any product, you have to stick it through for a while to see results.

I, however, am trying to avoid allowing my skin to become dependent on a particular acid or peroxide to remain clear as i made that mistake with Benzoyl Peroxide aka CRACK FOR MY SKIN.

I would recommend using any clearing product less frequently than directed so your skin does not develop a dependency on the product for clarity.

[.JacktheLad.]

just bumping this, ishtar are a great company. i emailed them for advice and there advice was great and fast response time to.

products are great, ive never got on with any cleanser or toner, other than tap water lol

so now my skin is getting the special treatment.

i was using the U5 % MA, but i think it was to rich for my skin, i have had 3 cysts in the space of a week and i dont normally get them!

but saying that, it didnt cause me any on the right hand side of my face.

so could be a coincidence

[BoyWithAPlan]

Alright folks. I'm looking to get me some 15% mandelic acid but Ishtar won't start sending orders until the 26th of July as it's their annual holiday.

Do we know of any third party stockists or other sellers of 15% mandelic acid? ta

Edited by BoyWithAPlan, 18 July 2010 - 08:42 AM.

[gadgaholic]

Alright folks. I'm looking to get me some 15% mandelic acid but Ishtar won't start sending orders until the 26th of July as it's their annual holiday.

Do we know of any third party stockists or other sellers of 15% mandelic acid? ta

I haven't and I've searched all over! Ishtar products seem to be selling on eBay as well, they might be 3rd party resellers that can ship more quickly. Good to see the good reviews of their products - I might order soon.

[gadgaholic]

Alright folks. I'm looking to get me some 15% mandelic acid but Ishtar won't start sending orders until the 26th of July as it's their annual holiday.

Do we know of any third party stockists or other sellers of 15% mandelic acid? ta

I haven't and I've searched all over! Ishtar products seem to be selling on eBay as well, they might be 3rd party resellers that can ship more quickly. Good to see the good reviews of their products - I might order soon.

Yep, back again - just found that a Spanish company that makes mandelic products for spas also sells in the UK (and some products on eBay too). Sesderma.co.uk. I think I might try them first because their ingredients seem superior to Ishtar's (barring the fact that they cap the strength at 10%). LMK if anyone tries/can compare either. Thanks!

[rkm282]

I can't recommend Ishtar Skinlights highly enough!

I've suffered from adult acne since my early/mid 20's (I'm now 37) and sometimes it's been to the point my skin has just been one big red gunky mess! So not a pretty sight I can tell you

I've been using Ishtar Skinlights now for about 8 months as I was trying to find a more natural way of dealing with my acne and after stumbling on Acne.org (God, I wish I'd found this site years ago, I'd have saved myself a hell of a lot of heartache not to mention money!!!) read about mandelic acid. I didn't want to post on here until I came up with something that actually helped with my acne as I've had so many wasted attempts before.

When I first started using Ishtar my skin was really greasy, but dry at the same time and I had a lot of blackheads and large pores and just when I thought I might have started growing out of the adult acne I would get really bad painful systic acne that was impossible to hide even though I used to put on enough make-up to supply the whole of the UK on a daily basis.

Athough I still have to wear make-up I've switched to using mineral foundation make-up which I think has also helped with my skin. It's been a long road and it's taken me 8 months to get to this stage, but it's been worth it. I still have break outs, but no where near the extent I used to get them and I also have some scaring and pigmentation issues as well. However, the scaring and pigmentation is slowly going with the help of Ishar Skinlights's products. I've also bought some glycolic acid from Bravura London, which I've been a little nervous about trying, but I will let you know how that goes when I've plucked up the courage to try it.

Now my skin feels pretty silky and soft compared to how it used to feel and the pores are definately a lot smaller and I don't really get blackheads anymore and I don't feel I have to hide behind a truck load of make-up either anymore!

My routine is as follows:

AM:

Cleasing:
Ultralase Cleanse (cleanse twice using a Superdrug "Buff Puff") - I simply cleanse once, rinse and then flip the Buff Puff over cleanse and then rinse - I used to use their Green Tea Facial Scrub as the second cleanse, but switched to using the Superdrug's Buff Puff instead, because Ishtar's packaging for the Facial Scrub kept breaking and I'd have problems getting the product out.

Tone:
Glytone Toner - I usually saturate a dry piece of cotton wall and lightly smooth it over my whole face and neck.

Moisturise:
Synergy Cream/Hydraplus - I alternate between the two, once I'm near the end of one pot I order the other one and so on. I normally put this on while my face is still damp from the toner and massage it in gently.
Optimax Eye Cream - I pat this on both under my eyes and on my eyelids (I know some creams say not to put on your eyelids, but I always have done and it's not done my eyes any harm).

Finally I do my make-up after my moisturiser has had about 10 mins to settle into my skin.

PM:

Cleansing:
I have to admit I'm not as good with my evening routine and just use cleansing wipes from the 99p Store to thoughly remove my make-up and I don't always use the Glytone Toner at night, because I've found if I use it both AM and PM it dries my skin out too much and it goes flakey.

Moisturise:
Optimax Eye Cream - I put this on 1st in the evenings as soon as I've taken my make-up off.

I don't tend to moisturise my skin at night, but I do use Ishtar's UltraLase 5 Cream instead.

I have used the UltraLase 10 Cream as well and started alternating it with the UltraLase 5 Cream, but I found that too much for my skin so I mainly just use the UltraLase 5 instead, but once a week I put the UIltraLase 10 Cream over the top of the UltraLase 5 as a treatment and that's it job done and off to bed I go.


I would definately recommend people to use Ishar Skinlights if their looking for BP alternative and would advise them to bare with it and give it some time as it's taken me 8 months to really see the full improvement in my skin and would definately advise to try different combinations of their products to see what works for you as it took a bit of trial and error for me to get the right combination and I know from experience that what works for one person may not always be as effective for someone else.

The only thing I still have problems with Backne. If I could find something like Ishtar for my back I would be sorted!!! If anyone has any Backne advise I would grately appreciate the help

And thanks for taking the time to read this too, if you get this far

[Giordanoh]

I've had mild to moderate acne pretty much throughout my adolescence. I'm 20 now. I've been on Accutane once in the past and it helped quite alot. But much to my dismay I still get mild breakouts here and there...mind you never as bad as it was before accutane Recently started using 10% Mandelic Acid serum and it pretty much takes care of my breakouts and I'm very happy with the results. Wish I knew how effective it was afew years ago lol.
I order online from Nucelle.com they have 10% and 15% serum. I think they're based out of the US or Canada..
but great overall service and decent shipping time.

[Holly137]

Hey, I've recently found out about mandelic acid and I'm thinking of getting myself some from Ishtar skinlights but I was wondering whether any of you know if it's ok to use it alongside oral antibiotcs (tetralysal/lymecycline)?