The Nerdie Lexicon: Learn our Language

Talk nerdie to us. Or, more accurately, we’ve been talking nerdie to you - but have you been able to comprende? We’ve certainly got our own way of doing things, and this extends to our own private (and sometimes baffling) language. But don’t worry - it’s nothing too radical. In fact, we’re pretty convinced that you could find the perfect word here. If you’ve ever suffered from - wait for it - lethologica (we’re proud of that one), then this might be the perfect almanac for you. We’re letting you into the nerdie lexicon, and inviting you to learn our language.

The Nerdictionary

(Skin) Barrier:
Also known as: stratum corneum, acid mantle
We do love to talk all things skin barrier - so what the frick do we mean? It’s not so complicated - your skin’s barrier is a protective layer that sits on the surface of your skin. It consists of dead skin cells and also a lipid layer (those are fats - very handy in this instance). It’s the barrier between your body and the rest of the world.

Your skin’s barrier function is super important - if all is working perfectly, then all the good stuff like moisture and nutrients will stay inside, and all the bad stuff will be kept out - but if it’s not up to scratch, then you might lose hydration through your skin and end up with dehydrated, unhappy or irritated skin.

Keeping your barrier strong with plenty of ceramides and barrier protective ingredients is absolutely key!

Caves 
Where people who don’t need SPF live. Without openings, light (solar, electrical or otherwise). 

Chemical exfoliation
This is a form of exfoliation which uses exfoliating acids (like glycolic, salicylic, lactic, etc.) to prompt your skin to slough off the dead layers, as opposed to mechanical exfoliation, like a gritty scrub. After 25, our skin’s natural proliferation slows, so chemical exfoliants lend a helping hand.

Chemical exfoliation can sound a little scary, but don’t let it skeeve you - think of it like this. Mechanical exfoliation is like chipping tiles off the roof - but chemical exfoliation drips between the gaps in the tiles, leaving them intact.

Consult / consultation
A skin consult or consultation is when a skin therapist or consultant speaks to you about your skin, lifestyle and the skincare you’re using to understand what may be causing your skin concerns and then advises you on what will work best for you.

They are pretty important in The Skin Nerd and all of ours happen online through WhatsApp and Skype because we know you’re a busy hooman.

Core 4
This the essential Skingredients regime. It comprises of four products (five if you count the sly 00 of the range - the Cleanse Off Mitt): PreProbiotic Cleanse, Skin Veg, Skin Protein, and Skin Shield SPF 50 PA+++. These are the core four products which you should be using every single day to feed your skin the balanced dinner plate which it needs. We might sound biased, but we’ll stand by it.

It can also mean any main skincare products - in Nerd Network, we sometimes use it to mean your cleanser, serum, SPF and supplement. The more you know...

Drinkles
These are wrinkles from dehydration. When your skin is thirsty and gasping for a drink, it’s not likely to look its best. Dehydration increases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but rehydration can do wonders when it comes to diminishing their appearance. And so, drinkles: wrinkles from dehydration. It also depends what you’re drinking - alcohol is dehydrating, and can also lead to drinkles. A not-so-glam side-effect.

Follow-up
By this, we mean your follow-up consultation. It’s one of those ones where it makes perfect sense in our Nerd brains but maybe doesn’t make sense to other hoomans.

Franks:
You might think to yourself - if this isn’t a definition of my neighbour or bank manager, then I’m lost. But as is the nerdie way - there’s more to it than that! Even if you think you haven’t had the pleasure, we’re pretty sure you have.

A Frank is nothing less than the real zingers of spots which crop up from seemingly nowhere. They’re big, bad, and often require their own post-code. But instead of a post-code, we like to give them a name. And the name we’ve chosen - well, it’s Frank.

If you’ve ever had a spot that you’ve considered christening, then we’re happy to report that you’ve been blessed by a Frank of your own.

And why Frank? Well - can you think of a better name than the friendly Frank for your facial addition?

Hoomans
Let’s make this point here - we know how to spell ‘humans’. Imagine if we could spell diindolylmethane without Googling it but we couldn’t spell human. Give us some credit. Hooman is one of our core values and how we refer to human beings. We prefer it to talking about specific genders because your skincare doesn’t know your gender so it works out better this way.

Jelly Bits:
A big favourite of our Education Manager, Gráinne. These are particularly beautifully demonstrated by the correct application of the YonKa Gommage Masque. Apply a thin layer to cleansed skin, let it set fior up to ten minutes, and then comes the jelly bits. Gently roll the mask off with your fingertips.

The little rolls of product which will end up on your fingers are fondly called ‘jelly bits’ by Gráinne. If the jelly bits have a tint to them, then it means that your face fake or makeup has built up, and the gommage is doing its job in getting rid of it! Jelly bits, though - that’s your takeaway from this.

Ps. ‘Jelly bits’ is the intellectual property of Yon-Ka, we just borrow it.

Nerd Herd:
Our term for those of our community who follow the Way of the Nerd. A herd of nerds. A nerd herd.

Nerd Network:
If you’ve booked in for a skin consultation, then you’re already a member! The Nerd Network is the club which you enter once you book in for a consultation and start to receive nerdie guidance from our team of Nerds and Nerdettes. It’s the space where your follow-ups live; it’s how you can access exclusive discounts and products which are not on general sale, too.

As soon as you’ve booked your consultation, you can join our Nerd Network Facebook group and watch our weekly Facebook Lives, and can be added to our newsletter too.

This way, you’ll be receiving skinformation and education regularly, and learning all about the best ways to address your skin concerns. You can sign into your Nerd Network account on theskinnerd.com, and there, you can view your own homework sheet, recommended products and catch up on Nerd Network exclusive blogs.

Nerdline:
Nerdline is our skin query hotline for any questions you have about which Skingredients product will suit you or any pressing questions about anything you’ll find on theskinnerd.com.

All you have to do is call +353 1 564 9362 and press 1 to be put through to an expert Nerd or Nerdette who will be more than happy to help you out.

Nerds and Nerdettes
These are the folks who preach the good skinformation and give you the skinformation which you need. The Nerds and Nerdettes are our team of skincare consultants, all highly qualified and experienced in all matters skin and on-hand to give you all the advice and care which your skin has been craving. These hoomans are skincare savants, and can Spritz o’Clock you from 50 yards. Walking, talking, whiz-kids. Your skin is in good (and really well moisturised) hands.

NerdsApp:
Exclusive to Nerd Networkers, NerdsApp is our GDPR-friendly WhatsApp service where those in our community can get skin advice, such as advice on when they should move up to a higher level of vitamin A serum, or what mask will get them sorted for the big event they have coming up.

Nipples up
This is the point from which you should be applying your cleansers and serums - we’re all about applying all of that good stuff from nips to forehead. All of your skin needs care, but we’re unfortunately aware that budget restrictions mean that we must simply prioritise our skin from the nipples upwards. Applying your active ingredients (vitamins and antioxidants for example) from the nipples up will defend your skin from premature ageing. For example, applying SPF from the nipples up means that you’re protecting this skin which might be overlooked otherwise from harmful (and ageing) UV exposure.

Rock Star ingredients
These are ingredients in the product formulations which really pack a punch, and do mighty work. We’re talking your peptides, your ceramides, your vitamins, your exfoliating acids - they’re Rock Stars because they take centre stage, and perform really shredded guitar solos on your skin (in the best way you can imagine).

Sally
Our friendly name for salicylic acid, and for our own Skingredients Sally Cleanse. It’s such a pal that it’s easy to feel like we’ve just got that connection, you know? Friend to the oily nerd, and the congestion-prone hooman, salicylic acid dissolves the dead skin plugs in your pores to combat congestion even in the most excessively oily among us. Sally’s a real peach.

Skinformation
Information all about - you guessed it - skin. We take any chance to bandy this one about.

Skingredients
These are, in our opinion, the ingredients for healthy, happy skin. It’s also coincidentally the name of our own skincare range (it’s not a coincidence at all. Obviously).

The Jesus Christ Test (JC Test)
Sure that your mode of makeup removal is getting all of your makeup off? Really sure? How sure? Sure enough that you’ll run the gauntlet of the Jesus Christ test? This is a test during which, post-cleanse, you put a white towel to your face (or a cotton pad, as demonstrated by Gráinne). If you remove the towel and it’s more Shroud of Turin than Mr. Clean, then you’ve failed the Jesus Christ test, and you need to bin those wipes and get thee to a double cleanse - stat.

So there you have it - move over Oxford English Dictionary, the Nerdictionary is sure to give you a run for your money. If you’re not content with this, then you can always get more nerdie insight from The Skin Nerd Book!