Shirley James

Good point - If you’re using a concentrator or diffuser try removing it - those restrict airflow and make cutouts trip quicker on long dry times. Also plug straight into a wall outlet; thin or long extension cords can drop voltage, slowing the fan and overheating the element. If it shuts off and comes back after a minute that’s the resettable cutout; if it dies permanently, the one-time thermal fuse has blown and replacement isn’t usually worth it.

Good additions to the dimethicone/squalane tip: look for glycerin high on the list plus ceramides and cholesterol which help repair the barrier without shine. If flakes are stubborn, a low-strength urea or lactic acid moisturizer (around 5%) a few nights a week can smooth them and then seal dry spots with a dab of petrolatum. Apply everything to slightly damp skin so it stays bouncy instead of tight.

Think in terms of a mixing palette rather than a big rainbow. Two yellows two reds two blues that lean warm and cool will cover almost everything, then add one earth color if you crave quick neutrals. With that setup you get clean mixes and fewer surprises, and you learn how your colors granulate or stain. Pans are compact and let you paint in short sessions by the window, tubes feel creamier and stronger out of the gate but they take a bit more surface and planning and suddenly you are juggling puddles. When the box arrives, swatch every color and note which ones lift easily and which make cauliflower blooms when dropped into a wet area. If a color rewets quickly and looks clear in a thin glaze, you are on the right track. Game changer.