Help me! Starting from total ignorance.

[KinkyDorito]

Hi all

Rapidly approaching 37 and need to start looking after myself properly.

I don't cleanse/tone/moisturise. I wear make-up through the week - foundation, powder, eye shadow, brow pencil, mascara, lipstick. I take it off with a liquid cleanser from tesco and that's it.

I do nothing else.

My skin is okay, but does have some discolouration in places. I am dark haired and quite fair skinned that doesn't tan easily. I have an oily t-zone, so think I'm combination.

I want to make more of an effort to look groomed - and have a regime to look after my skin better.

Any advice on where to start or where I can read about what to do would be gratefully received.

(On hair, it is messy, shoulder length and I tie it in a loose bun every day.)

[mintbiscuit]

For skincare the 2 biggest things that will benefit your skin the most - sunscreen and proper cleansing aka double cleansing.

Invest in some high spf broad spectrum sunscreen asap and wear it everyday (yes even if you are indoors as uva rays can penetrate glass). Spf make up or moisturiser with spf is not enough to prevent uva/uvb damage. Japanese sunscreens give excellent protection, are very lightweight and absorb well.

Double cleanse in the evening. 1st cleanse use an oil based cleanser or balm to remove sunscreen/make up e.g. clinique take the day off balm. 2nd cleanse, to clean face and remove any residue, with a low ph cleanser (below 5.5). E.g. Cerave foaming cleanser (only available on amazon).

Check out Caroline Hirons blog for routine cheat sheets. Pls don't follow her product recs blindly - she is paid to recommend them! Skincare is trial and error so go slowly when introducing new products in case any cause irritation or breakouts.

[KinkyDorito]

mintbiscuit. I will investigate all of your recommends.

[NigellasGuest]

I second everything mintbiscuit says re. skincare. Another good option for second cleanse is Cetaphil

For looking more groomed, have eyebrows shaped and tinted. Also, a manicure - just the routine kind, not gel nails or any of that. Shaped, buffed and neutral/clear polish - or very dark. Have shoes reheeled if needed - make sure shoes are in good nick, anyway. Just those few things will help you look better groomed straightaway!

[KinkyDorito]

Thanks .

I am heading to Boots later. DH will be crying and rocking when he sees the receipt.

[lampshady]

For discolouration I recommend clinique 'even better brightening mask'. Use 3 times a week and it really makes a difference. Pricey and someone may be able to recommend a cheaper version of the same kind of product. Are you concerned about redness at all? If so, don't use an exfoliator scrub!

[KinkyDorito]

Red, discoloured and very, very sorry for itself lamp.

[NigellasGuest]

Kinky, the Cetaphil isn't pricey, honest! FWIW my local Boots is shite and I buy everything online and do click and collect, but yours might be better and stock more things.

Is your skin red AND discoloured i.e. dark spots or do you just mean red?
Does it get worse in this cold windy horrible weather (assuming your'e in the UK).

[KinkyDorito]

Nigellas both - I have dark, discoloured spots and these are growing in number, mainly on my jaw line - like bits of tan that haven't faded. I also am red across my cheeks. I dry out easily on them though, even though I am oiler on my nose/forehead.

I am lined on my forehead and, thanks to the dreaded swimming goggles, am quite puffy around my eyes.

I'm a total babe .

[KinkyDorito]

I look very washed out though, generally, but I have got fibro so my health isn't great.

[NigellasGuest]

sorry to hear about the fibro, is that a bit like CFS, which i have?

The dark spots are probably pigmentation from sun exposure - do they fade a little in winter and become more pronounced in the sun? Sunblock is a must, to stop them getting worse. There are various lotions and potions that claim to fade them, but I don't think any of them work but that's just my opinion. Others might have some recommendations? the only thing that actually works is IPL which is expensive and has to be done in a clinic with someone qualified to do it properly.

For the redness/dryness, have a think about balms and oils. They do not make your skin oilier BTW! It feels a bit counter-intuitive but honestly works really well. I have a couple of recommendations (see below) but they aren't cheap - perhaps someone else has budget recommendations?

//www.nealsyardremedies.com/skincare/2362.html#tab1

www.nealsyardremedies.com/skincare/organic-facial-skincare/facial-serums-and-oils/0567.html#tab2

[KinkyDorito]

Thanks for this Nigellas. Yes, the two go together and really think my main issue is CFS, though I was formally DX with fibro and haven't pushed for anything else.

Thank you for the links. I've bought some sunblock today and will definitely have a look at the Neal's Yard .