Can someone please critique my regime and suggest a product for me please?

[flanjabelle]

After years of not caring for my skin properly (it was a good day if I remembered to take my makeup off with a baby wipe ) I now try really hard to look after my skin. I'm still relatively new to it though and I'm on a tight budget.

I currently use nivea miscellar water to remove my make up, followed by a cream cleanser, then boots brightening toner and then a L'Oréal 3 in 1 face cream.

These seem to really suit my skin and leave it soft and blemish free. However I have read on here that I should be using something with water to cleanse properly. I bought soap and glory face wash to use instead of the cream cleanser, but as soon as I started using it I got spots. Any idea why? I have changed back and my skin is much better, but I'm worried that I'm not cleansing properly. If anyone has comments about the products I'm using I would appreciate the input. Is this enough? Should I be doing something else?

I also have noticeable pores around my nose and wondered if anyone could recommend a product for this?

Thank you.

[Twinklestein]

I never use water on my face, and I'm sure it's partly why I don't have lines at 45. I think it just strips moisture from your face, which moisurisers don't replenish they simply alleviate the dry feeling.

The one thing that's good for pores is retinol but you have to get that from a dermatologist.

[theclick]

If your skin is fine, I wouldn't change things, although is the boots toner helping?

[flanjabelle]

I honestly don't know if the boots toner is helping or not. I have not a clue what I'm doing! it seems to make my face drier than it would be otherwise after the cream cleanser, then the moisturiser sinks in nicely? It hasn't made a difference to the pores though. My mum has the same so I'm not sure if it's genetic perhaps.

I started off with just the miscellar water and face cream, then read on here that that miscellar water was naff. I find it brilliant to get my makeup off though, so I just added a cream cleanser. Then I read online that a toner really prepares your skin for the moisturiser and I had accidentally picked a toner up a while back when I meant to get the brightening cleanser so I started using that too.

As you can tell, this is all terribly scientific and not at all random.

So is there no hope for the pores unless I see a dermatologist?

[flanjabelle]

Twinkle it's interesting what you have said about using water on your face. Whenever I use a face wash my skin goes to pot. It just doesn't seem to work for me and I'm a bit fed up of wasting money on products that I can't use. I might just give up on the idea! I just got the impression from threads on here that you can't cleanse properly with out some sort of water being involved.

[botemp]

I don't know the S&G face wash but if it's foaming with SLS it's probably stripping your skin, resulting in spots as it tries to compensate. Water isn't necesarrily a great thing for skin, especially if you live in an area with hard water. It also depends if you have dry or oily skin, etc. I'd suggest using the cream cleanser and taking it off with a wet warm flannel (use a clean one every day) and see how that works for you. You'll get a good cleanse and mild exfoliation with minimal water use.

I'd suggest putting in a daily sunscreen for the sunnier months and by incorporating that you'll need a good oil cleanser to take it off (as well as makeup) to replace the micellar water (you can repurpose that for the morning or just as an eye makeup remover). The Una Brennan Superfacialist Cleansing Oil is a well loved affordable oil cleanser here on the S&B boards.

For pores you'll want a BHA, the Olay Anti Wrinkle toner is another well liked affordable product, will also help with spots.

[Twinklestein]

I cleanse properly - I just use cream cleanser (+ cleansing oil for makeup) followed by rosewater (with no added alcohol) instead of water. The latter makes the skin feel really clean without the drying effect of water.

[flanjabelle]

Thank you botemp! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I will look into the products you have recommended. Yes the soap and glory face wash is a foaming one, but I picked it up because it says on it that it doesn't contain soap, is for all skin types and is gentle/doesn't leave your skin feeling tight. I don't agree with that to be honest, it didn't feel gentle at all. It's heavily perfumed too which I didn't like.

Can I ask, I always find sunscreen very greasy and I am worried that it will make my makeup slide off. I already find that halfway through the day I start to feel a bit greasy across the nose and my makeup tends to slip a bit. Are there any good sunscreens that aren't as greasy as your normal suncream? Are there special facial sunscreens or do you use normal sun cream?

[flanjabelle]

Twinkle, thank you I'll look into rosewater.

[flanjabelle]

This is the face wash by the way:

m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?unCountry=uk&path=/en/Soap-Gloryâ„¢-Face-Soap-and-Clarityâ„¢-3-in-1-Daily-Detox-Vitamin-C-Facial-Wash-350ml_1683518/

[flanjabelle]

Apparently there is no sls in it, but it just didn't make my skin feel good.

[botemp]

If you're okay with fragrance the S&G Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF50+ is supposedly a 'budget' dupe for the one I use from Kiehl's (I however can't use the S&G on account of the fragrance) but I don't know if the S&G still qualifies as budget at £15.00 for 30ml (though currently £10.00 at Boots). If you don't mind buying from amazon the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 is very well loved but has a high alcohol content so may be drying to some and since it's from Japan you have to wait a bit for delivery. Both are light and fluid and make for great makeup bases. However, sunscreen is always very individual, these are both chemical sunscreens and not everyone tolerates that well so see how you go.

I just looked up your boots toner and that also has den. alcohol so I'd definitely ditch that and use either a BHA toner or something like rosewater, or both, rosewater is lovely as a hydrator just make sure it's all rosewater and not diluted crap with a rose scent.

[flanjabelle]

Botemp thank you very much for helping me. I really appreciate it as I haven't a clue what is in the products and whether it is good for your skin or not. I have been having to go by the labels, and they aren't exactly going to advertise that it dries your skin and gives you spots are they?! thank you.

[botemp]

You're welcome, it's very personal what skin tolerates but in general if it doesn't feel good utilise it on the body instead or trash it. With a BHA it is possible that it causes a purge initially as it rids the skin of previous buildup but other non active products shouldn't (actives tend to be acids, vitamin C, retinol, etc.). If you do go down the BHA route introduce it gradually (1-2x a week) and build it up to however often feels necessary, I doubt you'll ever be a daily user.

This blog post demonstrates a very useful technique to clean out your blackheads/pores very easily, you only need a BHA, oil cleanser, and a simple clay mask. I do it once a fortnight and it's very effective, after that it's simply keeping it clear with the occasional wipe of acid toner (and of course your daily cleanse).