Skincare for face-what's your secret?!

[Flumpnugget]

Would really appreciate some skincare advice for face, please :-)

I'm 36, and suffer with hormonal spots around my mouth and chin and sometimes in the crease next to my nose.

My forehead is dry and prone to flaking.

I wear a bbcream foundation with spf30 most days.

I'd love dewy, even skin tone!
I never had any problems with my skin until 2-3 years ago.

I wash my face with a really mild Neals Garden face wash and I've started using the new No.7 face serum. I've tried cleansers and toners but they dryness seems to increase on my forehead and can appear on my upper cheeks.

Any tips really gratefully received.

Thank you.

[Flumpnugget]

*Neals Yard!

[retainertrainer]

Sorting out my diet helped me massively-I've cut right down on processed foods,sugar,salt and alcohol. Upped my fruit,veg and healthy fats (I now eat 2 avocado a week) and I drink as much water as I can xx

[retainertrainer]

Oh shit,ignore the kisses-thought I was texting for minute!😘

[Flumpnugget]

Hee hee- thank you- I do that too!

I eat fresh and try to follow a low carb / plant based diet- weekends are a bit less scheduled tho...

[NattyGolfJerkin]

Well, I've always drunk loads of water and I've had crappy spot prone skin and now clear skin, so I don't think that makes a huge difference in me.

Diet wise, I take a high strength omega 3,6,9 fish oil capsule (boots) and an 'A-Z' women's multivitamin (centrum). My skin and hair are definitely better when I take the fish oil. I notice a difference in texture if I miss a few days. I agree with avocado in your diet and oily fish, it really helps, as do linseeds (be careful with linseeds though as they are quite laxative!).

Skin care wise, my routine suits my skin but it might not suit you. It's quite £££ and high maintenance but it works for me and I've got here after years of experimentation and wasted money, so I'm happy to spend it if it works, tbh!

I don't wear skin make up every day because it would break me out and actually, my skin is reasonably good, so I'm happy to go without. I do wear waterproof mascara, spf50 sunscreen (kiehl's) and a bit of lipstick, so I do need a fairly heavy duty cleanser to take it off. I use an oil cleanser at both ends of the day, either pure jojoba oil or Clinique take the day off balm cleanser. Washed off with hand hot water and a muslin cloth. Then I use 2 serums (Sarah Chapman hydrating age repair one and Paula's Choice Resist retinol one), followed by a small blob of Clinique's moisture surge overnight mask moisturiser (just a rich moisturiser) or the kiehl's sunscreen depending on whether it is day/night.


I also exfoliate 3 times a week with the nip and fab glycolic fix pads and once a week follow up with the dermalogica vitamin power mask.

[Flumpnugget]

Thanks Natty...
I'm always worried to exfoliate in case it irritates my drier skin

[Flumpnugget]

I've just ordered some fish oil capsules- thank you. My fav fish is salmon but I can't afford to buy that to eat other than on an odd occasion; the capsules make sense.

[NattyGolfJerkin]

I have normal-dry and dehydrated skin and I find exfoliating helps my skin to absorb the moisturiser and serum better.

[NattyGolfJerkin]

Some acid exfoliant so are harsher than others though. Glycolic can be harsh if you are sensitive and not used to acids. Lactic is supposed to be good for sensitive, first time users.

[NattyGolfJerkin]

Exfoliants are not exfoliant so are

[Spam88]

Liz Earle :D

I'd go with the Cleanse & Polish, Skin Tonic and start with the moisturiser for normal/combination skin (you can adjust up or down from there). If you do decide to give it a go though just be prepared for some almightly spots around a month after starting.

[Flumpnugget]

Eeek re almighty spots. I already get some absolute beasts near my period (think 3/4 heads in a cluster- gross and agony!)

[TheBananaFaceOfEvil]

You need hyaluronic acid for your flaky bits. I had flaky skin since childhood and tried everything under the sun. Once I discovered hyaluronic acid, it completely sorted my skin out.

The French pharmacy brands are great for this. Pretty inexpensive. At the moment I'm using Vichy Aqualia serum, which I find really quenches and plumps up my skin. On top of that I use Bioderma Hydrabio Rich cream (they also have a Light version if you're not as dry as me, but it still contains hyaluronic acid).

[MazzleDazzle]

I second Liz Earle!

Also, plenty of fruit and water.

[Spam88]

Should clarify I only meant for a short time (although hopefully that was clear lol). My skin is spot-free and super soft now 👍

I used to have really dry sore skin on my cheeks and had stuff on prescription for it, but since starting with Liz Earle I only need a very light moisturiser.

[Flumpnugget]

I will look into Liz Earle and the acid- thanks guys!

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

Dove soap and Aveeno, my skin has never been better, I used to spend £££. I use no.7 intelligent colour foundation and everything else Benefit, and don't wash it off at night. naughty

[Scarydinosaurs]

I've made a small change of adding a drop of oil to my foundation (primer on first) and it has made a huge difference. My skin looks 100% better- both when my skin is naked and made up:

[expatinscotland]

I use Dettol anti-bac handwash in the morning and then Lush's Ultrabland at night.

[BatteryOperatedBoyfriend]

I though you were taking the piss expat then I googled Lush Ultrabland...

[puddlejumpingqueen]

Another Liz Earle fan. Dry skin on my forehead had plagued me for years, was gone in a month and the redness on my cheeks is starting to fade after 2 months. Skin starting to even out a bit too.

[NattyGolfJerkin]

Vichy aqualia serum is ace. The Sarah chapman I use is just a slightly more technical version with more active ingredients but it is still essentially a hyaluronic serum at its heart.

[Shenanagins]

In the last three weeks I've started taking cod liver oil tablets and using nip and fab glycemic exfoliant and superdrugs glycemic overnight peel mask and noticed today how glowing my skin looks - the best in a number of years.

[Flumpnugget]

Cheers all- am really grateful of the pointers- especially as I come into my hormonal skin phase this week!

[WilLiAmHerschel]

I get those hormonal spots and the only thing that's ever worked for me is benzoyl peroxide. I used to get it for acne when I was a teenager and started using it for hormonal spots as an adult. Usually about two weeks before my period starts I start to see my skin get clogged up and I start applying the cream before I get any spots. You can buy it OTC in any chemist. I think the brand name is Panoxyl.

For dryness, when I'm really suffering I wash only with warm water and a flannel. If it's extra dry I might use oil - olive, coconut or whatever I have in. And I'll use a specialist dry skin moisturiser at night if it's very bad, or a normal night cream for dry skin. And also moisturise in day.

I think fish oil supplements are good and I take vitamin d and a vitamin b complex.