Can you recommend skincare routine? Fed up with clinique

[puddle]

I've been using Clinique products for years and feel like it's time for a change - it's started to feel a bit harsh on my skin, especially the toner. Can anyone recommend anything that has transformed their skin?!

I'm (just) 38 and my skin is prone to dryness. I like the 'soap and water' thing with clinique - that's one of the reasons I chose it in the first place.

I switched to Dermalogica - the cleanser I use is a rinse off one. I also use their microfoliant which is a massage in, rinse off product. The toner is a spray on.

All lovely product to use and I have found a difference in my skin tone.

Liz Earle products are great. There is a cleanser that you remove with a warm muslin cloth (brilliant if you like the soap and water feeling, but without the dryness) and then a lovely-smelling toner. (I don't use her moisturisers, though, because they're not rich enough for me. I'm using RoC at the moment, which I think is very good.) The stuff is cheapish and available by mail order.

I've also found the posh Marks & Spencer range (can't remember the name but it is silver) very good. There is an Eve Lom-style waxy cleanser, and a cream cleanser that can be rinsed off, and a very good toner and serums.

i use dove soap and oil of olay. ive heard the new loreal refinish is really good (2 step thingy) and also the neutrogena wash and face mask combo

another vote for liz earle - absolutely brilliant.

I too used Clinique for years but have fairly recently swapped to Liz Earle after reading about it on MN and I like it very much. The cloth you use with the cleanser makes your skin feel really soft and then the toner is really fab. I use the lighter moisturiser during the day and the richer one at night.
It's not cheap, but like all these things lasts for a long time.

Hi Puddle, I'm 36 with dry skin, and I swear by Neal's yard's palmarosa face wash followed by a splash of cold water for a toner and then their nourishing frankinsence cream. They also have a new rose treatment balm I use once a week as a self-facial (it also exfoliates). It's outstanding. And cheaper than everything I've used before (CLinique, Clarins, Dermalogica, Benefit).

I found it when I was looking for products that dudn't make my morning sickness worse, everything smells like a dream:-) xfx

following this with interest. The length of my product loyalty is usually one bottle and I am a sucker for nice packaging so usually choose on this basis. Have used clinique (too harsh), clarins, body shop, l'oreal, oil of olay. I have always thought of myself as having dry skin but now I'm not so sure - nowadays I seem to get quite a few spots - many are sort of below-the-skin-spots, more bumps than spots, so not horribly obvious but am getting fed up of them. Interested to know of any products / regimes you might recommend. (I hope that doesn;t count as hi-jacking - if so, apologies to puddle)

oooooo, lots of votes for Liz`Earle. Where do you get it from (and how much - more exp than clinique?)

Thanks all who have replied. Any more?

Another liz earle fan here. Only available mail order: lizearle.com for info. Not particularly expensive, more mid-priced around £10 for most products.

Also check out www.beautybible.com for tried and tested products and ideas.

Liz Earle website is here .. Liz Earle . I'd say it's similar in price to Clinique but I'm not 100% sure ...

hatstand, just because you've got spots/bumps doesn't mean you don't have dry skin. don't make the mistake of using products for greasy/teenage skin becaue they will irritate your skin and make the problem worse. Do you get the bumps in one area, or all over? Are they worse at certain times of the month, or in reaction to particular situations/products? Things that may be the problem (IME) include: suntanning, PMT (specially if they're on your chin - this may indicate a hormonal reaction), use of over-harsh products, use of oily claggy products. You may find that these help:

• using a rinse-off cleanser (or one of the new cleansers that come with a muslin cloth: Liz Earle, M&S, Eve Lom the best IMHO) to keep your skin really clean without stripping it

• using a GENTLE toner without alcohol (Liz Earle and Clarins both good)

• using a non-comeodogenic moisturiser (I've got the spelling wrong - someone correct me - but it means non-blocking; I like RoC but there's lots of examples)

• GENTLY exfoliating once a week (Dermalogica very good for this) but be careful not to irritate your skin

• if the spots are only in one area, like your chin, you could try leaving them without moisturiser occasionally, perhaps just at night, or using a non-oily serum instead of a cream

thanks Hester - you seem very knowledgeable. I have tried cutting down on moisturiser - use a light Body Shop serum overnight. One q for all you who use rinse off cleansers - do you find it gets make up off? I've never found one that really gets eg mascara off so have always stuck to cotton wool stuff. Or do you use a seperate make-up remover as well?

I use a separate eye make up remover

reading this thread i realise that i'm a skincare junkie. i've used practically everything everyone has mentioned so far.... i have a really nice ren cleanser at the moment, called zostera marina. it smells delicious & works well for dry skin. costs £16.50 for a big .container. you can buy it on their website here

can I just add that Liz Earle, and lots of other makes are stocked by QVC-you can try the products for 30 days, if you don't like it/doesn't do what you wanted it to-send it back ! I've tried lots of makes this way.

thoriughly recommend Liz Earle the whole range is excellent available online at QVC and reasonably priced you can see the difference after 1st use HTH

I would suggest that if you are changing products to treat yourself to a facial first to find out your skin type and then you can ensure that you are getting the correct range. There is no point in splashing out on something for 'normal' (or whatever) skin if you are sensitive or dry. Once you have the skin analysis remember the best advise is to cleanse, tone and moisturise tiwce daily, eat healthily and drink loads of water.

I had a dermalogica facial which was great and boughtt a couple of the products whcih are relaly nice. The foundation especially. Very pricey though

also big fan of liz earle - much cheaper than clinique.
although ultimate cleanser is Eve Lom - but at £40 - M$S do an identical one - Revive or Renew - silver bottles for £12. It's the best cleanser ever.

can I suggest Eve Lom cleanser and moisturizer... it has transformed my skin....bit expensive but no need for tonor and I find i need less moisturizer when I use it.... ~I used to use clinique and found this loads better for my dry skin - the muslin cloth routine is just fab and I have never needed lip salve as I rub lips with it and it makes them really soft and gets rid of all dry skin..

mancmum - try the M&S one - exactly the same stuff!

Liz Earle is fantastic - buy online at www.lizearle.com I think. Also used to use Clinique but after Xmas pressie of Liz Earle polish hot cloth stuff am totally in loive and converted. give it a whirl.

hatstand , may I suggest that the kind of spots you describe might not have anything to do with your skincare routine. they are subcoutaneous (no idea how to spell it , but they develop under the skin) feel quite hard and the area around them is fairly sensitive to touch. am i right or is it something completely different?
anyway, i don't think any amount of cleanser and moisturiser, however expensive, would treat the problem. my advice would be to look at your diet, see if they appear in certain circumstances and, most importantly, an appropiate massage might keep your skin in good condition. the exercises that are decribed in eve loom's booklet (GO AND BUY IT! it is the best skin care product I ever came accross and although it costs about £40 it lasts forever, at least a whole year. besides, you don't have to use it daily) actually help improve skin condition from within and i think it has something to do with energy flow as well. if your skin is not shiny or greasy (test with some tissues) then you don't have oily skin. HTH
great advice from everyone on here BTW!

I recently bought The Sanctuary's hydrating facial cleanser which I LOVE.

BTW the whole Sanctuary range is delish - especially the Salt Scrub which makes your skin so soft and Mande Susu which is a bubble bath. Often on 3for2 in Boots.

And no, i don't work for them .

Gosh I'm so lazy I just slap a bit of L'oreal anti-wrinkle night cream on after my shower in the morning and don't bother with anything else. Anyone else this lazy? Do you reckon a proper routine makes a difference? Where would I start?!!