I need some lotions and potions advice please.

[Rugbylovingmum]

Hello,

I am to admit that I am 32 years old and am still just washing my face with soap and water and I rarely remember to moisturise. The thing is it really shows - I have had some awful spots on my chin over christmas and even without them my chin and nose are covered in blackheads. I have that horrible teenage-type skin I thought I would have grown out of by now with a greasy T-zone and dry cheeks and forehead. During the winter I get very chapped lips and my hands also suffer with very dry cracked skin around my nails.

I have piled the weight on over the last few years and I haven't felt very confident about my looks so I've sort of stopped making any effort but my New Years resolution is to sort myself out. I have had my hair cut, my eyebrows done and have started a diet. I'm saving for some new clothes (no more jeans and baggy jumpers) and now I want to start a skincare regime. The thing is I am a bit overwhelmed by the number of lotions and potions available and don't know where to start so I'm hoping for some advice from you lovely ladies . How do I clear the blackheads and what should I use daily??? Which face/hand/eye creams do I really need? Please help me!

Sound slike you ahve stripped your skin completely so its gone into oil overdrive

I have reasonably oily skin and I use Tesco's organic cleanser that i remove with a flannel to exfoliate (its only about £3.50)

Then I use Decleor moisturiser

Why dont you have a facial to clean your skin before you start your regime

Since you don't have any routine at the moment you need something straightforward that you will stick to - "extras" can be added in later.

So first step is you need a decent facial moisturiser. Something with a SPF is best although virtually all have that these days.

Think about how much you want to spend (anything from five to fifty pounds can easily be done, many of the more specialist luxury brands can have you spending up to one hundred and fifty+)

I recommend olay regenerist 3 point cream which is about 30GBP or lancome primordiale which is about 45GBP. But it is very persoinal so a trip to boots will give you an idea of what is available in your price range. Start with something suitable for normal skin (at this stage anything is better than nothing and if you find you need more you can move to something for dry skin or if you need less you can move to something for combination skin)

Second get rid of the soap. It is incredibly drying and your skin will probably be producing excess oil to counter the dryness so may well find that once you stop using soap the blackheads will go of their own accord. Biggest choice is whether you want a cream that you apply and remove with cotton wool or a wash that you use much like soap. Again pick something for "normal" skin in your price range and then you can adjust depending on how you get on.

If the blackheads persist I really recommend boots own teatree cleanser it is a liquid that you wipe on with cotton wool and it removes all traces of dirt and is slightly antispetic. It does a far better job than more expensive equivilents (think clinique clarifying) and is only about 3GBP.

If I were you, I'd start with quality budget ranges such as Boots No 7, or L'oreal perhaps. If you have more to spend then I rate Clinique and REN.

Use a simple cleanser- Boots no 7 do one that is in a pot and comes with a muslin cloth, or a cleansing lotion.

I'd not use toner- sometimes the more you ut on your face the more aggravated it gets.

I find that cotton wool balls or pads soaked in warm water remove cleanser etc very effectively.

Then use a moisturiser with an SPF- again decide if your skin is dry or normal or oily.

Every week, exfoliate with a gentle facial scrub.

At 32 you might not need eye creams- I think they are over rated- but any good brand of skincare has them.

You might find that steaming your face over a sink/bowl of boiling water to open the pores then cleansing or gently ( very gently( squeezing out the black heads will help. I kow some people say don't do this but if you do it carefully and they pop out easily, it does work.

Most important thing is to keep your face clean- so cleanse etc morning and before bedtime.

ps- hand creams that are good and cheap include Neutrogena, Vaseline Intensive care, Atrixo, Soap and Glory. If your hands are very bad, wear cotton gloves overnight to help the cream sink in.

Cetaphil is a really excellent brand, that's inexpensive, gentle and completely sorted my oily, blackheady, but dry in the winter skin out.

I've tried lots of different brands, cheap and expensive, and this excellent. It's recommended by dermatologists, and a favourite of many "beauty gurus" on youtube.

You may need to buy it online though.

Handcream - Vaseline Intensive care do a rich cream in a white tub which has really helped my v dry, cracked hands.

Lip balm - Lavera lip balms are fab, in fact Lavera is a very good brand if you'd prefer more natural skin care. It's easy to find online (So Organic, There Must be a Better Way). If your lips are really sore and cracked try Blistex Relief, the one in the metal tube.

You'll need a gentle cleanser - either lotion or face wash (no soap!), gentle exfoliator to help shift backheads (Simple's oil control exfoliator is fab) and a light moisturiser. My skin is combination/oily t zone but quite sensitive and I really like Clinique's Superdefense SPF25 for combo/oily skin.

If you are new to skincare and not confident about spending money and you being happy with your purchases then I'd recommend something like Liz Earle or Elemis or Decleor on QVC. You can buy and if you don't like or th products don't agree with your skin you can send them back for a refund.

I'd highly recommend Liz Earle's cleanse and polish with her moisturiser as a great starting base.

Elemis is fantastic, as is Neal's yard and both are mid price.

I would recommend an Elemis facial too.

I am currently using a Kiehls moisturiser which is v good but is expensive.

I am similar age with similar sounding skin- although I guess your skin may change a lot once you start using different skincare.

I use La Roche Posay cleansing gel in the morning, followed by the Effaclar Lotion (also recommend Liz Earle toner which smells amazing) and still looking for a moisturiser which is good. In the evening I use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish.

Would def recommend checking out La Roche Posay (in bigger Boots stores) for a good start. Whatever your skintype there is something there and it's all around £10.

For hands have yet to try anything as good as Body Shop Hemp Cream.

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry I disappeared yesterday but some friends dropped in unexpectedly and stayed all evening. There are some great ideas here thanks. A facial would be wonderful but I don't know when I'll find the time as we have a very busy month ahead of us. Until then I'll browse the shelves at Boots and see which of the suggested brands catches my eye first. I'll report back on whether I see improvements - it can't get any worse.

Another vote for Elemis ! Facials are amazing

You can always do a facial or a mask yourself, they don't take long and you can do it while you do other things (make dinner, watch tv, etc). As for your skin, you HAVE to moisturize! Our skin actually produces more oily to help moisturize our skin (kind of like how we sweat to cool ourselves down). It is our body's way of trying to balance us out. What I use and it works wonderfully is Eucerin lotion. (as a disclaimer also do some work with them but I can assure you that I use and absolutely adore their products :) ) For your hands try their Intensive Repair Hand Creme, I use it and my hands have never felt smoother. Because it's a creme and not a lotion it will be thicker and your skin will really feel it soaking in. Also remember to get a face lotion with an SPF in it (like Eucerin's Everyday Protection Face lotion). Good luck with the new year and the new you!

I can't really give you any better advice than you have had on here, but wanted to add that looking after your skin really does pay dividends. I have been moisturising my skin since I was about 15 and now use a moisturoser with at least SPF15. I am 52 and can pass for 40 because I have such good skin.

I like the clean feel of washed skin so I use a facial wash rather than soap.