My skin is a disaster - help!

[EnglishEponine]

Hi all, long-time S & B lurker but first-time poster, as I am at my wit's end with my horrible horrible face.

It's ridiculously blemish prone - I counted 4 new spots just today, bringing the current total up to about a gazillion 15 or so, mostly on my chin and jawline but also above my top lip and on my forehead. I also get redness around my nose and on my chin and cheeks, and flaky dryness on my t-zone.

Have tried a huge number of products, from harsh stuff for teenagers like clearasil, clean & clear, freederm, posher stuff like No7/Clarins/Clinique, supermarket budget brands, masks, spot treatments, exfoliators, everything. Nothing works - my skin only gets redder and more aggravated with more spots just at random, no matter what time of the month it is or what product I'm using.

Current routine is Boots tea tree + witch hazel moisturiser in the morning, then primer and makeup (quite heavy to hide the face of doom), then at night, Simple eye makeup remover, Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity face wash, Clarins toner (not sure which one but it's green and alcohol-free) and the same boots moisturiser, and twice a week No7 microdermabrasion exfoliator.

I'm a bit of a skincare imbecile novice, so not sure what the 'right' thing to do is, but I am on a bit of a budget - wouldn't like to pay more than £10ish for any one product, but will spend more if it means I can reduce my concealer and foundation spend.

Can anybody help before I resort to a paper bag over my head? Thank you!

I also suffered from breakouts ad after alternating with all different stuff for years. I decided to give it all up and started using coal tar soap (80p) from supermarket, morning and evening, then moisturise with Nivea each time.
I use any old face scrub once or twice a week and have an origins spot gel on standby for the odd spot.
I think when I stopped messing around my skin felt cleaner and settled down a bit. Works ok for me, might not be right for you, but wanted to share my experience.

I know it sounds daft, but have you been to the doctor? My brother suffered with acne for years, and it only cleared up once he went to the doctor. I think in many cases you can put all sorts on your skin, but it won't help.

Yeah good point getorf!

I don't quite know what to suggest, but do wonder whether your skin has become hyper sensitive, in which case it needs to calm down. If I were you I would either try a brand for sensitive skin like La Roche Posay - which you can get from Boots, or the least stuff possible to clean your face and a nice skin oil. I use Argan oil but there are others.

I would also say - don't use anything astringent on it for a while. Stop scrubbing at it, just wash with a warm flannel.

Agree oil cleansing method may work (google it or look on advanved search) and what is good instead of oil is use waitrose baby bottom butter (all natural ingredients and very soothing) rather than scrub your face raw.

I feel for you - when i cam off the pill my skin was horrible. I have ultra sensitive skin anyway and the change in hormones made it terrible.

I discovered Niapads from america (available from amazon). They are brilliant and i honestly saw the difference in only 3 or 4 days. Now i never seem to get spots (hormones calming down), but if i do happen to get on, i just use those pads and its gone!!

Highly recommend them.

HTH

Have you read the very recent thread on Manuka honey on here? Seems to be an absolute wonder treatment for every skin complaint going. Might be worth a look. And it is on special offer in Aldi for. £3.99 a jar instead of £10 ish in other supermarkets.

Like you OP, I spent years trying every product on the market but I think I ended up just aggravating my skin which is super sensitive. Even Liz Earle didn't work for me!

In the end I changed to cleansing with Dead Sea Minerals Soap (you can get it at Boots) which is great for removing all traces of make up and doesn't dry out the skin.

I use GOSH (superdrug) primer under make up in the morning and Soap & Glory facial serum in the evening.

My skin has calmed down brilliantly. I get the odd spot but they disappear very quickly. I no longer get the deep, scarring spots that I used to.

Thanks for all the advice ladies - I've spent so long presuming that my skin is oily/combination that I hadn't considered that it might be sensitive and reacting badly to the oily/combination products. Have now switched to a very gentle cleanser and an oil-free moisturiser, have abandoned all the harsh spot treatments, scrubs and astringents, and there has been such an improvement! Thank you so much!

I know things are better but just wanted to recommend you the products that works for me:
Vaseline around eyes, and for when skin is super-sensitive
Boots botanics rosewater toner - I splash it on my face after bath/shower, then put on moisturizer while my face is still wet from the toner, to make the moisturizer less heavy.
Origins Have a Nice Day lotion is the best no-spots moisturizer I've found - unfortunately it's £££. I use that if I'm having a bad skin phase, otherwise Simple light moisturizer.

Also getting enough sleep is one of the best things for my skin - easier said than done of course.

Hi, annoyingly enough as still too expensive for my liking - the liz earl cleanse and polish and the oil free moisturiser just sorts my skin out every time. I wonder if you could try it on QVC and get a starter kit as you can return it if you don't like it? What you will find (I think) is that it will help with the blemishes but also you will find it really soothing. Another cheaper idea is find a mild cleanser/wash you like and ster put a thin layer of aloe vera. You might help with both blemishes and redness it will take some of the inflammation out.