I want better skin - help me!

[Crimebusterofthesea]

I'm 28 and have always had crap skin. I wouldn't say I have acne but my skin is blotchy, red and prone to breakouts. My pores are huge and my sensitive skin never looks clear, bright or smooth. I've been reading about the alpha H liquid gold but wonder if this would suit my skin or is more aimed at slightly older skin? Anyone got anything they can recommend? I'm fed up - I just want to look, dare I say it...radiant?! Help!

Try Soap & Glory peaches and clean. It is an amazing cleanser - don't know why I waited so long to try it.

You need La Roche Posay.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/1688560-La-Roche-Posay-I-tried-it-and-its-fab?msgid=37392054

Sorry, this link!

salycic acid better than liquid gold I reckon there's a thread somewhere about peels which is where I got my inspiration from and my skin is transformed.

My teenage DD has just started using Freederm products, available from Boots etc, with great effect.

Oooh, lots of food for thought. I love soap and glory hand cream so will have a look for the cleanser. Which la roche product would you recommend valium, the intense serum?

I have the same type of skin too. Just marking my place ...

Sympathies - I'm 31 and it sounds like we have similar issues!
I went for a facial at an Espa Spa (at Virgin Active gym actually) a few years ago and was recommended Espa Balancing Facial Oil. It's expensive (around £50), but a bottle lasts me a year and I use it every day. It's bloody brilliant stuff and I'm on my third bottle. It's made such a difference to my skin, I feel so much more confident and have even sharp intake of breath left the house without foundation on a few occasions...
I should add that they also recommended the whole range of those Espa products, and they are lovely, but I've found that as long as I'm using the oil I can get away with pretty much anything else in terms of cleanser/moisturiser.

I have noticed my skin improve hugely since I cut down on how much dairy I eat. Lush's ultrabland cleanser is also nice, and make sure the towel you use to dry your face is always spotlessly clean and free of fabric softener.

i've got similar skin. I have just (this week) started using Sudocreme - rubbed in all over at bed time, as recommended on here. Skin much, much improved already. it won't do much for pores, tone, oiliness, dryness and blotchiness much better.

I have been using sudocreme, but just on a few hormonal spots, not over my whole face. Is that safe to do? You've gone out without foundation usedtobeapixie? Wow, that would be my ultimate goal, I'm sure my face would improve naturally if I wasn't covering it in layers of make-up everyday, but quite frankly, I look minging!

Haha - I know! I thought alarms would go off and a SWAT team descend to escort me from public view!
I was still wearing concealer and mascara, I hasten to add - I can't bring myself to ditch those lest the villagers come after me with pitchforks...

I've tried this oil as well www.sanctuary.com/products/therapist-s-secret-facial-oil and I liked it, I just prefer the Espa one.
It feels counterintuitive to fill our giant pores with oil, but it really does work!

I'd also recommend the foundation I'm using at the moment - Max Factor Ageless Elixir - it has a serum in it and makes everything lovely and smooth.

It depends a bit on your budget. I had bad skin, dry with breakouts, right into my thirties. It all changed for me when I started using Eve Lom cleanser and making a conscious effort to drink more water. Emma Hardie is much cheaper and feels the same. I will never change though,

If you can afford it, these were recommended to me for a recent big event. From the very first day I saw a massive improvement in skin evenness and general tone. It's glycolic acid, so I was worried it would dry out my already dryish skin, but no.

I am now well into my forties and very often don't wear foundation for days, whereas before I would have frightened the children

Sorry, rubbish linking these are the Cane and Austin pads. They have retexturizing ones and acne ones.

Darn it, thanks to this thread I just spent a small fortune on La Roche Posay products

DId you make use of the 3 for 2 offer sam?

OP my skin massively improved when I started wearing Bare Minerals foundation and concealor instead of liquid stuff.

Have also just spent a small fortune! Am justifying it because it's a council tax free month and therefore deserve a splurge. Better skin here I come...hopefully!

Try rosehip oil at night - cheap as chips on eBay - or I'm currently using a Boots Botanics facial oil. This change has made a massive difference to my skin - less lines and more glowy (deluded!).

Also second Peaches and Clean cleanser from S&G.

Liz Earle. Great and much cheaper than eve Lom. Also use decleor oil and night balm if skin dry. Lots of water to drink. Avoid processed food, caffeine and alcohol.

escentual.com has La Roche Posay with 33% off at the moment. Ordered the rich moisturiser and the Cicoplast for the first time because my skin is shocking, dry skin on my nose and huge pores.

Yep, I found the Boots offer but it was only by luck as I originally was going to buy it from elsewhere.

I am now going to use some of the stuff for the first time this evening. Very excited.

OP, May I recommend Rio sonicleanse- the cheaper version of the clarisonic. That thing has transformed my skin unbelievably.It hasn't stoped the breakouts altogether but I find I break out a lot less and whenever I do ,they definately aren't those huge angry ones, but a few tiny ones here and there. The biggest difference has been my overall complexion and pore size. My pores which were crater like after OCM, have massively improved- i'd say by about 80% in 2 months, my skin is brighter , radiant and my makeup now sits beautifully.I had some really noticeable pigmentation thanks to the acne , but that is now fading quite noticeably. It is a wonder product for me and I'd part with my kidney before I part with it now.

you need a dermaflannel ,i started a thread about how fab it is here