Urgent help needed - I've aged!

[chocolateshoes]

I really don't know what has happened but all of a sudden my face has aged. I've got lines everywhere, crazy eyebrows and a bit of a tache. My skin looks red and dry. Have just rung local beauticians for eyebrow wax but there's no answer - so hopeful I'll get booked in soon. What else can I do? Can anyone recommend a good moisturiser that won't break the bank? Any other tips? Have got to stop the rot!!!

Of the budget foundations, can anyone recommend one for oily skin? It's my t-zone I have to watch! I want good coverage. My hair and brows are very dark and I have cool skin tone. I want to look fresh and not caked on though!

LittleBear - have you tried a BB cream? The Garnier anti-aging one is pretty nice, but too dark on me unless I have a bit of a tan. I'm very pleased with my new S&G one too - I have a greasy T-zone but getting a bit dryer elsewhere on my face, as I get older. It might not have enough coverage for you though, as it's quite light.

I tell you what you lot, this thread inspired me to get serious about my skincare again, and only 2 days after starting the old Cleanse and Polish properly again and I can already see a difference in general skin tone. My skin looks more radiant.

I am ordering some GA and the serum and gel recommended by ggirl from Bravura. I started on the Avon eye cream/gel duo last night. I am motivated to lose some years Eliza, I have lost the instructions to the gel/cream, am I supposed to mix them, or put one bit above and one bit below?

I found some samples in a drawer of the l'occitane divine serum and eye cream and used those last night, and my word they are lovely. I bought my Mum the cream for Christmas and it is very very nice (£££s though) the texture is, well, divine, and it has fab write ups. May treat myself when it comes on Easypay on QVC!

The nicest "cheap" foundation I have used is Maybelline Eraser, lovely texture.

I think the advice about hair is spot on as well. I have spent so long just scraping my hair into a pony tail with a hideous curtain fringe thing going on. I look so droopy. Think it's time for a cut and a proper fringe putting in to hide the 11s.

the Garnier BB cream is good, i have mainly dry skin and use the medium 'normal' one, but i tried the lighter one for 'sensitive skin', and it was better in a not so illuminating way but stuck to my dry bits. Would work well for more greasy skin imo.

Oh gods I need this thread. Bookmarking so I can take notes.

Thanks for the BB recommendations Remus and pirate. I think I need to go shopping and try some things out.

ggirl do you reckon I can go straight to 30% GA because I used it before, or should I start again with the wussy stuff?

This thread is great! I'm 35 and I've seriously neglected my skin since having kids. Going into work next week as currently on mat leave so I want to wow them ( or at least not horrify them).

I'm guilty of waaay too much refined sugar and caffeine, plus alcohol when I can get my hands in it.

Got hair cut and eye brow shape at weekend and feel much better for it. Now I'm going to have a week of lots of water and less sugar.

I would also recommend yoga to those that don't do it. The deep breathing is good for skin, and the twisting positions eliminate toxins. Also helps me temporarily get rid of my harassed and irritated look.

Princess I've just signed up to a yoga class, locally. I'm really looking forward to it and have joined for precisely the reason you suggest..... To relax and "iron out the wrinkles".

Just quickly, I picked up a Roc Complete Lift Roller Cream at Savers 2 weeks ago. Thought it a bit of a faff but have stuck with the massagey/rolling application. I kid you not, I look "plumped" in the cheek (by) jowel area and just not....so.....tired.

Yesterday, DH commented on my skin. He often says you look nice/like you in this or that but NEVER comments on my face. He asked me if I had a new "colour" (he meant blush or other new makeup) !

I went back today and bought another at £6.99

What a great thread! I have made notes of lots of suggested products (baaa - we need a sheep emoticon). I am 47 and often told I look 10 years younger, much of it down to good genes more than anything else. However, I have cleansed and moisturised religiously since a teenager (although not always at night...) so I think that has helped. I think there's a lot to be said for what you put into and do with your body like drinking water, less caffeine and alcohol, more sleep and exercise - but hey, everything in moderation and life is for living after all! However, as I have got older and lost 2 stone in the last 8 months, I appear to be more saggy - well not just appear but am saggy. Under my chin - neck tone isn't too bad but seem to be developing a turkey thingy- and also top of my arms, the loose bit next to armpit is horribly wrinkly. I go to the gym regularly and lift weights but its not getting any better, and I am so self conscious I can't wear sleeveless tops even though I have generally toned arms. Any ideas on what can sort those two out??

NotTreadingGrapes yes go for the 30% sizzle girl sizzle !!!

mumtoh I realllly don't think you should worry about slight sagging in areas. No one else care or notices . I think we expect too much , relax and enjoy your body..who cares if you have a few more saggy areas. You're healthy..enjoy it

ggirl I think you are right and I worry too much!

Baa Baa
30% GA,
Hyaluronic serum,
Roc rollybally thingy

all heading their way over the sea to meeeee.

(and a new Maybelline eraser foundation because it's fab)

(am v tempted by EL eye serum but at last count had 5 different eye creams in my bathroom so am going to persevere for a while with at least the Avon one!)

(and all of the above cost me just over £30 including postage over here)

nottreadinggrapes are there any Italian beauty secrets you can share with us? I'm guessing they would involve olive oil!

Just nipped to Aldi to look at sun cream. Saw SPF 50 but it was extra water resistant and I don't really need that on a daily basis. My mum used to buy Lancôme sun cream specially for the face, they had a different formula for the body. What are people generally using? I think body ones might be a bit greasy for the face.

I have an Aldi one for face. A pump dispenser thingy, SPF 50. I use it lightly and it is countered by my Clarins Ever Matte foundation so, I don't have a flat looking, dull finish but it's not greasy either. I find the La Roche Posay one rolled into little balls when I smoothed my foundation on. It gave a lovely leprosy look I wasn't expecting

Marking place for tips still. I will check out the Aldi cream. I have to say, Dermalogica's skin smoothing cream is fabulous, I just can't afford it at the moment.

Haha, well, the Italians love a nice orange suntanned face, so they could certainly do with some skincare. They think I am bonkers with my sunblock "but the sun is good for you!!!!" as they flash their handbag leather faces at me.

They go in for intervention quite a lot, I'm in a small provincial town and the amount of facelifted, silicone-lipped, Nicole Kidman immobile foreheads around is quite something. They go in for slimming pills and magic creams to get rid of your cellulite as well.

I find it frustrating that I have to buy almost everything from the UK, in a small town like mine you have chemists who will have Roc and Vichy and then high end perfumeries, with Chanel, YSL etc, and your supermarket has the odd pot of Nivea and that's that. And I so love a good rummage through Superdrug!

I am in the deep south though. Might be different in the north. I think in the past olive oil would have been a fabulous staple, but in a sort of rejection of "old fashioned" stuff they want their chemicals in fancy boxes now. (I got my beautician friend to try OCM last year but I'm not sure she carried it on)

at NotTreading. They're the same in Abruzzo. Looks lovely and sultry on the young.....then they get to thirty and start looking leathery!

I have just ordered some BB cream. I want to get a good cleanser too. Can anyone recommend one for oily skin please?

I use Cleanse and Polish but have v dry skin. I tried OCM but was too faffy. Love the smell of C and P.

mumtoh - re inner armpits. I think this can be worse if you're dehydrated so check that. Weight bearing exercise are good - side planks, press ups etc. I think it's a difficult area to target with hand weights generally.

I have read that this is good but haven't tried it.
Take care with your deodorant - if it goes onto the skin area of the upper arm it will stop your body cream from being absorbed and it is also very harsh against your skin.

Now. I was channel surfing last night, nothing on, so I ended up watching the QVC beauty hour. baaaa. There was one of those demos on, for something called Flora Mare.....(Italian QVC) now I know it's all smoke and mirrors, but hey, so what....I kid ye not, the wrinkles and fine lines just went vamooooosh! as they rubbed this cream on. Looked like a kind of primer/filler type stuff. Have googled it this morning and it's a German brand, and sells for about 15-20££ a pot. Ingredient (apart from sea thingies) seems to be something called hydroxatone?

Would you all like me to buy a pot and get back to you? I feel I should. It was a lovely pot as well. Crystal blue with a wee starfish on it.

Ooh go on NotTreading, you can be our guinea pig!

G'wan then, twist my arm. I'll order some.

My acid arrived this morning, and also the roc thingy recommended by Eliza.