Dehydrated skin - what's your facial skincare routine?

[Lottapianos]

I have skin that is dry (lacks oil) but also dehydrated (lacks moisture). When I splash water on my face, it loves it, but as the water dries, it starts to feel incredibly tight and thirsty, almost screaming out for some moisture. Here's what is working for me at the moment:

Morning:

• wipe face and neck with rosewater on cotton wool pad
• Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating serum all over face while still damp
• Thin layer of Astral moisturiser

Leave to soak in for about 5 minutes then add BB cream (usually Rimmel) or if sunny, La Roche Posay Anthelios Factor 50+ tinted cream

Night:

• Oil Cleanse Method with olive or almond oil - lots of oil all over face, neck and cleavage, massage in for 1-2 minutes then wipe off with warm wet flannel
• Good mist of Avene Eau Thermal water spray
• A few drops of olive oil patted into skin while still wet
• Thick layer of Astral
• Sometimes another layer of Astral before bed!

I use a Superdrug Natural Radiance facial scrub 1-2 times a week

Things that also help:

• drinking loads of water (I do 1.5-2 litres a day) to hydrate from the inside
• cut down or cut out caffeine and alcohol
• no smoking (in reality, this is 1-2 fags a week for me)
• exercise
• loads of veg

So as you can see I do the cheapo method What products do you use and are there any other lifestyle changes that have done good things for your skin?

I used to get very dry skin on my face, then developed rosacea (never spell that correctly so apologies if it's wrong) and got very pimply AND dry skin. I'd get 4-5 spots coming up PER DAY and my face would burn when I pulled jumpers on. That went on for two years, tried facials, scrubs, expensive creams. Then I went on antibiotics which got ride of the spots after nine months. And I stripped back my regime. Scrubs more than once every six to eight weeks just make my skin redder so I rarely use them. The only thing I use is Asda (yep, the cheap stuff) skin system facial wash. I use a clean, wet face flannel to wipe it off as that is a gentle exfollient, then I use their night and day cream which I discovered when we went on holiday - it's day cream in one side of the pot and night cream in the other so I didn't have to carry two pots. Best of all, though, I no longer get flaky or spotty skin. Whether it's coincidence or these work I don't know but I buy three or four tubs every time I shop at Asda - our nearest is miles away - as I won't take a chance on changing products!

I wash face with Simple stuff and then I use this. It's absolutely amazing, swear by it.

'Some oil (whatever you like) 50/50 with your rosewater in a bottle and shaken will work a treat.'

You are a fountain of info, thank you! Would this also work all over face, then rinse off with water?

Have heard rave reviews of aspirin mask on here,but should I avoid with my skin type?

Not all over the face, unless you're going to use hot cloth or something with a detergent, no. Will leave a residue thus moisture-proofing. Oil should always go over anything that you want to use to add moisture to your skin, not under.

Aspirin is mainly fab for spots. It's too drying for me (even when mixed with honey) unless my skin is in tip-top condition so I tend not to bother TBH.

Eucerin is honestly well worth a try, you wouldn't need to use it always, just while your skin sorts its self out from all the exfoliation and over processing. It's relatively pricey but a little goes a very long way.

I have this type of skin too ! I have recently converted to OCM and have been using coconut oil. I do it every night - and so far I am happy with the results. The one drawback is little red bumps all over my forehead. Any ideas what this could be ?

It could be several things, depends!

Is it cold pressed, virgin coconut oil? The supermarket stuff usually isn't and will block your pores causing spots (is fab as a hair mask though).

It could also be old filth working it's way out of of your skin, causing spots on the way out. THis is normal and will pass.

It could be spots caused by not removing the dirty oil properly. Are you using a very hot muslin? Clean bit for each steam and wipe? 3 or 4 steam and wipes is usually about right. Swiping over the skin with a toner (I used to use rosewater) after removing the oil is best, just to make sure it's all gone and to close up the pores too.

It could also be a combo of the above. Oh joy!

Again, every night is too often for OCM.

Thanks Lettuce. I am using the proper organic oil, so for now will carry on and see if it is just the dirt making its way out - lovely !

What do you use on your non-OCM days? I started using OCM as every other cleanser seemed very drying and irritating on my sensitive skin. I'm always looking for an excuse to try a new product though!

I've reluctantly had to give up OCM, was just too drying for me. Honey is worth a try (as above) for the evenings. Rose hydrolate (proper rosewater) is also fab as a cleanser / toner, anti-age and all that jazz. Was also too drying for me though.

I'll have a look if the Biodermal range is available in the UK, I started just using the day cream but it's so good I've now got a tonne of stuff and my skin is loving it. Have even braved their deep cleansing face wash (as opposed to their one for very dry, sensitive skin) and lo-and-behold I'm rid of all the blocked pores I caused trying to hydrate myself before I started on their stuff with no dryness.

No, not available in the UK , found a place that will deliver over there, here. They don't have all the blurb though. Could try Google translate on the official site here. Am more than happy to link to what I'm using and rant on about how fab it is, if anyone's interested.

Always interested in what you have to say Lettuce!

most kind!

Will be back after the DC are in bed then. You have been warned.

Maybe see if the google translation of the Biodermal site is anything like readable? Good for background.

I clean with avocado oil and honey, use a cheap Aldi moisturize and sometimes put a bit more oil over that. I also take a large dose of evening promise oil every day, and fish oil, and drink lots of water and don't eat grains.

I find washing face with flanel, then moisturise, then leave skin alone for rest of the day ( bar eye make up removal) to be best.

Less is more.

Good products I have found are:

Clarins gentle cleanser
Clarins toner for dry to normal skin
Hydralauron from Boots
Clarins exfoliating brightening toner - which is great for skin like mine that can't handle any exfoliating beads etc as this is a toner that exfoliates and then helps the skin to get moisture

Yami, sorry for thickness but how exactly do you use avocado oil and honey to cleanse? And why avoid grains?

I'm learning loads on this thread!