No sleep new mum with good but tired skin! What should I be using?

[CareerGirl01]

I am 43 and have 6 month old DD2 my diet has been a bit rubbish this week but I exercise regularly and use dermalogica cleanser, toner moisturiser with their face masks and daily exfoliator. What else should I be using to give my skin a boost as am breastfeeding and waking every two hours? Was thinking of the night serum they do but prepared to try other brands or retinol as I have small frown lines threatening to get deeper. I think I need something else but not sure where to start.

Just bumping this for you. It sounds like your skin care routine is quite good, especially as you must be knackered. Mine goes to pot in the early baby days.... Even one minute more sleep is valuable!

Perhaps something more cosmetic would be good such as a BB cream or a tinted moisturiser to give you a bit of oomph. Or something like Benefit dandelion and I'm sure some blusher or bronzer and some mascara would help too.

Hopefully with starting solids she will give you a bit more sleep soon.

Oh gosh I remember the two hourly wakings - it's a killer. Poor you!

So you want something that's going to give you more of a healthy glow back?

Vitamin C serums are good for brightening the skin. Something with at least 10% l-ascorbic acid is best. Alpha H, Skinceuticals, and Obagi are good brands to try although they can be pricey.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA's) such as glycolic and lactic acid and Beta hydroxy acids (BHA's) such as salicylic acid have a mild peeling and brightening effect on the skin also. Vichy Normaderm Global Hydrating Care contains both and can be found fairly cheaply in Boots.

Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that increases skin cell turnover and encourages the production of collagen, quite literally making the skin act and therefore look younger. The highest percentage it can be sold at without the need for a prescription is 2%. It is converted to retinoic acid on the skin.

Pure retinoic acid or tretinoin can only be purchased in the UK with a prescription, and is usually only prescribed to those with acne, but seeing as your skin is good anyway, an over the counter retinol product sounds as though it will be more than sufficient to give you the boost you're looking for.

Easily accessible brands to look for are ROC, Avene (they do a product called Triacneal with retinaldehyde - which is one metabolic step in between retinol and retinoic acid - in it), and Philosophy. Skinceuticals is a more expensive brand but they do both 0.5% and 1% retinol creams.

Using a retinoid on your skin is a commitment. There is always a period of adjustment during which your skin tends to look worse before it gets better. Side effects can include redness, peeling, dryness, and breakouts. These can last anything from a few weeks to a few months. You absolutely have to wear sun protection of at least factor 30 every day, rain or shine, and once you have achieved the results you are looking for you have to continue a maintenance programme (which usually means just using the retinoid a little less often) otherwise you skin will go back to how it was before you started.

Having said all that I am a huge devotee of retinoid use. My skin has been transformed by it.

HTH

Thank you guys fuckit I will look into those - thinking of the Origins bb tinted moisturiser sunny - dd2 slept extra badly last night at dd1 came into bed with us - aargh!

Just remembered the thread on here a while ago where everyone was buying the glycolic acid peels off eBay. Sounded great, but I haven't got around to trying it myself yet.

Hope you get a bit more sleep soon!!

Nothing really works as well as a diet high in good fats and proteins....salmon, nuts, fruits, salads and colourful veg, lots of water and grabbing sleep whenever you can. Even cat naps help.

I'm exactly the same as you, 6 month old dc up all the time! My beauty regime is for morning Vichy serum, the new one that's meant to make you look like you've slept with Clinique roll on eye stuff and soap and glory youthful moisturiser. Always use Clinique city block on top and if meeting anyone, boots tinted moisturiser, Clinique blusher bit of mascara and Clinique chubby stick in melon.
Evening I wash face with philosophy face wash, tone with boots rose and glycerin water followed by Nivea q10 serum, soap and glory eye cream and Nivea pure and natural night cream. I also use a face brush 2-3 times a week in the evening.

Ps- I do all of this whilst dc's in bath or washing teeth

I did the lactic/salicylic peel before my wedding from ebay (brand name was active solutions). Made my skin look lovely, clear and glowy - the make up artist commented on it and asked what I had been using! I have oily skin so I guess which peel you use is dependent on skin type.