40 something problem skin - esp spots

[SmileAndNod]

Inspired by the 'game changer' thread - what products would you recommend for problematic 40s skin?

Like I say, I'm 42 and my skin is drying out in places, lots of lines around my eyes but at the same time I'm getting HUGE painful jawline / either side of chin spots. My skin seems thin, and you can see red spots under the skin almost(though it doesn't feel bumpy) when I'm wearing no make up. I've lost my clear skin and any glow I used to have.

Currently I use a mixture of elemis and Liz Earle and anything else in between I've been given - elemis cloth cleanser or elemis balm cleanser, followed by Liz Earle toner and elemis PCMC. Sometimes I use the papaya peel and a clarins scrub. So it's all a hodge podge and it doesn't seem to be helping. I feel I should use up everything i have as it's so expensive (for me).

Should I try a serum?

I know I should drink more water and less tea. I eat too much sugar. I'm so exhausted I don't feel I can tackle my diet properly yet, maybe once spring comes I'll feel better and more able to do it.

So any recommendations please? I have a few boots points that I could use. It's the spots mainly that are bothering me. They are so painful and obvious. In guessing that's my peri menopausal age isn't it?

Tia

Go to your GP and get prescription creams for the spots. It cleared mine (I'm 43 and had been zit free til my 40s).
I use elemis and Liz Earle, but the only things that make a visible difference now are botox for deep wrinkles and retinol for everything else.

Gosh, I feel exactly the same. I'm hoping some spring sunshine will give me some kind of glow as I seem to be suffering the same issues and my skin looks awful. The painful large under the skin spots are awful. I would love to know of any products that help.

Me too as I can't afford botox
What is retinol? And what is it used for? Sorry to be dim

Do some research on Retin A. It was originally prescribed for acne and then it was discovered that it also decreases wrinkles. It is the ONLY topical ingredient that has been proven to remove wrinkles.

It may or may not be suitable for your skin and situation, so do some reading up on it.

Duac cream from my gp sorts out my spots rapidly.

I wear spf50 everyday, rain or shine.

I use Vichy normaderm and clarisonic to wash. Clarisonic every other day.

I don't wear any foundation daily. I use bobbi brown bb cream v occasionally.

Someone thought I was 20 the other day. Looking young is mostly genetic though, I have dark skin, a round face, I'm short and my mother looks ten years younger than she is. No amount of water drinking will better that. Not smoking really helps though.

I'm 35.

Are you sure it's spots and not rosacea? It doesn't just present as reddening - it can be painful spots too. My skin was absolutely fine till I got near the end of my 30s and suddenly I started getting really painful, big, under the skin spots - I blitzed them with acne treatments, which only made it worse, until the GP diagnosed rosacea, prescribed antibiotics, and now (between the ABs, azaelic acid gel and careful skincare) it's pretty much under control.