Had my first " your skin looks amazing" comment-- THANK YOU Caroline Hirons!

[bigbuttons]

A colleague said this at work today, I was so chuffed.
I'm 47 and was looking not so good. This last month I have invested in serums, acids and what not have gone back to Caroline Hirons properly this time. I have been religiously cleaning and tending to my face AM and PM. I use a 30% glycol peel every couple of weeks and use tretinoin every 3 days.
I must say even I have noticed a difference, it has knocked years off me.
All blemishes gone, skin is ultra smooth, wrinkles reduced.
There is hope for us more (ahem) mature ladies!

Me too - weird tacky tight feeling and no visible 'hydrated' look. Read something about the tacky feeling meaning you've used too much so I used less and then it wasn't enough to cover my face

May give up and go for a spritz toner.

Shopping splurge today - Avon Anew SPF 50 (recommended last year by Ruth Crilly who I also love), Hylamide, LRP Physiological Cleansing Gel, Cerave Night.

Eyeing up the FAB Radiance pads, contemplating a balm cleanser (but hate pots, prefer tubes), Serozinc and Vita Liberata toners.

Maybe it's good there are no top 10 moisturisers and serums yet, bank balance couldn't take it

5 city centre chemists - no clearasil pads... they have either stopped doing them or the good people of Exeter have read this thread.

... I am assuming it should be the everyday superfruits refreshing pads that are mentioned in Caroline's blog; not just any old pads

I got all mine in a pound shop. The fruit ones.

kundry which hylamide did you get?

Think I've used both the Superfruits pads and the ordinary Rapid Action Ones - it's the salicylic that matters, not the fruits.

Have gone for the Hylamide Anti-Age but definitely going to try the Vit C one as well.

Been doing the cleanse, massage, toning, moisturiser morning and evening for at least a week now (I think) and my dry skin has cleared up on my nose and forehead. When I put makeup on it no longer looks flakey and horrid! I still have the awful redness just under my nose but I think that's to do with some meds I'm on. My skin tone doesn't seem to have changed that much but I'm only just giving up smoking so I think that will improve. I got a lovely cleanser today but just went to use it and it's a foam!?! Doesn't mention that anywhere on the packaging but luckily I bought two . I feel much better in myself in as much as I know my skin is being properly looked after and I also smell nice

Thanks Kundry - I'll pick up some of the other ones in the week.

Coconut-the effaclar is incredible isn't it! Dd is transformed.

For the first time I really feel a face product is actually doing something and has been money well spent dranksangria. Glad it's helping your dd too

So is retinol and AHA the same thing, more or less?

No i think aha is glycolic or lactic acid and retinol is vitamin A?

Oh ok, TY. I'll have to read thoroughly then

And bha is salicylic acid. That I do know!

AHA and retinol are completely different things.

AHA is lactic, glycolic and malic acid (plus some others). BHA is salicylic acid. Both sorts of acid work as chemical exfoliators but BHA is better for oily skin and blackheads as the others don't penetrate the oil. AHA is better for dry skin. Both sorts are good for acne and anti-ageing as they reveal newer fresher skin, hopefully making pores look smaller and improving collagen production and giving you that 'glow'

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. It works in the deeper layers of your skin to encourage your skin to make more new skin, so again you should get newer, less wrinkly skin, less acne, smaller pores, more collagen and 'glow'.

Hope this is right (feel totally embarrassed now I know CH may be looking) I found CH, Sam Bunting's blog and the Paula's Choice website expert advice section really helpful. The Paula's Choice is prob the easiest to start with (a friend of mine is obsessed with her products and pointed me in that direction)

Anyway, if you are serious about skincare you need both and SPF.

Paulas choice have some fantastic vlogs up on youtube, one of which explains really clearly what ahas and bhas are and which to choose

Thanks all

I obviously need to set aside time to read properly and stop trying to skim, but that's a big help.

Thank you buttons for starting this thread. After reading all 13 pages of it I now want to start looking after my skin.

Can I check with someone if Johnson's baby lotion is any good as a cleanser?

I've been using that to take my make up off? I sometimes use Superdrug's hot cloth cleanser or ahem...Imperial Leather hand and face liquid soap so could combine to double cleanse. A while back I got the Bravura cloth but didn't see any difference apart from a sparkling shiny red nose after use!

My skin is a bit dry, so I've been told, on my chin where I had hormonal spots and around my nose. I also have clogged pores on the side of my nose, don't think they're black heads. What's best to get rid of these?

I think if I get some serum and night cream this will help with the dryness and maybe redness on chin/nose.

It's all very confusing for me as so many products and I've no one to ask apart from you wise ladies!

No idea about Johnson's baby lotion but given it isn't designed for washing with, maybe not?

Imperial Leather liquid soap I would guess is foaming as they always go on about the 'rich lather' - the lather that strips, no thanks.

The things on your nose are probably sebaceous filaments, have a google. Salicylic acid will make them less obvious but you can't get rid (thanks mumsnetter who told me this and so stopped me wasting masses of time obsessing about them)

So I suggest bland non-foaming cleanser, salicylic acid toner like the Clearsil pads, Clinique Mild Exfoliating Lotion or Paula's Choice BHA, hydrating toner and then moisturiser of your choice.

Wow, everyone on here is so knowledgable! Dyou mind if I pick your brains please? I read through to wherever we were up to at 9pm last night and hadn't seen anyone else ask about rosacea.

Pre baby I had dry/ dehydrated skin and used moringa balm cleanser, darphin Intral toner, hydralaurin and pretty much any moisturiser. Liquid gold twice a week as a treatment Skin was manageable and generally ok.

Post baby I have spots, rosacea and no money (got made redundant while on mat leave). I've switched to the Avene gentle cleanser, am using metronidazole from the doctor which has made no difference. And a caudalie moisturiser with SPF. Plus an alpha h SPF

At the moment I hate my face, it looks awful and I don't know how to make it look better. It just makes me so miserable, and I know that must make me sound awful. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions as I can't even go to baby groups without makeup on now - thanks in advance

What is Hylamide please and where is it from?

MORNING!

There are lots of Q's since last night so I'll quickly scan through - also - feel free to tell me to bugger off if you want he thread back! LOL
coldofhands remove the spf from your moisturiser to start - until your rosacea calms down it can make it worse. use a moisturiser and a separate spf on top. (If you can't afford much go to Boots - get Una Brennan - should be under a tenner) - also the stress you are under won't help - who makes someone redundant when they're pregnant? bastards.
rocksie No you absolutely cannot use Baby Lotion as a cleanser - i wouldn't even use it on my baby. Sorry hides
Retinol is vitamin a - acids are BHA or AHA depending on the acid. Very different things. xx
kundry plenty of balm cleansers in tubes :) loads on the blog xx