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!

Brilliant, thank you Kundry. Yes, I have to admit there is no turning the clock back , but I do want to make sure I'll look the best I can for 60.

drank - it's the LiftActiv Advanced Filler, in the blue tube.

This one

www.lookfantastic.com/vichy-liftactiv-advanced-filler-30ml/11091736.html?utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gp_bodycare&affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&gclid=CKbjodqtiMUCFU_HtAodQgYApw&gclsrc=aw.ds

The reason they advise against using peels during pregnancy is that you may be more sensitive to ingredients and more prone to hyper pigmentation (which can be a common side effect of acid use in non pregnancy too if you don't use SPF).

The retinol in pregnancy advice is because it is a vitamin A derivative but I don't think there's been much in the way of compelling evidence to convince that topical, over the counter cosmetic retinoids (like the ones you get from la Roche posay etc) are being absorbed in anywhere near large enough amounts to have an affect on the developing foetus.

I ordered the Pixi Glow toner this evening. (And an eye pencil/shadow thingie and the make up setting spray.). .

And ordered the Emma Hardie cleansing stuff from M&S yesterday.

I feel a 'chat' from DH coming on!

I've stepped up my routine in the last couple of years and my skin is better than it ever was, but still too many crows feet and uneven skin tone. I bought some Aldi serum and face oil the other day and am really impressed.

So now it's
Morning
Either Tropic hot cloth cleanser or Lush Angels on Bare skin scrub
Aldi serum
Astral moisturiser
Ultrasun SPF

Evening
Either Tropic hot cloth cleanser, Superdrug Balm cleanser or LushUltrabland.
Aldi serum
Aldi oil

The uneven skintone is definitely reducing.
Has anyone else tried Tropic? My friend sells their products and I'm really impressed with the cleanser, it smells amazing too (lime).

Squoosh (or anyone!) when you apply facial oil at night, whereabouts is it in the routine - after the serum? Then do you still use a moisturiser? Or instead of a serum/moisturiser.

And coming back a bit late, but don't feel bad about the beauty spending, bigbuttons, this thread has been fun! I'd minimised my routine down to soap and water in the morning shower and wipes at night, but also noticed how grey and aged my skin has started to look.

This morning I was irrationally keen to get up and, err, cleanse my face . I didn't even snooze my alarm

For me it goes

Cleanse
Oil
Serum
Moisturiser

I wouldn't put them on in quick succession though. I generally faff around a bit between layers giving each a chance to sink in.

I use a facial oil at night - Kiehls Midnight Recovery Oil - but I use it instead of a serum.

Hi all, I've been reading this thread with great interest. I'm in NZ so don't have access to all the lovely products that you have .

No one here, nor Caroline on her blog, has talked about Neutrogena's retinol products. Are they crap or just not available in the UK?

Thanks for the Vichy tip, I can even get that here!

I am obsessed with this thread!

I got some Vichy samples last week from my local several chemist (really worth doing before committing to buy, if they have them of course, think they usually have the French pharmacy brands in sample size) and I am giving the Vichy Lift Activ retinol advanced filler a thumbs up too. Goes on lovely, isn't too heavy and hasn't irritated my skin (used Tretinoin last week). I think I would buy this as my retinol moisturiser. when my humongous stash of samples runs out

I also was given a serum sample from the same range. Looking forward to trying this too.

Try before you buy

I've recently completely overhauled my skincare. I'm 42 & my skin was dreadful, a bit spotty around the chin, dehydrated, flaky, grey looking.
I used to use scrubs & thick creams in a vain hope of getting rid of the dryness & flakes but it never worked. So after reading many threads on here I went on a shopping frenzy.
I'm now using
AM:
Bioderma Micellar water
FAB pads or Eucerin Dermo Purifier ( 2% lactic acid)
Vichy Aquilia Thermal serum
LRP hydraphase Intense Riche

PM:
Superdrug Vit E hot cloth stuff
Same Micellar water as AM
Same toners as above (usually the pads at night & the eucerin in the morning)
LRP Nutritic Intense Riche

I use Liquid Gold twice a week at night after cleansing, I don't use moisturiser etc after it.
I also bought a Korres Wild Rose AHA peeling mask which I was using twice a week before I bought the LG. do you think it'd be ok to still use it? Maybe once a week?
My skin is much better but I still have flaky bits on my nose & red cheeks, which I didn't really have before.
Is there anything else I should add? Anything I should change?
I'm clueless about skincare, MN. Has helped immensely :)

It strikes me that no one has talked about using oils and hydrating toners. These are both part of CH's routine.
People shy away from oils because they think make them spotty. NOT SO if you use the correct kind of oil. There are many web sites which will tell you which oils are non comedogenic. Using the correct oil will actually help to reduce oil and spot production. And some oils will help to reduce scarring/red marks from acne.

The 2 oils I use mainly are tamanu and emu. Neither ever give me spots,( in fact they have helped to dry up any I have had)and have helped smooth and moisturise my skin beautifully.
When I read what some of you are doing, it is fine per se, but there is not enough moisture in there.
I hope CH will come back at some point and talk about moisturising the skin. In her blogs she talks about trapping moisture in the layers of the routine. A serum will not give you much moisture,it is there to deliver actives to your skin, not to keep it hydrated.

I have also made up my own oil blend. I'm too mean to pay extortionate prices that most companies charge. I look at the ingredients and order them and make yo my own. I also make my own bit c.ferulic acid serum. Dirt cheap and stable/effective because it is fresh. Whilst I appreciate diy is something that most people won't do, I highly recommend looking into it sometime.

I have spent a fortune because of this thread

Ok.
I'm trying to keep up here, I've gone from a wash with shower gel a.m. and a cat lick with cleansing wipe p.m. to actually washing my face twice a day

Two things I'm baffled with are Retin A is once a week, on last and left on overnight correct?
Is Micellar a cleanser or just make up remover?

You are doing a stellar service to my poor neglected grid!

I sometimes use rosehip oil at night when my skin is feeling particularly dry. I like it but have a weird hatred of the feeling of oil on my hands so i have to kind of work myself up to putting it on!
I used it on a scar on my forehead where I had a lump removed. It worked brilliantly on that.
Coconut oil on the other hand was hideous on me. Brought me out in spots.

I don't use oils, just because I don't like the feel of them on my face. I prefer the texture of serum.

From what I've seen re oils, they should be the last step because they are the most viscous. Finest textures first as they can't penetrate through the oil (I think both sale Hughes and CH say this). You can 'seal' in with moisturiser if you need to but it isn't necessary. So if I used them I would,

Cleanse
Serum
Oil
Moisturiser

I also don't use hydrating toners, I just find them an unnecessary faffing step for my skin. I use a hyaluronic serum instead.

bigbuttons if I can bear to use my rosehip oil every night when should I use it? Before my night cream?

Sali not sale!

Zachary, I don't know about Neutrogena's retinol products but they don't sell their full range over here. It seems to be mainly body and hand care in the UK. Whenever I go to the USA I notice that the Neutrogena range is much wider, including facial skincare. I really rate their Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunscreen for my face so I pick that up whenever I'm over there.

Zachary You have Antipodes! CH has recommended the cleansing balm, and the rest of the products look great too. Tonicroom.co.nz has some lovely stuff as well.

If I use a facial oil as a serum - Decleor aromessence - will my heliocare spf be able to do what it needs to do? I have an idea that it should bond with my skin and the oil will surely prevent that. Clueless.

In my defence I used to use ultrasun which does have to bond.

I see a pp used ultrasun at the end of their routine. It has to go on first.

Massive collective thanks to those in the know that are helping us out!

I've been using rosehip (Trilogy) AS my serum at night. Is that wrong?

One week in and my face is looking so much better but my eyes are puffy and irritated. It could be the 'cooling and soothing' eye mask I used or any number of other lotions and potions I've slapped on with enthusiasm!!

Can I check, do you all double cleanse over your eyes too? What about moisturisers and SPF?

In the past I've used wipes Cleanse and Polish and Rosehip oil with no problems, so it could be 'Take the Day off' or extending my moisturiser/SPF onto my eyes.

I've ordered the roller ball Roc eye treatment and NOTHING else is going near my eyes
< dons sunglasses>