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!

Hi Baalamoree the Paula's Choice 2% BHA is fabulous.

If you are looking to add Vit C I would get a serum with Vit C and cut the Blue Orchid Oil - expensive and why exactly are Blue Orchids good for our skin? You may be getting some Vit C already from the Rosehip Oil but a non-oily serum is likely to be better and designed to ensure the Vit C actually gets on your skin.

If you are using salicylic every day, then having a peel in a different acid once a week is a great idea. I love the SR Skincare peels. I still use them once a week and just don't Retin-A on that day. And yes I take them up to the lower lash.

Using the toner twice or once a day when on Retin-A is up to you - I think last time I just toned in the mornings, this time I've carried on in the evenings as well.

Thanks Kundry this is such an informative thread.

Do you have a recommendation for a cheap Vit C serum? Unsure if I could find the ingredients for the diy version.

Ooh, any idea how to get DP involved? I've started him on the above - well, just the cleanser, toner, an Aldi moisturiser and SPF. Not sure he would stick with anything else unless I physically did it for him!

No idea how to get DP involved, he has his own priorities and choices, I just leave him to it.

Back2Two I don't think acne prone skin really likes oils at all.

Good shout about TK Maxx. Just had a look on their website and there's loads of oils, toners, retinol products etc for very good prices.

In the meantime, I am having some great results with my skin. I'm being super diligent morning and night with my regime and I my skin looks brighter with more clarity. I'm still getting the occasional boil but I'm resigned to forever having hormonal skin.

kew not sure if someone has already said this whilst I've been offline but the Eve Lom cleanser has always been mineral oil heavy, AFAIK. It's why CH has issues with it. I think it can cause issues over time though, so that could still be the problem. Aloe and mallow are good for redness.

God, I'm such a sheep! I've just bought the retinol from eBay! I've been on the Obagi regime before now though and had half my face fall off, so I'm hard core with skin peeling!!

This thread is LETHAL

I was soon very close to ordering vitamin C serum and yet more cleanser when my Retin A delivery arrived and distracted me.

I am going to use all the stuff I've bought before buying anything else.

Soon very close

Aaagh sooooo very close

cathy go and check out the "Ashamed of my beauty product hoard" thread to help keep you on the straight and narrow

Anybody used the sr skincare vit c serum? Seems too cheap to be true?!

I ordered it, but the jiffy bag had split open at the bottom and it had fallen out I like some of their other stuff, but would definitely say they cheap out on packaging for postage!

Baaaaaaa. I got my acid peel, baking soda and clearasil pads delivered yesterday, and the SPF 50+ moisturiser. Did the peel immediately. My skin looks really nice actually today (for me - not actual nice). Have ordered Emu oil and tamalu (or whatever) oil - I did research first and they do seem genuinely good for acne. And they weren't tooo expensive. Still waiting for my vit c serum, and am seriously, seriously tempted to buy hylamide serum. Might go and eat some grass first, haha.

I have used the SR Skincare Vit C serum - I didn't like it but mainly because I didn't like the bottle it came in. Definitely was Vit C as when I didn't use it, it oxidized.

That website does make you wonder how much we are being ripped off though as the peptide serums are also v cheap.

Tried Hylamide last night, liked it much much more that Hydraluron. No tacky drying feeling, think I looked hydrated. I like the idea of one product which will do hyaluronic, peptides and Vit C as well (didn't buy the Vit C one first buy am fairly sure I'll buy it next time). Really like the look of a lot of the Deciem products esp the Retinoil hand lotion.

buttons retin-a queen hah! I like that.

Ordered the 0.05% after all the retinol chat here. Made me think I should go up. Can always buffer it with some moisturiser if I get too much irritation.

I too am a sheep. I was happy with my Liz Earle but got cetaphil off the back of this thread and started double cleansing. Always used to but not with two separate products.

Might also replace my homemade acv toner to the pixi stuff mentioned here. Once my nip fab pads run out.

Thanks for all the advice great thread
Can't wait until my stuff arrives. ..now am off to Google emu oil and tamuru oil (hope Google autocorrects that one!)

Sorry late adding a message but been busy catching up with CH blog and trawling high street chemists reading labels

Bloody brilliant thread seems my skincare routine was not too bad I 've even been known to treble cleanse at night! but not with 3 different cleansers that going to change now. Have used liquid gold and rate it but skint so not repurchased waiting for offer on qvc

Stopped using toners years ago as thought it was a bit old hat and miceller water was now in vogue this all changes now! Picked up the Clearasil Pads and wow could not believe the difference for my skin after first use using these in the pm will experiment with aha in the am. Was surprised as thought they would be too harsh for me ( age 55 skin not bad but generally staring to look bloody old and tired ) i really felt as if they gave my skin a bloody good kick up the backside in a nice sort of way

I also have very oily eyelids could cook chips in them and then do car oil change if you get my drift used pads up too eyes last night no problem and will sweep over lids tonight. It's really good understanding ingredients more and having more confidence just too give the stuff ago. Thanks all brilliant stuff keep posting

Sorry meant triple

Ain't nothing wrong with being a sheep if you're in with the right flock ??

We're not a crowd, we're a quiche. A very smooth skinned one.

Although I am having a breakout so am gawjuss. This is undoubtedly because of introducing an acid toner and retinA and a new cheapo L'Oreal moisturiser for daytime. I use oils at night, but can't in the morning, no time for them to settle.

I'll just rest my face for a few days with cleansing/serum and oil I think.

I agree with the comments on "homemade" and unbranded stuff. Same ingredients, we are clearly paying for ads and stuff. Isn't it also true that a bottle of Chanel n 5 costs 5p to actually make?

I've just remembered a nice hyaluronic serum I had last year from ebay - unbranded, I'll try and dig out the seller link later.

Late to the thread and sorry to be a party pooper, but just wanted to add to SqueezyCheeseWeasel's comment from earlier on re tretinoin/retin A...

It can cause birth defects, so if you are taking it or isotretinoin you need to be using contraception. I am on isotretinoin, and the pharmacist made me confirm that I am on the pill before he would give it to me. Just thought I would point this out as this is a parenting site :)

KLAXON
My hairdresser just asked if I was doing anything different with my skin as I looked really fresh

Thanks to all on this thread and CH for the tips. It's only been a week and a long long way to go -but good to see a difference already