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

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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!

The main concern of the manufacturers is not to get sued. So their advice is often very cautious. Bearing in mind retinol is many times weaker than prescription Retin-A, and many people happily use acids together with it, Bravura are covering their backs.

You often see advice about retinol making it out to be scary, lots of redness and peeling. Which you can get from Retin-A but would be v v unlucky to get from retinol. But the publicity makes retinol seem more potent than it is, plus protecting the manufacturers from any problems if anyone does get redness.

I'd happily use glycolic and retinol on the same day - acid am, retinol pm. But I'd make sure I was happy with one product first and then introduce the other gradually.

I suppose it depends on the strength. I am debating on buying the retin-a that was mentioned up thread - tretinoin, but my glycolic acid is 30%. But then someone else is doing both.

I am trying to read all the Caroline Hirons stuff but am getting more and more confused.

What should be in the serum and moisturiser if the acid is in the toner?

Also I am trying to work this out for me and DD. I'm old and pore ridden and she is young and spotty.

Almond is the acid a peel or an acid toner? I'm using 13% calendula toner and differin( retinoid) which is working for me. I'm only using glycol a few times a week in the am to clear the dried out bits on my skin.

Your serum should be targeted to whatever your specific need is for example if you are concerned about lines then it should be for that or if like me, you need something to address blemishes, use that.

Your serum is to treat a problem your skin has and your moisturiser is to add moisture. Your moisturiser doesn't need to be fancy but just follow the general rules of no mineral oil etc.

To echo what kundry says the main thing is that you listen to what your skin needs and start off slowly. Introduce new products one at a time and see how you go. Then if it doesn't work or you have a reaction, you know what it is.

It is an acid peel.

Thank you for all advice Clara. I was using YSL forever youth serum, but it was so expensive that I have not replaced it, even thought it did a good job.

I have large pores and just look a bit dull.

DD is using clinique clinical anti blemish gel, but it is not helping and I have now read it has alcohol in. I am now going to get her Clinique's mild exfoliator, which is an alcohol free acid toner according to Caroline Hirons.

almondcakes- I am doing both 30% GA and retin-A
Only started the latter this week, but so far, no problems.
For teenagery blemish skin, I can't help repeating that Effaclar Duo has transformed dd's skin, virtually overnight. I definitely saw a huge difference in appearance the first day.
While there are so many fabulous beauty gurus on one thread I'd like to ask if anyone can recommend a serum for lines...as I've said, probably the best (and one of the least expensive) I've tried is n7 but I can't help thinking there is a HG somewhere

I'm doing both too. I tried to up the retin usage last week and it's not a good look. So I will have to forgo a peel this weekend whilst certain areas of my face calm down!

I like her common sense advice such as wash your face not just smear cleanser over it etc but she lost me on her last post about toners. She suggested having a daily acid toner, a stronger one for once a week and a moisturising toner to alternate am/pm with the daily acid toner plus a facial spritz for as needed day use. This was just for toners. Really who has the time or will to follow such a fiddly routine?!!!

Umm... I have a toner collection since reading CH

Quick question, I have recently added retinol into my routine at night. (Skinceutucals 0.3%). Any recommendations for a good moisturiser to follow it with? I wait a bit before applying moisturiser, I'm currently using a decleor balm. Lots of night creams include a form of retinoid so I thought that might be too much?

Have to say though I've had no adverse reaction at all to the 0.3% and can't wait to get on the stronger stuff when it runs out!

i understood you weren't 'supposed ' to moisturise after using retin

For anyone requesting serum suggestions I can highly recommend Vichy Acqualia Thermale, it is lovely. I purchase from Escentual and they often have great discounts on loads of stuff.
CH's advice has changed my skin, and I cannot thank her enough. Following pregnancy and the hormonal upheaval my skin was an unpredictable mess. Over a number of months I gradually followed CH's suggested routine and my skin has turned around!

My current routine is as follows:
AM
Soap & Glory Ultimelt with a flannel
Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion
Vichy Serum
Soap & Glory Daily Youth moisturiser

PM (as soon as I am home and know am not leaving house again)
Boots Botanics eye makeup remover (don't think I will repurchase as the bottle is a faff)
Clinique Take The Day Off balm
Ultimelt
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance pads (LOVE THESE)

Then I do the rest of my routine before bed so
Vichy serum
Eye cream (S&G)
Soap & Glory Wish Upon a Jar moisturiser

Also, probably one of the biggest things for clearing up my hormonal, cystic acne along my jaw line was stopping taking skimmed milk in my coffee! I had switched to it while cutting calories and within a few days of switching back to semi-skimmed the acne cleared up. There is actually some science behind this apparently, something to do with a higher concentration of hormones in skimmed milk.

A CH routine is quite expensive to get started but I have just bought one of her recommendations at a time to see if it works for me. My routine has developed over the past 6 months or so.

I think we should be clear on the difference between retinol and retin-A. You are v unlikely to get any sort of reaction to retinol, even the Skinceuticals one as it's not the same molecule.

I do use Retin-A and moisturise with Cerave after - I found the big dose of ceramides seemed to help the redness and peeling settle down quickly. Lots of dermatologists advise mixing it with moisturiser to start with to weaken it.

As the pennies are few and far between for us at the moment I went for the cheap as chips option for toner, serum....and it seems to be working

AM
Coconut oil and warm flannel - (started using this again after falling off the bandwagon and it's made some difference already)
Superdrug Deep Action cleansing pads - (salycylic acid in this though don't know the percentage) £2.69 and currently on BOGOF
Superdrug Naturally Radiant Serum - currently better than half price £2.98
Olay Complete Care Cream - £4.99
L'oreal revitalift eye crem - £7.66 better than half price in Superdrug
Eucerin Sun Face Fluid factor 50 - £16.00

PM
Coconut oil and warm flannel x 2 (can't be arsed buying a second cleanser)
Superdrug cleansing pads
Superdrug Toner
Coconut Oil as moisturiser
Rosehip oil as eye cream

Since introducing the acid toner and serum my skin looks a let more even in tone and my usual hormonal breakouts haven't been anywhere near as bad. And I was also basically arguing with a wee woman at work the other day who refused to believe that I will be 41 in July. She thought I was about 35.

I was told to wait 20 minutes to an hour after retinol before applying moisturiser.
Do you think the talk of reactions to Skinceuticals is just them covering themselves then? I was wondering about skipping 0.5 and going straight to 1%...

Coconut oil as moisturiser might be adding to your break outs - Sam Bunting hates it for this reason. When CH does a review of a product she lists it as something you may react to, although she loves it. So bloomin confusing.

I don't know about the Skinceuticals - it isn't tretinoin so it is milder but they give the impression it's one of the stronger high street versions. But seeing as tretinoin people just wade straight in going alt days and building up, presumably you could do exactly the same with the 1% Skinceuticals.

Coconut oil is high in oleic acid, for some people this can cause break outs. you would be better off choosing an oil high in linoleic acids. This is a wonderful website explaining the different oils.
www.minimalistbeauty.com/oils-specifically-for-acne-prone-skin/

Does anyone know offhand what the active ingredient is in indeed labs peptabright? Had some on CH recommendation and it was good on my skin but is ££.

Hi Ladies!
Just wanted to say thank you for the kind words. Haven't read all 8 pages of threads as am home with the kids but if you have any Q's about me or the blog please don't hesitate to ask. I'm an open book. Especially where sponsored posts etc are concerned. I saw one comment about me recommending products because I've been paid to. I've done maybe 5 sponsored posts in 5 years. Anyway - just wanted to say hello. And thank you. And I'm glad you seem to be happy with your skin (s). That's the only goal. Xxxx

Hey Caroline! Thank you for coming on and responding. I've been following yourself and ruth crilly on youtube for a few weeks and have started really taking my skincare routine seriously so thank you! May I be cheeky and ask a quick q?

Ok so i'm 38 with oily but dehydrated skin. I'm really considering an eye cream as im starting to get crepey skin and wrinkles round the oul mincers. Could you recommend me a budget eye cream that would most likely be available in Dublin?
Please and thank you

Try La Roche Posay or Avene in Boots. :)xx

Thank you, i will

OMG. Going away to faint now. Caroline I follow loads of blogs and yours is one of the v few where I readeevery posting.

Blimey, never thought when I started this thread that CH herself would see it, thought she would be far too busy to read MN!
Jolly good!
Thank you again Caroline, credit where credit's due and all that

Thank you so much. Glad it helps. :)

Ha! I'm everywhere. Jokes. Mumsnet tweeted out about the thread. Thought it would be rude not to say thank you! I'm so pleased you're happy with your skin. xxx

Caroline!! Great. An SPF that doesn't block pores? I do the rest of your shtick but just don't get on with SPF as I get blackheads. Otherwise skin is ok! Thanks...we are lucky today