A really good night cream or something of that ilk, or a facecare routine.

[ditavonteesed]

I am rubbish at face care and the years are starting to show.

I currently use
superdrug hot cloth scrub stuff probably once every 3 days
nivea soft or steam cream when I remember
Lovely lavendar night cream almost never but I mean to every night I just forget when I go to bed.
So is there hope for me?

I love lush and neals yard and burts bees, that kind of thing. Has anyone got any recomendations for a skincare routine that I might actually stick to?
TIA

What's your skin type and budget? Would you say your main skin concern is anti-ageing? How do you cleanse on days when you don't use the hot cloth cleanser?

skin type is normal I think, sometimes get hormonal spots, no dry patches lots f wrinkles. very pale and freckly (I know that doesnt make any difference). Budget £50 birthday money when I dont use hot cloth cleanser I use tend to give my face a quick rinse under the shower when I get showered. I always moisturise when I have had a shower as my face tends to feel dry after washing.

also have an M&S voucher so trying to look at what they have on the website.

Start by cleansing twice a day every day. Do you get on okay with your cleanser?

M&S stock great stuff now. If you like Neal Yard they have the frankinsence cream which would be a good night cream. I'd also invest in a serum (REN, also stocked in M&S, do some nice ones) and an acid toner. Bravura Calendula is my go to recommendation for acid toning. You can get it online.

So your new routine could be four steps: cleanse, acid tone, serum, moisturise.

I could do that, explain to me what an acid toner is. I was looking at the neals yard frankincense funnily enough. Is a serum better than a dry oil (pretending I actually know what I am talking about her).
Thanks :)

An acid toner is a chemical exfoliant, typically with glycolic, lactic or salyclic acids in, or a combination. They break down dead skin and clear pores, like a face scrub but more gentle and effective. They slso help reset the skin's Ph after cleansing and prep it so following products can be more effective. Salycilic is better for oily or spot prone skin, so you'd be more suited to the other two.

You can definitely use an oil instead of a serum. I use one as well as but you don't need to if you want to keep things simple. If you did want to look at anti ageing though that would be a job more for a serum than an oil.

Two things I've tried recently which seem to have made a difference:

Use a facial brush (I bought an Olay one recommended on here from amazon - it was only about £18). Use it the same way you'd use a face cloth, ie to rub your cleanser in/off - only takes a minute or so.

Use a facial oil at night before my night cream - I use the Sanctuary Therapist's Secret Oil from Boots which is about £18 but often on 3 for 2 or a third off.

Not sure whether it's one or both of these that's made the difference, but my skin has always been a bit rubbish and now it's a lot clearer and more 'glowy'.

so carry on with the hot cloth cleanser, an acid toner like this?, then a good night cream and maybe oil? I think the serums might be too £££ for me.

IThat presumably is night, what about morning? The hot cloth cleanser, an acid toner and then would my nivea or steam cream be ok or do I need a better moisturiser?
Thanks for the help and advice I really appreciate it, I have always been very lazy when it comes to my skin but I think the time has come.

Naboo hi maybe you can advise please, have been double cleansing/clinique toner/nip n fab pads/estee lauder moisturiser, huge improvement of skin, looks much cleaner & softer, age spots fading
Skin has been a little flaky on chin.
Thinking what else do I need to do regarding toners ie serums/oils/other toners instead of nip n fab.
Am a bit lost & confused

If you're worried about serums being £££ the Aldi one is supposed to be v good.

Neal's Yard Frankincense is my holy grail. NOT the new intense serum though which has the consistency of sugar water until it's been on your face for 2 seconds when it does that pulling thing and you are losing strips and clumps of product and skin.
Ebay always have sellers with sample sachets of NY, that's where I first tried the Frankincense oil, though have used on and off the cream since I was in my 20s. And dinosaurs walked the earth....

If you want to go budget to try stuff, my acid toner is an Olay one marketed as 7 in 1 age something or other. Cost me 3 euro. (am abroad)

Try & get into a routine using the products you have and maybe adding the toner.
Once you've stuck to that you'll have an idea what you want to add and you'll be able to see what works for you or not.
There are some great budget buys around in skincare now, I love the superdrug own brand things I've used.

dita that acid toner very recently had the formula changed and no longer contains acid. They put pineapple extract in instead

Yes, your cleanser, acid toner, night cream and oil would be good. Do what you said in the day time. If you're happy with your day creams stick with them! I've heard good things about steam cream.

I just read this Sali Hughes article about toners. I was a bit shocked when she said if you use them your skin will be more susceptible to sun damage! That can't be a good thing surely...?

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/may/18/exfoliating-toners-sali-hughes-beauty

melen I'd introduce an acid and or serum. Your skin isn't getting much nourishment, moisturiser aside. It might be worth trying a different acid toner, something with a bit more oomph.

Please may I hyjack this v useful thread ? !
I have non spotty pale skin which tends to flake on the nose but otherwise no issues . However it is a bit dull .
Am I supposed to be using acid toner ? Wd that help ?
What does a serum do ?
My view is that it's not with spending to clarins level of cash on a moisture cream as the skin on surface is dead ? Is this true ?
Is th e aim to sort of re surface the skin to get fresh skin ?
I've heard of skin rolling but not clue ?!
Along with acid toner does dull skin need retinoids or vit c - I'm not sure what they do ?
I want my skin to be glowy but not red or irritated .. Can the skin be prompted to re generate more like when I was younger ??? If so how ??
What is a good night and day cream please .. How do you tell what is good when you are looking in the shop ????!! I love clarins but 50 pounds a pot ???! Is this effective or is it just a surface visual thing like light reflectors in the cream to make you think it's making your skin better ? It's such a minefield and I have not a clue with all the claims the products make !!!
Is it basically just moisture and skin exfoliation we need ?
I've seen people saying things like retinoids trove age spots and wrinkles ? How ????
Thanks ??!

nosy it reveals newer skin by sloughing off the old stuff, so it is more succeptable to sun damage. Really though the same applies after any exfoliation, but acid toners are more efficient.

gin that is a lot of questions! I'll try and write a decent reply tonight if no one else has answered.

Naboo thank you*would you advise trying the bravaura toner & serum/oil if so any ideas? Of what ones, also should I continue with the nip n fab or not? This is where I get a bit lost.
forgot to say also, am in my fifites quite pale(blonde & blue eyes) smooth forehead,crows feet spreading abit down side of cheeks & some open pores, side of nose/chin skin a little sensetive, must admit since doing as pp, skin is much brighter/cleaner looking, have always looked, quite good for my age, but have been quite ill, last couple of years & has taken toll on my face.
Also was toying with the idea of low dose retin a, as quite a few posters seem to use this.
Apologies for the esssay thank you.

I don't have a skincare routine per se but use a good face wash morning and evening, if I get a chance cotton wool and cleanser etc at night.

I use Peaches and Clean (S&G) and currently also Nuxe Honey and Sunflower for face washes.

I also have a Kiehls Midnight Recovery I think its called serum but going to be getting NYR Rose Facial Oil which is fab.

Night creams I use whatever is going but recently got S&G Wish Upon a Jar which seems nice.

Day right now using Vichy Aqualia Riche cream with S&G SPF50. Liking all my moisturisers and only switched to Vichy and S&G as at 43 I thought maybe a better moisturiser was needed.

Gino im with you am finding these threads so informative, but very confusing

As far as sticking to a routine is concerned, realising that a night time skin care routine didn't have to mean just before bed made a huge difference to me. By the time I was ready to go to bed I often couldn't be bothered! Now I take my make up off and do my night time routine as soon as I'm home and know I won't be going out again.

That one simple change has meant I've gone from looking after my skin when I remember/could be bothered to keeping up a full routine (double cleanse, tone, serum, moisturiser and oil) every night for almost three months now.

gin I'll start off by saying I can't advise on retinol as I don't use it, but the amazing faces thread has lots of knowledgeable people who can help.

Serums penetrate your skin and should be used to address your skin problems, like acne, dehydration, ageing, what have you. Moisturiser should be chosen according to skin type and you're right, it's basically plumping out and protecting the dead surface layers so you don't need to spend loads. The bulk of your money should go on your serum. A vitamin c or brightening serum would be good for you. That's what I use most of the time. A good one that's not too expensive is the avalon ageless illuminating one that you can order online.

Yes to acid toner. The bravura one I keep recommending really is good. Exfoliation is a really important point, as is hydration. Everyone's skin is different and therefore so are ingredients to look for and avoid. Things containing glycerin and hyaluronic acid are good for hydrating. Avoid too much alcohol in products.

melen give the bravura toner a goand the body shop vitamin e serum in oil as a good two in one. I don't use retinol myself and I'm not great on anti ageing to be honest, beyond hydrating to plump out fine lines. The amazing faces crew and caroline hiron's really rate decimen's hylamide, I think it's called, and it's a great price for what it is.

Nab - thankyou ??!