Face serums

[Nells77]

I've seen a lot on here about face serums and oils and feel a bit confused by them!!!! I'm 37 and trying to do everything I can to look after my skin now I'm getting older!
So is serum better than oil? That's the general jist I seem to get! And do you use it before moisturiser?
Also I've got £15 in clubcard vouchers I thought I'd use to get some but the are mostly loreal or Olay, am I better paying more for a better brand?
Sorry so many questions

Take a look at the reddit skincare addict forum - really informative and its unbiased (unfortunately the Caroline Hirons blog is mostly 'reviewed' free PR product which is really expensive to buy - most products she recommends are ££££'s - I've wasted money on products recommended only to find after a bit of digging in Google that her review was sponsored by the beauty company - soooo disappointing ) .

On the reddit forum there is a Beginners Skincare Routine where it's written out step by step and lots of other really useful info on there.

m.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/

Or there a REN clarimatte clarifying toner! Has that been mentioned as being good before? It sound familiar

Great. Thanks for all the info.

ninawish I can't find the beginners skincare routine in there. Do you know how far in it is?

www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/wiki/beginners

Link above from Norfolk is it :)

Sorry can't link on my phone but the Asian forum is good too. It lists an Asian Routine (same principles ) in the link below if you scroll down to Basic Steps it's quite clear and straightforward (somewhat!) and let's you know what step to do in what order etc.

www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/2jcss2/asian_skincare_101_a_beginners_guide_faq/

I wish someone had explained to me about the difference between BHA and AHA acid toners before I spent a fortune. I have oily skin and the AHA toners made my skin look awful, pores looked bigger and congested and it made my pigmentation worse. I got sent a sample of a BHA toner and couldn't believe the difference. Apparently BHA has all the benefits of AHA but is anti inflammatory and anti bacterial. AHA toners seem more popular but if you have oily skin I'd definitely recommend looking at a BHA one

www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/19oiyy/the_starter_skincare_regimen_a_basic_routine_for/

Caroline Hirons is very upfront about the fact that the products she tests are sent to her by the manufacturers. She's not like those ridiculous "sunday supplement" style interviews where, lo and behold, the person being "interviewed" cites one particular brand as their absolute favourite ever... She is also, IMO, more than honest when they turn out to be shit or cost too much! Only the other month she spent a month doing "budget" options, although, as she says, if you want good stuff, then often you do have to pay a bit more.

Less honest, for example, would be if she called her blog BeautyAdvice and then relentlessly promoted her own products on it.....

All the bloggers get sent stuff to review, it's not like any of them are going to go and buy 68 serums, is it?

Yeah I don't mind Hirons getting free samples. I remember she once said "I've been in the industry for 20 years - I haven't had to actually buy skincare in years"

Makes sense to me. She does work with a few brands, Clinique, Sunday Riley etc. But I've neve ever got the vibe she'd bullshit people.

ninawash can you link to the evidence of CHs reviews of products being sponsored. And if not, do you know what libel is??

Didn't CH just say that she is in LA with Pixi Beauty? I think she is quite upfront about saying that she advises brands (I assume for a consulting fee or some other form of compensation) - check her about page - so that might in someone's eyes create a conflict of interest. But of course she also engages with her readers and gives free consultations so you just have to make up your own mind how to interpret the recommendations. Bloggers have to make a living, there are various ways how you can monetize blogs, but definitely PRs send out a lot of free stuff even to minor less famous bloggers!

I think she did Frugal, yes. But in her "About Me" page she also points out that she first started "collaborating" with Pixi 2 yrs after reviewing the products for herself.

I can't remember if it was on our thread, or in one of the blog pages, but she said that in her whole blogging time she had reviewed maybe 5 items having been directly asked to by the company. I can't find it now though.

Right I've ordered Nip+Fab dragons blood serum and fix pads. I also ordered some of the clearasil super fruit pads (needed to buy something extra on Amazon for free delivery ) so with the pads to I use these morning and night? Or just once a day? Thanks

Clearasil twice a day after cleansing.