Caroline Hiron on a budget, help please!

[AngryBeaver]

I'm feeling so rubbish about myself at the moment.
(A hairdresser over processed my -shiny, healthy, long-hair and yesterday it started breaking off at the chin ð??­)

My skin is awful. Spotty and rapidly aging. (I'm 36) but my nose to mouth lines are quite pronounced. The number 11's are deepening and I feel a bit of a wreck.
I have 4 small children so money is an issue.

I ordered some hyaluronic acid serum from Amazon after reading good reviews. But, it caused lots of little spots under the skin.

I'd really appreciate any help you can offer!

My CH skincare routine when I'm really skint is this

Body shop cleanser, the chamomile one,
bravura calendula acid toner,
rose water lush spray toner

Organic surge Daily moisturiser

I also give my face a massage at night. It costs nothing and there are loads of routines on youtube. I think it makes a difference to my skin texture.

I'm so sorry you are feeling rubbish at the moment, nothing kills confidence like a rubbish haircut and skin.

She's done a good YouTube video for budget skincare -

Some ideas: LRP Effaclar products. (Duo or AI), daily acid pads after the evening cleanse (Clearasil and/or Nip +Fab glycolic). Those have made the most difference for me. Lucysmam over at the Korean thread has lots of fab cheap skincare ideas.

My skint CH tips are toners from Boots Time Delay or Botanics (they're the brightening ones) and hylauronic serum from Aldi.

Oh yes, the Clearasil Superfruits pads are good for toning spotty skin.

REN products are always on offer on BeautyExpert and the Superdrug own Naturally Radiant range gets good reviews.

Am

Cetaphil once - £12ish for huuuge pot
Vichy Aqualia hydrating serum - £11 on offer at FeelUnique- but the Aldi Lacura one £2ish has good reviews
Cerave PM £12ish
Biore spf50 £7ish

PM

Cetaphil twice
Bravura Calendula toner (glycolic acid, packs a punch at resurfacing and smoothing so only every second night for me) £12ish
OR Paula's Choice salycilic acid lotion £18 for huge tube (I alternate the two, this one clears my pores overnight like magic)
Avene Hydrance Riche moisturiser £12ish

I really recommend the Bravura Calendula toner, it's made a huge difference to my similar skin.

I'm going to start using almond oil, my cleansing balm is basically solid almond oil with some essential oils thrown in.

My routine is fairly low budget:
PM: Superdrug hot cloth cleanser (double cleanse)
Acid tone with Boots Time Delay or Clarins exfoliating toner
Retin A (via eBay)
(currently alternate nights with Botanics facial oil and /or Nivea blue pot as I'm getting too flaky from the retin A).

AM: Cleanse and tone as pm
Una Brennan Vitamin C serum
Any old sunblock
Boots No7 protect & perfect moisturiser

I'm a cheapskate who always gets the above on sale / multi-buy offers etc but I'm a cheapskate with good skin!

Oh, guys! Thank you SO much for helping. I'm going to tread through all your advice xxx

If you read CH for long enough (as I did) I've realised sadly how firstly her recommendations are not even remotely realistic for most women who are reading her blog (over a hundred and 25 pounds for a face cream on her blog a few days ago) and secondly she never actually purchases product like we all do.

What I'm trying to say is that her kool aid is not real and yes you can easily have great skin without going the CH route

Basically doing a double cleanse, toning and a serum with maybe a water pack mask will be great for your skin - you don't need CH for that.

AngryBeaver - buy what you fancy and can afford from the recommendations but take onboard what ninawish has said. My skin felt and looked terrible a few months ago partly due to bad diet and lack of attention as we were struggling financially. I've actually started using all the products which have been bought, used twice and then just sat there (nothing fancy). Also I've been drinking more water and tried to improve my diet a bit. Age spots and wrinkles are still there but my skin does look clean, brighter and basically not so haggered (I'm 48).

I really like the M&S Pure range and they do an anti-aging version.

It works well on my combination, bit sporty skin and has no SPF in it a la CH.

I recently got day cream, night cream and serum for £25 - so not super cheap but not expensive either. They often have 3 for 2 offers on it too.

Una Brennan Superfacialist range at Boots is very reasonable and gets thumbs up from CH.
La Roche posey effaclar and retinol
Indeed labs hydraluron, retinol reface
Lush Ultrabland
Vichy Aqualia thermal serum

Always thought this cheat sheet from La Hirons was a useful rule of thumb for budgeting.

Current routine (no spend tik after hol):

Boots botanics cleanser
Boots time delay cleanser
Also serum
Boots essentials cucumber moisturise/astral

Whole lot under a tennet

The biggest stumbling block for me, is that I live in NZ. So, some products that are mentioned I can't get.
Cetaphil...we have, got some yesterday!

Hi OP, I'm in NZ too, so get what you're saying about the brands available.

One brand that doesn't get much mention on CH's blog and on MN (mostly because I'm not sure if the full range is available in the UK) is Neutrogena. Really good Retinol serums and moisturisers. Nice mild cleanser (Extra Gentle cleanser, I think), excellent facial sunscreens.

I really like Aveeno moisturiser, it has a good SPF and can usually get it for $20 at the supermarket.

Acid toners are tricky here, they don't seem to really have arrived yet. I've used a L'Oreal revitalift one (red bottle) which is about $50. I've also purchased a few through strawberrynet, which is a good website for beauty purchases.

I've been using Yes to Carrots cream cleanser lately, I really like it (smells lovely) and got it 50% off at Farmers, so about $10 a tube.

I really love Trilogy rosehip oil, and Antipodes Joyous night serum is gorgeous.

I have been using apple cider vinegar mixed with water in a bottle, applied with cotton pads. What is the verdict on that?!

I have to say that CH video has totally put me off. Did I mishear or did she say she hadn't even tried one of the products .

I'm all for a having good routine but she endorses hundreds of products and can't possible have put them all through their paces properly given that skincare will take a while to make any difference to your sin.

BeautyExpert and Feel Unique have great skincare ranges and post worldwide for free.

At the moment I'm using:

Bioderma micellar water (you can buy small bottles to try)
Soap & glory hot cloth cleanser
Just ordered pixi glow tonic
Got samples of Vichy aqualia from local pharmacy
Lidl night cream!

Hand cream, body brushing & plenty of sleep always make me feel better and are so cheap. Hope you feel more upbeat soon

I use

Super drug hot cloth cleanser and Lush Ultrabland. I also have cetaphil.

Moisturiser is Cerave

Toners- Clearsil pads, Nip and Fab Pads and I use Liquid Gold every now and then (not cheap).

I also use Retin A

Serums are from aldis, except for one which is Balance something, hydrating something or the other.

My skin has never looked better and I get on just as well with the cheaper products, but it is probably the retin which is making the most difference now.