Dehydrated skin - which serum and moisturiser do you use?

[Lottapianos]

I'm currently using Superdrug Simply Hydrating Serum which costs about ?3 a bottle and is rather marvellous. It does everything you want a serum to do for dehydrated skin - plumping, smoothing, hydrating, making skin feel like its had a good drink. I actually prefer it to the Vichy Aqualia serum that Sali Hughes raves about.

I use the moisturiser from the same range - Aqua Hydrating SPF 15 Day Cream and I like it a lot, although it could possibly be a bit richer. It is impossible to find in shops although is always available on the website. Superdrug really need to sort out their distribution.

I am just curious about what other people use to treat dehydration (fine lines, dullness, tightness). I may be persuaded to up my game a bit for the winter. Thanks

Does the acid toning really work, and if so, is there a good cheap toner?

EL ANR and body shop aloe moisturiser here. Skin looking a bit dry at the moment though. I'm wondering if it could be the silicone in the aloe cream? Not sure what else to switch to.

Slap some Astral or blue Nivea on to immediately hydrate.

Jasper- definitely, it's the one thing that has made the most difference. Boots Time Delay is one that is cheapish, as is Olay Anti Wrinkle. (hardly any of them call themselves acid toners) Nip and Fab pads are nice, (you get to choose between salicylic (oilier skin) and glycolic (drier aging skin) ) Often half price at Superdrug.

My faves are the glycolic pads, but when my pot of them finishes I'll go back to the Olay which i think was £3.99.

Thanks. I think I'll try the Olay and keep an eye for the glycolic pads at half price. My skincare budget is pretty minimal at the moment, as my hair and wardrobe are currently in far more need of attention than my skin.

Ive been using Olay's Day and Night serum followed by Day moisturising lotion and at night, the night cream.

I thought they were doing a good job but the woman who did my filler said that although my skin was hydrated to the touch, it LOOKED dry.

Must try something new.

I used Bio oil at night last year and never had so many compliments on my skin. By the morning it was super plump.

Neal's Yard Frankincense Nourishing cream and Dr Hauschka's rose day cream at night are both very good.

Decleor Angelique oil is a good restorer. I also use avocado oil, almond oil.

When my skin gets really dry - I use extra virgin olive oil at night (a tip from Marie Helvin) - which sorts it out in 2-3 days.

I'm going to go against the grain and say I actually really like the vichy aqualia serum - its much better on my skin than the superdrug one. I find the superdrug one very tacky? i've been using the moisturiser from the same range and its great on my skin, i had fine lines on my forehead and they are gone. i've also been using the clinique moisture surge overnight mask which I really like. in terms of serums, again i'm going to disagree and say that using a serum regularly has really changed my skin for the better. i've always slapped loads of moisturiser on my face, but adding a serum gives me much better results. it seems to really sink in and actually make a difference. that said, I'm willing to invest time and money in my skin care, we all have different priorities.

It's not just about time and money, though. My skin is in far better condition with my current budget skincare regime than it was when I used much more expensive stuff, and I still (sometimes) get asked for i.d. at the age of 40, so I'm happy to continue using my current cheap-arse products because they work better for me than lots of expensive stuff.

Balance Me Hydrating mist, then apivita hydrating serum then balance me collagen boost moisturiser mixed with a drop of tisserand jojoba oil/rose absolute blend.

The apivita serum is lovely, bought it in Madrid on holiday to wear under a mineral sunscreen and it worked wonders then so have started using it at home, it's available on amazon. I think it's aloe base really helps.

[These moisturising masks www.amazon.co.uk/5x8ml-Moisturising-Masks-Natural-Chinata/dp/B00IE6TQ2U/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1443696247&sr=8-6&keywords=chinata+mask] are also a life saver, once or twice a week. They are full of squalene from olive oil and I've never used such an effective moisturising mask. They are like 3E for 5 masks in Spain so I load up on them there, but still a good price on amazon, beat much dearer masks like Tata Harper hands down.

They work especially well after a a quick peel with [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01316NQRS/ref=twister_B013F4OORW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 this fruit acid peel). I got the small size to try it and it's really great. Makes skin smooth and soft, with a staisfying tingle on first application so you kno wit's working but no redness.

It comes in a tiny little pump dispenser that is perfect for travelling, and 8 applications (2 pumps does my face/neck and decolletage easily) in it's still going strong. I think I'll just keep getting the little size as it is so handy.

Ahh. link fail

[[www.amazon.co.uk/5x8ml-Moisturising-Masks-Natural-Chinata/dp/B00IE6TQ2U/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1443696247&sr=8-6&keywords=chinata+mask mask]]

peel

And again. Duh.
mask

You're right Jasper. I occasionally think that I 'should' be spending more money on skincare than I do, and that a ?40 moisturiser 'must' be better than a ?5 one, but I think a lot of it is just hype. I've seen recommendations for products that other people absolutely swear have been a revelation for their skin - Blue Orchid Oil, rosehip oil, Clarins this and that - which have done absolutely nowt for me. I guess if the ?4 serum seems to be doing what you want a serum to do, then stick with it and feel lucky!

And at the end of the day, its a serum. Not a magic potion. I'm a big fan of skincare, and soap and water would definitely not be the way forward for me, but there's a limit to what any product can do for you

Thanks for the mask and peel links JohnWick. I'm a bit scared by peels, and have never used one. Then again, I was scared by 'acid toning' and now use a glycolic pad nearly every day so maybe I need to take the plunge!

Another one who has had great results with the superdrug serum here, I was going to try the Vichy Aqualia but might give it a miss after reading these reviews.

Has anyone tried the Boots Botanics hydrating creams? I was tempted but I spotted shea butter as an ingredient and was put off; I'm currently using Astral.

I love Astral as a night cream but found it left me just a bit too shiny for day time

Yes there is a definite shine that comes with Astral! I also found that it gave me milia until I started using salicylic acid which cleared them up.

Don't astral and nivea leave a film on the skin because of the petroleum derivatives? Might send me into blackhead and spots hell.

LadyErrant I tried the Boots Botanics organic moisturiser once and it is lovely, very fine texture, definitely comparable to Decleor / Darphin etc.

I need a moisturiser that has no essential oils but moisturises well enough...

Lotta, my pleasure. That peel's more like an extra strong gylcolic pad really, it's not a scary one. You just pop it on with your fingers then rinse off with water 2-3 minutes later.

Then again, if you've got scarring and peels scare you, Alpha-H Liquid Gold can work wonders. It's sort of mid way between a gylcolic pad and a peel i.e. too strong for everyday use as a toner but not so strong you need to rinse it off after a few minutes.

I had some really bad scarring from a hideous cystic breakout at the beginning of the year. Tried Liquid Gold on a mumsnet recommendation and since February, scarring has gone. Even my chicken pox scars from decades ago are faded to nothing now.

Indeed, lotta. My "magic" skin product is avocado oil, which is around £5 for a big bottle and which I use to cleanse and mixed with rosehip oil as a skin treatment. I add it to other stuff, too. I'm quite lucky that my wonder-product is available in most supermarkets and health food shops.

Thanks John. No scarring at all and lucky enough to have clear skin with only a very rare spot. My main issues are fine lines around eyes and on forehead (classic dehydration stuff I think), very mild melasma on cheekbones (probably related to being on the pill for donkey's years), and some redness.

Well, a quick gentle peel before the mask just makes it easier for the moisturising mask to reach the skin properly and sink it.

I had similar melasma prior to the Liquid Gold and it's pretty much faded to nothing now too.

Thanks Morsecode I might try one of the botanics, they're half price at the moment so cheap enough. Nivea blue pot made me break out but I seem to be ok with Astral (aside from the now-eradicated milia issue), if you're prone to breakouts I wouldn't recommend either of them.

sodder I cleanse with a mixture of the following

Superdrug vit e hot cloth cleanser
Garnier micellar water
La roche posay physiological cleansing gel ( which is now no longer for sale so I'm limiting it's use and using the above more than I would.

This morning I cleansed with superdrug hot cloth, then lrp ( no idea why both but just felt like it) then put on my lrp effeclar duo followed by my rose hip oil (first time I've done this together) so interested to see the result if any.

By mixture I mean on a rotational basis depending on what make up I've worn and how tired I'm feeling and if my skin is dehydrated or a bit red and angry looking.