Help me transform my skin

[FishinthePerculator]

Looking for the hive mind of mumsnet to help me sort out my awful, aging, dull, saggy skin. I know I'm likely to get lots of individual product recommendations but hoping that one or two will start to shine through - much like I hope my skin will do - or at the very least, I can get a better idea of the type of products I need and then hone the specifics from there.

I am 38 and all the other women I know if this age seem to have clear, bright, healthy looking skin. Mine is old, saggy and dull looking. Most of the time, I can hide this well with make-up but for some reason, make-up does not tend to stay on me very well during the working week - I wonder if I subconsciously rub my face a lot with stress when I am working and end up rubbing it off. In any case, I don’t have time to keep reapplying during the day and at the end of the day, I look a fright. I'd also like to have the confidence to go make-up free or make-up light at times but this is where I need the radiant skin of my peers. I know I'm in a vicious circle of self-defeat by constantly covering up with make-up but a did, for a while, last year, conduct an experiment, wearing only bb cream and a very light mascara for almost three months. I was constantly told I didn’t look well and then the last straw came when I saw a photo of myself, so it was back to full coverage.

My current skincare regime is quite basic so I'm thinking there has to be some miracle product(s) out there which can help. I have had cleanse, tone and moisturise drummed into me since I was a teenager and currently wash with a dove bar, then use simple toner and light hydrating moisturiser. Until recently I only used all three in the morning and washed with dove only at night but for the last couple of months, I've started the full routine before bed. I also exfoliate twice a week with a homemade mixture of coconut oil and rock salt. When I was 16, I was given a gift set of the Clinique 3-step system which I loved as it was so grown-up and posh! I used that religiously until age 28. My skin had always been very red, sensitive and dry and I eventually started wondering if the Clinique products were too harsh. I had a facial where the therapist confirmed this and recommended using simple products. It took about a year but my skin became noticeably better, for at least a while. Then, I just seemed to wake up about a year ago with old saggy skin from out of the blue. I know it is vain and a first world problem but it is really getting me down now. I hate the way I look.

So I'm ready to give up on simple and go for something which will work harder for my skin but I've spend quite a bit of time going from shop to shop, beauty counter to beauty counter and there is so much out there, I don’t know where to start and am a bit too intimidated to speak to the assistants. Firstly, it seems I need to know my skin type. That sounds easy but I don’t have a clue. I've always thought of my skin as dry but I don’t think it necessarily is anymore. I do have rosacea and my skin does tend to break out - especially along my cheekbones with certain products. I feel I look very shiny, especially around the chin and t-zone area but I've tried the blot test with no result so maybe not all that oily? I do get large cyst-like spots around my chin and jaw-line on a regular basis. I eat loads of fruit and veg and oily fish and have never smoked. I probably don’t drink as much water as I should but am making a conscious effort to change this. I am a bit overweight, which doesn’t help but am also working on this - also, I see lots of overweight people with lovely healthy looking skin so perhaps not really linked? Somehow my skin manages so look both red and dull at the same time, which seems like a bit of a feat.

I don’t have a lot of money to spend on skincare products although can increase from the simple range. I'm probably looking at the no.7 price range, although not necessarily their products. I had an origins eye cream sample a while back which I loved (didn’t realise there was a problem around my eyes, until I started using it, and then stopped) but their stuff is a bit expensive and the range is completely overwhelming. Maybe one item from their with complementary products elsewhere? I expect I need some kind of cleanser or micellar water? A new toner and moisturiser? One thing I've found, looking around, is that there are not a lot of toners out there - is this really needed? Am I stuck in the 90s? Possibly some kind of serum (I see some places have redness reducing products) and a night cream?

Please help me uncover younger, more radiant, tighter skin with a more even tone/less redness and hopefully few breakouts. Is this impossible?

knitknack yes but nobody is suggesting the OP uses olbas oil! I love Liz Earle products, I had similar skin to what the OP describes and it really lifts and balances out my skin tone. Lots of people swear by it. If I run out or can't afford to re-purchase and I try something else I regret it, its a false economy for me as nothing else is as good!

You might find the Facebook group 'Rosacea support group UK' helpful.

Liz Earle has eczema herself and designed her products because of the problems she has finding suitable products. I got into the products because a friend who also has eczema swears by them. So whilst some people may have reacted to some of the (largely natural) ingredients, you can't tell people just not to use it! Google liz Earle and eczema and you'll find lots of people saying they use it.

The My Trusty hand and face oil from the NHS has transformed my face skin in a way that high end products never have! It was developed for people with skin conditions but now marketed to the general public. All profits go to the NHS. £8.99 a bottle.

Just to add - best thing i found was to massage the My Trusty oil into the face before bed. Skin looks fab and dewy in the morning, and it also got rid of blemishes etc

Try Body Shop Camomile Cleansing butter. It's £10 but there is usually a 30 or 40% off offer kicking about if you google. You apply to dry skin, massage in and then wash off gently with a facecloth or muslin. It removes makeup, but if you're wearing a lot of makeup, it's a good idea to remove the bulk of it with a micellar water first.

The Camomile CB is lovely, smells amazing, incredibly gentle and leaves skin feeling soft and not at all dry. Then you can tone and moisturise afterwards. I'm using up a variety of toner samples at the moment (Clarins and Temple Spa one) but also use Alpha Gold 2/3 times a week. You can get that in M&S, buy when they do their 20% off Beauty.

Then again, I've been using up stocks of moisturiser but have also discovered the M&S Gormula range which so far has been really good for my skin. I used a day cream in the am and their sleep cream at night.

Makeup wise, I swear by Bourjois for a range of coverage. I use their 123 Perfect CC cream for daytime, it blurs well but is quite moisturing. In the summer I use their City Radiance Foundation. It's also light and mosituring. And for proper nights out, I use their Healthy Mix Serum Foundation. All those are under £10 and are on offer, or part of 3 for 2 in Boots/Superdrug.

I also use on its own (or miix a little bit with the Bourjois) Make Up Academy (online or in Superdrug) MUA Undress Your Skin Liquid Glow Pink Shimmer. Its £4 and one of my staples. It's not glittery or too shimmery, but on the apples of your cheeks, it just adds a bit of dewiness and 'life' to your face.

I also recently discovered blusher and realised I'd been missing out for years. I go for the more subtle colours (again, I have a few Bourjois Rose ones, who care long lasting, fairly tame but buildable)

Good luck, the S&B boards will have lots of suggestions. Before I buy anything I try to check reviews on Boots/Superdrug/Amazon/Mumsnet to see what folk think before diving in. I also take a look at a website called Make Up Alley which is American but they have reviews on a lot of UK products. It's quite an interesting read on a lunch break!

Sheesh, lots of typos but I hope you get the jist. The range is M&S is 'Formula', not 'Gormula'!!!

Toner is unnecessary and dries out skin, so just get rid of that step altogether. Also, is the dove soap bar one specifically designed for the face or is it the regular body one? Body one will be too harsh for the face, I'd recommend African black soap - about £2 on amazon and completely natural ingredients. In terms of moisturiser, the simple light one has never felt hydrating enough for me, especially in the winter, and a dehydrated face can definitely contribute to dullness.

I'm 41 and this is what I do. While my skin is still wet after a shower I massage extra virgin olive oil into my skin. Your skin needs to be wet otherwise oil sits on top of skin and doesn't absorb as well. Then I wait a little bit then gently dry myself with a towel. At first when I had read about it I thought I would end up with oily skin but decided to give it a try anyway. I was pleased with the results. I also tried coconut oil but my skin reacted by becoming really dry. I've read mixed results for coconut oil online. Some people it works really well for so might be worth a try and some people react like I did. Drink lots of water and herbal tea, exercise and fresh air. My skin seems to look better after spending time outside especially the beach. Google the benefits of olive oil for skin, see what comes up. Good luck.

P.s. I use Gaia bath and hair wash for babies to wash my face. I originally bought it for DD when she was a baby and have continued to use it as its so gentle and smells beautiful. I'm in Australia so not sure if it's available in the UK but I would think other natural baby products would be as good.

I've suffered from acne since a teen and used to get hormonal spots. They've significantly lessened. The sk:n clinic recommended Avene soapless gel cleanser (about a tenner from Boots) and the aknicare range. I still keep their lotion to hand for breakouts. I now use Liz Earle and it has transformed my skin, it's more even toned and glowy. Like you, my skin was dull. The Hot Cloth Cleanse, the serum in particular have made a big difference.

I’m roughly the same age as you and aside from my mostly genetic bags under my eyes, my skin is in good condition after an overhaul of my routine a couple of years ago, inspired partly by looking at the Caroline Hirons website and also dipping into the long running skin care thread that others have recommended. Also I have been upping my water intake to 2-3 litres a day.

The most interesting thing happened after I had eye surgery - I wasn’t allowed to wash my face or get my eye wet for around two weeks - so I used no make up and no products during that time and my skin looked incredible! Definitely made me think that most products were part of the problem and not the solution to good skin.

Key for me is to double cleanse and acid tone - I almost never get spots these days, and any I do get do not last for ages like they used to. I have a big stash of muslin cloths and flannels and only use them for a couple of days before washing. At the moment I’m using Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm with Nuxe Micellar Water to shift stubborn traces of make up, but I’ve been fine with most cleansers - DHC cleansing oil has been good too and Liz Earle fine (although less good since they changed the formula) as has the M&S Pure hot cloth cleanser. I use Pixi Glow to acid tone and I like it a lot although not everyone does. Cheaper acid toning like Nip and Fab pads were fine but perhaps a little harsh.

In terms of moisturising, I also like The Ordinary. It’s relatively cheap so I can use a few different things, although I’m fairly loyal to the Buffet serum morning and night. I also like the hyaluronic acid for daytime and squalene (sp) at nighttime and then I’ll use whatever moisturiser I’ve got as and when I need it for day time.

Every now and again I use Liquid Gold and go to bed without adding any moisturiser - the effect on my skin the next day is very visible.

I’m still struggling to find an eye cream that will work miracles on my under eye area. I’ve tried so many but I doubt there is one out there that is capable of such a miracle!

Another Liz Earle user my skin feels so much better using this! I never ever use dove products they dry my skin out.

La Roche Posay convert here too - can't believe the difference it has made

I don't have Rosacea but they have a range specifically for that

Avene are reported to be good too

Real mixed bag for Liz Earle, my mum buys me this religiously every Xmas so I always have some hanging around.

Never really felt blown away by it.

For cleanse/polish type of was I much prefer Emma Hardie Moringa Balm and taken off with a hot flannel! BLISS

Do you drink enough water? Increasing my water intake has mDe a world of difference to my skin.

So much information - and so much of it it like reading a foreign language

Had a family bereavement this week hence not having returned sooner to this thread, although I was reading and learning until Friday and picking up the rest now.

I noticed that No7 currently have all cleansers reduced to £5 so nipped out at lunchtime one day last week to have a look. The sales assistant wasn't particularly helpful in helping me determine the best product for my skin type, so I went for the one that suits all skin types - www.boots.com/no7-soft-and-soothed-gentle-cleanser-10138952 , although now reading the online description, I see it does say normal/dry.

Anyway, it has been three days and my skin is worse than ever - lots of pimples coming to the surface and the rosecea is pretty bad. I don't know if this is just impurities coming to the surface and one of these things that has to get worse before it gets better or if I should just stop now. My skin doesn't even feel as clean as it used to under my old regime (and, yes, I should have said, it is the Dove face bar that I use, not the general one), especially in the evening - I don't feel the cleanser is fully removing my make-up so maybe go back to using the dove bar, followed by the cleanser to see if that makes a difference.

I suppose I do also need to consider the fact that it has been a stressful few days also, which will have had an effect - my rosecea definitely flares up with stress, so perhaps not a fair test at the moment.

I must admit, just the thought of an acid cleanser, sounds way too harsh and I have been dazzled and confused by the sheer range of products in the ordinary range and have no idea where to start. I may email them, as someone up thread suggested. I think my next stop, however, will be Liz Earl. I can't really afford to buy loads of new products at once and again, as another poster suggested, it may be better to introduce products one at a time anyway. I've pretty much determined that overall, and in time, the minimum I need is a good cleanser, some kind of serum/balm to tame the redness, a better moisturiser and a night cream.

I'd stop, if your skin complains it's trying to tell you something.

Liz Earle has eucalyptus & Cocoa butter in it, bot can cause spots/irritate inflamed skin.

Have you tried a basic grape seed oil?.

Have you seen the dr about the roseacea? I thought there was a cream they can prescribe now that kills the mites that cause it? It might be consultant only though. Solantra or something.

I've got an led face mask, it's reduced a lot of my inflammation & my face looks younger but it's time intensive.

If you really like to wash your face OP another cleanser to consider might be Aveda face wash, but I think Liz Earle might really work for you, it comes with two face cloths but just buy yourself a cheap packet of flannels too.

m.aveda.co.uk/product/5356/16929/skin-care/cleanser/botanical-kinetics-purifying-gel-cleanser

Please tell us about the LED mask, Fluffy?

I would deal with the rosacea first. I suffered for years, but got a tube of Rosex gel (private prescription because I was too impatient to wait for GP) and it's pretty much gone. If I get the odd breakout a couple of applications gets rid.
I also use REN hot cloth cleanser at night, using a clean flannel each night. I've used Nip and Fab glycolic fix serum which is good for dealing with blemishes. Have also just started using Skin Facialist serum which has salicylic acid in - great for spots.
I don't think things have to 'get worse before they get better' with skin. I think if your skin is reacting to the No 7 cleanser, stop using it and take it back for a refund.

OP I would be wary of products that are 'natural' especially if you have such sensitive/troubled skin. I would go for products which have a very short list of ingredients. A dermatologist once told me this was important - even if the ingredients look 'chemically'. Eg I use Avene (the anti-redness range). All very mild with short lists of ingredients. I found the cleanser and moisturiser very good at calming my skin. They may not be 'powerful' enough for some, but they certainly don't aggravate my skin. Sometimes 'natural' or 'performing' is just too harsh for some skin types. I have learnt the hard way and I really believe that 'less is more' (less interference and keeping my skin care routine to the bare minimum - I use a gentle cleanser and a moisturiser and that is it!) stops me getting flare-ups etc.

I also think you should be wary of fiddling too much with your skin. Too much rubbing etc is not going to help a condition like rosacea.

Chardonnay

I'm using this one. I do 20 mins of each colour with red being used last.

The straps not great and it's too heavy to hold so I lie down.

I was in the middle of an allergic reaction to sulphites when it arrived, about 6 huge red solid balls of inflammation on my chin and forehead & did it twice a day. They began to shrink rapidly and now I'm down to little pink marks where they had been.

On the day it arrived I was too ashamed to open the front door, 4 days later I was able to cover them with make up for Christmas Eve.

There was a little thread vein, that seems to be shrinking too. Only I'd notice it TBH anyway but it did bother me.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01NANWGRK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

The link would help.

Thanks, I’ll look it up.
I have been thinking of NuFace or something similar.