Ok so this is the horrible reality of my face

[Damocat]

Can anyone take a look at my routine and advise please?

What would you add/take away/do differently?

AM
Cleanse (LRP toleraine or Clinique ttdo -is it ok to use ttdo in the morning??)
Tone (Vichy purete)
HA (dragons blood)
TO caffeine eye stuff
TO buffet
Facial sun cream (Nivea import or heliocare both factor 50)

PM
Double cleanse (elemis oil cleanser/ttdo/lrp toleraine)
Acid tone (alternate pixi glow and REN salicylic one)
HA
Vichy lift activ eye stuff
TO buffet
Night cream (Korres wild rose atm but this is coming to an end)
TO vitamin c (not really used this yet as I’ve just finished an una Brennan vit c serum which I was using in place of buffet)

Sunday night I use alpha h liquid gold and no serum/cream

The recent changes are:
Using acid toner in the pm rather than the Vichy
Using the Vichy in the am rather than not toning in the mornings
Using TO stuff in place of other serum (I was using the lift activ eye stuff am and pm previously)
Using proper sunscreen rather than moisturiser with factor 25/30

Sebaceous filaments on nose are slightly less obvious than they were
Forehead very slightly less congested looking
Skin looks a bit brighter than it did
No difference in fine lines/wrinkles
I’ve always had those dark circles (since childhood) so don’t think anything will change those, although I live in hope.

Any advice?

ChardonnaysPrettySister

Your skin needs to breathe and you need to rest.

What utter nonsense. Skin doesn't breathe.

It gets oxygen from your blood, but it does not process oxygen from the air.

Jeez. It was a manner of speaking! Calm down.

I never use expensive stuff - although I can afford it - and my skin has always been fabulous. I think it’s down to my good genes, frankly.

waits...

Sunblock at night? What level of madness is this!?

TBH I think you are messing about with it too much

Gentle but effective cleanse morning and evening
Moisturiser with SPF (unless this triggers flare-ups or dryness) in the day
Very straightforward moisturiser in the evening
Gentle exfoliation once per week
Decent facial every other month if you can afford it

Drink water
Eat vegetables
Walk outside

Sunblock at night? What level of madness is this!?

It's not happening, just something you've made up.

that's like 12 products
you're not letting any of them do their job

your skin doesn't look horrible though!

Totally depends how old you are, OP.

Looking at that photo, it is impossible to say, but:

If you are 45 you looks great, no lines at all, no 11 between the eyebrows

If you are 25, I also think you look fine but the bags under your eyes are quite marked

I would say fewer products, exp at night, lots more sleep and less worrying.

Interesting replies thank you.

Funnily enough I used to have a very simple routine (cleanse and moisturise) and 2/3 years ago when I noticed a rapid increase in wrinkles and had dry dull skin I posted and the overwhelming advice then was that I needed to do more, specifically cleanse in the morning as well as at night, use serum as well as moisturiser, and to use acids

I wasn’t ready to use acids then but after having no bathroom for months (long story) and going back to a very basic routine earlier this year my skin was awful so I reintroduced toner and serum then read up a bit on the acid toners and asked for them for Christmas.

It’s not really that much is it? Just your basic cleanse tone moisturise with the addition of serum and an eye cream. It certainly doesn’t take long, a couple of minutes at most.

Interesting about the vitamin c giving a yellow cast tiffanysfanny hasn’t heard that before. Also wondering about the caffeine eye stuff, started using it because it was meant to improve dark circles . I’ve always had awful dark circles though and can’t say I’ve noticed them looking any worse...

Thanks for the diet/sleep advice, I eat pretty healthily (bit much chocolate over Christmas), drink loads of water and barely any alcohol, don’t smoke, and am in bed by 10 every night so I don’t think it’s that but I suppose there’s always room for improvement.

Stop stripping your skin. Plus acid should only be used once ever 2weeks max imo.

It ruins your protective layers.

You need to chill and reduce to about 5 products.

Oops sorry lots of those replies weren’t showing when I posted for some reason, I’ll read properly when I get a chance thank you

How old are you?

I use Lush 9-5 cleaner and Roma Water toner on a night, every three days I use Dkin Food rice wash off mask.
Then cetaphil moisturiser and etude house serum.

Don’t scrub, burn or dry your skin to hell - MOISTURISE IT .

Regardless of what you're putting on your face, my advice (hippy dippy though it may sound) is to stop calling it 'horrible'. It's not horrible. It's your skin.

I don't know how old you are or what specifically you think is the 'horrible reality' part of your forehead, but the title of this post is the only bit that really hit home for me.

If you're using these products to care for your skin and be nice to yourself, that's one thing – if you're relating to yourself as something horrible that needs fixing, that's going to do far worse to your skin than using a different brand of serum.

Yes, hippy dippy angle here, but my 2 cents? Watch your language - it's powerful stuff.

I agree with LazyBee, I'm learning to love myself more too, it's difficult but so worth the effort!

I'm still not clear what you think is "wrong" with your face??

I can't see anything wrong with your face, OP!

(And whoever recommended wipes - they aren't a good idea as they don't clean properly and just leave residue on your face. They will keep your wallet nice and light, though.)

Your skin looks good to me, though I don't know your age?

I do think you are using too many products on a daily basis, and acid toning too much, but my skin is sensitive and doesn't like too much exfoliation.

I honestly believe that there is no need to use cleanser in the morning but I know others disagree. Here is my routine:

AM wash face in shower.
sunblock SPF 50

PM cleanse with either Superdrug cream cleanser then hot cloth cleanser or both, depending on whether I've had makeup on
Once a week acid exfoliate
Once a week Ordinary retinoid
Followed by Cetaphil moisturiser
On other days, either nothing, Superdrug basic serum and/or Cetaphil after cleansing

I sometimes use Boots glycerin and rosewater in a spray bottle as a hydrating toner.

My regimen as recommended by a consultant cosmetic dermatologist involved massively stripping back but that's because we were starting me on prescription skin creams for acne (significantly more effective and less expensive than most skincare brands)

Cleansing absolutely essential twice daily - she recommended LRP Toleraine dermo cleanser

I now use prescription azelaic acid cream in the morning, then followed by a very lightweight moisturiser (I use LRP Toleraine fluide) and then absolute must of SPF 50

All in one SPF moisturiser might as well not bother at all, SPF needs to be separate to be properly effective

Evening I cleanse and use a retinoid (for me it's prescription tretinoin gel) and moisturise if I feel dry

So no toners or serums

The only things proven to make any difference to anti ageing are SPF and retinoids

My skin is also much less dehydrated since I stopped all the acid toning

I don’t even take my make up off half the time.
My skin breaks out on my chin sometimes but it’s not that bad.
Give yourself a break.

Have you considered retinol?