People with great skin: How do you get great skin?!

[Ponocky]

I'm 30 and I look, quite frankly, haggard.

I've never had good skin. I first got acne when I was 8 and only really got any control over it when I was about 28, but that seems to be slipping. I found products using glycolic acid really helped control my oily skin which in-turn resulted in less spots and blackheads. I've continued using it but it's not helping these days. I look gaunt, grey and my complexion is rubbish.

I've always hard dark circles under my eyes too. I try to drink at least 1 litre of water a day as I've heard hydration helps this problem but I've never seen a noticeable improvement. I also use a caffeine under eye roller thingy but it also does nothing.

I eat healthily and exercise regularly. I don't get as much sleep as I'd like as I'm a full time working mum to a nearly one year old.

Any tips from people with dewy, glowing, pore-less skin would be very much appreciated. TIA!

I haven't got great skin but I've got good skin, I've always cleansed with a cream cleanser and cotton wool, generally I don't use face wash, maybe a wash off oil or balm but never a wash which I find very striping. I always moisturise with a creamy thick moisturizer and use a eye cream. I'm lucky to come from a family who aren't spotty but I do have to worry about dryness, wrinkles and eczema. I don't use harsh chemicals such as peels or acids and exfoliate every few weeks. In the sun I use spf 40 or higher. I do at the moment have 2 red lumps on my cheek which might be spots but I've binned my make up sponge as washing it does sweet fa! For me moisturisation is key and I do my best to keep my skin plump and moist. I'm currently using Decleor and Origins and I'm quite happy with them both!

What is your diet like? I suffered with acne in my teens but now have what I consider to be good skin, and frequently get compliments on what nice skin I have. I take a multivitamin (ABC from holland and Barrett which contains biotin which is essential for good skin) and I also follow a vegetarian diet with very few refined carbs. I have tried every product under the sun but my skin only permenantly improved when I sorted out my diet and made sure it consisted of lots of fresh veg and fruit and very few refined carbs/processed foods.

I use khiels every day face wash morning and night, and moisturise with the khiels stressed skin cream.

Hope this helps a bit :)

In fact, just to add, I've recently splashed out on the Origins Plantscription lifting cream, I bought a mini gift set with the full size cream and lots of freebies. I'm very excited as I turn 40 this year and don't want to start looking older. It arrived today and I love it. I cannot wait to try all the extra bits.

Moisturise loads, drink lots of liquids (but not necessarily water), and sit in the sun (well that bit works for me!).

Truthfully though it seems to be a combo of moisturising and keeping it clean, not messing around too much. I was with a flannel and hot water (cleanser if I can be bothered), am late 40s and have very good, smooth and plump skin.

My skin is not bad - I use a hot cloth cleanser (superdrug), and nip and fab glycolic peel pads every other day.

I don't have great skin, but one thing that improved it from rubbish to ok was being consistent - once you get into a routine always stick to it and always take your makeup off properly etc even if you're knackered.

Dark circles (under eyes) is mostly hereditary so I think you are better off accepting them or buying a good concealer.

I do have dark circles but my skin is good, I am 48 and have just a few wrinkles around my eyes, some obvious pores on nose but never get spots. I have never smoked. I dont bother with sunscreen. I use a cream cleanser and flannel to clean and micellar water. I dont moisturise everyday, maybe every other morning. I would never use any of these new acids on my face.

I am plump, size 14, no drastic weight loss but I think the main thing that keeps me looking ok is HRT

My skin is adequate, despite splurging on expensive face creams the best thing that seems to make a difference is eating avocados and oily fish. A good nights sleep helps too.

Always remove your makeup with two kinds of cleanser - one oil based and one water based. Then use a brightening toner and moisturise religiously using a moisturiser that has sun protection. I really like the Liz Earle range but shop around for what suits you. You're going to do the above routine twice daily - it will take 5 mins at a time.

Then once a week you're going to use a really good quality brightening face mask. Again, shop around for what works for you. Also once a week you're going to exfoliate - but make sure it's not a harsh one or one involving plastic microbeads. Again, I recommend Liz Earle.

Keep drinking loads of water and getting as much sleep as you can (hard, I know!)

Simple. Have parents with great skin.

Ive got great skin, nails and teeth. Just like my mum

Genetics mainly. But don't smoke, don't drink (can't say I follow that!), eat plenty fruit and veg, do exercise every day, get enough sleep and stay out of the sun. Don't have a complicated skin routine, wash with water and use a cheap and simple moisturiser if you want. Don't wear makeup. I'm 47 and regularly get people telling me I have lovely skin.

I don't necessarily agree with using two cleansers, that can be hit and miss depending on skin type. Unless I've been wearing a ton of make up, one does me just fine.

I have ok skin, but have some sun damage cos I was an idiot and didn't use sun cream when I was living somewhere hot.

I live in Korea and I use a lot of Korean skincare products. I find them less harsh than western products. There's a ton of information online about what to use. There is this belief that all Korean women use 80 different products, but that's just not true. What they do do is stay out of the sun, always remove their make up and moisturise a lot and generally in layers. My MIL is 60 and has better skin than me (I'm 37) and I'm not even exaggerating. Not a line on her.

Whitening creams from Korea are not bleaching, contrary to what people think, but they are what gives Korean women that dewy look.

I do think it's partly down to genes. I
Do have good skin, and I also have a Mediterranean mum with lush skin too. I also use a flannel to wash my face and a cheap facial wash from Sainsbury's! Also, loads of water! (To drink!)

Think you're supposed to stay out of the sun! But I do miss that glow I used to get from a light tan.

Exercise, eat loads of fruit and veg. Lots of good fats. Don't crash diet. Regular facials. Fish oils. Lots of water (or equivalent).
Reduce alcohol (I struggle with this). Sugar is bad too. Good skincare routine.
No stress! Lots of sleep. Sigh, it's very difficult.

Also, do you wear makeup? I reckon a good foundation/blusher can make you feel like a new woman!

Agree with Judas, I am always told I have nice skin. I do bugger all to make it that way.

I don't ever cleanse my face, it only gets cleaned in the shower just with water. I moisturise only after a shower and i just use whatever is on offer in Boots.

I hardly ever wear makeup and if i do it's on a night out so it doesn't get removed until the next day.

I very occasionally use nip and fab glycolic pads but that's it.

I double cleanse religiously, I don't use any kind of acids on my face, I drink 2 litres of water daily and I have great skin. Not ok-ish skin but genuinely great, glowing skin. I've no idea if genetics are a factor (I'm adopted) but I know that my skin is flawless when I take good care of it.

Also, I'm 36 and have - since my teens- used an SPF moisturiser each morning. I'm certain that's contributed. I've never sunbathed or deliberately tanned because it just doesn't suit my skin. On holidays I use the same SPF on my own skin I do on the DCs.

I’m the same age as you, I don’t have a hint of a wrinkle, no visible pores, only occasional spots and never had acne. I have some dryness and skin tone could be more evenly coloured (pitfalls of fair skin) but yes I would generally say I have ‘good skin’.

How? Largely genetics. My siblings and parents also have good skin. None of us had more than a few spots throughout our teenage years. But also I always take off my make up, using micellar water and a cream conditioning cleanser, and very hydrating moisturisers both ends of the day. I also sometimes use a glycolic toner, a hydrating serum and a vitamin serum, and I’ve started using a couple of The Ordinary products some days but not all of these every day.

I eat very little refined sugar - a chocolate bar is a genuine treat, less than once a month, cake only at birthdays, drink about 2-3litres of water a day. I have generally kept out of the sun. Any spots I do get I don’t pick, never have, so no scaring. I don’t smoke, I do drink though.

So I do look after it. My skin is prone to dryness and redness when I don’t, so clearly the products are doing something. But the genetics are almost definitely the biggest fact here.

I do eat a lot of veg and good fats, oily fish, nuts, avocado etc. Most of my skincare is Superdrug own (fab stuff)

I would say it’s genetic. I smoke, I never wash make up off at night, and I probably don’t drink enough water but I’ve always been extremely lucky that I never had spots, and at 49 have hardly any wrinkles. But all the females in my family are the same.

Genetics. I smoke, I don’t take off my makeup at night, I don’t moisturise and my diets not great. My family all have really good skin though.

Thank you everyone for the quick and super knowledgeable and thorough replies!

To quickly cover some questions asked:

I barely wear any makeup except for on my eyes as I'm fearful of using foundation because it's only ever made my skin worse.

I do remove all make up before bed though.

I cleanse tone and moisturise morning and night with Nip + Fab's glycolic acid range.

I exfoliate once a week or less. Anymore than that seems to dry my skin out.

I eat very healthily but do struggle with the amount I eat and consuming fats. I used to be anorexic and food still scares me some days. It feels like i'm constantly on a diet even though i'm not. I'm 5ft 9" and weigh about 56kg. I'm athletic though rather than skinny thanks to the exercise I do. I'm guessing this isn't helping with the gauntness and what not .

I will have a proper read of all your responses once I finish work tonight and reply individually to all that I can tomorrow. I really appreciate everyone's help and advice though! You've given me hope!

Yep, a lot of it is genes. Dammit.

Also, I don't smoke and never have, but I do drink once a week... because I feel I've earned it on a Friday night lol. I have about 3 vodka and diet cokes. If giving up booze completely would help my cause though I would consider it.