I need help understanding skin care routines

[pisspawpatrol]

Please can I have a list and plan for a simple, non expensive skin care routine for acne prone and oily skin?

Background to this: I saw a NHS dermatologist today for adult acne, eczema and keratosis pilaris. He basically gave me a list of things to google and sent me on the way and i'm still confused about what I should be doing in terms of skincare routine.

I've got sensitive but oily, hormonal acne prone skin, with a lot of black heads and lots of cystic spots on my chin and jawline area. Up to now i've been using Simple moisturising face wash followed by simple light moisturiser in the mornings and then Simple miscellar water and Simple light moisturiser in the evenings. I exfoliate once or twice a week, because any more than that really irritates my skin.

The dermatologist has suggested using glycolic acid in my 'routine' and also that exfoliating and moisturising regularly with occasional use of salicylic acid might help my keratosis pilaris on my upper arms.

I've also just stumbled upon Caroline Hirons' blog and now am more confused than ever, because the routine she recommends has about twenty products in it and I just don't have the funds for that kind of routine!

Please can someone help? I'm in my 30's and feel like a clueless teenager!

Have a long read through the fantastic skincare thread and ask the lovely and very knowledgeable ladies on there.
I used to follow CH but then realised there's a helluva lot of (admittedly transparent) product placement going on.
The skincare gurus (Botemp etc) will recommend things that really work and often are loads cheaper than big named stuff.
For the KP you could start with Ameliorate and a Korean Italian sponge (look on Amazon) dd uses both. She also tried the Avene cream for KP but says she sees a bigger difference with Ameliorate. It's often on offer on Look Fantastic etc.

PS Simple products are anything but.
Have a look at La Roche Posay. I have dry aging skin, but dd uses Effaclar for spots and I'm sure they do a range for oily.

Glycolic acid has been amazing for my skin, which is a combination of dry, oily, prone to redness and massive hormonal spots. I normally do it every night for 3/4 days then switch back to every couple of days. I use glycolic fix 6% by nip+fab. It not only exfoliates (like a mild chemical peel) but it makes forces your skin to retain/absorb moisture. Truly I wouldn’t be without it now and I notice the difference when I don’t use it. I always always moisturise afterwards, otherwise my skin goes into overdrive producing grease!

I would say from CH I have taken that you really don’t need to ‘exfoliate’ in the traditional sense, a decent non foaming cleanser combined with a flannel is the equivalent and gentler version.

The ordinary sell glycolic and salicylic acid for a small amount, I would say the glycolic definitely makes a difference and the salicylic & niacinimide work well too.

I think you need to start small and build your way up, so start with 2 or 3 products and see how you get on with them first but in my experience the simple stuff is simply a load of crap

Thank you! I will look for the skincare thread now.

Is there anything at the same sort of price range of Simple that anyone can recommend, but is better than Simple?

Did the dermatologist not offer to prescribe anything?! If you’ve got cystic acne, that seems pretty bad! Your doc must have felt you needed some treatment if they referred you xxx

Morning - cleanse, vitamin c and SPF
Evening - cleanse, retinol
Serum if you get a bit dry from retinol
Acid tone twice a week
Build from here
Easy!!

Nip & Fab products are always on offer, bogofs etc and are very good. I love their glycolic pads.
I did think though that salicylic is more for oily/spots rather than glycolic. Might be wrong though.

The Inkey List products are great and cheap, their glycolic acid is brilliant and actually a decent strength, 10% from memory.

I'm not in the UK but I think Aldi do a v cheap but great glycolic too? As do Superdrug? I'm sure UK mumsnetters can confirm.

A good starting point...
www.carolinehirons.com/2013/06/routines-cheat-sheet.html

Pop and have a look at The Inkey List's range if products and they do the active ingredients you're looking for without the massive price tag. I use their hyaluronic acid serum and love it, plus it's under a fiver! They do all of the Salicyclic and glycolic you're looking for too. Hope you find something!

m.feelunique.com/brands/the-inkey-list

The Inkey List is fab, as is QRXlabs. Less choice but much better than The Ordinary imvho.

Inky list looks interesting, I notice alcohol in one of the moisturisers though. For a baseline routine OP I would try and switch to La Roche Posay, it is pricey but boots often have discounts as do the online store Escentual with 1/3 off regularly.
You want to start by having a basic routine that you know is not irritating your skin - I use LRP toleriane cleanser with a flannel then the same moisturiser. Then you can start to add additional stuff but start with a 'clean' baseline. I've done this and seen very good results. Simple products were terrible for my skin because of mineral oil among other things.

Pinkrach no, he said he didn't think I need antibiotics. My skin is relatively ok at the moment, it's almost six months since I was referred. I'm also TTC so he was reluctant to prescribe anything contra-indicated in pregnancy.

ruggypeg thank you! that's more much sensible in the number of steps than the Caroline Hirons version.

MoltonSilver as you'll see from my OP the Caroline Hirons cheat sheet is what has confused me in the first place. She uses SO many products.

Inkey List was on the list of suggestions from the dermatologist, so will have a look there too. He also suggested the superdrug version of Nip+Fab.

TiddleTaddleTat thanks for the recommendation. The simple stuff is a minor improvement over my old routine, which I started 15+ years ago as a teenager and never changed until someone else suggested using Simple.

I think you need a different dermatologist.
Can you go private? My friends DC just went private and had a 6-month regime of medication and apparently won't ever get acne now. She nipped it in the bud.

Hi, you can email or facebook message DECIM the owners of the ordinary and they can send you a routine to follow. They are very helpful. Also, look at Dermatica they are an online dermatologist whom can prescribe topical creams for you. You fill out the online consultation and upload 3 photos and they recommend treatment for you. It costs £20 per month. You can get your first month for £5 using the code CHILDS. I've just signed up to them to get tretinoin.

I've had good results with the ordinary azelaic acid and nip+fab glycolic serum. Fewer cystic outbreaks.

The niacinamide and zinc may work well for you. Definitely email Deciem.

I use a face halo and Glossier milky cleanser, very gentle.

I have dry but spotty skin, mine doesn't turn over skin cells well so I need the exfoliation from the glycolic. It works a treat.

I have a different facial skin type to you.

However, I have found that the best thing for my upper arm keratosis pilaris is as follows:

Wash with simple bar soap using a muslin cloth.
Once a week use a body scrub like sanctuary spa.
Wipe the top of my arms with pixie glow tonic (I have just switched to the Aldi Dupe and it is just as good)
Moisturise with bio oil
Every couple of days put a foot cream on top.

I used to have dry and flaky keratosis pilaris all over my upper arms now they are baby soft.

I’m working on my legs so may give the sacylatic acid a try.

Oh, excellent! thanks for that suggestion. How are the little bumpy spotty bits? That's my main issue with with the KP, not so much the dryness at the moment.

My skin type is similar and I’ve been using the following: (disclaimer, I have no specialist knowledge but the following has worked well)

AM: la Roche posay effaclar cleanser
Superdrug simply pure hydrating serum
Aldi caviar moisturiser

PM:
Simple oil based cleanser
Paula’s choice BHA acid (this is AMAZING)
Superdrug simply pure hydrating night serum.

Check out reddit skincare addition - Cerave products always well thought of.

Thanks Tigger.

I found an unopened pot of boots botanics hot cloth cleanser in the bathroom drawer, so i've been using that morning and night for three days. My skin looks a little brighter, but i think that's the exfoliating from the face cloths. It feels heavy on my face though.

I'm down a deep rabbit hole of skin care blogs etc at the moment.