Please critique my regime

[Bucketfullofcustard]

I’m a bit down in the dumps about my skin at the moment. Despite being quite disciplined with my skincare, my complexion is (very) red, my blackheads are rife and I, basically, look a bit grim!

My current routine is:
Am: oil cleanse (hemp), vit c serum, azelaic acid, q10 serum, cerave moisturiser and LRP Anthelios suncreen (I don’t wear any make up except mascara)

Pm: oil cleanse, then I alternate salicylic acid on one night and 0.5% retin a on the other ... followed by a thin layer of Vaseline.

I’m ready to accept it could be the retin a that is responsible for the excessive perma-redness (although I wouldn’t mind it so much if I wasn’t also still plagued with blackheads and pimples).

Thought about adding hyalauronic acid, but I feel I’m already using so many products. Or maybe swapping my hemp oil for the ordinary squalane cleanser.

Feel like giving up the expense and bother of all this skincare malarky when I still look rubbish at the end of it 🙁.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

I don’t know what to say apart from you are using a lot of stuff on your face - maybe it’s overloading you’re skin and making the spots ?

Oil cleansing just didn't work for my combination skin, left me with blocked pores and spots. I now double cleanse with micellar water followed by a wash using a tiny dab of wash-off foaming cleanser (Kiehls if I'm flush, Superdrug b. if skint). I then follow up with rosewater toner, q10 serum and moisturiser. Pores are clearer and less visible now.

Yeah, agree with PP- that's a lot of gunk that could be clogging your pores and causing a problem. I just use a zero soap baby shower gel on mine and very rarely get any spots, but maybe you have really problematic skin, in which case maybe pay to see a dermatologist and see what they say?

Oil cleansing was awful for my skin too. I can’t imagine Vaseline is helping the black heads.

What about stripping everything back? I just use face wash with a konjac sponge, a bit of moisturiser if I need it and a glycolic acid treatment a couple of times a week. All cheap from Superdrug.

My skin has never been better.

I’d maybe drop the oil cleansing and use something like Cerave hydrating cleanser. Nothing with fragrance.

I’d drop the salicylic acid whilst using Retin-A, and add in hyaluronic acid AM and PM added to damp skin

Um I'm just soap and water and no 7 moisturiser in the morning and a very un-pc wipe in the evening. I'm 57 and haven't noticed any difference between now and when I used to cleanse, tone, serum and moisturise morning and evening.

No way would I put Vaseline on. I agree with stripping it all back. You don't need half that stuff.

And I'd say vaseline is way too heavy to use on your face.

You need to tone, every morning and evening, maybe try a different cleanser, the oil might not be a good fit

I may be out of touch here, but what’s the thinking behind the Vaseline? I can see how it would stop water evaporating out of your skin, but don’t you want a night cream to nourish as well?
I’d be concerned a petrochemical world block pores and be an irritant, adding to the redness and contesting the pimples.

Congesting!

Agree you should cut back on the products but add a weekly clay mask, Origins do a good one which is gentle but great for blackheads

Avene has a nice anti redness moisturiser that doesn't clog pores, might also be worth a try.

I’d say drop the oil cleansing and the Vaseline.

I actually don’t use anything over my retin a at night and skin is fine. But when I did I used La Roche Posey Cicaplast and that was good.

Vaseline will be clogging up your skin.

I use Cetaphil in the morning followed by Aldi's version of Pixi glow and then This Works hyluronic, Aldi rose oil and then Clarins hydro-essence day cream.
Night time take off the eye makeup with Boots basic cucumber remover, Fresh Soy cleanser with a konjac sponge, and then rose oil and M & S night cream.

Thanks so much for all the replies!

I really wanted the oil cleansing to be beneficial ... but I think many of you are right in saying it may not be a good fit.

TableNiner - good idea. Clearly the salicylic acid isn’t doing much for the blackheads so it won’t hurt to drop it.

I would not recommend Vaseline on your face. My daily routine is: I scrub once a week, cleanse (micellar water) am and pm, tone (vitamin c) day and night then I apply a serum followed by suncream (Am only) and then either a q10 ,vitamin c day or night cream.

I would second the cerave hydrating cleanser - completely inoffensive and is a non foaming wash of gel type which doesn't strip. Then maybe a glycolic acid every other day and a rosewater toner on the others? And then maybe if the salacylic acid isn't doing it for you just stick to moisture and go for a hydrating serum such as vichy mineral 89 and a night cream rather than the Vaseline which might be clogging. Those are my (non expert) recommendations any way! (For reference i have oily skin prone to hormonal breakouts and blackheads and this combo is working for me currently) X

Are you using all that on your face every day? I'd wager your skin barrier is stressed and that's why you're getting spots.

I've also oil cleansed and it did nothing for me., I got bad cystic acne afterwards. I do still use an oil cleanser but the wash off kind, to dissolve makeup and sunscreen. Then I follow up with a foaming, low-pH wash to get rid of any dregs.

Vaseline molecules are too big to get in your pores and clog them, but I still don't think you're using it well. It's an excellent occlusive, so it forms a protective layer that seals in moisture. But you're not giving it any, you're just using very harsh products every night.

I'd suggest removing retin-A and salicylic acid completely for a while. Just Cerave cleanser (for example), and a moisturiser. Maybe the q10 serum if you like it. Let your skin calm down for a few weeks. Then you can re-introduce retin-A OR the salicylic once a week. After seeing how you tolerate it you can add the other.

I recommend the very dedicated skincare threads, here's the latest one (almost full) www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/3607276--Fantastic-Skincare-Shitting-About-All-Day-Discussing-Co-Dictionary?pg=1 and there's a link in the OP to all the previous ones and also to great documents with facts about skincare. I'd recommend reading about the skin barrier and over-exfoliating, I think that's what you're doing at the moment.

Also recommend Cerave (Look Fantastic have 25% off at the moment and some bundles). Maybe also look at their moisturisers too, you could get the one with spf which would mean one less product on your skin. I'd also drop everything else except for the azelaic acid.

Garden of Wisdom from Victoria Health do a good pore cleaning powder.

Oil cleansing does nothing for my skin and it hates being overloaded with serums and rich creams.

Great tips! Thanks everyone

I’m already using cerave moisturiser in the morning but will use in the evening aswell now and drop the Vaseline. I do have the cerave cleanser already as I was using it for a while previously (I swapped for the oil in the hope of improving my pores but I think the oil has just aggrevated it).
This morning I swapped the oil cleanse for the cerave cleanser and my skin was less red immediately!

Thanks for the tip about the discount Destinesia ... I’ll definitely take advantage of the offer 👍. Also, the GOW powder sounds good too (almost all my serums are GOW so I’d happily give the powder a go).

Gosh that's just so much,

Cleanse it and moisturise. Guarantee it will clear up in a few days

Banivani thanks for the link - I’ll take a look!
Yes, I think you are right. I’ve noticed in the past when I’ve used products that are too drying or contain ingredients like witch hazel that it makes my skin worse.

Can I ask which oil cleanser you use? As I don’t wear any base I can probably get away with just the cerave on a daily basis - but on the rare occasion I use foundation it would be good to have something a bit richer.

Bluntness yes, agreed - it’s probably just overkill!

(And I didn’t even mention the 10% glycolic peel and clay mask that I do every few weeks )

I would strip it right back and stop the oil cleanse. Come over to the skincare threads linked above

Honestly I'm surprised you've any skin left, all that stuff must be so clogging up your skin, no wonder it's red with black heads. Honestly I'm surprised it's not a hell of a lot worse.