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!!

It is possibly the retinol causing the reddening
I have acne prone skin and do

Am
Cleanse with a lotion type cleanser
Serum
Moisturiser
SPF

Pm
Eye makeup remover
Cleanse with balm

Then either
Acid toner, serum, moisturiser
Hydrating toner, retinol, moisturiser

Bucket at the moment I’m using Sephora’s cleansing oil, but my next bottle is Muji. I’m not too fussed. Babor make a nice one. But do note I’m using it in a double cleanse routine - if I have nothing on my skin really I’d use my foaming cleanser. At the moment I’m using Cosrx Good Morning something. I’ve used loads, I like them low pH and inexpensive.

If you’re not wearing makeup I’d skip it for now. Use a gentle foaming cleanser and let your skin calm down first.

If you have adult acne, think seriously about seeing a good dermatologist- you'd have to pay around £250 but you are spending a fortune on products anyway and making your skin worse. Look at the websites of your local private hospitals for names and their specialisms.

Really, less is more with skin a lot of the time.

I have good skin in my 60s and my rules are:

remove make up with something gentle and innocuous .
I alternate with Clinique Take the Day off Balm (used with a hot flannel) or micellar water.

Moisturise with something perfume-free and with some peptides in.
I like Olay 3 point Regenerist but that's just me!

Sun block at least spf30 every single day.

Occasionally I will exfoliate - loving Evolve Beauty masks either the fruit acid based one or the chocolate mask! (yes, really.)
In cold weather I might add in their serum or an oil at bedtime.

You are aggravating your skin with all those products.

It doesn’t sound like your skin has much opportunity to breathe. You are very disciplined to follow all the steps and you could try a gentler nurturing approach. It looks like you are stripping your skin whilst attempting to achieve a clean complexion.
Try a different cleanser every other day (Cetaphill for example).
If you are determined to stick with an oil for cleansing, try a lighter one like Jojoba and make sure you wash it off properly. This should help reduce blackspots. Ditch the Vaseline.
Or consider the Eve Lom cleansing balm - expensive but lasts for ages and is amazing.
Salicylic acid shouldn’t be used that often in your case. Cut it down to once a week. Keep glycolic to once a week too. Maybe give up on one of them.
Clay masks can be very drying. You are better off to either make your own so you benefit from the deep cleanse (choose a clay powder you like, mix with rose water or chamomile tea and add whatever you want like honey, pure vit E oil etc. Clay shouldn’t touch metal so prepare using ceramic or wooden utensils)
Persevere with the retinol but don’t use any harsh acids or exfoliant or enzyme toners on the same day.
Some hyaluronic acids are a bit too thick, the HadaLabo one is one of the lighter ones.
Keep the azaleic as it helps with the redness.
Use a healing cream to address dryness (plain old calendula cream is great at repairing skin, I use it on our entire family including the dog)
Honey is great at healing too. Mix with fresh aloe Vera and yoghurt to make a mask then use chamomile tea as a toner afterwards.

Banivani I used to use the Decleor micellar oil form as a 1st cleanse on make up days but, like you said, no need if not using base.

JinglingHellsBells They’re not acne type spots ... just lots of small pimples. So, probably more a sensitivity issue. That said - I do appear to have acne on my back 😕. I only use bar soap in the shower on my body and am considering a tea tree spray (Australian organics or similar) to see if it helps. Otherwise I think a trip to the gp as it’s been going on for a few years now. Because I use retin a, I wear spf 50 religiously (LRP anthelios). Not sure if it’s the best fit but it is very light in texture.

Branster thanks for the great tips - I’ve ditched the oil for now as I’ve got the cerave hydrating cleanser so will see how it goes. Ohhhh I absolutely love eve lom balm and used to use it a few years ago. I think it’s the only thing that’s ever made a difference to my pores - but sadly I can’t afford it.

I don’t generally use glycolic very often as I don’t think my skin really needs it - just about one every 3/4 weeks so am happy to give it up altogether.

Good tip about the metal/mask interaction ... I didn’t know that! I have a tub of bentonite clay which I’ve not yet tried using. I have used honey before in home made masks but never tried mixing it with the clay so will try that. I like your suggestion of using chamomile as I imagine it will be very soothing. Never thought of using chamomile tea as a toner ... great idea!

Metal has no effect on clay in clay masks, this is a skincare myth.

I think you should step back from all concoctions for a bit and see what happens with a minimal routine. ;)

Also you never told us what your issues are and what you're hoping to acheive with the products you're using, might be an idea to start there?