Please help me with my skincare routine!

[Blackbird1234]

Hi everyone, I started a thread recently about makeup, which ended up leading to questions about skincare and I’ve realised my routine is a bit crap, I’m in need of some advice and really don’t know where to start.

Ideally, I don’t want anything that breaks the bank so I’m looking for good products that aren’t £40 a pop.

Here’s what I think you’ll need to know (feel free to ask questions if I’ve missed anything):

• I’m 25 years old.
• I live in France, so the winters are fairly mild and the summers are very hot and can get quite humid.
• I think that I have either oily or combination skin (not sure how to tell, I get oily on my forehead, chin, nose and a little bit on my cheeks from time to time).
• I don’t get spots very often, maybe the odd 1 every now and then, but I do get 1 or 2 breakouts a month, usually around my period.
• I have some blackheads on my nose.
• I feel like my skin lacks "life" and looks a little dull.
• I think that I have large pores, simply as I can see them but don’t know if everyone can.
• My makeup routine is very simple and I don’t wear a lot of heavy products and I haven’t ever forgotten to take my makeup off for as long as I can remember.
• I usually go makeup-free at the weekend.
• I have quite sensitive skin.

My current skincare routine:
Morning:

• I wash my face twice with baby soap (as it's gentle).
• I apply a spot treatment (can’t remember the name but will find out if needed).
• I apply moisturiser (Mixa - one with hyaluronic in).
• Then makeup.

Evening:

• I remove makeup with baby soap.
• I then use Mixa Micellar water to get rid of any bits I’ve missed (only started this a couple of days ago).
• I then use a Nivea toner (the rose water sensitive one - also started this a couple of days ago).
• Then I apply The Ordinary Hyaluronic 2% acid.
• Then I apply a vitamin E serum.
• Then I use La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume 5 as an overnight moisturiser.

(I also have an anti-congestion serum that I’ll use on occasion, but not every day).

Maybe once every 2-3 weeks I’ll exfoliate using a mostly natural exfoliator that I’ll have picked up somewhere for a couple of quid (usually a supermarket's own brand) and I very rarely use face masks.

So, I’m basically looking for a solid skincare routine, as I live in France I need to be able to purchase it online (I don't think Boots deliver here anymore, but Feelunique does), I’d like to keep the cost down, I like natural products and if there’s a possibility of buying all products from one brand that I can buy together, then that’ll make life a lot easier!

Any and all help welcome and feel free to ask questions - thank you in advance!

I'm no expert but you need to cleanse properly in the evening at least, I'd ditch the soap (probably not as gentle as you think even if it is baby soap) and double cleanse, first to remove the make up and then to cleanse your skin. I don't like Micellar but I think it's OK in skincare terms but you'll notice a difference if you do a hot cloth cleanse with any suitable cream cleanser afterwards. The cloth will gently exfoliate as you wipe the cream off.

You would probably see benefits from LRP Effaclar for the breakouts/oiliness

Then you need an acid toner. Biggest difference ever. If you have oily/congested, I think it's a salicylic one you need (Nip &Fab discs are good but there are now squillions on the market)

Serum, remember hyaluronic needs putting into damp skin or it does the opposite. A Vit C serum (I love and repeat buy the Vichy one but have just ordered Garden of Wisdom one) possibly.

Moisturiser- though I have loved, and occasionally treat myself to posho ones from L'Occitane etc I admit that any old suitable one does the job. It's the cleansing and serums etc that make the difference. Maybe add a facial oil for your skin type, Rosehip is a good generic one for younger skin.

Have a look on the Fantastic Skincare thread- I learned so much from them. They have prepared some "cheat sheets" for various skin issues, and will also advise if you ask them

Hi bookmeonthesudexpress I completely forgot to add that I do cleanse in the evening, I use The Ordinary Squalane cleanser - is this one any good?

I’ll look into the acid toner, thank you! I also didn’t know that the hyaluronic needed to be put on damp skin, I’ll start that tonight. I can also get Vichy really easily over here so I’ll add that to the list. I’ve also heard of Rosehip oil being good so I’ll pick some of that up as well.

Which order should I be putting these on? Do I need to wait in between layers or can I just whack it all on?

Thanks for the thread recommendation, I’ll read through it over the next week and write everything relevant down. Thank you for your help :)

That’s a lot of products you are using.
The human skin is not a dirty rag you have to keep washing several times a day with detergents. The more you wash and cleanse it, the worse it is.
I only wash my face with plain lukewarm water in the morning and in the evening, then apply moisturiser. About once a week I use a facemask. That’s about it.
If you use make-up (I don’t) then remove it with some oil based cleanser, then splash it with lukewarm water, followed by moisturiser. You can use serum underneath the moisturiser if the weather is colder. No need to complicate it. I think toner is a useless product, I don’t even know what it is for. Probably a scam from beauty companies to pull money out of women’s pockets.

Toner as we used to know it is definitely a scam at worst, a substitute for a cold water splash at best.
Acid toners however are not. Because they have replaced those awful scrub things as an exfoliator. I started with a £4.99 Olay one (think it's called anti ageing toner or something) and was gobsmacked at the difference. I'm dry and aged so use a glycolic one, but I think for young whippersnappers salicylic is indicated.

I've tried a few Ordinary products but didn't really like any of them, and I also disapprove of the management ethos with the company (not to mention that if you email them (as many of us did when THEY started their thread bombing a few years ago) they are so helpful and send you regimes listing about 20 of their products)

I think with a cleanser, anything you like is fine- it's the clothing it off that makes the difference. I do love Liz Earle though.

Kalifa This is where I get confused, as there seem to be people like yourself who believe in "less is more" and then the other end of the spectrum who believe that you do need a lot of products to have nice skin - I guess I'm in the middle. I always prefer using natural products rather than ones filled with chemicals, but it's just all become so confusing in recent years as there are so many different things that you "should" be using all the time.
It doesn't help that most men don't use any products on their faces, yet rarely seem to get breakouts and seem to always have pretty good skin (people such as my boyfriend who only gives his face a quick wash with shower gel in the shower and will occasionally run his hands over his face after he's put on handcream, yet his skin is quite good...)

Bookmeonthesudexpress Right, I see the need for it then, I hope it does make a difference! I always thought that The Ordinary were such a good brand as they're so cheap and always have great reviews. My boyfriend bought me a "daily package" from them for Christmas with 3 products in (Squalane cleanser, a moisturiser and the hyaluronic acid) and I don't know if they've "done" anything to be honest.

With the cloth, should I be using a specific type? I used to do this and to be honest, I just used a warm flannel although maybe that's too harsh for my skin. Any recommendations?

Bookmeonthesudexpress Also, when you say double cleanse, do you mean with two different cleansers or literally just use the same one twice?

I use a muslin but some prefer flannels. I find flannels too scratchy though.

The idea is first cleanse is a makeup remover, so that's where your micellar would come in. Then a cream/hot cloth to actually cleanse the skin.
I frequently don't bother with both tbh, depends on time. And I don't cleanse at all in the morning, though if I swish a bit of toner/micellar round my chops I am fairly horrified at how mucky it is!

Bookmeonthesudexpress I believe that I used to use a muslin but absolutely hated the feel of it on my skin - I'll see if I can get a very soft flannel and give that a go.

Ok, so basically I should just pop some micellar water and moisturiser on in the morning (and ditch the soap entirely) before makeup. Then in the evening I'll remove makeup with micellar water, then cleanse with a hot cloth, then an acid salicylic toner, then the hyaluronic thing I've got on damp skin, then the rosehip oil and to finish off with any moisturiser I like? Have I missed anything?

I've been intrigued by the Body Shop skincare range, do you think that they any good? Thank you very much for answering my questions, by the way!

I agreed with bookme.

Some people are fine with just soap and water on their skin, some are better off with a looooooong skincare regime.

Its like saying simple oatmeal is the perfect breakfast, everyone would be better off just having oatmeal. Except I wouldn't as I have coeliac disease and oatmeal would put me in excruciating agony. As it would for my friend too.
Every person is different, and a huge amount comes into play, genes, lifestyle, climate were you live etc etc. Making sweeping generalisations rarely works.

I have a fairly lengthy skincare regime, it takes me about ten minutes though, I love it and it's taken my skin from a lifetime of being rubbish to glowing, perfect and flawless 100% of the time, 24/7. I still can't believe it when I pass mirrors, its a mini miracle for me.

Eatenbydinosaurs Oh wow, that's amazing that you've got those results, I'm in awe! My skin is mostly absolutely fine, it's really just the odd week that it breaks out and overall I just feel it could be a little better, so I'll take everyone's tips on board and hope to be able to say the same as you at some point :)

Thanks Blackbird it always feels a bit like bragging but its made such a huge difference to me. I had dry skin, so I'm not sure what would work ft combination/oily, but just wanted to add that a simple routine isn't for everyone. I would still have rubbish skin if it wasn't for my routine.
There was a thread about it recently, and as always the key isn't just slapping loads of random stuff on your skin, but learning about the ingredients and what works for you.

As Book says the skincare threads on here are excellent, as it the skincare addiction sub on reddit.

If you just slap loads of stuff on your face without really knowing what the ingredients in each will do, or how they work together then its a bit like saying you want to try making a more complicated cake than your standard vanilla sponge, only to put raw prawns in the mix and then complain your complex cake was crap, and you're going back to your basic sponge.
Well yeah, if you aren't using the right ingredients for you, in the right combination, of course a more complex routine won't work

don't forget the other lifestyle choices that affect skin. Regular exercise, keeping sufficiently hydrated and wearing spf

I like the Body Shop Chamomile cleansing butter, and repeat buy it and absolutely love the Oils of Life facial oil. I've used l'Occitane, Neal's Yard, Liz Earle and they're lovely, but the BS is the best I've used.

Did you find out what the name of the spot treatment was you were using ?

Instead of using spot treatment you could use serum instead just before moisturising. You mentioned at the end you have sensitive skin so if you're gonna use a serum then use a low vitamin C% one like this:

www.amazon.co.uk/Rallen-Vitamin-facial-serum-50ml/dp/B07HBC7QFF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rallen&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1582489433&sr=8-1

A lot of the high % ones can actually make your skin worse (speaking from experience!)

Eatenbydinosaurs To be perfectly honest, if my skin was 100% perfect all the time, I'd be very tempted to shout it from the rooftops! Yes I completely agree, I guess it's all about finding the right combination of products etc and a lot of trial and error so hopefully, I'll get there eventually and can brag to my heart's content!

damnthatanxiety I exercise every day, I really try to drink enough water but I have a weak bladder as it is so can only do it properly on days I'm at home all day or at my office so I'd say I'm mostly ok at that. I have to say that I don't wear an SPF every day although I know I should - so far, I've found them really greasy and hate the feeling of it on my face. Can you recommend a lightweight one that won't cause the shine/greasiness?

bookmeonthesudexpress Ooh that's intriguing, I'll look into some of their stuff!

pozzolan I think that's it's the Simple SOS Spot something or other. When I first bought it I applied it every day for a week or two but now I only use it when my skin isn't great. Thank you for the recommendation, I've been looking for a better vitamin C serum than the one I've got now, so I'll look into this one :)

I ended up speaking with someone on FeelUnique while I was looking through their skincare and the person recommended I use/do the following:

Morning:

• Micellar water (Uriage Thermal Micellar Water for Combination to Oily Skin)
• Vitamin C (Haven't decided on the one yet)
• Moisturiser (She said to stick with the Mixa one I've been using)

Evening/Nighttime:

• Micellar water (same as above)
• Cleanser (continue using my Ordinary one or buy CeraVe foaming facial cleanser - not too sure on the foaming one as I've read you shouldn't use anything foaming on your face?)
• Toner (Garnier Skin Active Naturals Aloe Vera Botanical Toner)
• Hyaluronic (Keep using the Ordinary one I've already got)
• Salicylic serum (Super Facialist Salicylic Acid Anti Blemish Clear & Correct Serum - never heard of this one, is there a better one around the same price?)
• Moisturiser (Mixa)

Does all of that sound ok? Are there any better products for similar prices you'd recommend instead? Any steps I've missed?

I tend to take my makeup off straight after work and apply a moisturiser and then do my whole skincare routine just before bed. Can I remove the makeup with Micellar water and leave my skin until skincare routine, or do I really have to do it all at once?

Do you need a moisturiser at all? I have an oily t zone but I don’t moisturise because they all give me spots.

I use a foaming cleanser from Aldi, Superdrug glycolic acid toner, then I mix vit c powder in my sunblock.

Night time I use grape seed oil, then Aldi cleanser, tone, then glycolic gel with vit c powder. I still get asked for ID to buy alcohol at 43.

I eat really well, don’t smoke and don’t drink.

*Fluffycloudand77 I'm not actually sure. I assume that I do need one as that seems to be the general advice and I guess that you're supposed to keep your skin moisturised even if it's oily.

I've heard of grape seed oil, but not really sure what it does. Is it good for oily skin?

I eat quite well, I'm a vegetarian, I try to drink water very often and I exercise every day so I think I've got all that side covered, thankfully!

Try it. I don’t miss it.

Grape seed oil just removes my sunblock really well.

Hi Blackbird 1234

Sorry i've been away for a while! That all sounds fine to me. Unfortunately there's not always a clear correlation between price and quality as what works for one person may do nothing for someone else. Just about trying different products and sticking with the ones that seem to work best!

I think you need some skincare education, check out Caroline Hirons or Nadine Baggott. Micellar water shouldn’t be left in the skin, so it pretty useless. A good skincare regimen would go something like this

Am

Cleanse (never foaming or micellar)
Mist
Serum - choose according to your needs but a Hyaluronic Acid is great for hydration
Mist
Moisturiser- doesn’t have to be expensive
Spf - every day, even in the winter, this is the most important step

Pm
Cleanse - removes spf & make up - oil or balm cleansers are great
Cleanse - actually cleans skin - can use the same one or a cream/gel cleanser
Serum
Moisturiser

You could also add an acid toner and other actives, but you need to get the basics in place and for your skin to get used to them first.

@WhoEatsPopTarts I follow Caroline Hirons and have done for a while now, but I can't find any clear information that isn't very "technical" and tend to give up quite quickly.

See, this is where I get confused, as most people on here and in real life have told me that micellar water is great - so confusing!

Can you recommend an SPF I can wear daily and that won't make me greasy/sticky?

www.johnlewis.com/product/sku/237952789?&tmad=c&tmcampid=81&s_emcid=em_SVOC1v2_Product_Name

This is mineral so it does leave a white cast but it’s coral reef friendly and very dry on the skin.