A New Routine

[SillyMoomin]

Ok, I feel like I should finally become a grown up and actually work out a proper skincare regime, with products.
I’m 36, fairly good ish skin, like to be out in the sun and get some colour and freckles on my nose. Occasional spots on chin mainly if I touch my face.
I don’t know why I need products, but I feel like I should

So. Currently; morning and night, wash fave with Dove soap bar. Don’t ask me why, I know you’re not meant to use soap on your face, but after many horrible years as an acne-infested teenager, I finally found a solution with Dove and have never ever ever dared to stop using it since

Once every couple of weeks when I remember, I use a swipe of Clinique toner no.2 on a cotton wool pad for a few nights then fall out of the routine.

Everyday, after washing face, I put on a bit of the basic olay spf15 moisturiser beauty fluid - again, a habit I haven’t changed since I was 18

At nighttime, if I remember, I use a few drops of a rose hip or vitamin e face oil instead.

Make up - no foundation but use a base face powder from body shop I haven’t changed since I was 15 (mortified)

So, wise beauty style MN’ers- what do I need to be doing?

I keep reading about serums / bb creams / retinols (?!) / tinted moisturisers

I know I definitely don’t like foundation.

Ummmm. Help??

Anyone?

If you're happy then you don't need to do anything. But if you want to limit sun damage then a proper sunscreen is probably the single best intervention you could make. Secondly retinol. Don't change everything at once and upset your skin. Gradually evolve your existing routine.

spf15 is basically pointless. Look for SPF50+ PA++++,Broad Spectrum, UVA, UVB.

Biore Watery Essence, Purito SafeSun, and Heliocare are all brands that work for a lot of people. I like Purito best. It's about £8 usually. Biore is easier to find and I like that too - doesn't break me out. You might need to try a couple to find the one that works best for your skin.

Once you've got your sunscreen sorted, you could add in a retinol at night. Start once a week and build up to every night/most nights. Get a cheap, low strength one and build up. I would start with the Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane. Retinol takes 12 weeks to begin to show results so you have to stick with it but it's fundamentally the single most effective product you can use.

Once you've got the habit of this nightly, add in a toner or start changing your makeup and messing around with skin care. Nip and fab from the supermarket is fine. I like, again, The Ordinary, Glycolic Acid 7%.

Thanks lokoho that’s very helpful, will take a look at the retinol suggestions and yes, really should up the spf

Caroline Hirons cheat sheets are good, I don’t use the rest of the site but the explanations of what to use and when are good.

That’s exactly what I needed fluffy!, thank you!