What is your routine?

[coffeewithmilk]

What is your makeup removal/skincare routine?

Currently am using a cleanser to remove make up, wash with water and purifying face wash, then applying the ordinary hyaluronic acid and then top with La Roche Posay thick face cream.

So far noticing my skin is in much better condition, but still having troublesome blackheads

What is your routine and what products are your go to?

I use glossier
-Milk jelly
-Solutions acid toner
The ordinary 0.5% retinol
Glossier priming moisturiser

I came off the pill over lockdown (which I’ve taken since being a teenager for my acne) and I’m astounded how great my skin is

I don't really have a set routine at the moment, but it tends to be:

• Elemis cleansing balm
• sometimes Lancome rose sugar scrub
• Lancome rose toner
• sometimes Lancome rose jelly face mask
• either Lancome rose moisturiser or a cheap Botanicals night cream

My skin is alright, but I have rosacea, which does flare up every so often. Skincare does help, but not all that much. I have had some success with The Ordinary products and actually, I might give them another go when my Lancomr runs out.

One thing that I tried and it has helped a lot is washing my face for a whole minute to give the cleanser time to melt the make up and work by massaging it to the skin.

I use a cleanser by Balance Me that smells like Roses for the first cleanse and a sulfur soap for the second cleanse. I follow with Micellar water to tone.

Then in the am I use The Ordinary Vitamin C powder mixed with the Ferulic serum, Skinoren Azelaic Acid 20% , my La Roche Posay Sunblock with SPF 50 and a tinted moisturiser by Decleor.

At pm after the 2 cleanses I use The Ordinary Niaciamide, The Ordinary Argireline, Azelaic Acid and Differin or Tretinoin (alternative nights).

On eyes I use La Roche Posay Pigmentclar and neck Aldi Caviar.

I also use a lash serum every night.

I also do a mask one or twice a week. The red one from Ordinary and the Salicylic one.

Thanks for this thread. I have always struggled with spots and now I am in my late 30s get some upset at the state of my skin. I have tried so many things but thanks for the ideas.

Has anyone who used to her lots of spots managed to get rid of them permanently with a skincare routine? I started using a serum which gets rid of new spots pretty quickly she made long term spots go down but I still permanently have little red marks/lumps where the spots were. They never go completely. Is that permanent damage?

I use a natural cleansing balm (hot cloth) followed by glycolic acid a few times a week

Then if I can be bothered I do peptide serum, and / or niacinamide and zinc.

Moisturise in AM.

Don’t use anything fancy.

Nivea cleansing lotion.
Then I take it off with nivea micellar water and then I moisturise with Cetaphil.

I’ll exfoliate twice a week.

I tend to break out towards beginning of period and can also have a bit of dry skin, but other than that, It’s all good. (:

Evenings:

First cleanse with Origins clean energy oil (been using this for years, nothing comes close), second cleanse with Alpha H balancing cleanser, spray with Aveda kinetics hydrating lotion, Hada Labo hyaluronic acid, de Jart ceramidin liquid, dr Jart peptide serum, few drops of oil (Douvall's skin high, balance me or zelens) followed by a moisturiser (votary. ReVive, M&S formula absolute ultimate sleep cream, or dr Jart Ceramidin cream).

Forgot to say sometimes I do an acid before hyaluronic acid.

Am

Beauty pie cleanser/warm water/flannel
DDG gentle acid peel pad Or universal
Sunday Riley eye cream
Oskia Vit C
Beauty Pie hydra prep - mist
Face Theory Pore Bright serum
Jordan Samuel Skin mist
Kate Somerville Peptide Moisturiser
Khiels spf

Pm
Tret - alternate nights
Mask on non Tret nights
30 min wait
JF hydra prep mist
Nod MMHC serum
La Roche Posey Tolerane Mist
Beauty Pie ceramide capsule
Beauty Pie Jeju Am/pm moisturiser

It sounds like a lot, but I really enjoy this part(s) of my day and my skin is looking great.

I would suspect you’re not cleansing well enough. Double-cleansing refined my skin. I haven’t had blackheads for years now. Remove makeup with an oil cleanser, as it breaks it all up. Then wash your face with usual, wash off cleanser. Perhaps also your thick moisturiser is too occlusive. There are fabulous moisturizers out there that are wonderful, but don’t leave a thick layer over your skin. I highly recommend Curel (Boots) Not expensive, made for sensitive skin. Very nourishing. Try the milk in summer and the cream in winter. (Unless very dry, then try the cream.)

@1981m

Thanks for this thread. I have always struggled with spots and now I am in my late 30s get some upset at the state of my skin. I have tried so many things but thanks for the ideas.

Has anyone who used to her lots of spots managed to get rid of them permanently with a skincare routine? I started using a serum which gets rid of new spots pretty quickly she made long term spots go down but I still permanently have little red marks/lumps where the spots were. They never go completely. Is that permanent damage?

Ask for Treclin from your GP. It sorted my adult acne out in days. Azelaic acid too for the marks.

@1981m Yes, please see the dr. The reason a lot of these over the counter treatments don’t work is that you’ve got a deep seated bacterial infection in your skin. Skin infections are much harder to treat than other areas.

Eg bacterial tonsillitis is 10 days penicillin. Acne is at least 3 months on tetracyclines.

47 skin range - brilliant for my skin.

Anyway, routines. I don’t use anything expensive as I use brands that aren’t tested on animals.

AM.
Foaming cleanser. Aldi/sains.
The ordinary caffeine serum round the eyes.
Superdrug solait spf 30 mixed with half a scoop of the ordinary vit c powder over face, neck, chest.

PM
Grape seed oil to remove sunblock
Foaming cleanser
Superdrug glycolic toner when I’ve got pmt as my skin gets oilier.
Dermatica product for hyperpigmentation caused by acne 2 x a week.
The ordinary retinol 0.2% twice a week.

Tiny amount of Tesco moisturiser if my face is dry but I apply it to my neck daily.

Once a week Dermalogica multi vit mask. Buav approved & not sold in China. I’ve never found a cheaper version & it makes your skin looked so well nourished. I buy sachets off eBay as it works out cheaper.

I think it’s best to do the Pm routine soon after getting home otherwise if you do it before bed the pillowcase gets some of it.

Dry / dehydrated skin here but also suffer blackheads.

AM
Bodyshop Vit e Face Wash
Paulas choice BHA liquid
Maeemo hydrating mist
Avene hydrating Serum
La Roche Posay Eye Cream
Paulas choice Vit C
Bobbi Brown Nourishing Face Balm

PM
Bodyshop Camomile Cleansing Balm
Bodyshop Vit e Toner
Alternative - Paulas Choice Retinol OR AHA
Innisfree hydrating serum
Keihls ultrabalm

After having different the least few years trying lots of products I've settled into a routine finally. I'm in my50s with dry but not wrinkled skin.

I do a Dragon's Blood mask once or twice a week. I use lumene brightening lotion every few days.

I cleanse with either First Aid deep cleanser with red clay (not at all drying!) Or eve lom or similar balm cleanser (better for removing make up). I don't double cleanse.

Then i tend to follow The Ordinary routine for signs of aging, but i do have quite a few products I'm still finishing so I'm working through these of an evening. I use an expensive spf (Elizabeth Arden) because otherwise i get a flare up in cystic acne.

I'm told i glow!

@1981m

Thanks for this thread. I have always struggled with spots and now I am in my late 30s get some upset at the state of my skin. I have tried so many things but thanks for the ideas.

Has anyone who used to her lots of spots managed to get rid of them permanently with a skincare routine? I started using a serum which gets rid of new spots pretty quickly she made long term spots go down but I still permanently have little red marks/lumps where the spots were. They never go completely. Is that permanent damage?

@1981m I always used to get breakouts around my chin and some were so big and sore. I started using the effaclar face wash by la roche posay and I haven't had any since. I use it morning and night. There's also a spot cream from them which I use too if the odd spot comes up. It's honestly changed my skin

@justilou1 I suppose I just have this thing in my head that if I put oil on my skin that it will become oily and I'll get spots - it's a mental thing but I'm willing to try a good oil cleanser and see what happens.
Which one do you recommend?

I'm somewhat limited as only use cruelty free and vegan products. I'm 48, combination skin:

Morning
Warm water & flannel
Vit C/E/hyaluronic serum
Spf30 cream (Natio)

Evening
Jojoba oil cleanse
Scrub or clay mask 1-2/week
Alternate retinol serum + rosehip oil
Rich rose night cream

@1981m the thing that changed my skin forever was switching to bare minerals foundation (the powder system) and keeping the brushes clean. I also use Superdrug naturally radiant face stuff...foaming wash, glycolic toner and day or night cream twice a day. The foundation broke the cycle of cover up clogging pores.

I'm using a combination of products since lockdown and can't believe the difference:

AM
Cleanse - simple face wash, glow tonic toner, Indeed labs Vit C, Indeed labs hyralonic intense moisturiser and then a simple moisturiser on top.

PM - Cleanse - simple face wash, glow tonic toner, Indeed labs Retinol and simple moisturiser

I use lots of brands and products but general routine is

Am
Light Cleanser eg a milk or a gel
Pixi glow tonic
Vit c serum
Light moisturiser
Spf

Pm
Double cleanse Balm then milk
Glycolic acid or skip if using Retinol
Retinol
Serum
Facial oil
Moisturise

Brands I like are - Kate Somerville, Sunday Riley, Espa, Hada Labo, Beauty Pie, Jordan Samuel

Morning;
Skinceuticals cream cleanser.
Kiehls vitamin c serum, separate ones for face and eyes. I wouldn’t recommend but I’ll use them up.
Kiehls ultra facial cream with spf.
Separate spf 50.

Evening;
Kiehls midnight botanical cleaning oil, double cleanse if I’ve worn make up.
Pixi retinol toner, I love this!
Some kind of hylaronic serum (can’t remember the exact one)
Glow recipe avocado and retinol eye mask.
Glow recipe watermelon sleep mask.
Sometimes I’ll use a few drops of kiehls midnight recovery.

@coffeewithmilk - oil dissolves oil (that’s what surfactants and detergents are based on, only as far as skin goes, they’re a lot more damaging, obvs.) You can buy oil cleansers or oil-based balm cleansers. There are a lot of Korean and Japanese ones I personally like, as they don’t contain any extra, fancy ingredients. You don’t need them because they don’t stay on your skin. You massage it into your makeup to break it up, mix in a bit of warm water to emulsify it, then wash it off with more water and a face washer. Then you go in again with a gentle foaming cleanser. Check out Nadine Baggott on Facebook or Instagram for budget cleanser advice. She has no time for BS. And what’s available where. (I don’t live in UK.) I do have experience with Curel though and I highly rate it. If you can get Muji products, their cleansing oil is wonderful and comes in GIANT bottles. (I think I had one for nearly a year! Don’t buy into the Shu Uemura hype, as it’s fragranced mineral oil. It does a fabulous job, but it’s ridiculously over-priced for what it is. (Not convinced it washes off as well as other oils though!)