I have terrible sun damage on my face

[BigBirdsbird]

It's making me feel incredibly down.

So I'm going to buy a Vit C, but there's soooooo many.
Could someone please help a drowning woman out and just tell me exactly which one to buy, which one worked for you.

I'm on a strict Coronavirus induced budget so much as I'd love to visit a professional, it's face care for me right now.

Much appreciation in advance.

Garden of Wisdom from Victoria Health is the best high quality reasonable priced vit C. It's l-ascorbic acid which is the "gold standard" according to the absolutely fabulous Nadine Baggot.

I confess I don't love it as much as I do the Vichy ridiculously and forgettable long named one but it lasts longer!

Nadine has a YouTube vid on the benefits and qualities of different vit C's.

You probably also need a retinol something or other for sun damage. I have GOW Retistar serum.

PS if you have FB there is a Nadine community administered by the great woman herself and she often pops on to advise. The posters are so lovely.

I’d go for retinol from the ordinary instead.

Thanks both. I'll definitely stalk Nadine Baggott now.

Is a retinol more effective?
Also, I wanted to start asap and am aware that retinol and sun (when it turns up) shouldn't really mix

There are lots of different kinds of retinol-y things. The Nadine video is very informative, apparently one of the Ordinary products that uses the term "retinol" has a negligible amount of the active ingredient whereas anything which uses the term "retistar" is good. Then there's retinal, retinyl and others as well! Obviously you could go the whole hog and get tret wotsit from somewhere like Dermatica.

You use retinol products at night and build up use. Vit C can be morning and night or just morning depending on which it is.
Sunscreen a must for both

Retinol can treat pigmentation and stimulate collagen. You can also try an online dermatology service Dermatica which can give you Tretonoin. It’s much stronger but much more effective.

I can't seem to link to the video but it was about a month ago and it's all about retinol products and which are value for money.

You need to build up slowly with retinol. Try the weaker (granretinol is the name the ordinary give it) solutions first and work your way up.

Thank you, everyone.
Dermatica looks interesting, will look into that.

The other effective and inexpensive ingredient to look out for us niacinamide it’s great for pigmentation. The Ordinary do one, but it’s not great you could try The Inci list.

I have tretinoin mixed with niacinamide from Dermatica. It’s magic stuff.

You’ll need a sunblock. I use solait from Superdrug which is spf 30 & 50.

I’ve worn sunblock everyday for 21 years.

Don’t mess around with over the counter stuff, it won’t work. Try Dermatica. You need retinol and hydroquinone and they can prescribe this for you. Also, check out Dr Natalia Spierings on Instagram- she’s great as she doesn’t sell anything and just gives the facts about skin and how to look after/treat it effectively.

And yes, SPF 50 every day of the year!

Honestly use Dermatica, I felt lost and confused, kept jumping between products and have about 20 barely used Ordinary products in the bathroom that I don’t know what to do with. Then a kind woman on mumsnet recommended Dermatica, one product every night so easy (I don’t work for them) Just made my life so much easier.

Thank you everyone, your advice is appreciated.
I've just opened up my bank account to Dermatica, desperate times n all. My face needs help!

Thanks again

You won’t regret it.

There ought to be a discount code online for the first month p&p only.

I've seen Dermatica recommended on here before. May I ask how much the products cost? Do you pay monthly and then for products on top of that?

I think it’s £25 a month for whatever they prescribe, £22 product and £3 postage.

You can extend out the time period if you want to.

My first month was free, automatically applied at checkout.
I love a bargain

Can someone tell me why the ordinary products aren't good? I've heard so many people rave about them

I can have awful sun damage on my face, I use a vitamin c cream in the morning ( Polaar from Birchbox, then at night use Pixi overnight retinol oil, then the cream that evens my skin tone the most is the cheapest, it’s the Aldi Lacura Caviar Cream, it’s £7 a pot and amazing.

Also, if you don’t live near an Aldi, you can order online and they deliver.