I suspect I've left it too late, but...

[facefate]

Please help me establish a decent skin care routine.

Im 38 and I suddenly feel jowly and have 11's forming. Although it's more like 1111's.

Right now, I wash with a basic face wash and moisturise

I know there's been countless threads about retinol on here, so I'm interested in trying that. I know I should be wearing sunscreen every day, so please help me out with that. I'm also keen to try hot cloth cleansing. Also need to pick a decent moisturiser and stick with it.

And what order are all these things supposed to be done in?

Oh, any recommendations for a good anti ageing hand cream? Is there really such a thing?

Please save my face! 🙏 Thanks!

Hi I can only speak from my experience obviously but I've really been working on my skin care for the last year and it has really made a difference.

Sorry posted too soon!

I don’t think it’s too late to start. For what it’s worth I spent a fortune on skin care in my twenties and then due to having kids, did the absolute minimum for 8 years! (I’m talking washing my face in the shower and putting body lotion on my face.)
I’ve recently started looking after my skin again properly and it’s really made a difference.

I have no advice, as I am also 38 and I only wash with soap and I guess I wear sunscreen in summer. I realised how jowly I was getting over lockdown and was looking tired. So far, the only step I've taken is to cut in a fringe so no one can see my forehead. I'll be following with interest (although often I find people advise really complicated things and I am unlikely to ever do more than one additional step, so I could be deluding myself!).

The order:

Face wash or hot cloth cleanser
Retinol or other serums/acids/toner
Moisturiser
Sunscreen (AM routine)

I’m not familiar with anti-aging hand creams. With anti-aging eye creams, they tend to be “line fillers” which attempt to minimise the appearance of fine lines, so presumably hand creams do the same? But the efficacy of line filling products is debatable, you’d probably be okay with any hand cream as long as it’s softening enough.

Personally I use a combination of the ordinary and Kiehls products.

One thing I will say is IMO you can definitely improve the look of your skin but only things like Botox will get rid of serious wrinkle although the smaller ones can definitely be reduced.

Evening
Double cleanse-I use an oil based hot cloth cleanser like take the day off balm by clarins or I have a boots cheaper version this removes the make up.
I then hot cloth cleanse with Superdrug vitamin e hot cloth cleanser
Then I use my retin a or my vitamin c serum followed by moisturiser and a facial oil (not on retin a nights)

Morning
I hot cloth cleanser with the Superdrug cleanser, Hyaluronic acid then moisturiser followed by la Roche posay factor 50.

Re retinol don't mess about just go straight for tretinoin. It's the only one that made any difference to my face. I get in through dermatica an online dermatologist I pay £20 a month but you can pause the subscription if you still have some left (which is often for me).

I can't really help with hand cream I just slather some e45 on every night before bed.

I'm 42 by the way.

Sorry take the day off is Clinique not clarins.

My skincare routine would be different than yours as I have oily skin and I’m in my 20s, but I rate Kiehls moisturiser (ultra facial), sunscreen and eye products. They’re pricey but very, very good.

I use serums from The Ordinary: Salicylic acid on days that I’m extra oily/breakouts. Or Hyaluronic Acid or Buffet on days where my skin is dry - these two would slot into your skincare very well. Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream really gives my skin a boost, I use it before special occasions

Moisture, sun protection.

Also you haven’t left it too late! You will be shocked at the difference that 3 months of being consistent will make to your skin.

It's not too late at all.

There are lots of nice balms out there it depends what you want to spend. For budget I've heard the superdrug one is good, mid range I like the Rituals cleansing balm and for more pricey espa, elemis, Emma Harding - all lovely

Retinol, I don't use prescription but I use Medik8 which I like.

Moisturiser - again there's a huge price range here. Hada Labo is a good decent price one or if you want fancy Kate Somerville is nice. Or elemis marine Pro. I'm actually using a Shea butter at the minute from a small handmade company - I like a thick moisturiser!

Suncream - I do have some fancy ones but honestly for me any is good. I guess it depends how much make up you wear and whether it will sit comfortably under.

Drink enough water too.

I'm a little bit older than you and have just started a skin care routine - one month later and it has made a huge difference. I use Face Theory stuff after it was recommended on this board.

This is what I use:

scrub

cleanser

day cream

night cream

serum

Can you throw money at the problem? If you want to see quick results then I would suggest

Evening:
Any Micellar water to get the bulk of your make up off.

Any cream or gel cleanser that suits your skin for a hot cloth cleanse

Retinol- Dermatica is great and £20 a month for a personalised prescription

Moisturiser -the retinol is doing the heavy lifting here so go with something that suits your skin

(Optional) An oil - something like Kiehl's midnight recovery

Morning:

Micellar cleanse

Vitamin C serum (minimum 15% active ingredients) I use Skinceuticals which costs A LOT but gives you massive bang for your buck very quickly. You can buy L Ascorbic acid and make your own serums much more cheaply but it's a bit of a faff and they deteriorate in a few days so you have to keep remaking them.

50 SPF - everyone is different on this score but I like Nivea because it doesn't leave me shiny.

Moisturiser - as before.

That's pretty much it for skincare. Drugstore %s of active ingredients are often not strong enough to get results - especially on maturing skin.

Botox will give you great results if you want to take that path.
Profhilo will firm and plump up your skin considerably.
LED facials will help with collagen stimulation
Facials that use lymphatic drainage techniques can stop puffiness.

It's all a matter of degree. Drinking water and exercising will get you a way down the path but a combination of any of the above will get results much more quickly.

I found getting results quickly made me MUCH more invested in keeping my skin looking good rather than being disheartened after months of using products with not much happening.

Thanks for all these replies.

I'm not ready to go down the Botox route just yet, if ever. I'm too scared it would go horrible wrong, or that something would happen that meant I couldn't afford to keep it up long term.

I know I need to drink more water, more than anything. I go through hot water and lemon phases, but I stick at nothing!

I might go for that subscription. I assume it's not like a contract?

Glad to see some cheap suggestions too!

Lots to investigate. Thank you!

No point doing any of this if your diet is crap. Drinking a lot of alcohol gives you a puffed jowly face. Try putting nice things in your body as well as on your body. Plenty of water, vitamins etc.

I'm not a big drinker. Well more of a binge drinker, I suppose Nights out only, really

Firstly drink lots of water, its the best thing for your skin.
Morning:
-wash face
-use toner
-moisturize
-sunblock (I use one specifically for the face)

Night
-wash face
-use toner
-night cream that has retinol

I'm 50. Is it too late to start with the sunblock?