Help with skincare regime? Pics attached.

[Wolfie11]

I feel like over the past year my skin has gone downhill massively. I’ve spent a fair amount of money on skincare products but I’m struggling to find something that works for me.

At the moment I am mainly using Elemis products. Dynamic facial wash followed by pro collagen marine cleanser. I then use their dynamic resurfacing pads, followed by pro collagen marine cream spf30 in the morning and pro collagen overnight matrix in the evening. I have also just started using their pro collagen tri acid peel twice a week and I use their pro collagen advanced eye treatment. I also use Clinique anti blemish gel if my spots get too bad.

I have also used the following:

•Clinique anti blemish range - worked well for spots but skin still pretty meh and no help for wrinkles/sagging
•Clinique moisture surge - I did actually quite like this
•Estée Lauder advance night repair - broke me out quite badly
•La Roche Posay effaclar range - broke me out terribly, worst spots I’ve ever had in my life
• Ole Henrikson vit C range - definitely made my skin brighter but broke me out
• Paula’s choice peptide booster - again, quite liked it but broke me out
• Clinique superdefense cream - broke me out
• The Body Shop tea tree range - just a bit rubbish really, didn’t do very much

These are the things that immediately come to mind that I have tried over the past year. I have only been using the Elemis range for around 3/4 weeks roughly but I thought I would be started to see some improvement ☹️. I feel like my skin is such a mess just now - discolouration (pigmentation?), redness, constant little bumpy spots, wrinkles on my forehead, skin around my mouth starting to sag, dark circles/bags under my eyes ... you name it, I seem to have it 😭.

I’m being brave and putting some make up free, greasy haired photos up 😳. Does anyone have any suggestions? My general skin type is combination I think - I am mainly oily, especially around my t-zone and spot prone but my cheeks can get quite dry sometimes. Has anyone also tried face yoga? I’m wondering if it could help with the lines/sagging around my mouth/nose to mouth area.

Hi OP,I actually think your skin looks good....

My skin is pretty good but I have pretty bad pigmentation so have just started the Dermatica subscription. I'm on retinoids and hydroqunine.
I'm a month in and the pigmentation has reduced absolutely loads. You only need to use a decent spf cream in the morning and a cheap cream at night is recommended (nothing with acids or strong).

Sorry, I'm really not an expert and won't be any help but I think your skin looks great.

Kiehls clearly corrective serum! A must try

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream - it will both soothe breakouts and provide hydration

You need to be more consistent, ie try a routine for a few months rather than weeks, before you can really see results

Your skin looks lovely and a cant see a single wrinkle. I'm following though because you've basically described my skin!

Sorry, should read I can't!

When you say 'broke me out' what exactly happened and how long did you give it.

Starting something like Effaclar Duo prob will break you out because it is going to clear out all the spots you have starting under the surface.

When I put my routine together I read that you should start one product at a time and leave it 4 weeks to make an assessment as you need to see what is doing on new skin, so you have to leave it for a whole skin cycle.

I would guess a lot of the things that 'break you out' are just getting to grips with some of your oily skin issues and so disrupting things.

Anyway your skin looks fab and my 2 suggestions would be:

1. Look at it from the same distance other people do, not close up in the mirror. It's easy to start thinking you have the worst skin in the world when actually you have lovely healthy skin

1. Paula's Choice BHA for the oiliness and spots that never form. Will also make your skin glowy.

Oh and Cerave PM moisturiser. Because it's fab.

As previous posters have said your skin does look freaky already.

Until last year Id been using Elemis products because they felt and smelled nice and for the price tag thought they'd be good for my skin. Then saw The Ordinary recommended a lot on various sites so started a regime with them, within six weeks my skin had improved so dramatically that I gave all of the Elemis away. What's nice is that my whole regime for a about three of months now costs the same as the Pro Collagen Marine Cream.

You look lovely! You're being too hard on yourself and you don't say how old you are, but you may be veering into rosacea territory if you say you have little bumps and spots. If products tend to break you out also this may mean you have sensitive skin, which will not like you using a huge variety of products.

In my early 40s my skin went a little mad and I started breaking out and seeing all the things you describe (not that you look anywhere near 40!). I saw a dermatologist and she told me to pare everything back. I used only vitamin c + moisturiser/spf, and maybe a BHA acid to help with spots (t zone only). Then when everything had calmed down acne-wise, I worked my myself up to using retin A regularly whilst also trying hydroquine (sp?) for pigmentation (in my experience this is the best cure for pigmentation hands down). Like you, I have fair, combination skin; I do have rosacea. Keep in mind, however, that no cream will help with actual sagging - you could try IPL or something called Clearlift if that is an issue - but I don't see any sagging on you!

I have also found lots of helpful advice from a "mature beauty" (shudder) blogger whose site is called Hot and Flashy 50. But really you look very youthful to me.

I think you have good skin, far better than mine!! Do you feel your skin reacts to harsh products? Have you tried liz Earle? I'd get the hot polish cleanser, tonic and moisturiser. But heck I'd swap with you any day!

Op I think your skin looks fine! We are just so used to seeing airbrushed skin, we forget what normal skin looks like. And what’s more, you have a stunning face! Honestly, you’re gorgeous! Be nice to yourself x

Your skin looks really good. It’s just a bit red. Perhaps you need some calming products.