Skin care help please

[HappyHoppyHippo]

Hi,
I'm in my late 30s and don't really have any skin care routine.
I have combination skin, prone to spots
I'd really like to start using anti aging products but I'm not quite sure where to start, which brands ect.
I don't really want to spend a fortune either but my skin is so dull and dry, I need to do something!

Any help would be appreciated

TIA

I started using some 'the ordinary' products that I'd bought last year when we were in lockdown when I had some more time on my hands. I've found them to be amazingly effectively but the problem is they are hard to get your head around.

You need to dedicate a couple of hours to reading about what they all do. However they are really well priced compared to most products and they've definitely worked for me,

There is an app that tells you what they all do and how to use the products that was recommended on here that I now use. It tells you what they all,do and which ones to combine. The app is £5 and it's called skincare (I think) and it's a pink colour with a droplet on in white.

It is called skincare.

https://theordinary.deciem.com/?_ga=2.81343956.237711495.1604647487-466908611.1604647487

You can email Deciem and they can provide you with a routine, for free. There is lots of information about products on the Deciem chat room and a chart showing which products can't be used together.

I also have congested skin - a bit like Victoria beckham used to have and they recommended;

Morning
Squalane cleanser - my skin doesn't react badly to this and it doesn't dry it out.

Niacinamide - for congestion. I found this sometimes left my skins a bit red, so the sales assistant recommended I use the hyalamide pore control, which is much better.

Buffet - for general aging. I've upgraded to Hyalamide sub q skin, which I prefer.

Evening
Azaelic acid/salycylic acid for congestion.

Squalane oil - for dryness.

My tips

1. start with a simple cleanse and moisturise routine and build from there once you know ir suits your skin. Introduce one new product at a time in case it doesn't agree with your skin, you'll know it's not the whole routine.

2. play around with your routine. I found that using all of the products twice a day was too much for my skin so I only use certain products once a day and others just a few times a week.

3. don't give up if a particular product doesn't work. It takes time to get to know your skin. Caroline Hirons has some good cheat sheets on her website. Don't feel you need to buy her expensive recommendations, but there is some useful info.

@NightRiders thank you.
I will have a look at the ordinary. Would you mind telling me what you use/recommend?

Thank you @purpledagger I've never heard of Deciem, I will have a Google and have a look.

Just to let you know that Deciem is the company that own The Ordinary.
It’s a good place to start for a beginner and really affordable.

Otherwise, Superdrug does some very affordable skincare that you could look in to.
You want to start off with a a good cleansing routine, a very good SPF and go from there depending on your skin needs.

I use niacinamide every day. This is what the website says about it.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. A high 10% concentration of this vitamin is supported in the formula by zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid to balance visible aspects of sebum activity.

Then I put moisturiser on.

At night I use an oil. I had rose hip last time but now I'm using argan oil. I absolutely love the sea buck oil and I use it a couple of times a week too but it's really, really orange so you have to sleep on a towel.

I've just bought the balance set so I'm trying the mask from,there.

I've put 'dullness' into the app as that's what you said was one of your issues and taken screen shot. (Attached)

I'm no expert but it has made my skin significantly better. I was determined to get to grips with it and went on the website with a paper and pen and jotted down what sounded good for me.

Just don't buy loads and load of things to slap on of you've never done it before. It doesn't need to be complicated. Face wash can be pretty much any - you're washing it off. Moisturiser is all largely the same too unless it's something like La Roche Posay Effaclar. Serums do actually do something. I use salicylic acid for the zits because niacinamide breaks me out terribly. I can recommend Revolution as an alternative to The Ordinary. TO seem to have terrible supply issues and I've struggled to get hold of things consistently.

Lol @BobbinThreadbare123 good advice, it's very tempting to just try everything!

I've noticed a lot of the Ordinary things are out of stock, I thought it must of been because they have abit of a sale on but maybe not.

Thank you @NightRiders that's really helpful

@HappyHoppyHippo

Lol *@BobbinThreadbare123* good advice, it's very tempting to just try everything!

I've noticed a lot of the Ordinary things are out of stock, I thought it must of been because they have abit of a sale on but maybe not.

Go to the Next website and order from there. Most of the Ordinary products are always in stock!