Is this an acceptable low maintenance skincare regime?

[ScottishStottie]

So im 30, and never really done anything at all skincare wise. Starting to notice slight aging, and breakouts (worse at time of the month) so want to try and implement something...

Ive got clarifying wipes from primark that i use every morning, then after ive brushed my teeth, put on some clinique moisturiser. And when i remember about once a week, put on a clay facemask thingy when im in the bath.

Since doing this for about a week, ive noticed that my breakouts have got worse, is this normal??

I vaguely remember this happening every time i tried to use products so stopped as my skin seemed better without. But is it just the skin getting worse before it gets better?

Any tips for how to improve or how to get into good habits? It needs to be very easy, love the wipes rather than facewash as i dont like water splashing on my face. I dont usually wear make up at all , general morning routine is very minimal atm so ideally something that isnt too much effort!

My routine is basically scrub face with wet flannel and apply Simple moisturiser. Rarely get spots now. I spent the better part of two decades using all sorts and constantly had spots, so for me, less is more.

My skin can't take wipes - even those for sensitive skin, because of the alcohol. Try and switch to a cleansing method with no alcohol and things might improve.

If you clean your face at night you don't really need to bother in the morning. You should wear SPF everyday.

What sort of spf should i be getting? Is face spf different to just sun lotion? I really am a total dunce when it comes to this stuff. I think my moisturiser might have some spf in it, should that be enough?

Wipes aren't good for skin. Clarifying sounds harsh- what is the "clarifying" ingredient? Salicylic? Probably too harsh for every morning.

Any wash off cleanser that suits your skin
Any moisturizer that suits
SPF always, and not one contained in your moisturizer or makeup
Add an active serum (vit C will make you glow) and/or an acid toner if you want some oomph (they have replaced the gritty scrub exfoliators of days gone by)

Just had a look, its the clinique dramatically different moisturiser i have, and it doesnt have spf in it so will have a look at something for that.

@ScottishStottie

What sort of spf should i be getting? Is face spf different to just sun lotion? I really am a total dunce when it comes to this stuff. I think my moisturiser might have some spf in it, should that be enough?

SPF 50, summer and winter Facial sunscreens are different these days to the white slimy stuff. I use Frezyderm which is also a primer, La Roche Posay is very good, as is Biore watery essence.

I also have a bottle of something that is a primer, but i think thats just to make makeup go on nicer and isnt actually a skincare product? If i out makeup on, i put primer on first, but no idea if thats right or not.

@ScottishStottie

Just had a look, its the clinique dramatically different moisturiser i have, and it doesnt have spf in it so will have a look at something for that.

I'm using that at the moment. That should be fine as your moisturizer as it's unperfumed, so it won't cause breakouts

"vaguely remember this happening every time i tried to use products so stopped as my skin seemed better without. But is it just the skin getting worse before it gets better?"

You sound like you don't suit products. I'm not a fan, there's some crazy stuff out there.

Time of the month breakouts are hormonal.

If you just want to freshen your face in the morning, use a toner or something. I assume you wash your face when showering.

Get a not full of stuff moisturiser. How much time do you spend outside? In my case, I'm like a mushroom half the year so no SPF for me in that time of year.

Better weather, i use an Olay moisturiser with SPF. or whatever is on offer. If i'm out in the sun all day, I use something stronger, but that hardly ever happens.

Ive also found a clinique moisture surge 72 hour moisturiser, in what situation would i be using that? It seems intense for a daily one, should i be doing a deep moisturise every so often?

Going to look into a decent cleanser, looked at the ingredients list on the primark wipes and there was a lot of chemical sounding words, and something acid which doesnt sound good.

The moisture surge is just a different type of moisturiser, I think it might be oil free but I'm not sure.

Cleanse in the evening and moisturise. Just rinse in the am. If you don't like water on your face a damp flannel is fine. Moisturise and SPF. You could use that moisture surge in the am under your SPF and the dramatically different at night.

I like avene extremely gentle cleanser - you can wipe it off with a muslin or a flannel. It mightn't be tough enough to take off an oily kind of SPF though. La roche posay toleriane is another good cleanser. You could try double cleansing which is just cleansing twice to make sure everything is off. La Roche-posay Anthelios are decent mid price face spfs usually on offer somewhere for about £10-12. Boots, look fantastic, beauty expert, cult beauty, and lots of other places online. There are a few different types, moisturising for sensitive skin, gel for oily skin, light fluid that's comfortable to wear. I'm using Heliocare mineral at the moment as my skin may have taken a dislike to LRP (not really sure what was irritating me).

I don't get hormonal breakouts since religiously cleansing my face at night. I started with a hot cloth cleanser but a few years have passed since then and my skin is drier and more sensitive now so a gentle cleanser suits me better.

You might want to add in vitamin c (Timeless) in the am and an exfoliating acid (paulas choice) or retinol (boots/avene/la roche posay/indeed labs/medik8) at night. Only start one new thing at a time and give it at least a month, preferably 2 by itself to judge if it's doing anything negative or positive. All of them have potential to make your skin sensitive and/or dry, and you must wear SPF with acids and retinol.

CeraVe is a cheap and cheerful brand for moisturisers and cleansers that are good. I use the moisturising lotion in the big bottle and the face moisturiser at night.

A SPF that you are happy to wear every single day is the best one.

If I can give you any tips at all, ditch the wipes. Miceller water and a cotton pad would be more effective.

Moisturiser on oily skin = spots. At a much older age than you, I complained that moisturisers gave me spots. The dermatologist just said I had oily skin and if I put moisturiser on it, I would get spots. Sunblock is what keeps skin young and I do love the La Roche Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid Facial Sunscreen. I have tried many sunblocks because I live in a country with the world's second highest melanoma rate and I'm really pale. Anyway the La Roche Posay stuff is great and it really does feel light and doesn't smell of anything odd or look shiny. You're young so my advice is to get that sunscreen on your neck and hands as well as your face and particularly round the lipline.

Do remember that oily skin can (and very often is) dehydrated. If skin is dehydrated what does it do? Yup. Produces more oil. It's a vicious circle. Often people think they shouldn't use hydration/moisture if they have oily skin but that's not true at all.

Moisture Surge is a simple gel based moisturizer. It's not youth in a bottle despite Clinique's rather clever marketing telling us it's a mask, it's a serum, it's something to put over our makeup etc etc. You can do all those things if it floats your boat, but if you look at the ingredients it's just a light moisturizer.

Acid can be good. Glycolic in particular once a day is a really good exfoliator.

@ScottishStottie

Ive also found a clinique moisture surge 72 hour moisturiser, in what situation would i be using that? It seems intense for a daily one, should i be doing a deep moisturise every so often?

Going to look into a decent cleanser, looked at the ingredients list on the primark wipes and there was a lot of chemical sounding words, and something acid which doesnt sound good.

"acid" probably doesn't mean what you think. Hyaluronic- it hydrates (it's in every serum under the sun and has been around for years but has suddenly become a buzzword) Salicylic - good for blemish prone Glycolic- good for ageing skin These last two are just chemical exfoliants and have replaced those sandy gritty scrubs we used to use. Same effect- getting rid of dead cells but far more gently. Wipes are pretty rubbish though- and facewipes cost about ten times as much as baby bottom wipes despite containing more or less the same stuff so if you're in a rush use a pampers wipe. Micellar is better but still not brilliant as a cleanser. It's a make up remover. You should really remove make up, then cleanse your skin but I can't be arsed.