What skin products actually made a difference to your skin?

[Bluebellberry]

I really want to brighten my skin, its so dull and uneven. Has anyone found any products or tools that have a made a visible difference?

Also does anyone any recommendations products that have helped wrinkles in the eye area too?

Oh I think they can but it might be temporary but also I am thinking if we stopped using them would our face get worse?

I have the Avon moisturiser with vit c in but I have a number of creams that make my skin glow, it just happened to be the first one I grabbed for.

Vitamin c
Retinol
Sunscreen everyday + drinking lots of water

I use Elemis products and like them.

Using a good balm cleanser (pro collagen cleansing balm) twice a day has made a noticeable difference, as has using a decent acid exfoliator.

For the eye area they do the most wonderful little under eye masks in the pro collagen range. They're expensive so I only use them once a month, and leave them on for longer than the recommended 20 minutes. Basically I put them on and leave them until I remember to take them off which is at least an hour later and certainly once all the liquid has soaked in. They make a visible difference after use and it seems to last pretty well.

The Ordinary do a 'Balance' collection and it has made a HUGE difference to my skin. Quite unbelievably actually.
Love this stuff and it's not crazy prices.

Beauty Pie Super retinol range. I'm 53 and this is a game changer. A year later my skin is much better than it was - the blemishes have faded and much smoother

Sunscreen
Vit C
An acid
Retinol

I’m not convinced anything makes a scrap of difference tbh.

I’ve used loads of different things over the years, in all price ranges. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at my skin the next day and noticed some marked difference.

Some products make your make-up sit better, usually because they’re full of silicone.

I’ve been using an expensive vitamin C for a month now. Maybe I’m not looking in the right place, but I can’t see what it’s doing. Maybe I’d look worse without it??

Liz Earle cleanse and polish, No7 total renewal once a week and a factor 50 sunscreen used every day.

Double cleansing ( I use Body Shop camomile balm and then superdrug vitamin E hot cloth cleanser)

Beauty Pie plantastic superdrops (AM)

The ordinary granactive retinoid emulsion (PM)

As a mask, ESPA overnight hydration therapy.

Vitamin C (I use the Sunday Riley one)
Azaelic Acid (Paula’s Choice)
Sunscreen SPF 50 every day (I use Dr Dennis Gross)
Glycolic Acid every other evening (Neostrata)
Retinol (prescription from Dermatica)

The difference these have made - Vitamin C and Glycolic have improved toned and texture, azaelic has improved redness, sunscreen is obviously a long term thing but also prevented hyperpigmentation that I’m prone to (and so existing patches have faded) and retinol is again a long term thing but has improved my skin texture and fine lines.

Tretinoin
Spf 50
Vitamin C serum

The earlier you start using them the better.

Nil and fab pads
Rose hip oil

I honestly think once you've got wrinkles they aren't going anywhere.

For dull and uneven skin, sounds like you need a bit more exfoliating. Have you tried a slightly rough flannel wrung out in hot water?

Clinique cleansing balm - my skin loves this
Azelaic acid has been so great for reducing mild rosacea redness
Tretinoin/daily sunscreen have been using both for years for preventative reasons and I'm pleased at how they've kept my skin smooth and unlined.

I think Clarins double serum is good

@Motherdare

I’m not convinced anything makes a scrap of difference tbh.

I’ve used loads of different things over the years, in all price ranges. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at my skin the next day and noticed some marked difference.

Some products make your make-up sit better, usually because they’re full of silicone.

This is my experience, too. The same goes for drinking lots of water. Made not a scrap of difference to my skin whatsoever and I've done it for several years.

Tretinoin for sure - I go to Dermatica. Caffeine for the eye area - I use the Ordinary one. Defo makes a difference.

Prescription tretinoin

Retin A - not retinol
Paula's Choice BHA
Cerave

And sunscreen although you don't get to 'see' the difference on a daily basis.

Everything else was a waste of time and money

Ah, sorry, should have said: Botox is the only thing that has made an actual visible difference.

Dermatica - Retiniod (PM)
Vic C (AM)
Sunscreen (AM)
Cerave (AM and PM).

HUGE difference in texture, hyper-pigmentation and brightness.

There are definitely products out there that can improve the condition of your skin. The trick is working out what ingredients to look for and then recognising the serums and lotions that may cost £££ but are really just fancy humectants.

I'm not sure your problems are the same as mine. I have dry eczema prone skin which gets oily on the t-zone. I have open pores on the t-zone so prone to blackheads. I use miscellar water on a cotton wool pad in the morning as a cleanser. In the evening I use Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Scrub to get makeup off before bed. I think daily exfoliating keeps my skin bright and blemish free.

Layering moisturiser is the only thing that stops my skin feeling tight. I've found things that seem to actively help the eczema too. Firstly I use a serum. Vichy Mineral 89 in the morning and Estée Lauder Night Recovery Complex in the evening. The latter is expensive but worth it. Followed by a few drops of face oil, it doesn't seem to matter which one.

For evening just one moisturiser Olay Daily Essential Night Cream. For daytime I need more because there's either the sun/wind or central heating sucking moisture out of my skin. I start with Simple Rich Moisture Lotion. When that's absorbed I use Aveeno, the one for the body with oats in it, it sinks right in despite not being a face cream and I can feel my itchy patches breathing a sigh of relief. Then Olay Daily Essential Day Cream with SPF. If the sun is blazing I'll use a small amount of Amber Solaire sunblock SPF 30 too.

I use Olay Ultimate Eye Cream the one that looks orange. I think it's BB cream as well as moisture, it helps cover dark circles and doesn't sit in wrinkles.

I usually wear makeup including foundation. I think it acts as a pollution barrier, I'm definitely less itchy if I wear it.

Vit C
BHA/AHA’s
Bakuchiol
Niacinamide
Retinol
Factor 50
Weekly Face Mask

I decided to incident during lockdown 1 and I’m glad I persisted. Suffered from bad hyperpigmentation after DS1. It’s made a huge difference to that but over all skin tone and smoothness