Please help me devise a skincare regime with some of these products!

[pourqouimoi]

Ok, so I'm 35 and have never really managed to create a 'skincare regime'. My skin isn't bad, it's a bit dull and lifeless, a bit dry, and I have blackheads on my nose I cannot seem to shift. I don't really get spots or discolourisation. I usually just wash it with water and add mouisturiser (I don't wear makeup everyday, use a cleanser when I do).

I'm trying to come up with a regime for my skin - seems like it's about time I started to look after it a bit better. I've bought a few products this year and then totally failed to use them because I don't really know how - what order, how often etc.

For example, I bought la roche posay redermic retinol cream, the ordinary rose hip oil, the ordinary AHA liquid (for those blackheads!). I use a sunscreen too in summer.

I'm not really into the idea of using loads of products, I like things on the natural side, and I think a lot of what the skincare companies are selling is probably unnecessary nonsense...nevertheless, if anyone can help me devise a simple, effective routine that would be great! And if there are any products you think are amazing and really do work/or help keep aging skin at bay a bit, please let me know!

AM
Cleanse
Vit C serum
Sunscreen spf50 always
Moisturiser

PM
Make up remover
Cleanse
AHA toner/retinol (don't use either every day to start with and I'd alternate them for a while)
Moisturize

What acid is in the toner?

I was looking into skincare today and read that you shouldn't use retinol and rosehip oil at the same time. You can use both, just maybe alternate nights or something? I think the advice is to build up gradually with retinol anyway so that could work. Weirdly, just after I'd read this, I saw a product on amazon that was a combined retinol/rosehip oil type thing... bit confusing...

Ok so is vitamic c serum a must? any particular brand?

yeah i've been using the rosehip oil instead of the retinol - not sure which one i should be using in the long run if they do the same thing, or if I should just alternate.

oh and the AHA is lactic acid i think

The skinceuticals vitamin c range is amazing. They have one called Phloretin CF and one called C E Ferulic. I definitely preferred C E Ferulic. Pricey but worth it

My favourite vit C is Vichy LiftActiv. I've had about 5 bottles of it. I'm currently using a La Roche Posay but I prefer the Vichy. It has made the biggest difference of anything I've used.

Vit C is an anti oxidant, good for brightening skin/pigmentation etc so nice but not absolutely essential if you want to keep it very basic. The routine @StepOutOfLine suggested is really good and I pretty much follow that and my skin is really good (alot of that is luck of Gene's though - thanks mum).

My favourite recent find is CeraVe hydrating cleanser for morning/second cleanse in evening.

I have just started with Paula's Choice antioxidant serum with vit C. It feels lovely but too early to say whether it's really good or not. I had the much more expensive Sunday Riley vit C capsules before which were very effective but occasionally gave me spots and I only ever get spots in early pregnancy so I wouldn't buy again.

Generally spend on your serum/treatment (retinol) and save every where else.

Thanks all. So how often should I be using the retinol? Can I use it on the fine lines around my eyes or is that a big mistake?

For blackheads a BHA will be more effective than an AHA (BHA clears out pores while AHA will exfoliate) so if that’s one of your main concerns I would definitely look into adding that. I like the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA used every other day. It has made a huge difference in clearing my skin. AHA will help with dullness but I find I only need it once, maybe twice a week.

I use retinol three times a week in the evening and you will need to wear sunscreen every single day while using retinol or you risk doing damage to your skin so don’t start until you are committed. Retinol takes time to see results so build up slowly (maybe twice a week to start) and give it at least 6 months before you expect results. I use a eye cream retinol as well as regular but as long as you don’t go to close to your eyes and give it time to sink in you should be ok with just the one product.

Vit C is also great for glow and protecting skin during the day so look at adding that in before sunscreen if you want to add another product. You should add things in slowly so there’s no rush to go out and buy vit c right away.

@StepOutOfLine think I'm going for the Vichy vit c when I run out of the cheapo one I'm using. It smells lovely and feels nice to apply but I'm not convinced it actually does much.

I love it!
Not cheap, but though it markets itself as one of those "use for 10 days then throw away" things, if you keep it in the fridge you can get a month out of it.

@StepOutOfLine have you used it all by the end of that month or do you end up throwing product away? Not sure I could bring myself to chuck it out...

Oh I've never thrown any out. It's only 10ml anyway. So once a day and it's all but gone by then. It can oxidise a bit, but I use it anyway.

I'd definitely use it up!

Thanks for the recommendations all. Those of you who've used retinol, does it make a noticeable difference?