Do you have a skincare routine?

[Bedtimedear]

I moisturise in the morning before make up and IF I remember/can be bothered, I take my make up off at night, probably followed by night moisturiser.

I've recently stopped wearing make up and now I wash my face with water in the morning, moisturise and that's it. I don't do anything at night then.

What are you doing? Do you often use masks or any other things which you consider essential as a grown woman?

Morning cleanse, sometimes double cleanse using magnitone xoxo
Toner
Niacinimide
Eye cream
Moisturiser, will change type depending how my skin feels that day

Nightime cleanse, double if wearing makeup
Night serum or retinol depending how skin feels
Eye cream
Moisturiser depending what skin needs

2 x per week chemical exfoliator
I hate sheet masks

Thank you and wow, you use stuff I've never even heard off! Will be googling tonight!

I found my skincare routine weirdly to be an absolute life saver for my mind (I know I realise that sounds nuts). Its my moment in the day that makes my skin feel better and refreshed and some kind of odd meditative thing. Very strange but feel so much better for it.

Morning
Single cleanse
Every other day glycolic toner
Intervening days Peptide serum
Hyaluronic acid
Niacinamide (Sp?)
Eye serum
Moisturiser
Spf

Evening
Doubke cleanser oil and hot cloth
Eye cream
Every other night retinol toner
Moisturiser
When particularly haggard an overnight moisturiser as well.

Always seems loads to me on paper but honestly doesn't take long and I swear I can't sleep without doing the hot cloth cleanser ....its oddly soporific.

I am same as you OP

I've found my skincare regime better in lockdown because am not constantly rushing around!

Morning
Double cleanser
Serum
Moisturiser with SPF

Evening
Double cleanser
Moisturiser

Have just ordered an eye cream. Don't think I need it but am 41 now and thinking 'prevention before it's too late!'

I also use a face mask maybe once a week.

I absolutely love my skincare routine. I really feel like my skin is glowing.

(I have dry skin)

Morning
I only cleanse if I've been very sweaty
Vitamin C serum
Mac Illuminating moisturiser
Sunscreen
Maybe some CC cream but I'm not wearing makeup much.

Evening
Espa Optimal Pro Cleanser
Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser
Acid exfoliate or Retinol
Serum
Facial oil
Moisturiser

I do use masks aswell I like the Herbivore Clarifying one or the Oskia Renaissance Mask.

It's a very personal thing.... Id say the minimum is cleanse, moisturise, suncream

If you want to glow more think about vitamin c and an AHA acid exfoliate

If you want anti aging try Retinol (always wear sunscreen)

If you want clearer skin a BHA ACID will help

If you want more moistuaed try a facial oil

.... I don't know if there's a blueprint depends what you want.

A general, non brand routine is:
Cleanse
Tone
Spot cream when needed
Serum (s)
Moisturiser
Face oil
Spf
Then any primer/foundation if you wear makeup.

That's morning, for nighttime ditch the spf.

Yep, I love the ritual of a skin care routine.

Mornings I use a serum (usually a vitamin c or hyaluronic acid), then a moisturiser with SPF

Evenings I use a lovely rich creamy cleanser (twice), then an acid toner or retinol, and maybe a night cream depending on how I feel.

But brace yourselves for the 'my 109 year gran uses nothing but fairy liquid and scourers on her face and still looks 25' brigade, they'll be along in a moment..

AM
Toner
Vit C serum
SPF
Moisturiser

PM
Double cleanse
Toner
Eye cream
Retinol serum
Moisturiser or oil

I mix it up and use different brands of the above. I also exfoliate in the shower and use a mask once or twice a week.

Morning:
Cream cleanser (Sukin Signature) & face cloth
Rosehip Oil (Akin)
Moisturiser with SPF (Nivea Q10 SPF30)

Evening:
Facial Cleansing Soap (Daisy Age Luna) & face cloth
Facial Oil (make my own blend)
Night Moisturiser (Nivea Q10)

Once a week I use St Ives Mask & Scrub in the bath. Occasionally use a deep pore mask instead.

Am trying to tackle some light pigmentation & prevent fine lines.

Morning:
Cerave cleanser
Vitamin C serum (currently using Vichy)
Avene Hydrance moisturiser
SPF50
Vichy Mineral 89 eyes

Evening:
The Inkey List oat cleansing balm or DHC cleansing oil
Cerave cleanser
Skin+me treatment
Avene Hydrance moisturiser
Vichy mineral 89 eyes

I started most of this during the first first lockdown and have seen a massive improvement in my skin.

My routine is quite basic compared to a lot of these, however I'm in my early 50s with hardly any lines yet so I must be doing something right.

Morning:
Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Gel Cleanser (I swear by their cleansers and shampoos)
No7 Early Defence Serum

Night;
Bioderma Micelle Solution for Sensitive Skin
No7 Early Defence Serum

I'd been using No7 Protect and Perfect Advanced Serum for years but they then brought out the Intense range, which had a completely different formulation which I didn't get on with, and eventually discontinued their regular range.

A sales assistant told me last year that the regular Protect and Perfect has actually been repackaged as Early Defence now, so I switched to that. It has a great exfoliating ingredient so I don't need a separate product for that.

Yes I do. I'd love to be able to do the bare minimum like you, but I just can't. I have huge pores, rosacea, and even though I'm quite dry at the moment, I've got a fucking SCAR from a huge spot on my cheek. I didn't even pick it!

My routine is as follows:

• Glossier milky jelly cleanser
• COSRX - Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
• PURITO - Centella Unscented Serum
• iUNIK - Centella Calming Gel Cream
• PURITO - Centella Green Level Unscented Sun

Occasionally use Origins blemish gel. Am awaiting a delivery of a light acid face wash, I need some regular exfoliation but need it mild because of the rosacea.

I do really enjoy a sheet or clay mask.

Wow!!!! There is clearly a whole world of being a grown up I didn't know about!!!

So much I need to look into!!

I have sensitive skin and have found that less is more.

I don't have s routine as such but have always taken care of eye area- simple eye make up remover, aveeno body lotion on face. But I love love love clarins eye cream which is eye wateringly expensive!

(But doesn't make my eyes water, unlike loads of things including 'hypo allergenic' Clinique.

I think it's best to know your skin rather than copy- everyone's skin is so different.

And the best skin I had was when I gave up booze fags etc for a few years. Slept properly. Got exercise. I felt and looked fab in my late 30s to early 40s. All gone to pot now...!

Gosh some of you are very high maintenance compared to me! I must have the most basic routine ever.

All I do is wash my face with water morning and evening. I don't wear makeup. I use a moisturiser with SPF in the summer months. I drink loads of water.

I'm mid-50s, still only have a few very fine lines and my skin is good. It used to be greasy, but not since menopause. It's inclined to be sensitive which is why I don't put much on it, and what I do use is fragrance free.

Are you wearing SPF, op? If not that’s the number one thing I’d recommend

No point in adding any ‘actives’ (e.g., chemical exfoliant acids, or retinoids/retinol/) until you are using SPF. It’s like taking one step forward, two steps back

I have bad acne prone skin, seborrhoeic dermatitis and eczema simultaneously (just great lol).

I don’t wear makeup but use Simple micellar cleansing water to remove my SPF at night, then cleanse with Avene face wash, apply 20% azelaic acid for acne areas (most of face haha), and finally moisturise with Eucerin 5% urea face cream or Cerave moisturising cream.
Morning I just wash with water then apply SPF.

Until recently I took a 'slap on a bit of moisturiser when I remember' approach to skincare. I've trialled a few more products lately (at various different price points) and I have to say my skin has never looked/felt better! I have no doubt that to some people it would appear 'high maintenance' but to me, it feels more along the lines of a calming ritual. It's not a chore - it's something I look forward to - and while it only actually takes about 10 mins to apply the products I use, I find it really relaxing.

How old are you @Bedtimedear ? You don't have to have a skincare routine but the fact you care enough to post about it makes me think you might feel like you want to do more? What's your skin like? If you're happy with it the way it is then keep going with what you do. If things have changed and you feel like you need/want something more (which is what I felt like when I expanded from my non-routine) then have a think about what you might like to try.

For me, I started to notice my skin was looking a bit... well... drab. I learnt that skin can be dehydrated without being dry, which is why products made for dry skin weren't quite right for me. When I started to use products for dehydrated skin (as well as making sure I drink enough water!) I noticed an improvement.

It's absolutely fine if you want to keep things simple. But using a few more lotions and potions also doesn't necessarily make you 'high maintenance'

I’m 54 and had a decent skincare routine going before lockdown as I worked in the City and needed to look smart and presentable. With lockdown I stopped wearing makeup and got lazy and it started to show - zits everywhere and redness and dryness galore.

I found that putting on a full face of makeup every day, even if I had no intention of going out or being on a video call, made a real difference and really brought my skin back. This was because it forced me to double cleanse every night - the cleansing for some reason was the real stumbling block, but I had absolutely drawn the line at going to bed in makeup. Once I cleansed it was easy to put the other stuff on because I was already there.

Morning:
Cleanse with Avene cleansing milk or similar, either in shower or with hot flannel
Pixi glow tonic
LRP Effaclar if any zits need zapping
Ole Henriksen vit c
Vichy Mineral 89 serum
Vichy Liftactiv day cream

Evening:
Double cleanse - Pure cleansing balm from M&S plus cleansing milk, again with hot flannel
LRP Retinol serum
Vichy Mineral 89 serum
Vichy Rose night cream

If you want to start a skincare routine, accept that there will be some trial and error as you try products that may or may not suit you. Spend accordingly.

Agree that it is very much trial and error. There isn't a product that I haven't tried and finally at 41 I seem to have found the ones that are right for me.

I forgot to add, though it should go without saying, that I use an SPF every single day, 30 if I’m going to be indoors in winter and 50 always outdoors, and indoors in summer. I use either LRP or Avene.

I'm 56 and am often told I have great skin!
My skin is reactive and sensitive so for me less is best
I don't wear make up apart from lipstick
I use a clean flannel and warm water in the morning
Micellar water on reusable pad, followed by Cerave moisturiser at night
Cheap and simple

Thank you all! Watching James Welsh (he keeps popping up in my fb videos) has made me want more. He talked about his own journey with acne and scars from acne and his skin is now amazing. He showed before pics too!

So maybe that's what prompted me.
I now have a routine!

Am: cleanse
Serum- one day vitamin C and the next day hyaluronic acid
Moisturiser with SPF

PM: cleanse
Retinol serum
Moisturiser with 'help for acne scars'

In shower I use a pore mask/ cleanser thingy

I have always been acne prone but have scars left from first pregnancy and have just learnt that I could be getting rid of them!