I've done it! I used up my products and now I need new ones

[Pigtailsandall]

I was on a mission to use up my current skincare items before buying new ones, and lo and behold, they are all running out almost simultaneously.

This has given me a chance to reassess what I use, and what works, so now I'm after new recommendations. For reference, I'm 40, have a fairly good albeit dry skin, and my biggest issue is enlarged pores and winter dullness.

I'm after a new daytime moisturizer, a serum (?) For under the moisturizer, plus some sort of hydrating treatment and a night time moisturizer. Everything I had was fine but not super-amazing. The only things I really liked and will hold onto were the Caudalie eye cream and Nars tinted moisturizer. I also used the Ordinary 0.2% retinol, which my skin took to well, but I didn't really see a huge benefit. I'm wondering if Vitamin C would be better to add some brightness to my skin?

If you have a dry skin, what is your routine, and any specific products you love?

My absolute favourite brand is Pai but I have to use Klarna/Clearpay as it costs a bloody fortune. Although I just got £200 worth of products for £135 from Look Fantastic’s offers they had on last week.

Thanks, I'll check them out. I spent barely any time worried about my skin in my 20s or 30s and it's now backfiring on me!

Forgot to add that the dryness stretches to my hair- I'm also looking for a good cave-in conditioner. I hate standing in the shower for ages with an actual conditioner

The thing that most improved dryness for me was changing my cleanser - I stopped using foaming cleansers and started using milk or balm cleansers with a cloth. My favourites are Emma Hardie cleansing balm and Ren cleansing milk. I prefer to use a bamboo cloth from Superdrug to remove the cleansers as it’s less harsh than a muslin cloth.

I suggest finding a good sunscreen to use as day moisturiser, rather than something sold as “day cream” which usually has less UVA protection - I use Nivea uv face sensitive SPF 50 and find it quite good on dry skin while not being heavy or greasy.

Thanks @Mcmcmcmc I was actually thinking changing to cleansing balms. I was eyeing the elemis one but it's so pricey. Does the Ren one last long?

I usually do a serum, moisturizer and a tinted spf moisturizer in the morning if it's winter - I have a really lovely caudalie spf for my face in the summer. I'm not sure though that the serum does anything...

This is amazing! It is always my aim but despite paring down a lot, I always have a couple of extras

I am a similar age and skin (and wear the same Nars) and I quite like the Origins orange moisturiser and eye cream

@Pigtailsandall M&S make a cleansing balm that’s very similar to Elemis and Emma Hardie, it’s very good:
www.marksandspencer.com/ultimate-cleanse-rose-cleansing-balm-100g/p/hbp60293035

The Ren cleansing milk lasts a couple of months for me. Nivea cleansing milk is a good option for less £.

It's interesting that you've trialled (by the sounds of it) a lot of products but haven't found anything you particularly liked. Makes you wonder if it's worth spending the money. I just use Simple light moisturiser for day time, over a hyaluronic acid/vit C serum. Then a separate SPF (even in winter, and the SPF content in make-up usually isn't enough to count). I like Clinique Take the Day Off balm cleanser, and their 72 Hour Moisture Surge is great. I use it as a night cream/mask occasionally but I am a bit younger than you. The other thing you've not discussed is like an exfoliant/toner. REN Ready Steady Glow is great and is meant to help with dullness and enlarged pores. I noticed my skin looked more glowy as soon as I started using it.

Skin + Me or Dermatica prescription as night cream. If your face responded well to a mild retinol but you felt it didn’t have enough oomph then a prescription could give you that boost.

I completely revamped my skincare routine in the first lockdown. I watched lots of Nadine Baggott on YouTube. She recommends cleanser, hyaluronic, vitamin c and either spf or moisturiser in the morning and cleanser, and retinol or other acid in the evening.

I used to spend a fortune on Emma Hardie, Elemis and Estée Lauder. Now I spend about a third of what I used to and my skin seems much more settled and even.

AM, I use cerave cleansing gel (whole family use this now, even my teens and it works for all of us) Hado Labo hyaluronic, Superdrug Vitamin C Booster and Curel facial moisture milk.

She recommends not to use cleansing balms. Something about the oil in the balm stopping the other products being absorbed into the skin and says not to spend money on cleansers that you just wash off anyway.

Products she recommends aren’t expensive (some are, but she always has cheaper options).
I’m 43 and my skin is probably better now that it was 10 years ago with £100’s of products being smeared on it!