Absolute idiot's guide to skincare and makeup

[wejammin]

Can I please have any recommendations for the right blogs/insta accounts for skincare advice and make up? I've used soap for my face and cheap make up my whole life, but I'm 36 and looking duller every day.

I've been scrolling through threads and looked at Caroline Hiron's page and Lisa Eldridge as recommended but honestly it's all another language to me. I couldn't bear asking at a counter, I'm so socially awkward and I despise shopping. Basically I want a list of what to buy and how to use it, and I really have no idea where to start.

Any help would be genuinely greatly appreciated.

What kind of skin type do you have - sensitive, dry, oily, normal, combination?

Do you want to keep it simple or bring out the big guns?

On Instagram follow Dr Natalia Spierings.

She is fab and is very much into less is more despite being a top dermatologist. Eg, she recommends Vaseline as a moisturiser, a balm or oil cleanser and a decent amount of SPF.
She does live q&a every week too which is always interesting.

For make up there are some amazing tutorials for make up,just have a little look and see who you like.
You don’t need to spend loads on skincare/make up to look good.

Also, skin+me and Dermatica are often mentioned on here. They’re an online dermatology service and super cheap compared to face to face private derms. They can help with specific issues, in my case it’s Hyper pigmentation which has finally disappeared due to Dermatica prescription.

The ordinary is a great start, the products are cheap and the site gives routine examples for specific skin concerns which sounds like it would be an ideal place to start for you.

Also Reddit has some good skin care subs with lots of useful advice and links to further info/ sites etc.

To start maybe just buy a cleanser, moisturizer and maybe a serum. I live matrixyl which I use before moisturiser and makes my skin brighter/ more even. Then just add extras in as you go along depending on skin concern. The ordinary do an AHA/ BHA acid peel which seems to be generally well tolerated by a lot of people and will help brighten your skin.

Will watch with interest about make up. I am a similar age and have always bought cheap makeup but nothing looks right on my face anymore!

@PurpleSneakers

What kind of skin type do you have - sensitive, dry, oily, normal, combination?

Do you want to keep it simple or bring out the big guns?

I think I have combination skin? Had acne as a teen, still get the odd hormonal breakout on my jawline. No dry patches. I'm mixed race but very pale skinned, lots of freckles but quite a sallow complexion, especially in winter. I have awful dark circles under my eyes, which combined with pasty face and black hair looks shite. I look a lot better in summer as I go lovely and golden brown!

Also should add I am VERY time poor - 3 kids, one who has SEN, demanding job blah blah blah, but I work surrounded by very glamourous women. I have always managed to get by, by being fairly 'exotic', as I am blessed with great hair, but it's not working anymore!

Ok I'm making a list of all your suggestions so far!
I've not spent any time or money on myself since my oldest was born 10 years ago. My youngest is 3 and I feel like I'm emerging from a fog, but I'm so lost. I want to feel good about myself.

I really rate Paula's Choice skincare products, I've been using them since my 20s and now at 40 I often get asked what skincare I use! They're no-nonsense and IME they do what they say they will. Paula was also a pretty strong advocate early on for sunscreen being the single best anti-aging product you can buy, which I stand behind!

Anyway, she has a short quiz on her website you can complete which will suggest a full skincare routine for you. It then provides a couple of options for routines (Essential or Advanced - I recommend starting off with Essential which will give you a basic routine). It shows the order the products should be applied in as well.

www.paulaschoice.com/myroutine

The link is to the U.S. website but you can get the products in the UK.

Great, thanks! I'll have a look.

Definitely Paula's Choice. It's been a godsend for my skin

I bought my teen daughter the Bobby Brown Makeup manual secondhand around £5. It takes you from beginner to pro, bare basics, it's really good, highly recommend.
www.amazon.co.uk/Bobbi-Brown-Makeup-Manual-Everyone/dp/0755318471?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@psuedocream3

I bought my teen daughter the Bobby Brown Makeup manual secondhand around £5. It takes you from beginner to pro, bare basics, it's really good, highly recommend. ]]

Aah, this is the kind of thing I need! I was thinking maybe a book would date quickly in terms of products/techniques, but I suppose I need to understand the 'classics' in the first place!

I follow Robert Welsh he is an MUA who has a special interest in skin care. He often compares products or critiques videos from tik tok. He seems to really like the inkey list.

You need a cleanser, toner, serum and moisturiser suited to your skin type. And do a mask a couple of times a week. I think the body shop do excellent low to mid point price skin care, vitamin E range is great. La Roche Posay is also very good.

For mid to high price point would recommend caudalie or Ren. If you order from the Ren website there's always deals on where you get a freebie if you spend over a certain amount. I think the body shop website do a "by skin type" section so you can see what products might work and the reviews.

Agree the hiron page is completely overwhelming, I tried it and it was just too much!

Oh and a decent SPF every single day! This has been a game changer for me. I use the Roche Posay one athelios.

@Glowtastic does the SPF go before or after moisturiser?

Last layer so afterwards

I would second skin and me . You upload pics of your face and fill in a survey. They send a serum for you every month ( to got between your cleanser and moisturiser). Other than that you need a cleanser , a moisturiser and spf.
I would keep it simple at first and not go all in with a million products.
Beauty pie is great to experiment a bit with skin care and make up if you get a membership. Lots of lovely cleansers and moisturiser. Lots of nice makeup at reasonable prices with the membership.

Avoid Caroline Hirons, there is just too much stuff and I also feel she just recommends whatever she is being paid for.

I really like My Skin Story on Instagram. She is a lady in her twenties who had terrible acne, but has managed to sort it and now runs her own skin clinic. But her skincare advice is pretty simple: cleanse, hydrate (hyaluronic acid) and seal in with moisturiser. She also throws in other products but its not overwhelming. It doesn't matter if you don't have acne either, I don't.

I do also use tretinoin now, which has made a great difference to my skin.

@GettingStuffed

I follow Robert Welsh he is an MUA who has a special interest in skin care. He often compares products or critiques videos from tik tok. He seems to really like the inkey list.

His brother James is the skincare guru! Robert has the scar on his eyebrow.

Cassandra Bankson is good for skincare. Doesn't always propose the most expensive

Oh and I almost forgot to say SPF as well most importantly!!!

Nadine Baggott.
I also follow Caroline Hirons and Sali Hughes but NB is my go-to skincare guru. She explains the science behind ingredients and always gives price points from cheap as chips to high end (many of which have EXACTLY the same % of actives in despite big price differences eg Nip & Fab v Paula's Choice etc)

She also claims we need only 5 products:

Cleanser- any you like, it goes down the plughole
Vitamin C
Sunscreen SPF 50
Moisturizer
Retinol.

Start slowly with those and you'll see a massive difference straightaway.

Also, unlike many others, NB doesn't have her "own" ranges to sell.

I'd agree with My Skin Story as a very honest skincare expert too.

For MUAs or experts to follow, I'd go with Lisa Eldridge, Bobbi Brown (both the original range page and Bobbi Brown herself's new brand Jones Road) Sali Hughes etc. What I like about these particular experts is they are real women, with real faces, making up other real women. They're not 25 year olds who have had work done making up other 25 year olds who have had work done and then topping it all off with an insta filter.

Cleanser - balms are good if you are dry - inky list oatmeal cleanser is great and lasts ages - rub into dry skin and rinse off or flannel if wearing full makeup.

Toner - if you want it’s not strictly necessary

If you want to brighten try a vitamin c serum and you can always experiment with eye creams. Some things can make you sun sensitive though so be aware.

Moisturiser - I’ve recently discovered aveeno baby cream is bloody amazing on the face not a fancy bottle but skin feels great!

SPF - no less than 30 - you can get some that double as a primer to wear under makeup.

Follow with makeup etc (give everything a few mins to absorb first or foundation might go funny)

At night do the same but leave out the spf. No need for fancy night creams unless you enjoy it. If you want to try retinol do it at night.

Sali hughes is good for makeup recommendations online and in the guardian.

You can also try checking out Skin+me it’s like an online derm and based on your skin from photos and a questionnaire will proscribe you a tube of something to cover the bases you want covered which you then follow with moisturiser etc at night.

I just use an SPF in the morning,I don’t need a moisturiser as well as they’re usually quite greasy. I wear spf 50 every day of the year.