Need to get good skin for wedding day

[Choppies]

Hey guys - I’m new to this corner of mumsnet and need help! I am getting married soon but the pandemic / new baby have aged me about 5 years in the last 12 months. If you had a budget of a couple of hundred quid for some concealer/tan/skin care products to help save my face what would you recommend?

Main issue is dry tired skin - I’m 29 but look at least 33 :(

I would concentrate on the skin rather than the makeup - if you have a good base it makes such a difference.

What is your current skincare routine?

I think the skin is the issue - I have pretty good make-up - just need a good concealer for my new dark circles - never needed it before.

That’s just it - there is no routine - no moisturiser, nothing :( I really need to step up my self care but the last time I had a routine I was on a student budget so I’m sure there are better products out there for me but I just don’t know where to start.

I have combination skin which is dry and oily but don’t get spots really

Ohhh okay.

Well the basics are

Cleanser - brands like La Roche Posay, Vichy, Inky List, The Ordinary, Cerave are all good high street options. They come in different textures and formats. Lots of people use a balm or oil one (Oat Milk Inky List very good) to remove make up, then a cream, foam, or gel Cleanser to really give a good clean.

Toner - I don't consider this essential but I do like Snail Mucin which is thicker than a toner so more an essence - it's good for adding hydration and giving you some glow

www.boots.com/cosrx-advanced-snail-96-mucin-power-essence-gel-100ml-10280721

Moisturiser - I don't think you need to spend a lot on this personally - I like La Roche Posay, The Ordinary or Glow Recipe.

Spf 50 - in the mornings - this is essential.

Add ons onto this basic routine above would be:

Vitamin C serum used in the morning - The Ordinary is nice for budget or if you want more fancy Medik8 or Oskia do great vitamin C

Exfoliate using a BHA like Paula's Choice.

So in your new routine you would go

Morning
Cleanse
Vitamin C
Moisturise
SPF
Then your makeup

Evening
Cleanse
Exfoliate - 3x per week
Essence
Moisturise

Basically - I think you need to just be consistent if you want to see improvement but start by nailing the basics.

Drink water. Drop caffeine, alcohol, processed foods and sugar. It'll help with skin and sleep

Thanks for taking the time to respond! I will head to boots and see what I can find but this is a good jumping off point for me!

@Tickledtrout

Drink water. Drop caffeine, alcohol, processed foods and sugar. It'll help with skin and sleep

Agree. It really helps.

@Tickledtrout I was afraid someone would say that hahaha! But I know you’re right! Water is a big one!

How long do you have? If you have a few months then it might be worth giving tretinoin a go, but it does take a while to kick in.

If not, then some kind of acid exfoliator will give a nice glow.

I think the key with skincare is consistency - hydration is important, a hyaluronic acid on damp skin sealed in with any moisturiser has been a bit of a game changer for me (along with tretinoin and SPF) Have also heard good things about Vit C but have never tried that.

I have 3 months but I am feeling motivated to put the work in! I really let myself go during lockdown working all hours then newborn in the mix i Just got in a rut!

Any acid exfoliator you recommend?

How long til the wedding? I wouldn’t make any big changes if it was next week for example. If you have a little longer, I swear by face theory. You can do the quiz to find the products that suit you best. I have oily skin and did have breakouts. I use a cleanser and moisturiser from there at the moment a pregnant with more sensitive skin. However before I got pregnant I also used a serum and toner and the difference was really noticeable. Skin much clearer and calmer.

I got married last year. My tips:

• nars coppacababa highlighter for on the day
• bourgeois radiant reveal concealer is the best but may only be available online now
• no facial SPF on the wedding day as it can show up in professional pics (I learned that off mumsnet!)
• I would advise doing a face mask the night before.

Congratulations

@firstimemamma ooh great tip about the SPF!

Bio oil, amazing moisturiser, leaves skin glowy and drink lots of water. Have an amazing day!

Okay so I’ve taken the plunge and got some nice moisturiser with SPF and a cleanser and toner and a BHA exfoliator!

I also got lots of nice ginger and peppermint teas in to help decaffeinate and hydrate! Wish me luck! Maybe the wedding will be the excuse I need to get my first manicure hahaha - this whole self care malarkey is actually really nice

Thanks everyone xx

Yay!! I would try anything you plan on using near the time well in advance, just in case you have an adverse reaction. So don't use a new face mask before unless you know your skin likes it! ❤️

Do you drink much water? Take a multivitamin and a some selenium which is great for skin, hair and nails. Drink 2 litres of water and you'll notice a difference in two weeks.
Try a retinol, but only three times a week at the beginning and ensure you exfoliate gently twice a week.
You can put the most expensive cream on your face but if your skin is dehydrated and you're not eating right it'll always show x

I'd go and get a good facial at a decent beauty salon first - and ask them their advice on a skincare routine from now on until your wedding.

Before my wedding I stopped tea and coffee, eat loads of fruits and veg, used chemical exfoliation regularly (an aha and bha). I also never miss my cleansing routine and use plenty of serums, oils and moisturisers. My favourite brand currently is Dr Jart Ceramidin range.

I am already on the skin hair nails pills due to the post partum hair loss haha! I am feeling super motivated now baby is sleeping a bit better so got my water bottle on hand and getting 10 000 steps a day! Peppermint tea only. Hopefully 3 months will be enough to get into a good routine and hoping now spring is here that will help with dry skin also!

A lot of people are recommending serums so I’ll have a look in boots - then I will have hit my budget!

The BHA leave on exfoliator has definitely done something overnight! I feel like I’m coming out of a 2 year fog - went straight from daily PPE and fatigue and chronic illness flares to pregnancy to newborn and I finally have some time and energy for me!

My partner had a stag but I lacked the energy for a hen-do so I’m just spending the equivalent cash on ‘me’ which feels like a great move!

You need to effectively remove makeup & sunscreen also… Double-cleansing is your friend. Not only does it clean properly, but it refines the texture and you get a gentle massage at the same time. Use an an oil or balm cleanser (These don’t have to be expensive to be effective. Superdrug is your friend, or Curel (Boots) Then you need to get that off with a gentle foaming cleanser that’s non-stripping. My favourite is Curel. It’s full of ceramides (unlike Cerave which actually has hardly any in comparison) and lasts for aaaages. (Nadine Baggot raves about this line too…) While you’re at Boots, Hada Labo has some amazingly effective, hydrating serums. Get the anti-aging ones which have a really gentle retinol in it. Brightening, moisturizing and plumping. Sunscreen is absolutely your BFF. Every day. If you can get a Korean or Japanese one, you can just use that instead of moisturizer over your serum. (Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel/Cosrx/Biore Milk, all brilliant)

Op have a look at hyaluronic acid serum (hada labo available at Superdrug is excellent the red and white packaging) really good for dry skin. Apply it to damp skin then slap in your moisturiser.

Have a look at Caroline hirons website, she also has really good social media pages especially Facebook really informative and caters for all budgets.

I bought one of those hydrojugs (massive 2 litre water bottle). I drink 2 and a half of them a day and my skin is glowing now. It's made more of a difference than any cream ever will