What's made the biggest difference to your skin?

[december2020]

My skin is struggling. It feels dry, flaky, blotchy and gross with a hint of oily.

I've got rosacea (seem to have developed it around my 20s) but I probably have bad skin habits too.

I do wash my face, use toner, face oil and a cream almost daily and always wash any make up off.

So inspire me, positively or negatively, what's made the biggest difference to your skin?

[UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter]

Using a facial oil. I’m 45 and my skin had started getting really dry.
So now I double cleanse. Usually a cream cleanser then a wash off one. While skin still damp I use a serum with hyaluronic acid in. Wait for that to settle in usually at least 10 minutes then use a facial oil. The one I’m using is florena which I got in a beauty box at Christmas but I don’t think it matters brand wise.
Again leave it as long as you can and then use your eye cream and night cream.
In the morning I use pixi glow tonic. Wipe over my face. Then use a day cream and eye cream.

People always comment on my skin and how o look younger than my age.

[CompassPoint]

Hands down Tretinoin (retin A - prescription strength retinol). Nothing else even comes close, its the only thing proven to reduce, treat and prevent wrinkles and signs of aging. Its been around for decades (in use since 1962) and is extremely effective, it makes your skin flawless and glowing like nothing else.

It does take a while to get used to, and you have to build it up slowly, and you must wear proper suncream (not just suncream in moisturiser) every day, but whilst I was a bit skeptical of it at first I am a complete convert. I've been using it for about six years now and its completely paused, and slightly reversed ageing in my face and neck.

[Pearmain]

@CompassPoint where do you get it from?

[PandoraP]

@CompassPoint, you use it on the neck too?

[CompassPoint]

I stock up whenever I go back to my home country Permain, sorry that's not much help.

In the UK, I think Dermatica do a prescription for it? It is fairly easy and safe to order if from abroad though.

Farmacia Andorra was always one of the places to order from - the trade name in Spain for Tretinoin is Retirides, if you google Farmacia Andorra Retirides it should come up. They were having some supply issues getting it, but a friend of my who orders is ordered some in March and they had it in stock.

Alldaychemist also ship to the UK (from Germany, I believe), here's a reddit thread about them

www.reddit.com/r/tretinoin/comments/op15io/ordered_tretinoin_from_alldaychemist_to_the_uk/

[CompassPoint]

Yes PandoraP on my neck, under chin, chest and back of my hands. Its massively helped firm up my neck and chin

[CompassPoint]

Pearmain sorry typing too quickly!

[DeadButDelicious]

Drinking lots of water. I drink 2-3 litres a day as I'm quite prone to kidney stones if I don't and the difference it's made to my skin has been very welcome, it's no longer dry and flakey it feels lovely and soft, even my pores look a bit better.

[Crazykefir]

Azalic acid and retional (both from the ordinary). Also I've really cut down drinking.

[AliceW89]

I agree with @CompassPoint. Using retinoids (compounds derived from vitamin A) has made a staggering difference to my skin. I used the step up programme from Environ (www.thedermacompany.co.uk/product/environ-skin-essentia-avst-1/ ) This isn’t prescription strength as it’s not Tretinoin, but the difference has still been amazing.

[Sparkletastic]

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic acid
Retinol
Spf

I'm 50 with sensitive oily skin

[WhoppingBigBackside]

Diet

[PandoraP]

@AliceW89, I use Environ and currently on step 2. I was thinking of switching to more prescription strength, but I think Environ makes a difference to the lines on my chest so must be working. I go through the bottles so quickly though. I love the put a lot on. I am thinking I might start putting on a thinner layer and then a cheaper moisturiser on top.

[IchBinAnnaOfCleves]

I have to use Pai products.
I always sound like I must work for them as I endorse them so much!
But any other cleanser makes my face sore. It’s flipping expensive so I try and get it on offer when I can but the calming cleanser and moisturiser feel like they're giving my skin a hug.

[elidelochanthefirst]

I think for me it's been working out the perfect combo of what my skin needs and then being consistent. I really love how my skin looks now, I rarely wear make up and I'm so confident.

The thing is I can say what I use but I truly believe everyone is different so you need to experiment for yourself.

Though if helpful, this is my routine for super hydrated glowing skin. I am dry naturally.

Morning
No cleanse
Cosrx Snail mucin
Medik8 Vitamin C
Ultra Violet Spf 50 or Beauty Pie Spf

Evening

• Oil/balm cleanse favourites are Then I Met You, Medik8 Oil, M&S Pure Rose balm - basically anything oily for me.

If I've worn make up I follow up with a cream Cleanser too.

• Tret - 0.1% from Dermatica

www.dermatica.co.uk/referrer/Y2K0NE

• Beauty Pie - Ceramide Capsules

share.beautypie.com/x/yvJlmI

• moisturise - La Roche Posay either the blue hydrate or the intense baume

• the ordinary - squalene oil. Or beauty pie night oil. I've tried so many fancy oils and for me I find I just need a simple one really.

This now is my perfect skin routine 👌

[LookdeepintotheParka]

The game changer for me was being prescribed Soolantra by my GP to sort out my rosacea. I'm a bit obsessed with beauty products and constantly trying new ones but the two I will always now repurchase are:
Murad retinol serum (£££ but brilliant!)
Versed Weekend Glow (acid toner)
Both have immensely improved my skin from the acne scarred, oily mess it once was!

[Powerpotpie]

Good food, exercise and plenty of fresh air! 😁

[DFOD]

How much are these routines costing a month? Are you adding Botox on top as well? How much does that cost annually?

[Muminabun]

Depends on your skin type. I am 44 with normal skin a bit oily. Hot cloth cleansing has made my skin so much softer and cleaner. When I had a complicated routine for the first time in my life my skin got irritated because I was touching it too much regardless of the fancy pants products I was using because I went down a hirons rabbit hole.
You know your skin best sometimes less is more especially if skin is just normal. I just cleanse and moisturise there are tons of good products out there but for me the biggie was cleansing plus after a long days having a hot cloth on your face feels like a spa treatment 😁

[Roseglen84]

As a previous poster said, tretinoin is the one thing that has significant clinical research behind it. That said, it's tough going for a while, and your skin will look worse before it looks better. The reason it's hard to get is you need a prescription for it, as it is stronger than anything you can buy over the counter. Plus it can do some damage to your skin if not used properly.

I'm in Ireland and order mine from Farmacia Andorra, it usually takes a few weeks to be delivered so I buy 3 or 4 tubes at a time. I'm not sure if being in the UK you would need to pay customs charges on it, which might make it more expensive. If you are in the UK, there is Skin & Me or Dermatica, both of which are subscription services.

You should start very slowly and build up usage, I started once a week for a few months and took it from there. I still had a few months of peeling, redness, and dry irritated skin to contend with, but eventually my skin acclimatised.

I see it as a long term investment in my skin, it doesn't give instant results, but it does work.

[Silverclocks]

I know people sneer about it, but honestly plenty of water and no refined sugar makes the biggest difference to me. The water makes my skin plump up after a day or two and after a week without sugar it's completely clear and free of breakouts. Both water and cutting the sugar make my skin look brighter.

[CompassPoint]

DFOF

My routine costs less than £10 per month, allowing some spare for additional purchases if needed. I have never had botox and never will, tretinoin renders it pointless anyway. My routine is:

Morning

• cleanse with cerave hydrating cleanser
• facial oil (my own blend of jojoba, rosehip and myrhh)
• face cream, nivea soft with The Ordinary Niacinamide powder added
• Sun cream Asda own brand kids sensitive factor 50

Evening

• Cleanse with cerave cleanser
• tretinoin (every other night, wait for four hours before next step)
• face oil, own blend again
• face cream, nivea soft with The Ordinary L-Ascorbic Acid (vit C) mixed in
• apply layer of vaseline before bed

The costs are:

• cerave cleanser £11, lasts me ten months to a year
• facial oils, £40 total for a years supply
• nivea soft £5 for a huge pot which lasts eight months
• sun cream £5, lasts eight months
• Tretinoin, £12 for a years supply, I stock up when in my home country.
• vaseline, about £5 for the year
• The Ordinary L-Ascorbic Acid £5, lasts at least six months
• The Ordinary Niacinamide powder £5, lasts at least six months.

So that's £103 per year at the most, which is less than I would have thought before adding it up.

[Riverlee]

Using Simple range of products (or Avon equivalent).

[Iamtired123]

Cutting out dairy completely

[Feather12]

Short term -DDG led mask, it instantly makes my skin look amazing; tight, smooth, plump, and really glowy.
Long term -tretinoin, it takes an age to see results (I have been using for just over a year) but it does work wonders.
I also think drinking loads of water evens my skin tone.