At my wits end with skincare that doesn’t work

[Gollumgolightly]

Does anyone else feel despite using all the commonly recommended products; their skin is no better for it?

Am seriously debating ditching the lot and just using soap and water…

I’ve put a lot of effort (and I fear, far too much money) into trying to improve my skin over the years. The brands have changed from time to time but my routing has been something like this for a while now:

am: La Roche Posay wash, vitamin c serum (currently the ordinary L-ascorbic 8%). Cerave moisturiser and La Roche Posay 50+ sunscreen.

pm: cleansing balm, La Roche posay face wash, alternate nights using Tretinoin followed by LRP Cicaplast which helps with the peeling. On the nights when not using tretinoin I’ll use Superdrug 2% bha toner.

My nose is perpetually red (been like this my whole life) large pores blackheads and filaments.

My forehead is now brimming with blocked pores as is my chin and now some of my cheeks aswell.

Despite religious sunscreen use and avoiding sun/seeking shade and using hats … pigmentation spots continue to worsen.

and spots … anywhere really but I find the ones on the neck the most embarrassing.

After being so careful and putting in so much effort it really gets me down that my skin still looks rubbish and is getting worse - not better.

I wasn’t blessed with an attractive face (called ugly a lot in my youth and now more commonly receive veiled comments like ‘you have strong features’). I thought at least if I had decent skin I might feel a bit better about my face.

So, please come and tell me if you have tried all the supposed holy grail skincare products and then decided to ditch it all in favour of letting nature take its course… and saving a heap of time and money in the process. Are you glad you did? Did it actually make any difference to your skin?

It looks like you've chosen good products here, but you're using too many different things in the day and your skin is reacting to it a bit. I would suggest contacting Paula's Choice for a skin consultation, they're very knowledgeable and can give you a good idea of what you do/don't need.

Ditch them all, soap and water is fine. Find happiness elsewhere, beauty is inside us.

Search for noncomedogenic which is non pore blocking. HELIOCARE spf is good

I think you might be better seeing a dermatologist. It sounds like you have a lot going on with your skin so maybe time to get professional ( rather than sales type) advice?

Like many others here, I have a simple routine too. Same thing morning and night - wash with soap and warm water. I know! Everyone demonises soap, but works for me! Tone with cold water. Moisturise with E45. Add sunblock if going to beach etc. Otherwise I don’t use SPF. My skin looks the best it has ever looked, and the simplicity has been good for the routine and for my wallet! I don’t wear makeup, which means there’s no need for primer etc.

Another vote for dermatica! Hormonal/peri acne after never suffering when younger, and sun spots. It's worked wonders.

I have dry skin prone to spots and dry patches. I use garnier micellar water The Ordinary Buffet serum, no7 eye cream (day & night), Estée Lauder hydrating day and night creams then use Lancôme teint idol foundation. It's taken me ages and a lot of shit products but they all work for me. The day cream is thicker but the rest are all quite light products.
I found if you listen to beauty counter advice you'll have 15 layers of crap on your face and have creases when you smile!

I also found changing to reusable cotton pads helps exfoliate gently

This. Heal your skin from the inside. All the creams area a waste of money.

Agree with @Twilightskies I'm afraid, after many years of constantly spending money on expensive products and looking for holy grail. All it did was ruin my skin.
Have discovered that the less I mess about with my skin the better. Wash in the evening (cerave foaming oil cleanser), bit of cerave moisturiser. I don't wash face in the morning, I never put my face in the sun so I don't bother with spf either day to day. That's it, and my skin is far better than when I messed about with products.

If you are still peeling after 4 years of trying to introduce tret, your skin is trying to tell you something - it doesn't like it.

For your blocked pores and blackheads ..try the medik8 range, cleansers and moisturisers. You probably have lots of oil production naturally and need less moisturising but more declogging of your pores. I also have hydrofacials which help but are expensive.. can't advise on the pigment but keep up the sunblock...my pores are still there but less noticeable and far fewer blackheads. Good luck op!