Can you tell me your skincare routines?

[YoMrWhiteYall]

I’m 41 and currently use L’Oréal age perfect wipes and Olay moisturiser. Nothing else.

im starting to look old. What else should I be doing? Is there any going back or is it all about damage limitation now?

I’ve got oily skin so it’s foaming face wash with a clean flannel to remove and splashing, spray on Dermalogica toner and then something to exfoliate like a retinol but I’m on a azaelic acid now.

I don’t use moisturiser much though.

Same again in the morning but no exfoliants or I break out, then sunblock.

Weekly masks.

I’ve seen a lot of posts about sunblock, do you do this in winter too? I always thought it was healthy to get a bit of sun on your face?

Oh gosh, my face feels dry just reading your post.

AM - CeraVe hydrating cleanser, hyaluronic serum, CeraVe moisturising lotion or Simple Light Moisturiser, then SPF 50 (yes all year round ideally, especially if you're spending much time outside. If I'm honest I don't wear it on days I'm just going from the car to the office and it's cloudy/dark, but technically you probably should).

PM - Clinique Take the Day Off balm to double cleanse (you could use a balm then a gel cleanser to double cleanse, but this works fine for me) with a Face Halo. REN AHA Ready Steady Glow tonic to exfoliate, then M&S Formula night cream.

Nothing too fancy/expensive but I think you'd notice a big difference if you switch to something similar. I'm 32.

UV is very aging though, vitamin d is healthy and nhs advice to take a supplement daily.

Oh yes sorry I wear sunblock daily.

I’d ditch the wipes unless camping or something.

You need a good cleanser and moisturiser, can be same AM and PM if the cleanser removes make up (if you wear it).

Depending on your skin goals there are then various serums you can add in - BHA, AHA, Vitamin C, niacinamide, retinoids. SPF50 every day.

Personally I don’t think face masks are needed if your routine is decent and consistent. It’s what you day by day.

I’m 43, so similar age to you. Im quite happy with my skin. It’s pretty even and I’m told I don’t look my age. First thing I would do is ditch the wipes. They are terrible for your skin. If you are completely revamping your skin care, introduce 1 thing at a time and see how your skin responds to each product over a few weeks, then Introduce the next product.

My usual routine is

AM Cerave Hydrating cleanser. The job of your morning cleanser is mostly to wash away the previous nights skin care.

Hada Labo hyaluronic acid, followed by Curel Deep Mositure Spray. Hyaluronic Acid needs moisture to work properly or it can dry the skin.

I follow this with Garnier vitamin C, but your product here should be to target any problems with your skin.

Last step is moisture or SPF. I’m currently using Emma Hardie protect and prime, but my usual go to is Curel Moisture Milk and the la Roche Posay Mist SPF over my make up.

PM I have 3 cleansers on the go, depending on how my skin feels. Curel Make Up Remover Cleansing Gel, The Ordinary Sqalene cleanser (my fave and usual one) and Inky List Oat Balm Cleanser. Then I use M&S Formula Sleep Cream over the top.

Wipes are no good!

A gentle cleanser and night cream for PM to take off make up/oil build up from the day and then re introduce moisture.

In the morning, a face wash something from neutrogena might suit you. Then a light moisturiser with spf or sunblock after a light moisturiser.

And once a week a light exfoliator and a face mask. I exfoliate on Monday, mask on Friday

Water, soap and occasionally a shampoo bar... I'm in my early 60's and look no older than my contemporaries.

Oh ye, sun block when I'm going to be out in the sun for several hours but not for normal use.

I would get rid of the wipes. I think they are harsh and drying on the skin, especially with all the dragging motions,

Perhaps try something that gives your skin some extra hydration , like Hyaluronic Acid, followed by your moisturiser or add a serum/oil to your routine before moisturiser.

My routine -
Morning - I use a small amount of Simple face wash , rinse with warm water, then I slash with cold water to close pores. I use The Inkey List Q10 Serum, mixed with a little Vit E oil (Burts Bees) followed by Clinique eye cream, then a SPF 50 face cream.

In the evening , I use the Lacura cleanser (from Aldi) with the muslin cloth. It really leaves my skin clean and feeling plump and dewy. I use a blob of the Q10 serum mixed with abit of Nivea soft cream, followed by my eye cream.

About twice a week, I use Vit C serum at night time too.

It sounds like a lot of products, but it’s not really and the routine takes less then 5 mins.

Morning was with dual sided cloth, one washes the other sort of buffs the skin. Serum either the inkey list polyglutamaic (something like that)serum or nip&fab dragons blood serum (really impressed by this) followed by whichever moisturiser I have.

Evening the same as morning except I am finishing off the inkey list retinol, did fa and I'll replace it with the nip and fab. I also use Nivea night moisturiser

Sunscreen will make the biggest difference.
After that, have a good cleanse with a proper cleanser (not wipes) at the end of each day. Pick something that says “preserves the skin barrier”.
Also proven effective is tretinoin (skin & me and dermatica are the most well known suppliers of this).

Beyond these three, nothing is really compulsory. Use it if you enjoy it.
Vitamin C and niacinamide might have some benefit but nothing has been proven. An acid exfoliant can improve how your skin looks short term but doesn’t change ageing or anything in the long term.

My skin is the best it's ever been. Really glowing.

I have dry tenancy skin.

Morning
Medik8 Vitamin C Serum
Beauty Pie hyaluronic acid moisturiser
Dr Sam Tinted Spf 50

Evening
Balm Cleanser (lots on rotation)
Youth to the people Cleanser
Tretinoin from Dermatica
La Roche Posay Moisturiser
Shea Butter or some vaseline or squalene
Lip mask or balm

I love it ❤️

I'm 45. I'm bad at mornings so my am has to be really quick and simple or I'd never do it!
So in the morning I wipe over with Nivea Micellar Water, put some Simple eye cream on, apply freederm to any occasional spots. Then I use a factor 50 sunblock (in the winter a nivea moisturiser with spf 15 in.)

Pm - Dermalogica pre-cleanse
Dermalogica ultra calming cleanser
Dermalogica redness relief essence
Simple eye cream again
Freederm spot cream again.
Nivea soft moisturiser.

Weekly I exfoliate with St Ives and use a mask.

Monthly I go to a beauty therapist for a Dermalogica facial.

I can't really afford to use Dermalogica all the time so that's why I mix and match with Nivea!!

You definitely need to ditch the wipes, they aren't doing anything. I'm 39 next month and my routine is:

AM
CeraVe hydrating Cleanser
Pixi glow tonic
Clinique dramatically different moisturiser
Number 7 protect and perfect intense eye cream

PM
Garnier micellar water to remove eye makeup and top layer of face makeup
Cleanse with cerave hydrating cleanser
2nd cleanse with micellar water
Inkey list glycolic acid toner
The ordinary hyaluronic acid
Inkey list retinol eye cream
Number 7 protect and perfect intense night cream

A couple of nights a week I'll do a mask, something like the ordinary salicylic acid mask

I literally use a bar of soap and put on sun cream. How do people have all the time to put this cream, that cream, every other cream on?

Takes about two minutes in the morning and four minutes at night. Six if i give myself a facial massage! Not long to me

I don't look my age because of good jeans & oily skin but I've been trying to do a proper routine while I'm on 6 weeks break which I'll try my best to carry on when I'm back at work!

My AM -

Wash face with with cetaphil cleanser
A light toner - garnier rose water
The ordinary salicylic serum
Vitimin c eye cream
Embryolisse lait cream

PM -

Simple micellar cleansing water
Cetaphil cleanser
Glycolic toner (inkey list)
Hyaluronic serum (inkey list)
Vitimin eye cream
Weleda skin food

Sometimes a face mask & roller or gua shua.

I've just bought the ordinary argireline & matrixyl ... apparently it's like Botox in a bottle?! I'm still learning

*genes NOT jeans

I’m mid-40s and I’ve done all sorts over the years - expensive serums to the Ordinary and everywhere I between but my current routine is:

Am - splash with water or wash with a foaming cleanser
hydrating toner (Dear Klair)
hydrating serum (Inkey list)
sunscreen (Nivea Watery gel - Japanese import)

pm - double cleanse - cream or balm then a foaming one, I have a selection and I use a soft microfibre cloth
Dermatica treatment
cerave pm moisturizer

I tried the Skin + Me subscription and liked it but switched to Dermatica becayy it’s it has stronger actives and am very, very impressed. I have hyperpigmentation and it actually has visibly improved it along with the general condition of my skin. I have only t-zone and am prone to millia but currently my skin looks the best it has in years.

Look into a dermatica or skin&me subscription as these products will make the most difference in terms of anti aging

Otherwise a decent chemical exfoliator a few times a week, vitamin c and spf in the morning will make a big difference