Help me fix* my skincare regime

[Notapartyanimal]

*should probably say 'give me a skincare regime'...!

I have recently realised that my skin is fucked and, after years of passing for younger than I am, I'm suddenly looking like someone's aged aunt.

I'm 43 years old. I don't smoke (did for several years - haven't for at least 7). I don't drink much at all, although historically I was a big drinker (there's a theme here - I am v much getting my act together, although in many ways still a work in progress!)

I definitely don't drink enough water and that's something I'm seeking to rectify. But I also have no skincare regime.

My skin is quite dry, some fairly large pores, and just generally very dull looking. I have giant bags under my eyes and very very bad wrinkles on my forehead. I don't wear much makeup - Olay total effects us as far as I usually go.

Please tell me what I should be doing to help my skin, especially the dryness and wrinkles. Be specific - assume I know nothing and please tell me products! Money is tight at the moment so can't be anything too pricey.

Thank you if you're still reading after that ramble 😂

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser every morning and night. Put on day cream during the daytime with SPF 15 minimum. At night put on night cream which will be a bit heavier. You can also get eye cream that you put on very gently around your eyes at night. For make up during the day you should probably start wearing foundation. And if all else fails think about Botox! 😂

Your description of your skin condition sounds just like me about three years ago! I am now 48 and my skin is definitely much improved. I used the lockdowns to get up to speed on what should go on my face. I will share what I do but keep in mind everyone is different and I don't live in the UK so I don't know whether the specific products are accessible to you or their prices.

Morning

The Ordinary Squalane cleanser (so good for dry skin)
Inkey list Vitamin C mixed with The Ordinary Hylauronic acid (vitamin C works wonders for dull skin and hylauronic acid is a must for ageing skin)
True Botanicals Chebula serum (powerful antioxidant)
Farmacy Honey Halo Ceramide Moisturiser
Beauty of Joseon SPF 50

NIght

The Ordinary Squalane cleanser
True Botanicals cleanser (this was a gift, it's expensive and I think once this is done I will go back to my usual second cleanse which was The Inkey List Oat Cleanser)
Depology Matrixyl 3000 (this is a game changer for ageing skin)
Depology Retinol moisturiser (just started my second tub, love this)
Farmacy Honey Grail facial oil (because I like to super moisturise my very dry skin at night)

Some of those products will likely need to be ordered online and might be a bit expensive but I do find that over a certain age, you really need the good stuff. Also, everything I use must be cruelty free.

If you're on social media, have a look for NatashaB Beauty Junky Monkey. She's taught me so much!

Skin needs:
To be clean, to be hydrated, to be protected from the sun. Those are the 3 fundamentals and none need to be £££

AM
Cleanser
Moisturizer
SPF 50 (separate from your skincare, we just don't put enough on if it's in a moisturizer or make up)

PM
Repeat without the SPF.

If you want to explore anti-ageing, a vitamin C in the morning, a vitamin A in the evening. These are two of the very very few products which have a scientifically proven base in anti-ageing.

Serums: most have no active ingredients but are just super-powered moisturizer but in a formula which makes them more easily assimilated. They'll often be silicone heavy which gives an instant smooth effect though that's cosmetic and temporary.

For specific products its harder to recommend as everyone is different. I chop and change.

ANY cleanser is fine- it goes down the plughole after 30 seconds. It's not going to take 10 years off in those seconds it's on your face. It's there to take your makeup off and the day's grime. If you use micellar water to take your makeup off, then make sure you cleanse afterwards as it isn't great for skin but is fine as a first cleanse. Cleansing with a cloth and warm water exfoliates.

Moisturizer - any for dry skin if that's what you have. Look for glycerine, hyaluronic acid, squalane, in the ingredients. Nivea, Olay, L'Oréal, Superdrug own brand, La Roche Posay Riche and Toleriane all great.

SPF 50 Garnier for face is as good as it gets and as cheap as chips.

If you're interested in exploring vitamin C then you're looking for percentages rather than names/prices or anything purporting to be a Vitamin C that doesn't tell you what percentage it is. It should be between 12-20% and it should tell you so.

Likewise vitamin A/retinol. Lots of posters on here have prescription subscriptions with companies like Skin and Me and Dermatica. If you want to try that route those posters have referral codes that get both of you a perk- iirc you get a month free, they get something.

Otherwise you can try an entry grade retinol (about 0.3%) Most creams containing retinol by the big brands lie at around that percentage. Build up gradually.

I'm currently using:

AM
Boots 7 cleansing lotion for dry skin
Boots N7 vitamin C serum
Toleriane Dermallergo moisturizer
Garnier spf 50

PM
Boots N7 cleansing balm first cleanse
Superdrug vitamin E hot cloth second cleanse
Missha dupe of Estée Lauder ANR serum
Toleriane Dermallergo

I use Tret 0.05 a couple of times a week.

Of these, the N7 balm is a repeat purchase and they'll prise it from my cold dead hands. Best balm cleanser I've ever used. Likewise the Vit E cleanser.

I have dry skin and am 57.

For people to follow: I follow Nadine Baggott. I used to follow Caroline Hirons but her followers can be a bit cultish. NB has some great videos explaining what skin needs, what it doesn't, and the science behind it (and whilst she recommends products, they're as likely to be Superdrug or the Ordinary as they are Skinceuticals)

This is all amazing, thank you all 🙏

I think cleansing is the bit I'm worst at, I just dont do it, I just wash my face in the shower. Interesting that that's coming up so much as a vital step! I'm making notes on everything that's been recommended as well and will do a browse later.

I wash my face in the shower too. I think that's fine in the morning tbh. I only use a cleanser at night.

Tbf, I'd say cleansing in the morning isn't as essential as at night. I've just wiped my cleanser off with a cotton pad and though you'd be surprised given that all I've done is slept, there's still a delightful grey patch 😂

I use Skin+Me, as someone noted above (and yes, have a referral code I can share by PM if you’d like).

I’ve actually found it great, and because it’s simple I’m keeping to it which has been the biggest barrier between me and skincare previously! Also I find I don’t actually need it every day, about 2 in 3 works fine. It’s £25 for a month’s supply, but I’m not spending nearly that much on it. My skin is looking much clearer, I don’t feel like I need to load on makeup to look decent.

So I do:

PM - cleanser (Aldi), skin+me, moisturiser (cheap massive tub of Nivea is working well for me)
AM - cleanse (if I remember), moisturiser (Nivea again), SPF (I’m using La Roche posay but there are cheaper options).

Thanks @Snowjokes, if you could pm me the referral code that would be ace.

I wouldn't go straight into a big long list of products if your skin isn't used to it.

I have good skin, always have, but I see a huge improvement when I drink enough water every day. At the moment I'm drinking 3l a day.

I wash my face with warm water and a magic cloth each morning.

Then I use a couple of drops of lycopene oil, an eye cream, and sometimes a dragons blood moisturiser. I use the anti ox dragons blood range from mercadona supermarket in spain. Then spf50 EVERY DAY.

Sometimes I wear makeup, sometimes not.

At night I take it all off with warm water and cloth, sometimes use dove, and then use the oil/cream again, but not the spf50.

I recently switched to the body shop fresh nude foundation which is very moisturising and goes on so nicely!

For skin care I use
Am - vitamin c face wash, hyaluronic acid serum, vitamin c serum and simple moisturiser then spf.

Pm - oil cleanser, hyaluronic acid and cetaphil night cream which is lovely and thick - just what my dry skin needs!

I also upped my water - this alone made a huge difference tbh. I'm currently looking for a 1l water bottle that can go in the dishwasher as my next 'skincare' purchase.

I am 44, use the dermatica subscription. about £20 a month but I always pause mine as only use every other day so lasts for ages! So works out £5 a month. It is excellent, has tretinoin in it. Other than that I just use blue Niva at night, cervera cleanser from a massive pump bottle which gets rid of all makeup. I use factor 50 (La Roche posay) on top of moisturiser every morning. Have been doing this for 6/9 months and my skin has never been better! Have saved money and faff too

I would start slowly.

Cleanse with something like Inky List Oat Milk or if you go on Yess style get one of the korean cleansing oils

Then a regular moisturiser, I always love La Roche Posay ones - usually on offer in boots.

Then an Spf - altruist face fluid is my favourite budget. Dr Sam is my favourite more pricey one.

Do this for a month then you can think about adding Retinols and actives.