I agree with pp that skincare is very much trial and error, and highly subjective to what suits your skin type, lifestyle, diet, where you live, how much time you have of an evening etc. etc. No way to know what works for you other than to try it, unfortunately.
That said, I'd start slow and focus on one thing/product at a time, especially when you're basically starting from scratch. It's much easier to notice what does and doesn't work for your skin if you're introducing one thing at a time rather than twenty all at once! Cleanser-wise, I'd use something cheap and cheerful - the point of a cleanser is to clean your skin (duh) so the more hardworking products have a good base to work their magic on. Spend your money on these, and just find a cleanser you're happy to use twice a day. Cerave is pretty good I find.
If you're after a glow, a Vit C that works for you is the best place to start, along with a sunscreen (because ideally you should apply SPF when using Vit C). My fave is the Medik8 one (C-Tetra) - it's super light and absorbs easily, doesn't feel tacky etc. It's brightened up my skin quite a lot in the 6+ months I've used it. Plus since I only apply it AM, a bottle lasts for ever and it doesn't oxide like some others I've tried previously can (shout out to Timeless Vit C though which was my previous fave before they stopped selling it in the UK!).
For SPF I find La-Roche Posay's Anthelios range the best - their SPF50 is light and (for my skin) hydrating enough that I don't need a separate moisturiser.
Retinol is tricky if you've never tried it before and should be eased into slowly. Once you've got the Vit C + sunscreen basics, it could serve as a good base for introducing retinol and/or other actives!