Skincare for almost 50 year old

[Whattodonext2020]

Morning!
I know this is asked many a time BUT before I head off to Boots I’d love to have some advice. I’m soon to be 50 and feel like I need to improve my skincare routine. Currently Cerave foaming cleanser, Body shop seaweed toner and either Cerave daily moisturiser in the morning or Vitamin C night cream. I’m hearing about retinol etc from friends and don’t know where to start! Mid budget and feel like I need to brighten my skin a little but nothing time consuming!
Thank you!

I’m 46 and I’m using:

Hot cloth cleanser
serum (Vit c in the morning, Hyluronic acid in the evening)
Tretinoin (evening only)
Cerave moisturiser

I’ve got difficult skin (lines and wrinkles plus acne) and every so often I have to abandon the whole lot because my skin occasionally gets very sensitive to products I’ve been using for years 🙄 But overall this regime suits me and makes my skin look brighter and slightly tauter.

It can be really confusing, I use Skin&Me rather than trying to figure out what I need.

I find the only things necessary are tretinoin at night and a factor 50 moisturiser in the morning. Maybe also bit of any old moisturiser if my skin is getting dry.

Washing is with a flannel wrung out in warm water.

I saw a dermatologist on TT the other day saying most creams with retinol in are so watered down and inactive they don’t do much but he recommended this Retinoid which is actually effective. Sadly it’s out of stock, I’ve been checking every day.

https://www.boots.com/the-ordinary-granactive-retinoid-2-emulsion-10267778

I used to work in a medical aesthetics clinics..
The nurses were of the opinion that the only at topical skin care that works is prescribed acne treatment (begins with a T, forgotten the name), retinol (but most OTC stuff isn't strong enough), pretty much any moisturizer and sun cream. All the others apparently don't penetrate the skin enough to make a difference. I found this information both incredibly disappointed and freeing lol

Taking collagen has done more for my skin than changing my skincare - it’s softer and less wrinkles. Hair is shiny and strong too, only been taking it for about six weeks so I’m blown away so far.

I think acids are really helpful. They work me anyway. The best brand to start with is The Ordinary because its lower cost but decent ingredients. You first need to list your concerns is it wrinkles, age spots, gently spots etc then slowly try a few very slowly to see how your skin reacts. I have a four step morning routine and a 5 step evening routine. Morning is wash with cerave, salicylic acid, moisturiser, sun screen. Evening is wash with oil cleanser, wash with cerave, active (glycolic or retinol), moisturiser, oil (rosehip from the Ordinary).

@Thesoundofmusic23 what collagen product do you use?

Tretinoin via skin and me or dermatica and daily spf.

You will also need a good moisturiser as the tret can dry your skin so look for something that mentions ‘barrier repair’. Peptides are also good and the ordinary copper peptide serum is great value for money

Clean collagen by British Supplements. I’m a bit of a convert. Looked at lots of options but some of them are very expensive with mixed reviews whereas this was cheaper with excellent reviews so I gave it a go.