Advice on skin care routine

[blondie87]

Good evening,

I would be grateful for some direction on a skin care routine. I was at an event recently having my makeup done professionally and the makeup artist said I had very dry skin.

It’s not flaky or anything, but more dehydrated. It’s also very oily down the t-zone so combination skin in the truest sense!! I’m mid 30s and also getting fine lines so looking for a routine to sort out the dehydration, oiliness and keep wrinkles at bay. I don’t have Botox or other injectables currently. There is so much information out there, I’d love someone to tell me what products to use when.
Thanks!

This is what I use and my skin is the best it's ever been.
Liz Earle cleanser. Only because the Aldi solid cleanser ran out.
Use with a real flannel facecloth, rinsing out in warm water.

Only wash face at night!
Let your skin protect itself overnight.

After wash, then vitamin c serum. I get balance vitamin c for about £5 from Amazon. Then 5 drops of olive oil. Yep kitchen olive oil. Amazingly hydrating & does not make skin oily.

In the morning just the viyam c and oil drops, then a Garnier SPF. Then foundation.

Oo thank you!

First of all make sure you are drinking enough throughout the day - water, squash, not tea/coffee as they dehydrate you.

Then get some easy to use products. Cleanse, tone, moisturise and go from there.

I love Body shop cleansing balm - or you can splurge and get liz Earle, or eve lom but bodyshop does the same job at a fraction of the price and feels lovely.

I use Dermalogical microfoliant as my skin is dry too, with oily T zone and different moisturisers, but I love Summer Friday or Dermalogica - both are oil free, but that is more for my lash extensions rather than dry skin. Another good moisturiser is bodyshop vitamin C.

I think you need to try a few items and see what your skin likes and what makes you feel good too.

Some really helpful suggestions; thank you.

I’ve been using Tropic for about 4 years now and every time I stray away, I come back to it. Nothing else hydrates and makes my skin look and feel like it. I use:

Mornings: morning mist spray toner followed by skin feast moisturiser (no washing)

Evening: cream cleanser with hot cloth, followed by the spray toner, skin dream moisturiser and then every second night also some organic elixir which is like a face oil.

I’ve tried most of their other face products but for me, these are the essentials. If you have particular needs such as blemish clearing, dull skin, oily etc they also do other serums.

I honestly can’t imagine using anything else. You don’t have to buy from a rep, you can order on their website and it’s free delivery over about £30.

I'm mid 30s dry skin.

Morning
Wash with water
Vit c serum
Spf
CC cream

Evening
Cleanse with an oil or balm - I'm not brand specific there are loads that are good
Tretinoin from Dermatica
Dr Sam intense moisturiser or fierce nature orange tallow

I'm really happy with my skin no lines and I get lots of compliments which is nice

Interesting to see cleansing just in the evening. I will try this! Looks like a vit C serum is something to invest in. Some good recommendations for moisturiser too, so thanks!

This brand is amazing

Balance Active Formula 3% Active Vitamin C Brightening Serum . amzn.eu/d/4O7BBgW

It and many others are a copy of the skinceuticals ce ferulic. This one is a great price.

I use their nicinamide too.

I really recommend this podcast which looks at the evidence behind skincare products:
https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/94hwad35?utm_source=gimletWebsite&utm_medium=copyShare&utm_campaign=gimletWebsite

If you don't have time to listen to it my summary is:

• Ageing is significantly increased by exposure to UV, best thing you can do is wear SPF
• Moisturiser (as with all skincare) sits on the top of your skin, it doesn't penetrate it. It works by reducing the amount of moisture evaporating from your skin. Best thing for dry skin is drink lots of water and regularly slap moisturiser on
• Most skincare is a scam, the only thing with any proven results is prescription strength tretinoin but even then the effect sizes are small

Most skincare is a scam

Sorry I meant to say "most anti-ageing skincare is a scam".

It depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. As a basic - Use a gentle cleanser. Never scrub your face, instead use a chemical exfoliant a few times a week. Every morning, cleanse then use vit C, moisturiser and a good sunscreen. At night, after cleansing, use a retinol/retinal/tretinoin followed by a good moisturiser.

Niacinamide is good for evening out your skin tone.
HA is good for hydration, but it is in a lot of other products so a separate one isn't always needed.
Azeliac acid works on redness and pigmentation.

Vit C needs to be kept in the fridge or else it will oxidise and be useless.

I have sensitive combination skin.

Am cleanse with an oil based cleanser
Pat dry
vitamin C
Spray skin with a mister and apply hyaluronic acid serum
Moisturiser
spf

PM
oil based cleanser
water based cleanser
niacinamide
hyaluronic acid
moisturiser
ciclaplast balme

I do the above every other day, as on the other days I used tretinoin.

Could try a urea based moisturiser at night.