Help!! Spent £150 on face products and they burn my skin

[Palease]

As advised from my local skin care lady, u purchased the Obagi 360 system which is exfoliator, spf moisturiser and retinol for night. My skin has felt glorious for a week and now, every time I use either one of them my skin burns round the bone under my eyes. It stays like that all day. I’m going to have to throw it away aren’t I?

any other skin care regime recommendations for someone in their mid 40s?

As others have said you've impaired your skin barrier. Leave the exfoliator for a week or so, then use twice weekly.
Retinol should be used on alternate nights but again id be leaving for a week or so before trying again.
If you can get your hands on a nice hydrating soothing mask that would be great.
I'd recommend the phytomask by skinceuticals or the colustrum gel by environ. Both very calming for the skin and will build your barrier up.
Obagi has some great products if used correctly! Terrible advice they gave to you 🙈

Dr Sam Bunting has lots of good Youtube videos on how to introduce retinoids - eg use every other day, use over the top of moisturiser first as this slows down the absorption of the retinol etc etc.

I wouldn’t try and introduce retinol and an exfoliator at the same time - I’d get used to the retinol first. And yes, no need to exfoliate every day.

Agree with others that you need to repair your skin barrier (to do this, cut out the ‘actives’ and go right back to basics - a very gentle cleanser and moisturizer only). Then gradually build the actives back in. French pharmacy brands are your friend - La Roche Posay’s Cicaplast and Toleriane lines are good for irritated skin.

Can you do a link please? I can only find a buy and sell page.

Yes me too. I can’t find it

I was going to go buy some cera vue cleanser and moisturiser today from boots. Would that be ok?

@Palease CeraVe is also great, yes 👍

m.facebook.com/groups/607073569665649/

Caroline Hirons Skincare Freaks

CeraVe is great but some of their products might be better for you currently than others.

For example I wouldn't recommend the SA Smoothing Cleanser to you at the moment in case the active ingredient Salicylic Acid that's in it adds to your inflammation woes.

Hydrating Cleanser or Hydrating Cream to Foam Cleanser should be fine though.

I'm not sure I'd recommend any particular CeraVe moisturiser for barrier repair. My Go To products if I've overdone it with mixing active ingredients are Dr Jartt+ Ceramidin and Avene Cicalfate (currently £12 at Boots for 100ml)

If anyone in the family has a really plain moisturiser for eczema that can help you too. (At night at least.)Something like Cetreben, Diprobase, Doublebase, nothing that says Urea on it though.

But do ask the freaks. They know their stuff.

I would scale it right back with the exfoliant- daily is too much and overexfoliation will mess up your skin barrier and potentially lead to perioral dermatitis (an angry rash around your mouth/ chin). Not fun.

Most people add retinol in very gradually, over time.

You will still be able to get use out of the products by using them a couple of times a week- you just need to be gentle with your skin and treat it like a rash/ sunburn until it settles again. Gentle cleanser, no harsh active ingredients.

Ahhh if I exfoliated and used Retinol daily my face would fall off.

I don't ever exfoliate!

I would get the Inky List Oat milk Cleanser and use that and La Roche Posay baume until your skin has healed.

Then I would only use Retinol a couple times a week.

And use Spf

Also there is no need to spend a lot on a Cleanser honestly... It's washed away

Is it this I need to get?

https://www.laroche-posay.co.uk/en_GB/cicaplast-baume-b5-repairing-balm-spf50/LRP_040.html

@Palease how are you getting on with your skincare?

I have just bought an Obagi system and I am required to exfoliate twice a week

Not so good @jelly79. I can’t use the exfoliator or the retinol as I come out with dry, tight burning skin a few hours later. I’m sticking with the moisturer though.

Why have you not gone back to your "local skin lady" for her advice? Surely she would be best placed to advise?

Cicaplast is the sort of product you need to repair you skin barrier

She was the one who said to use theme every day so I’m not sure she’ll know.