Skincare routine for a near 50 year old who doesn't even moisturise

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I can't believe I'm going to admit that I don't use any type of skin care products regularly.
I wash my face with water in the shower, I use make-up wipes to remove make up on the days I wear it (maybe 3 a week) and rarely use moisturiser.
I grew up with a great routine and found products to suit within budget but have never maintained a routine.
I've been chronically ill for the last 5 years and things have slipped. However, my skin is soft and not bad at all. But I have started to notice age spots just beginning (I have a health issue which results in hyper pigmentation which is a concern) and my eye creases are creasey!
I was going to buy products for wrinkles and age spots and then realised I don't even moisturise so maybe now is the time.
I am on a real budget and have sensitive skin and factor 50 is a must. (I have successfully used products by nivea, The Ordinary, Neal's Yard, Olay, La Roche etc in the past.)
Help please!

I think that the thing is not to deliberate but to just start moisturising with one of the products you’ve mentioned. I use Bodyshop Chamomile cleanser to remove make up as it’s gentle and doesn’t dry out my skin. I don’t think it’s ever too late to start moisturising.

Keep it simple. Your skin sounds like it’s in great condition and things like age spots and some eye wrinkles are inevitable at our age. I don’t believe in going big guns (retinol and all of that) unless you really want to unravel big problems, which you don’t seem to have. It sounds like the quality/ texture of your skin is good.

I’d cleanse with a nice balm (Boots No 7 is splendid, as is the Body Shop chamomile one mentioned by Fubderthighs). I use Cerave facial moisturiser with SPF 25 daily and at night, Clarins Blue Orchid oil (that’s my ‘splurge’ product and I LOVE it). I always have a big tube of La Roche Posay Cicaplast cream in my cabinet. It’s just brilliant and super powered and affordable!

By the way, Cerave does have a factor 30 and 50 SPF moisturiser.

Eucerin do an anti pigment range.

I prefer washing my face to cleansing, and I alternate between cetaphil foaming and liz earle.
I use strivectin neck cream, and the strivectin moisturiser on my face.
I use a really cheap boots own gel around my eyes (non scented) and UKlash serum on my lashes.

ceraVe do good cleansers, Vitamin C serum in the morning on dry skin (to brighten), followed by Niacinamide ( for dark spots), then a moisturiser for your skin type plus a SPF if there isn’t any in your moisturiser.

At night you can use an oil cleanser first to get rid of the makeup, followed by a normal cleanser ( double cleanse isn’t needed in the morning), followed by Niacinamide again and then a retinoids product ( a very mild one to start with and night moisturiser). There are so many brands you can use, The Ordinary is reasonably priced, and Superdrug do a range.

Moisturizer is a game-changer, your skin will thank you for it! Think of it like giving your skin a big hug after a long day.

For a simple routine, cleanser in the morning, moisturizer with SPF 50 (sunshine is sneaky!), and another layer of moisturizer at night might be perfect. Since you mentioned sensitive skin, a fragrance-free option would be best. The brands you listed all have great lines!

Skip the fancy stuff for now. Less is often more when you're starting out. And as for those age spots? Concealer can work wonders while your skin adjusts.

Underarm whitening treatment? I'm on the fence. Honestly, healthy underarms are beautiful underarms. Embrace your natural radiance! If irritation is a concern, focus on gentle exfoliation to keep things smooth.

At 36, I started noticing subtle but frustrating changes in my skin—sunspots from years of outdoor activities, fine lines around my eyes, and lingering acne scars from my younger years. No matter how consistent I was with my skincare routine, my complexion still looked uneven and tired. I wanted a solution that didn’t involve downtime or drastic procedures, which led me to try Pico laser treatments. After a few sessions, I saw real improvements—my pigmentation lightened, my skin texture felt smoother, and the overall tone looked brighter. It gave me back the fresh, confident look I’d been missing.

The Nivea facial spf50 sensitive is cheap and very good ( I use it on my daughters’ faces every day), as is the spf 50 facial fluid from altruist.

I am a similar age and recently started a more focused basic skin care routine.

I use cetaphil face wash with a clean hot flannel.

Then a serum (The ordinary Retinol at night and a cheap vit C from Lidl in the morning)

And Nivea Q10 anti wrinkle at night and the SPF one for the day!

All quite basic products and easily available and this seems to be working well - skin feels soft, brighter and looks nicely even.

I’m 10 years older than you, and I struggled with this too. I’d start off with good intentions but then not bother
it sounds like you have good skin already and I’m sure others don’t see what you see
Firstly, boring but it works,. Water really makes a difference so keep a bottle with you and sip I like my Contigo Autoseal and sometimes put a little bit of squash to liven it up
i have a little basket which I keep on my coffee table, then I find I do use it particularly at night
I I use Cetaphil Gentle cleansing lotion and Night cream and in the hot weather I have been using Nivea Rose micellar water from the fridge after cleansing
i also recommend Cerave but that started to burn
Even good old Vaseline is useful, I dab around eyes lips whatever
If you keep things simple( they have good range of products too!) you’re more likely to stick to it which is the key, I think.

Sukin is a great brand if you want a simple routine that is kind to sensitive skin. I use the sensitive cream cleanser and have the ageless day and night creams too. Easy to buy on Amazon and Holland And Barrett with offers.

I also use a hydraulic acid and vit c serum (Holland and Barrett) and Olay retinol eye cream.

Id suggest taking it step by step and not adding in too much at once, good luck!

I’m 46 and don’t do much either. My skin is in good nick for its age. I do suspect stripping the oils out and replacing them with expensive product doesn’t do it a lot of good.

Micellar water and Olay regenerist for me although I’ve only found it in a 30 spf. I do regular top ups of a spray on factor 50 for the face that seems to work.

I'm 46 and recently started a regular routine after doing nothing all my life. I was interested in Korean beauty products so I use Round Lab Dokdo face wash morning and night, Etude Soon Jung 2x Barrier moisturiser morning and night, and Beauty of Joseon Rice and Probiotics 50+ SPF in the morning. Occasionally I use a Beauty of Joseon Centella sheet mask if I have an important event the next day.

My skin was previously dry, flaky, with uneven texture and occasional breakouts. After 2 months of this, it is smooth to to touch, much more even in tone and has a healthy glow. The day after a mask, I have been described as radiant!

So it's never too late to start and you can see great improvement even with a basic routine. Good luck!

I think keeping it simple is the answer. I don't use anything fancy and have a basic routine but it means I am consistent with it.

So cleanser, serum, moisturiser both morning and evening. Make sure your morning moisturiser has SPF or you apply it separately.

Simple is a good brand for sensitive skin and isn't expensive.

My routine is:

Morning - cleanse with micellar water on a cotton pad, serum (I'm currently using the Lidl Q10 one and it does the trick) and then a moisturiser with SPF.

I do also use the Garnier over makeup factor 50 spray once I've put my makeup on for some added sun protection.

Evening - a more thorough cleanse. I like using a cream cleanser and am currently using a cheap Nivea one with a hot flannel. Then serum and moisturiser again.

All of the above probably adds 2 minutes to my daily routine but I just do it automatically now before brushing my teeth morning and night. I'm not loyal to any products, I tend to like going into TKMaxx and picking up whatever is cheap so I can try different products.

Moisturiser is pretty much required. So here goes my routine which you may try:
Morning:
Using water to wash your face,
Sebamed clear face gel,
Garnier spf
Evening:
Micellar water
Cerave moisturizer,
Tretinoin (0.1) from skinorac
Sebamed clear facial gel