Why can't I get these two things right?

[Justkoko]

Hair - shampoo - the whole sulfates, silicone debate has only served to confuse me. Back in the 90s I used good old pantene and it kept my hair silky and manageable. Now, it's just unruly, thin, flat, straight yet somehow cranky in all the wrong places! Short bob BTW and wont hold a curl. Have used faith in nature lavender with varying success, currently on ogx volumising but not sure its doing much.

Foundation - not heavy looking yet covers redness and gives a satin/dewy effect. Foundation usually 'disappears' during the day and/or clings to my pores or any hint of dryness. Also struggle to find the right shade. No7 porcelain seems OK for my winter skin.

Any help please? Would prefer things I can pick up from boots/superdrug and reasonably priced.

Is your hair curly? If not don't worry about the sls/ silicon stuff.
Can't advise on foundation because I wear tinted moisturiser instead. Mines Nivea if you want to try, actually most of my skincare apart from my dermatica stuff is nivea. If your skin is dry try a facial oil as well as moisturiser at night

My hair is straight and fine. Never thought about nivea, would smooth out a little redness?

Your hair might be getting a bit thinner. Mine is and it’s become harder to manage. Well mine WAS because since I started Keto 9 months ago it feels hugely thick and is growing like mad so maybe think about protein.

If pantene and no7 work for you, why don't you stick with those?

I have dry skin and love No7 hydraluminous. They checked my shade in the shop using a little machine!

Best used with a hydrating primer.

Can't advise on pores (primer might help?) but re dryness are you using a thick enough moisturiser?

I’ve tried using the sulphate free shampoo, or whatever it is, and my hair didn’t feel clean. So I’ve gone back to the one I like.
And I prefer BB cream to foundation. Garnier has several different ones for various skin problems.

I don't know how old you are but your hair and skin does change over time and you would need to change the brand or type of shampoo you use and foundation too.

I mean when I was in my 20's I didn't need to use serum or primer on my face. Now I use both. You need to learn how to layer the products on your skin so cleanse your skin first as you need a clean 'canvas' to apply the foundation and powders to.

Also, if you're in your mid/late 40's you could be (and probably are) in perimenopause and that affects your hair, from root to tip. Have you tried using the Pantene shampoo for menopause?
https://www.boots.com/pantene-hair-biology-menopause-shampoo-for-thinning-hair-250ml-10296677

They have a number of products in their range and you might find them useful (don't have to use all of them, one or two might make the difference).

Good luck with it all.

For hair, watch The Blowout Professor on YouTube. I bang on about him loads but since discovering his videos and following his advice my hair has completely changed and is now silky and smooth. (He is also not sponsored by certain brands so he gives his honest opinion on what is worth buying and what you really don't need)

For foundation, well I'm just as clueless as you 😁 I had to stop using the Revlon foundation I had used for years because it started to flake on my nose and emphasise every single pore (I have very large pores and an oily nose) The only foundation I have found that stays put is Double Wear but it brings a tear to my eye having to pair nearly £40 for a bottle!

I always use a clarifying shampoo...I find anything else leaves my hair with a strange coating. Currently using head and shoulders clarifying and really love it.

Foundation...Mac studio fix lasts really well but it's pretty expensive. I'm also using L'Oréal infallible which lasts all day on my skin

The L'oreal serum foundation is really good. The one with the pipette. Good coverage and a dewy finish. My mum, aunt and I all love it so it definitely works on different ages and types of skin.

I use the ELF primer and have moved to the Nars foundation, it’s very runny and seems to sit really nicely on my now older face.

A foundation brush has made a huge difference to how it sits on my skin. I use the Glossier one.

Everything changes as you get older.

I like Boots No 7 Hydraluminous foundation too, although the old formulation was better. I also like the Trinny London one - it doesn't give a lot of coverage, but it makes your skin look better. Getting your moisturiser right is key and a primer is worth getting. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is excellent as a primer for drier skin. I have rosacea and use the No 7 serum concealer for extra cover over foundation. It's also very good under eyes

Look at cream rather than powder blusher and eye shadows.

For hair, SLS in shampoo strips natural oils meaning your body produces more to compensate. Also silicone, which smooths and adds shine, builds up and leaves residue over time. Both of these can mean lank hair soon after washing. I'd try a clarifying shampoo for a handful of washes to remove build up then use an SLS free one which is gentler.