60 and have never worn makeup

[Richaldis]

I've just turned 60 and have never worn makeup or had any sort of skincare routine - I'v never used creams, moisturisers or serums. Post menopause I now have uneven skin tone and dry areas which I never had before. Where on earth do I start? I don't even understand what half the products on the supermarket shelves are, what all the names mean or what they do.

You've saved a lot of money :)

I'd just start off very basic with perhaps a nivea skin cream, and a bb cream to even out skintone.

What's a bb cream? I can't see anything labelled that on the shelves.

Forgive my question, I really know nothing at all about this.

You just need to use a basic moisturiser for the dryness. Get Nivea in the blue container, or Astral. Apply after washing.

If you have a department store near you go to a make up counter like Clinique or Clarins. Ask them what they recommend. Ask them to show you how to apply some basic make up and give you a good moisturiser for your skin type.

The Lacura range in Aldi is good and cheap.
Lacura Q10 Renew Eye Cream 20ml | ALDI
There's a day cream and night cream as well.
The own brands in Boots and Superdrug are also good and inexpensive.

BB Cream | Light, Medium & Dark | Face | Superdrug

I'd add a mascara or eyeliner, probably in brown or grey, a dab of blusher and a tinted lip balm.

Blusher | Powder & Liquid Blush - Boots
Search for burts bees tinted lip balm | BOOTS

I'm not quite as hardcore as you OP. I use foundation, occasionally mascara and eyeliner and very occasionally lipstick.

I prefer a soap and water type cleanser, usually Clinique but others will do.

Evening moisturiser is the stuff in the large Nivea blue tub. Daytime used to be the yellow Clinique one but a much cheaper Nivea daytime one does the same.

I've almost no idea what most of the recommendations on the thread below are. The last post says "keep it simple" - most of it is stuff I've never heard of.

Confused about skincare.

Op, keep it very simple and use products without too much stuff or fragrance as your skin is probably sensitive.

Go to Superdrug and buy one pot of day cream - suggest Simple brand something like vital vitamin cream. Its fine to use it at night as well.

Buy a bottle of make up remover/cleansing lotion... OR some Simple brand make up wipes.

BB cream is beauty blemish balm.
CC cream is colour correcting cream.

You don't need both.

Suggest a basic range BB cream, a lightweight concealer (liquid in a stick) for under eye shadows, a light cream blush, plus a fixing spray (I like Revolution Glow Fix).

Wash your face in the morning and use a small 5 p piece size blob of the day cream. Let is sink in for 10 mins or so.

Use a small amount of BB cream and stroke it over your face, dab a couple of small dabs of concealer in the inner corners of your eye and just under. Blend gently with the pad of your finger.

Pad your finger on the cream blush and gently pat on the apple of your cheek, just a tiny amount, pad the rest over your lips.

Spray the fixer spray lightly just a couple of sprays and waft dry.

Add mascara and lip gloss if you want.

If you go to a make up counter bear in mind they are there to SELL you loads of products. Less is more!

Op if you prefer to wash your face (rather than use a lotion or cream type cleanser) you could try dove soap then a basic cream something like E45 cream to help soften and moisturise.

If you don't like this combination the dove can be used as a body wash and the E45 can be used anywhere skin is dry.

I personally would avoid the makeup counters, I would come away more confused and much poorer!

Simple liquid soap is great. Get the moisturising one.

Maybe just one thing at a time in case you have a reaction? The Ordinary is a great brand and very reasonably priced. You can email them for recommendations, or buy a set. I'm a similar age and use their squalane cleanser (gentler than soap) and their natural moisturising factor which is just a cream. They come in quite small tubes so you can try them for a bit without spending too much. I also use their buffet serum and the hyaluronic acid but I'd start small if I were you. You can buy online but they also stock them in Boots and John Lewis. Hope you find something that works for you!

I wouldn't bother with the concealer mentioned up thread. I'm 60 and have decided to wear much less make up than I used to, even an average amount looks horrible and clown-like on an older face. But all concealer does if you have lines under your eyes is sink into the lines and emphasise them even more. I have tried every single brand of concealer that claims not to sink into lines, even very expensive ones, but without fail by the afternoon they have sunk in, I'd rather have dark under eyes than a spiders web of pale concealer lines.

Buy a slightly darker colour than you think and I highly recommend Il Makiage which doesn't sink into lines.

A tinted serum might be a good alternative to a bb or CC cream.
https://www.boots.com/loreal-paris-true-match-nude-plumping-tinted-serum-1percent--hyaluronic-acid-10297635
If using a moisturiser doesn’t clear up the dry patches, you can think about using a moisturising serum as well, or an oil.
You might feel your face looks a bit colourless when you first start using a tint. Mascara and tinted lip balm give you a bit of oomph.

5 drops of olive oil. Morning and night.
That's all you need.

Hi OP - I've done the opposite, and totally simplified, after spending fortunes on skin care in my 20 - 40's. I use Simple face wash to cleanse at night, and Baby Aveeno 24 hour, generously applied as a daytime moisturiser. I put vaseline under my eyes at night. I'm 55,and frequently complimented on my apparently youthful looking skin,so no olans to go back to spending hundreds. Shower wster on my face on a morning. I drink lots of water.

Thanks everyone, especially to those people who recommended reasonably priced products - for me, any mistake with buying the wrong thing would wipe out my spare money.

I remember a friend trying Simple on me in Boots once but I was so allergic I had to take anti-histamines for days so maybe I'll steer clear of that one.

I’m the same. I’m 44 and I’ve only ever used castor oil at night, since I was a teenager, just as my mum did.

I’d highly recommend it. my skin glows, I get compliments all the time. It evens out every thing. My skin is so good, Ive never needed make up. I have no lines at all at my age.

just a thin layer all over at night and wash off with warm water on a flannel in the morning.

It doesn’t make your skin greasy, it doesn’t cause spots and it doesn’t cause hair growth on your face like some piece believe.

I'd second this. If you want to even out skin tone without using anything heavy then I recommend the Maybelline 4 in 1 glow. It's a primer, concealer, highlighter and bb cream in one - it's very sheer and lightweight but evens out the skin tone and gives your skin a nice glow, it doesn't settle in lines and is so light is pretty much invisible.

@KeeeeeepDancing How do you use the olive oil? Just rub it in as a moisturizer?

@Imfreetofeelgood which simple face wash do you use and do you use the baby Aveeno overnight too? I'm going to try the vaseline under my eyes tonight!

Op- @Richaldis what do you use to clean your face at the moment? Or do you just use water? Just thinking if it's a strong soap that may add to any dryness.

I've got the Age Resisting Simple face wash, currently, but find them all nice. I don't use the Baby Aveeno at night (maybe I should but I like the idea that my skin is just clean at night). I use a silk pillow case as well - no creases in the morning, but my hair still looks like a birds nest first thing 🤣 My silk pillow cases aren't the 50 quid ones - about £16 online. OP - look at Aveeno Oatmeal cleanser if you can't use Simple. I'm taking the be kind approach, and so far, about 7 years in, It's good for me.

It can be confusing with the huge range of products on offer. Im similar and looking for basic sensitive skin makeup range for a special event. Don't want to pay a fortune either. The 4 in 1 product mentioned sounds good.

I'm roughly your age and have moved from expensive Clinique to Olay (buy it from Amazon for half price.)

I use a dirt cheap cleanser (supermarket own brand- unperfumed lotion)
Rinse with warm water
Apply Olay Regenerist (unperfumed)
Olay eye cream
Ultrasun Face Lotion SPF 50 - EVERY SINGLE DAY

Nivea eye make up remover

I splurge on foundation and am currently using a combo of Clinique, Dior and Bobbi Brown.

If you go to any of these counters they will make you up and you can see how you feel before buying.

I just use a good factor 30 sun cream in the day and a supermarket brand moisturiser at night . Skin care does not have to be expensive. A lot of good skin is genetic anyway.

Just warm water and a flannel

@Richaldis If you want a good cleanser, that isn't too pricy go along to Boots and browse.

They do their own brand which used to be just over £1 for a cleansing milk.

Or there is L'Oreal Age Perfect- about £4.

If you want to spend a bit more look at La Roche Posay cleansing lotion (about £12), Aveeno and Avene - all around £10-£14.

These are all for sensitive skin.
Personally I don't rate Simple.

They should las months whichever you choose.

With make up, you should buy the basics

Foundation or a tinted moisturiser plus concealer
Blusher
Mascara
A neutral eye shadow and maybe an eye linger pencil
Lipstick

If you don't want to spend a lot, look at ranges like Rimmel, L'Oreal, Boots No 7.

Or go to a counter, like Clinique or Bobbi Brown or Clarins and have a make-up session trying different products.