Skin experts please help!

[Styleseeker]

I'm 40 and run ragged which is showing on my skin. I always had decent skin so have never put much time or effort into selecting products or learning what I need, but this has all changed in recent years and my skin is a mess. Please can someone recommend a decent skincare routine that doesn't cost the earth and doesn't have a lot of active ingredients - I just want to try to get the basics right before going hardcore with things I don't understand!

So, my skin has breakouts very regularly - lots of little spots appear daily over the course of my period (which in recent years is a lot heavier and playing havoc with my mood as well as my skin). The spots are typically on my chin and around the sides of my nose. My skin in general is also very dull. I'm assuming it's dehydrated - like the rest of me - and just isn't getting the right stuff to help. I'm pale and have dark circles under my eyes, though my translucent skin is probably contributing to that.

The front of my nose causes the most stress as it peels all the time; foundation never stays on nicely to the point I've given up wearing anything but powder on my nose. I also have a recurring spot on the tip - yes the literal tip - of my nose! It comes, goes away (I'm a popper), heals, then comes back again a few weeks later. I'm assuming there's some kind of sac in there that keeps getting infected but I don't know how to deal with this.

Any help on cleaners, serums, moisturisers, night creams very much appreciated! I have looked through the various threads on this topic and honestly I'm just completely out of my depth, there's so much choice and I don't understand any of it!!

TIA

Hi OP, I'm 40 with combination skin. Here are the products I recommend:

Bioderma micellar water
Cerave hydrating cleanser
Hero spf
Beauty of joseon retinal eye cream (at night only, all over my face)

2 - 3 times per week a liquid exfoliant e.g. Sali Hughes placid

Love this for soothing irritated skin - madagascar centella ampoule

Niacinamide serum from the ordinary, under an oil free moisturiser.
salicylic acid and tea tree oil on the pimple and resist the urge to pop it.
Clinique has a Light Reflecting primer which gives a lovely glow and is moisturising- sorry, don’t know a cheaper dupe. Great under powder.
You might find a tinted moisturiser works for you. Make sure it’s oil free.

No7 illuminator is a good budget primer. I use Olay total effects serum and the vitamin c spf 30 cream. Really helps my skin glow. I'm 39 with pretty good skin. Make up wise I use no7 bb cream, maybelline anti aging concealer and beauty pie one powder wonder on top. All of it gives a light flowing effect. Doesn't cost a bomb either.

Face wash wise I use hot cloth cleaner with a muslin cloth. Amazon do a decent one for £5. The muslin is gently daily exfoliating which may help your nose. I sometimes use the simple facial scrub but very occasionally

Hi @Styleseeker I know you say you don’t want lots of active ingredients but unfortunately as we age, the actives are our friends. Have a little look at the routine below. I think it’ll help 🙂

Step 1: Cleanse. Sounds like you need something hydrating here. I recommend CeraVe hydrating cleanser. But basically anything that is non-foaming! In the am just cleanse the once. In the pm you need to double cleanse as you need to get the makeup and spf off. I recommend a nice cleansing balm here with a face cloth. The body shop do a nice chamomile one.

Step 2: Exfoliate. I prefer chemical exfoliation over physical (don’t worry it is not as scary as it sounds). I recommend lactic acid here as it is good for dry and dehydrated skin. The Ordinary do one. I would just apply this in the PM though.

Step 3: Hydrate. I like to spray La Roche-Posay Serozinc (this is hydrating but also good for spots). Follow it with hyaluronic acid. This is not an acid in the traditional sense - it helps the skin retain moisture. Again The Ordinary do a hyaluronic acid serum. I do this both am and pm.

Step 3: Treat. An antioxidant serum. Vitamin C or niacinamide serum. This is where I prefer to spend the money. I like the murad vitamin C serum but it is expensive. So shop around. You can use this am and pm. I know you say you want to try the basics first but now you are 40 I really recommend a retinoid. Again I like the Murad retinol products but they are pricy. They work though! Only use this in the pm.

Moisturise: A facial oil is good at this age and with dry skin. I like squalane. Again The Ordinary do this. Don’t be afraid of oils. They are your friend! Moisturiser. I recommend the CeraVe moisturising cream. Very moisturising but not heavy. Again use these products am and pm.

SPF: A must! At least factor 30. I like the glossier invisisheild.

With regards the spots. Leave them alone. With this regime they should hopefully improve!

I really like the Aldi/lidl q10 serum.

I always recommend Face Theory. They have a little quiz to help you identify what products you would benefit from. All of their products are sustainably packaged and I have found the customer service excellent. My skin is different to yours so can’t recommend specific products but my skin has never been better since I started using them.

You could try a regular steam bath, like a face sauna? Boil the kettle, pour the water into a bowl, put your (clean) face over it with a towel over your head (leaving a gap for fresh air), and let the steam open up your pores for 10-15 minutes. It's fantastic for spots. Plus, it's free!

As @Fleur240 says, actives are the only ingredients that will do anything other than cleanse and moisturise.

What do you currently use?

If you still have breakouts then a product with salicylic acid will help. (that would be your chemical exfoliant)

Add a vitamin C in the morning

Add a retinoid in the evening. Start slowly. A 0.3% retinol is entry grade.

Apart from that: any cleanser, any moisturizer. And an Spf50 always.

I forgot a key step before spf - moisturiser! Like this one in the colder months:

La Roche Posay toleriane sensitive cream

and this one in the warmer months:

Byoma gel moisturiser