Recommend me good skin care stuff for 40+ combo skin please! (and talk to me about your skincare routines)

[Foxxo]

I'm 43, i have awful combo skin that is t-zone oily, but also prone to flaking in the same areas... it seems both oily and dry at the same time.. god knows how.

I do use a moisturising primer when i wear makeup, but its EXPENSIVE and I don't like using it unless I'm putting make up on, so i need a decent daily moisturiser or something that i can use to take care of my skin as I'm getting older, perhaps one with an spf if possible.

I could also do with recommending a cleanser that can preferably be used with cotton pads rather than need rinsing off with water to use before the moisturiser.

On that note, those of you 40+, what is your skincare routine?

anyone?

I’d recommend a gel cleanser and a face cloth. It will wipe off more thoroughly than an oil based one. A foaming cleanser won’t be good for the dry patches.
Try a niacinamide or birch sap serum under your moisturiser to get your skin balanced.
I use Kiehl’s Skin rescuer in winter and an oil free gel in summer. Kiehl’s is expensive, which doesn’t suit everyone. Definitely choose an oil free moisturiser.
Are you looking for something cheap you can easily get, or are you prepared to pay a bit more? Korean brands have SPF in the moisturiser, they’re usually mid range prices.

doesn't need to be cheap, i'm willing to pay a reasonable amount for the right thing, but nothing ridiculous, preferably under £40 really.

You could take a look at La Roche Posay website, you can see all their products on there and which ones are good for different skin types. I find it user friendly. I have newly combination skin like you describe after years of extremely dry skin but I like a glycolic acid cleanser (Dermatica) alternated with LRP gentle Toleriane cleanser (white bottle). For SPF I use a Daylong one in strong sun and make sure I use a setting powder. Otherwise I use one of those SPF mists that you can spray on over makeup.

I'm 43 this year and I've been honing my skincare routine for the last 3-4 years because what worked for me in my 30's just doesn't cut it anymore!!

I double-cleanse at night, first with an oil-based cleansing balm (Banila Co Clean It - Zero) to really get my makeup off and then Clinique All About Clean facial soap. I let my face drip dry (no towels) and then apply Hada Labo's Anti-Aging Hydrator. It doesn't call itself a serum, but it essentially is. It works best if you gently work it into the skin until it doesn't feel wet anymore. Once it's in I apply La Roche Posay's Double Repair facial moisturizer.

In the morning I use Bioderma micellar water and a cotton round and then COSRX's Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, applied the same way as the Hada Labo. Then La Roche Posay's Double Repair UV that is SPF 30.

It might sound like a lot, but when you're actually doing it, it doesn't take that long. If you only take away one or two things from the above, I'd say the micellar water and the mucin have probably been the real game-changers for me.

The ordinary niacinamide
paulas choice BHA fluid

I double cleanse but not with an oil base. I tend to use oily makeup remover then wash with soap. Or wash with soap then makeup remover.

I only really use retinol and vitamin C serum.

I recommend UpCircle products. They are ethical,refillable containers and use natural ingredients. The under eye cream and serum is great. I also highly recommend the shampoo anf the moisturisers. I'm 60 and my skin looks better now than when I was younger.

I’m 39. My skin has been really balanced/clear since using this routine:

Makeup remover - Garnier micellar water and cotton wool (evening only)

Cleanser - Cerave moisturising

Serum - Estée Lauder Advanced night repair (worth every penny, large bottle lasts twice a day for six months - you can buy travel size to try it out)

Moisturiser - Weleda Skin food light

Spf - Cerave spf 50 (daytime only)

Plus minimal alcohol (2-3 drinks a week), 2.5 litres water a day, Omega 3 supplements, loads of fruit and veg (I notice a BIG difference eating plenty of spinach!!). I also don’t eat dairy (I’m lactose intolerant - gut issues = skin issues). Minimal refined sugar.

I want to add in a retinol next for anti aging benefits

I have become more interested in skincare recently, and can recommend the Caroline Hiron book or app (and I'm really really not a skincare fanatic, but it just talked in plain English about what a basic skincare routine looks like). Apparently cleanser and moisturizer don't need to be particularly expensive, but she says if you do splurge to do so on a serum/active as a middle stage.

I use quite a lot of No7 products, the Ordinary, the Inkey list. Also Aldi dupes (I like the hot cloth cleanser). My "splurge" is tret (Skin + Me) for fine lines/wrinkles

My routine (43) at the moment is

1. Cleanse with Inkey list oat cleanser
2. Inkey List serums (playing around with these but they weren't £££ and apparently ok to layer). In the eve just use Skin + Me
3. Moisturiser (in the day I've started using a new Inkey List one and separate SPF50 from la Roche Posay because apparently you don't get enough SPF coverage with just a moisturizer. Though using up some no7 ones too.... At night I use a No7 night moisturiser).

My skin is reasonable though I'm still all wrinkly! But at least it is clear and fairly supple with this routine.

My skin is really dry and am 44 in the next few days so may not be great for your oiler skin type. But this is my routine:

AM

I just rinse in the shower and don't use a cleaner
The Ordinary 15% vitamin c serum
Moisturiser (I use quite an intense one but buy whatever is on offer)
SPF50 - Garnier invisible or glow

PM

Beauty Bay cleansing balm (if wearing make up)
Cerave hydrating cleanser (if wearing makeup )
Garnier micellar water (every night)
While skin still damp I add The Ordinary or Garnier hylauraonic acid serum
Dermatica tretinoin with niacinomide
Facial oil
Moisturiser (as the morning I use anything)

Medik 8 they have curated routines for all skin types. Been using their products for about 8 years, I'm 52 and have great skin

If you haven’t used any serums before, I’d recommend not using retinol/tretinoin or vitamin C to start with.
In the morning, use a niacinamide serum then an oil free moisturiser.
At night, use a glycolic acid or AHA/BHA serum three times a week to start, alternating with a birch sap serum, then your night moisturiser.
This is a UK Korean beauty site
https://www.k-beauty.co.uk/collections/moisturisers
Clinique has the 100 hour gel cream which is a great night moisturiser, and their gel lotion which I used to use in summer.
If you look at the K beauty, try looking through one brand at first, like Cosrx, because there’s SO many products it can be overwhelming.
If you use micellar water to cleanse, just watch out for a reaction. Some people find it can be drying.
Hope you find products that work for you.

I've been using the garnier micellar water for make-up removal for a while, just never thought of using it as a daily cleanser!

Thank you all! trying some of the La Roche Posay moisturiser, and a couple of the UpCircle things to start, and will see how i go!

Never been a huge one for more than clean with a facial wipe and go kind of person, and i rarely wear more than primer/face powder when i use make-up, and it's not done me badly.. most people don't think i'm as old as i am.. but the early signs of some hyper-pigmentation along my under-eye/upper cheek have me feeling i ought to maybe try and make more effort!

2 words .... beauty pie! In lockdown I completely overhauled my very minimal beauty regime and it made a massive difference to my skin!!

I also buy a few other bits as now I know what my skin needs I feel more confident, such as inkey list & Trinny

Caroline Hirons book good too!

I do:

Double cleanse with a balm type cleanser followed by another eg one with pha or salicylic acid

Both washed off with warm water and clean wash cloth

Then add some nicinamide, youth bomb radiance serum, vit c. Then add a hyluronic acid, followed by a generous spray mist of a hydrating toner.

Then a peptide cream, happy face cream, facial oil and lastly a rich moisturiser... leave to sink in then wear Ultrasun tinted spf 50 for face - it's fab.

Evenings I add in a retinol or retinal a few days a week and if not using retinol i use an acid like PHD or even AHA after double cleansing

I switch it up a bit sometimes and add ceramides if face dry or less acid or retinol if skin feels sensitive- I also built this up REALLY gradually to tolerance.

It's honestly made such a difference, I was in disbelief! Skin smoother, really reduced fine lines (I'm nearly 50 now!) and reduced pigmentation too!

Good luck

**pha that should say!

Aldo really rate the inkey list oat cleanser and Clinique Take the Day off and Beauty Pie Japan Fusion cleanser, and the acid one by them too )but build up slowly with the acid cleanser - 1 to 2 x per week to start 👍🏻