43 and clueless with skincare

[DrunkTinkerbell40s]

Can someone help me?? I'd like to buy a new skincare routine as I'm noticing more aging signs now. Deep smile lines around eyes and down sides of cheeks, sometimes my skin can be quite dry, sometimes oily, typical t-zone I think.
Very little spots which I'm grateful for.

At the moment my face gets washed in the shower with whatever I'm washing my body with, occasionally a face scrub as I do get black heads.

I use Olay moisturiser, but only really when I'm wearing make up which is maybe a couple of times a week.

I have an Elemis cleansing balm which I love, I'm just not very good at using it. I'll be honest.... I almost never wash my face before I get into bed.... even if I have makeup on!

So.... can someone help me create a skincare routine and I'll invest and try my hardest!!

Budget not really an issue as I'll buy stuff as and when I can :) but I don't want to spend fortunes on products if they're not worth the cost.... I was looking at Elemis face creams yesterday and they were around £100... are they that much better than my olay cream?!

I have tried all sorts of fancy products but I honestly think that Simple and Olay are just as good! I do like La Roche Posay factor 50 daily face cream (This one) but I just use it over cheaply Olay day cream

I do find that micellar water is very drying so I don’t bother with that - just face wash, toner, and moisturiser. Plus eye cream for night

I love Neils yard frankincense hydrating face cream ,I've got very pale and sensitive skin and it has made it lovely
Not that expensive at £35 and I use miceller water to clean my face morning and night

Thank you both!
I never use toner..... what does it actually do?!

For me, toner takes the last traces of makeup and cleanser off, and leaves a fresh feeling ready to put moisturiser on.

i forgot to mention eye makeup remover - I’ve tried masses and the best is Simple - it removes mascara easily without stinging (I have very sensitive skin)

I'm 43 and have lines around my eyes and have Botox in just that area. It makes me look so much fresher.

For skincare, have a look at Ren.

Also if I could I would use retinol (my skin is too sensitive).

I am loving currently Cerave eye repair cream. It's thick and i love how my under eyes skin is so moisturised after using it. I keep applying it after my morning gym shower and then again in the evening after I have cleaned my skin again with micellar water and put facial oil and night lotion.

I swear by Liz Earle exfoliator, cleanser and moisturiser (superskin neroli) and by Clinique take the day off make up remover. People often comment on my skin, including makeup artists though I think a lot of it is genes. I'm nearly 50.

At this point, exactly what products you use is less important than getting into a better routine. At it's simplest that is:

Night- cleanse, targeted treatment, moisteriser
Day- protection, moisteriser, spf.

Always always cleanse at night..use your elemeis and you don't need a toner.
Then a serum. Longer term, you should consider a retinol but I would not start with that, get your skin into a broad good, moisterised, stable state first. So I would recommend buying Clarins double serum and use that at night. Then a moisteriser. Your Olay is fine if you like it but not if it includes an spf.

Morning. Please stop washing your face with soap/bodywash. That is terrible for your face. If you have cleansed at night, I would just splash your face with water in the morning or use the exfoliater -2 times per week.

Vitamin c is a great choice for day. There are lots of options out there but you need to possibly start with a lower percentage. The body shop does some good vitamin c products including, I think, a serum. Medik8 and Murad are higher end brands that are excellent and v popular for vitamin c. L'Oréal also does some good ones but they are quite greasy in my experience so might not work for you. I haven't tried the vitamin c specifically but the Sali Hughes by Revolution brand is good and the vit c is likely as well.

Then a moisteriser. Again, Olay is fine if you like it already. Then Spf. I tend to buy spf in my products so don't have any good standalone recommendations but it's v important.

45 and skincare was always a bit hit and miss. I’d go through stages of taking care of it and then not. Now I’m settled into a routine that is amazing for me. Pale and sensitive skin which can be a bit lacklustre but this makes me glow.

AM
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
(these should take care of oiliness and blackheads)
Dr Dennis Gross Vitamin C Serum
Dr Dennis Gross Vitamin C Cream
(these made me GLOW)

PM
Dermalogica Pre Cleanse (as a make up remover)
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
Dr Dennis Gross Derminfusions Serum
Dr Dennis Gross Vitamin C Cream

I don’t use toner or eye cream. Although the Avene Hydrating Serum is amazing for plumping out those little crows feet.

Can I join? 43 barely wash my face and only wear make up on nights out.
Totally clueless but suddenly have deep lines round my left eye yet my right is fine. Thankfully glasses cover it.
My neck and underchin is also starting to crease.
No idea where to start lol

Morning
Cleanse (cheap but face-specific)
Vit C (start lowest % and work up)
SPF 30-50

Evening
Cleanse (cleansing balm and hot cloth)
Retinol/retinal (start low low low and work up)
Moisturiser

Follow Nadine Baggott on YouTube!
I used skin and me for a bit then played with different brands and ingredients.
I like the ordinary, Superdrug me+ and geek and gorgeous

Oh yeah Sali Hughes x Revolution is good.
I have her cleansing balm, vit c and placid toner.

I came back to say I started noticing other factors in my face in my mid 40s…

Hydrate: I’m more conscious of drinking 2L of water a day now. And sometimes put in lemon or lime and cucumber like a spa 😂

Sleep: I try to stick to a regular bedtime so I get a full eight hours

Stress: I’m an overthinker so take Bach’s nighttime Rescue Remedy which helps me get to sleep and stay asleep.

Sun: I wear La Roche Posey Anthelios SPF50 during the day and a lip balm with SPF (Blistex at the moment). LRP is often recommended by oncologists for their skin cancer patients and you can’t get a better recommendation than that. I also wear sunglasses a lot to avoid squinting.

Diet: Sugar really shows on my face now so I’m making an effort to eat a diet higher in protein, fruit and vegetables. Cutting back on the Mars Bars is a work in progress though TBH 🤣

Ah we're the same! Yes, join me!!

I'm going to start with just getting into a routine like one of the pp suggested. I'm going to stop using shower gel to wash my face!

I'm going to use up what I've got and then start treating myself to some of the suggestions!! x

This is all soooo helpful! Thank you all!

I subscribe to Skin+me which got me into a really good routine.
I mostly did it for acne but I'm considering trying one of their serums for anti-aging. I'm only 35 but I am starting to see some fine lines.

Morning: splash face, moisturise and spf 50 (especially if I'm going to be outside alot). I don't wear alot of makeup so don't feel the need to cleanse on a morning.

Night: cleanse, targeted treatment (for acne mostly), moisturise (if I remember).
I also use flannels to cleanse as they exfoliate a bit but also help to get makeup off properly (I wash them after use)

I'm 43. I cleanse and tone at night and then apply a tretoinin cream from Dermatica (prescribed) then moisturise.

Morning cleanse and then vitamin C and then moisturise.

Twice a week use an exfoliating facial scrub or a mask from Elemis.

The one thing that I could not be without is the nightly tret cream, it's so worth it for ageing skin. Makes a huge difference.

I do my skincare earlier so straight after exercise (I exercise after work) maybe 6-7pm
Means product is on my face for longer too

Oh this is such a good idea as often I come to bed and think I'm too tired! Maybe I should do it earlier!

I'm mid 30s and my favourite things are:

Morning
I don't cleanse just splash water
Rice Toner (just gives some hydration)
Sometimes use a vit c serum
Always use Spf 50 - I find i don't need a moisturiser and an Spf as long as it's chemical rather than mineral
Erborian CC cream as foundation

Evening
Cleansing oil or balm. I've tried expensive and budget and makes no difference for my skin so I use ones I like smell of. Definitely don't need to spend a lot. At the moment I like the Korean cleansing oils

Tret 0.05 - this is the best for me I don't like a stronger dosage. I get it from Dermatica.

Tallow from fierce nature. If you prefer vegan products then I like La Roche Posay moisturiser or the Illiyoon Ceramide cream (Korean skincare is excellent)

I don't exfoliate beyond gentle manual with a flannel.

I find simple is best for me and just being consistent. It takes me about 2 mins to do this.