Mid Thirties Bad Skin

[MidThirtiesSkin]

I'm 35 years old and really fed up of my skin. It seems to have gotten worse over the past few years and I'm at loss of what to do! I want to have a facial/treatment to help, but I have no idea what would be best!

Problems I want to tackle:

• Melasma mid face
• Dull but really oily skin - shiny after a few hours
• Flaky in places
• Nodules under the skin, I have a couple of bumps which haven't shifted in months. Not sure if that is something to worry about but they are not inflammed, skin coloured and not sure if they are blocked pores?

Current routine is Cleanse, Toner, Chemical Exfoliator, Retinol for night time. Cleanse, Moisturiser and Mineral SPF 50 before makeup for day time.

@MidThirtiesSkin this site may point you in the right direction

Vitamin C serum is good for melasma. As to the other issues, I sometimes think retinol can actually make you look worse? Maybe you are overdoing the exfoliation as usually you shouldn't exfoliate chemically and use retinol at the same time. Why not see if giving your skin a break and just using gentle basic moisturising products for a while helps like something calming from La Roche Posay. I use a lot of actives and actually my skin looked amazing when I just used a pot of some prescription cream the doctor had prescribed for my son's eczema! I couldn't use it for ever as I got bored and like to try new things but it was definitely a good skin period.

You shouldn’t be using a chemical exfoliant and retinol together, that will be seriously messing up your skin barrier.

If I were you I’d try a prescription tretinoin formulation from Skin and me, Dermatica or Monderma. Theees always loads of people on here offering discount codes you can use. They offer different ingredients which can help with multiple issues. At the end of the day, Tret is the only ingredient with any evidence behind it for anti-ageing and in your 30’s you should be considering it.

Also, I was sick of everyone on here recommending tret for every skincare concern, but the reason is, it works. Not an instant game changer but slow and steady.

Interesting that using a chemical exfoliant and retinol is something not recommended, that's not something I've heard before. I use the chemical exfoliant to unclog pores and the retinol is for anti-aging.

If I quit using retinol as part of my routine, then what can I switch it for in order to still be using anti-aging? Or should I change the exfoliant?

You can still use both, just not at the same time. I use retinol 3 or 4 times a week and sometimes have breaks. I don't use any actives or exfoliants those nights as its too much. Retinol is an exfoliant (of sorts) anyway.

Maybe switch from retinol to retinal? More effective and weirdly less irritating. Medik8 do quite a few different strengths and it's a lovely formula. More budget end but still nice is geek& Gorgeous a game, they do 3 different strengths.
Melasma is tricky as heat as well as light can affect it. A muti ingredient approach is best, so Retinal, vitamin c, tranexamic acid etc.
You could use prescription hydroquinone but that can only be used 3 months at a time with a good break in between

Not drinking alcohol is the best thing I’ve ever done for my skin. After that, I’d recommend a good skin regime with products from The Ordinary. Good luck.

Hey there 💛
Totally understand your frustration — it sounds overwhelming, especially since you didn’t deal with acne during your teen years. The sudden breakout can definitely feel confusing, but you're not alone, and there are steps you can take to get things under control.
A few things to consider:

1. Oily skin is naturally more prone to clogged pores and breakouts, especially if there’s no consistent skincare routine in place. It doesn’t mean your skin is "dirty" — just that it needs a bit of regular care to stay balanced.
2. Dirty pillowcases (even if not used directly on your face) can be a factor. If pillowcases get mixed in the wash or aren’t washed frequently, they might still hold bacteria or oils that could transfer to your skin.
3. Hormonal shifts can happen even in adulthood — stress, diet changes, or lack of sleep can all play a role.
4. No skincare routine: Starting a basic routine could help a lot — nothing too complicated. Think: a gentle cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer, and maybe a salicylic acid treatment a few times a week.

If you're dealing with oiliness especially during hot weather, this guide helped me a lot: 👉 How to Control Oil on Face in Summer It goes into specific tips for keeping oily skin more balanced without over-drying it, which is key. You’re definitely not “gross” or anything — your situation is super common and fixable. Happy to chat more if you want help building a routine that suits you 💫

You’re getting some good advice from other posters here but I would also look at diet. My skin is better now than it’s ever been (mid 40s) the biggest changes I’ve made is less sugar, less alcohol, more sleep, silky pillow case that I wash regularly. I also double cleanse, once with cleanser and then a foaming wash (Altruist), rosehip oil (even on oily skin). Mornings it’s vit C, followed by spf 50. I use a glycolic peel once to twice a week. I don’t use retinal in the summer but in winter I use the ordinary with squaline.

The lumps under the skin could be Milia - a dermatologist or beauty therapist can remove them easily.