Skincare advice for 50 plus - haven't really bothered before so not a clue!

[Sheepareawesome]

At the age of 51 I have finally decided it is time to start looking after my skin. Apart from occasional foundation with SPF and daily facewash in the shower,
with moisturiser about one a week when I remember, I don't really do anything. I am pretty low maintenance!! However I would like to start trying a little now but there are so many options I don't know where to start!

I don't want anything that takes too long, as I know I just won't do it. Ages ago my flatmate gave me some Decleor oil which I quite liked but I don't know if this is actually any good? (This was about 30 years ago).

Don't want to spend a fortune but could afford something decent if it works. My skin gets greasy around my nose/glasses but otherwise no issues eg not dry or flaky.

Suggestions please! Thank you

Just buy things you look the look of and try them? I use a simple micellar water to take off make up, a balm cleanse 3 or 4 times a week, a moisturiser and spf everyday.

Since December I've been using Medik8 retinal. It's very expensive but lasts ages and has made a huge difference to my skin.

What works for one might not work for another. SPF is the main thing.

I would look the Clarins range and get some basics. So cleanser, moisturizer and night cream. Dont get into the heavy duty rejuvenating options just yet. See how you get on. Treat yourself to a facial but don’t be bullied into buying products. So many great ones and Boots No 7 is a great starting place.

It probably depends on your motivation. I know nothing about skincare and don't use any but I would guess there are different products depending on whether you just want to make your skin feel or look different or actively try to look younger or wanting to make skincare something that is a bit of a treat or whatever

I wouldn't spend too much on stuff because you might get bored and discard it . Which moisturiser are you using atm? Start using that every day or night before bed and once you are in a facewash/moisturiser routine then you can look at other products, personally I love Elf and use their serums and moisturisers

I’m 55 and really rate the Ordinary and Q&A ranges for low cost high impact. I also like Lumene, especially on £10 Tuesday offers!
I use hyaluronic acid, vitamin c,
moisturiser then spf every morning then I alternate in the evenings between retinol and peptides. I use a foaming cleanser in the morning and a balm in the evening.

You may start with my routine:
Morning:
Using water to wash your face,
Sebamed clear face gel,
Garnier spf
Evening:
Micellar water
Cerave moisturizer,
Tretinoin (0.1) from skinorac
Sebamed clear facial gel

I refuse to spend a fortune on skincare or make it too complicated. My regime is;
Simple micellar water to cleanse.
Cerave eye cream
Cerave serum
Elf face cream spf 30

I’m like you: early 50s, didn’t really bother with anything much skincare-wise until earlier this year when I decided to get some sort of a routine going. I just bought a selection of different lotions & potions from Nivea & have been experimenting to find out what I like.

I like Lunene too. Easy to find and no silly science to get your head around. m&S on line do decent ranges too and yes to spf ones for day cream.

I use Aldi hot cloth cleanse, or Liz Earle if I'm feeling flush and micellar warer- nothing seems to get my skin cleaner than this. Sun cream and then some Garnier day creme. Evening same cleansing but a night cream. Used to love the Garnier evening lavender cresm- can't get it now. Beautician said about using toner too?

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Is micellar water for taking off makeup? I rarely wear makeup, so is it worth using still?

Why have you decided to start now OP?

I'm genuinely not sure how you can be a 51 year old female and not know what skincare is or what to use if I'm honest

All anyone can do is tell you what they use, but what suits you will be personal to you. Go to Boots and pick something you like the look of and read the instructions!

I’m 56 and hardly ever wear makeup. I look for textures I like. I use a clean flannel and hot water night and morning, then use No 7 Protect and Perfect night cream which is thick but not greasy, or a high SPF day cream depending on the time of day. Tbh I like the Aldi day cream quite a lot, or a facial sun cream if it’s that sort of weather.

If my skin feels dry I might use a cleansing lotion occasionally with the flannel taking it off afterwards. I like Dr Hauschka cleansing milk for that.

I sometimes have a salon facial, like about twice a year. I like the effect now.

I tried some hyaluronic acid from the Ordinary but even using it once a week seems to make me look redder and I’ve decided it’s not for me.

I think people who like skin care don’t realise how much they know about it, they’re experts, whereas if you haven’t thought about it since about 1992 the landscape looks different! I darent go into the Korean shops, they look intimidating and I don’t understand what most of the stuff is supposed to do.

I’d avoid micella water. Pointless & really not great for skin. I don’t understand how it’s so popular.

On more mature skin it’s s good idea to go for an oil based cleanser- The ordinary one for mature skin is great. I also really like Superdrug’s own Hot Cloth Cleanser- which is often on BOGOF or 3-4-2 - it’s as good as much more expensive products.

It depends what kind of skin you’ve got. It sounds as though you have normal skin with no particular issues to deal with. Why do you want to start treating your skin differently, if it’s happy?

The basics are cleanser, moisturiser and SPF. I keep my routine really quick and easy otherwise I simply won't stick to it. But now it's part of my morning and evening routine after brushing my teeth and has added perhaps 2 minutes to my day....but it also makes me feel good!

I have a stash of reusable cotton pads and flannels that I bought years ago that I keep in a basket by the sink.

In the morning I just use micellar water on a cotton pad and wipe that over my face to cleanse. I think micellar water is fine for a quick clean of the skin first thing, although I don't find it cleans well enough for removing makeup. If you wash your face in the shower daily and don't wear makeup you may find that micellar water on a cotton pad is the quickest and easiest thing to do morning and evening anyway.

Personally, I like a hot cloth cleanse in the evening. Anything I can rub onto my face when it is dry and then wipe off with a hot flannel. I hold the flannel over my face for a few seconds then wipe off the cleanser I've rubbed onto my skin just to open up my pores but mainly because it feels nice! Or I do the same with cold water in the height of summer. Products I like are the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser or the Aldi and Superdrug dupes are great. I'm currently using a Rituals foaming gentle cleanser that again you apply to your dry face then remove with a damp flannel. Or for really cheap the Nivea 2 in 1 cleanser and toner in the sky blue bottle is very good.

Then get two moisturisers. A day cream with SPF and a night cream and apply them morning and night after cleansing. It's a bit of trial and error to find what you like. I tend to just buy whatever is on offer to be perfectly honest because I personally think being consistent with skincare is more important than the particular products you use and that expensive isn't necessarily best. Simple is a good brand that you can get most places and doesn't cost a lot of money so you could start with a couple of their moisturisers and a micellar water and then go from there.

I also use serum now before my moisturizer day and evening but I would keep it really easy for now and you can always add more steps later if you want to.

While I am 100% in favour of good skincare, what is driving this decision right now? Because I think based on that, the recommndations would be different. Sounds like your skin overall feels quite good and you are dfoing nothing, and definitely don't want to dfo a lot, so suggestions of a full blown routine are unlikely to work for you and I would not recommend them in the first instance.

eg, if you're really starting t notice increased lines and signs of aging, I'd be inclined to recommend you start with serums that are focused on that. Starting perhaps with a good all rounder like the Clarins double serum, perhaps upgrading over time to a retinol.

Or if you're finding that your skin is a bit dull and lifeless, or splotchy, I'd probably recommend using a moisterisesr with vitamin C under your SPF in the morning.

if you're noticing a bit of an uneven skin tone, rough skin etc, then I'd be recommending a better cleanser - most likely a balm cleanser, with a light, but high quality moisturiser after.

I'm genuinely not sure how you can be a 51 year old female and not know what skincare is or what to use if I'm honest
By not being interested? I've made it to 46 without this knowledge. I am aware there are multiple products available that claim to clean skin in a specific, reduce wrinkles, even out skin tone. I don't know what any of them are, what order to use them in, what is considered a brand worth using etc etc. If you've never taken an interest in something it's easy to know much at all about it.

That's why I suggested as a starting point OP explains what she is hoping to get out of starting a skincare regime now as I assume that will better inform advice.

If you have really good skin, just use the basics and make sure to use sunscreen. I spend quite a bit on mine, as my skin was awful.

Re micellar water. It gets ur skin squeaky clean. I buy supermarket own brand sometimes. I rarely wear make up too OP.

Thanks for the suggestions. What do i want to start now for? I have a bit more time to take care of myself now kids are older, and I have started to notice some blotchy skin. I also think not using SPF often might be a bad thing so trying to get on top of that before i do more damage. I have some wrinkles too although I don't really mind that tbh as I am older so I expect that.

And as a pp said, you get to 51 not knowing by not caring. Easy, really! Now I have decided maybe I should care a bit I was hoping for some advice.

I have decided to start small, and do a night moisturise and see if I can maintain that. I found some L'Oréal cream for 45 plus skin n Tesco today so I will use that and if I keep it up, maybe go from there and add something else. It has retinol peptides in it. Whatever they are...

Aaah, okay.

In that acse, I would 100% go for an spf in the mornings. There are quite a few that also have vitamin C and are moisterising and are not expensive - I think L'oreal does one, Nivea definitely does, I've used the Simple one and the Boots one. Vitamin C is really good for slightly blotchy skin.

I'd personally consider a general serum at night. The Clarins one I mentioned before - Double Serum - is expensive but lasts forever and is really good as a general serum to help skin in multiple ways.

If you wanted to add some night cream over, your new one would work well.

You should be ccleaning your skin before you use these prodfucts. I'm not a micellar water fan but if you don't wear make up, that would be fine as a quick cleanse at night.

This might not be a popular answer but botox is a game-changer.

Thanks. I use facewash in the shower (boots cucumber I think but need a new one soon). I then plan to use the new moisturiser i got today as it says it has SPF 20. And then I thought at night I could wash with a warm flannel and then the new moisturiser again? I don't currently wash or clean my face at night...unless I drop toothpaste on it! Might be time to start!

Does that sound like a good start or is the retinol peptides too much for twice a day? To whoever said read the instructions I did try but a lot assume you know what a peptide/vitamin C/hyaluronic acid is in the first place? And basically every pot i looked at said it would be perfect so in the end h chose based on age...!!

Thanks. I use facewash in the shower (boots cucumber I think but need a new one soon). I then plan to use the new moisturiser i got today as it says it has SPF 20. And then I thought at night I could wash with a warm flannel and then the new moisturiser again? I don't currently wash or clean my face at night...unless I drop toothpaste on it! Might be time to start!

Does that sound like a good start or is the retinol peptides too much for twice a day? To whoever said read the instructions I did try but a lot assume you know what a peptide/vitamin C/hyaluronic acid is in the first place? And basically every pot i looked at said it would be perfect so in the end h chose based on age...!!