Decent budget skincare

[Ilovecrispstoomuch]

Please help me with my skin!

I’m mid 40’s and deep into peri I would say. My skin was always fine with soap and Nivea soft moisturiser. Not amazing - but not bad.

it’s changed so much in recent years that I really have no idea what to do with it.

i tried skin and me daily doser - that worked well for about a year, but I’ve had to give it up recently as it mad my skin irritated and peeling. I think it was the tretonin.

my skin’s texture has changed so much. I’ve got dry parts, spotty parts and big pores. I can live with wrinkles - but would just like it to look better overall.

i bought some erborian stuff in the Black Friday sale (already use and love their cc cream) and that’s made a difference. But it’s gone so quickly and I don’t really want to be spending that much that often.

can anyone recommend a decent regime that will be gentle, effective and not cost the earth? Or am I looking for a unicorn?

Anyone?!

I have similar skin type I think although not peri yet, I've been working on hydrating and improving my skin barrier and seen lots of improvement all round. I have been using a cheap hyaluronic acid (E45 one but had the ordinary one before) and a set of serums/moisturiser from the inkey list which I am liking a lot. I also use avene cicaplast once or twice a week before bed. It's tricky but with the sales on it's a good time of year to try some new bits!

Sainsburys range is very good 👍

Boyoma?

I guess it depends on your budget.
I can recommend Clinique 100hr moisturiser & you can almost always get money off if you shop around. I stopped using it briefly, and restarted again and have again been getting compliments on my skin. My mum who experienced menopause didn’t find it moisturising enough, but the 72hr lipid one transformed her skin. The price point is far above Nivea, but not as expensive as some other products. You can usually sample these at the counter before investing. They’ve also just launched a gorgeous serum which I think I’ll use on wfh days in place of my Estée Lauder advance night repair (which is very expensive, but also very lovely). I appreciate these are probably not considered affordable options, but I personally think they’re worth the money.

I really rate Superdrug, their own ranges of skincare are great.
Vitamin E hot cloth cleanser is a long standing favourite, and have recently bought the Vitamin C serum which is doing wonders for texture. I’ll definitely try more in that range. It’s all affordable enough to give it a try and see how you get on.

No7 Restore & Renew skincare is amazing

TBH I think its all a tad hit and miss as we are all so different

Im now menopausal and skin has dried a lot so I need a Hyaluronic acid serum - whatever is cheap and cheerful .. My skin can react retinol and certainly cant cope with tret, so I use peptides - much kinder

I use a foaming cleansing wash and a moisturiser at night

for the pores I use a primer - I call it poly filler for the face - and using a foundation that doesnt sit in the pores or fine lines also is a great help - again that will be different for everyone . I no longer use a matte foundation, a bit of luminosity is needed to reflect from the pores

Thanks!!

its such a minefield! And I do appreciate that it’s probably going to have to be trial and error.

i am loving the erborian stuff. But it’s £££ and not stretching far. I don’t mind spending on something tha goes a long way.

ill have a look at the Superdrug range. Thanks @persisted
And I’ll look into peptides - thanks @suki1964

i’m not too fussed about looking old - but looking like an old spotty orange is too much!

inkey list. Been using it a good few years now and it really suits. If you go on their website it gives you a questionnaire to fill out and will put a product package together.

The ordinary range is very good and sensible prices.

Thanks!! Looks like a good price point and I like the quiz thing.

Naturium do a good vit C serum and retinaldehyde that are around the £20-30 and last a while. Also second inkey Superdrug and the ordinary. Some of la Roche posay good value too. Often on offer at various online places - look fantastic etc I’ve also found a very good value french skincare website called my origines which ships to the uk.

Boots No7. Amazing deals on their gift sets at the moment.

Since discovering Aveeno skincare I don't use anything else. I'm in my 60s and have a lifetime of eczema and dry skin. Moisturising is only half the battle, using shower gels and shampoos that don't dry the skin is just as important, and they do a full range. I noticed a massive difference within a week, so much so that I no longer rely on steroid creams.

The ordinary is very good and affordable. Didn’t like anything from Boots n7, didn’t work. Indeed Labs is good. Basically, anything is a hit or miss! Get a sunscreen. UV radiation is responsible for 80-90% aging. Find a facialist who works with professional cosmetics and get an initial consultation with samples or treatment. It takes time to figure out what works. Good luck 🤞

My nanna swore by a drop of castor oil mixed with a decent moisturiser. Her skin was amazing. I started doing the same thought over 50 so a little late starting. I have noticed big difference and you only need a drop around 4 times a week. My daughter is doing the same but very cautious due to acne prone skin, surprisingly its actually helped although, she did build up to 4 times a week.

Take a look at The Ordinary website. Cheap and effective.

👍👍 my local boots store sells most of the products too, sometimes I can’t be bothered with online ordering.

In your shoes I'd be looking a niacinamide serum in the mornings before your moisturiser. The ordinary and inkey list both have budget options. Then a hyaluronic acid like the e45 one as its a bit thicker, and your moisturiser/spf.

In evenings a nice balm or warm oil cleanser removed with a warm face cloth will be soothing for dry skin, but also the cloth will help with gentle exfoliation of dry patches. The superdrug one mentioned above, or bodyshop balm are both decent for price.

If you want to add in a retinol the cerave resurfacing serum is on the lower spectrum in terms of strength so very gentle. The cicaplast balm is then nice as a light layer a couple of nights a week, or if you want something lighter the superdrug vitamin e night cream is another good option. That being said, if your moisturizer is a basic one without spf/extras then no rule you cant use that at night too.

The problem with asking on here is that we all have different skin concerns so different products and ranges will be recommended that might not suit you.

Take some photos makeup free and in natural daylight then ask chat GPT to come up with a skincare routine for you. You can input specific skin concerns e.g spots & that you’re peri menopausal etc and it will tailor something that meets your needs and suggest products. Worked brilliantly for me - far better than skin & me who just prescribed tret which made my skin dry and sensitive.

I know now that I need to avoid high alcohol contents, toners and harsh retinoids.
I find the Cerave range brilliant for helping maintain my skin barrier. It’s also reasonably priced.
I use La Roche Posay spf50 sunscreen and a calming serum. They’ve made a big difference.
The ordinary also do good basics if you’re looking for serums etc

My gran used vaseline as a moisturiser…. Great budge range is nivea ♥️

Inkey List
The Ordinary
Q&A
All are excellent, also consider Lumene when it’s on offer in Boots £10 Tuesday

Inkey List, The Ordinary and Superdrug’s own range

Thanks! Lots of good suggestions.
im going to try the inkey list when my eborian runs out.