Simple affordable skincare routine.

[Rainbow1612]

Hello. I'm hoping for some help 😊

I used to have a good skincare routine but then life got difficult, I lost my dad and I'm only just starting to focus on myself again.

I'm 37, I have fairly average skin. I get the odd hormonal breakout but nothing much. I struggle with a little redness and a few dry patches. I've always been prone to dark circles around the eyes but they seem to be getting worse. Stress and tiredness haven't helped.
I've recently been diagnosed as perimenopausal and I've noticed my skin is changing.

I need a simple routine that doesn't cost the earth.
I'd appreciate any recommendations for products etc.

Thanks 🙏

Try Simple. No perfume or colours. Inexpensive, available practically everywhere.

I'm 38 and really like The Inkey List and The Ordinary for good products at a decent price. I think both will build you a routine on the Boots website but mine is:

Vitamin C serum and SPF in the morning

In the evenings I wash my face then use a serum (I alternate two.....the starter retinol from The Inkey List and a peptide one on alternating nights) and then follow up with a basic moisturiser from The Ordinary.

This is simple enough for me to stick to but seems to work well for me.

This x

I would be very wary of using Simple. It’s the only thing my skin reacts badly to.

Think about what your skin needs and introduce one product at a time. Use it for at least 2/3 weeks and see how your skin reacts. If you introduce lots of products at once, if your skin reacts in any way, good or bad, you won’t know which product has caused it.

I’d start with a hydrating cleanser in the morning - Cerave is good. I use it in the shower. Then a moisture spray like Curel and a hydrating essence - I use Haruharu Black Rice Toner. Most signs of aging are caused by dehydrating so these steps will keep
you skin hydrated.

Then add a serum for your skin type. I use Naturium Vitamin C and No 7 Future Renew Serum.

Lastly, and an absolute must is SPF. I use Beauty of Joseon. A good SPF can replace moisturiser, but never use moisturiser with SPF. You will never get enough SPF from it.

Evening cleanse should remove all make up. Stick with something hydrating - an oat balm cleanser or The Ordinary Glycolipid cream cleanser. Never a foaming cleanser because that will strip your skin. Then follow with retinal - Medik8 is excellent. Pricey, but the only expensive product I use, then finish with a moisturiser.

It sounds a lot, but takes no more than 2 minutes. You don’t need to wait for products to dry, just layer them.

Funnily enough, I used a simple face wash years ago and reacted badly so I have always avoided it since.

Thank you for your suggestion, I will have a browse!

Q&A Skincare maybe worth a look. Simple and straightforward products which are not expensive.

1. gentle cleanser, i'm loving Cetaphil gentle cleanser at the moment. wash it off with a normal cotton washcloth in warm but not hot water. fresh washcloth everyday so no breeding ground for bacteria. You can use just water on the washcloth in the morning if you feel like you don't need a full cleanse in the morning
2. serum - vit c for the morning and a something that addresses your main concerns in the evening. so for example i'm using a simple vit c in the morning, then boots no.7 retinal in the evening only 2 or 3 times a week, then i've got a more gentle serum for the other nights, currently the beauty of josen revive serum. serum is where you will get your most active ingredients and honestly when just starting out you could just get one all rounder and use it am and pm. Retinal is more gentle than retinol, and you should always build up slowly when using these as they are very strong, just pay attention to how your skin looks and feels.
3. spf 50 all year round especially if using retinol. i'm using the beauty of josen rice one, or cerave, or Q+A
4. moisturiser is optional, if your skin is dry i'd be tempted to add it in, if you get one without the spf then you can use the same one in the morning and the evening. I love weleda skin food day cream, it's the only scented thing I use and it's heavenly, but I only use it in the winter when I need a little more support to stop my skin drying out. you can alternatively use a facial oil and just warm a few drops between your palms and press it into your skin, in the evening. Decleor iris oil is heavenly, but it's a bit spendy so maybe one for the christmas list if you fancy it.

and that's it. nothing complex, just a gentle cleanser, a serum to treat your main concerns, and SPF are the basics. Layer a moisturiser or oil under the spf if you think you need it. I tend to stay away from perfumed products as my skin is a little sensitive, with the exception of weleda and decleor which are tried and tested products for me.

Sorry to hear about your dad.

Cerave and Beauty of Joseon are the ranges I’d recommend.

I use the Cerave oil cleanser, the Cerave PM moisturiser and the Joseon Revive serum.