skincare for oily but flaky skin?

[MaineGirl]

My skin is terrible as i've got older, i'm 33 and have skin that can be quite shiny on my t-zone but is actually quite dry. I think this is caused by being in an air conditioned building all day and then centrally heated house in the evenings.

i used to use a lot of clarins products but frankly found that they were no longer working. i have just started using a garnier moisturiser and simple facial scrub. i scrub once a week but use the moisturiser twice a day. i find if i use a cleanser my skin becomes tight and prone to spots.

I have quite a realistic budget in mind to spend, not up there with creme de la mer or la prairie etc but around £25 for moisturiser, etc.

anyone recommend some brands to use?

my skin used to be oily and spot-prone, but a few months ago I started to get dry flaky patches as well

niiiiice

anyway, it has improved quite a lot recently, after a lot of trial and error. I am using
this cleanser, and cleansing thoroughly with a muslin. Then E45 cream just on the flaky bits, and Oxy benzoyl peroxide 2.5 stuff on any spots.

Then a moisturiser over the top - am current using Boots protect and perfect. Sounds like a bit off a faff, but it works pretty well.

I did try the oil cleansing method as extensively eulogised on MN, but it did nothing for me.

forgot to mention that the cleanser is a wash off one, but much milder than eg clinique one.

I use it in the evenings, but in the mornings just wash with plain water to avoid drying out my skin too much.

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It sounds like your skin is combination - like me.

I find hot cloth cleansers are really good as they take the oil and the dry skin away without being too harsh, and as you use a muslin and warm water to take the product off no residue is left behind and my skin feels clean - unlike when I use cotton wool to take off normal cleansers.

I've always been a Liz Earle devotee (cleanse and polish) but it's too pricey for me at the mo so I've just got bought No7's hot cloth cleanser and I really like that too.

some good suggestions there, thank you.

I can second the oil cleansing method - I started it 3 weeks ago and I can honestly say my skin has never looked better. I have a greasy t zone but started to get really dry patches on my cheeks and this method has really sorted it out! I look fab now [grin}

Why didn't my "grin" work - shall try again !!

Your skin sounds just like mine.

I tried the Oil Cleansing malarkey, it worked for a few weeks and then my skin went haywire - spottier, more blackheads and just erratic. I also seem to be slightly hairier on my cheeks than I used to be - we're not talking George from Being Human, but definitely more, if pale, hairs than there used to be. I've read that this does sometimes happen with castor oil.

So I'm back with the Liz Earle cleanse and polish (I try to get bottles on ebay, saves a few pounds) and I recently discovered Enzymion moisturiser for oily skin from Lush. Tis brilliant! Really matte, no greasiness ever, and absorbs very fast. The polishing cloth with the Liz Earle should take care of the flakiness, although I admit I do still have a bit.