The Skincare I Keep Going Back To – My Daytime Routine

There is such an abundance of skincare to choose from –  all promising us the most amazing results. I have learnt the most effective skincare we can apply is a good moisturising sunscreen, which I use all year round and, Retinol, which is known as the gold standard of skincare.

I started to use Retin A (Tretinoin) in March 2016 – which helps with cell renewal and lots of other things. You can read my detailed post, here.  When choosing skincare, I always look for magical hydrating ingredients that will be effective on my dry, midlife skin, such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerine. Before my purchase, I also like to hear what the customers are saying by reading trustworthy reviews, and finding out if the product is a “dud”, or not.

Skincare has become so much more accessible, now, as brands become competitive for our business – which is great for us consumers. Brands such as Aldi, Revolution and others are attempting to replicate the ingredients in expensive pots of cream – some, with impressive results.

When I was young, my mum voiced the importance of decent quality skincare, hence, following her lead, I have road-tested serums and moisturisers, over the years. I am not a skincare expert but I know the difference between a poor and effective product.

In today’s post, I am giving you an update on the products I still believe are effective, and why – as well as a few new additions for you to ponder. I would say that my skin is normally aged for a woman of sixty-three. I wish I had known the damage that the sun did as a young girl. Instead, I went for the “burn”, back then. Saying that, I soon worked out the ageing effects of the sun, hence, I have protected my face from the sun for over thirty years, now.

Of course, overall self-care helps us to be healthy and well. It makes sense at any age, and contributes towards good health, both mentally and physically. I am not perfect and, on occassion, succumb to my never-ending craving for anything sweet, Plus, I enjoy a glass of fizz, though, post menopause, my tolerence for booze has slumped and I really pay for any indulence in that area, the following day. But, overall, I watch what I consume and, if I have gone overboard with the treats, I am careful, afterwards.

I eat a varied, healthy diet and exercise, frequently. I/we are foodies. So, boring cuisine would not cut it in my life. I enjoy an array of fish, fruit, and vegetables (no meat). Food is an occasion in my family – my family enjoy dining together, and sampling new things. So, nibbling on a lettuce leaf would not fit, though, we mostly eat healthy cuisine.

I have managed to maintain my weight loss from a year ago, give or take a few pounds, and I weigh myself every few days. I know this is usually frowned upon, but it keeps me on the straight and narrow, so works for me. I continue to do my walks, outside, not so great when it is icy or raining, or both! However, I still try to get outside as it is mentally good for me. And, I enjoy it, which is the main thing. I wrap up well in my waterproofs and layers and go off with my podcast into the fresh air. I can guarantee a mood lift on returning home if I am feeling a little down.

Unfortunately, in life, we don’t always have control over the illnesses life may throw at us, whether it be ourselves or our loved ones. Lately, two of our dear friends have become ill with debilitating diseases (Alzheimer’s and Cancer) despite  living stimulating, healthy lifestyles. This kind of news always makes us stop in our tracks and reassess life more.

Treating ourselves is important. It does not have to be a big expensive outlay. It can be as simple as going for a coffee, or performing a rewarding task that you have been putting off – just doing something which lifts and improves the day.

Before I go on to my skincare post, I will share these two quotes which I love.

“Ageing is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been” … and

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” David Bowie.

My Morning Routine

First of all, I wash my face with Cerave Cleansing Lotion. This product is a little more than I usually pay for a cleanser. But, it is not drying, and great for sensitive skin. And, this size lasts, forever. It leaves my skin feeling soft rather than tight and dry – so worth the outlay.

While waking up, I use my Current Body LED Mask. Ten minutes on both the face and decolletage. This is my second year of using this mask, most mornings. I have found the mask has given my skin a glow and I can see the difference if I do not use it. It makes my skin look more radiant and healthier and it has helped with the crepey skin on my decolletage. You can buy an extra attachment for the neck and decolletage, but the mask does the job for both – as it is flexible and flat. So, cost-effective to use it there as well. One of the downsides of using the mask for both areas is it can run out of charge, easily. I won this mask on Instagram. Before this, I had read great reviews about it, so I was going to save up to buy it myself.

I then apply Glycolic toner (Lacura, Aldi) on a cotton pad. This brings my tired skin to life, and does the job! I have tried the Pixi Glow Toner which is also good – though a tad more expensive.

Followed by The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% – I have used this for around three years, now, and, as you can see in the pic, I am on to my new refill. This product is so reasonably priced. It gives my skin a mild exfoliation and is effective in eradicating the build-up of dead skin cells, which can result in dullness on the skin. It is also effective with clogged pores, hence, it is still on my list. The only downside to this is my clumsiness. It is a very watery consistency so I have spilt quite a bit from the bottle (usually, still half asleep)! It is effective in the overall look of my skin appearance.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% 60ml £10.00 – the claims stipulate that this serum improves the look of the skin’s radiance and luminosity. I have kept using it, hoping I would see some improvements. But, there is nothing dramatic. So, it may be time for me to try something new, though I will continue to use it until I find a good replacement. Maybe, a good Vitamin C serum will be the answer – I’ll report back!

Then, it is The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%. This targets textural irregularities, dullness, uneven skin tone, and that look of redness. I use (every third day). I read in the reviews that some were experiencing irritations. Luckily, I don’t!! My skin only needs this every third day as it is fairly concentrated, and I do not want to “overdo” with products. I certainly will keep on with this because it is helping with my open pores around the nasal area.

Then, on to the all-important SPF50 moisturiser, which I wear, every day. It can be tricky to find the correct one. Luckily, there is an abundance of them to choose from. I look for one which does not leave that white hue, penetrates my skin well, while giving sun protection….and can be worn underneath my makeup. It must have an SPF50, no fragrance, with active moisturising ingredients for my dry-aged skin. Years ago, I used to mix sun lotion, with my everyday moisturiser as it was difficult to find a good facial sunscreen. I have tried quite a few, this year. My two favourites are still the very inexpensive Nivea Sun UV suncream SPF 50 and Cerave SPF 25 or 50.

Tanning Drops – I apply every three or four days, mainly to disguise my white ghostly alabaster skin! I tend to use these, all year round. This is an old one (Primark) left-over from the summer. It cost £4.00. I tend to buy any ones which are on offer. However, I like the glow and shade this one leaves on my skin (not too orangey). There is a varied selection of these tanning drops on the market, and you do not have to pay a fortune. I have tried quite a few expensive ones and I found that there was no difference, so, save your money and check which ones are on offer, while checking the reviews.

Thank you for reading my post, which is not sponsored – all products are my own.  This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through to the products, there is no cost to you. If you purchase anything, the small commission I receive will contribute to the running of my blog.

I hope it has helped to give you a few skincare ideas – I will be back shortly.

Alison xx