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I would love to find a skin care routine that works for me, because I am prone to clogged pores on my face/legs and my feet get really dry when I'm not wearing socks consistently. but how does one go about finding all the products that will work? skin care products aren't something that I can just spend money on and try, they're usually quite pricey and I'm afraid of spending like $16 on something only to have it not work.
Skin care is a lot of trial and error, unfortunately you most likely will have to spend money on things that don't work. You could always look for skin care samples of things you wanna try but you won't know fully how well they work for a while.
A good start is to find your skin type and look up reviews that are written by other people with your skin type. Dermatologist visits also are positive if youre able to do so.
Edit: also, expanding on taking a while for things to work, when you first start using skincare products you may notice more acne than typical because not every product will work correctly as soon as you use it. It's really important to look up reviews and test it on your skin before slathering something new on. Since skincare has so many chemicals you may not have on your skin usually, it's really ideal to do patch tests to see how your skin reacts.
There are really great communities for skincare online. I'm sure TikTok is full of them, I usually use reddit and r/SkincareAddiction is good from what I've heard.
Re skin being dry, do you use any kind of moisturizing cream on your skin and perhaps a pumice stone? I use a pumice stone to remove any gross dead skin and then moisturize with a nice lotion after, keeps my skin soft and looks nice
I am no expert but I am also very much searching for that 'perfect' skin care routine so i'll try and share what i've been trying lol.
unfortunately a lot of it is trial and error like Franny said, and I appreciate you said you're not able to just drop money like that on every new product so it will take patience and time. i decided right around lockdown that i wanted to get serious about my skincare and actually find something that works, and only just now am i truly noticing a significant difference in my skin. a lot of what I'm saying is actually echoing above lol but research is your best friend!! look up youtube videos that talk about skincare for xyz type of skin, and almost always there are videos for people on a budget because we definitely aren't all living a luxury skincare life. once you've watched enough videos you tend to get a feel for what kind of ingredients are gonna be your best friend (and equally what to avoid), so from there you can kind of branch out a little yourself and see what you can find. tiktok is also definitely full of hidden gems, i've found a lot of good products through there.
off the top of my head, i think niancinamide and salicylic acid are supposed to be quite good for clogged pores? i'm a big fan of the ordinary as a skincare company and i think they're fairly well liked within the 'community' if you will. not sure if they're as cheap/well circulated in the us as they are in the uk but they could be a good starting point for you! as for dry skin you're definitely going to want to get a good moisturising cream - again, not an expert, but i think anything with 'aqua' as one of the first few ingredients is very hydrating, and you're going to want to avoid stuff with alcohol! also potentially avoid perfumed moisturisers, but I can't remember if that's more prudent when it comes to just the face or if it can be applied all round.
sorry for the ramble haha i didn't realise i had all this knowledge tucked away, hope it was useful lol and lmk if you want any more info!
look into targeting specific skin concerns and go from there. i second using the brand "the ordinary," they're quite affordable and are pretty bare-bones skincare ingredients.
the ordinary's website even has a "build my regimen" interactive guide you should check out. you answer the types of things you'd like to address with your skincare and it gives you some products to check out. you don't necessarily have to buy them from the ordinary if you don't want, but it will give you a good idea to the types of ingredients to keep an eye out for in other products.
For dry feet, I've been using O'Keefe's Healthy Feet with really high success. Just a pea-sized amount spread on my feet after a shower + filing away the tough and dry parts and around 15-minutes with dedicated "lotion socks (aka socks I wear on clean, lotioned feet)" on really helped my disgusting heels actually look like heels again.
Face skin is a super case-by-case thing, in my opinion. I've got pretty hardy skin that's only sensitive to acids, so most skincare works as expected for me and I can afford to be picky only about scents. If you don't want to commit to an expensive lotion or regimen, I do think it's ok to buy one of those body lotions that are meant for sensitive/oily skin and use it on your face too.
I think the most important thing to do is to be consistent and hygienic. Make sure you use your products every day, make sure you're washing your hands, changing your towels, washing your bedsheets and pillow cover.
I considered doing that, but last month I called the office of the dermatologist I've seen in the past, and they were scheduling allllllll the way out to March. so yeah lol. I might see if there's a dermatologist closer to where I live that actually has some openings available within a month or two.
I appreciate all the advice so far! I might check out that "The Ordinary" company's website and see what they recommend. I'll also see if I can go about finding my skin type to narrow things down a bit.
I think seeing a dermatologist if you can is a great way to start. You also need to know if your skin is dry, oily, or combination. I also don’t recommend trying more than one new product at a time.
What are your main areas of concern? Like are we talking facial skin care or just all over body skin care?
I have a bit of knowledge in this department and can definitely give insight into skin care especially if it is of the face.
Really for the body - just find a good moisturizer. If you aren’t moisturizing everyday start now and at least do it every time you get done showering/bathing. Lightly exfoliate your body with a pouf, sponge, or towel. You don’t need to use a harsh exfoliating wash to get this done. The gentler the better especially for new to skincare folks. You don’t need to exfoliate everyday, i would try once a week to start. Try using a fragrance free wash and moisturizer if you have sensitive skin. Also fragrances are just bad for your skin to begin with. A little essential oil is okay, but if you have sensitive skin just avoid it all together. Also SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN. The sun ages you QUICKLY. The sun is so damaging not to mention the cancer risk. Sunscreen everyday. cloudy day? doesn’t matter wear it. Winter? doesn’t matter lather up. Extremely sunny day? re apply every couple hours. Sun exposure is the main cause of wrinkles and aging so LATHER UP. Avoid tanning beds.
For the face, SUNSCREEN!!! Also take a skin quiz to find out what your type is. Don’t try more than 1 thing at a time and slowly introduce things.
Not sure if I have the same problem as you, but the body lotion makes my skin less dry. Of course, it doesn't give a 100% effect, but if you apply it well after showering and wait 15 minutes, you'll be satisfied with the result. I agree, sometimes a good cream costs like a brand-new thing! But it can be useful to look for alternative options, MAC Deals. I know many sites that offer cashback or big discounts. Wait for discounts on the product you are interested in. You may not want to try anything else on your skin after this.
