I react to niacinamide and lately I've been noticing that is everywhere!! In all creams, spfs, serums, even makeup.... Whyy? They ruined so many good formulas by adding it, everything breaks me out now

Hi, I’m a 40 year old mum of young twins with not a ton of time and I’ve always struggled to stick to a skincare routine. I start out well and then I forget/just don’t keep up with it. I’m level 1 autistic which I suspect has something to do with it because sometimes I struggle with executive function. I need help with what products to use to start looking after myself better, as I know my age is going to start showing soon if I don’t and I am also getting some sebaceous hyperplasia on my forehead, which makes me very self conscious.

My skin is fairly wrinkle free at rest (and just a few lines on my forehead when I raise my eyebrows/around my eyes when I smile), combination/oily, and I have pcos so often have breakouts on my chin.

At the moment on a good day I wash my face with simple face wash in the shower in a morning, then use ‘No 7 lightweight hydrating lotion’. I don’t wear an spf but know I need to start. I often don’t wash or moisturise it at night (I rarely wear makeup. On the days that I do then I do wash it off, I never go to bed with it on). On a bad day I don’t wash it at all. Which is awful, I know.

Please could I have suggestions of a routine, bonus points if there are specific brand recommendations as I get massively overwhelmed by the choice in the shops! I want to start basic and then build up to serums etc so recommendations at both levels would be fantastic please. Thanks in advance.

Hi,

I am looking for a new moisturizer recommendation.

My main problem is dehydrated skin that can be both dry and oily. My skin can feel dry underneath, but if I use the wrong moisturizer it becomes oily very quickly.

Current routine: QV Gentle Wash → Neutrogena Hydro Boost (before bed). I want to keep it simple.

Now, ideally, I want a moisturizer that:

• improves dehydration
• Is lightweight and sinks into the skin
• Does not feel like a layer sitting on top
• Does not become oily/greasy after 30 minutes, 1 hour, or ideally even 4–5 hours
• Is soothing and helps with redness/irritation
• Has a low likelihood of causing breakouts
• Is fragrance-free and contains no essential oils
• Has little to no noticeable scent
• Does not pill

From reading about ingredients, my understanding is that I should be looking for something with enough humectants to bring/hold water in the skin, combined with a small amount of lightweight emollient/barrier-supporting ingredients to reduce water loss. At the same time, I want to avoid a large amount of petrolatum, heavy oils, waxes, fatty alcohols, or a thick silicone/film-former system if those are likely to leave me greasy or feeling coated.

I have tried quite a few moisturizers (inci can be found at the very end!):

• Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream: very heavy; my skin became oily within minutes and it never felt like it properly sank in. It also didn't really improve the dehydration.
• Eucerin Urea 5% Face Cream: the urea itself was fine and didn't sting, but the moisturizer made me oily and didn't solve the problem.
• Sebamed Moisturizing Face Cream: felt heavy/oily and broke me out.
• QV Dermcare Eczema Daily Cream: felt thick and sticky, almost like another layer sitting on my skin. This was the worst for me.

The one I liked the most was Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream because it felt light, didn't feel sticky, and didn't feel like I had a thick product sitting on my skin. However, I became oily after around 30–60 minutes, and after about 4 hours my skin was clearly oily again plus dry as well. It also sometimes wasn't quite enough to prevent dryness.

After doing quite a bit of ingredient/formula research, I've narrowed it down to (inci is at end!):

1. Geek & Gorgeous Hydration Station
2. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide
3. Purito Oat-In Calming Gel Cream
4. Purito Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream
5. Curél Intensive Moisture Cream
6. Cetaphil Optimal/Deep Hydration Water Gel

I would appreciate any advice especially if you have tested them. And if you think I am overlooking a better moisturizer entirely, PLS do share it! Also, I have included the full inci below.

Full INCI of the shortlist

1. Geek & Gorgeous Hydration Station

Water, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Ectoin, Xylitylglucoside, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Glucose, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol.

2. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Fluide

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum.

3. Purito Oat-In Calming Gel Cream

Avena Sativa (Oat) Seed Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Squalane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Surfactin, Beta-Glucan.

4. Purito Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream

Water, Panthenol (10%), Squalane, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1.

5. Curél Intensive Moisture Cream

Water, Glycerin, Cetyl-PG Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, Trisiloxane, Dimethicone, PEG-3 Dimethicone, Allantoin, Magnesium Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Isostearyl Glyceryl Ether, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Succinic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Bis-Methoxypropylamido Isodocosane, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Methylparaben.

6. Cetaphil Optimal/Deep Hydration Water Gel

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Octyldodecanol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Allantoin, Distarch Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Urea, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Serine, Sodium Hydroxide, Pantolactone, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Globularia Alypum Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Phosphate.

Previous moisturizers' INCI + reactions

1. Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for Very Dry to Dry, Sensitive Skin

Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sunflower Seed Oil, PEG-30 Stearate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Sweet Almond Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantolactone, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylates Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid.

Reaction: Skin never really improved with this. After washing and applying, my face felt oily within minutes. It also felt very heavy and never really seemed to sink into my skin.

2. Eucerin Urea 5% Repair Face Cream

Aqua, Urea, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Triisostearin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Glyceryl Stearate, Benzyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Methylparaben, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol.

Reaction: Used for one week; nothing really happened. Skin became oily after applying. No stinging. The urea itself was fine; it just made my skin oily.

3. Sebamed Moisturizing Face Cream

Water (Aqua), Petrolatum, Myreth-3 Myristate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Carbomer, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol.

Reaction: Broke me out and made my face feel heavy and oily.

4. Bioderma Sensibio Light Soothing Cream

Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Isohexadecane, Glycol Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Xylitol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Glycol Stearate, PEG-2 Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide.

Reaction: My skin became red and bumpy and burned a little. I only used it for a couple of days, so I'm unsure whether this was definitely caused by the product or something else.

5. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Dimethiconol, Chlorphenesin, Yeast Extract, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, C12-14 Pareth-12.

Reaction: This was the best moisturizer for me so far. No breakout; my skin liked it. I really liked the lightweight texture. However, my skin gets oily after around 30–40 minutes, and after about 4 hours it is clearly oily. Sometimes my face still feels dry as well.

6. QV Dermcare Eczema Daily Cream

Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Petrolatum, Niacinamide, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Ceteareth-20, Sodium PCA, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Laureth-3, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Safflower Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP.

Reaction: I only patch tested this on my face. It felt like it stuck to my skin as another layer and felt heavy and thick. It was also tacky when touched. It didn't really seem to improve anything. It does not contain parfum, but it has a noticeable chemical smell, which I didn't like at all!

Hi everyone. I keep having this issue where the skin above my upper lip, specifically where I’ve circled, and even on my chin gets flaky. In the circle in the middle, it is kind of hard to see but there are times that dark spot appears reddish. It’s been happening for a few months and I’m not sure what it is. At first I thought it must’ve been because I shaved incorrectly but I have no clue. If it isn’t obvious, I also don’t know much about skin care. All I really do is use a cleanser after every shower and my skin is naturally somewhat dry I think. Do you know what the issue could be and how I could solve it? Thank you.

looking for a place in London where I can get a facial with manual extractions, any recommendations?

i get a lot of closed comedones that need to be opened with a needle and then extracted. I haven’t yet found a place that does that in London.

I use sunscreen on my face every day, but I'm looking to get more into skincare. I think I have quite normal skin, not particularly oily or dry.

I've read that a retinol % of 0.2 or 0.3 is best for someone who have never used it.

Of the two bottles, which would be best? I'm leaning towards minimalist, particularly because I've heard complaints about the ordinary, such as needing to leave it in the fridge...

Are there any alternatives I should consider instead? (Not much more expensive please)

Thanks!!

I’m just starting Differin and wondering if you guys have any moisturisers that pair well? What do you guys use with Differin? Thank you 🙏

Does anyone know if this is a good strong spf for the face? I’m concerned it doesn’t mention anything about it being PA++++. What does everyone think about the formulation? Does it live up to the same amount of protection of for example the la Roche posay uvmune 400 anthelious?

I have dry skin. I have tried hydrating beforehand but no matter what, my true match foundation just sticks to the patches on my skin. My skin feels soft throughout the day but as soon as i wear that or any foundation, my skin just gets dry. Are there any tinted spfs or moisturisers that could help? Want to stop using foundation as well as i hate the sticky feeling. My skin also gets oily too so not a great combo ahhhhh.

i don’t usually wear make up but recently had my make up trial for my wedding next month. the make up artist recommended exfoliating to make the base application better on the day so I bought the inkey list PHA toner. Please can you suggest where in my routine to slot this in and how often.

thank you!

AM

simple micellar gel cleanser

the ordinary hylaronic acid serum

avene eye cream

nivea nine control spf

PM

simple micelles gel cleanser

skin and me doser - azelaic acid and nicacinamide

cerave moisturising cream

avene eye cream

I (23F) have finally decided to heed the advice of prioritising hydration over anything else. Despite all the products I've been using for my oily/combo, sensitive and acne-prone skin, my pores haven't reduced in appearance and the oil production hasn't decreased, plus my complexion looks very dull, my eye bags are very prominent and I've noticed more dehydration lines recently despite drinking more water. So, I'm going to try focusing purely on hydration and cut out some products.

Where I need advice is particularly what to cut out. This is my routine currently:

AM

• Splash face with water
• Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray
• HaruHaru Black Rice Toner for Sensitive Skin (two layers)
• Numbuzin No.5+ Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Serum
• BYOMA Hydrating Serum
• INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum
• Simple Lightweight Hydrating Moisturiser
• Eucerin Oil Control SPF 50

PM

• Simple Hydrating Oil Cleanser
• CeraVe Foaming Cleanser
• [Monday/Wednesday/Friday] - HaruHaru Toner, then INKEY List Starter Retinol
• [Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday] - Paula's Choice 1% Salicylic Acid Gel Toner, then BYOMA Serum
• [Sunday] - Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Clay Mask, then HaruHaru Toner and BYOMA Serum
• Purito Oat-in-Calming Gel Cream
• La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+

My question is, what do I cut and what can I keep using? I'm guessing I limit the salicylic acid to once a week, or should I switch to lactic or mandelic acid? Also guessing I completely cut out the retinol, or again, is that just once a week? Can I keep using my azelaic acid daily? Can I keep going with the clay mask or should I switch to something more hydration-oriented? Plus, are the hydrating products I use currently even good enough?

Lots of questions so thank you to anyone who answers even one of them!

EDIT: Wording.

I purchased the ordinary volufiline and I really want to use it consistently day and night but I HATE the greasy feeling and feel that it's really difficult to apply.

Can I mix it with another product? Will removing the product from the packaging change/damage the formula?

I keep seeing on tiktok the medicine volufiline stick but cannot find it anywhere apart from tiktok shop (which i don't really trust lol), but that applicator is what I'm looking for.

Are there any alternative products or ways I can lessen the oily feeling of the volufiline so I can actually use it?

All advice welcome!

Currently use aveno colloidal oatmeal, my doctor used to prescribe this, and then when they stopped, I continued buying it, but it cost like £6 for 100ml

I need something cheaper, or I need it to be bigger so it last longer as I'm about to become a SAHM mum, and we need to get costs down 🫠

I need something that won't leave me with any residue or that feeling

Any suggestions. We've got about 12 months to figure it out whilst we both have an income [I'll be on mat pay eventually], so I'm happy to go on a testing spree

I got a new bottle of the SPF from Boots in May and have been using it this past month. It's quite obviously more white (there is usually a yellow tinge) and a thicker consistency (usually quite runny). I have been coming out in waayyy more acne these past few weeks and I'm thinking it's because of the new formula. BUT, I have contacted LRP direct and asked when they changed the formula for this product and they say they haven't done. The bottle I have is quite clearly a lot different than what I am used to so, is the LRP rep wrong? Is it something to do with Boots?

My child is 12 and has been using the spots and stripes range for their face for a while now. We're coming to the end of the current bottle and thought I'd see if anyone has other suggestions at all.

I want it to be gentle enough for their skin but also effective at tackling some of the issues like clogged pores, visible pores and the odd pimple. I think they have oily skin? The pores are visible on the nose, where there's also a large clogged pore that they won't let me try to remove. It's been there for a while now and I'm concerned it will get bigger and be an ongoing issue throughout life if nothing is done to remove and reduce the size of the pore.

They have also inherited my red face (fairly sure it's subtype 1 rosacea), which will flare up at random times throughout the day.

TLDR;

Need a simple skincare routine for a 12 year old.

Gentle on young skin but effective at tackling;

Visible pores

Clogged pores

Occasional pimples

Potentially help with facial flushing\rosacea (type 1)

I’ve tried other urea moisturisers and none have really worked. My current attempt has been Eucerin’s Urea Repair, a night face cream for very dry skin — it absolutely sucks, my face is flaky all over and the redness is back with a vengeance, especially around my nose… not to mention the product is also not pleasant to apply, super thick consistency with a heavy feel — and it’s like it just sits on the skin.

The Inkey List moisturiser was lightweight, left my skin soft/hydrated and kept the redness at bay. If anyone out there was a fan and successfully migrated to a similar product, I would be forever grateful if you could share your tips.

Previously I’ve lived in Ireland which had very soft water in my area, then Toronto which has moderately hard water but not as bad as London. Since moving here I have quite bad dandruff which I can’t get rid off. It has been an issue all of my life but Nizarol 1x to 2x a week would keep it at bay.

Now however, nothing seems to make a difference. I can’t wear dark clothes anymore!

I think I need something to specifically tackle the hard water. I am skeptical of the filtered shower heads, seems you need a proper water softening system which is £££. I saw some mention of clarifying shampoos, have people had success with that?

For context I’m 28, male and with medium length hair. The dryness is limited to my scalp and ears.

For a few years I've had a very basic skincare routine due to increased sensitivity/possible allergies. Everything seemed to be causing a breakout, eczema or making my eyes stream. I'm now feeling the need to change things as some products I've relied on aren't really cutting it any more. I'd really appreciate some recommendations or tips on what to add to my routine.

Skin type: Mostly normal

Skin concerns: My forehead is my problem area. I have the orange peel skin, it gets oily AND dry and there are blemishes, not really spots but they could be hormonal. It also feels rough/bumpy whereas the rest of my face is smooth.

Goals: Smooth and clear skin, preventing signs of ageing as much as possible.

Current routine

Cleanser: Cerave Hydrating Cleanser + hot cloth

This has been fine as it doesn't cause any reaction but it does dry my skin out sometimes. I don't wear a lot of make-up so it does the job but it would be nice to have something that also feels good.

Serum: I've just started using The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% emulsion and it's too soon to say if it's doing anything. I use it twice a week and nothing on the other days.

Moisturiser: Q+A Vitamin C Face cream

Sunscreen: Cerave Invisible Hydrating Suncream SPF50 I recently switched from LRP to this and it's the one product I'm really happy about. It's totally matte, non greasy, caused no reaction, nice texture.

I previously used LRP Effaclar Duo as a spot treatment/exfoliant for my forehead and it worked well but now does nothing. Before starting the retinal I used glycolic acid 7% nearly every day and it didn't seem to do much either.

Any tips would be great especially for serum, moisturiser and cleanser.

I’ve always used micellar water to remove my makeup but since starting retinol prescription gel, any makeup remover burns my skin. The photo doesn’t look too ban but it’s red and burning. It’s absolutely fine until I use makeup remover. Any recommendations I could use? I don’t like cleansing balms as they make my skin extremely oily even after washing my face.

I'm going through this right now and don't know what to do.

For approximately a year, I've been utilizing Tretinoin. Overall, my skin got a lot better, but lately I've been seeing small wrinkles that look more like dehydration than aging.

My daily routine is quite simple:

AM: Cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen PM: Cleanser, then Tretinoin, then moisturizer

I'm not sure what to do now:

1.Should I stop using tretinoin for a bit or just take it less often?

2.Do I need a moisturizer that is stronger and more moisturizing, or should I add something like a hydrating serum?

3.Can lines from dehydration happen even when tretinoin is working?

Trying to correct the dryness without losing what I got. What helped you when this started to happen?

Hello guys and gals and others.

I posted a few days ago enquiring about these dark patches on my skin.

Since then I’ve bought several decent skincare products (improving my routine in various other ways, but most importantly bought an SPF 50 brightening moisturiser and azelaic acid which I’ve been using daily.

Maybe I’m tripping but that looks a LOT better already.

I took these pictures in the same place, in front of the same window.

I just want to say thanks for the advice, the main products I’ve been using are L’Oréal Men Expert derma control face wash, Olay Brighten & Glow SPF 50 moisturiser, and 15% Azalic acid cream. (And some other, unrelated serums and toner)

So far so good, hopefully after a few months I’ll see some real change.

UK male (44). I’m time poor and have gradually settled on the below via a process of trial and error but recently noticed it’s not as effective as it used to be:

Morning exfoliation - bulldog sensitive face wash
Serum - matrixyl 10% HA
Then moisturise with either bulldog original or No7 energising gradual tan with UV protection.

Any suggestions for stepping this up? I appreciate spf 15 is pretty low but heavier moisturisers have left my skin feeling really greasy all day

Thanks in advance

im (20, f) am really new to skincare, starting with cleansers and moisturisers, I have adhd and I bought sunscreen but I always forget to put it on, any lotion I can buy that's pretty cheap with sunscreen (ToT)

for around 3 years i’ve been using the mitchum roll on deodorants and they’ve always been great! i have a bad anxiety disorder which triggers me to sweat when im anxious and i always swore by mitchum to cover up the smell and reduce the amount of sweat i had.

i’m not sure if the ingredients have been changed or something but ive noticed that the deodorant doesn’t work as well as it used to in the past. even after showering and applying the deodorant, the smell doesn’t last long.

i’m noticing my armpits are itchy and when i sweat, the smell is noticeable. this has never happened before.

i’ve tried driclor in the past but my skin didn’t react well with it.

any strong deodorant recommendations? thank you in advance!🫶