SKIN CARE ROUTINE ! HELP (Sunday Riley? Tatcha? DE?)

[Mongoose24]

I’ve been obsessing for weeks about what collection of skincare I plan to buy. For reference , my skin is pretty normal (my chin and nose are a little dry). More dry during cold months : a little oilier during summer but nothing crazy. The only acne I’ve ever faced was blackheads (I’ve had them forever, cheeks nose and chin). I’m 25 and have expression lines and my skin is just NOT where I want it to be. The ultimate goal is to have pores shrunk, no visible wrinkles (and serious prevention) , and to clear blackheads! I’ve been looking at Sunday Riley products and from what I see , I’m considering buying the Luna oil and the good genes serum. Somebody also said good things about the DE framboos serum . Also I want to use Tatcha essence but I’m afraid to use it with these serums for some reason? But then there’s a part of me that wants to buy the whole Tatcha line (however I am skeptical of the anti-aging benefits as I don’t really see any powerhouse ingredients such as retinol or AHA). Also herbivore has some really nice looking face oils ....  I have decided on ONE single product and that is the Tatcha dewy skin cream (it’s so luxurious and perfect night cream) . Which products should I use in conjunction with this!? Please help. I’m all over the place here . 

[sunny1903]

Since you said you're new to skincare, I thought I would give you general advice instead of product recommendations. What works for me may not work for you. I have sensitive, combo, and acne-prone skin and my go to for the past 10 years (am 24 now) has been Mario Badescu. Kept my skin clear and supple for 7 years, until my autoimmune disease kicked in and my skin changed too. The main thing is that I have slightly drier skin and I am prone to hives and eczema now. I still use mostly MB but have expanded to Neutrogena, PCA, and Belif. It's important to note that pores do not shrink. Pore size is determined by genetics. What you're seeing is when oils build up in your pores and they are exposed to air. If dirt is mixed in, you get a blackhead. Best thing to do is get products that either lessen oil production and/or don't use products that are overly heavy. My favorite oil control face wash is PCA face wash oily/problem. You can extract the clear gunk (sebaceous filaments) and blackheads but it will always come back. It's just your skin being skin. You also cannot reverse skin damage, like wrinkles. Best thing you can do is get products that make the skin look more supple and plump. I recommend products with hyaluronic acid over collagen. Collagen is not absorbed by your skin, so you're literally washing it and your money down the drain. Don't take collagen pills either. Your body will break it down and turn it into every other thing it needs. Eye creams can be very expensive, but in reality you can use high quality face moisturizers as effective eye creams. You may also look to complexion products with mica, which diffuse light and give the skin a blurred-effect look. You want products that hydrate and moisturize. Hydrating products add water and moisturizers provide occlusive barriers that keep water in. I use hydrating products first, and then moisturizing products right after. Do not be fooled by organic or clean ingredients, some of them are rather ineffective when compared to their "undesirable" counterparts. The best thing you can do to protect your skin and reduce damage is sunscreen and limit unnecessary exposure to the sun. Sunscreen everyday and SPF 15 is fine if you work in an office. Make sure to use eye-safe sunscreen for your eyes too (I use Shiseido). Be careful of skincare ingredients. AHA should only be used at night, and you absolutely have to wear sunscreen. AHAs increase photosensitivity, aka skin is more likely to get damaged by UV rays. BHA is fine for daytime use. Serums have gotten wildy popular, so be picky about which ones you use. Most serums should only really be used at night, especially if you use makeup. Some of them just don't absorb fast enough for makeup application.

[ashlykindle]

I have switched to mostly caudalie products and so far I love them! I am 25 and still suffer from acne. since I have been using the caudalie brightening essence and vinopure perfecting serum I have seen a huge difference! I also am using their moisturizing toner to make sure I don't dry out my skin too much. I plan on trying out one of their moisturizers soon, just haven't decided on which one yet

[CateRichie]

Personally, I tried a few Sunday Riley and didn’t see improvement. In two weeks of using Drunk Elephant, I was able to say that my skin neverlooked so good since elementary school. And I’m 27! I started with their kit The Littles. There are 8 mini versions. It lasts me about 2 months and a half so I think it’s good value honestly. The serums C Firma and TLC Framboos are bomb. Also I like the two cleanser bars. Also the A Passioni cream! Those are my five favorites but I like everything DE now.

[darkhorsecarin]

If you want radiant, moisturized skin with anti-aging and maybe some acne prevention, from the products you mentioned, my go to lineup with would contain (and currently does): Sunday Riley Good Genes, either their A+ retinoid or Luna oil, with the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream for night time moisture, and maybe the dewy skin mist for light moisture and glow in the morning. Wouldn’t add more actives than that to start with and I think Framboos might be a bit too extreme to start if you’re already a bit dry. Herbivore has nice oils, but it’s hard to go wrong with SR or DE too.

[Mongoose24]

Thank you! Any suggestions for face wash?

[darkhorsecarin]

Also, you could add something like The Ordinary glycolic toner to address blackheads to save a little for your other splurges. I think you can avoid the Tatcha Essence since it has more actives and you’d have those covered, but you might want to check out Sk-II or the Fresh Kombucha something essence (better deal) which won’t strip your skin. Don’t want to damage your moisture barrier!

[athewinn]

Blackheads are an oxidized mix of oils and dead skin cells. They typically respond to salicylic acid. None of the products you mentioned really address that, except for the Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos. That could help you, and I’d just use it on the areas you’re having trouble with, not the whole face. Another great option is the Sunday Riley UFO Ultra clarifying oil. That has Salicylic acid in also. I would definitely focus on something that has salicylic acid and stays on your skin all night and has time to really do its job, as opposed to a cleanser that you wash right off again. I wish you the best of luck. Will you come back later and let us know how it’s gone and what products you selected?

[Mongoose24]

I started using the drunk elephant line and my skin loved it . Very happy

[m3rc3d3s]

I have used a lot of Sunday Riley products but it seems that the formula on GG has changed and I just have found other oils and retinols that I prefer ! 

I would highly recommend the fresh seaberry oil if you are looking for hydration and any of the oils from herbivore !