Finding skincare

[julissal1]

Hello, 

im newer to the whole skincare routine thing, I’m looking for some products, I can use to help moisturize my skin and give me that healthy glow! Any advice is appreciated 

alittle about my skin: dry skin, not a lot of acne (get random pimples here and there but not anything crazy), sensitive to fragrance so I avoid anything with it. mainly looking to expand my collection and find something that works for my skin 

[WinglessOne]

Hi @julissal1 ! You mentioned looking to expand your collection. Does that mean you already use some skincare products? Which ones (exact brands + product names)—even if it's just a cleanser? 

A simple effective skincare routine: 

Cleanser (PM, maybe also AM if your skin needs it) - can be as simple as the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar, which is what I use each night on my face and body. Many folks like the liquid version (CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser). Both versions are gentle, fragrance free, and effective without drying or stripping skin. Cetaphil, Vanicream, and Paula's Choice also make good cleansers. If you really want a Sephora-sold cleanser, well... some folks love First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 8 oz/ 240 mL or fresh Soy Face Cleanser Limited Edition 6.7 oz/ 200 mL , so you might consider those. None of those played nice with my mostly-dry combo skin, but that doesn't mean they won't work for you. Note that the Fresh cleanser does contain 3 forms of damask rose (water, extract, and oil), so it might not be good for your fragrance-sensitive skin. 

Moisturizer (AM & PM) - another category that doesn't need to cost much money. At night, I use Paula's Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer. In the morning, I typically use Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. Other good low-cost options are CeraVe and Cetaphil. You could also try one of The Inkey List's moisturizers, like The INKEY List Hemp Oil Moisturizer 1 oz/ 30 mL or The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer 1.7 oz/ 50 mL . If you reeeally wanna go pricey, there's always Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL or Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Firming Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL ; the former is richer and (for me) more moisturizing than the latter. Whichever moisturizer you choose, apply it while your skin's still damp. This gives your moisturizer some hydration to seal into your skin, rather than sealing in dryness. 

Broad spectrum sunscreen (AM) - apply to all skin that's exposed to sunlight, regardless of weather or season. If you're gonna splurge on a skincare product, make it sunscreen. On some mornings in warm weather, I skip my usual moisturizer and just use a moisturizing sunscreen. I can't recommend Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen to you because it contains olibanum (frankincense), but that's one of my favorite sunscreens. But there are so many other sunscreens on the market, including some good ones at your local drug store or Target. Finding one you like takes some trial and error, but it's worth the hassle. Oh, and most sunscreens that aren't labeled "matte" will give your skin a radiant to glass skin finish. 

[julissal1]

I currently use: CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial cleanser for normal to Dry skin along with CervaVe’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion (in the blue bottle) so far I haven’t had any major reactions to either and have noticed my skin being more moisturized then what it was. All the sunscreens I have tried have either caused me to breakout incredibly or lead to a rash forming, I’ll definitely give your suggestions a shot! I’m mainly trying to find products that work the best for me so your suggestions will be taken into consideration Thank you so much!! 

[WinglessOne]

No problem, @julissal1 ! Glad to hear the CeraVe products are helping your skin. That cleanser and moisturizer are very good, especially compared to some much more expensive products. 

Have you tried a mineral/physical sunscreen? Some people are sensitive to various chemical UV blockers and find zinc sunscreens play nicer with their skin. I haven't tried La Roche-Posay's zinc sunscreen(s) but I hear good things about them. I have tried CoTZ sunscreens and like them, though they can leave my face greasier/shinier than I'd like. I recently got a bottle of Avene's new tinted mineral sunscreen (Solaire UV Mineral Multi-Defense Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50+) but haven't given it a full day wear test yet. They also make a non-tinted version of that sunscreen. 

Also, have you tried any Japanese sunscreens? Those tend to use newer chemical UV blockers we can't get in American-made sunscreens (because the FDA is slow as turtles in molasses when it comes to testing and approving most things), and some folks are less sensitive to them. Of those, my favorites are OMI Verdio UV Moisture Essence SPF 50 PA ++++ and the hybrid chemical/physical sunscreen Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV (clear version). The OMI Verdio sunscreen makes my skin quite dewy/glowy. The Canmake sunscreen gives me a super glowy "glass skin" look.