HELP! I'm 39 and need to change my skincare and make up routine...very dry skin specially unde my eye

[Jessi39]

Hello,

I am looking for a skin care routine for morning and night time for my dry skin, as well as make up. Pretty much I need all the help I can get. Just recently turned 39 and noticed my under eye fine lines and dryness. I feel as I need to hydrate and brighten my under eye and over all make my face look more shiny. I don't know where to begin. I've been looking at videos but there's so many products out there it is a little overwhelming. My main concern is for under eye and fine lines. I need a good hydrating full coverage concealer that wont crease. A foundation or tinted cream that will make me look alive. Thank you all.

[KitKaty]

I see someone else already recommended Hyaluronic acid but I'd like to second that. It's a great product to use as a base layer under your other moisturizers because it will help draw the moisture into your skin. (If your skin is dry and you use it alone it could end up actually sucking moisture out of your skin. Especially if you're in a dry climate.)

When I'm feeling like my skin is a little parched this is my night time routine. After washing my face I put on hyaluronic acid (before my skin has dried out completely). Then a heavy eye cream and face cream. Then I layer either a sleeping mask or an oil on top. These are some of my current favorites. 

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 2 oz/ 60 mL  Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Cream 1.69 oz/ 50 mL  The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL 

[WinglessOne]

Hi @Jessi39 ! What do you currently use on your face as skincare, from cleanser to moisturizer? 

You could start with a very basic routine: 

1. Hydrating cleanser - my favorite is Paula's Choice RESIST Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser. (I have mostly-dry combo skin.) PC makes other cleansers for dry skin, so you may want to check them out. They do sell foil samples and trial sizes of several of their products, including this cleanser. 

2. Humectant (if you don't live in a very dry climate) - this is an ingredient that attracts water and draws it into your skin. 

Spoiler

My skin's favorite humectant is hyaluronic acid and all its forms, including its salt form, sodium hyaluronate. You can buy standalone hyaluronic acid serums/boosters like The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Hydrating Face Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL or The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 1 oz/ 30 mL . Or you can choose a product that contains lots of this ingredient plus other beneficial ingredients, like The Ordinary "Buffet" 1 oz/ 30 mL which contains hydrating peptides plus hyaluronic acid (I use and love Buffet). On most mornings, I use e.l.f. Hydrating Water Essence as a hydrating toner: it contains hyaluronic acid plus many other hydrating ingredients, plus skin-brightening niacinamide. 

Many people also like honey as a humectant. Farmacy is a brand known for their honey-based skincare products. I don't use any of them on my face (except for Farmacy Very Cherry Bright 15% Clean Vitamin C Serum with Acerola Cherry 1.0 oz/ 30 mL which contains no honey but is loaded with hyaluronic acid; you can use this one under your eyes as well as the rest of your face; I keep it off my eyelids and brow bones) but plenty of folks swear by them. 

3. Occlusive moisturizer - you'll want a moisturizer that'll actually prevent moisture loss. 

Spoiler

The most occlusive ingredient you can get in skincare is petrolatum—and don't let anyone scare you about that ingredient. It's safe and won't clog your pores. Of all the petrolatum-based moisturizers I've ever tried, my favorite is CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: it contains petrolatum and dimethicone, which is less occlusive than petrolatum but still helps skin retain moisture. All CeraVe products contain skin-loving ceramides, so that's a bonus. Another option for very dry skin is Vanicream, which many dermatologists recommend. 

Shea butter is also occlusive. You could try The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer 1.7 oz/ 50 mL which uses this ingredient as its base. Other occlusive ingredients to look for in moisturizers are certain plant oils, like sunflower, argan, and marula oils. (Eh, not all plant oils are good at sealing in moisture.) If you're willing to spend more money, Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Nourishing Whipped Refillable Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL could be a good option for you. 

When my skin's severely dry and flaky—like right now, my face is healing from a very bad reaction—I use a petrolatum or mineral oil based balm or ointment as my full face moisturizer. I currently use a mix of CeraVe Healing Ointment (under my eyes) and Aquaphor Ointment (on the rest of my face). Aquaphor contains lanolin, so if you know you're sensitive to that ingredient, try the CeraVe product instead. 

Get that routine down first, and then look into adding something for lines and dull skin. I'm in my late 40s and use a retinol serum for various reasons, including my undereye lines—though honestly, those lines don't bug me much. 🙂 There are plenty of retinoid options ranging from over-the-counter retinol, retinaldehyde, and granactive retinoid (HPR) to prescription tretinoin and stronger retinoids. I still think First Aid Beauty FAB Skin Lab Retinol Serum 0.25% Pure Concentrate is a good starter product to see how your skin tolerates a low-percentage retinol. But I wouldn't add even that product until you've got a good basic routine nailed down for a month. 

[Nivjana]

Hey!! I just talked to my mom about this a few days ago, anything retinol and vitamin C included would help!

Retinol helps to soothe fine lines and wrinkles, some amazing brands are the inkey list and the ordinary. I would also suggest the Olehenriksen banana eye creme, I use it myself to moisturize and it is amazing, very light and not heavily scented. For overall face moisturizing, anything with vitamin C or hyaluronic acid would be go to, these brands ive mentioned also have hyaluronic acid serum which is a great hydrator, don't go too heavy on them of course, but they are very good rated.