Skincare Help

[Mamabear1990]

Hi everyone can someone please point me into a good skincare routine? Busy mom so not a whole lot of time on my hands but would finally like to get something going. Close to mid 30s, oily skin with the odd day it being very dry, no fine lines or wrinkles yet but would like to try and keep it that way, and have blackheads on nose with the odd pimple that pops up on cheek, chin and forhead. Budget friendly products would be a bonus as im on a budget. 🙂 Thank you from a skin care virgin. 🙂 

[RyleighT]

Definitely Bubble bounce back moisturizer. And maybe some glow recipe toner. And plum plump glow recipe. If you want ordinary drops, any kind will work

[WinglessOne]

Hi @Mamabear1990 ! Sounds like you need a quick and simple skincare routine. Try this: 

1. Non-drying cleanser (PM, optional AM) - Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Vanicream make good affordable cleansers. You could even use the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar, which is face & body cleanser in bar form. “Optional AM” because some folks don’t need to wash their face each morning. If you do, you can use the same cleanser you use at night, or try wiping your face with micellar water (I like Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, but Simple and Garnier make less expensive options; so does COSRX: I’ve been testing their new micellar water for a week). 
   
   For acne: 2-3 times a week, swap out your usual cleanser for one that contains 2% salicylic acid. Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids: glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc.), salicylic acid is oil soluble, so it can easily pass through your skin’s oil to get down into your pores and remove excess sebum and dead skin cells, and it can help with blackheads. CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser and The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Acne + Blackhead Cleanser are good options. 
   
   
2. Oil control treatment (PM or AM) - niacinamide can help regulate oil production. This ingredient’s already in lots of skincare products, but you can also add a standalone serum. Consider #The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL , Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster 0.67 oz/ 20 mL , or COSRX The Niacinamide 15 Serum. You can use it each day or just a few times a week, and niacinamide plays nice with just about any other ingredient. 
   
   
3. Moisturizer (AM & PM) - I have mostly-dry combo skin, so all my moisturizers are creams or lotions. Folks with oily skin usually do better with gel moisturizers like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisture Gel, but some love lotions like CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. Whichever moisturizer you choose, apply it while your skin is damp to seal in hydration instead of dryness. 
   
   
4. Broad spectrum sunscreen (AM) - at least SPF 30, applied to all skin exposed to sunlight (eyelids, ears, behind ears if exposed, hairline, etc., and reapplied every couple hours during sun exposure, all year long, regardless of weather or season. Sunscreen’s the best anti-aging product on the market, since UV rays cause many “signs of aging” (including wrinkles) and can worsen acne. Sunscreen can be mineral (zinc oxide), chemical, or a hybrid formula: all 3 work largely the same way, and one’s not better/safer than the others unless you’re sensitive to a specific UV filter (ingredient in sunscreens that protect skin from UV rays). Plus, some sunscreens contain at least one good moisturizing ingredient (dimethicone, shea butter, squalane, argan oil, etc.) and can double as facial moisturizers, saving you a step in your AM routine. 
   
   It’s hard to recommend sunscreens because there are so many personal preferences to consider. That’s especially true for oily skin, since some sunscreens can feel heavy or greasy on the face. You might like Paula's Choice RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense Face Sunscreen SPF 30 2 oz/ 60 mL (tinted mineral) or Paula's Choice RESIST Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 2 oz/ 60 mL (non-tinted chemical), or La Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Fluid Facial Sunscreen SPF 60. 

You mentioned having blackheads on your nose. If they’re just tiny black dots, they might not be blackheads. They might be sebaceous filaments instead, and you shouldn’t try to pop/extract them. Those are the little tube-like things that carry sebum up to the skin surface. Our skin needs them, but sometimes they carry too much sebum and become visible. Salicylic acid can help keep manage them. 

[9gwacie]

Hello! I'm glad to hear that you'd like to get into skincare! Here's a very simple (and affordable, for the most part) routine that I have put together for you, most of these products are from the same brand as well. All of these address your oily skin, prevention of wrinkles/fine lines and blackheads. I have also listed some alternatives.

Cleanser: Paula's Choice RESIST Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid 6.4 oz/ 190 mL , The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Acne + Blackhead Cleanser 

Toner (for blackheads): The Ordinary Mini Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating and Brightening Daily Toner 3.38 oz / 100 ml  

Serums (wrinkle/fine line prevention): The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane, Signs of Aging Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL , The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Hyaluronic Acid Serum for Firmness and Elasticity 

Moisturizers/sunscreen: The INKEY List Omega Water Cream Oil-Free Moisturizer + Niacinamide 50 ml , #The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan 3.3 oz / 100 ml , innisfree Daily UV Defense Invisible Korean Broad Spectrum SPF 36 Sunscreen​ 

This is just a very basic list and some things might not work for your skin - thats okay! This is just a jumping off point to see what works best for you. Personally, I only really use toners and serums at night because I find that I have more time to dedicate to my skin in the evenings as I work very early mornings. For the morning if you're low on time I suggest cleanser, moisturizer and lastly sunscreen. During the evenings I'd do cleanser, toner, serum, and then moisturizer. I hope I was of some help! 🙂