Top products from r/SkincareAddictionUK

There's been a post recently on one of the skin care subs about someone meeting a scientist who worked on the Nip/fab glycolic acid products who said it was formulated to be too weak to do any damage in case of lawsuits, so maybe give up with that brand. Look into other brands tho- Amazon is actually really great for having a whole bunch of skincare stuff in one place with budget friendly and cheaper yet multibuy options. I'm linking mainly to Amazon in this post too, so just a heads up.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that your skin is dehydrated and sensitive from all the harsh products you've tried, so let's try something different. Your acne may well be hormonal though, you should talk to your GP about getting your levels checked.

Face wash wise, I'd recommend you start with either Cetaphil gentle cleanser, or Eucerin Sensitive Skin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser. Both of these are super gentle and won't strip your skin or make your face feel tight after washing.

Use a microfibre or muslin cloth to cleanse with, they're cheap and great gentle physical exfoliators. Be gentle, you really don't need to scrub hard, just gentle circles.

For a budget friendly and honestly fantastic face mask that's known for clearing skin and giving glowy complexions, ignore the overpriced hype of Aztec Healing Clay and buy a bag of calcium bentonite clay (which is all that is in Aztec healing clay btw) and a bottle of apple cider vinegar - mix about a tbsp of the clay with enough vinegar to make it foamy and use it twice a week. You can use this on body acne too- I use it on my back and bum about once a month.

You're going to want an AHA/BHA you can use Niacinamide daily and or The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 30ml, 10-Minute Exfoliating Facial twice a week. Leave a few days between using this and the calcium bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar mask tho. There are loads of AHA BHA products on the market but The Ordinary has fantastic reviews and is what is says on the label- percentages and everything, which to me puts it head and shoulders above many other products in the same price range. You can mix your own AHA/BHA's for far cheaper but it's a little trickier than the super easy recipe for hyaluronic acid serum in the next paragraph.

Now this stuff isn't necessary but it has a pretty huge and immediate impact on how your skin looks and feels. Making your own hyaluronic acid serum (this stuff forces moisture into the skin and moisturised skin is far less prone to irritation and spots) is super easy. Buy the powder, some glycerin and a preservative and make your own, there's a great website with instructions here. Trust me when I say you will save a shit load of money with this. You will also see results fast. If you want to buy/try first tho, I'd recommend The Ordinary. I keep my hyaluronic acid and AHA/BHA bottles in the fridge, it probably does little to extend the life span of the products but it feels super nice to put on cold serums (and sheet masks!).

Now, to moisturiser. I've heard great things about YES to Tomatoes Clear Skin Daily Balancing Moisturizer for dealing with acne prone skin, also about Bioderma Hydrabio Gel-Crème Light Moisturising Care and Vichy Normaderm Anti-Blemish Care you get a free cleanser that's supposed to be quite good with that link too btw.

Suncream is really, super fucking important- I use Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+/PA++++ and cannot reccomend it enough- it neither smells like suncream nor feels like it and it looks nice and kinda satin matte on my face too. Any suncream is better than none tho- just make sure you wash it all off at the end of the day.

I know that all together the stuff in these links comes to a bit of money but these products will last you bloody ages for the most part and they're super well reviewed and mostly unlikely to do much damage to you or further break you out.

What Stegateratops said.

THAT SAID, if you wanted to gradually start a new routine, here's what I'd go for:

AM:

• Hadalabo Cleansing Foam. pH neutral, affordable, incredibly gentle.
  
  
• OPTIONAL: Hadalabo Light Lotion. It's a little bit lighter than the usual Hadalabo lotion, but BE SURE TO PATCH TEST. I find this invaluable for giving combination skin a very light, comfortable dose of moisture.
  
  
• Biore UV Aqua Rich Sunscreen. Yes, you need sunscreen, even in the UK.
  
  PM:
  
  
• Any cleansing oil. I like the L'oreal one that you can get from Boots. Apply to dry skin, wait a minute, massage, rinse. You might feel little 'grits' pop out while you're massaging.
  
  
• Follow with your foaming cleanser from AM.
  
  
• Paula's Choice BHA Liquid. Pat on after you've cleansed. I like to let it sit for 10 minutes before proceeding, but La Paula says you don't have to.
  
  
• OPTIONAL - your Hadalabo lotion if you choose to get it.
  
  
• Loads of moisturiser options. I like Neutrogena Moisture Boost at the moment, but some people find it a little drying.
  
  But, again: see a GP about your acne, there may be some other treatments that can help. Add new products very gradually. PATCH TEST. For acne, I choose a spot beside my nose and dab that new product on every day for about 10 days. I've discovered that quite a few products break me out when I do that, it's very much worth trying. And WEAR SUNSCREEN. It's not optional. Sun damage causes large pores to look much much worse.
  
  Good luck.

This is my favourite! However, I have to admit that when I was out of supplies for a while I used a bottle of Good Things honey cleanser, and it did a similar thing. This made me wonder if lots of creamy or non foaming cleansers might do the trick.

OP another thing you could try is using an oil cleanser that emulsifies i.e. can be washed off with water without leaving an oily residue. I find that when I use oil cleaners like that, I don't need a second cleanse. I haven't tried it myself but a lot of people on /r/asianbeauty recommend this one as a cheap, effective and readily available option:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000V2FBAQ/ref=pd_aw_sim_121_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S1YACBCZGM5GZY4V41V0&dpPl=1&dpID=61V%2BpHlQDkL#immersive-view_1494152094184

(Personally I use Illi total ageing care because it smells WONDERFUL, but I can only buy it from Korean eBay sellers.)

Are you subscribed to that sub btw? You might get some other gentle cleanser ideas over there!

I have oily skin, but the oiliness decreased DRAMATICALLY once I (a) stopped using strong, stripping cleansers and (b) addressed some underlying dehydration issues.

First, paradoxically, you've got to stop drying your face out. The second ingredient in that toning lotion is alcohol - as a start, I'd stop using that. The second ingredient in that cleanser is sodium laureth sulphate - I'd also replace that with something much gentler, like Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, or my favourite, Hada-Labo Cleansing Foam.

You've got to get some hyaluronic acid and ceramides into your skin to help repair your moisture barrier. For me, the key to repairing my oily/dehydrated skin has been using multiple light watery hydrating layers - this is where Asian products really are better. For hyaluronic acid, you could try Hadalabo Light Lotion. This is basically an extremely light hyaluronic acid serum that almost looks like water, that you pat into your face after cleansing. You could also try layering that with Cerave Lotion at night to get some ceramides into your poor skin.

For me, the best mattifying primer is my sunscreen, Biore Perfect Milk, but this does leave a slight white cast so is not suitable for deeper skin tones.

So, TL:DR, your drying cleanser and toner are doing you no favours. Invest in light, watery hydrating layers to repair your moisture barrier. And pls use sunscreen!

I have very oily and pretty acne prone skin, and so far (two weeks of use) I'm really liking this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shiseido-SENKA-Sunscreen-Mineral-Water/dp/B004Q1WT58

It is very runny and sinks in pretty quickly (3 or 4 minutes) and I can apply foundation using a cushion (from a bb cushion compact) very easily - no pilling. It also looks great with no makeup on top. It isn't oil controlling, but it doesn't make my skin any more oily than normal either. Haven't noticed a change in the amount of acne I have either, so for me that's a win. I can't really comment on white cast because I am deathly pale, but it's a chemical filter sunscreen so white cast shouldn't be a huge issue

I have such oily skin that I don't bother with an AM moisturiser, which means I apply this straight on top of a hydrating toner. However, I have tested it on top of a few lightweight gel moisturisers and it doesn't seem to change the amount of oil I produce, or how easily the sunscreen dries down. So you could just stick to your normal AM moisturiser and layer this on top.

Btw I have never bought it from that Amazon seller so I can't comment on how genuine the seller is - I just posted that link to easily show you which one it is because there are several SPFs with very similar names to that one so searching for it can get confusing. I bought mine on yesstyle but might check out Amazon for my replacement.

Hi! My skin type is a mixture of sensitive (not to fragrance) and dry (used to get a bit oily on nose and forehead). My only skin concerns are hormonal acne and redness on cheeks.

My current routine:

Morning:

• Wash face with water
  
• Moisturise with Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream
  
• Sunblock Clinique Super City Block SPF 40
  
  Evening:
  
  
• Wash face with Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser (been using this for a week after seeing the reviews, my skin loves it!)
  
• AHA Olay Regenerist Night Renewal Elixir every other day
  
• BHA red Stridex in the box every other other day (seems a bit strong for my skin, don't use it often)
  
• Spot treatment Freederm Fast Track Spot Gel
  
• Moisturise with Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream
  
  I recently ordered Rohto Hadalabo Super Hyaluronic Moisturizing Lotion which I hope is the right one to use for extra hydration.
  
  I'm looking for a new sunblock to buy when this one finishes (as it's a bit too pricey for me), can't have fatty alcohols in it (I think they break me out). Hopefully without a white masque effect and no alcohol (really dries me out).
  
  I'm also looking for a suggestions on an antioxidant or vitamin C serum, I'm only 19 but I'd like to prevent everything possible! I don't know if niacinamide breaks me out but I have been reading the topics on here about it. I'm very open to products from Asia as well! :D
  
  Oh I forgot to say I probably should try and find a better BHA (has to be without alcohol), seems to be a little hard to find in the UK :'(
  
  Thanks!

I haven't tried Toleriane but I know it's recommended by Sam Bunting and looking at the ingredients list I can't see anything nasty in it. I'm yet to find a cleanser that trumps the dermatoclean cream/milk though, and I've tried a lot of them! Dermatoclean and plush microfibre flannels (cleansing twice a day with a fresh flannel every morning) probably did more for my skin than anything else. Something like these or these. You just run them under warm water until they're soaked through, wring them out, then do a couple rounds with them. My skin is sensitive too and I found the flannels made a huge difference, so much less rubbing to get the makeup/sunsreen off and gentler than just using my hands. I wouldn't touch a cleansing brush or any sort of textured flannel, but plush microfibre doesn't physically exfoliate so it's safe for sensitive skin.

1. No, I prefer not too since its expensive to go to a dermatologist unless its the NHS, in which case I prefer not to waste the doctors time on acne matters.
   
   
2. Yes they are Pitted scars
   
   
3. I am using the moisturiser in the morning
   
   
4. Boots simply sensitive foaming facial wash, planning on moving into the E45 emollient face wash once I run out of boots, however I nearly have a full bottle left
   
   
5. pH is about 3.5, I use Derma E
   
   
6. I have an Acne cream which is prescribed, called Skinoren, active ingredient Azelaic Acid (got it without prescription online), I plan on going to BP after its done.
   No specific cream for hyper-pigmentation
   
   
7. Those areas are dryer then normal and also concerned about aging
   
   
8. I am unsure, I do not eat a lot of fruit but a lot of my meals have a lot of veggies in them so I suppose so?
   Thank you for the well done XD and I did not know that. I do take a Multivitamin+Mineral Pill daily/every other day
   
   
   Thank you :)

I'm looking for a perfect sunscreen. Have tried Shiseido SENKA Mineral Water UV Gel SPF50 PA+++, too heavy, and am now on Lancome UV Expert XL-Shield™, which is lighter, but I'm not loving the fragrance and it is shiny.

Next on my list is Biore KAO JAPAN AQUA RICH Sarasara SPF50+ PA++++, which I must have heard good things about somewhere (I added it to my Amazon wishlist a while ago). Has anybody tried it, liked it?

I have very dry skin, and would say that most of the moisturisers I've tried - including some highly recommended - had the same problem of them not doing much except for the first couple of hours. Two things that appeared to have a more long term effect are Mineral Oil (baby oil is scented mineral oil, so if you can put up with the smell it's a cheap easy way of getting some) and products with Hyaluronic Acid, which helps your skin hold more moisture. For the latter, the Ordinary is a good way to get some on a budget, and a few of their other products have Hyaluronic acid added in too.

You should also wear sunscreen whenever you leave the house. I got this Altruist sunscreen after seeing it recommended in this subreddit, and it's great value, no white cast or pilling, and gets on well with my dry skin.

Thank you but I purchased this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000TTPZQ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is that good or better maybe? :)

Have you ever tried Neutrogena T gel with the coal tar? It’s 125ml for £3.79 in home bargains so not cheaper than your OGX shampoo but the coal tar is meant to be great, it’s a bit cheaper if you get the bigger bottle on amazon and use Subcribe & Save (15% off of you get 5 things in one month) https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Neutrogena-Gel-Therapeutic-Shampoo-250/dp/B000LNEB1A

I love Cerave pm. It feels light and non greasy, but it's also really hydrating, gentle, and fragrance free. Incidentally Cerave in the tub gave me acne, and cerave am made my eyes burn, so don't rule out the pm based on their other products.

Edited with link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00365DABC/ref=sr_ph_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485120858&sr=1&keywords=cerave+pm

Stridex red box is £8.99 for 90 pads on Amazon. I don't have acne but I use these for my Keratosis Pilaris with good results.

Cosrx BHA blackhead power liquid doesn't come in pad form but is a great product.

I don't know if there are any UK specific brands and I'm still on the lookout because I'm sure there must be! However, I've recently got the Etude House Sunprise one from Amazon, and I'm liking it so far. I'm 90% sure it's a physical blocker, and reef safe. Little to no white cast, and I'm brown so it would definitely show up. The downside is the price and the fact that it came wrapped in a tonne of plastic when it was delivered. Pretty sure the K beauty stores in/around Chinatown may carry it but I've heard their prices are hiked way way up.

I had the same problem for a while. I now use Hadalabo Hyaluronic Acid serum for hydration (the Asian beauty peeps love it), in conjunction with Neutrogena oil free moisturiser.

for spf to be effective you need to apply 1/4 tsp of sunscreen product.

this amount of sunscreen is ok for most but that amount of a moisturizer with spf can feel too greasy or heavy especially if you have oily skin. most people using moisturiser with spf won't end up using enough so won't get enough protection.

I recommend using a lightweight gel moisturiser and a separate sunscreen like la Roche posay Shaka fluid, etude House sunproof, or biore watery essence

Wow guys thanks so much for all your replies!
So this would be okay to use? https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B006Y6ZA5E/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518632172&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mineral+oil&dpPl=1&dpID=310rAVvVM2L&ref=plSrch

You can still get it on [Amazon](Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream 50ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000LNEB6A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3TnPyb8SKS656) and set it to have it delivered regularly if you like :)

I'd second the La Roche Posay line as well as it doesn't tend to irritate my skin. The moisturiser I use currently though is [CeraVe Facial Lotion PM] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/CeraVe-Facial-Moisturizing-Lotion-PM-3-oz/dp/B00365DABC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453674425&sr=8-1&keywords=cerave+pm). It's really light compared to a lot of other moisturisers and non-comedogenic. The CeraVe brand seems to get a lot of love from the main SkincareAddiction subreddit and they have a range of other moisturisers as well. The only problem is that I've only found it for sale on Amazon UK so far.

I second this! I alternate between Biore Watery Essence and Shiseido Senka Aging Care. Biore is thinner and quite good as a matte primer, but is more strongly scented. Shiseido is thicker and more moisturising. Both are SPF 50 and under £8 on Amazon.

I like the Melano CC essence. It's got a slightly oily texture but my skin absorbs it really quickly and it helped a lot with my skin's overall brightness and acne pigmentation. It's Japanese but I order it on Amazon when it comes with prime. It's usually between £10-12.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ITAP8P0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_G7Q9Ab1NC8KGT

£10 from amazon, but Boots do these pretty cheap which apparently contain 2% salicylic acid??

Edit: you're right, I didn't see that. I guess you're right then!

I also didn't get on with Watery Essence but found this a nice alternative! Shiseido Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IG12XLO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GFASAbRCDR2ZT

You can get Stridex on amazon. A lot of people have success with it and it's reasonably priced.

If you’re open to using Asian skincare products, they have tons of gentle/low ph ones! I use the Hada Labo Foaming Cleanser which I buy off Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CE5P580/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LnKgDbPRZGDBE you can also head over to r/AsianBeauty and search for low ph cleansers if you’re interested!

I used this, it doesn't list the ingredients anywhere so it might've contained vitamin E.

Since then I have bought this which is just liquidum paraffinum. However, I need to double cleanse as I think the first time I might've left oil behind. So I can't use this one until I find a cleanser.

This stuff?

​

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Melano-CC-Spot-Beauty-Essence/dp/B00ITAP8P0/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=R1D33F005SZ6&keywords=rohto+melano+cc+intensive+anti-spot+essence&qid=1558459486&s=gateway&sprefix=rohto%2Caps%2C266&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

I found some on Amazon!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/122/CeraVe-Facial-Moisturizing-Lotion-PM-3-oz/B00365DABC

What has your doctor prescribed please? It's quite normal to try two or more prescription products before hitting the right one, we are all different. 4% nicotinamide (Nicam) and 15% or 20% azelaic acid are probably the gentlest, [nicotinamide AKA niacinamide] (http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddictionUK/wiki/ingredients/niacinamide) is more moisturising than drying with regular use.

I don't think that Clarins cleanser is bad at all, assuming you are not sensitive to it. If you have not used for a week or two without using the scrub you won't know what effect it is having, positive or negative. In general melting gel cleansers are non drying as you have found and I find them very gentle (mild rosacea/ eczema/ dermatitis). The manufacturer of [the emulsifier system] (http://www.cossma.com/fileadmin/all/cossma/Archiv/SciencArtic/COS1111_30_ALFA_CHEMICALS_Sucragel_IMPAG_Kosmetikseminar_2011.pdf) that creates the 'melting gel' effect claims it is moisturising. IMO stick with it because you should only patch test and change one product at a time.

Never use granular scrubs on delicate or inflamed facial skin, too harsh. That goes double for a body scrub since body skin is thicker and more resilient than face so scrubs tend to be rougher. Use a chemical exfoliant - see the [AHA/ BHA mega reviews] (http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddictionUK/comments/2lo783/the_aha_bha_reviews/) is in the sidebar. AHAs are more moisturising and water soluble so can only exfoliate clean skin, BHAs are drying but oil soluble so can penetrate down into the pore.

Moisturisers ... you have the option of a combined moisturiser/ sunscreen or two separate products worrying about sunscreen only when we hit spring. One option is [CeraVe PM lotion] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00365DABC/) which has 4% niacinamide and ceramides which help strengthen the skin barrier. If you prefer a gel style moisturiser see the [moisturiser mega reviews] (http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddictionUK/comments/2ohd33/the_high_street_moisturisers_reviews/) in the sidebar. I'm not the sunscreen guru around here but the reason I mentioned it in the middle of winter is that zinc oxide is also anti microbial and soothing/ calming so ideal for those with acne.

Diet need concentrating on consistently, oftentimes the symptoms you can see are 'the straw that broke the camels back'. A healthy skin barrier keeps water in, bacteria and irritants out. You can't make healthy skin cells without a balanced and varied diet, and skin grows from the bottom up so the cells you see were made weeks ago.

HTH!