Ladies, skin care is so complicated. And no amount of following what the internet says is good has been succesful for me. Tell me how I can simplify yet increase the effectiveness of my skincare routine. I want 4 products at most, not 10. And I want them all to be under $100 in total. Is that a realistic dream for a woman in her late 30s and wants glass skin??

We saw a dermatologist for my kid and she recommended vanicream face wash for the whole family, so that's what I wash with instead of a bougie brand ($10-$13 lasts about 2 months, but thats as a family of 5 using it). Everything else in my regimen is just for me. I use Thayers toner after showering ($12ish). I use Kiehls Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum ($150 - but a bottle lasts me about 6 months and I usually ask for it for a Christmas gift) and Kiehls Ultra Facial Refillable Moisturizing Cream with Squalane ($70 and lasts about 4-6 months). If I'm leaving the house (remote employee) I'll add La Roche Posay tinted mineral sunscreen. Before this combination I had dry skin and breakouts. It's a rare day where I have blemishes now.

I will add, as a near 40 year old who spent a solid decade pregnant then nursing, I do wish I was able to use retinol.

I wash my face with Eight Saints Mud Gel Facewash at night; moisturize with Eight Saints Daydreamer in the morning (or the one with sunscreen if the day calls for it) I wouldn’t say I have glass skin but, in my mid 40s and I’m not considering Botox 🙂

Idk what your personal situation is vs. your goals, but remember probably 100% of the faces you see online are filtered, photoshopped, or retouched in same way. And a lot of influencers, models, or « experts » recommending things online do so as part of paid contracts. Plus a lot of people are getting cosmetic procedures without disclosing them. If you want a more effectively personalized plan, it’s probably worth making a dermatology appointment to talk through your specific goals and then see what can be done with topical products alone. Then go from there.

How many times yearly are you getting facials at a day spa with a licensed aesthetician?

While clear skin is mostly genetic, a good skincare regimen helps a lot.

I have combination dry skin so I use a gentle cleanser with lactic acid, vitamin c serum, and sunscreen daily. All 3 products were recommended by my aesthetician.

When I started trying other products my skin got worse. Women started crawling out of the wood work to steal from me including my credit cards and bank card. Aloe gel to tighten and aid with rejuvenation. Cetaphil cream with B3, B5, and glycerin to help smooth wrinkles and close pores. Says its for dry to vwry dry skin. Eucerin daily light weight lotion every 2 to 3 days. Take a shower every day. I use cetaphil normal to oily. Use of a finger nail brush, exfoliating cloth, and ball like scrub sponge (I dislike the real name of this sponge).​

I don't know about glass skin, but I'm the same age as you, and all I do is hydrate, use Laroche-Posay cleanser. moisturiser, and sunscreen and my skin is doing pretty damn well!

Have you tried this thing called Skin Cycling? If you lock in the products you're going to use, it could be a $100, maybe slightly over, but your skin will look amazing.

Isn’t glasses skin only a temporary look with an applied product?

A basic skin care regimen is best - you don’t need a lot of expensive products. Save your $ for proven and effective derm procedures instead like IPL if it’s indicated for your skin type.