If sister doesn’t treat herself to luxury products often, I’d get a Christmas gift set in your budget that has lots of brands or multiple products in a brand you’ve seen in her bathroom. Her husband can text you a picture of her makeup and skincare.
For aunt, I’d lean fragrance or skincare. They often have rollerballs or smaller spritzers of perfume that last ages and are beautiful packages or perfume box sets. For skincare I think super gentle is safe.
But apparently don’t just buy a few cute $10-35 items in the checkout line and think you’re giving an awesome gift because then you’ll find out that your SIL (oops my SIL) had already bought herself all those things and more.
This thread was recommended to me so I am cautiously dipping a toe in.
I have not had a “routine” since my teenage days of exfoliating the fuck out of my face and then using what I can only assume were alcohol soaked pads?
I am not particularly prone to breakouts but I do get small blackheads or sebaceous filaments on my nose. When I wash my face at all everything but my nose and chin feel SUPER dry after.
I feel like generally, my skin looks dry and dull and the fine lines I’m developing pop out as a result.
I used to use a yellow Clinique moisturizer and some lush moisturizer that worked pretty well for me but I cannot for the life of me remember the names.
I can’t use anything with chamomile. Sometimes the occasional fragrance is fine.
I have a baby I’m breastfeeding. I know retinol is a no-go for pregnancy but I don’t know about nursing.
Any recommendations for like maybe a two-step routine to start? I don’t want to get overwhelmed or spend $$$$$ but I’m okay with $$ or maybe $$$.
my favorite cleanser is stupidly expensive but it’s amazing if you want to treat yourself and it’s easy to use.
you also cant go wrong with cerave. i use their hydrating cleanser and moisturizing lotion. thirty bucks and you’re set.
i also use disposable face towels because wash cloths always get disgusting. it is wasteful but we dont use paper towels and i dont wash my face every day, only a few times a week when i wear makeup. other days i just rinse with water and moisturize.
I do have CeraVe in the house. But sometimes it burns? Why is that? I often use aveeno or even baby Aveeno when I get the burning from other moisturizer but I feel like it’s probably pore clogging??
Also, GW, if the CeraVe cleanser makes your face sting, I would recommend avoiding any face products that have fragrance or perfume (parfum) as an ingredient. Fragrance is a known irritant for sensitive skin.
For your face I’d switch to unscented baby wipes or a plainer soap. Lever is harsh AF. Just buy dove unscented (knockoff) for all the bathrooms. If you do the shampoo then skip your face and just use water and a towel.
Use the aveeno or aveeno baby lotion on your face and body.
@Smacky once had small kids and no time and winter that is dry and brutal and used her 40s to start all this stuff (okay maybe it was late 30s) and now has a routine and separate creams for separate bits and had less cracking skin but is otherwise the same human as before. Less cracked skin seems like the goal.
My sides of fingers are all peeling early this year
Cetaphil cleanser is unscented, very gentle and slightly moisturizing. Often on sale at Costco if you find that you like it. But in any event, it is not expensive.
I accidentally used my friends Cetaphil face wash once and had extreme and immediate Regrets! It was ssoooooo strong! (I’m an unscented girlie for the most part so it’s probably normal but I found it overwhelming)
Mine is the Cetaphil Gentle Sin Cleanser, on the back it says it is fragrance-free, paraben-free, hypoallergenic, and won’t clog pores. They may have a separate face cleanser, but this is what a I have always bought.
but you only need a tiny bit.