For the majority of my life, I’ve dealt with eczema, dermatitis and general dry skin in those annoying joint creases: elbows, backs of the knees and, most irritatingly, my hands. But I’ve been lucky, I’ve never really had to deal with facial skin issues like acne, redness or pigmentation problems.
Because of that, I always saw skincare and applying creams or ointments as a cure rather than something preventative or preservative. I only reacted when something went wrong. That mindset all changed after I watched an entertaining but slightly silly YouTube video.
@SpeeedCo has over 2 million subscribers. I won’t pretend I had any idea who he was before this video, but thankfully it popped up on my FYP (For You Page, for the old yins).
The video, titled “I Tried 30 Viral Health Trends For 30 Days to See What’s Worth It”, did exactly what it said on the tin. They tried 30 viral health trends — cold plunges, cutting gluten, daily yoga and, yes, daily skincare. I’ll link the video below because it’s genuinely well made and informative.
Spoiler alert: daily skincare was rated as a must keep doing. The verdict was basically “near enough life-changing”, which immediately caught my attention and sparked a new interest in personal care.
Then the research began. I started in all the usual places — TikTok mainly — but it’s hard to tell what’s genuine advice and what’s just there to sell you something. So I spread my research across the wider internet, so you don’t have to.
There were a few false starts and product issues, but after sticking with a consistent routine and using decent, mid-range products, I honestly can’t believe how much clearer, fresher and, yes — actually fucking younger I look.
Understanding skincare, and more importantly your skin, takes time. But below is a very basic routine, simple steps and products that can make a real, visible difference.
All the products I use are middle range in cost. Some people will read this and think that’s cheap; others will think it’s expensive. For me, this is my average, comfortable price point.
This is not a paid blog or advertisement, this is simply my experience of using the products I believe are the best for me.
Morning Routine
Cleanse → Vitamin C Serum → Moisturise (SPF)
The Ordinary Foaming Cleanser (£11) → CeraVe Vitamin C Serum (£25) → Bulldog Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 (£12)
Evening Routine
Cleanse → Toner → Retinol → Night Moisturiser
The Ordinary Foaming Cleanser (£12) → The Ordinary Glycolic Acid (£8) → CeraVe Retinol Serum (£22) → Bulldog Recovery Cream (£12)
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