Hi- I would like to try out one of your serums and toners and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me-
I am 35yo with norm to dry skin (dryer in winter)...currently this is what I use:
am-
splash of water
toner
basic moisturizer
pm-
cleansing oil
toner
jojoba oil or argan oil
(exfoliating cleanser 3x a week)
I have trouble w/dehydration and am starting see fine lines & also, have my 1st sun spot- so, I'm wondering which serum would address my issues without drying me out. Also, which toner would compliment me skin type and routine.
Thanks,
Babs
newbie serum/toner advice
Re: newbie serum/toner advice
Hi and welcome. 
Okay... when tackling skincare, there's an order in which to address things. First is sensitivity. You don't note that you have any, that's great. Next is hydration balance. At 35 (same as me), hydration is one of the most important factors in good skincare. Hydration keeps skin cells full of the precious waters that keep the cells full, firm and functioning (like the air inside a blown-up balloon keeps it firm and smooth, not shrivelled and wrinkly). It needs a two stage approach - first is to get the hydration into the cells; that means adding 'waters'. Second is to seal those waters in and protect the skin cells from losing waters through evaporation; that means coating skin cells with 'oils' (aka moisturising). You probably already know these basics, but sometimes folks don't / or it might help others who read this get their bearings...
It's important to use a gentle cleanser morning and night to clean the face. Your skin goes to work overnight to repair and renew itself, so in the morning a gentle wash will help and also make sure that your skin is clean enough to be receptive to any skincare you apply / makeup you apply. Try a sample of the Kiss Cleanser, a lightweight cleansing gel, to start with.
Dry skin at 35 can often be helped a lot by getting the hydration / moisturising balance right. I'd suggest adding in Green Tea and Aloe Serum, a few drops every morning and night applied to freshly cleaned skin. (Apply after your toner). This is the hydration that keeps the skin cells firm. When skin cells are firm, to put it simply, it helps the whole skin function better as a tissue, so pores work more efficiently - that helps the sebum balance and keeps your skin healthier. If for any reason you don't like the GT&A Serum, Oatmeal serum would be a good alternative choice to start with.
Follow with a simple moisturiser. As you're already using a fairly heavyweight oil (Argan) to moisturise, you might find that as your skin balances, you'll want to move to a lighter formula. You won't need so heavy a protection to keep your skin moist. The Jojoba Oil moisturiser gel is fantastic as it gives the nourishment of the oil but in a formula that makes it much easier to use less and spread it around effectively without feeling heavy or greasy.
Once you've had a few weeks seeing how your skin responds to these samples, it'd be a good time to then fine tune the results of how your skin is responding and see what else you'd need or like. For example, switching to another serum / moisturiser for additional benefits. But please address the basics first with the hydration balance as that'll be the foundation for good, healthy, balanced skin (and often, getting that right makes other 'problems' disappear or diminish). Good luck.
p.s. later on, Super Serum and the Raspberry Oil Moisturiser could help a lot with the sunspot problems... but more on that later
Okay... when tackling skincare, there's an order in which to address things. First is sensitivity. You don't note that you have any, that's great. Next is hydration balance. At 35 (same as me), hydration is one of the most important factors in good skincare. Hydration keeps skin cells full of the precious waters that keep the cells full, firm and functioning (like the air inside a blown-up balloon keeps it firm and smooth, not shrivelled and wrinkly). It needs a two stage approach - first is to get the hydration into the cells; that means adding 'waters'. Second is to seal those waters in and protect the skin cells from losing waters through evaporation; that means coating skin cells with 'oils' (aka moisturising). You probably already know these basics, but sometimes folks don't / or it might help others who read this get their bearings...
It's important to use a gentle cleanser morning and night to clean the face. Your skin goes to work overnight to repair and renew itself, so in the morning a gentle wash will help and also make sure that your skin is clean enough to be receptive to any skincare you apply / makeup you apply. Try a sample of the Kiss Cleanser, a lightweight cleansing gel, to start with.
Dry skin at 35 can often be helped a lot by getting the hydration / moisturising balance right. I'd suggest adding in Green Tea and Aloe Serum, a few drops every morning and night applied to freshly cleaned skin. (Apply after your toner). This is the hydration that keeps the skin cells firm. When skin cells are firm, to put it simply, it helps the whole skin function better as a tissue, so pores work more efficiently - that helps the sebum balance and keeps your skin healthier. If for any reason you don't like the GT&A Serum, Oatmeal serum would be a good alternative choice to start with.
Follow with a simple moisturiser. As you're already using a fairly heavyweight oil (Argan) to moisturise, you might find that as your skin balances, you'll want to move to a lighter formula. You won't need so heavy a protection to keep your skin moist. The Jojoba Oil moisturiser gel is fantastic as it gives the nourishment of the oil but in a formula that makes it much easier to use less and spread it around effectively without feeling heavy or greasy.
Once you've had a few weeks seeing how your skin responds to these samples, it'd be a good time to then fine tune the results of how your skin is responding and see what else you'd need or like. For example, switching to another serum / moisturiser for additional benefits. But please address the basics first with the hydration balance as that'll be the foundation for good, healthy, balanced skin (and often, getting that right makes other 'problems' disappear or diminish). Good luck.
p.s. later on, Super Serum and the Raspberry Oil Moisturiser could help a lot with the sunspot problems... but more on that later