most benefits/least amt of products?

[krenee]

This is for Jen, Karen, and anyone else who cares to answer.
I am trying to figure out what I can get the most benefits from for the least amount of products. I am assuming this will include one of the "big" serums (Facelift or Super Serum), right? I have basically combo skin - dry in winter, oilier in summer, dehydrated, can feel dry and tight after washing but get oily later in the day. I don't have acne on a daily/weekly basis but still get some. I seem to have a lot of allergies/sensitivities and if I use something that doesn't agree with my skin, it will cause breakouts.
I have redness in my skin from too much sun in my younger days.
I am interested in anti aging because I have 40 creeping up on me. I don't have a ton of wrinkles - luckily - yet. I have a few, mostly forehead ones and a few fine lines around my eyes.
I won't use more than a handful of products in a day because I know I just won't make the effort or take the time, so I am looking for maximum benefit for the least amt of products.
I am thinking like cleanser/toner/serum/moisturizer morning and night. I could consider throwing the Holy Crow or microderm cream in there once or twice a week. Is this do able? What would you all suggest to start?

Oh, and if I choose the super serum, how much lightening am I going to get from it? I tan in the summer, and have basically a medium skin tone.

[karen]

I'd say sample...with your sensitivities, be really careful. You may want to start with the Simple C, or the C peptide, and maybe the Green Tea and Aloe just for the areas that get really dehydrated. I like having one of the more simple serums in my arsenal...just for days when my skin is acting crazy. The Firming Moisturizer is fantastic for redness too. I need to make a regular toner...one without acid. I'll get there. Holy Crow is more of an everyday, or when you feel like it thing- worth a sample- it's fun.

[packgal]

i second karen on her sampling recommendation. i do not consider my skin especially sensitive, but i had very uncomfortable reactions to both the super and facelift serums. i use simply c now and like it alot (but cannot use it after i exfoliate--either manually or chemically). (i'm 30 with also combo skin, but more dry/dehydrated. i spritz with water alot throughout my skincare routine).
i really like the hydrating serums--green tea and aloe, oatmeal, and rose.
i was also sensitive to the firming moisturizer. the jojoba and the emu that i tried were very nice.
i loved holy crow (can't really comment on it's wrinkle fighting, but the texture is lovely) and microdermabrasion cream.
your cleanser/toner/serum/moisturizer morning and night regimen sounds great to me. if you aren't using any acids, i would probably sample the bha and aha toners as well. acids have made a huge difference in my skin.

[krenee]

Thanks for your input.
I have always been afraid of AHAs because my skin is already red and I had a derm tell me once to avoid them because it would make the redness worse. Hmmm. That was several years ago so I don't know if the same advice applies, or not.
If I focused on something to make my skin more radiant and less red, I would probably be happy (preventing signs of aging is always a bonus too.)

[karen]

I've had people tell me to "never exfoliate" too...there just gets to a point where I need to do something to get rid of the excess skin. I like AHA's, and hadn't noticed any extra redness- at least after I'd gotten used to them. BUT for you...wait a while if you decide you want to try one. Add one thing at a time to your routine.