Skin Care Routine? Where to Start?

[BlindSeeress]

My Skincare routine has been evolving as I learn more and get older - when I first started coming out, pre-transition, I wasn't doing ANYTHING but wearing makeup and washing it off. Then for a few years I was just doing a combination of exfoliating and moisturizing. Now I've got a pretty obsessive skin-care routine: in the morning I exfoliate or cleanse, then put on some skin toner, an anti-aging serum, a moisturizer, and finally a 50 spf sunscreen before I even get to makeup. In the evening I cold creme cleanse (removing makeup), toner, anti-aging serum, and moisturize. Takes about 15 minutes all together each time.

I'm having some problems with breakouts - possibly rosacea from stress and or too much hot water in the shower (I like hot showers) - between my brows and on my cheeks and my nose, so I'm planning to incorporate a retinol creme soon, and perhaps a vitamin e serum. Occasionally I do something deeper like a deep cleansing exfoliator or a pumpkin facial mask. I had not heard about coconut oil.

[eggy_nog]

Here is my old routine, to make my skin really good before HRT.

Mornings and evenings:
1. Cleanse with a cleanser (experiment which suits your skin)
2. Rinse muslin cloth in VERY hot water and squeeze out excess. While cleanser is still on, exfoliate using muslin cloth in circles on forehead, cheeks, chin, below nose (basically whole face but not eyes)
3. Wash off excess cleanser/rinse face with warm water, and then splash with cold water
4. Use small amount of toner on cotton pad across whole face, but not eyes
5. Use pore refiner on areas with large pores

If you have blackheads, 'Pores no more' is FANTASTIC! If you want details, I'll check my products and let you know.

Twice a week you should use a cleansing mask, which you can leave on for like half an hour before washing off like from step 3 onwards

Once every 2 weeks, you should use something more substantial for exfoliation. I use Bobby Brown Buffing Grains, in combination with the cleanser to remove dead skin. Leaves skin so soft!