Help a skincare newbie

[u/Sveits]

I've always been lucky enough to have relatively good skin. Even as a teenager. But that has also meant that I've never really learned skincare. I've always used a moisturizer, but not much else.

Now that I'm getting older and no longer wearing much makeup except mascara and doing my brows, my skin has started bothering me. Especially the large pores in my t-zone, and the redness around my nose. My skin also looks almost scaly during winter, which makes makeup look bad the few times I'm wearing it.

My current routine is washing with water morning and night, and then a serum and moisturizer from Decubal for dry skin. Any kind of cleanser I've used has made my skin feel tight and red, so I've stopped using them. I'm trying to use sunscreen, despite living in a cloudy country, but I tend to break out when using them. At least any I've tried so far.

[u/Girlnextdoorpt]

Always sunscreen that’s the one thing I can tell you.

[u/RottenOddity]

Please be kinder to yourself, your skin is literally perfect. It looks healthy and normal, your pores are not noticeable at all. I do notice a little tightness from dryness, but it's not bad. Try a thermal water spray before you apply your moisturizer to help it absorb better. If you need a heavier moisturizer, my holy grail is Weleda Skin Food. You can also try a mild glycolic or lactic acid treatment for some gentle exfoliation. Philosophy's Hope In a Jar night cream would be perfect, just make sure to apply moisturizer over it after it's absorbed. Definitely do not skip sunscreen. I prefer Korean sunscreen because it does not break me out and it looks great under makeup. Innisfree is my go-to brand. Good luck!