Just changed my whole skincare & makeup routine. I feel so much better (might help someone else with my story?).

I've posted in here before asking for advice about makeup for dry skin. Finally, I went in store to ask a sephora consultant, and got an answer that blew my mind, then went on r/skincareaddiction and this advice was confirmed. So here I stand, a new woman!

I have always had dry skin. Or so I thought. I've been using cheap drugstore makeup for years, then noticed last year that my skin had started flaking more than usual. So thinking I just had to upgrade my makeup, I started buying high-end makeup, using a primer and liquid foundation etc. And yet... my skin just kept getting worse...it had always been reddish and uneven, but now it was blotchy, and was drier than ever.

After a chat with Luc the consultant, I discovered that my skin wasn't actually dry, it was dehydrated. It's very likely that my skin is actually combination, but because it's been dehydrated for so long and kept getting progressively worse, I didn't get the memo about my skin type. So I was just slathering on thick and oily creams to help hydrate it, and it worked fine, until I put on any kind of makeup, at which point it would look extremely bumpy and feel ever drier than before. Essentially, I was adding an oily product to a skin that more than likely has enough oil, but does not have enough water. Which is why the appearance of being moisturized did not last. With Luc's advice, I bought a water-based serum to rehydrate my skin and switched makeup. Before my routine used to be; cream, primer, foundation. Now I cleanse at night, then put on some oil overnight (helps with blotchiness), wakeup and put on the serum THEN the cream moisturizer (non-oily) on top to seal the serum in, then primer and foundation. Makes all the difference in the world.

Here's a crappy picture of me with new skin: http://imgur.com/JkeFGza

My current products:

• Fresh Seaberry Oil
• Caudalie SOS Thirstquenching Serum
• Vichy Aqualia Thermal Cream
• Makeup Forever HD Microperfecting Primer (green)
• NARS Sheer Glow foundation
• One of those blending sponge things (I just tried this today actually, I am totally sold, my makeup looks so much more even).

TLDR: Dry skin turned out to be dehydrated, necessitated different type of moisturizing care then what I was giving. Makeup (and skin obviously) looks better!