can good skincare make a real difference?

[Lilylo]

Hi ladies, I just watched some skincare Youtube videos about "stopping" the aging process.

Many of my girlfriends think that 90% of how your skin looks like is down to genetics. They still enjoy having a skincare routine, but they keep their expectations low regarding the results. I am still on the fence about it.

Do you ladies think that a good skincare routine can indeed make a real difference in how your skin looks like? Do you think you can somehow make your skin age "better" or slower?

I would love to hear your inputs about this!

[ontherightpath]

I think a good diet has more effect on the skin than either genetics or your skin care regime, although they do, of course, play a part as well. Good quality skin supplements also make a difference, but only if your basic diet is good (low sugar and plenty of protein, good fats & vegetables.

If your skincare regime includes broad spectrum sun protection then yes, good skin care can make you age slower/better. I'm in my mid 40's and have always worn sun block and have far fewer wrinkles than friends my age who have always aimed for a golden tan every summer.

Personally, I think anti-wrinkle creams are a big con!

[NiteFlights]

Tricky one, but from observing my mother and aunt, I think smoking, sun and stress are big factors (my mum has had/done more of all three and her skin is definitely 'worse' despite being the younger one).

[prettywhiteguitar]

I look horrendous without good skincare ! Not talking about an expensive moisturiser either.

Of course genetics play the main part in whether you are gorgeous or not but past late thirties you really need some decent skincare to stop the haggard look !

[AuldYow]

I agree with ontherightpath diet is key especially as you get older. I'm slowly cutting out sugar and my skin has never been better.

Smoking and sun damage are also not skin friendly, as people hit their 40s you can usually tell a smoking a mile off. The leather handbag is also not a good look so faking a tan is the way ahead.

Having said all that if you are blessed with good genetics you're onto a winner no matter what.

Your post looks very 'magaziny', have you ever thought of being a journalist?

[prettywhiteguitar]

Oh yeah I just noticed the "hello ladies" bit

[NiteFlights]

Damn it.

[Lilylo]

Auld ahahah no I've never thought about being a journalist. English is not my native language so I don't think I speak/ write it well enough to do it professionally!

Does "hello ladies" sound funny? Is it wrong? Sometimes I use expressions that make native speakers giggle without realising it!

[Lilylo]

Many of you mentioned diet as the most important factor for good skin.

I am in my late 20s and I don't really notice a difference when I overindulge in sugary stuff. My basic diet is quite good I think, so perhaps that is why an occasional indulgence does not show on my skin.

I definitely agree on sunscreen though. That really is the key!

I lived in East Asia for a while and Asian women are crazy about sunscreen. They even carry a sun umbrella when it is sunny outside. Their skin looks fantastic!! Even older women (well into their 50s or 60s) have flawless skin, even complexion and ver little wrinkles!

[ZaraW]

I don't use high end products but my skin looks better than my friends who do as they sunbathe, drink a fair bit of alcohol and smoke. I always wear a high SPF and Sun hat as I'm currently working in a hot climate. Occasionally have the odd glass of wine but not often, eat well and exercise regularly.

[Hopefully]

I think diet and genetics play a hue role, plus not smoking/drinking/staying out of the sun, but skincare definitely makes a noticeable difference to my skin. I don't know if it genuinely slows the ageing process, but it makes what's there already look slightly better.

[specialsubject]

don't smoke, eat properly, wear sunscreen. Beyond that, skincare has no effect on ageing. Read the small print and see that it actually promises NOTHING.

I've never done anything to my skin beyond the above. I have wrinkles because I have been around a few decades and I smile. Much better than the alternative. I also have some good genes which is pure luck.

I do recall a childhood friend of my parents who had spent a lot of time in the sun. She was younger than I am now and resembled her handbag, poor lady. We know about sun damage now.

[shins]

Personally, not really. I look after my skin but never use expensive products, anything with an SPF will do. I have good skin at 44 but put it down to genes, never smoking and never going in the sun. What makes a difference either way is drinking water and eating well. Oh and if I drink alcohol I look shite the next day, very annoying side effect of age

[Wolpertinger]

Yes but probably in the following order:

Not smoking
Not going out in the sun/tanning/using sunbeds
Good genes especially if they give you oily skin - at last a benefit to acne!
Using broad spectrum SPF religiously
Being a bit over weight - fat fills out your wrinkles
Using retinol, ideally prescription strength this is what all the celebs do but pretend it's drinking water and eating chia seeds
Skincare containing ingredients like niacinamide, peptides, ceramides, Vit C, anti-oxidants, AHA and BHA

So basically yes I think it can help but it's last on the list, much much less important than sun protection and what most of use as skincare doesn't contain the relevant ingredients.

[ZaraW]

Being overweight can make you jowly though?

[RapunzelStyle]

Wolpertinger and specialsubject have it bang on.

Factors that matter for antiageing are in order of importance:

Smoking
Sun
Genes
Retin-A prescription. No other skincare does anything whatsoever. If it did anything, you'd need a prescription for it.

That's the scientific answer. All these folk giving anecdotal evidence by looking at their mums or whatever - bah! Bollocks to that. Same as celebs putting their looks down to "soap and water" or "nivea blue pot". The celeb is not a scientist!

Way down the list of importance is diet and any other skincare.
Look up Dr Sam Bunting.

Having said all that, for skincare that doesn't give me spots, I like avene best.

[Wolpertinger]

And obvs not good for your health either

But there is definitely a benefit to being mega thin when young and your skin is at it's peak - all cheekbones and loveliness, and then a bit overweight when older - not enough to be jowly but enough that your eye wrinkles don't show up so much and your neck isn't so bad.

This is clearly not good for your heart but deceptive for your skin - I have the sum total of 1 wrinkle age 40 as a result of a bookish nature, aversion to tanning, acne and never having smoked. Plus being rather large
Kate Middleton on the other hand is several years younger than me and has wrinkly eyes, loves tanning we all saw the pics Kate, loves being outdoors, probably has smoked but could probably fit in one leg of my trousers.

[lorelei9here]

OP "Asian women are crazy about sunscreen."

hmm, my mum never uses it except on holiday after it goes over about 100 degrees!

She is very young looking and I've been lucky to inherit her baby face. I am 40 and often get mistaken for much younger. I love the sun and go out and bake with sunscreen - after 20 minutes without as I like to get my Vit D.

I don't do expensive skin stuff. I think it's genetic. I have never found diet makes any difference. Dad also has very good skin. He thinks Nivea is the best thing for a man of his age - late 70s.

I'm not going to pretend to be a scientist but certainly for me it seems to be sheer luck, which is only fair as I got the "ridiculously short with large bum" gene!!!

[lorelei9here]

I have never noticed Kate Middleton having wrinkly eyes. Does she? Or is it the case that people are just getting more and more unrealistic about what we should look like?

[Wolpertinger]

She has perfectly normal eyes -just with more wrinkles than fat old me--

[RapunzelStyle]

Kate is not going to age well as her face is awfully thin.
And YY to her sunbathing and smoking.

[lorelei9here]

I sort of like the S&B forums but then I panic and think, shit, are people that critical in real life..?!

[Wolpertinger]

Lots of Hollywood women don't age well. They look amazing in the young thin bit but then the sun, smoking and lack of fat on the face makes them look terrible very quickly.

[Wolpertinger]

Oh and in real life - no! In real life I don't wear makeup most days, throw on the nearest item of clothing available and don't stare at my colleagues' faces with a microscope

I reserve my pickiness for virtual reality and especially those who claim they do it all on some organic veg and yoga. Sorry Kate, this isn't you, you were the first person who popped into my head

[RapunzelStyle]

I reckon there's a difference between ageing (permanent, long term) and how your skin looks day to day. The latter is affected by being hungover, not taking off makeup etc - the next day you look shit. But it doesn't affect the actual ageing of your skin.