AIBU to feel overwhelmed by skincare routines becoming another pressure?

I love skincare. I am probably quite shallow but I can happily spend hundreds of pounds and many hours researching and doing my routine. It makes me happy. The minute it feels like pressure or is unenjoyable in any way, I will stop.

I don't understand? You agree that there's no need to buy into hype? so why are you concerned about it? I mean, there are people who buy into it, but I don't think people are doing it against their will. It's people who like it and are interested.

Just like I couldn't give a flying monkey's about my own starter and making my own sourdough.... but lots of people do. So even though I see loads of content on this, I don't think I, or most people I know, feel pressurised by it?

You can't have it both ways. If you have problem skin then yes, you have to look into options to make it look and feel better. And yes, that might result in social media posts.

But you don't have to buy into the crazy 50 step routines either.

I dunno, I quite like having nice skin. You don't have to do any of this stuff.

Nobody needs retinol.

To be fair my Gran is in her 80s and she’s always used skincare. She wouldn’t call it a wanky “skincare routine” but she does tone, cleanse and moisturise plus uses SPF daily including lip balm. Her skin is amazing. It’s partially that I guess and her good diet, plus she’s never smoked or drank. Definitely not genetic, her sisters are chain smokers and look horrendous.

I agree it’s a bit overblown at the minute and I don’t think anyone needs 500 different products. It is another way to make money ultimately, by making women feel shit about themselves. Get off social media.

Skin care is a euphemism for how to slather loads of crap on your face that will result in loads of skin problems requiring further 'skin care' products. Social media is one long advertisement of other people and products. Why let it into your life? It causes stress, anxiety, depression, FOMO, envy etc all completely unnecessary.

My husband has Roscea and used to do what you do what happened to him was that it spread to his eye lids and ended up having very painful surgery to remove it as it could have affected his eyes. his surgeon told him he has to look after his skin condition or it could have more serious issues further on. he doesn't have an extreme routine but he looks after it now and never ever skips a day of spf. spf spray is in his van in his office always with him

I know. No problem with anyone who does care. But the question OP asked was whether anyone with "problem" skin didn't care so I was just providing an example of someone

It is a choice no one is foves to do it i have never had a routine not every woman i know does, msybe dont live your life by the internet?

But to someone else they could be so worried about their skin and what other people were thinking about them and so they want advice. Everyone's different. Who knew. It's not a competition to care the least.

I am interested in skin care and cooking so my social media feed has loads of stuff on that because the algorithm has figured that out. DS is interested in fitness and health and cat videos so his social media has loads on those things. DH is interested in music and entertainment and DIY so.... you guessed it... that's what his social media feed is plastered with.

Re skincare, I AM interested, but not in the complicated crazy shit so I just scroll past those posts and then stop when a post is somethign i'm interested in. Usually osmething like, "10 second eye make" or "Best all-in-one-serums" because I AM interested, but am not spending hours on anything!

This is me today. Not great, not terrible either. Definitely not a problem that I feel needs fixing with expensive creams and faffing. I don't give it much headspace.

I have rosacea and mainly just ignore it. My face gets washed in the shower. Sometimes it's really red all day. Sometimes it's red and covered in bumps and little spots. Sometimes it's fine. I have no interest in spending time or money trying to fix it.

For some women and girls, skincare is a bit of a hobby. Having nice soft fresh skin and nice smelling products can be a nice sensory experience. Getting the glass skin look and/or doing nice make up can be an art. You don't have to partake in it, and although I'd agree that beauty standards can be harmful to some people, I also think for others it can be good for their wellbeing.

At 44, I feel no pressure to conform.
I was in a pub today and the botox glass look, trout pouts and overly shine skin made me glad I don't.

In my biased opinion, the women who didn't have the 'look' were not the ones who looked rubbish.

The only thing is important is daily spf. The rest is just peripheral frivolity. My most basic routine when life is busy is cleanse in the shower, moisturise and then add spf. Or use a moisturiser with spf. To be honest I don’t even cleanse before bed most nights. I know this is t ideal. But cleanse and a nice moisturiser before bed is nice. My skin has aged very well I think because i have worn spf every single day since the age of 18. I have faffed around with all the other stuff on and of but that’s been the only thing I have really stuck to.

Oh you don’t. Fake brows, lashes and Botox is a particular look and it’s not a good one. You can look groomed and attractive without any of these.

I’m in my 50s, I have brilliant skin and all I have ever done is wash my face with water (or take makeup off with micellar water or Dermol) and use Oil of Olay. My mum (now nearly 80) and late grandmother were the same.
You don’t need to strip down your skin twice a day and expose it to multiple products but diet, enough sleep and not too much sun are key.