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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think it’s ridiculous how much ‘extra stuff’ has been added to the average routine!

204 replies

TheGirlWhoLived · 10/05/2026 22:59

So a decade ago I used to wipe off my make-up with a 3-in-1 wipe, pop on some cheap moisturiser and brush my teeth. That’s it, that was the extent of my night time routine.

Now I’m late 30’s and suddenly I brush, floss and use mouthwash. Apply a 7-step cleansing/toning/treatment/moisturising skincare plan, use bio oil and tightening creams, take various supplements (including biotin, turmeric, collagen, magnesium, apple cider vinegar, ashwaganda, cod liver oil, b12, k2, d3 ETC) - all before getting into bed.

This doesn’t even include the daytime additions of gut healthy seeds, low upf,7 fruit and veg, 10,000 steps, strength training, yoga for flexibility, fresh air, 30 different plants, kombucha, kefir and whatever else I’m meant to do to stave off illness, it’s exhausting!

Please tell me everyone’s routine has been embellished in the last decade or have I just been taken in by all this extra rubbish!?

OP posts:
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corblimeygvnr · 13/05/2026 02:35

Thecows · 11/05/2026 23:06

Thread is full of sack cloth and ashes folk!

It's a race to the bottom 😉

Rarelyout · 12/05/2026 07:31

That would stress me out no end. Completely bonkers. Brush and floss teeth. Wash face

HeyHoHenryHippy · 11/05/2026 23:30

TheGirlWhoLived · 10/05/2026 22:59

So a decade ago I used to wipe off my make-up with a 3-in-1 wipe, pop on some cheap moisturiser and brush my teeth. That’s it, that was the extent of my night time routine.

Now I’m late 30’s and suddenly I brush, floss and use mouthwash. Apply a 7-step cleansing/toning/treatment/moisturising skincare plan, use bio oil and tightening creams, take various supplements (including biotin, turmeric, collagen, magnesium, apple cider vinegar, ashwaganda, cod liver oil, b12, k2, d3 ETC) - all before getting into bed.

This doesn’t even include the daytime additions of gut healthy seeds, low upf,7 fruit and veg, 10,000 steps, strength training, yoga for flexibility, fresh air, 30 different plants, kombucha, kefir and whatever else I’m meant to do to stave off illness, it’s exhausting!

Please tell me everyone’s routine has been embellished in the last decade or have I just been taken in by all this extra rubbish!?

You don't have to do what you are told to do by others. You have free will to choose. It's on you. You want to do it , fine, you don't, then don't.

SnowFrogJelly · 11/05/2026 23:14

You don’t have to do all of those or take all of those supplements

Thecows · 11/05/2026 23:06

Thread is full of sack cloth and ashes folk!

Huckleberries · 11/05/2026 21:41

bluewhitebluewhite · 11/05/2026 21:13

My mum is 95. She has never used anything but soap and a flannel on her face. Eats cake for breakfast. Loves life. Do what makes you feel good but don’t be a slave to it because: genes. It all makes fuck all difference.

Also, I would be the size of a house if I ate cake for breakfast

And I would need some protein!

Seriously, has she always eaten cake for breakfast? I appreciate if I hit 95. I'll probably eat cake for breakfast. Because why not? But I definitely can't do it now.

ForeverTheOptomist · 11/05/2026 21:16

ForeverTheOptomist · 11/05/2026 20:16

I posted on this earlier, and I see that I am in the minority.

I'm mid 60s and have always cared for my skin and use premium products. I am repeatedly told that I look late 50s. I at least serum, cleanse, and always always moisturise.

What is apparent now is that my siblings are significantly lined, as are many of my friends who haven't looked after their skin. Some of this may be down to sun damage, as we didn't have SPFs when I was a child. I mostly stayed out of the sun as my skin was very sensitive.

I was given a £100 gift voucher for John Lewis for Christmas. I spent it on skincare, and given all of the promotions and reduce christmas gift sets I got a years worth of serum, cleaners and top end moisturisers that will last me for a year.

I am not only saving face, but also have the enjoyment of blending beautiful products into my skin. It's a fabulous feeling and I continue to reap the benefits.

I note that there are many posters that don't want the hassle of keeping to a regime. It is my choice that I do, and it is gratifying.

Ooops! I made a significant typo, I am mistaken for late 40s, not 50s!. (but am mid 60s).

bluewhitebluewhite · 11/05/2026 21:13

My mum is 95. She has never used anything but soap and a flannel on her face. Eats cake for breakfast. Loves life. Do what makes you feel good but don’t be a slave to it because: genes. It all makes fuck all difference.

Huckleberries · 11/05/2026 21:08

@TakeALookAtTheseSwatches I've just realised we might not be talking about the same thing

I'm talking about that thing where you sit cross legged on the floor and stand up

There was an actual test done wasn't there with seniors? That was based on standing up from a chair without using your hands. I can believe that that's an indicator of strength in an older person... or will flag up any frailty issues

We might be talking at cross purposes

The one from cross-legged on the floor is a very specific movement and honestly in my 50s I know some people who would have trouble sitting cross legged on the floor!

TakeALookAtTheseSwatches · 11/05/2026 20:52

Huckleberries · 11/05/2026 20:33

@Bloozie I understand, you want to do as much as you can

just thought some might be shocked when age hits

agree, the algorithm is real, full on and constantly showing me stuff i cant do like incredibly low pistol squats!

was it you who mentioned sit to stand test

thats not really valid, there are children who can't do that. It's more about getting up if you fall but that springing up from
the sides of your feet is not really a great test of that

Can I ask why you think it isn't a good test when there's studies sayings it's quite a strong correlation?

ParkMumForever · 11/05/2026 20:34

That’s some very nutrient rich urine you’ll have!

Huckleberries · 11/05/2026 20:33

@Bloozie I understand, you want to do as much as you can

just thought some might be shocked when age hits

agree, the algorithm is real, full on and constantly showing me stuff i cant do like incredibly low pistol squats!

was it you who mentioned sit to stand test

thats not really valid, there are children who can't do that. It's more about getting up if you fall but that springing up from
the sides of your feet is not really a great test of that

cramptramp · 11/05/2026 20:25

You’ve just been taken in by all that extra rubbish.

venusandmars · 11/05/2026 20:24

A 2012 study found that mobility is directly linked to whether you can you get up and down off the floor without using your hands - you're something like 5 times more likely to die within 6 years, if you score very low on the Sit to Rise Test. The better you are at it, the longer you will live an independent life.

There is no direct link. There is an association. These are vastly different metrics.

venusandmars · 11/05/2026 20:24

A 2012 study found that mobility is directly linked to whether you can you get up and down off the floor without using your hands - you're something like 5 times more likely to die within 6 years, if you score very low on the Sit to Rise Test. The better you are at it, the longer you will live an independent life.

There is no direct link. There is an association. These are vastly different metrics.

darksideofthetoon · 11/05/2026 20:20

TheGirlWhoLived · 10/05/2026 22:59

So a decade ago I used to wipe off my make-up with a 3-in-1 wipe, pop on some cheap moisturiser and brush my teeth. That’s it, that was the extent of my night time routine.

Now I’m late 30’s and suddenly I brush, floss and use mouthwash. Apply a 7-step cleansing/toning/treatment/moisturising skincare plan, use bio oil and tightening creams, take various supplements (including biotin, turmeric, collagen, magnesium, apple cider vinegar, ashwaganda, cod liver oil, b12, k2, d3 ETC) - all before getting into bed.

This doesn’t even include the daytime additions of gut healthy seeds, low upf,7 fruit and veg, 10,000 steps, strength training, yoga for flexibility, fresh air, 30 different plants, kombucha, kefir and whatever else I’m meant to do to stave off illness, it’s exhausting!

Please tell me everyone’s routine has been embellished in the last decade or have I just been taken in by all this extra rubbish!?

You should also include slippery elm as well as a green smoothie for breakfast. Everyday including holidays, ideally 5-6 times per day, as if not, you’ll probably be dead in the next few years.

Greenknightsuccess · 11/05/2026 20:19

I have to take medication (metformin and a statin) every day and that’s more than enough pills for me, so there are no vitamin tablets here. I once read taking vitamins can speed up the growth of cancerous lumps - I’m sure it’s not true, it’s definitely scare mongering - but that put me off them as well.
I brush my teeth and use interdental brushes morning and evening, wear a little bit of makeup every day and remove it with a gentle face wipe every night then I apply lashings of moisturiser before I go to bed.

ForeverTheOptomist · 11/05/2026 20:16

I posted on this earlier, and I see that I am in the minority.

I'm mid 60s and have always cared for my skin and use premium products. I am repeatedly told that I look late 50s. I at least serum, cleanse, and always always moisturise.

What is apparent now is that my siblings are significantly lined, as are many of my friends who haven't looked after their skin. Some of this may be down to sun damage, as we didn't have SPFs when I was a child. I mostly stayed out of the sun as my skin was very sensitive.

I was given a £100 gift voucher for John Lewis for Christmas. I spent it on skincare, and given all of the promotions and reduce christmas gift sets I got a years worth of serum, cleaners and top end moisturisers that will last me for a year.

I am not only saving face, but also have the enjoyment of blending beautiful products into my skin. It's a fabulous feeling and I continue to reap the benefits.

I note that there are many posters that don't want the hassle of keeping to a regime. It is my choice that I do, and it is gratifying.

suburburban · 11/05/2026 19:48

Frogrex · 11/05/2026 07:49

My husband has rosacea and I can’t even get him to keep up with the prescribed cream he was given as it “doesn’t work” well no it won’t if you don’t persevere. I have said he needs to wear SPF as well to stop it getting worse but he only wears it on holiday. He uses an acid toner sometimes so that makes me 😳 as you need an SPF after that but it’s his face and I guess his red nose can’t bother him that much otherwise he would persevere. He does take a multivitamin though
My son is 22 and definitely been sucked in- he buys the Dr Melaxin pore powder stuff, teeth whitening strips, K2, creatine etc. Recently he has been using Peptides- Reta that’s not even approved here yet which makes me feel a bit anxious in case it’s harmful but he won’t listen. But his diet is still 80% fast food so it’s baffling my brain! Just eat healthy and you won’t need to inject yourself. He admitted the other day that his skin isn’t even better for it
Apparently Reta is better than MJ etc as it has skin benefits but I wouldn’t know
In lockdown my sister got me the Caroline Hirons book and because I was bored I did get really into my skincare and spent way too much money on things I thought I needed but then never used once the novelty wore off but now I just cleanse, use Tretinoin and moisturise with an SPF50 come rain or shine. I enjoy a Trip Magnesium drink and drink Pukka night tea before bed

I know

ds is obsessed with fitness but eats such a rubbish diet

Florich · 11/05/2026 18:03

Dizzydrizzy · 11/05/2026 07:53

I’ve really cut down on the supplements after reading that they can encourage irregular cell growth if you over do them

There is so much around about avoiding UPF in food. Yet people are taking all these oral supplements like collagen where the jury is out about them being completely safe.

RosieHosie · 11/05/2026 15:17

Bloozie · 11/05/2026 15:07

It's not like I expect to be able to move well in my 90s. More - if I can't, I don't want it to be because I didn't give myself a half-decent chance, because when I become older and more infirm, it will be a million times harder/impossible to build baseline strength, bone density and fitness up from scratch. My grandma stopped moving during the pandemic, and now she can't start again. Her mind is pin-sharp, her physical health is otherwise excellent - she can't stand or walk, because she stopped standing and walking, and hadn't focused on her physical strength as an adult so has no reserves to draw upon.

A 2012 study found that your longevity and mobility is directly linked to whether you can you get up and down off the floor without using your hands - you're something like 5 times more likely to die within 6 years, if you score very low on the Sit to Rise Test. The better you are at it, the longer you will live an independent life. That's bare minimum for me - remaining independent for as long as I can.

I get served American women lifting heavy weights in their 90s and building bone density - the fitness algorithm is REAL.

Edited

This.

My DM is 76 and keeps getting these episodes of excruciating back pain that are now recurring less and less time since the previous time. She's been told its likely muscle degeneration, so I said she should look into a class, but she just seems to resign herself to having these episodes for the rest of her life. The only exercise she gets is walks a few times a week and don't think she's ever lifted a weight in her life.

Bloozie · 11/05/2026 15:07

Huckleberries · 11/05/2026 14:05

@Bloozie good glad to hear you're actually okay with it

sorry to be negative, but I do think it's still unrealistic to expect to be well into your 90s

My cousin has had arthritis since she was young, so that's just bad luck

Grandparents - varying degrees of health but some were fitter and stronger and some weren't I did have one who was living a completely normal life in his 90s and another who was bedridden

I suppose we won't know what this generation will be like in their 90s until that time actually arrives but I think just being in your 90s is unusual never mind having strong bones and muscles. I don't actually know what Lifetime projection figures are like if you move forward from my age group though

YouTube gave me a clip of women in their 90s in Taiwan who are lifting heavy weights but I didn't click on it to see if it was an experiment or a test or something. It keeps wanting me to watch that so I suppose I'll get there eventually.

be warned if you're constantly looking up new exercises on YouTube, this is the content you'll get pushed at you 😂

It's not like I expect to be able to move well in my 90s. More - if I can't, I don't want it to be because I didn't give myself a half-decent chance, because when I become older and more infirm, it will be a million times harder/impossible to build baseline strength, bone density and fitness up from scratch. My grandma stopped moving during the pandemic, and now she can't start again. Her mind is pin-sharp, her physical health is otherwise excellent - she can't stand or walk, because she stopped standing and walking, and hadn't focused on her physical strength as an adult so has no reserves to draw upon.

A 2012 study found that your longevity and mobility is directly linked to whether you can you get up and down off the floor without using your hands - you're something like 5 times more likely to die within 6 years, if you score very low on the Sit to Rise Test. The better you are at it, the longer you will live an independent life. That's bare minimum for me - remaining independent for as long as I can.

I get served American women lifting heavy weights in their 90s and building bone density - the fitness algorithm is REAL.

StrictlyCoffee · 11/05/2026 14:06

Don’t do all of this. Cleanse, moisturise and waterpik and/or floss and brush my teeth and that’s it. I am not a dentist but my understanding is toothpaste has more fluoride than mouthwash so it’s better to not rinse and keep the fluoride from the toothpaste on your teeth rather than use mouthwash

Huckleberries · 11/05/2026 14:05

@Bloozie good glad to hear you're actually okay with it

sorry to be negative, but I do think it's still unrealistic to expect to be well into your 90s

My cousin has had arthritis since she was young, so that's just bad luck

Grandparents - varying degrees of health but some were fitter and stronger and some weren't I did have one who was living a completely normal life in his 90s and another who was bedridden

I suppose we won't know what this generation will be like in their 90s until that time actually arrives but I think just being in your 90s is unusual never mind having strong bones and muscles. I don't actually know what Lifetime projection figures are like if you move forward from my age group though

YouTube gave me a clip of women in their 90s in Taiwan who are lifting heavy weights but I didn't click on it to see if it was an experiment or a test or something. It keeps wanting me to watch that so I suppose I'll get there eventually.

be warned if you're constantly looking up new exercises on YouTube, this is the content you'll get pushed at you 😂

Bloozie · 11/05/2026 13:52

@Huckleberries - I DO enjoy it, genuinely. The walking is with the dogs and that gives me pleasure, I am very sedentary during the day and work at a desk so find the pilates untangles me plus it's very mindful and I've made some good friends at one of the two classes I attend, and the weights... ok, I can't say that I enjoy the weights all that much, but they're worth it for the bone health and metabolic boost they give and I am enjoying seeing my shoulders emerge. It helps with my pilates and hill walking. I can rationalise it in lots of ways, and that gets me through.

I shaped my activity around things that I enjoy/don't absolutely hate. I don't go anywhere near the cardio machines at the gym because I've zero desire to jiggle about, have burning lungs and get sweaty. I avoid the jiggly burny classes that come with my gym membership like the plague. Doing the minimum of 150 minutes moderate cardio a week by fast walking really is the bare minimum I can do to keep heart and lungs in a respectable shape. My point is that getting the bare minimum of stuff in is a full time job, and it doesn't feel bare minimum. I feel like I do a lot - but I'm avoiding so much more other stuff other people do!

I'm not senior. I'm 47, so the only part of it I need today aside from general health is the calories that lifting weights allows me to eat (perimenopausal). But I am watching the old folk in my life deteriorate rapidly. My grandma is in her 90s, has never really exercised, and now her bones are like tissue paper and she can't stand up or walk any more because her muscles are gone. My mum has arthritis everywhere and doesn't have the muscle she needs to support her joints. It has suddenly hit me like a train that if I don't get into good habits now, I'll be like them when I am older.