If you have good skin (on your face)...

[HowIsItMarchAlready]

do you think it's mainly down to your genes, or to your diet and skincare? I take good care of my skin, don't wear much make up (laziness more than anything else), and wear SPF 50 every single day. I also don't smoke and drink little alcohol but plenty of water. However I do think that my skin looks good (I'm nearly 50) because of genes more than anything else. I do take care of it because I'd rather err on the side of caution. But I think that most skincare is a con (hence why I don't buy anything expensive) and good skin is mostly due to winning the genetic lottery. Thoughts? Can anyone provide evidence to the contrary? I'm not looking to start an argument - just interested in people's points of view and experiences.

I do think the acid test of whether your skin is 'good' or not is the menopause. Mine seems to have changed little, but has lost a bit of 'glow'. But it's relative. Several friends have suffered more. And those who have lost lots of weight suffered the most. it seems you can't have everything!

@interferringma I agree that being very thin isn't great for lines in middle age. One of my friends is tall, beautiful, and a very fit runner, but personally, I think she could use a couple more pounds as her face looks a bit deflated - she's in her early 50's. I still wouldn't mind looking like her though!

I have skin that looks decades younger than my real age - everyone says so. I put it down to never smoking - nothing more aging than nicotine; and also to genes - my gran died at 93 and was as fresh-faced as a young girl - it was extraordinary.

Quite, @Cameleongirl and I speak as someone who lost a couple
Of stone a couple of years ago. One friend did (kindly) say 'stop now... you've a lovely face and you want to keep it that way'.

I'm 45 and I had hormonal spots until I had my children in my 30s. Since then however, my skin is good and looks younger than my age. I only use very basic skincare (facial wash and moisturiser). I don't smoke and although I do drink alcohol, it's definitely within the recommended limits. I eat too much sugar though. I am pale, so try to avoid the sun. I think its genetics for me mostly, together with having naturally avoided things that age the skin.

What a nice thing to say, @interferringma , you have good friends!

I think mine's skincare and a bit of genetics. I've looked after my skin since l was 13. I'm 63 now, and l've always taken my makeup off at night. One single exception, when l was in hospital waiting for surgery on a broken ankle, and l had nothing to take it off with.
I'm a very fair skinned redhead, and l had cystic acne in my teens, but l've been very lucky, almost no scarring.
I've now got a couple of patches of rosacea, but otherwise my skin's pretty good. Only laughter lines (years of moisturising and sun screen!) round my eyes, otherwise very little in the way of wrinkles (you don't get wrinkles on a balloon).
I double cleanse every night (wash off cream/cloth, then a special facial wash which doesn't aggravate the rosacea) if l've had makeup on, micellar water to make sure all the eye makeup's off, especially mascara. And l use an eye cream round my eyes and mouth (that's a game changer!).
Day cream with an SPF, always, always night cream. I've used both expensive and cheap skincare over the years, currently using Aldi's Lacura Caviar day and night creams, and their rose oil is fantastic. Also their serum which is cheap as chips.
I've never smoked but l used sunbeds when l was younger. Not a lot, though.

I think some of it's definitely genetics. Neither of my parents looked their age.

Yeah this is me...wouldn't say I have good skin but I don't really have wrinkles at 55, maybe just starting to look a bit crepey round the eye lids. All of my skin care concerns have been about keeping spots etc at bay so have never really used a good eye cream or any anti aging stuff.

Genes and skincare. My dad genuinely looks 15 years younger than he is. I avoid the sun and use prescription tret. I think my skin looks pretty decent

It has to be genes because I’m nearly 60 and I have no wrinkles. I put absolutely nothing on my skin, no lotions, potions, make up - not even soap and water.
My hair genes are not so good and karma balanced my good fortune with some bad ones and my hair is practically non existent on top.

@notangelinajolie do you not ever wash your face?!

No make up here never had botox. Retinol 3-4 nights a week, moisteriser with SPF every morning I am happy with it. Teeth are awful though.

I think it's a combination. Genetics is definitely part of it. Sun is a huge one.

But I do think good basic skincare is important. Cleansing and moisturising from a relatively young age I think is a really good basic habit that sets your skin up for life.

I use a top up spray if I'm wearing makeup but I don't really see the sun if I'm working

I have sunscreen as part of my moisturiser (and foundation) or apply a moisturising one after moisturiser and before foundation.

For day to day life, I do not apply any additional sunscreen and this is fine - if I do not apply it, I do get "colour" vey easy.

If I am actively in the sun, I would then apply additional sunscreen. But if I'm doing something actively in the sun, I would not expect to be wearing a full face of make up.

Diet and genetics. Certainly not skin care , in my case. I have no lines yet, and I'm past middle age.

My mum must have had some kind of super genes because she loved the sun, liked a drink, smoked for years and had truly great skin. She looked a lot younger than her age always. She never really bothered much with ‘skin care’, occasional splodge of nivea cream if she remembered.

One of my sisters got the good skin genes. She spends hundreds on skincare but I honestly think she’d look more of less the same either way.

I did really well on the likes and wrinkles front for ages, though I’m showing my age a fair bit more recently. I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had particularly good skin though as have always struggled with visible pores, spots and dark circles.

Sunscreen doesn't magically disappear after a few hours. The point is that it protects you while it's on but only for a certain amount of time in the sun. If I've put it on at 7am, it will protect me all day but only for a certain amount of sun. I burn easily. If I have it on from the start of the day, I don't burn as I'm going about my daily life - taking kids to school, popping to shops, perhaps taking dog for a walk (outside of the peak sun time). If I am NOT wearing sunscreen, I will burn or, at the very least, get quite a bit of colour on my face while doing those things. Other people will not burn but may well nonetheless be sun-damaged.

If I am doing something that requires active time in the sun - eg walking the dog during the peak part of the day, then yes, I would require additional sunscreen. However, I would not do that as that would be too much sun for me.

Another example is that I tend to forget to spread my moisturiser or daily sunscreen all the way over my chest too. As a result, it is not unusual at the end of the day for my face to look completely the same as it did in the morning but for my chest to have got a bit tanned or got a bit of colour. I also am starting to notice fine lines in what I guess could be called my décolletage. Which I assume is due to my slackness in moisturising and using sunscreen in that area over the years.

I grew up around three sisters. The oldest and the youngest used products like moisturiser and make up etc. The middle one didn't. Just washed her face with soap and water.

They are all dead now blessum but the middle one, by the time they were all in their sixties and seventies, looked like she could be their mother by comparison.

It is these three women that has me stashing on the goo morning noon and night.

I can think of so many occasions where you would be “actively in the sun” and wearing a full face of makeup - a walk in the park, sitting in a beer garden, going shopping, sitting in the garden after work etc etc.

Also, for me with these examples:

Walk in the park - would never do it during peak sun times in summer. Also, don't consider it a reason to wear full face of make up!

Beer garden - would never sit in full sun in beer garden at lunch time in summer as would burn instantly. But, having a drink, for example... my morning SPF would be fine for say 20 or 30 minutes.

Sitting in garden after work - not a problem as sun is less strong so my regular SPF will do the trick.

@ChairCareOh I do see men that would benefit from some skincare! Rough/dry/reddened skin
I top up because my SPF will go on about 7am and some days I go outside for lunch at 11, other days it's 2pm. Vitamin d deficient but I burn within 5 mins so I supplement