Can you actually be bothered with a faffy skincare routine?

[giniaone]

My SIL who is late 40's has the most beautiful skin for any age and legitimately does look many years younger than her age. Her skincare routine is a bit of a faff and she apparently breaks her face down into zones and treats them all accordingly so eye area, nose, chin, cheeks, forehead, neck and so on and that this often means applying different products to different areas of the face so one product might be used around the eye area and mouth, another is then used only on the nose, one on the eye lashes, then something else will be used all over the face and then another localised treatment will be applied and she always wears a very high ultra spf which she reapplies during the day often repeatedly.

She doesn't have a routine as such but looks at her face each time she does her skincare and "assesses" what she needs and there are also massages, facial exercises, led masks, double cleansing at night.

It obviously all pays off because as I say her skin is amazing but it just all seems like an incredible faff to me. I think I am doing well if I stick to a cleanse and moisturise routine and I am often just wash my face in the shower which is a big no no to her as she says the water you shower with is usually to hope for your facial skin. I'd like the results she gets but I just cannot imagine committing to 30+ minutes to do my skincare twice a day!

I would say the majority of women are like me take their make up off, cleanse, slap a moisturiser with SPF on and done, maybe try the odd serum or mask but that is it. Am I write in thinking that?

There is next to no evidence that any of these products work. The only one with some evidence is retinol which can reduce wrinkles. And we should be using a daily SPF.

Skin care is a massive con. It’s a multi-billion pound industry targeting women. Why do you think men’s skin is no better or worse than ours without using any of these products?

If your relative has very good skin it’s because of her genes, not the vast sums of money and time that she spends putting creams in her face.

If she enjoys doing it, that's fine.

Dermatologists say skin needs to be:

Clean
Hydrated
Protected from the sun.

The last one is the most important.

If you watch any video chats with any respected derms, they'll confirm that apart from the 3 things above, a vitamin C serum will help with protection from the sun and damage from pollution, and a vitamin A will help with ageing.

The last one I watched (she was actually a formulating chemist talking about ingredients) used CeraVe and Superdrug products.

whats the relationship with your SIL like generally OP?

@Tracker1234 I do look after myself, I exercise, eat well, maintain my weight, iron my clothes, and fix my hair every morning. I do also have a skincare routine but it is a basic cleanse tone and moisturise job although I use good quality fairy expensive products.

What I don't do is assess my skin each time I do my skincare, break my skin down into zones and use products accordingly spending hours a week doing it. I don't use devices or do massages or exercises and I don't study dermatological research papers for the latest anti-ageing information. There are women who do this and many of them have stunning results to show for it but I think most women probably don't go that far.

Its pretty good I like her a lot and she likes me but we are very different.

What I don't do is assess my skin each time I do my skincare, break my skin down into zones and use products accordingly spending hours a week doing it. I don't use devices or do massages or exercises and I don't study dermatological research papers for the latest anti-ageing information. There are women who do this and many of them have stunning results to show for it but I think most women probably don't go that far.

but you do start rather detailed thread discussing the issue though 😆

I’m 56 and don’t have wrinkles. Have never bothered with more than washing my face and a bit of moisturiser if it feels dry occasionally.
I do use sunscreen though.
I think the worst thing you can do to your skin is sun exposure both from a cancer and wrinkle perspective. People I know who always baked themselves for a tan in their youth have very leathery skin now.
I see a consultant dermatologist regularly because of melanoma and her view is that most of the skincare market is full of products that won’t hurt but won’t help much either.

have you been diagnosed in the past?

Basically the same, but I'm 60. People say they're surprised when they hear my age, I think I look pretty much my age though.

I’m 59 and have very, very few. I don’t have a skincare routine. I do have good genetics - my parents both had youthful skin too.

I'm sorry but your second paragraph sort of contradicts your first line...

The question is why does this bother you so much? It's not a competition, unless you see it as such.

Your SIL has obviously gone down the rabbit hole and seems a bit obsessed, but it doesn't have to be an either/ or. Many of us do an easy skincare routine we are happy with that gives good results and don't spend hours on it so there is an inbetween. Your SIL may well have favourable genetics also.

Also, skincare can only do so much, when it comes to menopause and sagging/jowling no cream will prevent that.

You're the sil aren't you? Otherwise, how do know in such exact detail her skin routine lol. If someone else showed me that I would just zone out and forget.

Anyway, I'm very early 40s, use a retinol, glycolic acid, led mask, electro current device etc. people say I look younger than my age but honestly, Im not sure my skincare routine is anything to do with it. I get lots of sleep and exercise and my child is almost a teen. My friend who is the same age and has a toddler is sleep deprived and worn out so I think having kids earlier is better tbh.

However, I know that once I hit a certain age, I'm going to look old and there is nothing Ill be able to do about it besides Botox and other interventions

My late Mum had fab skin in her 90's. She never wore make up but did use skin care every single morning and evening. She loved her routine and it didnt take her long. Everything was laid out on her dressing table. She swore by No 7 and refused to use anything else bar Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish with the proper cloths

@HornyHornersPinkyWinky No it doesn't contradict anything it is an observation there is no annoyance in it, I don't resent anyone else for doing all that younger it is merely me stating that starting all that now wouldn't yield the same results as someone who had done it for decades.

As for menopause that is why she uses HRT and uses a topical estrogen cream in her face, its a special one designed for the face not available in the UK yet.

I'd classify myself as being at a middling point on the complexion faff-o-meter.

I'm in my late 50s. At your SIL's age and the decade leading up to it all I used was Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish morning and night (until they changed the formula). Same brand Superskin moisturiser in the morning. Eye cream was various L'Oréal ones. In my 50s I lost motivation and it's just Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser at night followed by Soolantra then in the morning a rub with a damp muslin cloth followed by L'Oréal eye cream. Rosacea aside my skin is very good for my age. 11s and a few shallow lines round my eyes. Honestly I think it's mostly genetics and keeping my face out of the sun.

I like doing my skincare, podcast on and relaxing time
I do it early evening

Yes, I see her regularly because I have stage 4 melanoma.

I don't think no makeup is an issue

I might go to the supermarket after work from home and I'm not putting on makeup on to go there and back. Or I nipped to next to return a top but I'm doing a spin class at home after - again, no point

No we talked about it last night and she sent me her "cheat sheet" I'd love nicer skin but I think I'd need to get laser or something first to give me a better starting point. So I don't zone out I just sometimes think, why bother at this point but then I'm not even that old yet so why not?

Having kids ages you true enough its literally a proven fact that it accelerates the ageing process and shortens your telomeres but it has other benefits. I think it all catches up to you at menopause whether you had them young or older anyway so it doesn't matter much.

I use nivea blue tin at night I know some people scoff and its a bit of a joke with "influencers" but I love how it makes My face feels.

That isn't correct. Products such as AHAs and BHAs remove dead skin cells that regenerate into new cells

Skin acts as a barrier to your internal system, so taking proper care of your skin helps to ensure the barrier is strong. When the skin is dry or irritated, cracks can occur, which makes you more prone to infection.

It helps wrinkles, rosacea, dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and clear skin.

I used to struggle badly with cystic acne, so skincare was super important!

Then, of course, sunscreen, which doesn't need further explanation.

Totally agree. I use literally nothing on my face, not even moisturiser but I recognise that I've been blessed with good genes. No amount of all that skincare routine would have changed the way I look now. 61 and very few if any wrinkles
My mum was the same. Having said that if people are happy with their skin care regime then crack on. I put a lot of effort into my hair, whereas others may not.

I do the old school basics of skin care:
cleanse (every morning in the shower)
exfoliate (twice a week)
moisturise (every morning and night)

I built a good routine of staying on top of moisturiser every single day twice a day and my skin is very clear, it’s never dry anymore, does get that tight red leathery feeling after a shower, more even in colour.

So I decided I don’t need 80 products on my face everyday, I’m happy with my skin as it is 😂

I am a lazy mare who goes to sleep with make up on regulary. I wash my face with soap in the shower and moisturise religiously. My skin is actually really good, I'm in my late 30s but have been told I look 30 so I guess it's all pot luck!