Things I don’t do…that apparently everyone else DOES do…

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Tonight I put some Nivea on my face but apart from taking my makeup off each day, I don’t have a skin care routine and I don’t use moisturiser that often.

Other things I don’t do…I don’t make the bed every day (might straighten it, but that’s it), I don’t keep takeaway boxes (does anyone?) and I don’t send Christmas cards (never miss a birthday though).

What things do you not do…that most other people seem to do? This is a ‘no judgement’ thread. 😆

I never "exercise" in recent years (too hectic to find the time)
...but I've also never been overweight

I don't wear make-up

I don't watch trashy TV like strictly or love island

Never touched recreational drugs, I've known too many people messed up by them

I suppose I'm a bit puritanical about quite a few things... but I do enjoy an occasional scratchcard or trip to the casino, that's my vice!

Edit - I put exercise in inverted commas because what with commuting on transport, rushing around after a toddler etc, I probably do more accidental exercise than many people

I don’t listen to music. People really hate that for some reason. But I just find it distracting and prefer to hear the world around me.

Just FYI you can get retinol at high % face creams from Turkish pharmacies for about £8 a tube. Quick flight? Buy 10 and you’re sorted for a few years for less than £100

Definitely not hero!

Tagging @ProcrastinatorsAnonymous who also asked what I do/ use.

Disclaimer - I really am not claiming to be someone to follow on this, just trial and error on what's worked reasonably well for me at a price point I can afford.

So I'll say what I use as you asked but I bet there's better advice on the style and beauty board!

Morning

• If my face feels sweaty or I'm not convinced I got all my make up off the night before I'll swipe micellar water over it with a cleansing pad. I'm using a garnier vitamin C one when I do use it, but that's only because it came in a bundle with other vitamin C stuff I was buying and it was a good deal
• Whilst my face is damp I use a hyaluronic acid serum, one from the Ordinary generally but I'm trying a 'simple' one at the moment as it was cheaper and I wanted to see if it was as good
• I use eye patches if I can be arsed/ have time/ remember. I'm using grace and stella ones. Otherwise I put a vitamin c eye cream on and tap it in - I'm using the garnier one from the bundle mentioned above
• Once that's sunk in a bit I use a vitamin C serum - vitamin c is apparently really good for giving your skin a bit of a glow - either a garnier one or I like the one from a brand called The Beauty Crop who have a vitamin C range
• Give that a minute whilst I'm chasing DD round/ putting my bra on etc, and then vitamin c moisturiser - The Beauty Crop one, then their SPF (I think they call it a glow primer but it's SPF 45)

If I have time for anything else I'll attempt to give myself some eyebrows and then use the erborian colour correcting cream which I'm not sure if that's classed as skincare or make up or bit of both, and a bit of concealer.

Evening

• Peptide calm cleansing balm, The Beauty Crop, wash it off in the shower or with a clean flannel
• Spritz my face with The Peptide Calm spray stuff - this just came in the bundle I bought and it's lovely, unclear what it actually does I just like it!
• Hyaluronic acid again cos why not?
• The prescription retinol serum again - I've tried both skin & me and dermatica, this is the pricey bit - £25ish a month. It's tretinoin and some other stuff, can't remember what it says is in there. It's made the biggest difference - I don't actually get through a tube a month to be fair, so I've paused it a bit whilst I catch up so that's saving a bit of money. That's mostly because I don't overdo it, my skin is quite sensitive so I don't use it everywhere and whilst I use it most nights, if I can feel my skin starting to get a bit stingy I'll give it a miss for a few nights.
• I do all this usually after I've put DD to bed, then go downstairs, potter etc and when I'm going to bed for the night I'll stick on my moisturiser which is the Beauty Crop peptide calm moisturising barrier balm.

That sounds very long and fiddly but honestly takes me a couple of minutes, and has really made a difference. I don't look ten years younger or anything, but my skin doesn't break out as often and looks a bit fresher and more alive. Probably the retinol/ tret that's done the biggest work to be fair.

Thanks so much for going to the effort to type this out. I've been wanting to start something for a while, but it's v overwhelming. I've always been very lucky that I don't have skin issues like breakouts or particular dryness, and I only wear makeup about 3 times a year, so I haven't wanted to rock the boat - but I'm starting too see signs of ageing now, so might give some of these a go... Thanks!

I don’t drink coffee
I don’t drink alcohol
I don’t eat in bed
I don’t run
I don’t wash myself at the sink

It’s so odd isn’t it, in real life all these things are normal to my friends and family. What do you think it is about these mumsnetters then? Why are they different? What do they look like or act like if I was to meet them in RL?

High levels of ND.

I don't have a mobile phone.

I don't have a car (although I have had a full driving licence for more than 35 years).

I don't go flat-out cooking an Elizabethan banquet for Christmas dinner. Everybody's always eaten far too much chocolate to be properly hungry, and a plate of chicken dippers, chips and peas is just fine.

So me not ironing or wearing make up is ND?

@Interpink surely your issues around make up are the problem

I freeze stuff in them then reheat it in the microwave. Haven’t died of it yet. I also use them for leftovers in the fridge etc.

I don't have a mobile phone.

Wow. That is unusual @SprockettsFarm . Do you not have dependents who need to contact you when you aren't at home?

You’re certainly not unusual within the Mn cohort in most of that. Having no friends, hating holidays, not ironing, not drinking caffeinated hot drinks, not wearing makeup are pretty much the norm on here.

It is odd isn't it @Skintone
Not reading, listening to music or watching TV and never going or seeing friends out as well - what do these people do in their free time? Gaming? Mumsnetting?

I don't own any trousers or jeans.

I've never taken a photo using a mobile phone.

@RampantIvy - I have a DH and an adult DS, both of whom can be left at home safely by themselves for a few hours (as long as they're supervised closely by the cats).
When I go out alone, it's to enjoy having some precious time to myself. I don't want it being interrupted by my DH ringing me up wanting to know where the left-handed cucumber spiraliser is, or DS - who has autism and anxiety - wanting to tell me that the bathroom light just flickered so the Apocalypse must be nigh. For those reasons alone, I've resisted getting a mobile phone.

I do always carry some 20p's in my purse in case I need to call home (my other quirk is that I still do all my shopping with cash), but finding a pay-phone is much harder now. I got stranded at Gatwick Airport railway station recently - last time I was there, maybe 15 years ago, there were several payphones on each platform (and they took Euro coins as well as ours), but apparently they've all long since gone...

I do have a skin care routine, always have.
Those who don’t, do you mean you just wash your face with water? Then that’s it?
Do you use soap/shower gel on your body and if so why is your face different?
Do you not burn in the sun etc without using some sort of cream/sun cream?

Is that what it is do yku think? I have adhd but like holidays/ tea/ make up lol

maybe it’s more autistic individuals on here?

Or maybe the idea of the average person is an amalgamation of some may people that there is no normal in terms of likes and dislikes

I think I’m middle of the road in what do/don’t do and some are for health reasons, not choice.

Don’t drink tea/coffee/alcohol, but that’s not by choice
No Botox etc
Don’t do tiktok or Snapchat, but I use FB a lot for groups, mainly and look at Instagram
I don’t have a complicated skin routine (but probably should)
Don’t send Xmas cards anymore
Don't iron routinely
No tattoos - but dd has loads!
Never been to a baby shower/reveal (prob cos DCs are in their 20s) nor wish to - usually love a party though but I think these are self-indulgent wank.

Other than that I would say I’m ‘average’
Occasionally get nails/eyebrows done
Go in holiday
Have good friends
Like TV and books and music (although not much in last 20 years!)

I don't drive. Apparently I'm the only person on Mumsnet who doesn't!

I don't iron anything. And I've never cleaned the grouting on my bathroom tiles with a toothbrush 😂

could be like a chinese take away box. we keep those if they are sturdy.

I do iron.
I make my bed.
I drink coffee.
I have a micro wave and an air fryer.
I watch tv
I listen to music.
I read lots of books.
I drive.
I have lots of friends.
I wear make up when I feel like it.
I have a skin care routine.
I have had my nails done.
I haven’t had any lip fillers or Botox but often feel like I should.
I don’t dye my hair.
I don’t watch soaps.
I don’t go to Baby showers.
I don’t keep up with celebs and don’t follow any influencers.
I have never listened to a podcast.

I don’t watch adverts if I can avoid them (although I’m too mean to pay to remove them: I just tune them
out, or turn volume down, and refuse to buy the product)
I don’t believe anything that any politician says, especially if it contains the word “pledge”.
I usually don’t wear socks with my trainers.
I don’t watch big events like Platty Joobs, Her Majesty’s funeral, His Majesty’s coronation: I can proudly say I watched NONE of them. I’m the sort who will post a switched-off television on social media, and go
for a long walk instead.
I only watch “old” programmes on TV, from before the era of woke.
I have never dyed my hair, and hope I will embrace the grey when the time comes.
I don’t have a smart meter, or Alexa, because I believe that these devices will bite very hard one day.
Although I DO have a smartphone, I do not allow it to replace things such as cash, actual cards, keys, etc. I do believe that our smartphones will become a tool with which to oppress the public (and we’ve already gone a long way down that road, without even thinking about it).

I’d completely forgotten about adverts, I can’t remember when I last watched something I haven’t downloaded.

I vacuum the skirting as I go along, or is that just me?