To wonder why women buy into all this stuff?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

So I've been using the same £3 moisturiser that I have since I was 18. It's served me well but I decided that I need to invest in one with sunblock and thought I might go for a higher brand.

I went to Boots to the Clinique counter £39.99 was their cheapest moisturiser with spf and apparently I will also need primer, face wash, and I couldn't even get a sample to try before I buy.

I headed over to olay but was overwhelmed with the huge selection and ended up buying a £13 boots sanctuary moisturiser with spf. Realised when I got home it's perfumed so I'm not sure how well I will like it.

Looking online at the Clinique range there's absolutely loads of very expensive products that claim to reduce redness, reduce uneven skin tone, dark circles, I'm surprised they haven't just got an ugly face cream. There's also a million different make up products, my little make up bag looks really inadequate now.

Looking at the men's there's maybe 5 or 6 products.

Surely we don't need all this stuff? Dps face looks fine and all he does is splash it with water each day!

You can't apply enough SPF in moisturiser for it to be effective as sun protection. I would just use separate products, although decent sunscreens for the face are generally v expensive

However, in the words of Pam Ayres, "oh I wished I looked after my teeth", or rather my parents did.

I can't afford what I need for them, teeth are the most important facial feature.

I buy into it. I personally don't see why some women balk at spending £30 on a cleanser/moisturiser/serum but happily spend more than that on a top I see good skincare as an investment. Plus as a pp mentioned, it's one of life's little luxuries, a little treat that makes you feel good about yourself. And if your skincare isn't working ... change it!

I've used Nivea for years. The stuff in the blue tub at night and their soft cream for day. When I was younger I bought Clinique and Olay products mainly.

I started with the Nivea back in the Richard and Judy days of this morning. They'd done tests on various lotions and cream. Not R&J but the experts . The expert they had on the show said that creme de la mer and Nivea creme were almost identical products, other than the perfume ingredients.

I normally wash my face just with water as it is very dry anyway and I always use a moisturiser and use a hat and suncream in the summer. My skin looks much younger than I am and I have relatively few wrinkles even though I'm in my mid 40's. However, I think its luck and down to genetics.

I've often wondered whether wearing lots of foundation, using lots of products etc is worse for your skin. It must be difficult to study as those who tend to wear foundation and use lots of products tend to have poorer skin to begin with. Plus they are likely to be copying their mother's routine who again probably used a lot of products because they needed it and passed on their genes etc.

I don't judge any one spending money on products, heaven knows I've been judged often enough on what I spend on clothes.

I just found with Clinique that apart from basic cleansers and moisturiser (and their Thirst Quench pink gloop is good) none of it did anything on my skin.

I've used Clinique alot but it's too perfumed and chemically for me.

I now used bare minerals which has an SPF and I would recommend 1,000 times over. Everyone's skin is different of course but I've never liked a moisturiser as much as I do theirs.

I work outdoors most of the time. Nivea factor 15 daycream seems to be saving me from the worst of the wrinkles.

I don't use anything on my skin. Just water in the shower and have the best skin of all my friends. Think it is just genetics. Guess I'm lucky.

I do use sun cream when on holiday or when sun comes out in UK. I use the same one on body and face.

I use the aldi ones, they spf in and my skin is very sensitive and they are good imo

special facial suncreams are a ripoff, as are moisturisers with suncream in - it's a lie.

use normal suncream - the skin on your face is the same as that on your body.

all cosmetics claims are lies, end of. The only ways to reduce wrinkles are:

• choose the right parents
• don't smoke
• eat properly
• use sunscreen
• never have any facial expression.

clue; two of those are beyond your control. :-)

I agree with all that Special but would add that using a moisturizer if your skin is dry will help.

It doesn't need to be expensive though.

Facial skin tends to be thinner than many other areas afaik?

I despise the anti ageing industry. I think they are the modern day equivalent of medieval clerics, except that instead of selling tickets to heaven, they try and sell us youth.

a moisturiser can make skin more comfortable (which is a perfectly good reason to use one), but there is no evidence that it does any more than that.

I would never use body sun cream on my face as my skin is too sensitive and the products tend to be oily in texture.
Ive got enough oil already !

There are 2 issues here

1. Preventing wrinkles - genetics, stay out of the sun, don't smoke drink, use sunscreen ,eat well .
2. Improving the texture of the skin and reducing the look of wrinkles- this is what I expect from my skincare- I don't expect any cream to actually get rid of wrinkles.( Hardly have any because of 1. anyway.)

Im quite happy to look like a nearly 50 year old but with good skin and I enjoy looking well groomed.

I think the emphasis is changing - no one wants the puffy fillered, botoxed, severe face lifted look anymore .
They want to look the best they can - nowt wrong with that imho!

Neutrogena Dry-Touch sunscreen is brilliant for oily faces, btw.

Hermione I don't feel inadequate at all. I spend money on skincare because it's fun for me. Don't care what others think.

Star your risk of skin cancer must be sky-high if you don't use sun cream at all. Have you tried children's sun cream? Ultrasun Sensitive is very good for sensitive skin. I have sensitive skin but I'd never dare not use sun cream.

I use L'Occitane one Myrtle Brightening Shield SPF 40 - its lovely and doesn't make me claw my face off - yes I have the double gift of oily, uber sensitive skin

The beauty market is the biggest con never. Like you OP, I can't believe people buy into it. The people I know with gorgeous skin don't use these products.

is it Aldi's that won awards?,hell i thought it was Lidl and a few weeks ago had their day and night cream on offer at 99p each,i could not resist

seems ok,normally use E45

cheap as they come me,though i do agree with the genetics argument

The people I know with gorgeous skin are
A. Lucky
B. Very young
C. Make an effort to look after their skin.

The 40- 50 year old women who don't bother usually have skin like my very old leather bag.

I tried Aldi ,but the smell made me retch, it was awful