To think that skincare is a load of old rubbish?

[GodivaEater]

It dawned on me today while in Boots that the size of the men’s toiletries bit was one aisle and the women’s stretched into the dozens. And then I thought- men for the most part just wash their faces and then get on with their day. Your average man does not use serums, toners, face masks, moisturisers, nowt.

So why do we as women believe we need all this shit? Why do we buy in to all this shit? Why do some of us spend so much money on this shit? (That includes me in the past). And isn’t it all making our skin worse? You rarely see men with bad skin. Ask the average woman however and most reckon we/they need to sort their skin out.

The older I get the more I think that skincare is a load of bollocks and that most of us don’t need to buy in to any of it. And I say that as someone who has struggled with acne and horrible oily skin for 20 odd years.

Thoughts?

Although i completely agree with you i dont fully agree with the sentiment that womens skin is worse than mens because of products. We have hormones that effect our skin monthly than men dont. But i do agree with everything else you said. In my drive to reduce plastic i know use a face soap and an essential oil toner and moistiriser as i have very dry skin.

YANBU Godiva, I’m with you on this one - occasionally it’s fun to treat yourself to some nice-smelling stuff, but it’s mostly a load of tosh. I find the pseudoscientific marketing hideously patronising too.

I hate the beauty industry on women. All bullshit designed to play on womens insecurities to make money and its hugely effective.

Hair removal? Play the tune that womens body hair is ugly. Masculine. Unclean. Make a product razors and wax to rid them of this burden? Check.

A million different products for face. Body and hair and imply they are all different and you need them all.

Caroline herons is the worst for encouraging women to use a million products on their faces.

Wearing make up probably doesn't help. And I suppose men have the option of beards to cover their spots! But yes I agree, stopped wearing mascara as I noticed men had longer nicer eyelashes than mine and I probably needed to stop putting gunk on them

Good old soap and water is all you need and a good moisturiser!

The mens grooming market is big business.

Shops also stock according to region, maybe your region doesn't sell mens products very well?

A lot of women don't groom themselves well, same as a lot of men do.

I think it's more a case that people have much, much lower standards for men than women when it comes to appearance.

YANBU. The only stuff that goes on my face is water and sun-cream when needed.

Yes, I use a minimum no of products, but I do use a sp50 moisturiser. My skin has thanked me, and I do a lot younger than some blokes who have never bothered yes exH you look 10 yrs older than me, despite being 2 years younger. But that may be the evil leaching out of your soul Naomi Woolf's The Beauty Myth, about 20 yrs ago, talks about how womens resources, and therefore power, is reduced by getting us to spend lots on make up and clothes, and how equivalent mens stuff is cheaper.

Imagine this. Razor company selling razors for mens faces. They realise they wpuld make more money targetting both sexes...but women dont have beards! Hmm tell them their legs and under arms are gross so they buy our products... why is our arm hair ok?

They clearly have different range of products too

www.boots.com/below-the-belt-grooming-for-men-fresh-and-dry-balls-active-75ml-10222668

This only just dawned on you?

Although I think skin lotions probably do some good for my skin am not convinced by toner or serum( no one has ever been able to really explain what they do) makeup to make us look 'natural' why dont men have make up to make them look 'natural' and as for femfresh where the hell is manfresh?( or whatever it would be called)

the reason these products dint exist or arent as widely aild is simple, men qouldnt buy them.

YANBU
I only use water on my face and dont get spots at all.
The list of products you are supposed to layer on your face is getting longer and longer. I just couldnt be arsed with the time or the expense to be honest.

I don't think it's rubbish. I was, for a long time, a believer in a very simple routine - a mild soap, twice daily, no makeup. Skin appalling. Massive cystic acne - face, chest, shoulders, back. Two full courses of Roaccutane didn't fully sort it, life utterly ruined by the pill the doctor prescribed to try to control it in my early 20s (am disabled by the migraines it triggered, they have never stopped, I can't work). A decent skincare routine, however... it more or less all gets better. I wish I'd known 20 years ago.

I think a ladys skin is put to the test with monthly cycles and make up etc. I use a averagly priced (estee lauder) skincare range and have a fairly strict routine. Whilst on maternity i used a much cheaper range (Superdrug own brand) and definately felt tge difference. My skin was dry and dull. Each to their own i suppose.

I think having oily skin may have actually helped you feel like you do.

I had dry/sensitive skin, but liked make up, so had to cleanse etc, which then meant moisurise.

I agree that younger Women don't need the creams marketed to them.

But mid 40's (for me), it may be younger for some, I needed the serums etc.

Now, at 51, I've made a big difference with Hyaluronic Acid based skin care and Retinal of a night, with peptides thrown in.

"You rarely see men with bad skin"

I don't agree with that. I think we just hold Men to different standards.

If you use some creams, including under eye, it can cause skin blockages, puffiness etc, but it doesn't make your skin worse, as such. It's about doing your research and not being swayed.

I don't! I buy skincare wipes that remove make up and oil and a bog standard moisturiser, but I think I'm just a crap girl tbh

I definitely agree that we are oversold products and made to feel we ‘need’ more than we do - but also i have very dry skin and the only thing which keeps it in check is a pricey moisturiser. I’ve tried cheaper ones and nothing comes close, I end up with flakes by my nose/forehead and can’t even wear foundation. So I think it also depends what sort of skin you have.

I’d love to be more low maintenance and only wash my face with water etc but I would be flaking in a few days.

I agree, especially wrt those high end very expensive products that promise you will look twenty years younger kind of thing.

I will never have perfect skin, but then no one else will either generally speaking, I think it's genetic myself.

Anyway all I use on my face is Nivea soft (and this weather topped up with sunblock), a bit of mineral powder, touch of blush and lip balm. Nothing else. Yep no eyebrow sculpting, no mascara, no eyeshadow, no foundation. That's it.

As someone else said, all these products are playing on women't insecurities. i.e if you don't cleanse, tone, moisturise, use wrinkle cream, serum and whatever, you will not get/keep a partner. Bollox. Sorry.

On the other hand, some women buy all these products to make them feel good, fine. But it is a waste of money imv.

For those saying that they only use water and don't get spots, that's because you having got spot prone skin.

My DD got into a proper cleansing and moisturising routine and at 17, turned her skin around.

Hormones do play a part, as does fat storage, occasional anemia etc.

Most Women couldn't put their hands through what Men do, without getting very course/dry skin. It isn't just the skin on our face that is different.

Totally agree, it's all a pile of rubbish, I never take my warpaint off, just wash in the shower, occasionally moisturiser when I can be arsed, and at 48 I have skin like a peach 🍑 I smoke as well
The only thing I have done all my life is stay out of the sun, I used to joke with my sun worshipping friend that she would end up with a head like a coco pop by the time she was 50, she's well on her way

I totally disagree, my skin is visibly much better when I cleanse, tone and moisturise properly!

Hormones

All I use on my face is water and my skin is the best it’s ever been.

"On the other hand, some women buy all these products to make them feel good,"

Of course we do, after all we are just silly Women who can't look in the mirror and judge what is working for us and what isn't.