To find skin routines a con?

[pinkbottle48]

I remember we use to be always told to cleanse, tone, moisturise. Now we have to double cleanse (two different cleansers), tone, moisturise, prime, serum, facial oils, BB cream, night cream, eye cream (obviously not all in that order).
AIBU to think we being conned into buying more and more or does anyone actually find it works?
At the minute I cleanse (once), moisturise, eye cream and occasionally prime. It cost me enough but when I see other ladies with lovely skin/make up I do wonder is it their skincare routine?

Diet. Lots of good oils, veg, water and enough protein.

Mainly genetic. Then not smoking and protect from excessive sun. Average to just above weight rather than skinny to keep skin crease free as age kicks in.
Moisturiser- doesn’t really make any odds which as long as SPF.
Otherwise soap and water or unscented baby wipe some to clear makeup.
I’ve never - well very rarely - used cleanser, toner, hot cloths, dermabrasion, peels or other odd things. I don’t have a routine apart from wee, teeth, splash face. My skin is pretty good overall. My mother is 93 hers is a bit nicotine damaged but still not bad considering.

How lucky for those of you that say you've got perfect skin and just use soap and water and no one needs anything else and it's all a con

Not everyone is as blessed as you

My acne wasn't just going to disappear with some baby wipes and a blob of astral

Thankfully since seeing a dermatologist and experimenting with different prescription topical creams (plus a course of antibiotics) I can now leave the house without makeup

My skin is both very oily and dehydrated - exacerbated by both central heating and air con. I asked the derm about the benefits drinking water. She said that whilst drinking plenty of water is good for your overall health, drinking water can't magically work its way out to your epidermis.

Humectants like hyularonic applied topically can help the top layers of skin better retain moisture that's already in the skin. But simply drinking water can't physiologically give you fantastic skin

Thank your genes - not all of us are so lucky

Definitely being conned. I don't do anything apart from wash my face in the shower and my skin is about as perfect as it gets for my age.

Could those that claim to be in their $0's/50's, name change and post pictures

Now that you can match images to anything already out there, this would be bad idea for some. I just now googled my name and clicked on images and there I was, named in info next to the image.

I think it is a big fat con. Not sunbathing, using sun beds and good genes are the key. Ask a dermatologist.

not using sun beds

Oh and not smoking or drinking much.

Totally agree with bananafish81

I'd you have naturally good skin yes you can drink water, have a quick swill with bar soap and dab on a bit of nivea or whatever.

Bit different if you have chronic acne.

If you have, argh auto correct

I think it's part genes, part diet and part skincare.
I cleanse, oil, moisturise and wear sunscreen everyday. The sunscreen has made me glow.

Other than that I think it's health and how lucky you are.

I have eczema though so moisturising less than 4x a day sounds painful to me

I think it is a big fat con. Not sunbathing, using sun beds and good genes are the key. Ask a dermatologist.

I do see a dermatologist. I have asked her.

She doesn't think a skin routine is a con. Although she thinks lots on the high st is a total waste because it's not actually formulated to be effective.

She advocates a simple skincare routine but with key active ingredients.

To be really effective, these will often need to be prescription strength

She does not advocate for baby wipes and soap

She also doesn't advocate for a million steps

She stripped my routine right back as I was using lots of different products and she wanted to go back to basics

AM

Cleanse with a gentle non foaming SLS free cleanser.

At the moment I'm using Duac (prescription topical benzoyl peroxide / antibiotic gel) after my morning cleanse, but the aim is to swap this for Skinoren (prescription azelaic acid)

Then moisturise and SPF 50

PM

She said double cleansing isn't necessary as long as you do a proper cleanse (as in, properly massaging the cleanser in to really get the grime out) - I take my makeup off first with micellar water first though, and then cleanse to actually clean my skin

Then prescription retinoid. At the moment it's one formulated for acne (Treclin - tretinoin and antibiotic). Aim is to swap for pure tretinoin if we can crack the acne, as that's better for maintenance and anti ageing!

My skin has been utterly transformed

The high St serums etc didn't work, but actual proper medical strength stuff did

Nice for those of you boasting that you look half your age and think skincare is a con - not all of us are as lucky as you

I have not had acne or even spots. I can only speak from my own experience.

No expensive potions or gloop
No sunbathing
No smoking
Very very little alcohol - if any
Good genes

Dermatologists will often say that the simplest way is best.

I've never met a white Woman who has no wrinkles, or signs of aging, unless they are obese (in terms of wrinkles).

There aren't any actresses past their middle 40's, who don't have signs of aging, so it is very unusual and must be a rare gene.

I agree with this. I presume the skin is good but there are other signs of aging. Carrying extra weight is in itself aging even if it plumps out wrinkles. Actresses over mid-40 all have signs of aging. Many would have work done, it is a question of how obvious it is but easy to spot.

Surely all this thread shows is that everybody is different??
For some people, soap and water is all they need. For others having that much of a routine does make a difference.

I have combination skin. My forehead can get very greasy, as can my nose (less so my chin). My cheeks are dry/normal. If I wash purely with water the skin on my face feels dry/tight afterwards.
I don't use it all the time, but cleansing, toning and moisturising does make a difference.

I don't smoke. Or use sunbeds/sunbathe. I do drink sometimes, but never to excess. I don't wear much makeup either. I am early 20s, and my skin may well change. Who knows.

Point is, everyone's skin is different.

@ElspethFlashman

"Oh god, this thread is going to be full of MN competitive skin neglect, I can feel it."

inorite?

I use skin cleansing wipes, I can never remember the name, they're in a green pack...pure something?

Baking soda to exfoliate.

Aloe Vera Gel to moisturize.

Oil free sunblock.

I do think toner is a con.

I drink lots and lots of water.

I've always looked after my skin and it is no better than my two sisters who do absolutely nothing other than wash with soap and water.
I've become sceptical over the last year with regards to beauty bloggers, my biggest problem is that they recommend products for dry skin and I think 'how is your skin still dry with all the high end stuff you have been given ' ?? Surely they should have skin like a tinned peach.
The other thing I take umbrage with is when I read articles informing women what expensive products cabin crew use to keep their skin moisturised snd healthy. I want to laugh my head off because as ex cabin crew who has a daughter who is currently cabin crew, I can tell you now we do not use expensive products . Expensive make up yes - but most crew I knew/know smothered on Nivea soft and that was that ......

It makes a huge difference unless you are genetically blessed with beautiful skin.
I spent quite a pretty penny on a cleansing device last month, and even adding that to my routine, I've noticed such a difference. My skin is now more glowy and fresher looking!

@ElspethFlashman won the thread ages ago....

Total con. My skin is better when I don’t even moisturise. No make up. No products. It is happier in summer when it spends more time in the sea (as is my hair weirdly) but otherwise nothing makes much difference. These companies have made a fortune out of us believing their sales pitch when actually most of it is genetics

Yes I think it is a con to sell more stuff.
Iv had rosacea with pustules in the past and now all I use is sulphur soap which costs around £3. No moisturiser as the soap isn't drying. My skin is the best it's ever been.

Sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses. The last two are aren't easy to do in the UK, as the posts I've seen over the years about about what hat to wear without looking daft, and the poser-ish associations of wearing sunglasses when not in a heatwave or abroad attest

I only wear a hat in winter but I wear sunglasses year round. I'm a bit Vicky Beckham in that respect only I don't wear them at night!

Everybody’s skin and genetics are different, hence different skincare ‘routines’ working for different people
But as a skincare therapist I would recommend everyone do the basics of cleansing am and pm, i do mine in the shower as it’s easier and quicker. Then moisturise with spf during the day and using a nightcream pm. This is when your skin restores and replenishes itself to the highest level. And if you want to indulge then Clarins double serum is amazing to use alongside