to think that spending a lot of money on face creams is pointless?

[MaMaLa321]

I'm in my 60s, and, for the last few years, have been spending a lot on face creams to try and keep wrinkles at bay (unsuccessfully). Like £50 a pot. My skin is ordinary, aging, skin.
At the beginning of lockdown I started using an all purpose cream that costs £7, and I don't honestly see any difference to the effects from the more expensive cream.
Do posters think it's worth buying expensive face creams?

I don't use anything except soap and water in the shower and kids factor 50 suncream when I remember. I think it looks ok. It feels s

The thing is it's so subjective too. Everyone has different perceptions on what having great skin looks like.

Most people you meet day to day, you just think they look normal, a small percentage you might think "wow that person is glowing"

Gosh, I wish I only needed water and a flannel. I'd be delighted. My skin is horrible if it's not looked after. And yes, I've tried!
I get quite annoyed with the sanctimonious "all you need is..." people.

@doadeer definitely. This is mine without makeup.. it's ok but it's not yet at the point where I happily go without makeup day to day! I'm aiming to have great skin, not just good if that makes sense

I don't moisturise my face at all, am 54 and have no wrinkles as yet. I think face creams are yet another big money making scam that plays on women's insecurities. But then, those stupid enough to pay out 50 quid or more for a little pot of chemicals deserve to be conned.

I've tried cheaper products but have gone back to Protect and Perfect. There are a lot more expensive products out there though.

If you have naturally great skin then of course it’s a waste to spend £££, but I would still suggest taking care of your skin rather than doing absolutely nothing.

I have spot-prone, blackhead-prone, oily skin. I use expensive versions of products because the ingredients are better (no alcohol, no fragrance, more concentrated but with better formulations that don’t lead to irritation or dryness) and I get the results I want. I prefer to spend on AHAs and BHAs and see a visible difference in my skin. I use them in both cleansers and serums.

Similarly retinol - I pay more to get the formulation and ingredients that work for me. I’m 32 and honestly look 25 - some of that is definitely genetic luck, but I have actually seen a difference to my forehead and smile lines through using retinol.

Moisturiser: meh. I buy that from Superdrug and usually just Simple - it’s not doing a thing “active”. I don’t use eye cream, neck cream etc, they’re the same as moisturisers. And I don’t spend a lot on make up - just a MAC foundation which lasts ages and everything else is drugstore.

Basically: spend where you need to, save where you can. If I wasn’t seeing a difference I’d change it up, but then again I have enough skin issues that there’s a difference to see.

QueenCT, your skin looks lovely, really glowing

YANBU. Creams can moisturise your skin to help dryness or dry it out to help spots, but they can't prevent or reverse wrinkling. If there were a magic ingredient that could do this, everyone would be buying it. Because there isn't, skin cream manufacturers trot out ever more extravagant claims for what's essentially moisturiser.

The real tragedy is that we are so horrified by the idea of ageing that people will buy into all kinds of mythical science in an effort to disguise it. A woman with wrinkles is seen as less worthy than a young woman; middle-aged women become invisible. We should be looking to reverse our ways of thinking, rather than our ageing, so that older people are valued by society for their life experience and there is no need to spend £££ on fruitless treatments to turn back the tide.

I used to have greasy skin and have lots of spots. I've tried every skin care going from cheap to expensive with little difference. Then I started using a brand and my skin is the best it has ever been. People actually tell me my skin glows and I don't wear any make-up on my skin anymore. For me now, I am quite happy to pay for this.

I've used oil of ulay since I was 16 every night religiously. I recently changed to nip fab retinol and my neck and declotage is so much better ! I don't know if it's worth it but def putting something on your face is worth it for sure .

Yanbu

The beauty industry is a con and companies will repackage products to sell in their different ranges a different package and name will determine what profit they make

Despite finding my skin holy grail I do think that just the very action of looking after your skin religiously makes a massive difference. On my 16th birthday (way back then) my mum took me to the shop and bought cleanse, tone and moisturise and told me to do it every morning and night. It was like a ritual where you take 5 mins to look after yourself. I've done it ever since with a few drunken exceptions, now for over 30 years. Not sure if this is the reason, but I am regularly told my skin is very nice and wrinkle free.

I agree with PP - staying out of the sun is the best protection. Two of my friends the same age as me have been lifelong sun worshippers. They are very clean living in all other ways, never smoked, drink once or twice a year, eat well, drink loads of water, do yoga and use expensive creams, but they both have dreadful wrinkles and look very leathery.

Sadly as I have got older I have noticed that if I drink alcohol my skin looks really bad for about a week afterwards.

I use a really wide range of skin products, some quite pricey, some cheap as chips.