To think skincare is a con

[Hannahbsnana]

i occasionally have a cup of tea and a natter with a woman who lives a few doors down from me. She’s 79 but quite young minded and totally on the ball. She also has pretty good skin.

We were moaning about the price of stuff in the shops a while back and I was telling her how much I spend on cleansers, toners. serums,, moisturisers etc. She said she’d never used anything of the sort - only suncream when she’d gone abroad. She washes her face with ‘soap and water’.

it got me thinking…..I’m getting on for 50 and have used skin products all my adult life and I’m pretty sure I look at least my age.

So I made a decision, I used up the last of my products and then didn’t replace any of them except my cleanser.

For the first week to ten days my face felt dry, especially after washing. But I persevered. It’s now been about 7 weeks. My skin no longer feels dry. I honestly believe it has balanced itself out and is producing iits own oils as required.

my skin is not suddenly amazing or anything.it’s no better than it was before when I was spending a fortune on products. But….it’s definitely no worse either!!

iI’ll carry on using suncream when needed, but other than that, I’m done. I’m going to save myself about £60 a month.

AIBU to think us women are being conned? Clever marketing and misogyny has made us terrified of not slathering chemicals on our mugs every day!

[Quitelikeit]

I agree. I use a inexpensive moisturiser a few days a week mostly for dry skin.

only use soap to wash

[Thatswhyimacat]

I actually think the current trend for loads of acids and exfoliating products is going to cause a lot of problems long-term. It makes people look really glowy at the total expense of their skin barrier and natural cell turnover, which will worsen ageing in the long run.

[Petronus]

I agree. Botox obviously works, I think a lot of the other off the shelf stuff is marketing.

[JanglyBeads]

I abhor the ads that pretend there's actual science behind it all.

I often get compliments about my skin, and all I've put on it for the last 40 years is Johnson's Baby Lotion!

[JaceLancs]

I’m 58 and don’t use any ‘products’
I wash my face with soap and water usually Bronnley lemon or lime
I stay out of the sun on my face and use high factor face protection in summer
In winter if my skin is dry use e45 cream or a generic type ulay moisturiser and Vaseline on lips
I’m told I look 10 years younger than my age but I think some of that is the extra fat as I’m currently a size 16

[dingbat56]

I use Facial wash and water and a no7 moisturiser in the summer months , I also don’t wear makeup .I think your right .

[WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps]

Agree. Early 50s here, never used ANY skincare, don't wear much make up. I have nice soft smooth skin. Often pass for late 40s.

[Zone2NorthLondon]

The con is not the skincare or the active ingredients. The con is the inflated price
Best favour you can do your skin is use SPF daily and remove any make up daily
Moisture and use retinol, brands like the ordinary are excellent and accessible in price. Skincare Bargains to be had in tkmaxx too

[TheCheesecakeIsPoisoned]

I have oily, congested skin so if I don’t cleanse or use salicylic acid my skin is pretty horrible. I think if you have normal skin it’s probably fine not to do anything.

[MindPalace]

Never used anything but water to wash my face and then Nivea, am 50, but people say I look late 30s. But my young adult DDs both use so much face stuff and lecture me for not doing so. Pointless imo.

[PeloFondo]

Depends on your skin. Mine is acne prone and I use specific products, and it now looks incredible
My dad washes his face with anything that foams and looks way younger than he is, so the genes help too
Wash your face (because it's skin and needs washing like any other body part) and protect it from the sun with SPF
I use tretinoin for my acne

[Etive]

I’ve gone back to Astral cream and home made rose hip oil after years of using numerous skin products. I’m 54 and can’t be arsed with botox or fillers any more, I’ve resigned myself to age gracefully.

[Olamiamore]

I've always thought this. Whenever I've used skincare my skin is both oilier and drier and a bit of a mess! I've tried all.sorts from cheap to expensive and I get the same results.
I've only used cold water in the morning and a face wash in the bath at night for years and think I look fine for my age.

I think its much more about what you put into your body than on it!

[donttellmehesalive]

I agree. Many dermatologists say the same. I stopped using my expensive skincare when I realised that all of their staff had terrible skin. I just watched a TikTok of which order to apply your skincare - I can't remember the order but there were ten things to apply. Ridiculous.

[AlwaysLatte]

I've changed my mind about all this too. I've ditched my usual Clarins and now use micellar water for cleansing followed by glycolic egg soap (both last ages) followed by Olay Regenerist and eye cream if I'm not in a hurry or BB all in one cream if I am (nighttime micellar and Regenerist night cream). I've saved a lot and can't honestly see a difference.

[Shmithecat2]

Depends on your skin - mine was awful before I started a proper routine. Salicylic acid and niacinamide have improved my skin no end.

[Picklypickles]

I've always had very dry skin that flakes so I NEED moisturiser! I use the superdrug Vitamin E one with Factor 15 SPF in it, I also use the Vitamin E facial scrub and lip balm. That's all I use, no make up either. All those products cost me less than a fiver each and last ages.

[PeloFondo]

Tret took my skin from this to this so I am definitely not being conned! You can prise it out my dead hands

[FurryDandelionSeekingMissile]

My skin looks pretty unlined in my mid-thirties and I very rarely have any kind of spot or blemish. I wash my face with water, no soap or facewash, just using my hands or, if I feel the need for more thorough cleaning, a flannel. No makeup, no products. Very occasionally, if my face skin feels dry in some places, I put on a small amount of very light moisturiser in those specific areas. Using anything other than water dries my skin out and causes irritation, moisturising beyond the bare minimum causes spots, so I took the message and stopped using anything on my face at all.

[BiologicalKitty]

Early 40s.

I don't wear makeup - zilch apart from lip balm.

I wash my face in the shower with face soap.

Use moisturiser as and when it feels necessary, which is not often.

I look and feel fine.

[BanjoVio]

I saw a dermatologist this year after suffering with acne for two decades. She had me write a list of the products I used on my skin every day and helped me to understand that it was an incredible amount (and expensive!) She showed me that I was actually using several products that do the same thing and we whittled it down to a moisturiser that also works as a primer, and a cleanser that is both a make-up remover and toner. She also mentioned sun cream, so if I’m going to be outdoors I need minimum of SPF50 no matter what time of year. My skin has never been better.

[Luckynumbereight]

Yes!!! The less product I use, the better my skin looks.

[whatwouldAnnaDelveydo]

Of course it is! Do you really need MN to tell you that? If course its good to use some hydration (can be coconut oil or anything) and suncream, but isn't it obvious that "skincare routine" is completely unnecessary?

[Zone2NorthLondon]

There will folk who get by on soap & water and those who need more active treatments
I agree with @BanjoVio less is more. And as I said SPF daily
I recommend the ordinary as a good starting point.

[Banana7]

I spend way too much on creams and things, but I enjoy the feel and smell of them. What I notice makes my skin look really good is when I : have decent nights sleep, eat lots of fruit and vegs, drink lots of water, don't drink alcohol and also exercise. Now this seldom ever happens anymore but I know that's the key for me. I should but I don't therefore I fall for the fancy stuff promising miracles.