To think elaborate skincare is unnecessary, or will my face fall off with this routine?

[GreatBigYou]

All my friends of a similar age (40s) seem to use loads of different serums and potions, but I can never remember/be bothered too.

I just wash my face with a face wash (Superdrug one) and use moisturiser (currently Simple one) in the morning. I don't wear makeup usually so I don't do anything at night.

AIBU to think that everything else is a bit of a con that doesn't have any lasting impact? Or will I regret being laissez-faire when I'm in my 50s or 60s?

@GeneCity I also belong to the less is more school. I use Tret twice a week, sunscreen and Olay moisturiser. That's it. No serums or expensive creams. Quite simple and costs me less than £15 per year as I get tret overseas.

Yes, you do need to use more sunscreen with Tret in summer, but I hardly use any in winter.

My definition of working is that it has given it me smooth, bright, wrinkle free skin and erased some scars.

Oh and I am never doing Botox. I dont believe I need it.

Men do not age better. Most look like potatoes with eyes when they get past 50

Women look far better and I'm straight so not biased

I always say I look like a potato with eyes! I'm not a man though.

@Disturbia81 I didn’t say they age “better”, I said they have thicker skin and age differently. This is just a fact. I agree that many men look like potatoes with eyes - love that image btw! 🥔 👀 That’s beside the point though. They get fewer wrinkles over a longer period of time due to thicker skin. There’s no value judgement attached to this. It’s just a fact.

Ah okay yeah I agree they literally have thicker skin but doesn't make them look younger.

Sorry just so used to seeing "men age better" they really, really don't.

I think we are all a bit hung up on the wrinkles thing, and yes, if you smoke/am outside without sunscreen for decades, you can go overly wrinkly, but in general I don't think that's what makes people look older, it's that our faces sort of slide down, and you get jowls. Now perhaps on mumsnet, people neither get wrinkles or jowls, but in the real world, it's that which gives away people's ages and no-one is exempt from that completely unless they start doing drastic things (think Madonna, she doesn't have wrinkles, but sure as heck looks odd).

I also wonder whether people have fewer wrinkles these days as they are inside most of the time in most jobs, and also fatter. I certainly think those two things have helped me have fewer wrinkles even though I have that fine skin that does wrinkle easily, but the jawline tells the story...and no amount of applying cream makes a difference to that (or indeed a lot of the non-invasive procedures, I keep seeing newspaper articles about them and the people look pretty much the same in both before and after photos!)

The only think I've noticed that makes a big difference to skin is giving up smoking, smokers looks greyer and much better after quitting as they have more oxygen in their blood, and a couple of friends who no longer drink so much, their skin looks far less coarse than previously, indeed one friend lost about 10 years looks-wise through quitting drinking and losing a bit of weight.

I have a skincare routine but not overly exhaustive but be try effective. I use tretinoin (medically proven to reduce wrinkles and improve skin, moisturiser and spf 50 daily. Works a treat!

Yanbu I keep it fairly straightforward too. Face wash, toner, moisturiser all cheap as chips 'boots everyday rose' range. So basically the same as u but with toner. I mix spf in with my foundation but it's just the kids suncream so again nothing fancy! I like to do a Superdrug face mask once a week. That's it.

I prefer to look after my skin from the inside with healthy living. I'm 34.

I rarely wear makeup and usually just wash my face with water in the shower, and use sunscreen. Apparently I have good skin. Am in my 40s. Will see what happens I guess.

This has been really interesting.

For the record, I don't think I actually have great skin- I have visible pores etc, sometimes get spots. I guess I just don't care enough about it to make the effort to do something though. Like if I could add one thing and it'd sort it I'd do it, but if it meant I had to spend time doing several steps morning and night I know I'd do it for a week or so and just not keep it up.

And I think I look my age.

I'm interested in the tret, although skin+me is loads more than I'd be prepared to spend and having to get a prescription sounds like a hassle?

Many years ago I worked in accountants' offices. We had a pharmacy as a client and they had a new gadget which could look deep into skin, and they experimented on us. Granted my skin was much younger then, but they told me I had very good skin and to continue with whatever moisturiser I was using. At that time it was Johnsons Baby Lotion!

I actually agree with pps who said what you put into your body has more of an effect than what you put on your skin. I use moisturiser with sun protection as it's needed where I live, all year round, but otherwise just wash it with a cleanser as my skin is a bit sensitive to soap.

That is a benefit of living in the UK's climate (I presume that's where you live?). I never sunbathe, but I walk every day so wear moisturiser with sunscreen every day, winter and summer, or my face would get burnt whenever I'm out. I also use lip balm with sunscreen - burnt lips are no fun!

*For the record, I don't think I actually have great skin- I have visible pores etc, sometimes get spots. I guess I just don't care enough about it to make the effort to do something though. Like if I could add one thing and it'd sort it I'd do it, but if it meant I had to spend time doing several steps morning and night I know I'd do it for a week or so and just not keep it up.

And I think I look my age.*

I think that's interesting though, for me I hate having any imperfections in my skin. Even when I was young, I liked to look after my face. I never have spots and I notice things like stress or poor sleep and how that reflects in my skin. Having nice skin to me is the same as wanting to have nice clean teeth, or maintain my weight. I don't really do several steps, I cleanse, use Tret and moisturise. In the morning I use Spf. It's no chore to me. I love it when my skin glows. And I rarely wear makeup.

I am 30 and always had adult acne due to contraception.

I used to wash face, moisturise but it didnt do much good.

Recently, I bought the Aveeno oat collection - a cleanser, toner and moisturizer that I use morning and night. I changed up my foundation to an SPF one and I have seen a difference in my skin.

I have friends who are really into skin care and have about 6 different potions but I quite frankly dont have the time to do it as a single parent household.

I have a fairly lengthy (by some standards) slim regime now.

I have been doing it about 2 months. I bumped into a colleague when shopping a few days ago and they asked me what I had been doing because my skin looked great. It’s all based on hydration. Takes me about 5-10 mins twice a day and I enjoy taking the time out for myself.

I don’t think I look younger but my skin looks better. I am not having to use concealer and just CC cream and a bit of blusher on my face.

I think some people have great skin in different ways. I have never had spots on my face. Ever. But my skin can look dull and dehydrated really easily, which means it also takes an ashy or grey appearance as I have quite olive skin. Some peoples skin always looks hydrated. Some people can do nothing and it looks great. Some people get spots but age better than others.

I do agree that it’s more about what you eat than what you put on it.

But when it comes to skin care it’s definitely about finding what suits you. In regards to time, money, interest. After all you have no idea what you would look like with. Different regime.

People who look quite good for having a simple routine might look worse or better for having a longer one. Or someone may have good skin but using too much makes it worse

I ditched skin and me about a year ago. Didn’t really suit me. My skin looks better from using a mixture of beauty pie (their eye cream and niacinimide serum is really good) and K/ Jbeauty brands.

To get K/J beauty brings in the Uk I recommend LIKESKIN UK, Glamtouch UK or Stylevana UK.

Stylevana usually has a better selection and has good offers. But the other 2 are smaller companies. LIKESKIN is very small and I do prefer to use them but they have very limited stock and limited ranges.

I just got the ‘isntree Hyaluronic acid’ spf. It’s great. Rubs in well. Not sticky. No white cast. Definitely my favourite so far.

I am quite into skin care especially, K beauty. I got my adult dd on it and it’s transformed her skin and she suffered a bit with blocked pores and has sensitive skin.

Hi @mycatsanutter sorry just seen this. Caveat - I am not a dermatologist although I work alongside derms so know quite a bit about skincare and what works etc. I also have read a lot of the scientific studies and source materials about them. Some ingredients really do make a difference.

I would start by trying tretinoin (the most effective retinoid with years of evidence - I seriously wouldn’t even bother with retinoids you can buy over the counter. Your skin needs to turn it into retinoic acid for it to be effective - which is essentially what tretinoin is.) Even if it doesn’t work for your specific condition it’s simply the best thing for skin. It’s usually the first thing derms get people on. You can’t buy it over the counter but can get it on prescription and online at brands such as skin and me, and begin and dermatica.

The other great thing for texture is azelaic acid. I have used tretinoin for a few years and recently have added azelaic acid and my skin is so smooth. it’s a magical combo.

Then vitamin C (ascorbic acid) for brightness. But do research here because vitamin c breaks down very quickly when with water. You can get it in powdered form from The Ordinary super cheaply and simply mix a small amount of the powder into your usual moisturiser - so no breakdown because you then apply immediately.

Niacinamide is great for texture and pores too. Lots of evidence behind it.

Then acids - AHAs such as glycolic and lactic acid or BHAs such as salicylic acid every now and then - toners or masks for instance. PHAs are a more gentle form. I just used an AHA toner today. Good for exfoliation with having to use physical scrubs which scratch the skin. It’s why derms don’t recommend them.

Then hyaluronic acid for moisture. Ceramides and peptides.

That would be my list of the things worth pursuing.

@Ndd135632 thank you I really appreciate your time in replying I will do some Googling and purchasing , thank you