To think face creams make no difference? Or am I using the wrong ones?!

[Happpp]

I’ve tried a lot. I still look old and haggard and the lines are still very much there (I know they won’t go entirely with a cream). I’m 42. What do people make of face creams?!

I thought the same OP, but a new friend who works as a dermatologist told me otherwise! Good cleanser for your skin type (La Roche/ Cerave/Elf), hylarounic acid (I use Elf), build up retinol use (I use Cerave one) and a nice moisuturer and my skin, which has been awful for years, is miles better. I thought it was all marketing but could really see improvement after a few weeks. Always pleasantly surprised and how much better I look if I catch myself in a shop mirror now.

Drink plenty of water and consistency with a facial routine.

Mornings wash face, cleanse, moisturise, sun screen. In the evening, ensure to wash off make up, wash, cleanse, moisturise.

I use the No7 range from boots and I've noticed a difference. I love their products but reading @Streaaa comment, I think I'll give the aldi products a go next as they'll probably be far more budget friendly.

However, I notice my skin looks so much better when I'm on top of my water intake and eating better.

Also gua sha has helped me too, YouTube Tina Engeo, she shows you step by step and you can just follow along.

All my life apart from a period where I used can expensive cream with a high spf in it, I’ve mostly used cheap creams and added my own spf and serums.

I personally don’t use vit c creams or serums. But my SIL uses Origins Gin Zing and has 2 young children and looks good so it must be doing something for her skin.

Interesting what a pp says about a dermatologist saying serums give you more bang for your buck as I like serums.

Dermatologists say serum is important but moisture creams although needed do not do much.

Boots do great skincare.

I've tried cleansing, toning and moisturising with cheap and more expensive products (not premium) then putting on SPF and tinted moisturiser. At night I use a vitamin C serum.
None of it makes any difference so I'm back to using the cheap stuff.

Agree about serums being more effective than moisturisers.

One thing that made an enormous difference to my skin was the Ordinary Aha peel, red liquid in a bottle. Was recommended on here.

Facial massages can make a big difference too, I like Abigail James's easy to follow ones.

If you enjoy being parted with your money for minimal effect, go for it. I think the skincare craze has got completely out of hand and is largely a marketing ploy. Cleanser, moisturiser and SPF are all you really need unless you have specific and serious skin conditions.

I think they are preventative not fixers 😬

Sorry OP! Perhaps you might benefit from some non invasive treatments like facials, fillers, profhilo etc if you are looking for a repair job?

In all honesty, I think you can massively wreck your skin with stuff like sun exposure, smoking, alcohol, but you can only make fairly minor improvements to your skin with lotions and potions etc.

I use tret and it has evened out my skin tone. That is the main difference it has made.

I use skin tape on my 11's and forehead and it has softened the 11s and held in check their deepening.

But facial sagging and lose of volume is way more ageing than lines and lotions and potions do bugger all for that.

I really think young women are wasting a small fortune which will make very little difference other than making them hyper focussed on their skin and ageing. Peri-menopause changes are going to hit these women really hard psychologically.

I note that there are older women on style and beauty who say they wish they had saved all the money they spent on skin care whilst younger, for a face lift instead, as that is all that will really make a difference.

I would also say that I have had several friends who tell me about products they have bought and what an amazing difference they have made to their skin but I honestly can't see any difference at all.

I am 61 with very good skin. I buy Nivea 55 plus moisture creams as 60plus is too rich for my skin.

Good ole'Home Bargains £3.99 each. Nivea is ace.

I think it depends on your skin. I have very sensitive skin and eczema and I can only use a particular cleansing lotion, moisturiser and face wash in the shower. I use a light foundation in the day. I only use spf on my face when uv is high. Otherwise I just try to limit my time in the sun.
It is good in ways, skin care is relatively cheap for me for one. My mother used to spend a small fortune on skincare at my age (early forties). Other than when the eczema is bad, I wouldn’t say my skin looks much better or worse than most my age.

I'm 42 and I upped my skin care routine approx. 9 months ago. I have noticed a difference, honestly. Especially through introducing a night cream. And I am not a beauty products kind of person, I've always kept things very simple (literally by using Simple products!).

While I am most definitely getting more lines, and the elasticity of my skin is decreasing, having a better skin care routine has softened my skin and made some of the lines less noticeable. I don't think you can truly anti-age your skin as the adverts suggest. But keeping it well moisturised makes a difference.

I did this from the age of 12:

• Simple cleanser, toner & moisturiser with spf in the morning. Nothing at night (unless had worn lots of make up, which is rare). Shower gel during shower.

Now I do this:

• Simple cleanser & toner & eye gel, Boots Vit C serum, Olay moisturiser with spf in the morning.
• Proper botanical facial wash in the shower.
• Simple cleanser, Olay night cream before bed (until recently I used L'Oreal with retinol but I found it a bit stingy).
• Occasional serum sheet mask (tried to do weekly, but now more like monthly).

I swear by Elemis bliss capsules every few months. I buy them on Ebay so much cheaper there than £78 retail price!

Like I said earlier I have great skin but look really refreshed and radiant within a week of using the capsules. They last 30 days.

I find skincare temporarily makes me look better ...and improves the look. But long term, I struggle to believe any of it really delays aging

Wow that’s rude
she isn’t fat in the slightest, she’s lost loads of weight. Shes tall and broad still but not fat
Would you walk up to someone in the street and say they were as fat as a pig?

I meant too late to turn back time. All you can do is slow down the process.

I have tried everything and now have given up as I have an app which you scan the barcode of products, it will then give you a rating on how harmful/toxic that product is. it was a wake up call for sure!!!
Most of the high end products even crème de la mer, are so full of crap I am no longer willing to put these on my skin.

They are all marketing ploys - just look at any celebrity, even with all their money and access to the best of the best, you can’t escape aging,

I now use an organic face oil from a small business which uses ingredient from plants.
Does the job to moisturise my skin.

Saying that, im still on the hunt for good skin so may just fall for the next marketing ploy…..

I'm 49 and find using any face and eye cream makes a difference v when I don't- particularly at night, which I never used to bother with. Skin looks much brighter and better. I use Nivea Q10.

I think skincare is the current "in thing:. All that stuff about 8 year olds asking for £80 products because they'd seen it on Tik Tok. Absolute nonsense.

My granny used Pond's cold cream and had lovely skin.

This is so helpful, thank you so much. I’ve been very slowly building up my tretinoin use and now have no pealing if I use once every 2/3 days, and barrier well. I might look at introducing the peel pads soon following what you did. Thank you!

The only thing proven to improve fine lines is retinol with tretinoin being the king of retinols. Also sunscreen every day.

Diet is massively important for your skin