to think that good skincare and "tweakments" do make a big difference?

[frostedcup]

I'm in my late 40's and have for a long time resisted getting sucked into expensive skincare products, devices and treatments as a way to look better, have smoother skin etc. I know a lot of women in my age group as well as some younger and some older and so I feel like I do see the difference between those who have been like me i.e. fairly basic in their skincare to those who pay a lot for expensive products and get treatments. I know genetics do play a role but I am talking about women in my close family, women I grew up with who I know were doing the same damage to their looks in their youth that I was and yet their use of retinol, tretinoin, botox, face peels and so on seems to have completely slowed down the way that the damage has shown up on their faces in that it essentially doesn't.

I have been using some basic skincare for years such as cerave cleaners and moisturisers and I do use SPF most of the time. I would occasionally try a serum , toner or face mask but not consistently but last year I did invest in some higher end skincare and a tretinoin prescription and my skin is looking so much better and its really boosted my confidence. I have some forehead lines that I don't think topical skincare will address and so I have decided to get some botox in that area and am also considering a peel or dermal needling as well as an LED mask.

I always worried that botox would make me look overdone but when I look at the women I know who get it they just look better in my opinion. I do know one younger woman who looks a bit strange at certain angles but I believe that is down to filler use as I know she has that. Overall I think botox makes a big positive difference to the women I know have had it.

I do worry that by participating in getting botox and other skin treatments that I am perpetuating a kind of pressure on women to follow suit. I think in some ways that is what has happened to me really that I got fed up of being on the other side of that divide of those who have it and those who haven't or perhaps it doesn't really matter and we all just do our own thing.

I used to use retinol cream, Dermatica. Since I stopped it, my skin has never looked better!

I don’t think there is any miracle product or procedure. It’s a lucky match of product and skin. Which is why not everything works for everyone.

I am a bit odd perhaps and like my wrinkles. I feel they show the life I have lived at 55. Ha, I even think they sometimes look quite sexy. Deluded perhaps?!

I use rice and niacin skin wash and moisturiser, haruharu eye cream, and Skin1004 ampule. I think Korean skincare has slightly different focus - it focuses on maintaining skin balance, calming and refreshing. UK and US market is focused mostly on exfoliating, peeling and otherwise stressing the skin.
I'd say the only comparable products that come close are Aveda skincare but it's much more expensive.

Honestly I think botox makes you still look your age but just with botox. You can always tell and people saying you can’t are lying 😂

Hrtft but based on your op, Yanbu

we’re too old to worry about what we’re doing to the feminist cause girl, honestly, these women don’t care anyway!! 😂

I am saving for Botox myself - it’s been around for a while now so can be done well imo

🥰🥰

I'm not interested in looking younger but I do want to look my best. To look and feel good in my mid 40s, I've had to seriously improve nutrition, exercise and sleep. I do regularly have beauty treatments and have lots of skincare and gadgets to help make my skin and hair the best it can be. This has been much harder for me during perimeno as hair loss, insomnia and acne have been making this far more difficult than in my 20s when I could fall alseep drunk in my makeup at 3am and still look great the next day.

I don’t think I’d ever apply the word ‘haggard’ to myself. It’s just not something I’d think about. Basic skin care so it feels nice. Wouldn’t pay for anything else. Don’t wear make up. Don't dye my hair (it’s grey).
Each to their own, but why so critical of yourself.

To those of you who use tret - has it faded your hyperpigmentation? I've been using it for approx 4 years and still have quite a few brown spots. I use it every night and I use the strongest option. I don't sandwich. I use SPF 50 every single day. Thank you.

Korean skincare has faded my hyperpigmentation.

Would you mind sharing which products exactly you used, please?

Private medical insurance doesn’t cover everything. It doesn’t really do the kind of preventative care that you might want )and which is more standard in the rest of Europe in their national health services) eg bloods, pelvic ultrasound, DEXA scan. If you have symptoms of course these may be covered by your policy where clinically indicated but if you don’t then no.

And few even top notch private dental insurance schemes cover the full extent of orthodontic work for bite correction or cosmetic bonding etc that may be required with age related issues.

@EvelynBeatrice To be honest I don't think I would waste money on cosmetic treatments if I didn't have the money to take care of dental and health care. Fortunately I have sufficient funds for both.

Yes - I fear I have not communicated my point clearly - which is that before spending thousands a year on beauty, it may be prudent to consider whether an investment in your health, instead of or as well as your face, may be prudent. eg if over 50 and slim, consider a DEXA scan, think about private vaccinations eg shingles etc etc.

Healthy, well nourished, hydrated skin ( with wrinkles or without) looks beautiful. Upright posture, with a body that moves fluidly, is priceless.Medical grade skincare (including Retinol) and good genetics, has also helped in my case.

Good to know

I think your previous routine of cerave, moisturiser, spf along with water, good food and sleep will make you age a healthier way than th le peels, acids and treatments. I changed skincare routine for a while and I thought I looked like a fake doll, my friends who loved skincare thought I looked fab, others said I looked ‘different’ (looking like they were trying not to wince!) When I got back to my simpler routine my smile lines retuned and my skin just looked healthier!

If it’s a choice of the two I’m sure most people would choose to fix health problems.

However people who can afford private health insurance and the associated expenses for private preventative care can typically also afford a few hundreds pounds a year on skin care. They can also afford to eat well, take supplements, do pilates regularly, go on regular relaxing holidays etc.

I only ever come across tweakments in the context of a generally healthy lifestyle and prioritisation of self-care.

It has evened my skin tone, I have a mixture of tret and niacinamide, so that helps. I am nearly 80 and have no brown spots on my face. I didn’t have any before used tret, though, so it might have prevented them forming. It has reduced other blemishes too.
While I’m here can I ask if anyone uses a fibroblast plasma pen at home, for things like warts, keratosis? I have bought one. I don’t intend using it on my face, sounds too risky, eg scarring, but for small blemishes, skin tags on the back, arms etc. Also interested in experiences from those who have had plasma pen professional treatment on the face and neck.

I’m with Dermatica, and my skin has definitely been better since using tret! I use it with moisturiser, as otherwise it can be a bit harsh.

Anua cleansing oil
Anua deep cleansing foam
House of Joseon rice milk toner, glow serum and Dynasty cream.

I also add in the Ordinary Volufiline as it makes my skin shine.

I find the house of Joseon products slightly drying so might change what I use when they run out. I like the Anua products. There are various other products, I just googled what might be suitable for my skin type.

What is the collagen wand you use called ?

I know loads of people who have botox but mostly really subtle and they just look fresher and more of a glow. It is the fillers IMO that make people look odd, one school mum was absolutely stunning but she now has that odd alien shape people get with too much cheek filler.

I have a small amount of botox every 4 months roughly. I love how it means make up goes on really nicely, it makes my skin look brighter but not so noticeable it looks like I have work done. I would never get lip fillers, I dont think its ever not noticeable and always looks a bit odd.

I am looking at skin boosters soon, would love to hear how others find them?

I am allergic to almost all fancy anti ageing creams. I can use that Skin and Me which really works for me, as my daily moisturiser I use Dermalogica Skin Smoothing cream as its very gentle.

I’ve lost 10.5st and started really paying attention to my face and skin once I hit the 4st loss mark.

Massive weightloss can definitely contribute to sagging skin in the face which can make people look a lot older very quickly and o wanted to avoid that so started collagen-boosting treatments, then Botox (forehead, crows feet, 11s, marionette lines, masseter) and a few other things (red and blue light, Sculptra, DesoFace, RF microneedling, really good devils, retinol etc).

I just didn’t want to put all the effort into losing weight only to feel my face looked worse, so tweakments and treatments helped me.

💯

I think people believe this as there are people out there with dreadful botox or too much so think they can always tell when people have had botox, you should only really be able to notice when someone purposely tries to completely wrinkle their forehead and can't. A decent person doing it will actually make it look quite natural, I have seen many great examples.

I do agree it doesnt necessarily make you look younger, neck, hands and other stuff gives that game away. I think it gives just brighter smoother skin. A bit more radiant.

Even natural fillers can look great but people just go way over the top as they get used to how they look then have more and more, they change the shape of your face and its odd.