AIBU to feel overwhelmed by skincare routines becoming another pressure?

[GimmieABreakOr3]

I’m mid 30s - plastered all over my social media (Instagram & Facebook) seems to be a bombardment of 10 step skincare routines, everyone going on about what products they’re using, glass skin, Korean skincare, this serum, that serum, snail mucin, glycolic pads, salicylic pads, this moisturiser, that spf…

I just feel like it’s become another obsession for girls and women to fixate and obsess over. Do others agree?! If it’s not our weight, it’s how our pores, lines, skin texture. Enough already.

What happens if you have acne or problem skin though? I feel a lot of people who are like “I use nothing,” “just soap, water and soap on a bit of Nivea moisturiser” are the lucky ones among us who have never experienced acne, or rosacea….

I have rosacea and mainly just ignore it. My face gets washed in the shower. Sometimes it's really red all day. Sometimes it's red and covered in bumps and little spots. Sometimes it's fine. I have no interest in spending time or money trying to fix it.

This is me today. Not great, not terrible either. Definitely not a problem that I feel needs fixing with expensive creams and faffing. I don't give it much headspace.

I am interested in skin care and cooking so my social media feed has loads of stuff on that because the algorithm has figured that out. DS is interested in fitness and health and cat videos so his social media has loads on those things. DH is interested in music and entertainment and DIY so.... you guessed it... that's what his social media feed is plastered with.

Re skincare, I AM interested, but not in the complicated crazy shit so I just scroll past those posts and then stop when a post is somethign i'm interested in. Usually osmething like, "10 second eye make" or "Best all-in-one-serums" because I AM interested, but am not spending hours on anything!

But to someone else they could be so worried about their skin and what other people were thinking about them and so they want advice. Everyone's different. Who knew. It's not a competition to care the least.

It is a choice no one is foves to do it i have never had a routine not every woman i know does, msybe dont live your life by the internet?

I know. No problem with anyone who does care. But the question OP asked was whether anyone with "problem" skin didn't care so I was just providing an example of someone

My husband has Roscea and used to do what you do what happened to him was that it spread to his eye lids and ended up having very painful surgery to remove it as it could have affected his eyes. his surgeon told him he has to look after his skin condition or it could have more serious issues further on. he doesn't have an extreme routine but he looks after it now and never ever skips a day of spf. spf spray is in his van in his office always with him

Skin care is a euphemism for how to slather loads of crap on your face that will result in loads of skin problems requiring further 'skin care' products. Social media is one long advertisement of other people and products. Why let it into your life? It causes stress, anxiety, depression, FOMO, envy etc all completely unnecessary.

To be fair my Gran is in her 80s and she’s always used skincare. She wouldn’t call it a wanky “skincare routine” but she does tone, cleanse and moisturise plus uses SPF daily including lip balm. Her skin is amazing. It’s partially that I guess and her good diet, plus she’s never smoked or drank. Definitely not genetic, her sisters are chain smokers and look horrendous.

I agree it’s a bit overblown at the minute and I don’t think anyone needs 500 different products. It is another way to make money ultimately, by making women feel shit about themselves. Get off social media.

Nobody needs retinol.

I dunno, I quite like having nice skin. You don't have to do any of this stuff.

You can't have it both ways. If you have problem skin then yes, you have to look into options to make it look and feel better. And yes, that might result in social media posts.

But you don't have to buy into the crazy 50 step routines either.

That’s what I’m saying…….

I don't understand? You agree that there's no need to buy into hype? so why are you concerned about it? I mean, there are people who buy into it, but I don't think people are doing it against their will. It's people who like it and are interested.

Just like I couldn't give a flying monkey's about my own starter and making my own sourdough.... but lots of people do. So even though I see loads of content on this, I don't think I, or most people I know, feel pressurised by it?

I love skincare. I am probably quite shallow but I can happily spend hundreds of pounds and many hours researching and doing my routine. It makes me happy. The minute it feels like pressure or is unenjoyable in any way, I will stop.