AIBU to think it’s ridiculous how much ‘extra stuff’ has been added to the average routine!

[TheGirlWhoLived]

So a decade ago I used to wipe off my make-up with a 3-in-1 wipe, pop on some cheap moisturiser and brush my teeth. That’s it, that was the extent of my night time routine.

Now I’m late 30’s and suddenly I brush, floss and use mouthwash. Apply a 7-step cleansing/toning/treatment/moisturising skincare plan, use bio oil and tightening creams, take various supplements (including biotin, turmeric, collagen, magnesium, apple cider vinegar, ashwaganda, cod liver oil, b12, k2, d3 ETC) - all before getting into bed.

This doesn’t even include the daytime additions of gut healthy seeds, low upf,7 fruit and veg, 10,000 steps, strength training, yoga for flexibility, fresh air, 30 different plants, kombucha, kefir and whatever else I’m meant to do to stave off illness, it’s exhausting!

Please tell me everyone’s routine has been embellished in the last decade or have I just been taken in by all this extra rubbish!?

I don't wear make up, wash my face in the shower and occasionally use that special water stuff to cleanse and then moisturiser - maybe twice a week, whenever I think about it. I do have collagen in my coffee every day as it helps my joints. Take iron as I'm anaemic currently, magnesium and a multivitamin.

I obviously brush my teeth, and use interdental brushes when I remember.

Eat a lot of veg and drink a shit ton of water.

CBA with it all, live is too short

I’m not sure it all makes much difference, the face stuff, I look my best on holiday, younger, happier, skin clearer…and that’s a wash of the face and some spf 50.

unfortunately I can’t holiday 365 a year.

I think you are a marketer’s dream OP.
My daughter’s use expensive Korean skincare stuff. Like there’s some magical chemicals they only have access to. Then they get reactions from all the products they use.
I take D2, occasional zinc and magnesium. Soap in shower, Lidl face cream when I remember. Exercise (gym, walking)and eat well. Drink tea instead of water. Haven’t been to Dr in over 20 years and people say I look much younger than I am. Probably luck but I think too much messing leads to problems that need further messing. Plus all that stuff is in your head giving you stress if you don’t do it.

I couldn't be arsed with all that. Teeth, piss and bed. Wash my face in the shower in the morning. Occasional random moisturiser.

I used to take a lot of supplements then I found out my mum was taken off loads of supplements over menopause because she had kidney issues. She randomly told me and said she hoped it wasn’t genetic so I hopped off them all except vitamin d and biotin (hair was falling out and awful before biotin). Doctor did bloods recently and in general they were good but first thing she said was ‘ah good you’re not on a lot of supplements- this is a lot easier to work than if you’re on a lot of stuff’ and that kind of stuck with me (I had been wondering whether to jump back on😅)

Op the bigger difference I see in myself over a decade ago is I don’t look after myself how I did, because of kids really, I used to take the odd nap, I got regular time to myself, used to drink water (can’t drink as much due to work or being constantly in the car!!) used to take baths regularly, went to the beautician, I ran or hiked at the weekend (to be fair we still do a bit of that but not the same on your body with kids)

I think we do all the stuff because we don’t do the relaxing stuff

Think this is bonkers. I'm nearly 60, pass for late 40s and I wash my hair sometimes twice a week, shower every other day, don't wear makeup. Moisturise if my skin feels dry take no supplements. I mean, carry on if it helps but I could be arsed with the faff

I do more than I used to but not much. The trick is to build it into your core routine so you don’t have to give it headspace.

I wash face, cheap moisturizer and sun screen in summer, brush and floss teeth. Dentist doesn’t recommend mouthwash unless specifically recommended for conditions like gum disease.

Eating good quality food means you shouldn’t need supplements. I eat the same breakfast every day to ensure I get nuts, seeds, berries and kefir in each day without effort.

Exercise / steps - build it into your routine and forget about it. If you have a fitness tracker, use it to work out what functional exercise you could build in to ensure you hit targets and then switch it off and just do them. Things like walking the dog, cycling to the shops. I do gardening in place of strength training, then I have a beautiful functional space for my efforts and no membership. Yoga stretches in the evening to sort my back out before bed.

I do floss, and I take a Magnesium supplement.

Don’t bother with all that skin care - I don’t always wear make up but I do always moisturise- I try to remember to take make off if wearing it!

All of that sounds like a complete palaver and I couldn't be bothered with it.
I'm 63 and use a 2 in 1 cleanser and toner- that's my skincare routine.
i don't take any vitamins or supplements and my health is fine.

I think a lot of people see stuff on SM and think they have to do the same or they're somehow missing out.

Save your money.

Regarding faces and looking young, it’s genetics and spf and a bit of diet thrown in. Very little will be down to products and supplements.

I do my best with makeup at 55. Less is more and I have bought stuff to try and give me a more dewy complexion. But I am not deluded and never hope to look young again! I take a vit D/calcium supplement after tests showed I needed them.

Being fit and healthy is important. The other stuff is just superficial. If it brings joy then carry on. If it feels like a chore, stop.

In my view, as we age, the most important investment in my view is in relationships. Stay socially connected as you enter the next phase of life. I know that is not the MN way, but avoiding isolation and keeping in touch with people is vital as we get older for our health.

Also, when is it in your life that you're thinking about this stuff? I'd say I've got a pretty standard life - I go to work, I hang out with my husband and kids, and sometimes I go out with friends or family. Yes, I like to look nice, and I do wear a bit of make-up, and clothes that I like, when I'm at work or going out. But at no point am I sitting there (while doing my job or chatting with my friends) thinking 'oh god, I wish my skin was looking 10% more dewy'. Is anyone actually spending their day thinking like this??

I've noticed the same thing but in my case it's down to aging. To stay strong, healthy and smooth was easy in my twenties. In my sixties it takes a lot more work.

Please be careful about taking ashwagandha and turmeric, they can be very dangerous. It’s unlikely that you actually need them

That's insane. But your children are older than mine so maybe you have found yourself with lots of time and nothing to do. I can't explain it otherwise.

Yes it takes more effort to look good when you're older but not that.

Wow you’ve swallowed a lot of TikToc OP! Just stop…this extreme routine just isn’t necessary! 🤯

You’re a market managers dream…and you’re making other people very very rich!

The majority of people do which is why the NHS advise it, unless you’ve had your vitamin D tested as ok

Sadly this is just a money making scheme perpetuating the idea that women need to do all this to be worthwhile beings.

I go by the principle that I’m always clean - I don’t bother any further

I suppose I could get on board with supplements for my general health, if I ever remembered to take them. They would need to be saving me from certain death and even then I might forget🤣 But I honestly don’t subscribe to the idea that anyone’s skin needs all that attention. I use SPF50 all year round (if I didn’t do it in winter, my brain wouldn’t be able to compute when to start again.) That’s it. My skin sadly has significant sun damage from my teens and early twenties when I stupidly tried to force a tan on my virtually see-through skin while abroad, but I don’t have wrinkles (I’m 59.) That’s probably thanks to my mum who had barely a wrinkle on her face right into her mid eighties. She had several carcinomas removed from her face, so too much UV exposure, yet hardly a wrinkle. I honestly think it’s largely genetic when it comes to the condition of your skin, but using a sunscreen is probably the single most beneficial thing you can do. And not smoking (which my mum did for 30 years, but I never have.)

I’m 40 and don’t do any of those things… just seemed like companies trying to sell me stuff.

@TheGirlWhoLived oh how I miss the No7 3 in 1 wipes. They were great. When they were discontinued I switched to Clinique Take Off the Day and decided it was time to treat myself and started using Estee eye, day and night cream. My skin felt and still feels a bit softer. I am blessed with good skin and did bugger all until I was late 50s, 65 now. My mum is 89 and her skin's pretty good still so it's genetic. I've always worn foundation, blusher, powder nearly every day.

You always should have been flossing.

I take 2000 vit D from Sept to April and 1000 May to August - every day.

One thing I should have done was to have looked after my hands better.

I was having a similar conversation with my daughter just the other day. We are both SO busy (I'm nearer 70 than 60 but still working full time as I can't afford not to!) and she runs her own businesses. Trouble is, the older I get, the more my daughter wants me to preserve my health, and I struggle to fit in all the things I need to be taking/doing each day, namely....

tai chi; resistance exercises; walking; inhaling (have vocal cord issues); playing my wind instrument (have lung issues); meditating; taking 3 different supplements; taking a statin; eating enough vegetables; flossing; using interdental brushes; using cleanser and toner, eye serum, face serum, moisturiser; applying 'dry eye' drops morning and night.

Aaaaaargh!!!!!

My husband has rosacea and I can’t even get him to keep up with the prescribed cream he was given as it “doesn’t work” well no it won’t if you don’t persevere. I have said he needs to wear SPF as well to stop it getting worse but he only wears it on holiday. He uses an acid toner sometimes so that makes me 😳 as you need an SPF after that but it’s his face and I guess his red nose can’t bother him that much otherwise he would persevere. He does take a multivitamin though
My son is 22 and definitely been sucked in- he buys the Dr Melaxin pore powder stuff, teeth whitening strips, K2, creatine etc. Recently he has been using Peptides- Reta that’s not even approved here yet which makes me feel a bit anxious in case it’s harmful but he won’t listen. But his diet is still 80% fast food so it’s baffling my brain! Just eat healthy and you won’t need to inject yourself. He admitted the other day that his skin isn’t even better for it
Apparently Reta is better than MJ etc as it has skin benefits but I wouldn’t know
In lockdown my sister got me the Caroline Hirons book and because I was bored I did get really into my skincare and spent way too much money on things I thought I needed but then never used once the novelty wore off but now I just cleanse, use Tretinoin and moisturise with an SPF50 come rain or shine. I enjoy a Trip Magnesium drink and drink Pukka night tea before bed

I’ve really cut down on the supplements after reading that they can encourage irregular cell growth if you over do them

My dentist told me that mouthwash should not be used within half an hour of brushing teeth.
It’s to let the fluoride toothpaste have a residual effect.

Is it though? In Britain? Who told you this and did they then sell you SPF? It isn't as protective as wearing a hat, but you don't choose to wear a hat..? So do you care really?