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!?

It saddens me that people feel they have to buy into all of this reluctantly. If it’s your thing then fine but the only way to effect change is to refuse to go along with societal pressure

The capitalists have successfully forced you to buy more unnecessary shit.

And we wonder why money is tight…!

I cleanse and moisturise each morning and most nights, that’s it.

Im 60 soon and just leave nature to its course, I’m relatively unlined but it’s all genetic as my Dad was Chinese and I have his skin type.

YANBU to think it is ridiculous, and you are ridiculous doing all that.

Me too. I use a face wipe (I can’t stand water on my face). Occasionally use moisturiser if my skin feels it needs it and have no skin issues, never really have since leaving my teens. I get a small spot maybe once in ten years, if that. I don’t smoke or drink alcohol (maybe 2 a year at christmas). I always have a bottle of water on me. I don’t actively sunbathe.

I relate to this as I've added more to my routine too in the last few years (I'm 38.)

I'm undecided on whether the skincare stuff is worth it. I definitely shouldn't have been taking off my makeup with wipes for years as they're terrible for the environment and don't even clean your face properly. But all the extra stuff...... I dunno, I suspect it's mostly genetic. I have stuck to a basic routine (cleanse, serum, moisturise - SPF in the mornings instead of a moisturiser) and admittedly my skin is a LOT better than DH's who washes his face if he's in the shower and nothing else.

As for my teeth I should always have been flossing anyway I suppose but I still can't be bothered to do it all so I tend to do toothbrush and one other thing e.g mouthwash then brush teeth, or floss then brush teeth.

Vitamins is a tricky one. I stopped taking collagen after reading that there's zero evidence it actually does anything but I do still take a multivitamin with iron as I had low vitamin D on a blood test a few years ago and I get heavy periods.

Food wise I do try and cut down UPFs and eat more whole foods and feel lots better for it. That makes sense to me as to why but I don't track macros, worry about how much protein I'm eating or count calories. I tend to avoid anything that has health messaging on the front of the packet saying things like "high fibre" or "30g protein" because it's an easy way to cut out junk products pretending to be health foods. Nobody is trying to market carrots or lentils to me so they're the sort of things I tend to buy. It does make food shopping easier as I can cut out entire section of the supermarket.

I suppose the answer is to do these things if you enjoy them OR need to do them (e.g looking after your teeth.)

I think we already see women looking much younger than their partners.

Op- you are being conned by the beauty and food industry.
Your body cannot retain ingredients from pills, they simply pass through your system.
Looking after your teeth is important and those things will make a difference.
As for all the creams, yes use moisturiser and spf and cleanse your face.
Protecting your face from sun damage is the key factor.
I think a lot of it is what you do not necessarily the products you use. Find something that works for you.

Why do you do it? Because some tiktok influencer half your age told you she was 'obsessed' with this new skin cream/vitamins? Where have you gotten the idea that you need to do all this?! If you don't want to do it then don't do it.

You shouldn’t use floss? You should use interdental brushes.

As for the rest of it, I’m 31 and don’t do much of that. I cleanse, tone and moisturise (when I remember). And use SPF on a morning. That’s it. I take 3 daily supplements: D, multivitamin and slippery elm for my guts.

You’re the person who has been taken in by marketing. Not ‘everyone’.

Can anyone recommend a magnesium supplement and a biotin supplement please.

Rinses the fluoride off, which you want to keep on your teeth as long as possible so no rinsing, eating or drinking after brushing teeth for at least 30 minutes

All these companies selling all this stuff, their marketing people are doing a great job and they are making billions from telling us all we are not doing it right unless we buy xyz products. That's it. 90% of it is unnecessary.
Cleanse, moisturise, protect from the sun. Eat healthily, not too much booze, sleep well, be happy. 🙏

Of course it is. Anti ageing, skin cancer, and personally because I burn at least in summer
covering up is good but SPF covers the bits that aren’t covered
you still get high UV even in the U.K. and even if it’s not particularly hot

And at night you ideally shouldn't rinse the fluoride off at all.

So if you want to use mouthwash, you could for example use it after your evening meal. Then brush your teeth before bed and don't rinse, eat or drink after brushing.

In the morning you should brush your teeth first thing, then wait at least 30 mins for the fluoride to soak in before eating or drinking. And could use mouthwash after breakfast.

If you use mouthwash, it should be alcohol-free (the alcohol doesn't give any additional benefits, but can have risks).

(advice from NHS dental team)

has been added to the average routine

It hasn't "been added" by some unknown outside force. You have made the decision to add all this stuff to your life - if you think it's ridiculous then stop.^^

I use cleansing oil to remove makeup, facial wash to remove any excess oil after rinsing, and a factor 50 sunscreen for the face. And a tretinoin/azaleic acid treatment at night. Makeup if leaving the house, or if in camera for work that day.

Sorry 😆 edited to add toothbrushing and floss, I use a sonic brush.

I'm 57.My facial skin care has gone the opposite way - Simple face wash at night and Baby Aveeno lotion. Lipsalve or vaseline. I'm often told, by friends who work in the cosmetic surgery business, that my skin looks great for my age.
I have added body oil in the past couple of years, after never using body products. My legs had become "dusty".
I've always liked exercise and drank loads of water.
B12 supplements changed my life. I've stopped them now, with so far no problems.
I've tried collagen, but common sense tells me the science doesn't add up,and it's money down the drain.
I go through spells of Vit D.
I can't be arsed with strict regimes or counting things. I'm "random" by nature and need variety and change in terms of diet/exercise/interests.
I do think women waste oodles of time and money due to societal pressures and advertising.

I wash my face with aqueous cream, spray it with rosewater, use a serum and then a BB cream before putting my make up on. At night I just wash my face with the aqueous cream and go to bed.

I use interdental brushes and an electric toothbrush, no mouthwash as a dentist told me it's better to leave the toothpaste to do it's job (no rinsing).

I'm 60 and have hardly any wrinkes, I think that is more likely due to genetics, staying out of the sun and not smoking rather than skincare though.

Some of those supplements, such as vitamin D, are fat soluble so need to be taken with a meal containing a little fat.

The body can definitely retain nutrients from pills. But they just won’t be absorbed or converted into specific things like people believe. So all of her collagen supplements are just extra protein. But she will be absorbing some of it.

I dont do any of that and I have great skin at 64. I just wash my face with soap and use moisturiser twice a day. I use simple. Face cream.
I have been a vegetarian for 40 years and drink lots of water. Im not fat.
Shameless plug. I put crums on all my food. It transforms it. Lovely on plain veg.

www.crums.uk/

Can also be taken with fish oil tablets

Why on earth are you putting all that shit on your face and taking unnecessary supplements. It sounds like you are very influenced by social media. Can’t you step back from it and simplify your life a bit?

I've tried excessive skincare routines. None of it makes any difference. Now I cleanse in the shower, apply tretinoin 30 mins later once my skin is dry, then the nivea blue cream before bed. AM I rinse with only water, put on a moisturiser I got from lidl and then an spf 50. Still excess compared to my 20s but I didn't use spf and my skin wasn't as dry back then.

As for the multi vitamins you just make your pee very expensive. I do try to take a multivitamin with vit d when I remember. But I think you'd be better spending the money and effort on your diet in general.

Biotin is literally just vitamin b7. Take a B complex for a broader spectrum effect.