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 walk for 30 minutes a day at between 4 and 4.6mph. I lift weights twice a week. I do Pilates classes twice a week, and stretch at home on the days I'm not lifting weights or at a fucking Pilates class.
And this is apparently the bare minimum to be a healthy senior - moderate cardio every day, plus load-bearing strength, plus core strength and flexibility.

Fuck me, I'm exhausted just reading that @Bloozie .
Have you considered getting a horse? I spend a stupid amount of time every day shovelling shit, pushing wheelbarrows full of shit for miles, and lugging bales of hay around. And riding the nutter certainly scares the shit out of me gives my heart a work out!

Well I can tell you who told ME to wear a high spf every day. The dermatologist who removed multiple squamous cell carcinomas from my mum’s face, one of which required plastic surgery. So, I reckon I’ll take her word over yours. My mum never went abroad in her life. A hat AND an SPF would be a good idea at the height of summer, if you don’t want skin cancer on your scalp or your face. I’m in NI, so we’re not exactly blessed with a lot of sunshine, but I trust the dermatologist’s advice as I’m sure she’s seen at first hand what devastating damage the sun can do.

Wait till you’re spending ages rubbing HRT gel into your thighs 😂

I’m 33, wipe my makeup off and use a moisturiser. That’s it. You’ve been sucked in unfortunately!!

Sixties here. Don't wear make up, wash with water, use Nivea.

One multivitamin a day, as much fruit, veg and protein as I can shovel down me.
Lots of water.
Walk for miles in the fresh air every day and swim in the sea each morning.
Plenty of rest and sleep.
A daily stretch.
I REALLY look after my teeth though. My parents lost theirs young and I do not want that.

I look like I'm in my sixties but am happy and fit enough to do all I want. It's enough for me and to be fair, I couldn't bear the faff, ever changing rules and time commitment of anything else.

Caring too much about all this stuff is a law of diminishing returns as you age.

I don't do any of that as I can't be arsed. Wash my face, moisturise, clean teeth, job done!

@MotherWol I’ve been doing yoga, meditation and eating a whole food vegetarian diet since the 90s in my teens. I’ve always been more invested in skincare than in make up. I agree that it isn’t compulsory but it’s just what habituate to. Lots of people routinely engage in numbing behaviours like scrolling, eating junk food, watching crap tv, alcohol, weed and so on. None of that is compulsory either and doesn’t really make people feel good but it’s just their habit.

Im like you. Takes me about half an hour to get to bed with all the flossing, interdental brushes, facial routine and the oils, moisturizers etc. My father in his late 80s has washed his face twice a day with coal tar soap and looks a decade younger than he is!!! It’s not fair 🤣🤣

No, I'm in my 50s and I don't do most of that stuff.

Unfortunately I do find that as various health conditions have appeared over the years, that adds to my routine: checking blood pressure, doing exercises for arthritis, taking prescription medicines. And they are all problems which aren't likely to go away, so chances are I'll only acquire more!

Well I started with one thing and obviously kept adding bits and pieces on until I look back and see how length it’s gotten!

I think from responses on here I might streamline it a little, maybe look at reducing supplements and see if it affects me negatively, I’ve not used TikTok but I’m no stranger to a bit of YouTube and I assumed that such a lengthy routine was the norm! I am a marketers dream but a lot of it does make me feel better, even as a placebo effect!

A horse would definitely tick all the boxes that need to be ticking - but they're so expensive! And scary. I love horses, but they're also petrifying.

YES. And depending on the weather, waiting between 5 minutes and 3 working days for it to dry.

I wonder how much of it is "new" and how much of it is "you're 10 years older and can't get away with a 3-in-1 wipe"

@Traveltart the supplements are all nutritiongeeks, found them the cheapest and easiest to reorder I would definitely steer away from the lions mane though, the aftertaste was grim. ACV, biotin+, collagen, magnesium, k2 & d3 are from them

B12, a-z multivitamin/minerals and cod liver oil are Holland and Barrett own brand and vitamin c are just Amazon!

That is impressive! Are you consistent with these per the schedule you set yourself?

I do a few of these inconsistently and annoy myself every once in a while for not doing me
more but just can’t be bothered half of the time.

To your question I do indeed do more than I did 20 or even 10 years ago….as I see my ageing self in the mirror. It has changed over the years, eg no more toner, but other specific things my skin needs, different supplements over the years.

I changed my routine when Covid hit and I’ve never had better skin.

Morning:
Wash face with water
Eye serum
Moisturiser
SPF 50

Evening:
Wash face with water
Rose oil as night moisturiser

I were makeup maybe once per week, sometimes less. If I wear it then I use Simple face wash. I used to buy into all the steps and such but reducing the products I use has been what works (for reference I was 37 when covid hit, almost 43 now). No supplements, though I drink a ton of water. I do admittedly workout a lot between dog walking and dance cardio.

I must have missed the memo.

None of it is compulsory nor really needed. Manufacturers have been plotting ways to convince us we need to buy extra products for years. My earliest memory back in the eighties is of a brand promoted trend of wearing different colour mascara on top and bottom lashes. Hence a 'need' to buy two tubes of mascara instead of one.

I don’t do half of the skincare stuff but I have always eaten mostly none UPF foods and exercised a lot. I am 63 and a lot fitter and healthier than my partner of 66, my fitness age is around 20 years younger than his so I would say it’s definitely worth it looking after yourself and avoiding UPFs which is a big talking point at the moment but I always avoided things like ‘healthy spreads’ and used butter, don’t have ready meals. Limited sugar intake to look after my teeth as I was getting a lot of fillings, etc.

This really.

I did all of it for about 9/10 months and I didn't feel or look better. So I stopped. Now I wash with soap, moisturise, eat well and get Botox!

So true!

I think it’s a little misleading to say something like “I do none of this and my skin is amazing” with the implication being that none of these products are necessary.

Some people are blessed with naturally lovely skin and that’s why they can get away with doing very little. Some of us have problem skin and that’s why we use all the products in the hope something helps. It isn’t that the minimal regime causes the lovely skin, it’s the other way round!

Similar with the supplements - if you feel on top of the world naturally then unlikely you need supplements, it’s those of us who don’t feel 100% who try them.

I use face wash, eye cream, moisturiser (day with spf or night). No fancy brands, just simple/olay/nivea. My night routine is usually at about 7pm including floss/dental brush, so I only need to brush my teeth before I get into bed. Only wear make up every few months, so I just remove it all with eye makeup remover 😅

I do take vitamin d, iron, calcium and magnesium, usually with dinner. I don't forget as DH has medication he has to take, so we both have pill boxes.

the definition of problem skin seems off to me though. I have spent some casual browsing time on skin care social media and some people are aiming for skin that looks like glass. Any minor blemish is deemed problematic. My skin isn't lovely. I have some redness and occasional spots and dryness as well as lots of fine lines. But this isn't, to me, a problem that needs fixing.

I think 7 step skincare is for people who enjoy it. There's some evidence that so many products are actually counter-productive if you have sensitive skin. I cleanse, use an antioxidant serum and moisturising SPF in the morning, then cleanse, retinol + facial oil at night.

I walk every day, do yoga and pilates and am trying to fit some strength training in.

Take a multi vit and omega capsule, plus creatine when I remember. I have bought some collagen powder but it's rank and tastes of BSE so might just bin that.

I do spend time on my teeth- flossing, brushing and interdental brushes. There's some evidence that gum disease doesn't just harm your teeth but also your general health through inflammation, so it's worth taking care. Mouthwash is best used at different times of day, not after brushing, as you wash away the toothpaste which is more effective than the mouthwash.