Are we all ruining our skin with our so called skin care ?

[Elasticatedwaist]

I’ve had time on my hands today and ended up idly reading up on skincare ingredients. I always use a cleanser , moisturiser sometimes a serum but without really knowing what’s in them . So I looked into the ingredients ( I know I’m late to the party !)
At first I read about how vitamin c , hyaluronic acid , vitamin A etc etc are good for your skin. Then I got a bit bored and googled ‘ is vitamin c actually bad for your skin ?’ And did it For all the things that were supposedly good . By the end of it I didn’t want to put much of it on my face and it got me thinking that we might all be doing more harm than good with all these products .
I know uv protection is important but still , I mean , I’ve seen many men ( and some women ) who wash and go with fine looking skin .
What do you think ?

Also I'm pissed by the attitude "I never use anything and my skin is flawless". Yeah, because genetics. Or luck. That doesn't mean you'll look great in 5 years time.

Yes! Also it annoys me that people who don’t use skincare seem to think that those of us who do are just falling for a scam, or that we’re shallow or something. I like my skincare routine, my skin looks better than it ever was before and it’s a bit of fun and pampering. You just have to be a bit sensible with it. Don’t buy beyond your means, don’t overload your face with irritating products etc. Also it’s very much not compulsory, so if you don’t want to then don’t, no need for the tone of superiority.

@readingismycardio yep, quite .

I could go back to a very very simple routine, but I happen to prefer having amazing skin all the time (still a novelty when I pass mirrors) rather than meh on a good day skin.

I don't get the washing products off either. I wash off sunscreen (but surely nobody is suggesting skipping sunscreen?! ) and makeup when I wear it, but I don't wash off my moisturiser etc, that would sort of defeat the point of putting it on.

Go on then EatenByDinosaurs please share your skincare regime! Also what was your skin like before?

(I know you’re going to say what worked for you may not work for me, but I’d still like to hear about a routine that worked for someone)

@MoonGeek how do you make them? Would you consider sharing your recipes/methods?
TIA

Mine works. I like skincare, and my skin looks a lot better now I know what works
SPF, retinol and BHA. Cleansing twice a day, moisturiser and some additions if my skin is dry

The Moogoo oil cleanser I use on the odd occasion breaks down the muck so easier to take off with water.
I was a bit at "oil cleanser" too but it works.

@EatenByDinosaurs AMEN!

I also believe I have a pretty basic skincare routine, I could do so much more.

AM:
Cleanser
Toner
HA acid
SPF 50 - chemical not mineral, mineral breaks me out

PM
Double cleanse
Either BHA 2% PC or Azelaic 10% or retinol 1%
Toner
Hydrate

It takes less than 10 mins & it makes me feel greatz

Whatever people want to do...

BUT

For all those using coconut oil (presumably because it’s natural), it’s highly comodegenic (pore clogging). Natural isn’t always best... if it works for you, great, I just wanted to make sure anyone reading was aware.

@247SylviaPlath was about to say that, thanks for sparing me the trouble. And I keep hearing people still put LEMON on their face. In 2020. Why oh why

what I'm trying to say is: once you start knowing a bit about skincare and manage to clear your acne on your own (after visiting 3 useless derms) it's pure bliss.

I love the feeling when I can help other people too.

EVEN IF you have great skin, the bare minimum (in my opinion, of course) is cleanse, tone, hydrate and SPF. From here you only add products concern based (acne, rosacea, whiteheads, blackheads, sun spots, aging, etc)

I'm obviously not explaining what I mean very well.

If you moisturise in the morning, then there is product left on your face to wash off later. I used to do the full shebang, but have found the less I do the better my skin is. When I use moisturiser, serums, sunscreen etc then I need to clean it off later. It sort of makes my face sticky, it gets dirtier.

@picklesdragonisawelshdragon what about make up then? So sorry, but I can't see your point. Also, you need to cleanse anyway. Trust me, your skin gets REALLY dirty just by going outside

If I don't moisturise then my face peels off. And I wouldn't go out without SPF in daylight so I need to cleanse it off

Gah. I just bought a (cheap luckily) Boots vitamin C eye gel. Now wondering if it’s a terrible idea. But why do brands use it if it’s so bad?

Nighttime I use rosehip oil or a good layer of vaseline - which I have a large tub of beside my bed . I have young looking skin.

Well I wash my face with soap and water and my skin is terrible so I defo need some products.

I use olive oil. Massage my face every morning with it, then hot flannel to steam and wipe it off. Nothing else. I don't even wash it at night, despite wearing a little make up every day.

I have found the odd miracle product which really works. Effeclar Duo by La Roche Posay has stopped me from having hormonal breakouts and I notice a big difference if I run out. The Ordinary's cold pressed rose hip oil works for me as a moisturiser. And Korean sheet masks hydrate my skin beautifully. I love skincare though I'm not an expert. Just enjoy it.

Reading, just water. I wear eyeliner and lipstick, mainly.

If I use cotton pad and toner or micella water, my face really isn't dirty. If I've used moisturiser etc, and then later use the micella and cotton pad, then my face is much dirtier.

To be fair, I don't go in dirty cities. My skin feels dirtier if I've been to London for example.

And I don't seem to need moisturiser any more. Back in the day when I did the full routine, my face was tight if I forgot.

Obviously I can't say what your skin is like. I can only say how mine has behaved.

When I was younger I would buy into posh creams and they wrought havoc on my skin and I constantly had dry patches. Now I don't use anything. I was never someone who looked young for my age as I was tall but for the past six or so years people are incredulous when I tell them my age or that I have kids the age I do despite me having them relatively late. I am a huge believer in keeping chemicals away from your skin.

I don't mind sharing my routine minipie before my skin was dry but spot prone, with patches of red, dark under eye circles, eczema and very sensitive.

Mornings:

• Double cleanse (African black mud soap from whole food store)
• Tone with green tea
• Hyaluronic acid
• Facial oil (currently Measurable Difference Jasmine Oil, my HG)
• Moisturiser (Ponds Clarant B3 in summer, Ponds dry skin cream in winter)
• Sunscreen
• Makeup if I'm wearing it

Evening (same products unless specified):

• Double cleanse
• Toner or Tretinoin (tret every other night and if a tret night I give it an hour before doing the rest of my routine)
• Hyaluronic acid
• Facial oil
• Moisturiser
• Vaseline all over face just before bed.

Some people prefer to use oils after moisturiser, but my dermatologist is very pro using oil first, and having tried both ways oil first works best for me.

I take vit c tablets daily as my dermatologist has always been of the mindset that you should be getting vit c from diet, and it does work better for me than applying vit c to my skin.

I meant to add that when I said I have sensitive skin, it was to the degree that I'd frequently look (and feel) like I'd fallen face first into a patch of nettles, I was forever reacting to products. Or so I thought. I now know exactly which ingredients cause reactions for me.

I am a huge believer in keeping chemicals away from your skin.

What does that MEAN though? Everything is a chemical. Water, for example, is a chemical. It’s all chemicals!

Plus you can find statistics/studies to say anything you want with just a bit of googling. It doesn’t mean that it’s true. I could google “why water is bad for you” and find all sorts of articles saying we should all be drinking nothing but champagne (probably). It’s the same with skincare.

People have always thought I am much younger than I am. I also led a pretty hedonistic lifestyle , smoking and drinking when I was younger. I have only ever washed my face with soap and water.