Getting older is getting very expensive!

[JMAngel1]

Anyone else feel like this?
I’ve always been high maintenance since my teens but in the last year or so, the list of what I need to keep me looking well presented and feeling “normal” seems to be getting longer.

This morning I’ve just placed orders for what I now consider essentials - plumping serum, vaginal moisturiser, hair dye, neck and chest cream, hair styling cream, 4 different supplements and progesterone cream. I’m 48 and my budget seems to be going more and more on these types of products and there is less and less for clothes and pretty things like make up.

At this age I thought I would be shopping at Jaegar and John Lewis and buying Bobbi Brown or Charlotte Tilbury. Instead I have to buy from eBay and Primark and most of my makeup is MUA or NYX.
Anyone else feel like this?

Retin A and sunscreen and a decent moisturizer ( not expensive Cerave will do ) are all you need

@VanGoghsDog

What makes you think that just telling someone to "be happy" will work? It doesn't. And it's patronising.

Oh grow up! If you don't want to be happy then don't be happy, your choice. I don't believe my post was specifically aimed at you. Why can't people be happy with ageing by the way, what is so terrible about it? We had our time of being youthful, now it is the turn of others - that's the way life is. I'm sorry your parents were so horrible to you, I've had my own issues in my time, but I chose not to dwell on it.

Incidentally, no, 'practically everybody' doesn't get told they look ten years younger than they are - because they don't.

Always been low maintenance - my cream of choice is Astral. Got a thread at the moment about giving up on hairdressers

Where I can see getting older is going to cost me is stuff like drops for my dry eyes and the like. I have a disease and medications that make this worse.

Oh I'm mid-50s

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk

Does hormone replacement therapy increase cancer risk?

Yes, evidence shows that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can increase risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial (womb) cancers

• But it’s important to remember that the increased risk is small

• For some, the benefits of taking HRT may outweigh the risks, so talk to your GP about the options

^^ I know the risk is small and life is full of risk. For my part though, I opted not to do this but I've had a horrible progressive disease for years and I think it's made me too afraid to try my luck with HRT.

“People coming to these threads saying they just use soap and water simply don't get it. They didn't spend their childhood being teased for being ugly and spend most of their adulthood trying to figure out how not to be ugly.“

First of all...this is not true. I wasn’t just teased because of my looks, I was openly abused.
I was overweight as a teenager and didn’t have much by way of saving grace otherwise either. I’m not pretty even when slim. School was years of being torn to shreds, mainly by boys, for being ugly.
I don’t spend £££s on snake oil and beauty products in the hope it will somehow make me look acceptable and I never have.

Secondly, this post was about getting older, not childhood insecurities. People posting here are well within their remit to scoff at so-called anti-ageing products and the cash being thrown at them.

I am both lazy and cynical when it comes to the beauty industry. Throwing money at it won’t achieve anything but inflate the profit they make from my insecurity. It won’t change my face and it most certainly will not delay the natural ageing process either.

I know I’m no beauty but I’m stylish and outgoing. I feel more confident and attractive now at 45 than I have ever done before. I’m slim and fit, I dress well, I have great hair, I moisturise twice daily, I smile a lot and I never leave home without my mascara on...that’s all.

It’s not my life’s mission to be ornamental actually.

I agree with this.

OP where do you buy the progesterone cream? Thanks

Im 46 and dont buy any of that stuff...good skin is down to genetics and not smoking....like another poster said its mostly snake oil.

@pictish

I agree with this.

I like that!

One thing about getting older that I don't think anyone has mentioned is that time begins to run out and thereby becomes very precious. So my take is, focus on the stuff that gives you pleasure.
I know - cos I've read it here - that many women enjoy skin care and make up so, if that's you, then go for it. Me, I find watching paint dry more fun so, despite being terrifically vain, I do less and less.
On the other hand, I adore clothes and will happily spend time getting the length of my trousers right or hunting down a jumper that's the right shade of red.
And if neither activity interests you, then find something that does and forget them both.

Although I'm not quite there yet I won't be taking HRT. It was the cause apparently for my mum and grandmas breast cancer both at 52. I'm not mucking about with my life.

I'm very overweight. I know this is the biggest life threatening problem I have. I know I need to do something about it.

I am 45, no visible greys, superb skin, naturally curly hair that make me look young. I only wash in treseme conditioner and use a good leave in and gel to keep my curls. No daily brushing, haircut 3 times per year.

I'm lucky that I'm at a stage in my life where I can afford to splash out on skincare. I know I don't need to but this isn't about need this is about happiness. I use lush ultrabland for makeup removal. My skincare is Estée Lauder and it makes me smile every time I use it. I keep spf low most of the year and only top up in the summer when out and about. I don't like the sun so stay out of it so instead of topping up eith vitamin D I don't overdo the spf.

My makeup is higher end. I don't wear it most days but when I do it's my artists palette and I love it. I dye my lashes when I remember.

I look great for my age. I try to not judge others on what they do or don't do.

@supadupapupascupa

Although I'm not quite there yet I won't be taking HRT. It was the cause apparently for my mum and grandmas breast cancer both at 52. I'm not mucking about with my life.

I'm very overweight. I know this is the biggest life threatening problem I have. I know I need to do something about it.

I am 45, no visible greys, superb skin, naturally curly hair that make me look young. I only wash in treseme conditioner and use a good leave in and gel to keep my curls. No daily brushing, haircut 3 times per year.

I'm lucky that I'm at a stage in my life where I can afford to splash out on skincare. I know I don't need to but this isn't about need this is about happiness. I use lush ultrabland for makeup removal. My skincare is Estée Lauder and it makes me smile every time I use it. I keep spf low most of the year and only top up in the summer when out and about. I don't like the sun so stay out of it so instead of topping up eith vitamin D I don't overdo the spf.

My makeup is higher end. I don't wear it most days but when I do it's my artists palette and I love it. I dye my lashes when I remember.

I look great for my age. I try to not judge others on what they do or don't do.

Everyone should supplement vitamin D in the UK year round . Spf isn't causing too many issues 🤣

I do think that overweight people tend to look younger facially. But unfortunately a bad diet will catch up with you once you’re in menopause. So I’d rather be fit and have wrinkles.

"I'm in my 50s and don't think there are any products that can stop the aging process."

There is scientific proof that Retin-A does something for wrinkles.

"@something2say for centuries women's life expectancy was only around 45-50 so our bodies were never designed to last for so long after the menopause"

This isnt really true. There have always been old people (70 is the age of promise in the Bible). Average life expectancy was lower because a lot of children died in infancy.

I agree with you about HRT. I'd definitely take it if I needed it.

Totally agree but that’s because I go straight to Botox, fillers and skin-tightening!

I’m your age and use one Elemis night cream and an SPF in the summer.
No other anti ageing potions, I think it’s a con.
Also, people are always going to look about their age regardless of what they do.
A 50-year-old never looks 30

I’m 54 and no one can believe it I use a night cream and that’s it.

I'm your age and spend less than my dd on my skin/beauty products!
I look good for my age, I'm slim and more importantly, healthy.
I honestly think it boils down to genes/luck when it comes down to ageing. I look considerably younger than some of my colleagues that spent a small fortune each month on their regime!

Does hrt increase the risk of cervical changes does anyone know?? I had pre cancerous changes and so I wouldn't want to aggravate that, but I definitely could be doing with going on HRT.

I can't afford most beauty stuff unfortunately. I'd like to try some of this stuff.

I use simple make up remover
Un perfumed soap
Benzol peroxide on prescription if have a spot
any cheap cream with a high SPF and Nivea at night
Cheap make up, although I use Clinique foundation it lasts a year cause it goes a long way
Cheap clothes like on eBay, ASOS, Sainsbury's, mountain warehouse or hand me downs from my sisters

The one thing I spend on is hair, and it's not through choice really. I have alopecia, and my human hair wigs and styling them, shampoo etc for them cost £400 - £800 a year, and if I could afford it I would get better ones.

£22 a month for contact lenses too.

My mum had pre cancerous cells and took HRT at menopause years afterwards.

@Gwenhwyfar of course older people were around years ago but the average life expectancy has doubled in the last 80 years as per the ONS info here

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/lifeexpectancies/articles/howhaslifeexpectancychangedovertime/2015-09-09

I had pre cancerous cells and have taken HRT for the last 15 years or so, smears have been fine. I have no intention of stopping (for a number of reasons).

I only recently found out that HRT is made from the urine of horses that are kept continually pregnant