Has anybody really simplified their skin care routine?

[SpongeBobJudgeyPants]

Please come and tell me about it. I would like to be one of those women who had the dedication to apply multiple products, and know exactly what each one was doing. That isn't going to happen, unless I stop being so lazy have a personality transplant. I can cope with cleanse, moisturise, eye cream, night cream, exfoliator, weekly mask and an all singing/dancing serum, but that seems to be it. Anyone gone from a more complex routine, simplified it, and found their face hasn't fallen off? Maybe including a better serum or magical moisuriser? TIA.

My routine up until last year was 1) wash face with water 2) put on Nivea moisturiser or similar - same in the evening after taking off any makeup.

In January I decided to take a new approach and read up on here. Now it's:

1. wash with facial cleanser
2. apply toner
3. vit C serum (am) retinol serum (pm)
4. moisturizer
5. spf

Guess what? I have seen no improvement at all so as soon as I have finished these products I am going back to the old routine but will keep the spf protection.

I wash my face twice with face soap (L'Occitane), then serum, then SPF or moisturiser. Sometimes, at night, I also use Neal's Yard rose facial oil.

I know someone who only uses soap and lip balm . I don't know how she does it. She said it might be her diet. She looks fine.

I reckon we could all get away with a lot less.

I have more or less stopped wearing make up now and I find that great. Don't know why I ever wore it tbh!

For me, it’s:
Aldi Lacura facial scrub. Not expensive
Cold pressed grapeseed oil (not to be confused with rapeseed oil). It’s very versatile. Not expensive.
Clinique CC cream with SPF 30. A little expensive, but worth it.
Eye liner kohl pencil, mascara, a little bronzer, lip balm.
And....that’s it.

I also take multivitamins (Home bargains, not expensive) a vitamin E capsule and an omega 3 capsule.

Plenty of water.
I’d say no alcohol, but sod that for a game of soldiers 😁

Yes. I used to use alot more treatments/steps.

A.M.
CeraVe hydrating cleanser
Paulas Choice antioxidant serum
La Roche posay SPF 50

P.M.
Balm cleanser
CeraVe again
Either: Alpha H Liquid Gold once a week or Vichy Aqualia Serum the rest of the week (post baby will use Paula's Choice resist moisturiser with retinol instead of the Vichy)

Skin is great. The Paula's Choice is the most effective product I've used alongside the CeraVe.

That's interesting stuff. Thanks all.

I’m also looking to simplify my routine as its become very long while I try and clear my bathroom cabinet of all beauty calendar products and cult beauty bag purchase. I have not noticed my skin looking especially amazing in spite of the amount of different gunk I’m rubbing into it!

If I can be bothered currently I use
Dermalogica pre cleanse balm (it’s like Vaseline)
Liz Earle hot cloth cleanse
Caudalie toner
Eye cream - Dr Gross I think
Serum and sometimes Hylauronic acid
Ordinary moisturiser (don’t like this one so using it fast)
Sun cream - La Roche Posay
Clarine lip oil - no idea what it does but I love it!

I used to use some eye cream and moisturiser/ SPF after washing in water and occasionally hot cloth cleanse.

I have red congestion on my cheeks by my nose so I think the excessive use of products is wiping my skin out.

Not going to buy anything unless I really love it once bathroom cabinet is empty. May also bin some of the stuff as it’s silly to use it if I don’t like it.

I used to be all about the creams years ago.

Now I wash my face with a cereve bar, put on retinol and moisturize with Cereve anti-itch eczema cream, followed by factor 70 sun cream (hot country here).

My skin is far better now, I hate all the faff of different bottles and I was shit at maintenance. Most days I can barely be bothered to take my mascara off.

I use Lyonsleaf cleansing balm, no moisturiser, I don't need it after using this.
Then whatever SPF is on offer.
I'm 50 and mostly wrinkle free.

Bought into the old double cleanse-glycolic-serum-moisturiser before bed and at some point peptides/niacinamade which gave me spots. Then the other night I only cleansed as couldn’t be arsed. Woke up with pleasantly oily skin. Wondering now if there’s any need for it all now! Re retinol that someone mentioned-I believe it takes a long long time to see a measurable difference and it’s more of a long game for what it’s worth. Not personally using it.

I wash my face with a warm flannel and use one (cheap) moisturiser.

Think most of the products are just marketing really.

Yep fairly simple for me, I have 2 PM routines though!

Am
Lotion cleanser
Vitamin c
Moisturise
SPF

Pm 1 (most nights)
Eye makeup remover
Cleanse with cleanser and flannel
Skin and me retinol
Moisturiser

Pm 2 (1-2 a week)
Eye makeup
Cleanse as above
Acid toner
Moisturiser

Occasionally on the PM 2 I add a hydration serum or swap moisturiser for oil but it's pretty simple

I honestly think that whatever you put on your skin does not ultimately make a difference. It’s another marketing trap to make women worry and spend money on products that really do very little. It’s mostly genetics. Your face won’t fall off OP, don’t overthink it, just choose a nice cleanser and moisturiser with spf and go for it.

Technically the only things that actually work are
Tretinoin
SPF (separate, not in your moisturiser)

But then stuff like AHA/BHA, vitamin C,does work depending what you're using it for. So it's what you want your skincare to do really

Morning:
Wash off cleanser or daily facial scrub
Eye gel
Facial oil
Moisturiser containing SPF. (Separate SPF without moisturiser if I’m going to be in the sun a lot in the summer)

Night
Wipe off cleansing balm
Eye cream
Night cream.

I have pretty decent skin so not sure why I would over complicate it with extra stuff.

I use prescription Tretinol, a Neutrogena moisturiser/ sunscreen and a Simple facewash. That's all.

I have. I used to use all sorts of lotions and potions to try to clear my acne (hormone related). Now I:

PM:
Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse
Prescription ointment for acne
Boots No7 Advanced Retinol serum

AM:
Scrub with soap (usually an antibacterial one like Cidal), hot water and flannel in shower
Moisturise with Nivea Soft

And my skin is the best it's ever been. I'm 36.

Once a week on a Sunday I do a charcoal face mask at night and use Liz Earle exfoliator in the morning in my shower before the soap/flannel scrub.

I have.

Wash skin twice per day with bar of baby soap
Use pure freshly made green tea as a toner
In the morning I apply SPF after my toner, in the evening I use rose hip oil.

My skin loves it.

Facial wash from Waity or pure soap from lidl
Eye cream - currently No 7, usually dr organics
Serum - Lidl q10 when I remember
Face cream - whatever needs using up or Nivea Soft
SPF - boots soltan, when i remember
Lip salve, in pocket or bag, apply as needed

Best moisturiser is a good diet and plenty of vigourous exercise.

Am I wash my face twice in the shower with bar soap. I like neste Dante soap or Sainsbury’s pure bars.
I then apply garnier Rose soothing 48 hour moisturiser.
I then apply simple or Tesco’s kind and pure moisturiser with spf15.
I wear pretty minimal makeup I don’t like foundation. Tinted lip balm, blush eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, stick eyeshadow and mascara.
Pm I hot cloth cleanse with L’Oréal age perfect cleansing milk.
I then apply garnier botanical balm soothing moisturiser which is so nice and thick and like a mask.
I am 43 and really happy with my skin it’s very soft and smooth.
I love skincare but I have minimal time and money.

I buy Avène multipacks from Boots - the one for sensitive skin and the one for dehydrated skin. I use the cleanser with a muslin cloth twice a day, with one of the moisturisers. I use the other products if I feel I need them, which tends to be most days in winter and rarely in summer. I use Lush Rosy Cheeks facemask every couple of weeks. I wear a BB cream with sunscreen. That's it.

This will probably provoke cries of "disgusting" but I don't take my makeup off at night, and my skin is now so much better and less spotty. To be fair, I only wear BB Cream, not a full make-up. I wash my face in the shower in the morning, rub it dry with a rough towel to exfoliate and then apply serum, followed by Astral (hand cream). My skin is the best condition it's been in for years. I'm in my 50s BTW.

I am told I have very young-looking skin.

My routine is:

Morning:
Wash face in shower with just water. Dry with towel.
Apply M&S daytime moisturiser with SPF 15 built in
Apply Clarins eye cream.

No makeup at the moment (as not going anywhere)

Evening:
Apply serum
Apply M&S nighttime moisturiser.

On the rare occasions I wear makeup now I use eye make up remover on the eyes before I go to bed, but don't bother to remove the rest. By the morning it has gone.

Once a week (Sunday) I also use a rosewater based toner in the morning.

It sound elaborate when I write it out but I'm sure you'd all be appalled.

Did I mention I look young for my age?

Forgot to say, I'm 57.

Soap and hot water followed by Nivea cream twice a day

I don't think a routine that includes exfoliation, eye cream, a weekly mask and serum could be described as particularly lazy or basic, loads of people don't do any of that!

For me (early 40s)

AM face wash, hydralauric serum, moisturiser with SPF30
PM face wash or occasionally a cleanser and cloth, glycolic toner/exfoliater, retinol serum, night cream if needed.

Really happy with it.