Do I really need expensive skincare?

[GreatEelRun]

I have been using a skincare range for the past 4 years. It is one that goes up in gradients for Vitamin A. It has been quite good. I have always taken care of my skin from an early age, using different products. I used to have quite sensitive skin, but I think this has improved with age.

I just replaced a couple of the items I use and it came to over £200!!!!

Now the skincare is good, but it hasn't significantly changed my life or made me look loads younger. It has done an alright job.

I'm in 2 minds whether or not to jump ship when I have used this up. If I calculate what I will be spending (goes up as the levels of Vit A increase) I think it will be about £700 a year.

I think I have good skin, and I think it has made a bit of difference, but I don't think £700 difference.

@GreatEelRun

I’ll check the strength of the Vit A but after 4 years I think I’m on the strongest of the range. I’ve noticed that my cheeks have gone red and a bit patchy so maybe it’s too strong.

I defo think I’m going to drop it as it’s too expensive. Also my skin loves oil so anything I massage in like Decleor Neroli or Clarins Blue Orchid, it loves. My skin also loves loves loves Body Shop Vit E cream.

I have been sucked in.

That sounds like rosacea .

Sign up to Dermatica and they can advise

£200 on skincare????? Fuck me down. I have sensitive combination skin and it can be difficult to find something that suits.

I particularly like Ponds Cold Cream as a hot cloth cleanser, it really drags imputies out and never irritates. My skin is lovely and soft afterwards, and sometimes I don't even need a moisturiser. If I do need one, I use Olay basic day/night cream for sensitive skin. £4.49 for a 50 ml pot, and the Pond's is £5.99 and a pot lasts ages.

It's worth trying because even if you don't like it, you haven't lost much.

Everyone is different but I'd hate spending that much on skincare!
I'm 50, zero wrinkles, skin looks great and I'm regularly told I look way younger.
I use supermarket own brands and very cheap make up!

No you don’t need expensive skincare. Skincare industry is as bad as the diet industry over promising on results imo and playing on people’s insecurities. Look up the ordinary they are cheap. I use cerave facial washes, tea tree oil for hormonal acne which has been a game changer for me and I use a sunscreen in the mornings which i double up as a moisturiser. I have also just started to use Zoe bee beauty which is more expensive but not extortionate I use the veggie soufflé as I have red skin and scarring. Main thing to use though is spf as it’s better than any wrinkly cream you can get.

I spend a fortune on Dermalogica because I love it, but also love Nivea soft and Nivea in the blue pot. For make up I use mainly Boots no7 which is not expensive and an excellent make up range.

Swap to skin and me or dermatica. Prescription strength and way cheaper

I'm 63 and still have really smooth skin with few wrinkles and no age spots . I've always used a wet cloth in the shower to wash my face - no soap or cleanser. And Nivea cream as a moisturiser. Nothing else.

I’ve spent £££ on every kind of potion invented. Ditched it all after using Cetaphil. My skin has radically improved. Smooth and clear.

I love sand and sky serum, my skin just glows after using it.

Otherwise I stick to olay moisturiser, although the garnier rose water one is my quick fix morning go to as it soaks in better. I tend to stick to olay overnight.

I've used expensive stuff but dont notice a difference to the high st brands.

Sunscreen. I go through phases of using tret in the winter. My only expensive buy is p50- it works. Other than that I use oils- not expensive ones- graspers or hazel it as my moisturiser. If I do nothing else I put on sunscreen every single day of the year.

I really believe your skin is mostly down to your genes. Not smoking and using sunscreen also helps.

I don't believe at all, that anything you put on top of your skin can make a difference to it. (Sadly).

I think good skin is mainly down to genes and lifestyle. I look about 15 years younger than I am, but so do all the women in my family! Dark skin generally ages a lot better than fairer as well. I just started using Lidl Cien Q10 serum and it's amazing so I'll be sticking with that from now on.

Can I jump on please and ask what spf you use on your face? I'd like to get some but no idea which one to get.

No you do not.

Things that are proven to work are:

Sunscreen
Retinol - preferably prescription strength if that is what you want to do
AHA and BHA - choose which depending on whether you have dry or oily skin
Vit C
Niacinamide and ceramides.

After that it really is decreasing returns or being sold a dream.

Like a PP Cerave is cheap for what it is - there are other moisturisers out there for 10x the price with no active ingredients at all. I liked it a lot.
Pick a sunscreen you like and use it religiously or be like me and never go out in the sun
If you are serious then get a Skin&Me or Dermatica prescription for tret, it would probably be cheaper than what you are spending on products now.

And then you are done. A cleanser that you like. Don't expect it to have magical powers, it's on your face for seconds, it isn't important.

Agreeing with the others that you definitely don't need it, no. Skin + Me is working excellently for me as a prescription strength retinoid for £20 per month. Sunscreen and a basic moisturiser are all you really need after that. I use Nivea Q10 SPF which is £6, and Superdrug Vitamin E moisturiser and really recommend both. That's all you really need.
However, I would recommend Beauty Pie for all the lovely, fun extras at a decent price. I get my vitamin C serum, a hyrdrating serum and a night oil from there. They're reasonably priced, good quality, and have the lovely, luxury packaging appeal!

For me no. I use different face washes (currently using a Primark one that was on offer) and I use a retinol by The Ordinary.

Face moisturisers I use mixture of La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 as I had my eyebrows waxed and the last therapist didn’t ask if I’d used retinol and got cuts and this with Vit E capsules stopped scarring or I use Boots vit C or unscented Boots one with LRP antihelios SPF15. I do use rosehip oil (eBay) and vit C serum (revolution) depending what moisturiser I use.

Night time I use a decent moisturiser but ranges from L’Oreal in the red and white packaging to their Night Wrinkle Expert.

I have various serums I swap and change with eg Lacura with the cannabis in.

I also use Ark reverse gravity eye cream but recommended by therapist and this was my most expensive buy at £50.

I use simple or Sainsbury’s face scrub, Montaigne Jeunesse or Superdrug face masks - 1 x week latter, 2-3 x a week scrub.

I don’t have Botox, fillers etc and regularly get taken for early 30s yet I’m almost 50 but think good genes play a part too.

Well, you seem to be using the right active ingredients (ie those with plenty of evidence behind them) but you’re paying too much for them.

Another vote for Tretinoin (cream, not gel) plus a quality mineral sunscreen, and a peptide-based moisturiser.

See Dr Dray and Angie at Hot & Flashy on YouTube for how to use this kind of routine, so you don’t get sucked into ‘brands’, and ease into the strong stuff without irritation and flakeyness. None of these should cost more than about a euro or two a day combined. And that’s at the fancy end.

And to those saying ‘fresh water and Pond’s cold cream’, don’t make me larf. You’re either 20yo, have phenomenally rare skin genes or need to clean your mirror better.

When I have splashed out eg on a Rodial cream, or Lancôme products they might feel nicer but don’t see a difference.

Was gifted Creme de la Mer a few years ago and saw no difference at all.

My skin is dry/combination.

Hot and Flashy's channel/blog is amazing!

@MadameMonk

Well, you seem to be using the right active ingredients (ie those with plenty of evidence behind them) but you’re paying too much for them.

Another vote for Tretinoin (cream, not gel) plus a quality mineral sunscreen, and a peptide-based moisturiser.

See Dr Dray and Angie at Hot & Flashy on YouTube for how to use this kind of routine, so you don’t get sucked into ‘brands’, and ease into the strong stuff without irritation and flakeyness. None of these should cost more than about a euro or two a day combined. And that’s at the fancy end.

And to those saying ‘fresh water and Pond’s cold cream’, don’t make me larf. You’re either 20yo, have phenomenally rare skin genes or need to clean your mirror better.

Actually there’s something in the cold water and ponds cold cream I think because it’s a simpler routine. Which is generally better for skin.

Both grandmothers had fantastic skin as they aged (very few wrinkles) but the main point of my nana’s good skin was facial sunscreen at all times, good diet and fantastic bone structure. They did use facial moisturisers (ponds cold cream too) but though wore makeup wasn’t necessarily every day.

@RedPanda25

Can I jump on please and ask what spf you use on your face? I'd like to get some but no idea which one to get.

The Boots No7 ones are really good. They have high protection and a variety of finishes for different skin types. And some are tinted. I tend to gravitate to those.

Otherwise the la Roche posay ultra fluide in the little funny square bottle is super popular as its undetectable. There's a tinted version called Shaka Fluide which is very lightweight also.

I'm someone who always has about 3 different types of facial sunscreen on the go, depending on how dry or oily my skin is, and whether I want it under makeup or to wear alone with a bit of a tint.

But I stick to those 2 brands really and find them both excellent.

@TooMinty

I think the only thing that you put on your skin that makes a difference is sun cream. The rest is genes and lifestyle - no smoking, good diet, drink lots of water...

This - choose your parents carefully. Use sun cream if you are lucky enough to find sun in GB + good diet and no smoking.

I use water no soap. Mildly greasy skin so never used creams.

Make up - cheapest I can find - usually Rimmel - Invisible coverage (with sun protection SPF20) lipstick, eye shadow - last ages, under £25 a year.

Seems to work.

Wasn't it the late Body Shop woman who said forget about all the treatments etc 'eat tomatoes'.

It's not about need 😂

If that's your budget have a look at 'The Tweakments Guide' by Alice Hart Davies. I think good budget skincare and recommend practitioners for non-surgical cosmetic procedures is a better way to go.

In my twenties I used glam and expensive products and my skin was pretty average - hormones, office work, fags, raving, not enough fresh wholesome food blah blah - I am now 50 and my skin is probably the best it’s ever been (in spite of huge amounts of stress from job, teens etc) - I now get more fresh air, a better diet, gave up the fags, menopausal and use Rosehip seed organic oil (Naissance) - it’s bloody great - I swear by it - I have converted many people - it’s not expensive either and I use bog standard No7 under the eyes and an Avon cleansing balm - essential oil is the way to go I think.