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.

I’ve spent tons over the years on skincare, now I primarily use Beauty Pie and Inkey List. Tried a lot from The Oridinary but wasn’t a fan. Less is more for me too, I have one cleanser, one eye cream, one moisturiser, one serum and one oil. Once the serum is finished i’ll just stick to the oil.

On top of that I used factor 50 everyday, although must admit only really knuckled down on daily use over the last year.

I only spend money on serums. I have a skin&me subscription for night (Tret) and a vitamin c serum for day. The rest is just cheapy stuff from Aldi or Superdrug. The Aldi hot cloth cleansers and acid toners are as good as any expensive ones I've tried!

No. What's important is to cut through all the bumpf and discover which ingredients actually make a difference. Daily SPF, Retin-A, and Vitamin C. And to assess what your skin responds well to.

I have dry sensitive skin so I buy a tub of Clinique's Take the Day Off balm every couple of months. Costs £25 (cheap to some, expensive to others) and my skin loves it. I use retin-a every other night, and a really rich night cream on the alternate nights. There is one £££ product that my skin loves though and that's the Skinceuticals Vit C serum.

You don't need it. Nivea blue pot is the best. Use a mild cleaner, Simple etc.

Agree that a cheap but effects be (fragrance free etc) cleanser and moisturizer is adequate. Spend youromey on an SPF you like that you'll want to wear daily and one good ser. The ordinary sells antioxidants (Vit c powder, ferulic acid, retinoids, etc for dirt cheap and you can add them to your moisturize).

*one good serum

Thank you so much! Really helpful, I'll have a look at no 7

How do you get a tret prescription and what does tret do?

P.s. this is all very helpful.

Retinol is a game changer for me. I've had lots of comments about my youthful skin since I've been using it (sorry I sound like a a test but it's true)

@GreatEelRun

How do you get a tret prescription and what does tret do?

My very non scientific answer -

It increases collagen production and cellular turnover, which both slow down as we age. Over time it also thickens the dermis (underneath layer of your skin) and thins out the top layer - which is made up of mostly dead skin cells anyway.

This is why people peel a lot when they start to use it, it's the top layers sloughing off, and also why you can get redness and irritation, because the new skin cells are pushed up to the surface quicker.
Also very much why you need to wear sunscreen daily if you use it, because the top layer of skin acts as a first line of defence.

The thing is, it's basically medication in cream form. So if misused can cause problems, like if you are pregnant you are advised not to use it. That's why a prescription is needed, as it's pretty strong stuff.

In some EU countries (Spain, Greece) they can get it over the counter at pharmacies. If you are in the UK, you could use Skin& Me or one of those companies who do a subscription service.

I'm in Ireland, I order mine from a Spanish pharmacy online, but I'm not sure they deliver to the UK after Brexit. I recommended them to another poster who I think later said they never got anything delivered .

Also, one of the reasons it's held is such high esteem is because it has decades of clinical research behind it.
Was originally formulated in the 70's I think as acne medication. Users then described beneficial side effects of their wrinkles reducing etc. so it started being used for anti aging.

A few months ago the local radio station was talking to a dermatologist and she said something like the dove bar followed by a cheap moisturiser was all the majority of people needed under sunscreen. She went on to say that unless on prescription most skin care doesn't contain enough product to make a difference.