Do you really need to moisturise?

[FriedEggOnMyFace]

I stopped using any kind of moisturiser on my face years ago. I used to have oily skin and I found it makes my face look more greasy. Now I've started worrying though that my skin will age and get wrinkles faster. I'm reading conflicting information online about whether a moisturiser is necessary at all or of it could even cause more harm than good.

I'm 45 and my skin definitely looks dull and not that tight anymore. I tried using a night cream for a few days but it made my skin break out.

I've read that the only thing that helps with wrinkles are prescription creams with retinoid, ie vitamin A. Do I need that or which moisturiser do you recommend?

Do I need anything else? I don't wear sunscreen either. Somehow I can't imagine it's necessary in the UK (though I religiously apply it on the kids) and I work from home anyway so don't spend much time outdoors anyway during the week.

Sorry, this sounds like an idiotic question but I'm just wondering if a few years down the line I'll be kicking myself for not doing something as simple as moisturizing. Do I really need to?

No and my skin looks definitely different to what it did even two years ago. But would a moisturiser change that?

Also, which one? There's a million different ones out there. I'd need something for oily skin with a low SPF that doesn't make my skin break out. Does it need to contain anything in particular? Anything to stay clear off? Day or night?

What acid? And are the acids and retinols good for your skin from a health point of view rather than just preventing wrinkles?

Also, is it accepted? I've seen as many articles that say you should moisturise as I've seen that say it's nonsense but I haven't done a literature review. I mean I haven't looked at any scientific papers. Maybe I should but I'm not that interested.

i forgot to say - it will improve the appearance of the ski. in that it will stop it loooking dry, flaky, dead. But that’s just a surface level change. Can make a big difference though - a bit like what my dry middle aged legs look like after body lotion.

I'm surprised as most of the Indians I know are big on the use of oils for hair / skin application.
My understanding is that genetics play a huge part in skin so I don't think a moisturizer will change that.

I’m so confused. Are you saying you don’t cream your skin at all?

I hate hair oil. My hair is a frizzy mess but that's a topic for another thread. :-)

Yes, I never apply any kind of cream on my skin. I wear foundation maybe once or twice a month and then I might use a primer but never a moisturiser.

That is hilarious 😂

Superdrug do a great SPF in oil form that lasts ages. I don’t like using moisturiser either and very rarely do. Love me an oil though.

ultimately I don't think there is any set rule. every person is different. my mum never used anything except water on her skin until her late 40s and she has great skin

I used to use just baby lotion for a long time but have been using clarins for the last 10/12 years. it suits me but I am sure there are better options out there.

if you have never used anything I would reccommend buying something without perfume etc. to prevent breakouts. and try different brands to what suits you.

just lemon juice on cotton wool applied to a clean face (except eye areas) and rinsed off after 10 minutes does a lot to brighten the skin. although it can dry out the skin so I moisturise afterwards.

balancing the right face wash with the right moisturiser also helps me. I also tend to use a face mask once week and exfoliate a couple of times a week. the sanctuary clay mask is awesome.

I am definitely not wrinkle free and probably look older than I am. but I do have a serious health condition which has taken its toll.... so its hard to say whether my regime has worked for me. but it does make my skin feel comfortable and fresh and that is what is most important for me.

This is the most interesting thing I’ve read all day. I really didn’t know that there’s people out there who don’t cream their skin! So you’ll have a shower, dry your skin and just put clothes straight on?

Yes. Is that really that unusual? I have only never owned body lotion when it came in a gift pack with perfume. Where it sat in a cupboard till I could find someone who would make use of it. Which was reasonably hard to do. Lots of friends said they didn't use it either. Gave it to the plumber for his girlfriend in the end.

So important. Do nigh cream so not greasy by morning then do bb cream and usual make up x I use simple ( that's the brand name )

Well I’m black so it’s unusual for us! All my mixed race and white friends crean too so I’ve never heard of no one ever using cream before. Not even vaseline or coco butter at the very least?😂 I know I’m clinging at straws here but you really do learn something new everyday

You need a non comedogenic moisturiser. Basically it's a moisturiser that doesn't clog your pores. La Roche Posay have a good range.

I'm 59 and I've never moisturised either my face or my body. I still have very soft skin and only a few fine lines on my face. I do stay out of the sun and drink loads of water, and I put a dab of sunscreen on my face in summer, but that's the limits to my skin care. It's genetic, I reckon.

Yes to having a daily shower, drying myself and putting clothes straight on.

Err yes, that's exactly what I do.

Haha no. I really don't use anything. :-)

To me, moisturiser takes away the soapy clean pure feeling of a shower and makes me feel like I’m coated with a layer of grease - even if the moisturiser smells divine! I cleanse with soap bars and a flannel and hate the moisturising ones. I wonder if all this will change as head into my 40s and my skin dries.

Wow I wish I could come out of the shower, chuck some clothes on and leave the house, it’d save me so much time. I’m slightly jealous of you guys but then again my skin would be extremely dry, ashey and would start to crack so that isn’t fun.

Maybe start off with something simple like Palmers coco butter (can be found in Boots/Superdrugs) and see how you get on. There’s so many benefits to creaming your skin with a cream that works for you

This made me laugh. My childhood best friend was black and i'm white. I couldn't get over how much time she spent creaming her skin. But then she couldn't get over the fact that there wasn't a single body cream or lotion in my entire house. She nearly died when I told her that I hadn't moisturised since I was a baby. We were about ten at the time 😂

Yes. Have never moisturised my body. Is it unheard of to do that with black skin?
I've been gifted body moisturisers and oils but I've never used them. I shower, dry and dress.
I do use moisturiser on my face though and strangely when my kids were babies I used put a moisturiser on them but I stopped when they were around five or six. I've no idea why, possibly they were able to dress themselves and while one was drying and getting dressed, I was busy showering the other one.

Hey, I'm a long time lurker as they say. I have very oily skin, it was so bad I was getting little bumps on my whole face. Gp prescribed me a soap free lotion that didn't work, sent me to a dermatologist who told me that I was doing well because the sebum the skin was creating will be good to help stop wrinkles early. Obviously I don't want oily skin so have been though lots of different thing to help. I have found at Ives oatmeal face wash in the morning followed by the ordinary vitamin c serum is amazing. Then at night I have garner rose miceller water followed by revolution quinoa night peeling serum 3 times per week and the inbetween is revolution niacinamide and zinc. Really hopes this helps, my skin is so great since I followed this. ☺

If you smeared your body with vaseline, wouldn't it be very messy and ruin your clothes? Body lotion too means you have to wait for it to dry and depending on the type of lotion, it could take ages. I wear sunscreen (when I'm on holidays somewhere hot) and its a bore waiting for it to dry before getting dressed.

😂😂 I can imagine both of you guys’ confusion! It can take a good 10 minutes to properly cream our skin but it needs as much moisture as it can get. Especially as we’re in a country where there isn’t much vitamin D for our skin to absorb