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?

Interesting. And not just for moisturising. Thanks I'd never heard of habit linking before though I guess I have used it before.

I don't use anything moisturiser wise and never have. I worked out as a teen it gave me spots and the more I messed with my skin the more trouble I had. I suncream if i'm spend a long time in the sun but not otherwise. My skin is great, absolutely no regrets.

But tbf my mum is the same.

I'm taking these D3 supplements at the moment and would recommend:

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/natures-bounty-vitamin-d3-60-gummies-60060882

I have a sweet tooth, so actually have to stop myself from taking more than I should.

I also have combination skin. The products I rate are:

Bioderma micellar water
Cerave hydrating cleanser
centella serum (v lightweight)
Face Theory saliatica (for liquid exfoliation)
Indeed Labs retinol reface (only at night)

I prefer mineral spf and am using Hero Force Shield (I'm black and unfortunately this does leave a slight white cast). My favourite chemical sunscreen is Beauty of Joseon rice probiotics (zero white cast).

Other tip - sunglasses in your handbag (to stave off dark circles and under eye wrinkles)

I haven't read all the responses, but there is a school of thought that by washing your face and not moisturising it (and dehydrating in the process) makes the skin more oily to compensate for what you remove.
I think you just need an appropriate moisturiser that doesn't clog your pores.
I use MooGoo and it's brilliant.

Awesome! Lucky you, where is the singular wrinkle? Any same thing any chance of a photo? Honestly I'm surrounded by women in their 40's, some who are well known for looking phenomenally young, some who have Botox and fillers, but literally none of us are wrinkle free. I mean fine at rest I have no lines but any animation of my face and they appear

I’m completely wrinkle free, as are most 40 something Black women I know. Wrinkles will eventually turn up, I’m sure, but not in our 40’s.

@Bature you are of course absolutely correct, white people age like milk in the sun 😆 I grew up in Southern Africa and my god some people's skin, by 50 they look 100. I apologise, even knowing that the OP was Indian I still assumed those claiming a wrinkle free visage were white, but yes, I don't know anyone brown or black with lines and wrinkles, melanin is the only true fountain of youth

@GreyTS I am very pale skinned white and only the one wrinkle.

It is perfectly possible if you never went on holiday somewhere hot and always preferred sitting inside with a book to going outside in the garden.

its interesting to read this thread. I have to moisturise a few times a day….I cannot shower and not moisturise as I’d be in pain 😓I have very dry and sensitive skin so I literally lather myself in as much moisturiser as possible. Body butters are the best and then I’ll do this a few times a day with my face and hands.
everyone has different skin types.

As you're not used to using anything, I think you will find a very light lotion for your body a gentle start to the idea - and one that is inexpensive.

Try a bottle of standard Nivea lotion on your legs, arms and body after a shower.

Once you get used to the feeling, maybe finding your legs, arms, hips and inner thighs (very delicate skin, extremely vulnerable with hormonal changes as you age) feel stronger/healthier or smoother, you might want to use something else for drier parts, in colder and harsher weather or just because the lotion doesn't feel quite enough. You could use expensive stuff, or you could get a simple emollient in a tub.

The other items are a lot of money to spend out if you aren't going to persist with them, so try and get into the habit first.

Wavessea that sounds awful, sorry.

Do you have hard water? Do you use soap/shower gel all over or just on the critical bits?

I'm not posting a photo but I don't think it's that rare. My best friend is my age and has no wrinkles. I was just contributing that moisturiser isn't necessarily the thing that prevents wrinkles since I never used it. As well as genes that seems to support later aging in my family, I have never smoked and don't drink and haven't hit menopause yet.

I used retinols etc for a while and they worked- but too well- I looked like the celebrities who do eg Botox. So I now just live by my avene skin recovery cream and lrp spf and my skin looks more natural but also healthier (am 43 btw)

I could do with that retinol! Can you pls let me know which one you used?

Blackandwhitemakesgrey
I was using The Ordinary and Alpha H liquid gold together. Just a warning: I can only describe it as my skin never felt ‘comfortable’. So it tightened (which yes, people are going for) and always felt tight but looked really smooth (I couldn’t stop looking at it actually!), but I didn’t look like me!

Is retinol bad for health? I mean are there any long term effects of using it? It's basically vitamin A isn't it? But do high doses of that affect you in any way? What about hyaluronic acid?

Many thanks for that. Do you mind saying what percentage retinol you used?

I think it is pretty individual thing, my mum who died last year at 81, had very oliy skin which she hated, she never used moisturiser ever and had fewer wrinkles when she died than I have at 47. Her dermatologist told her she didn't need any moisturiser. She did use retin a for years in her fifties to dry out her skin rather than prevent wrinkles so maybe that helped too

Blackandwhitemakesgrey
It was low- 2 even or if that’s wrong maybe 5, I’d go check but I passed it on to someone else who’d definitely use it!

People who use oil for moisturizer, which oil do you use? And does it still work well over time?

I don't know but I'm 39, don't have a single wrinkle. Never had a skin care 'routine' and don't buy any specific products for my face.

I doubt if moisturiser makes much difference long term really. I’ve always used a basic one plus serum over crows feet areas but that’s more for a base to stop foundation caking.

I really think it’s down to your genes, how hard or easy a life you’ve had as that shows on your face, and what you put IN your body ie food and drink and hydration not what you put ON your skin - it’s just a GIGANTIC money spinner, all the bollocks about vitamins and enzymes and acids.

Sun damage is a thing though and sunscreen should help in preventing some facial ageing and dark spots.