cleanse, tone, moisturise.....

[BlueDragonfly]

How? when? Why?

I am a soap and water kind of person but was 'told off' by a friend for not doing it 'properly'.

Is my skin going to shrivel when i get older!

yes

it's too late

arse!

i am only 26, there must be a way to reverse the shrivel!

i don't want to look like him on the right

Are we still supposed to be doing this. I remember being lectured as a 17 year old about this. Tried it for a while in my twenties, but only because i got discounted products. I use a facewash and then some moisturiser.
Do we really need the 'tone' bit?

well i think if you dont sunbathe and even if you do mostly it is down to genes

i ahev pics of me with bags and dark shadows under my eyes at 4 and they have been my pain ever since and is my most wrinkly bit

was a thread a while ago where a beauty therapist recommended rose water as cheaper and better alternative to toner

cleansing definitely important.

soap and water sounds harsh to me but maybe your skin can take it - mine would flake off in the winter if I treated it like that!

also heard rosewater good from a beauty person, never bother with toner unless i'm staying at someone else's house and can nick it.

Moisturise as little as poss at night and always, always put it on the morning, with spf.

(ps that is my routine, not an instruction )

these things catch up with you in your 30s blue, bet you look great now!

Totally false idea put about by the bloody 'beauty' industry. not necessary at all. Eat healthily, no smoking and plenty of sleep are far more important.

It's a good idea to clean your skin - with whatever gets it clean and doesn't dry it out.
It's a good idea to moisturise IF your skin is dry. Sunblock definitely helps hold back the years.
Toner strictly optional.

i don't sunbathe (i have 3 children, how is that even possible?! ) i used to smoke but stopped, my skin is dry but i moisturise after i wash if i have got a soap tightened face. hmm maybe its time for a change!

Maybe just change from soap to a gentler wash-off cleanser? Lots around, at all price ranges. CLinique do the bars (not convinced about them, but if you really like soap might work), or another foaming one, lavender, I think, which I used to like.

I've been using this which is nice, but prob not for you if you've got dry skin. Maybe a lavender version?

I use soap and water sometimes when I've run out of cleanser, but get dry skin patchs quickly. Always moisturise. Buy my stuff from Lidl or Avon though, don't spend money

cheap cleansing lotion, removed with muslin cloth and warm water in evening

splash face with water and moisturise (+ spf) in morning

done

I use a pricier cleanser (Molton Brown atm, it's lovely) but cheap and cheerful works just as well.

Yes - agree with Effie about the removing cheapo cleanser with a muslin, but if you really can't be bothered with that, Simple do wash-off cleansers, like this one for drier skin. Not expensive, either.

Hmm, I've just started doing the CTM routine again after years of not bothering. I had terrible acne as a teenager which left me with awful skin and tbh I didn't see the point in bothering to look after it since it was wrecked already . Since moving to Scotland I have developed permanently red cheeks due to the wind (see my profile) - so all seemed doubly pointless! However I got fed up recently of my dry, flaky, spotty (yes, at 37 ) complexion and was at a Body Shop party ... so got some stuff. I have to say my skin behaves better now though it is hardly a miracle cure.

But funnily enough I did wonder about the toner thing last night - is it really worth it? Mine says "removes excess oil and residual cleanser" - well surely if I wash and dry my face properly that won't be a problem?

Other than that - I drink plenty (water I mean, not alcohol ), don't smoke, odd glass of wine, healthy diet - and am pretty wrinkle free! That is down to genes though I guess (my mum and granny have hardly any wrinkles).