General self care as a woman??

[happydontjudgeme]

Ok, hear me out.. this may sound silly but after seeing all the influencers post about self care tips on insta/tiktok.. like double cleansing skin in the shower, all the products they use etc.. I’m starting to wonder if my self care is a bit…. Simple?

my mum wasn’t overly present growing up, so now I’m wondering if I do.. enough? Little things like cutting cuticles (I get my nails done once a month so just leave them until then) or waxing toe hair 😂 are we regularly whole body moisturising? I guess I should be I’m in my 30’s!

I am SO intrigued to know people’s self care tips they swear by that are genuine, no matter how simple!!

thanks ❤️

This is not low maintenance. No wonder you started off your list trying to remember 😆

Agree.

My 'self care' routine:
Sleep well,
Eat well,
Hydrate well,
Keep clean (shower, face wash, wash hair eveey 2 or 3 days, brush teeth),
Moisturise,
SPF,
Repeat.
The end.⁷

My advice is:

to remove all and any influencers from instagram

do yoga

go hiking

Shower every day, using really nice soap (no plastic bottles)
Wash hair every other day.
Avene cleanser and toner plus Nivea moisturiser for sensitive skin, every morning forever. I avoid the sun a lot because it’s not good for lupus, but good for avoiding wrinkles.
Quick wizz around with Braun mini razor for pesky chin hair when needed.
Shave legs and pits when I think about it.
Colour and cut hair every six weeks (grey). So jealous of my same age blonde friends who just go a nice silvery colour.
Hand cream pretty often.
Perfume every day.

Having worked behind the curtain in the world of products and influencers, people literally sit and devise new ways for you to part with your cash and it’s relentless.
Every single plan is about profit.
Most of what you see isn’t real.
There are some great products, if you use them and love them, brilliant.
But a decent derm will tell you that constant piling on of products is not good for your skin.
Double cleansing etc means you use a product more quickly. Some people do think it helps but proceed with caution.
I have sat in meetings about product development and it’s what can we think up next?
Don’t get me wrong I love a product, but at the end of the day they are chemicals in plastic tubes. I would spend money on a really good haircut and colour before anything else.

First of all calling it "self care" is just a way of charging more £££ for the products!
Stop following so-called influencers - it is just advertising.
If you are clean, brush your teeth, sleep OK, then you're fine. Anything else is an optional extra.

If these influencers are recommending ‘self-care’ practices to women which men wouldn’t consider doing then it’s almost certain they’re unecessary for your health and wellbeing.

So, wash adequately in any way you choose. Use moisturiser if your skin needs it (mine rarely does except flexitol for feet). Use a good sunblock. Trim and file nails. Shave or otherwise remove hair from anywhere you don’t want it and do whatever suits your head hair.

that’s about it really.

Most other things are about how you do or don’t choose decorate this base.

I'm not much older than you.
I get my nails done every 2-3 weeks, a pedicure every 6 weeks or so.
I moisturise my whole body on a regular basis, a few times a week and its with a emollient called Doublebase. No fragrance, nothing special added in either. It works better than any fancy moisturiser I've bought before.
I don't really get my hair cut as I'm growing it and its curly. I do dye it every couple of weeks using box dye. I double shampoo and it's completely got rid of y wet dandruff problem.
I shower when needed, sometimes that's twice a day, sometimes its every other day.
Face and pits washed twice a day a minimum. Face is moisturised morning and evening, again with doublebase.
I brush teeth twice a day and floss before bed.
I do use a retinoid on my face and neck, had to pause it as I'm getting co2 laser on my face for acne scarring next week and can't use any acid or retinoid product for 10 days prior, I've given it 3 weeks just to be sure!
Bedsheets are washed weekly.
I shave my legs and pits when I can be bothered, I do get a brazilian wax infrequently, again when I can be bothered.

It barely takes any time which is why I say low maintenance - I don’t get my nails done, hair is cut once a year, no Botox/treatments/facials/massages/waxing/eyebrows etc
I don’t style my hair apart from when it’s washed so do nothing to it daily

skincare is 5-10 mins a day, dermaplaning again 5 mins

My self care is saying no to parties

I love these threads for ideas. I think I'm fairly low maintenance.
Shower daily, hair wash every second day, teeth twice daily, three if I'm going out. Shave pits as required in the shower. Body lotion arms and legs once or twice a week. Epilate legs once a week or 10 days.
Face am wash, vit c serum, day moisturiser or face oil. Pm wash, tret, night moisturiser.
Nails never (nhs so have to be short and unpainted), brows pre holiday, lashes I do my self when I can be bothered.
Bikini line shaving head on my epilator as and when.
Hair cut every 6 weeks, never had it coloured.
I'm 57.
SPF on my face daily if outside, body SPF if needed

I started from a very low point (neglectful childhood where I wasn't taught about personal hygiene). So for me there is a baseline of making myself clean and presentable. Showering every day, washing my hair regularly, teeth cleaned, hair brushed, trimming nails, clean clothes and bedding etc.

The "self care" stuff I do is just extra on top because it makes me feel good and reminds me that I'm worth looking after.

Drinking lots of water
Eating vegetables
Taking vitamins
Getting outside for a walk
Having a basic skincare routine including SPF in the mornings
Making sure I get time to myself

In terms of personal grooming I do a weekly "everything shower" purely as some me-time and it also ticks a few boxes of extra bits e.g. I exfoliate, shave, body lotion, foot cream etc afterwards. That gets things ticked off the list.

Yes don't pay any heed to the influencers. You can't trust a word they say they're like the mercenaries of sales and advertising. Promote the stuff they get for free. Means nothing.

Exercise. Eat well and appropriate portions ( not too little or too much- both are bad). Get enough sleep. Wash daily. Clean teeth daily and get them professionally cleaned and polished twice a year. Get haircuts every 6 weeks and colour if going grey. Weekly nails ( at home is fine). Moisturise. SPF 50. If using makeup keep it barely there. Wear clothes that fit.

I have dealt with them in my work.
This is how much I demand per post.
I want this many products, this much cash, I want all sorts of other freebies.
Trust me, most of them are nightmares and their agents are even worse.
I was around when it all sort of ‘started’ and to see what they earn/demand now…
And even more traditional advertising.
If Claudia Winkleman uses Head & Shoulders I have a bridge to sell you….
Events are the funniest. I want this hotel, this car, this dress. And the ones that appear to be the sweetest believe me are absolutely not.
The ones you think will be the nightmares actually turn out to be fine.
Years ago now Channel 4 did a doc where they set up a fake ‘gifting’ suite and invited all the Corrie actors. The absolutely grabbiness was hilarious.
I mean who wants to use a product as endorsed by Janice Battersby? 🤣

I am quite invested in my skincare.. have three or four products I swear by. Loreal Midnight serum, Dr Jarts ceramidin toner, Cicaplast cream by roche posay. Also a daily SPF. Sleep in a silk hat (not sexy 😂). Fake tan once a week. Look after my nails. Eat well, sleep well, try and stay fit, drink a lot of water. Obviously wash regularly 😅
I think this is enough!!!

Shower and wash hair every day
No at all hairy but shave underarms and legs when needed
Moisturise after shower
Keep toe nails trimmed and painted
St Tropez spray tan for face (sometimes)
Foundation and full make up every day
File nails with a glass file most days
Multivitamin
Colour hair when roots show
Moisturise face every night after taking make up off

I have soap and water and a flannel. And a toothbrush and floss.

i have a moisturiser and lip balm that I use once in a while - when & where I feel I need it. Probably a couple of months ago on my legs on day.

I don’t get my nails done - just cut them when they get irritating. Don’t bother with body hair removal. Don’t get my hair done, just cut it when it gets irritating.

self care - good diet with lots of vegetables, plenty of outside exercise which leads to easy good sleep

I try to take care of myself in a very balanced way, not just on normal days but also during my period days. 💛
I focus on eating well, staying hydrated, and keeping my routine simple so my body feels comfortable overall.
During my period days, I also make sure to be extra gentle with myself and use products that feel soft and comfortable. I personally use a molecular-based brand that feels very skin-friendly, which has made things a lot easier for me. 🌿
For me, it’s really about overall self-care good food, good habits, and choosing what feels right for my body
I usually use this type of product for comfort:
https://www.hartmann.info/en/products/brands/molicare

I don’t follow any influencers.

I shower twice a day and do a full body moisturiser once a day with a bog standard Palmers moisturiser.

i have a basic manicure and pedicure every 12 days. I also have gel finger nails and ordinary polish on my toe nails for special occasions. Sometimes even just because I fancy it.

My face - soap and water on no make up days followed by a vitamin C serum and Oil of Ulay moisturiser. The moisturiser has a sun screen.

On make up days I use a cleansing balm made with essential oils followed by an oil based miscellier water. I then use my Oil of Ulay moisturiser.

My hair - it’s cut every 6-7weeks and washed on gum days.

Body hair - I may have a Bikini wax twice a year but even once a year would be enough. My legs etc - I dont have any hair in these places and never really have done.

Fitness - twice a week I have personal training and do what’s called functional fitness. Two other days of the week I do home based sessions my trainer puts online for me. I also use my treadmill and make up my step count to 7k a day. I also swim a couple of times a week.

I eat really well and never scrimp on the quality of food I have. I also drink lots of water and very rarely drink

I’m 68 and have never been healthier or fitter.

Shower daily, hair wash every second day, teeth twice daily, three if I'm going out

My dentist advised me to only brush teeth twice a day, so when I am going out I rinse my mouth out with a bit of toothpaste and water.

What's "tret"?

Short for tretinoin.

Tretinoin is a prescription-strength, topical Vitamin A derivative used to treat acne, minimize fine lines, and improve skin texture. I don't bother. I just use SPF50.

Self care - don’t follow influencers!

Wash, teeth etc daily

moisturise face - regular ish. Often used ‘day’ moisturiser at night. Never use ‘eye’ moisturiser (gimmick?)

eyelashes - never touch or do anything with

underarms - shave weekly, maybe more in summer, Same for legs (although longer gaps in winter)

Moisturise body - as and when

Ah. Thank you. Never heard of it before.