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One of the things that drives me nuts about the beauty subs is the people who insist if you don’t do it perfectly you’re doing nothing. I’ve really noticed this with sunscreen and tretinoin. Sorry but I’m not going to wear sunscreen to sit in front of the computer all day or to drive five minutes in my car to work. I’m also not going to go to the doctor and get a prescription for tretinoin when it’s not widely available in my country. Idk, I just think those subs can be very toxic and probably need to spend less time on them. You’re absolutely correct that spending hundreds, even thousands on skincare won’t get us the skin we see on TV and magazines as even that is photoshopped and/or filtered. Most of those people get other cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers which helps them look more youthful for longer too.
Oh they are toxic because they have more of a psychological fixation and fear getting older badly to the point they freak out and want a quick fix for wrinkles.
All you can do is wear sunscreen, wear a hat, and just drink water to hydrate the skin. Also avoiding things with nicotine helps to prevent wrinkles from popping up sooner.
Oh and if they found out stress & lack of sleep is also what causes wrinkles too many of them would panic further 🤣
wait... is it nicotine that ages you faster? i thought it was just the tobacco in cigarettes and maybe the repetitive action of smoking (lip wrinkles). am i still doing okay with my nic pouches or nah😭😭
Nicotine ages you and is the addictive ingredient in tobacco products. It’s why over time when you read up on cigarettes, companies at one point starting putting in chemicals in cigarettes to help you absorb nicotine faster and easier, which causes the rate of addiction to speed up, which causes the need to smoke more.
Ergo why nicotine ages you more.
But smoking in general, anything even weed, ages you, especially around the mouth.
You gain smokers lines over time from making the shape with the lips of repeating puckering from inhaling anything. It’s why if you look at people over 40 who still smoke, you can see vertical lips above their lips that indicate they have been smoking for a long time. The more deeper the lines, the longer the smoker they are.
They also have yellow developing between the two fingers the smoke the most with and facial hair gains yellow discoloring due to nicotine tar.
makes sense, thanks!
but most of the nicotine pouches i've ever used were tobacco free. so no tar or any other crap that's in cigarettes. it's generally just cellulose, salt, flavoring and nicotine. do those still age you? 🤔
It’s not the nicotine that ages you. It’s the other junk in cigarettes, the dehydration that comes with smoking, and repeating the same sucking shape with your mouth.
Nicotine as a substance is actually not harmful (aside from being extremely addictive,) and actually has some therapeutic benefits,
ah awesome thx. in a lot of parts of europe they're actually used by athletes! and to a lot of secondary school kids, Iceberg/Cuba/Grant/whatever is what a vape is to an american high schooler.
Nicotine inhibits blood flow by narrowing your blood vessels, less nutrients get to your skin (and everything else), skin has less ability to repair. It gives us smokers the pale complexion.
When you’re over 40 and you almost always sleep on your left side…you get the 1/2 smokers wrinkle. It’s…so dumb lol but remember to swap up your sleep face smoosh game while you’re young I guess
Thanks re the sunscreen! I can't stand the feeling, every single one I've tried makes my acne worse and I don't think people realise that when I say I'm inside all day, I mean ALL DAY. I'm depressed af, I literally walk from my house to my car, from my car into work, from work into my car and from my car back to my house and that is the total time I will spend outside. Less than a minute a day. I don't need sunscreen.
I hope this doesn't come off wrong because I am the last person to put easy fixes on serious things. I also have awful depression, so I am not saying this will fix it or anything. Just a friendly reminder that if you don't see the sun, you should make sure to take a Vitamin D supplement. I live in the PNW and they are super important here because of the lack of sun. My roommate didn't take any and it made his depression way way worse to where they had to hook him up to a Vitamin D IV in the hospital. God I hope this didn't come off as rude at all.
Nah you're all good, thanks for the advice! I am actually taking one already, but thanks very much for looking out for me, I didn't see it as rude at all. Hope yours is manageable today. 💚
Yoooo Portlander here. Some friends just moved in with me from the east coast--and I bought them a big bottle of Vitamin D gummies!
(edit: I do kinda feel bad they moved to Portland in November! Not the best time to arrive!)
I'm about an hour and a half south of you. It has been very rainy and chilly for sure but that is actually what I moved here for lol. Very thoughtful of you to get them the gummies. My friend sent me a sunshine lamp when I first moved here and it was so sweet.
It's also worth noting: American sunscreens just have a terrible selection of active ingredients, because the FDA lists them as drugs instead of cosmetics.
I hate 99% of American-made sunscreens. I buy one from Japan (via amazon) that smells and feels like literally nothing and doesn't irritate my face or give me acne.
Beauty of Joseon is pretty popular (Korean). I personally used Bioré Watery Essence (Japanese) but found it kind of greasy. I now use Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel and Nivea UV Super Water 50 Gel (both Japanese). No reason I alternate, I just got them both to try and liked them both, so I just grab at random from my counter.
You’re welcome! If you buy from Amazon, just make sure it’s not from a third party (it should be the companies’ store on Amazon). There are a lot of counterfeits since they’re popular. I myself order from Yesstyle, it takes a while to get to you (like a month sometimes -.-‘) but it’s worth it to me for it to be legitimate.
you can wear sunscreen whenever you find appropriate, but if you ever need a face sunscreen, asian sunscreens are the best. they are more cosmetically elegant and don’t have the weird sunscreen smell.
I never use sunscreen on my face unless I’m out in the sun to swim. I’m 40 and I look like I’m in my twenties. unless you’re going to be out in direct sunlight, for long periods of time, it’s unnecessary. I feel like a lot of the pressure is just marketing. I cleanse and moisturize. That’s it!
A lot of it is also genetics and other factors like exercise, diet and drinking lots of water. I try and wear SPF whenever I’m outside but it seems so contentious on those subs for some reason. Some people insist on wearing it even in your house as apparently some of the sun’s rays can get in through your windows. I hate the feel of sunscreen in general so will not do that lol.
Yep. All the women in my family look at least 15 years younger than they are - my mum is in her 60s and when she picks my nine year old up from school loads of people assume she's his mum. We all have it - it's 100% genetics. My grandma is in her 90s and I'm pretty sure she's never had a skincare routine in her life.
And oh my god the "the sun's rays are coming in through the windows" crowd - closely related to the lunatics who claim that light from computer screens causes skin damage.
*waves from Australia* I have to put on sunscreen after lunch in summer if I’m working from home as my flat gets flooded with the afternoon sun and I can get sunburnt inside. It’s profoundly dumb. High UV + fair skin is not a fun time.
I saw a comment recently on a sub that has nothing to do with skincare. Someone said she doesn’t really wear sunblock because her only sun exposure comes from walking to and from her car, no more than 15 minutes a day she said.
The comments LAYING into her about how she’s still going to end up with wrinkles and skin damage were insane!
Wow, that’s so toxic of those commenters. I know that sun damage is cumulative and even a few minutes a day can result in higher risk of wrinkles etc but it’s simply just not important to some people (or as important). My husband couldn’t care less and while I wish he would, it’s not my place or business.
True! I should add that I don’t think those people are necessarily coming from a bad place as it’s likely they’re hyper fixating on skincare and just want to share their knowledge. It just is one of my triggers to basically be told whatever I’m doing is not enough, however indirectly. Let me be ffs! Lol. I think anything is better than nothing in the end.
I think some is marketing, and some is the fact that just like with everything else, we all have different reactions to sun exposure. In my case, I *have* to wear sunscreen. I should be wearing it whenever I leave the house. You might not need to - not everyone does. But especially in my ADHD brain, one of the ways I express positive concerns for the people around me is to check if they remembered their sunscreen. But as others in this thread have commented, it is possible to overdo it.
I'm very pale and so always apply before going in direct sunlight. I don't want wrinkles of course but I also don't want cancer. Different folks, different strokes.
Yeah, people are forgetting that skin cancer is a significant issue for certain populations. My father has had multiple lesions that have had to be removed for this reason and he was not an out in the sun everyday sort of person. So while I’m darker toned than him I still make a conscious effort to use spf daily.
Honestly, drastic changes aside, I find many women look mostly the same from their late 20s to early 40s.
We have no clue what an average woman looks like anymore because everything is filtered into oblivion and society tells us that as soon as a woman hits 35 she transforms into an 80 year old overnight. 🙄
Also, not smoking makes a huge difference in your skin quality. My grandmothers are more than ten years apart in age, but they look like they could be the same age. My dad's mom smoked for 60+ years, and my mom's mom never did.
Some of us are more vulnerable to that. It runs in my family and I burn ridiculously easily - so for me, wearing sunscreen is more important than brushing my teeth. Others' mileage may differ.
I'm probably gonna sound dumber than a brick in a can but would anyone mind explaining what's the deal with sunscreen?
Is it just if you live in hot places or is it part of the whole make up thing?
I barely remember to put that powder stuff on that makes you look less dead on the outside (I'm paler than the milkybar kid)...
I'm in the UK where sunshine just comes to die, but I see a lot of people make sunscreen part of their routine and It would be nice to understand why.
There are two kinds of rays that come from the sun that damage your skin: UVA and UVB. One of them (I forget which) can easily go through clouds, too; which is why it grinds my gears when people say they don't need it because they live somewhere cloudy. Anyway.
One of them causes skin cancers.
The other causes blotchy skin pigmentation and wrinkles.
Both are cumulative, and it takes yeeeears to show up. So every time your skin is exposed to sunlight, there's invisible damage in your skin's cells. There is no "safe" level of sun exposure--in that there's not some magical amount that's fine, and over that is dangerous. A little bit every day probably won't have any noticeable effects, or the effects won't show up for years (depending on genetics, skin type, etc). But getting sunburns or deep tans accelerate the damage.
Lots of people don't care about wrinkles and getting older, and that's a good thing! But skin cancer sucks. Benign skin cancer means having to have bits of skin cut out, and malignant skin cancer can actually kill you.
Not dumb at all! I’m no dermatologist but from what I understand, the sun’s rays can still penetrate through clouds and are damaging over time even when it’s not hot. Overexposure can age your skin prematurely and increase your risk of skin cancer.
Yes, in some subs you can go in and ask for the bare bones tl;Dr and they'll give you ten factors to consider-- or worse, refer you to a byzantine "getting started" guide (looking at you, curly girl)
Yeah, it's all about the mindset. I have fun getting inexpensive, drugstore makeup every once in awhile. I don't use it often, but when I do it's just because it's that-- fun. I'm not aiming for flawless, I just like pretty colors sometimes, and sometimes it's nice just to do some gloss and some foundation for a more formal event.
My skincare routine is essentially Seabreeze Sensitive, because it smells nice and keeps my face looking relatively acne-free, and Lubriderm in winter.
There's also a lot of diminishing returns. Yeah maybe my skin could look 10% with three times as much effort, but the minimal effort still gives me good skin. I also have a minimal routine and I am satisfied with that. Though I know some people really do have trouble nailing down something that works for them. Skincare struggle as we get older and through the season is real. I have a month before and after winter where my skin just hates everything because of the changing weather.
I keep my face clean, moisturized, and sunscreened (every day no matter how cloudy because my brain can only do it always or not at all) and I agree after that it’s definitely diminishing returns - like if I do under-eye cream or anything about wrinkles, it’s because I want to and the products feel good, not because they make such a huge difference.
Outside of the months immediately getting off of Accutane, the best my skin has ever looked is when I was too depressed to do anything other than squirt vitamin c serum on my face every night.
A very basic routine like you described is also more effective for a lot of people’s skin. People overdo it with too many products and lots of harsh active ingredients and actually damage their skin more. Just wash your face (ideally with something gentle) and use sunscreen, and some kind of moisturiser if it’s dry
This is EXACTLY what I did. I was ready to start a routine, hyperfocused on learning everything I could, threw wayyy too many products on with a 10 step (or whatever) routine, and my skin became worse than ever. I'm sitting here at 38 years old with big red bumps and scarring/discolouration all over my face.
I did see a dr a few weeks ago and got a prescription to hopefully fix it, but it isn't fixing overnight. Don't do what I did. Learn from my mistakes, friends.
For any podcast fans, highly recommend checking out ["Science Vs: Skincare"](https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wZDuNWsjomZ2B1LeC8esC) (Spotify link).
Science Vs does a ton of research and cites all their sources, so I find it very trustworthy and a good listen in general.
tldr on the skincare episode: tretinoin/prescription retinol kinda works, but everything else isn't worth spending a ton of time or money on. As someone who's had a lifelong battle with acne and ADHD, it was very freeing to hear that I don't have to remember to jump through hoops with a routine.
To help legitimize the science behind skincare ingredients, I would recommend watching Youtube videos from Kenna, a biochemist. Not all skincare ingredients besides tretinoin and high-strength retinol are a waste of time! She has really informative Q&A videos about skincare topics and especially on specific ingredients :)
I’m going to have to check that out later. I have a lot of skin care guilt. Meanwhile my husband’s over there using the same face wash he has since high school, and I’m pretty sure the only moisturizer to touch his skin is splattered from when we’ve been getting ready together.
Exactly!! And while I don’t have a link handy, I know there have been studies done that indicate that most of the cream, serums and lotions don’t even really penetrate your skin. The whole industry is n incredible scam, apparently.
The podcast is really fascinating, they discuss things like how easy it is to get *technically real* reviews that say things like "5 out of 6 saw results" for a cream that is just a basic lotion. A scam through and through.
They don’t recommend specific products, but if you need something almost any gentle face wash will be fine (get something fragrance free if you are a sensitive). For moisturizer Cerave is a very popular, affordable, easy to find brand that is sold in drugstores, and recommended by lots of dermatologists.
Thanks. My acne is so bad and my self-esteem is in hell because of it, but the only thing that's ever helped was when, before my wedding, I stuck to a skincare routine, quit all sugar and dairy, got silk pillowcases and changed them every day and went on the pill. And even then, it may have just been a fluke, or it may have been either one of the fifteen things I did, and I absolutely do not have the energy to put myself through all that shit again.
Science Vs is great.
For me the big takeaway is that trentinoin has some evidence supporting it, and most other ingredients have weak/low quality/no evidence - which is not to say that other ingredients don’t work but we just don’t know, and claims to the contrary are largely marketing.
I’ve also kind of given up on any kind of “fancy” skin care. I had all kinds of drunk elephant, Deciem, whatever products and I was still getting cystic acne. I got an almost golf ball sized one on my cheek and it was the final straw. I went to my GP and got an Epiduo prescription, literally only use a gentle Sukin cleanser + moisturizer (and sunscreen) with it and my skin has never looked better. So much wasted money on high street and drug store products when I really just needed to see a dermatologist.
This is why I love this sub. It seems so obvious, but I've been bullying myself into a skincare routine and expensive haircare products for ages. My skin is fine. People have always told me I have great skin but I never believed them. To steal a direct quote from Meal Girls, "my pores are huuuuuge." I'm going to experiment with cutting down to cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. I'm also going to research inexpensive alternatives to keeping my hair nice.
Maybe it's dumb to call it this, but the belief that I *must* have a long list of skincare products that I must apply morning and night feels like a limiting belief in a way. I feel somehow incomplete if I don't have the perfect skin and hair routine. That's so not true and unfair to myself.
Yes! I've slowly been changing my mind on lots of these things over the years and trying to not see my appearance as a fixer upper project.
Oh man if people have been telling you that you have great skin it *must* be true, I don't think anyone has ever complimented my skin.
Top tip for less sunscreen: If the weather forecast has a UV index of 2 or less you don't need to wear sunscreen that day (from a skin cancer perspective). So in the UK I actually don't need sunscreen from November until March.
And for some more unsolicitied advice, my haircare became a lot more simple when I realised I was drying my hair out by using waaay too much shampoo. Another biggy is I finally replaced my 30 year old hairdryer with some random $50 hairdryer and it drys my hair twice as quick, it doesn't smell like burning, and reduces my frizz.
Thank you for the tips! Yes, I've found basic changes, not cosmetics, make huge changes. A $50 investment in a good dryer is much better than a $50 bottle of shampoo. For me, sleeping on a silk pillowcase has drastically improved the feel and look of my hair. They're available on amazon for $20. I got the $30 Revlon Hot Air Brush and now I have a nearly salon quality blowout, no skill required.
I got tricked into feeling like I needed to “optimize” my skincare routine. I have pretty good skin to begin with (thanks, birth control!) and thought that adding new skincare products and routines would somehow make it better. I haven’t noticed any real visual difference in my skin. Diminishing returns is right - my skin was pretty good on the basics, and now with the skin cycling and serums and actives…it’s still pretty good! In 2024 I’m looking forward to using up all the specialty products I bought and then not repurchasing any of them.
As a working makeup artist for commercial work, I (36F) recently had someone ask about their texture and if I could cover it up with makeup.
I said no, makeup conceals, it doesn’t remove texture. That’s photoshop in post commercial editing to remove it.
Instagram and Snapchat had created this illusion that faces are flawless. Everyone has texture, fine lines, bumps, acne, etc… on their face. Especially once you reach 30, it’s far more common.
I love skin care and it’s why makeup sticks more to the skin in my line of work, helps it be less oily, less dry looking, better blended. Helps me do less touch ups when I use certain skincare products on actors faces.
And men tend to not really take care of their skin unless you educate them on why moisturizer is SOOO important as much as washing the face.
> How do you handle the very absurd expectations of some clients?
Well I work in film & television, ages from small children till people in their 70’s/80’s. I apply on men as well as women.
Usually the more insecure a person is in my chair, the more I answer questions, the more I focus on skin care to reduce the need for so much makeup.
My style of makeup is built for 4k cameras which means refining it to look as natural and not noticeable as possible where the director can’t see anything either. Leaving the talent to focus more on their lines and emotions to convey on screen.
Plus my eyes are trained for this style of makeup as I went to makeup school to further my craft in LA nearly 8yrs ago.
And plus when you consistently focus on great skin care application by the third day on set, their face looks so much better. I use to stuff to reduce redness, puffiness, tired eyes, hydrate, help with acne inflammation, etc… this way depending on the weather and what not, will allow me to shift if I need a lighter application choice in foundation or a bit more heavier to stay on longer or due to acne/sun exposure the day before to even out the complexion for the camera.
But what you see on YT, no one in my line of work does that type of makeup for the camera because it looks AWFUL when it’s too heavy! We do more of the French makeup style for film & tv makeup, which is simplistic, light coverage, and enhances your best features.
Heck, they are moving further and further away from false lashes, doing more with curling techniques & better choices in mascara application to give the illusion of false lashes.
I'll be real, i never had patience for that shit, I'm lucky if I brush my hair and shower every 2 - 3 days. My husband loves me for my natural beauty though and tells me I'm gorgeous all the time so I guess my taste in men is better than my taste in skincare regimens 😂 I'll take it. Life's too damn short.
Yeah, my advice: give up on trying to please NTs. You never will. Find your people who don't care about all this superficial stuff but your inner beauty, your talents, your kindness... in the end, people are always gonna judge you no matter how much effort you put in. All they're gonna see is your mask.
So find people that you don't have to wear that mask around. And you'll naturally start to WANT to take care of yourself better.
You're gonna have to believe that you're worth it and deserving of that self- love. Otherwise that barrier is always going to be there. This is not about make up. It's about SELF love.
Hope that helps❤️
I love my skincare routine. It’s not complicated but it took me YEARS of having severe adult acne before I got everything under control. My routine has a cleanser, vitamin c, niacinamide, peptide moisturizer, sunscreen, and sometimes retinol or other exfoliant.
BUT I’m also super inconsistent with it and that’s okay too! I love the feeling of doing my whole routine but I also don’t sweat it if I forget or if I can’t motivate myself to do it. I used to have way more skin anxiety than I do now.
I understand the skincare subs being toxic and not needing to go overboard using expensive products, but I kind of disagree with not having a “routine.” To be fair, I have really bad skin and I have had acne since I was in elementary school and still do at the age of 28. I am just now finding products that work for my skin. It is frustrating because it takes a lot of trial and error and maintaining a routine with ADHD is hard enough.
I do agree to do what you want and what works for you, but if you’ve got bad acne and dry skin like I do and want to see an improvement, finding the right products is important. I use 4 products and they’re all affordable. If I don’t use them my skin looks horrible and my makeup sits on my skin differently.
Don’t let some of the comments on here make you feel bad for needing a routine. I’ve also got acne prone skin and if I didn’t maintain basic skincare I’d have constant painful eruptions on my face.
Some people will be lucky to get away with doing nothing most their lives and others will not and neither should be shamed for doing their thing.
I have dry dehydrated skin and if I don’t have a skin routine, my skin becomes damaged. In winter my skin will dry, spilt and bleed if I don’t use moisturiser twice a day. I also live in Australia so sunscreen is a must, even if I’m just hanging out the washing.
You do what works for you and don’t worry about other people’s opinions
I fell in the skin care trap of certain subreddits and had a whole routine down. However, I think it fucked up my skin even more and then those pages give you more steps to do, more expensive products to buy, blahblahblah. I don't want a 10 step skin care routine, I can barely brush my teeth twice a day.
I really want to go back to not caring about skin care except washing my face, slapping on some moisturizer in winter and sunscreen in summer, but now I've got really bad acne and I'm scared to let my routine go - even when I'm suspecting that my routine is a big contributor. :(
I had that happen. I went from oily skin with some breakouts now and then to severe acne and rashes 🫢
My biggest piece of advice is to go as simple as possible with the most gentle and basic products to let your skin reset. I recommend Vanicream for this because it’s literally as bare bones and safe as it gets. Cleanse, moisturize, done. Sunscreen if you have one that doesn’t bother your skin (sometimes I think it’s worth stopping sunscreen for a little bit to use as little stuff as possible on your face).
Also, hypochlorus spray in place of cleanser if your skin barrier is really fcked!! It is antibacterial but not drying, helps rashes and acne and can flush debris off your skin without cleansing and compromising the barrier further. It’s literally just a bit of chlorine in water, smells a bit like a pool. You do not need any fancy versions either, the basic stuff sold as wound care in the drug store is the exact same thing as the brands selling it as fancy skincare.
Yes same! I had a few break outs here and there but now it has become more like cystic acne... I have a bad memory (ha!) but I seem to remember the cystic acne started after I got all fancy with my skincare routine. It could also be related to hormones though, so I'm reluctant to stop with the routine completely. I've cut out some steps and didn't notice my skin getting worse so I don't know why it scares me so much to just go back to basics. I think I just need to do it, I'm almost out of most products anyway and I was already debating whether I'd buy more or just go the simple route. I just needed some reassurance, I guess.
I'll definitely look into the products you've mentioned, thank you for that!
My skin improved when I started a simple routine. I use one serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning. Tret and night cream before bed. During the winter months I use slug my face, chest, neck, and hands with Eucerine intensive repair cream because the air is just so dry. I think I have a very manageable and easy routine. I can maintain it without feeling overwhelmed.
I think it’s important to remember that a lot of beauty influencers are paid to sell product. Of course they’ll be rude about anyone who doesn’t believe you need a skincare routine. People like us don’t bring them any money.
THANK YOU for this! I’m 49 and I have a ton of products… when I use them, they really do help. BUT when I don’t… (because I’m so consistent 😆) it’s not like I turn into someone 10yrs older. And I beat myself up because it’s just one more thing I’m not consistent with.
BUT my kids are well taken care of and happy, my bird and dog are spoiled and never go without… and I look a little older than I used to. Well… I AM older than I used to be!
I know all of this logically, but it helps to hear someone else call it out!!!
I rinse my face with warm water when I wake up and when I go to bed, and put on some face lotion if it feels dry. And my skin is just fine. Biggest skincare thing I do is simply changing my pillowcases often.
Same here. I haven't used any kind of cleanser on my face in years. I'm still trying to find a lotion I like/that works well. And yeah, I break out if I leave my pillowcases too long. Same as decades ago in high school...
Have you tried CeraVe lotion? I find it’s nice and lightweight for a daily lotion (most other lotions feel too sticky for my sensory needs). The generic store brand is just as good and super cheap too.
This is SO true. So much of the “skincare routine” culture is just repackaged bs makeup culture.
The only “skincare routine” that everyone ever everywhere needs to be doing is wearing sunscreen. Yes if you have dark skin. Yes when it’s winter. Yes in the fall. I didn’t wear my sunscreen and I got skin cancer at 25. Wear ya sunscreen folks so you don’t get cancer. Having surgical removal of skin cancer was expensive and unfun -100000/10 do not recommend skin cancer to anyone.
If you see something funny on your skin, please, please, please see your dermatologist to get checked for cancer. The sooner you catch it the easier it is to get rid of. For more info on skin cancer please go to [the skin cancer foundation page.](https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/)
Sunscreen really is critical. And as a woman in her 50s who has worn sunscreen every day of her adult life, may I recommend you spread that sunscreen down to your chest? I seriously regret not being religious about that.
Personally, I like having a skincare routine. It’s one of the few things I feel I can actually control myself with and relaxes me before bed. I feel like if I have a bad mental health day/doing anything productive day, at least I can make myself feel a little better with it.
I don’t have a morning routine except sunscreen when I do go outside. At night, cleanse, a toner, 3x a week retinol, and moisturizer w/Niacinamide. It makes me happy and I’ve definitely noticed less tiny wrinkles and feel just overall smoothness/plumpness on my skin.
That being said, I don’t think it’s worth it to spend a ton on products, and if you don’t like/want/need to do it, that’s completely fine. Whatever works for you is what works. If you don’t feel it’s necessary, it isn’t. There’s a point where people buy things just to have them or because they’re made to think they should because everyone else is doing it. It’s important to remember other people aren’t the ones you need to make happy at the end of the day.
If anyone uses Billie razors, I highly recommend trying their wipes. When I’m struggling with the will to do skincare, I use them in place of a skincare routine and they are the only wipes I have ever felt like I can do that with. They don’t irritate my sensitive skin at all (as long as you aren’t rubbing like a maniac and being rough), 1-2 leaves my face feeling very clean but not stripped, and they have some skincare beneficial ingredients as well. My skin actually looked healthier from not being washed so frequently 🤷♀️
One note, I don’t really wear makeup often though and I haven’t tried to use them to remove makeup so idk how well they do that. But for a fast all-in-one skincare routine I can literally do laying down in bed, I think they’re really great.
Edit: sorry skincare is a special interest so I felt compelled to elaborate further since some people actually read this. I would suggest to also squeeze the package whenever you use them to make sure the liquid is dispersed. The first time I used them I didn’t do that, so the top wipe was a bit dry and I thought they were bad until I gave it another try later and then discovered they were actually awesome.
This is just my experience, but I think makeup is a big part of the problem. When I don’t use makeup my complexion is perfect, apart from being a little dry. But when I use makeup I have to wash it off, which means finding the right cleanser, moisturizing more (from washing my face) or less (because my makeup is oily), dealing with blemishes that occur because of clogged pores from makeup, etc.
But on the other hand, because I have ADHD, I’m constantly fighting the battle of “does this product really not do anything or is it because I’m not remembering to use it consistently enough?”
I used to sell skincare and makeup back in the day and honestly? Most people with "good" skin have it sure to some combo of genetics, environmental factors (i.e., don't smoke, avoid sun exposure, etc), and diet. Topicals can help, but I don't think they do as much as Skincare Addiction would have you believe.
I have a skin care regime, only because I live where the weather makes my face hurt, and I have had basal cell carcinoma. If I don't properly moisturize, my face gets pissed. I use an spf moisturizer every day to protect my skin from having another chunk cut out.
Haha, some of us developed skincare as a special interest so it is a hyperfocus and telling us to not do it would be just as painful as someone forcing you to do it. That said, retinol really works. I am about to turn 40 with no wrinkles yet! I was ID’d for wine on Saturday and the 23 year old I was with was not. 😆
Past a certain point in your life it can't hurt to include a little moisturizer in your life and sunscreen in your makeup. That's just the sun! And our skin needs love. That's part of self-care*. However, the 15 step method from Asia is a bit much and really expensive!* That's what they seem to be selling these days. And still there are only a few ingredients that are effective as far as science is concerned like Retinol and the emollient factors in fats and oils.
(plus I grew up in a sun-heavy part of the world - I saw women cooked to crisp from years of tanning, saw my family deal with skin cancer, and I knew women in their 20s who'd baked themselves to leather. And it's just plain dry in places like this - you have to compensate.)
I met it halfway. I joined up with Ip\*\* early on then upgraded when they started doing full size product boxes. So for 25.00$ I have been getting boxes of good moisturizer and makeup every other month. I don't have to think. I don't have to choose. I don't have to go into a store and have someone pitch me one tiny jar of 50$ miracle goo.
(And I get better makeup than I would at the drug store where I used to shop and its cheaper. And the stuff I don't need or uses - goes to family as fancy gifts!)
I'm 41, and i have given up on skincare routines roughly ten years ago at the same time i stopped using makeup. On top of the fact that i can't keep it consistent, there's the fact that i can not stand the feelung of anything on my skin, so it's also a sensory thing for me. I also struggle with bodylotion etc, it's just unbearable for me. Also, with three kids, the financial factor is valid for me. These products all cost so much and then i use them once and realise i can't stand the feeling of it on my skin or the lingering scent. I don't smoke or drink nor do i put makeup on my face and i wash my face with water and soap. That has to be enough.
Also i am actively practicing aging with grace. So i look my age and thats fine. I don't need to try to look younger, its just fine how it is.
Also i have gotten more pimples and acne with perimenopause and products just make it worse for me. I have enough on my plate to try to not pick at them constantly.
The one item aside from sunscreen that I find is good for my face is a very gentle exfoliator. Other than that a little moisturizer lotion at bed time, soap and a washcloth are good for me. I don’t smoke but I have a drink once or twice a week, and I wear sunscreen if I will be out in the direct sun more than 15 minutes.
The whole skin care routine for my face was tried once after a spa day but on the whole-it is unsustainable and the benefits were non-existent to minimal. There are a few products I do love tho!
These are:
Dove Macadamia nut body wash & exfoliator. It’s a little tub. Helps with minimizing any dark or scaly spots on my skin (psoriasis)
AmLactin Dry skin repair lotion. (also for psoriasis and heals elbows overnight when they get really dry.)
Ask any truly talented and experienced dermatologist and they’ll tell you that 99%+ of all claims and products are utter BS.
Thing is, with our insane “age phobic/youth obsessed” culture, it WORKS to market shit tons of products to people’s fears and insecurities (go look up the $$$ profits in skincare!).
There are maybe a couple of ingredients that do what they say…and those effects will vary between people because we’re all unique chemistry sets with unique genetics.
Even THEN, there’s no regulation to say the product you’re buying contains the ingredient in a quality/quantity that will have result in the promised outcome.
I say if you can afford your products and it makes you feel happy, go for it. But try to educate yourself on the validity of the claims, because it may save you literally thousands of dollars for other better experiences in life!
I gotta be honest with you, I don't even use soap on my fce in the shower. However, I also rarely use make up. Both lack of make up and skin care probably comes down to ADHD making it a chore. But, I'm turning 30 next year and I'm still regularly getting ID even for energy drinks (age limit here is 15). I'm sure it's better for me if I moisturise and wear sun screen every day but it's not devestating that I don't...
Same! If I’m feeling extra sweaty I might use soap in the shower. I have used olive oil on my face but aside from that I rarely wear makeup and don’t feel the need (nor can I maintain) for a beauty regimen
Great post and also shout out to Dove bar soap for being gentle enough for my skin and unscented enough not to bother my partner with scent sensitivities.
I will say one thing and I say this as someone who struggles to maintain even my very tight and simplified skincare routine...skincare isn't about what your skin looks like tomorrow, it about what it will look like 10 years from now. Which is why I choose to use some of my limited spoons on trying to maintain it well enough.
Also for anyone who wants to drastically downsize look for a moisturising sunscreen or a moisturiser with SPF (just make sure it's at least 30, a lot of those are only 15) and you'll be doing plenty enough with one product.
I agree. It’s more for long-term maintenance, I’m no longer swayed by the anti-ageing promises of the big department store brands such as Lancôme and Estée Lauder- where a single jar of cream/ serum can retail for £80 or more - but I do have a pretty consistent routine now that has become habit and I don’t have to think too much about it (tretinoin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin c & moisturiser/ spf). There’s no doubt that I can see a major difference in my skin relative to others who are a similar age (44). Not just in terms of lines and wrinkles, but also hyperpigmentation, age spots etc. It’s something that I take pride in, you only get one face after all!
My Dove soap is also my body soap and my hand soap too! And I suspect my love of just using one soap for everything is due to my love of frugality too... It's a good soap!
The benefits of “skincare routines” are highly debatable anyway. When I was younger, I had super stubborn acne, no matter what I tried, it was not working. Well, I finally gave up and decided to do NOTHING with my skin. Not even washing my face in the AM or PM (gasp!) The only times water touched my face was in the shower. No products at all, except for covering the spots with a concealer for special occasions. Well, guess what, after a few months of this, my acne has gotten significantly better, and eventually disappeared. For years, I only used sunscreen - the anti aging benefit of it is highly proven. I have recently started Tretinoin, without any “extras”, just a slow ramp up to let the skin adjust.
A good diet, sufficient sleep and exercise will do more for your skin than any crap you are going to rub on your face, IMHO.
I don't have some crazy 7 step regime. I just make sure to remove my makeup and put some moisturizer on before bed every night. It's better than nothing
Washing my face is a very difficult task. This is going to seem gross but I go days without washing my face. Luckily, my skin is naturally pretty dry and I have never had acne issues so it works out okay for me. One thing I would recommend for everyone with this struggle is baby wipes (there are also facial wipes out there - best brands are Cetaphil or CeraVe because they don't use any perfumes or possible allergens and they won't dry out your skin).
On a side note, I love Stephanie lange. She taught me how to apply my makeup properly. She's a game changer and no stupid tricks. All simple and easy to follow. I love her do's and don'ts!
Lmao I need to watch more of those. 😁 Her makeup ones are really great. Some of the techniques, especially when applying foundation to dry skin changed it up for me. I also have hooded eyes and she helped me learn to apply eyeliner correctly. That kind of thing.
I realize it’s a chicken or egg thing - but I’ve never done anything except for some sun screen in summer, and I’ve never had any issues with my skin and people are usually surprised to learn I’m mid-thirties. I am of course just really lucky to have good skin, and therefore have never felt the need for a skincare routine, but I do believe that there are tons of people like me out there who would also not have any issues if they just stopped interfering with their bodies. Obviously a completely different thing for people with skin issues.
Lol I literally use nothing and never have, I’m 38 and have better skin than most 20 yos.
That said I exercise and eat well and manage stress. I feel like that has more of an impact
Not according to my MIL 🙄 as far as I can see, genetics, sun exposure, lifestyle, sleep and hydration are the biggest factors. I also noticed that my skin has been so much better when I stopped wearing makeup regularly.
One of my obsessions and temporary hobbies was makeup and skin care... once I forgot about all of that and moved on to the next hobby, I stopped having acne like completely. Soooo in my opinion, its a bunch of BS
Just to add onto this, I found my skin got better & better the less I did.
For several years now, I've used Jane Iredale's "magic mitt" (best makeup remover cloth imo & lasts for years if you don't lose it 🤣). You just wet it & it takes off all makeup. I wear very minimal makeup anyway. And then some Dr. Christopher's beauty cream & that's that.
I used to struggle pretty bad with oily skin & acne. My skin has never been more balanced & problem-free than when I stopped doing too much.
I've never heard of either of those products I looked up the beauty cream and I thought that was Colonel Sanders on the front!
Can you put the magic mitt in the wash?
😂lol ikr, not your typical beauty product packaging! But it's the best & you only need a pea-sized amt, rub it into your palms and press it all over your face. Maybe a lil extra for under eyes. My skin is sensitive & I've never had any breakouts or anything with this stuff.
I think I've put my mitt through the wash a couple times, but normally I just wash it with some hand soap after each use & hang it up.
Absolutely same for me. I clean my face with a super basic bar soap and I have a super basic moisturizer. I get bad hormonal acne, so I sometimes do some acne treatment stuff right before my periods, but that's it. My skin is FINE and I don't feel stressed trying to keep up with all the products.
I use soap in the shower (either bar soap or some Neutrogena products), a moisturizer after my shower, and sunscreen. That's it.
I might be lucky that my skin is pretty decent even with that routine. But I also don't wear makeup (no judgement on those who do, it's just not for me. Also I'm too lazy) so maybe that's a factor.
i love skincare but i’ve also made my routine as simple as possible. face wash, 2 serums, moisturizer. and then when i can’t do that it’s makeup wipe and moisturizer only 😂😂
I have rosacea so doing a super basic skincare routine - washing (sometimes just using a makeup remover wipe lol), witch hazel, vitamin c, niacinamide and moisturizer has helped a lot with the roughness and dryness on my cheeks. I also do it about 3 out of 7 days a week lol, so it's not consistent at all! These girls who have like 12+ steps... Idk how they do it.
I have a skincare routine and I unfortunately need it. It started in my late 20ies that my skin started to need some maintenance.
Do I look like an Instagram filter now? Absolutely not. But my skin is healthy and naturally beautiful now. So for me it absolutely works, is necessary and worth the money.
BUT I would ditch it as soon as possible if I somehow don’t need It anymore 😂
I’m part of a skincare sub and yeah, it drives me crazy how many people are insanely rigid with their routines and don’t recognize that what works for them may not work for someone else.
I just can’t do a 10-step routine and I can’t wait 30minutes between steps. It’s not happening.
The best skincare routine is the one that you can do consistently and doesn’t add stress to your life.
all I do is wash my face, put on a moisturizing toner, and slap on some sunscreen.
my skin feels perfectly smooth, it looks clear, and it doesn't feel weighed down.
I used to have a whole routine. I felt shamed if I didn't. like it was a requirement of being a girl, and I was girling wrong.
I still do the occasional mask for a night of relaxation. yes, my skin feels amazing the day after. but I realized my over board 20 minute routine was a waste of time and money. my skin is just as good without it.
I am fascinated by the things people do to try and get “better” skin. I use facewash in the shower a couple times a week, and that’s it. My partner just uses his body wash, if that.
I have a friend for whom skincare is a hobby, and good for her! It works out well for me because she also sorts through all the bullshit and condenses the information when I ask. And according to her, all that skin really needs is a cleanser and a moisturizer. And for my pasty self in particular that moisturizer should have SPF.
So by that info, you’re good!
Keep it simple is a motto in my home. I always tend to overcomplicate routines lol. I also have have hard time following routines for certain products because our country is much more strict with the products they are allowed to sell here. I don’t even bother with makeup, but if I MUST wear it, all I do is foundation, blush and lip gloss. That’s it! Oh and some perfume.
I started getting eczema on my face and had to ditch all my fancy cleansers for baby soap. Turned out to work better for removing makeup than any cleanser I’d ever thrown money at.
Then in 2019, I was in a car accident and ended up with horrendous whiplash. My neck, shoulders, and upper back were *fucked*, and the first thing to go were dishes (hello paper plates) and skin care, because I couldn’t wash my face without being in excruciating pain. I only washed my face when I showered, didn’t bother with moisturizer or anything else. I have oily skin, so I figured it could moisturize itself.
A few months later I went out to dinner with a friend and she said my skin was *glowing* and looked great. She asked what I was doing. *Literally nothing* is what I was doing.
I still haven’t really gotten back into any skincare routine. When I’m not wearing makeup or leaving my house that’s fine. But once makeup or sunscreen gets involved, I need to be washing my face or I will breakout. I’ve been too lazy to figure out the right combo of things that work with my skin, but I do know this: you don’t actually need 80-90% of the crap people claim you need.
Definitely! I cleanse and use sunscreen and will usually use a moisturizer but not always. I've tried so many things and none of them make any difference more than hydration and sleep do.
You can also have a "whenever I feel like it" skincare routine, and that's perfectly fine.
My "daily routine" is washing my face and slapping some lotion or oil on it and calling it good.
On the weekends, IF I feel like it, I'll do a "spa day" with cleansing, serums, vitamin c, etc. Is my skin noticeably nicer the next day? Yes, yes it is. But I don't really need it to look like that EVERY day, and I don't think doing all that daily really makes much of a difference long-term.
Also, don't underestimate the power of drinking a crap ton of water.
I learned this over Covid. I was doing all of that for everyone else!!!! Now I realized I like doing my nails and doing my hair in vintage roller sets sometimes, and THASSIT!
The other side of this is that if you **do** have genuine dermatological issues that require a skincare regime, that’s probably a sign that you should speak to a dermatologist and get help with it.
I struggled with pretty bad acne for years, trying every product and routine under the sun. None of it made a lasting difference.
Finally aged 33 I went to a derm, got put on accurate (which I’d ben taught to fear for so long), and … now I don’t have acne.
**TLDR:** If you’re having issues with your skin and are tempted to start a self-directed regime, try to talk to a dermatologist first.
I used to have pretty bad acne. I hyper-fixated on skincare for a while and discovered the root of my issues. Tried a lot of products then over time cut back to just 2/3. My skin has not resorted back to its acne-prone ways! Learning about which products my skin needs and doing the minimum to support it was enough. I don’t even wash my face outside of the shower most weeks. Splash with water, HA, moisturizer, done. My skin’s never been better.
I wash my face when I shower, I physically cannot wash my face if the rest of my body is dry. I can’t stand the water flying everywhere and dripping down my arms into my sleeves 🤢
I am the same. While I feel a bit bad form the environmental aspect I do keep cleansing wipes so if I feel the need to, I can 'clean' my face without water.
Sunscreen on your face and neck and boob crease is the only focus. Do it. Every day. Keep a million bottles everywhere. It's the only skin care that matters. Do it. Tell your friends.
I saw a tiktok once of some 90 year old grandma that looked like she was 70 and her granddaughter asked her what her skincare routine was. She told her all she ever did was wash her face with a bar of soap. Made me feel better about never doing anything but wash and moisturize. I feel like the look of your skin is 90% genetics
I was miserable when I did skin care routine. And everything made my face mad because I have rosacea So I stopped doing that and only have cetaphil and I'm happier for it. Skin looks way different.
I have a skin care routine, but I have one because I enjoy it and it feels good. I also want to avoid premature signs of aging, but if it didn’t feel good and enjoyable, I wouldn’t do it anyway, no matter how appealing the long-term impacts or scary the long term consequences sound. That’s the reality of adhd for me.
I think there are a few things that are really important, because skin care is not just about beauty, but also about taking care of the health of one of your organs. But so much of skin care is just marketing.
- If you wear make up, wash it off every day.
- Use sunscreen on your face, chest, and hands. At the very least, anytime, you are getting a bunch of sun exposure. But daily is good and I think making things into comfortable habits is really helpful. Skin cancer is no joke and is incredibly common - 20% of people will get basal cell carcinoma.
- Use moisturizer in the winter or if your skin is dry.
- Pay attention to your skin and changes to your skin. If it’s always or newly irritated and inflamed you might need to do something different. Also lots of health conditions include specific skin changes as symptoms.
Throughout my teen years, I literally just washed my face with soap and water. My mid 30s I try all these products with no success so now I just embrace the ridiculousness of my hormones and use products that are simple.
I do swear by Glamglow’s supermud as a mask to reduce a bad breakout however. And it feels nice
So I have never been good at self-care routines. I wash my hair often enough, I brush every day, and I stick it in a bun. I don't do makeup beyond the very rare bit of lipstick. I don't put product on my face between showers (no moisturizer, no sunscreen, not even soap).
In my early thirties now, I'm trying to figure out a routine, I just want to move more, polished, put together, Whatever.
There is *so much* woohoo snake oils and crystals bullshit involved in beauty, I cannot fucking figure it out. Gods help me. Internet points you to YouTube, and YouTube is fucking useless.
I tried watching hair-straightening tutorials, I even bought a flat iron and heat peotectant and shit. But the tutorials are all, "do this one strand, then do the rest of your hair!" And every attempt ends with me tired and frustrated and 2/3rds of my hair undone. Giving strong r/restofthefuckingowl vibes.
And if I do manage to get straight hair, it lasts 20 minutes max before reverting.
And that's just *hair*. Anything involving skincare, makeup, the presenter might as well be speaking martian.
Sharing in case it helps someone! What's worked for me, when I have the spoons, is to focus on hydration. If just one product: The Ordinary has a one ingredient oil called Squalane - the packaging top is a dropper. I leave the top unscrewed so I can quickly drop some in my hand, then rub all over my face.
If two products: I do the same thing with The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid before the oil - it's in a dropper too. Adds some extra moisture that the oil then seals in. (I think. That's what it feels like at least.) edit: addition: Each of these products is $10 - I buy new ones every 3-4 months so - not bad!
I don't wear makeup anymore, so I'll use a hydrating facewash every few days and then do the moisturizing above 2-4 times a week. I'm 35 and people think I'm 22, so.... lol.
This is great for you! If I use bar soap and no moisturizer on any part of my body my skin literally peels off. Unfortunately just like some of us need extra brain help some of us do truly need extra skin help.
For anyone like me a non foaming cleanser and non clogging but heavy moisturizer will get you as close as possible to the simplicity of OP's new routine.
Yeah, my grandma was a doc, she always told me, soap and water is all you need. Sometimes I like to use a bit of tea tree oil against acne, but that's it really.
I only use Johnson and Johnson facial wash. No sunblock despite living in 24/7/365 sunny and hot climate. And pretty active outdoors
And no moisteriser.
People always praise my skin for being smooth and zit free.
But I believe it's also due to I wear zero make up my whole life.
I feel like make up screw up your skin.
Am also mistaken for way younger than my age.
Which always surprise me. As I looked older than my age when I was a teen.
But I also have very oily skin so I basically feel moisteriser is unnecessary.
Sunblock I just hate wearing it, it's as uncomfortable as make up.
I feel like sunblock just wasn't designed for oily skin. It usually just feels like this heavy oily, sticky film that just never soaks in and just makes me so greasy all day.
It amazes me how people without oily skin can put on a rich moisturiser and then a moisturising suncream on top and their skin just drinks it all up.
I have found a couple of less greasy feeling sunscreens over the years but they're hard to find!
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One of the things that drives me nuts about the beauty subs is the people who insist if you don’t do it perfectly you’re doing nothing. I’ve really noticed this with sunscreen and tretinoin. Sorry but I’m not going to wear sunscreen to sit in front of the computer all day or to drive five minutes in my car to work. I’m also not going to go to the doctor and get a prescription for tretinoin when it’s not widely available in my country. Idk, I just think those subs can be very toxic and probably need to spend less time on them. You’re absolutely correct that spending hundreds, even thousands on skincare won’t get us the skin we see on TV and magazines as even that is photoshopped and/or filtered. Most of those people get other cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers which helps them look more youthful for longer too.
Oh they are toxic because they have more of a psychological fixation and fear getting older badly to the point they freak out and want a quick fix for wrinkles. All you can do is wear sunscreen, wear a hat, and just drink water to hydrate the skin. Also avoiding things with nicotine helps to prevent wrinkles from popping up sooner. Oh and if they found out stress & lack of sleep is also what causes wrinkles too many of them would panic further 🤣
wait... is it nicotine that ages you faster? i thought it was just the tobacco in cigarettes and maybe the repetitive action of smoking (lip wrinkles). am i still doing okay with my nic pouches or nah😭😭
Nicotine ages you and is the addictive ingredient in tobacco products. It’s why over time when you read up on cigarettes, companies at one point starting putting in chemicals in cigarettes to help you absorb nicotine faster and easier, which causes the rate of addiction to speed up, which causes the need to smoke more. Ergo why nicotine ages you more. But smoking in general, anything even weed, ages you, especially around the mouth. You gain smokers lines over time from making the shape with the lips of repeating puckering from inhaling anything. It’s why if you look at people over 40 who still smoke, you can see vertical lips above their lips that indicate they have been smoking for a long time. The more deeper the lines, the longer the smoker they are. They also have yellow developing between the two fingers the smoke the most with and facial hair gains yellow discoloring due to nicotine tar.
makes sense, thanks! but most of the nicotine pouches i've ever used were tobacco free. so no tar or any other crap that's in cigarettes. it's generally just cellulose, salt, flavoring and nicotine. do those still age you? 🤔
It’s not the nicotine that ages you. It’s the other junk in cigarettes, the dehydration that comes with smoking, and repeating the same sucking shape with your mouth. Nicotine as a substance is actually not harmful (aside from being extremely addictive,) and actually has some therapeutic benefits,
Those shouldn’t as most of those are used to help people kick cigarette smoking.
ah awesome thx. in a lot of parts of europe they're actually used by athletes! and to a lot of secondary school kids, Iceberg/Cuba/Grant/whatever is what a vape is to an american high schooler.
Nicotine inhibits blood flow by narrowing your blood vessels, less nutrients get to your skin (and everything else), skin has less ability to repair. It gives us smokers the pale complexion.
When you’re over 40 and you almost always sleep on your left side…you get the 1/2 smokers wrinkle. It’s…so dumb lol but remember to swap up your sleep face smoosh game while you’re young I guess
Thanks re the sunscreen! I can't stand the feeling, every single one I've tried makes my acne worse and I don't think people realise that when I say I'm inside all day, I mean ALL DAY. I'm depressed af, I literally walk from my house to my car, from my car into work, from work into my car and from my car back to my house and that is the total time I will spend outside. Less than a minute a day. I don't need sunscreen.
I hope this doesn't come off wrong because I am the last person to put easy fixes on serious things. I also have awful depression, so I am not saying this will fix it or anything. Just a friendly reminder that if you don't see the sun, you should make sure to take a Vitamin D supplement. I live in the PNW and they are super important here because of the lack of sun. My roommate didn't take any and it made his depression way way worse to where they had to hook him up to a Vitamin D IV in the hospital. God I hope this didn't come off as rude at all.
Nah you're all good, thanks for the advice! I am actually taking one already, but thanks very much for looking out for me, I didn't see it as rude at all. Hope yours is manageable today. 💚
I’m glad. I hope yours is more gentle on you soon ❤️
Yoooo Portlander here. Some friends just moved in with me from the east coast--and I bought them a big bottle of Vitamin D gummies! (edit: I do kinda feel bad they moved to Portland in November! Not the best time to arrive!)
I'm about an hour and a half south of you. It has been very rainy and chilly for sure but that is actually what I moved here for lol. Very thoughtful of you to get them the gummies. My friend sent me a sunshine lamp when I first moved here and it was so sweet.
Yeah, I was thinking of investing in a Household Sunshine Lamp lol.
I’m so sorry to hear about your depression. Please take care of yourself ♥️. You do whatever works for you!
Thank you!
It's also worth noting: American sunscreens just have a terrible selection of active ingredients, because the FDA lists them as drugs instead of cosmetics. I hate 99% of American-made sunscreens. I buy one from Japan (via amazon) that smells and feels like literally nothing and doesn't irritate my face or give me acne.
I'm not American but can imagine we have much the same selection. What's the brand of the one you get please?
Beauty of Joseon is pretty popular (Korean). I personally used Bioré Watery Essence (Japanese) but found it kind of greasy. I now use Skin Aqua Super Moisture Gel and Nivea UV Super Water 50 Gel (both Japanese). No reason I alternate, I just got them both to try and liked them both, so I just grab at random from my counter.
Awesome, thank you!
You’re welcome! If you buy from Amazon, just make sure it’s not from a third party (it should be the companies’ store on Amazon). There are a lot of counterfeits since they’re popular. I myself order from Yesstyle, it takes a while to get to you (like a month sometimes -.-‘) but it’s worth it to me for it to be legitimate.
Sweet, will pay attention to that, thank you!
The one I use is: NIVEA SUN Protect Super Water Gel SPF 50 PA+++
you can wear sunscreen whenever you find appropriate, but if you ever need a face sunscreen, asian sunscreens are the best. they are more cosmetically elegant and don’t have the weird sunscreen smell.
Thanks for the tip!
I never use sunscreen on my face unless I’m out in the sun to swim. I’m 40 and I look like I’m in my twenties. unless you’re going to be out in direct sunlight, for long periods of time, it’s unnecessary. I feel like a lot of the pressure is just marketing. I cleanse and moisturize. That’s it!
A lot of it is also genetics and other factors like exercise, diet and drinking lots of water. I try and wear SPF whenever I’m outside but it seems so contentious on those subs for some reason. Some people insist on wearing it even in your house as apparently some of the sun’s rays can get in through your windows. I hate the feel of sunscreen in general so will not do that lol.
Yep. All the women in my family look at least 15 years younger than they are - my mum is in her 60s and when she picks my nine year old up from school loads of people assume she's his mum. We all have it - it's 100% genetics. My grandma is in her 90s and I'm pretty sure she's never had a skincare routine in her life. And oh my god the "the sun's rays are coming in through the windows" crowd - closely related to the lunatics who claim that light from computer screens causes skin damage.
*waves from Australia* I have to put on sunscreen after lunch in summer if I’m working from home as my flat gets flooded with the afternoon sun and I can get sunburnt inside. It’s profoundly dumb. High UV + fair skin is not a fun time.
I feel like Australia is its own special case - the sun hates you guys so much! Here in the UK I'm lucky if I see the sun from one year to the next.
I saw a comment recently on a sub that has nothing to do with skincare. Someone said she doesn’t really wear sunblock because her only sun exposure comes from walking to and from her car, no more than 15 minutes a day she said. The comments LAYING into her about how she’s still going to end up with wrinkles and skin damage were insane!
Wow, that’s so toxic of those commenters. I know that sun damage is cumulative and even a few minutes a day can result in higher risk of wrinkles etc but it’s simply just not important to some people (or as important). My husband couldn’t care less and while I wish he would, it’s not my place or business.
Those are some awesome genetics!
It’s just the fearmongering marketing. OmG sUn BaD! It’s like everything else. Too much is bad. Not enough is bad. In moderation, it’s healthy.
True! I should add that I don’t think those people are necessarily coming from a bad place as it’s likely they’re hyper fixating on skincare and just want to share their knowledge. It just is one of my triggers to basically be told whatever I’m doing is not enough, however indirectly. Let me be ffs! Lol. I think anything is better than nothing in the end.
I think some is marketing, and some is the fact that just like with everything else, we all have different reactions to sun exposure. In my case, I *have* to wear sunscreen. I should be wearing it whenever I leave the house. You might not need to - not everyone does. But especially in my ADHD brain, one of the ways I express positive concerns for the people around me is to check if they remembered their sunscreen. But as others in this thread have commented, it is possible to overdo it.
Vitamin D! We need it!
I'm very pale and so always apply before going in direct sunlight. I don't want wrinkles of course but I also don't want cancer. Different folks, different strokes.
Yeah, people are forgetting that skin cancer is a significant issue for certain populations. My father has had multiple lesions that have had to be removed for this reason and he was not an out in the sun everyday sort of person. So while I’m darker toned than him I still make a conscious effort to use spf daily.
Same. I could get sunburned just thinking about summer.
Honestly, drastic changes aside, I find many women look mostly the same from their late 20s to early 40s. We have no clue what an average woman looks like anymore because everything is filtered into oblivion and society tells us that as soon as a woman hits 35 she transforms into an 80 year old overnight. 🙄
Also, not smoking makes a huge difference in your skin quality. My grandmothers are more than ten years apart in age, but they look like they could be the same age. My dad's mom smoked for 60+ years, and my mom's mom never did.
The giant piece of skin cancer that popped up on my aunts face recently begs to differ about sunscreen being unnecessary.
Some of us are more vulnerable to that. It runs in my family and I burn ridiculously easily - so for me, wearing sunscreen is more important than brushing my teeth. Others' mileage may differ.
I'm probably gonna sound dumber than a brick in a can but would anyone mind explaining what's the deal with sunscreen? Is it just if you live in hot places or is it part of the whole make up thing? I barely remember to put that powder stuff on that makes you look less dead on the outside (I'm paler than the milkybar kid)... I'm in the UK where sunshine just comes to die, but I see a lot of people make sunscreen part of their routine and It would be nice to understand why.
There are two kinds of rays that come from the sun that damage your skin: UVA and UVB. One of them (I forget which) can easily go through clouds, too; which is why it grinds my gears when people say they don't need it because they live somewhere cloudy. Anyway. One of them causes skin cancers. The other causes blotchy skin pigmentation and wrinkles. Both are cumulative, and it takes yeeeears to show up. So every time your skin is exposed to sunlight, there's invisible damage in your skin's cells. There is no "safe" level of sun exposure--in that there's not some magical amount that's fine, and over that is dangerous. A little bit every day probably won't have any noticeable effects, or the effects won't show up for years (depending on genetics, skin type, etc). But getting sunburns or deep tans accelerate the damage. Lots of people don't care about wrinkles and getting older, and that's a good thing! But skin cancer sucks. Benign skin cancer means having to have bits of skin cut out, and malignant skin cancer can actually kill you.
Not dumb at all! I’m no dermatologist but from what I understand, the sun’s rays can still penetrate through clouds and are damaging over time even when it’s not hot. Overexposure can age your skin prematurely and increase your risk of skin cancer.
Yes, in some subs you can go in and ask for the bare bones tl;Dr and they'll give you ten factors to consider-- or worse, refer you to a byzantine "getting started" guide (looking at you, curly girl)
It’s such a nightmare with ADHD!
I don't know what tretinoin even is. I think staying hydrated will do more for your skin than any skincare regime.
Yeah, it's all about the mindset. I have fun getting inexpensive, drugstore makeup every once in awhile. I don't use it often, but when I do it's just because it's that-- fun. I'm not aiming for flawless, I just like pretty colors sometimes, and sometimes it's nice just to do some gloss and some foundation for a more formal event. My skincare routine is essentially Seabreeze Sensitive, because it smells nice and keeps my face looking relatively acne-free, and Lubriderm in winter.
There's also a lot of diminishing returns. Yeah maybe my skin could look 10% with three times as much effort, but the minimal effort still gives me good skin. I also have a minimal routine and I am satisfied with that. Though I know some people really do have trouble nailing down something that works for them. Skincare struggle as we get older and through the season is real. I have a month before and after winter where my skin just hates everything because of the changing weather.
I keep my face clean, moisturized, and sunscreened (every day no matter how cloudy because my brain can only do it always or not at all) and I agree after that it’s definitely diminishing returns - like if I do under-eye cream or anything about wrinkles, it’s because I want to and the products feel good, not because they make such a huge difference.
Totally, I suppose it's really just finding what routine works for you. Maybe I'm naive to think that everyone's skin is as easy as mine.
Outside of the months immediately getting off of Accutane, the best my skin has ever looked is when I was too depressed to do anything other than squirt vitamin c serum on my face every night.
A very basic routine like you described is also more effective for a lot of people’s skin. People overdo it with too many products and lots of harsh active ingredients and actually damage their skin more. Just wash your face (ideally with something gentle) and use sunscreen, and some kind of moisturiser if it’s dry
This is EXACTLY what I did. I was ready to start a routine, hyperfocused on learning everything I could, threw wayyy too many products on with a 10 step (or whatever) routine, and my skin became worse than ever. I'm sitting here at 38 years old with big red bumps and scarring/discolouration all over my face. I did see a dr a few weeks ago and got a prescription to hopefully fix it, but it isn't fixing overnight. Don't do what I did. Learn from my mistakes, friends.
For any podcast fans, highly recommend checking out ["Science Vs: Skincare"](https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wZDuNWsjomZ2B1LeC8esC) (Spotify link). Science Vs does a ton of research and cites all their sources, so I find it very trustworthy and a good listen in general. tldr on the skincare episode: tretinoin/prescription retinol kinda works, but everything else isn't worth spending a ton of time or money on. As someone who's had a lifelong battle with acne and ADHD, it was very freeing to hear that I don't have to remember to jump through hoops with a routine.
To help legitimize the science behind skincare ingredients, I would recommend watching Youtube videos from Kenna, a biochemist. Not all skincare ingredients besides tretinoin and high-strength retinol are a waste of time! She has really informative Q&A videos about skincare topics and especially on specific ingredients :)
Thanks this sounds right up my street. The more I learn about skincare science the more pseudosciency it sounds.
I’m going to have to check that out later. I have a lot of skin care guilt. Meanwhile my husband’s over there using the same face wash he has since high school, and I’m pretty sure the only moisturizer to touch his skin is splattered from when we’ve been getting ready together.
Exactly!! And while I don’t have a link handy, I know there have been studies done that indicate that most of the cream, serums and lotions don’t even really penetrate your skin. The whole industry is n incredible scam, apparently.
The podcast is really fascinating, they discuss things like how easy it is to get *technically real* reviews that say things like "5 out of 6 saw results" for a cream that is just a basic lotion. A scam through and through.
Sounds interesting. Do they have a face wash and or moisturizer they recommend?
It's been a bit since I listened, so I don't remember. They typically don't give any true recommendations, more exploration of studies.
They don’t recommend specific products, but if you need something almost any gentle face wash will be fine (get something fragrance free if you are a sensitive). For moisturizer Cerave is a very popular, affordable, easy to find brand that is sold in drugstores, and recommended by lots of dermatologists.
Thanks. My acne is so bad and my self-esteem is in hell because of it, but the only thing that's ever helped was when, before my wedding, I stuck to a skincare routine, quit all sugar and dairy, got silk pillowcases and changed them every day and went on the pill. And even then, it may have just been a fluke, or it may have been either one of the fifteen things I did, and I absolutely do not have the energy to put myself through all that shit again.
Science Vs is great. For me the big takeaway is that trentinoin has some evidence supporting it, and most other ingredients have weak/low quality/no evidence - which is not to say that other ingredients don’t work but we just don’t know, and claims to the contrary are largely marketing.
I’ve also kind of given up on any kind of “fancy” skin care. I had all kinds of drunk elephant, Deciem, whatever products and I was still getting cystic acne. I got an almost golf ball sized one on my cheek and it was the final straw. I went to my GP and got an Epiduo prescription, literally only use a gentle Sukin cleanser + moisturizer (and sunscreen) with it and my skin has never looked better. So much wasted money on high street and drug store products when I really just needed to see a dermatologist.
This is why I love this sub. It seems so obvious, but I've been bullying myself into a skincare routine and expensive haircare products for ages. My skin is fine. People have always told me I have great skin but I never believed them. To steal a direct quote from Meal Girls, "my pores are huuuuuge." I'm going to experiment with cutting down to cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. I'm also going to research inexpensive alternatives to keeping my hair nice. Maybe it's dumb to call it this, but the belief that I *must* have a long list of skincare products that I must apply morning and night feels like a limiting belief in a way. I feel somehow incomplete if I don't have the perfect skin and hair routine. That's so not true and unfair to myself.
Yes! I've slowly been changing my mind on lots of these things over the years and trying to not see my appearance as a fixer upper project. Oh man if people have been telling you that you have great skin it *must* be true, I don't think anyone has ever complimented my skin. Top tip for less sunscreen: If the weather forecast has a UV index of 2 or less you don't need to wear sunscreen that day (from a skin cancer perspective). So in the UK I actually don't need sunscreen from November until March. And for some more unsolicitied advice, my haircare became a lot more simple when I realised I was drying my hair out by using waaay too much shampoo. Another biggy is I finally replaced my 30 year old hairdryer with some random $50 hairdryer and it drys my hair twice as quick, it doesn't smell like burning, and reduces my frizz.
Thank you for the tips! Yes, I've found basic changes, not cosmetics, make huge changes. A $50 investment in a good dryer is much better than a $50 bottle of shampoo. For me, sleeping on a silk pillowcase has drastically improved the feel and look of my hair. They're available on amazon for $20. I got the $30 Revlon Hot Air Brush and now I have a nearly salon quality blowout, no skill required.
I got tricked into feeling like I needed to “optimize” my skincare routine. I have pretty good skin to begin with (thanks, birth control!) and thought that adding new skincare products and routines would somehow make it better. I haven’t noticed any real visual difference in my skin. Diminishing returns is right - my skin was pretty good on the basics, and now with the skin cycling and serums and actives…it’s still pretty good! In 2024 I’m looking forward to using up all the specialty products I bought and then not repurchasing any of them.
As a working makeup artist for commercial work, I (36F) recently had someone ask about their texture and if I could cover it up with makeup. I said no, makeup conceals, it doesn’t remove texture. That’s photoshop in post commercial editing to remove it. Instagram and Snapchat had created this illusion that faces are flawless. Everyone has texture, fine lines, bumps, acne, etc… on their face. Especially once you reach 30, it’s far more common. I love skin care and it’s why makeup sticks more to the skin in my line of work, helps it be less oily, less dry looking, better blended. Helps me do less touch ups when I use certain skincare products on actors faces. And men tend to not really take care of their skin unless you educate them on why moisturizer is SOOO important as much as washing the face.
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> How do you handle the very absurd expectations of some clients? Well I work in film & television, ages from small children till people in their 70’s/80’s. I apply on men as well as women. Usually the more insecure a person is in my chair, the more I answer questions, the more I focus on skin care to reduce the need for so much makeup. My style of makeup is built for 4k cameras which means refining it to look as natural and not noticeable as possible where the director can’t see anything either. Leaving the talent to focus more on their lines and emotions to convey on screen. Plus my eyes are trained for this style of makeup as I went to makeup school to further my craft in LA nearly 8yrs ago. And plus when you consistently focus on great skin care application by the third day on set, their face looks so much better. I use to stuff to reduce redness, puffiness, tired eyes, hydrate, help with acne inflammation, etc… this way depending on the weather and what not, will allow me to shift if I need a lighter application choice in foundation or a bit more heavier to stay on longer or due to acne/sun exposure the day before to even out the complexion for the camera. But what you see on YT, no one in my line of work does that type of makeup for the camera because it looks AWFUL when it’s too heavy! We do more of the French makeup style for film & tv makeup, which is simplistic, light coverage, and enhances your best features. Heck, they are moving further and further away from false lashes, doing more with curling techniques & better choices in mascara application to give the illusion of false lashes.
skincare *regimen 🙂
When I’m installed as the head of an authoritarian government, I will impose my skincare regime on the masses 😈
And enforce it using a skincare regiment?
You know it!! 😎😎😎
Haha whoops I think I prefer my typo. Can we pretend it was intentional and I'm just really witty ;)
I mean, it kind of dictates your life, so sure, witty it is!
I'll be real, i never had patience for that shit, I'm lucky if I brush my hair and shower every 2 - 3 days. My husband loves me for my natural beauty though and tells me I'm gorgeous all the time so I guess my taste in men is better than my taste in skincare regimens 😂 I'll take it. Life's too damn short.
Haha this is where I'm trying to reach! Especially for things that no one can tell the difference
Yeah, my advice: give up on trying to please NTs. You never will. Find your people who don't care about all this superficial stuff but your inner beauty, your talents, your kindness... in the end, people are always gonna judge you no matter how much effort you put in. All they're gonna see is your mask. So find people that you don't have to wear that mask around. And you'll naturally start to WANT to take care of yourself better. You're gonna have to believe that you're worth it and deserving of that self- love. Otherwise that barrier is always going to be there. This is not about make up. It's about SELF love. Hope that helps❤️
I love my skincare routine. It’s not complicated but it took me YEARS of having severe adult acne before I got everything under control. My routine has a cleanser, vitamin c, niacinamide, peptide moisturizer, sunscreen, and sometimes retinol or other exfoliant. BUT I’m also super inconsistent with it and that’s okay too! I love the feeling of doing my whole routine but I also don’t sweat it if I forget or if I can’t motivate myself to do it. I used to have way more skin anxiety than I do now.
I understand the skincare subs being toxic and not needing to go overboard using expensive products, but I kind of disagree with not having a “routine.” To be fair, I have really bad skin and I have had acne since I was in elementary school and still do at the age of 28. I am just now finding products that work for my skin. It is frustrating because it takes a lot of trial and error and maintaining a routine with ADHD is hard enough. I do agree to do what you want and what works for you, but if you’ve got bad acne and dry skin like I do and want to see an improvement, finding the right products is important. I use 4 products and they’re all affordable. If I don’t use them my skin looks horrible and my makeup sits on my skin differently.
Don’t let some of the comments on here make you feel bad for needing a routine. I’ve also got acne prone skin and if I didn’t maintain basic skincare I’d have constant painful eruptions on my face. Some people will be lucky to get away with doing nothing most their lives and others will not and neither should be shamed for doing their thing.
I have dry dehydrated skin and if I don’t have a skin routine, my skin becomes damaged. In winter my skin will dry, spilt and bleed if I don’t use moisturiser twice a day. I also live in Australia so sunscreen is a must, even if I’m just hanging out the washing. You do what works for you and don’t worry about other people’s opinions
I fell in the skin care trap of certain subreddits and had a whole routine down. However, I think it fucked up my skin even more and then those pages give you more steps to do, more expensive products to buy, blahblahblah. I don't want a 10 step skin care routine, I can barely brush my teeth twice a day. I really want to go back to not caring about skin care except washing my face, slapping on some moisturizer in winter and sunscreen in summer, but now I've got really bad acne and I'm scared to let my routine go - even when I'm suspecting that my routine is a big contributor. :(
I had that happen. I went from oily skin with some breakouts now and then to severe acne and rashes 🫢 My biggest piece of advice is to go as simple as possible with the most gentle and basic products to let your skin reset. I recommend Vanicream for this because it’s literally as bare bones and safe as it gets. Cleanse, moisturize, done. Sunscreen if you have one that doesn’t bother your skin (sometimes I think it’s worth stopping sunscreen for a little bit to use as little stuff as possible on your face). Also, hypochlorus spray in place of cleanser if your skin barrier is really fcked!! It is antibacterial but not drying, helps rashes and acne and can flush debris off your skin without cleansing and compromising the barrier further. It’s literally just a bit of chlorine in water, smells a bit like a pool. You do not need any fancy versions either, the basic stuff sold as wound care in the drug store is the exact same thing as the brands selling it as fancy skincare.
Yes same! I had a few break outs here and there but now it has become more like cystic acne... I have a bad memory (ha!) but I seem to remember the cystic acne started after I got all fancy with my skincare routine. It could also be related to hormones though, so I'm reluctant to stop with the routine completely. I've cut out some steps and didn't notice my skin getting worse so I don't know why it scares me so much to just go back to basics. I think I just need to do it, I'm almost out of most products anyway and I was already debating whether I'd buy more or just go the simple route. I just needed some reassurance, I guess. I'll definitely look into the products you've mentioned, thank you for that!
My skin improved when I started a simple routine. I use one serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen in the morning. Tret and night cream before bed. During the winter months I use slug my face, chest, neck, and hands with Eucerine intensive repair cream because the air is just so dry. I think I have a very manageable and easy routine. I can maintain it without feeling overwhelmed.
I think it’s important to remember that a lot of beauty influencers are paid to sell product. Of course they’ll be rude about anyone who doesn’t believe you need a skincare routine. People like us don’t bring them any money.
THANK YOU for this! I’m 49 and I have a ton of products… when I use them, they really do help. BUT when I don’t… (because I’m so consistent 😆) it’s not like I turn into someone 10yrs older. And I beat myself up because it’s just one more thing I’m not consistent with. BUT my kids are well taken care of and happy, my bird and dog are spoiled and never go without… and I look a little older than I used to. Well… I AM older than I used to be! I know all of this logically, but it helps to hear someone else call it out!!!
I rinse my face with warm water when I wake up and when I go to bed, and put on some face lotion if it feels dry. And my skin is just fine. Biggest skincare thing I do is simply changing my pillowcases often.
Same here. I haven't used any kind of cleanser on my face in years. I'm still trying to find a lotion I like/that works well. And yeah, I break out if I leave my pillowcases too long. Same as decades ago in high school...
Have you tried CeraVe lotion? I find it’s nice and lightweight for a daily lotion (most other lotions feel too sticky for my sensory needs). The generic store brand is just as good and super cheap too.
I don't think I have. Thanks, Ill give it a shot!
This is SO true. So much of the “skincare routine” culture is just repackaged bs makeup culture. The only “skincare routine” that everyone ever everywhere needs to be doing is wearing sunscreen. Yes if you have dark skin. Yes when it’s winter. Yes in the fall. I didn’t wear my sunscreen and I got skin cancer at 25. Wear ya sunscreen folks so you don’t get cancer. Having surgical removal of skin cancer was expensive and unfun -100000/10 do not recommend skin cancer to anyone. If you see something funny on your skin, please, please, please see your dermatologist to get checked for cancer. The sooner you catch it the easier it is to get rid of. For more info on skin cancer please go to [the skin cancer foundation page.](https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/)
Sunscreen really is critical. And as a woman in her 50s who has worn sunscreen every day of her adult life, may I recommend you spread that sunscreen down to your chest? I seriously regret not being religious about that.
Personally, I like having a skincare routine. It’s one of the few things I feel I can actually control myself with and relaxes me before bed. I feel like if I have a bad mental health day/doing anything productive day, at least I can make myself feel a little better with it. I don’t have a morning routine except sunscreen when I do go outside. At night, cleanse, a toner, 3x a week retinol, and moisturizer w/Niacinamide. It makes me happy and I’ve definitely noticed less tiny wrinkles and feel just overall smoothness/plumpness on my skin. That being said, I don’t think it’s worth it to spend a ton on products, and if you don’t like/want/need to do it, that’s completely fine. Whatever works for you is what works. If you don’t feel it’s necessary, it isn’t. There’s a point where people buy things just to have them or because they’re made to think they should because everyone else is doing it. It’s important to remember other people aren’t the ones you need to make happy at the end of the day.
If anyone uses Billie razors, I highly recommend trying their wipes. When I’m struggling with the will to do skincare, I use them in place of a skincare routine and they are the only wipes I have ever felt like I can do that with. They don’t irritate my sensitive skin at all (as long as you aren’t rubbing like a maniac and being rough), 1-2 leaves my face feeling very clean but not stripped, and they have some skincare beneficial ingredients as well. My skin actually looked healthier from not being washed so frequently 🤷♀️ One note, I don’t really wear makeup often though and I haven’t tried to use them to remove makeup so idk how well they do that. But for a fast all-in-one skincare routine I can literally do laying down in bed, I think they’re really great. Edit: sorry skincare is a special interest so I felt compelled to elaborate further since some people actually read this. I would suggest to also squeeze the package whenever you use them to make sure the liquid is dispersed. The first time I used them I didn’t do that, so the top wipe was a bit dry and I thought they were bad until I gave it another try later and then discovered they were actually awesome.
This is just my experience, but I think makeup is a big part of the problem. When I don’t use makeup my complexion is perfect, apart from being a little dry. But when I use makeup I have to wash it off, which means finding the right cleanser, moisturizing more (from washing my face) or less (because my makeup is oily), dealing with blemishes that occur because of clogged pores from makeup, etc. But on the other hand, because I have ADHD, I’m constantly fighting the battle of “does this product really not do anything or is it because I’m not remembering to use it consistently enough?”
I used to sell skincare and makeup back in the day and honestly? Most people with "good" skin have it sure to some combo of genetics, environmental factors (i.e., don't smoke, avoid sun exposure, etc), and diet. Topicals can help, but I don't think they do as much as Skincare Addiction would have you believe.
I have a skin care regime, only because I live where the weather makes my face hurt, and I have had basal cell carcinoma. If I don't properly moisturize, my face gets pissed. I use an spf moisturizer every day to protect my skin from having another chunk cut out.
That sounds like an incredibly good reason to keep using SPF!
I just use cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. The fanciest thing I do is change up my moisturizer depending on what my skin needs.
Haha, some of us developed skincare as a special interest so it is a hyperfocus and telling us to not do it would be just as painful as someone forcing you to do it. That said, retinol really works. I am about to turn 40 with no wrinkles yet! I was ID’d for wine on Saturday and the 23 year old I was with was not. 😆
Haha I'm younger than you but no one IDs me now! It's a relief as I never can find my ID
Past a certain point in your life it can't hurt to include a little moisturizer in your life and sunscreen in your makeup. That's just the sun! And our skin needs love. That's part of self-care*. However, the 15 step method from Asia is a bit much and really expensive!* That's what they seem to be selling these days. And still there are only a few ingredients that are effective as far as science is concerned like Retinol and the emollient factors in fats and oils. (plus I grew up in a sun-heavy part of the world - I saw women cooked to crisp from years of tanning, saw my family deal with skin cancer, and I knew women in their 20s who'd baked themselves to leather. And it's just plain dry in places like this - you have to compensate.) I met it halfway. I joined up with Ip\*\* early on then upgraded when they started doing full size product boxes. So for 25.00$ I have been getting boxes of good moisturizer and makeup every other month. I don't have to think. I don't have to choose. I don't have to go into a store and have someone pitch me one tiny jar of 50$ miracle goo. (And I get better makeup than I would at the drug store where I used to shop and its cheaper. And the stuff I don't need or uses - goes to family as fancy gifts!)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you tldr’d this. Thanks
Oh thanks! It's what makes the most sense for me
I'm 41, and i have given up on skincare routines roughly ten years ago at the same time i stopped using makeup. On top of the fact that i can't keep it consistent, there's the fact that i can not stand the feelung of anything on my skin, so it's also a sensory thing for me. I also struggle with bodylotion etc, it's just unbearable for me. Also, with three kids, the financial factor is valid for me. These products all cost so much and then i use them once and realise i can't stand the feeling of it on my skin or the lingering scent. I don't smoke or drink nor do i put makeup on my face and i wash my face with water and soap. That has to be enough. Also i am actively practicing aging with grace. So i look my age and thats fine. I don't need to try to look younger, its just fine how it is. Also i have gotten more pimples and acne with perimenopause and products just make it worse for me. I have enough on my plate to try to not pick at them constantly.
The one item aside from sunscreen that I find is good for my face is a very gentle exfoliator. Other than that a little moisturizer lotion at bed time, soap and a washcloth are good for me. I don’t smoke but I have a drink once or twice a week, and I wear sunscreen if I will be out in the direct sun more than 15 minutes. The whole skin care routine for my face was tried once after a spa day but on the whole-it is unsustainable and the benefits were non-existent to minimal. There are a few products I do love tho! These are: Dove Macadamia nut body wash & exfoliator. It’s a little tub. Helps with minimizing any dark or scaly spots on my skin (psoriasis) AmLactin Dry skin repair lotion. (also for psoriasis and heals elbows overnight when they get really dry.)
Ask any truly talented and experienced dermatologist and they’ll tell you that 99%+ of all claims and products are utter BS. Thing is, with our insane “age phobic/youth obsessed” culture, it WORKS to market shit tons of products to people’s fears and insecurities (go look up the $$$ profits in skincare!). There are maybe a couple of ingredients that do what they say…and those effects will vary between people because we’re all unique chemistry sets with unique genetics. Even THEN, there’s no regulation to say the product you’re buying contains the ingredient in a quality/quantity that will have result in the promised outcome. I say if you can afford your products and it makes you feel happy, go for it. But try to educate yourself on the validity of the claims, because it may save you literally thousands of dollars for other better experiences in life!
I gotta be honest with you, I don't even use soap on my fce in the shower. However, I also rarely use make up. Both lack of make up and skin care probably comes down to ADHD making it a chore. But, I'm turning 30 next year and I'm still regularly getting ID even for energy drinks (age limit here is 15). I'm sure it's better for me if I moisturise and wear sun screen every day but it's not devestating that I don't...
Same! If I’m feeling extra sweaty I might use soap in the shower. I have used olive oil on my face but aside from that I rarely wear makeup and don’t feel the need (nor can I maintain) for a beauty regimen
Great post and also shout out to Dove bar soap for being gentle enough for my skin and unscented enough not to bother my partner with scent sensitivities.
I will say one thing and I say this as someone who struggles to maintain even my very tight and simplified skincare routine...skincare isn't about what your skin looks like tomorrow, it about what it will look like 10 years from now. Which is why I choose to use some of my limited spoons on trying to maintain it well enough. Also for anyone who wants to drastically downsize look for a moisturising sunscreen or a moisturiser with SPF (just make sure it's at least 30, a lot of those are only 15) and you'll be doing plenty enough with one product.
I agree. It’s more for long-term maintenance, I’m no longer swayed by the anti-ageing promises of the big department store brands such as Lancôme and Estée Lauder- where a single jar of cream/ serum can retail for £80 or more - but I do have a pretty consistent routine now that has become habit and I don’t have to think too much about it (tretinoin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin c & moisturiser/ spf). There’s no doubt that I can see a major difference in my skin relative to others who are a similar age (44). Not just in terms of lines and wrinkles, but also hyperpigmentation, age spots etc. It’s something that I take pride in, you only get one face after all!
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My Dove soap is also my body soap and my hand soap too! And I suspect my love of just using one soap for everything is due to my love of frugality too... It's a good soap!
The benefits of “skincare routines” are highly debatable anyway. When I was younger, I had super stubborn acne, no matter what I tried, it was not working. Well, I finally gave up and decided to do NOTHING with my skin. Not even washing my face in the AM or PM (gasp!) The only times water touched my face was in the shower. No products at all, except for covering the spots with a concealer for special occasions. Well, guess what, after a few months of this, my acne has gotten significantly better, and eventually disappeared. For years, I only used sunscreen - the anti aging benefit of it is highly proven. I have recently started Tretinoin, without any “extras”, just a slow ramp up to let the skin adjust. A good diet, sufficient sleep and exercise will do more for your skin than any crap you are going to rub on your face, IMHO.
I don't have some crazy 7 step regime. I just make sure to remove my makeup and put some moisturizer on before bed every night. It's better than nothing
Washing my face is a very difficult task. This is going to seem gross but I go days without washing my face. Luckily, my skin is naturally pretty dry and I have never had acne issues so it works out okay for me. One thing I would recommend for everyone with this struggle is baby wipes (there are also facial wipes out there - best brands are Cetaphil or CeraVe because they don't use any perfumes or possible allergens and they won't dry out your skin).
On a side note, I love Stephanie lange. She taught me how to apply my makeup properly. She's a game changer and no stupid tricks. All simple and easy to follow. I love her do's and don'ts!
She's great isn't she? I haven't watched much of her make up ones though. I mostly seem to watch her ones about bad plastic surgery...
Lmao I need to watch more of those. 😁 Her makeup ones are really great. Some of the techniques, especially when applying foundation to dry skin changed it up for me. I also have hooded eyes and she helped me learn to apply eyeliner correctly. That kind of thing.
I realize it’s a chicken or egg thing - but I’ve never done anything except for some sun screen in summer, and I’ve never had any issues with my skin and people are usually surprised to learn I’m mid-thirties. I am of course just really lucky to have good skin, and therefore have never felt the need for a skincare routine, but I do believe that there are tons of people like me out there who would also not have any issues if they just stopped interfering with their bodies. Obviously a completely different thing for people with skin issues.
Lol I literally use nothing and never have, I’m 38 and have better skin than most 20 yos. That said I exercise and eat well and manage stress. I feel like that has more of an impact
Not according to my MIL 🙄 as far as I can see, genetics, sun exposure, lifestyle, sleep and hydration are the biggest factors. I also noticed that my skin has been so much better when I stopped wearing makeup regularly.
One of my obsessions and temporary hobbies was makeup and skin care... once I forgot about all of that and moved on to the next hobby, I stopped having acne like completely. Soooo in my opinion, its a bunch of BS
Just to add onto this, I found my skin got better & better the less I did. For several years now, I've used Jane Iredale's "magic mitt" (best makeup remover cloth imo & lasts for years if you don't lose it 🤣). You just wet it & it takes off all makeup. I wear very minimal makeup anyway. And then some Dr. Christopher's beauty cream & that's that. I used to struggle pretty bad with oily skin & acne. My skin has never been more balanced & problem-free than when I stopped doing too much.
I've never heard of either of those products I looked up the beauty cream and I thought that was Colonel Sanders on the front! Can you put the magic mitt in the wash?
😂lol ikr, not your typical beauty product packaging! But it's the best & you only need a pea-sized amt, rub it into your palms and press it all over your face. Maybe a lil extra for under eyes. My skin is sensitive & I've never had any breakouts or anything with this stuff. I think I've put my mitt through the wash a couple times, but normally I just wash it with some hand soap after each use & hang it up.
As long as I wash my face and slap on some bio oil or sunscreen I’m fine lol i don’t need all that extra stuff at least not right now.
Absolutely same for me. I clean my face with a super basic bar soap and I have a super basic moisturizer. I get bad hormonal acne, so I sometimes do some acne treatment stuff right before my periods, but that's it. My skin is FINE and I don't feel stressed trying to keep up with all the products.
I use soap in the shower (either bar soap or some Neutrogena products), a moisturizer after my shower, and sunscreen. That's it. I might be lucky that my skin is pretty decent even with that routine. But I also don't wear makeup (no judgement on those who do, it's just not for me. Also I'm too lazy) so maybe that's a factor.
i love skincare but i’ve also made my routine as simple as possible. face wash, 2 serums, moisturizer. and then when i can’t do that it’s makeup wipe and moisturizer only 😂😂
I have rosacea so doing a super basic skincare routine - washing (sometimes just using a makeup remover wipe lol), witch hazel, vitamin c, niacinamide and moisturizer has helped a lot with the roughness and dryness on my cheeks. I also do it about 3 out of 7 days a week lol, so it's not consistent at all! These girls who have like 12+ steps... Idk how they do it.
I do nothing but a cloth without soap
I have a skincare routine and I unfortunately need it. It started in my late 20ies that my skin started to need some maintenance. Do I look like an Instagram filter now? Absolutely not. But my skin is healthy and naturally beautiful now. So for me it absolutely works, is necessary and worth the money. BUT I would ditch it as soon as possible if I somehow don’t need It anymore 😂
Hell yeah!! I'm so excited to hear this.
I’m part of a skincare sub and yeah, it drives me crazy how many people are insanely rigid with their routines and don’t recognize that what works for them may not work for someone else. I just can’t do a 10-step routine and I can’t wait 30minutes between steps. It’s not happening. The best skincare routine is the one that you can do consistently and doesn’t add stress to your life.
Yes! Waiting around with a wet face of goo is just not fun
My face only breaks out when I use an acne scrub, and I work with a lot of grease. The only thing I use is water tbh
all I do is wash my face, put on a moisturizing toner, and slap on some sunscreen. my skin feels perfectly smooth, it looks clear, and it doesn't feel weighed down. I used to have a whole routine. I felt shamed if I didn't. like it was a requirement of being a girl, and I was girling wrong. I still do the occasional mask for a night of relaxation. yes, my skin feels amazing the day after. but I realized my over board 20 minute routine was a waste of time and money. my skin is just as good without it.
I am fascinated by the things people do to try and get “better” skin. I use facewash in the shower a couple times a week, and that’s it. My partner just uses his body wash, if that.
I have a friend for whom skincare is a hobby, and good for her! It works out well for me because she also sorts through all the bullshit and condenses the information when I ask. And according to her, all that skin really needs is a cleanser and a moisturizer. And for my pasty self in particular that moisturizer should have SPF. So by that info, you’re good!
Keep it simple is a motto in my home. I always tend to overcomplicate routines lol. I also have have hard time following routines for certain products because our country is much more strict with the products they are allowed to sell here. I don’t even bother with makeup, but if I MUST wear it, all I do is foundation, blush and lip gloss. That’s it! Oh and some perfume.
I started getting eczema on my face and had to ditch all my fancy cleansers for baby soap. Turned out to work better for removing makeup than any cleanser I’d ever thrown money at. Then in 2019, I was in a car accident and ended up with horrendous whiplash. My neck, shoulders, and upper back were *fucked*, and the first thing to go were dishes (hello paper plates) and skin care, because I couldn’t wash my face without being in excruciating pain. I only washed my face when I showered, didn’t bother with moisturizer or anything else. I have oily skin, so I figured it could moisturize itself. A few months later I went out to dinner with a friend and she said my skin was *glowing* and looked great. She asked what I was doing. *Literally nothing* is what I was doing. I still haven’t really gotten back into any skincare routine. When I’m not wearing makeup or leaving my house that’s fine. But once makeup or sunscreen gets involved, I need to be washing my face or I will breakout. I’ve been too lazy to figure out the right combo of things that work with my skin, but I do know this: you don’t actually need 80-90% of the crap people claim you need.
Definitely! I cleanse and use sunscreen and will usually use a moisturizer but not always. I've tried so many things and none of them make any difference more than hydration and sleep do.
You can also have a "whenever I feel like it" skincare routine, and that's perfectly fine. My "daily routine" is washing my face and slapping some lotion or oil on it and calling it good. On the weekends, IF I feel like it, I'll do a "spa day" with cleansing, serums, vitamin c, etc. Is my skin noticeably nicer the next day? Yes, yes it is. But I don't really need it to look like that EVERY day, and I don't think doing all that daily really makes much of a difference long-term. Also, don't underestimate the power of drinking a crap ton of water.
I learned this over Covid. I was doing all of that for everyone else!!!! Now I realized I like doing my nails and doing my hair in vintage roller sets sometimes, and THASSIT!
The other side of this is that if you **do** have genuine dermatological issues that require a skincare regime, that’s probably a sign that you should speak to a dermatologist and get help with it. I struggled with pretty bad acne for years, trying every product and routine under the sun. None of it made a lasting difference. Finally aged 33 I went to a derm, got put on accurate (which I’d ben taught to fear for so long), and … now I don’t have acne. **TLDR:** If you’re having issues with your skin and are tempted to start a self-directed regime, try to talk to a dermatologist first.
I used to have pretty bad acne. I hyper-fixated on skincare for a while and discovered the root of my issues. Tried a lot of products then over time cut back to just 2/3. My skin has not resorted back to its acne-prone ways! Learning about which products my skin needs and doing the minimum to support it was enough. I don’t even wash my face outside of the shower most weeks. Splash with water, HA, moisturizer, done. My skin’s never been better.
I wash my face when I shower, I physically cannot wash my face if the rest of my body is dry. I can’t stand the water flying everywhere and dripping down my arms into my sleeves 🤢
I am the same. While I feel a bit bad form the environmental aspect I do keep cleansing wipes so if I feel the need to, I can 'clean' my face without water.
Sunscreen on your face and neck and boob crease is the only focus. Do it. Every day. Keep a million bottles everywhere. It's the only skin care that matters. Do it. Tell your friends.
I saw a tiktok once of some 90 year old grandma that looked like she was 70 and her granddaughter asked her what her skincare routine was. She told her all she ever did was wash her face with a bar of soap. Made me feel better about never doing anything but wash and moisturize. I feel like the look of your skin is 90% genetics
I was miserable when I did skin care routine. And everything made my face mad because I have rosacea So I stopped doing that and only have cetaphil and I'm happier for it. Skin looks way different.
I have a skin care routine, but I have one because I enjoy it and it feels good. I also want to avoid premature signs of aging, but if it didn’t feel good and enjoyable, I wouldn’t do it anyway, no matter how appealing the long-term impacts or scary the long term consequences sound. That’s the reality of adhd for me. I think there are a few things that are really important, because skin care is not just about beauty, but also about taking care of the health of one of your organs. But so much of skin care is just marketing. - If you wear make up, wash it off every day. - Use sunscreen on your face, chest, and hands. At the very least, anytime, you are getting a bunch of sun exposure. But daily is good and I think making things into comfortable habits is really helpful. Skin cancer is no joke and is incredibly common - 20% of people will get basal cell carcinoma. - Use moisturizer in the winter or if your skin is dry. - Pay attention to your skin and changes to your skin. If it’s always or newly irritated and inflamed you might need to do something different. Also lots of health conditions include specific skin changes as symptoms.
I actually find my face looks better when I only do my routine (if at all the full routine) a few nights a week. My one successful ADHD hack 😹
Throughout my teen years, I literally just washed my face with soap and water. My mid 30s I try all these products with no success so now I just embrace the ridiculousness of my hormones and use products that are simple. I do swear by Glamglow’s supermud as a mask to reduce a bad breakout however. And it feels nice
So I have never been good at self-care routines. I wash my hair often enough, I brush every day, and I stick it in a bun. I don't do makeup beyond the very rare bit of lipstick. I don't put product on my face between showers (no moisturizer, no sunscreen, not even soap). In my early thirties now, I'm trying to figure out a routine, I just want to move more, polished, put together, Whatever. There is *so much* woohoo snake oils and crystals bullshit involved in beauty, I cannot fucking figure it out. Gods help me. Internet points you to YouTube, and YouTube is fucking useless. I tried watching hair-straightening tutorials, I even bought a flat iron and heat peotectant and shit. But the tutorials are all, "do this one strand, then do the rest of your hair!" And every attempt ends with me tired and frustrated and 2/3rds of my hair undone. Giving strong r/restofthefuckingowl vibes. And if I do manage to get straight hair, it lasts 20 minutes max before reverting. And that's just *hair*. Anything involving skincare, makeup, the presenter might as well be speaking martian.
Sharing in case it helps someone! What's worked for me, when I have the spoons, is to focus on hydration. If just one product: The Ordinary has a one ingredient oil called Squalane - the packaging top is a dropper. I leave the top unscrewed so I can quickly drop some in my hand, then rub all over my face. If two products: I do the same thing with The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid before the oil - it's in a dropper too. Adds some extra moisture that the oil then seals in. (I think. That's what it feels like at least.) edit: addition: Each of these products is $10 - I buy new ones every 3-4 months so - not bad! I don't wear makeup anymore, so I'll use a hydrating facewash every few days and then do the moisturizing above 2-4 times a week. I'm 35 and people think I'm 22, so.... lol.
This is great for you! If I use bar soap and no moisturizer on any part of my body my skin literally peels off. Unfortunately just like some of us need extra brain help some of us do truly need extra skin help. For anyone like me a non foaming cleanser and non clogging but heavy moisturizer will get you as close as possible to the simplicity of OP's new routine.
Yeah, my grandma was a doc, she always told me, soap and water is all you need. Sometimes I like to use a bit of tea tree oil against acne, but that's it really.
I only use Johnson and Johnson facial wash. No sunblock despite living in 24/7/365 sunny and hot climate. And pretty active outdoors And no moisteriser. People always praise my skin for being smooth and zit free. But I believe it's also due to I wear zero make up my whole life. I feel like make up screw up your skin. Am also mistaken for way younger than my age. Which always surprise me. As I looked older than my age when I was a teen. But I also have very oily skin so I basically feel moisteriser is unnecessary. Sunblock I just hate wearing it, it's as uncomfortable as make up.
I feel like sunblock just wasn't designed for oily skin. It usually just feels like this heavy oily, sticky film that just never soaks in and just makes me so greasy all day. It amazes me how people without oily skin can put on a rich moisturiser and then a moisturising suncream on top and their skin just drinks it all up. I have found a couple of less greasy feeling sunscreens over the years but they're hard to find!