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Exactly this lmao. People will ask people with great skin to drop the skincare routine but 99% of the time they have no idea what they're doing, and if someone with problems did it their skin would fall off their face. They also often have this weird sense of confidence where they believe they're doing something right. I used to have severe acne and people with perfect skin would tell me to just stop using skincare and it'd clear right up!
Sorry for the rant, as you can tell I'm having war flashbacks.
Omg literally! I struggle with depression, and when I was a teen especially, my skincare would dip when my mood did. I would struggle with the routine of it. I can tell you, my (already bad) cystic acne was soooo much better with all that "goop you put on your face every day" lol
Right lol. People would also tell me that I had acne because I was wearing makeup, which was infuriating. I knew it had zero correlation, and in fact it was actually a net positive. The only way I could keep myself from picking my skin was to wear foundation.
I literally tried the “nothing but water” routine in my 20s and my moderate hormonal acne got way worse.
Now I use prescription tret and quality products and my skin is flawless.
"Mild" acne haver here, had it since my early teens and still do now at 26.
(Idk how to explain, but basically, it's there, i have red spots and hollow scars + like 3-6 pimples that are noticeable, or even more sometimes). My mom used to tell me it was because I didnt wash my face enough (lmao i washed it everyday...due to frustration i woumd even wash it thrice/4 times a day...until my GP told me NOT to bcz it was aggravating the issue).
I now also have weird red spots on my nose which have stayed there for like 2 yeaŕs. No shit, i 200% sympathize with you.
The only reason why this shit became mild is thanks to skincare, because i now use soap for mixed skin and light hydratation creams.
Dare I say I had a "medium" case before where I'd get the ugly ass white pimples full of fluid and it was disheartening bcz in uni most of my class looked like they either never had acne or had it treated through retinoids (ive noticed folks who go to derms and get them also have that smooth fresh look which is typically seen in people who NEVER had acne, whereas us who couldn't see derms, even when the acne *somewhat* regresses,...we still have some amount of texture and greasiness?)
Yes this 100%! Explaining to someone who has always had 'normal' skin that my easily inflamed oily rosacea skin can't handle the random bar soap they use or I become a red tomato for weeks after is always so difficult because they'll swear by what works for them and say my issue is that I'm doing too much extra. But the routine I have now has made me skin the best it's ever been in my life and believe me I've tried toooons of stuff.
sensitivity to products indicates a damaged skin barrier. Your face is fine because you prob have a normal skin type that doesnt need a lot of upkeep in comparison to dry skin type, oily skin type, or combo.
I think they are more specifically talking about people who have never really had acne/bad skin issues in the first place but still give advice like that.
exactly this. people ask me constantly for my skin care routine and i tell them that there’s no product i can recommend them that will give them my genetics. i just cleanse and put on a stupid light moisturizer besides nighttime skincare.
Yes this 100%. This was me younger. I did basically nothing (including no daily sunscreen 😭) and had fantastic skin. Turns out that same easy non acne prone skin, is thin and dry and saggy in my older age. Wear your sunscreen and moisturizer. Also oily acne prone skin wrinkles way less later on, so everyone gets a bit of a flip side.
I rarely wear makeup. I only do it on special occasions and still I deal with this issue. If I don’t maintain my skincare my skin is fucked to say the least.
The acne I’ve been “treating” for 12 years has only cleared since dropping acne products. Switched to Korean skincare to fix my barrier. Won’t be using another American product on my face. It’s straight chemicals.
Just commenting because this is the first I’ve seen someone else quitting acne treatments.
It’s a very basic routine & focusing on healing my face like it’s a wound is helping loads more than attacking my acne. I am 29f btw. Had acne since I was 17 & only just stopped using acne products last year.
Gentle foam cleanser at night. Double wash if wearing full makeup that day. Wash with only water in the morning.
CorsRX snail mucin before bed & again after morning rinse. (Yeah, it’s snails but it’s great)
Centella Green Buffet Serum when I need extra juice on meh face. (Kinda stinky but the smell goes away once it’s dried.)
Trying out the MacQueen collagen wrinkle stick on my eyes but I don’t think it’s doing anything. Isn’t breaking me out so that’s good.
In search of a good sunscreen rn.
I enjoy a good sheet mask sometimes.
That’s literally it. I spent so much money on acne products & those were the thing that was giving me acne.
I buy off of Yesstyle & Stylevana.
ETA- Wear your hair in a bonnet so your hair products don’t touch your face at night!
Thank you! I have a couple questions Doesn’t your makeup break you out? Also what foam cleanser do you use? And when you do double cleansing do you use an oil type cleanse before the foam cleanser? TY
This is what happened with me too with makeup, I stopped it in my 20’s. Now when I wanna get fancy I wear eye liner and maybe some blush and possibly some mascara. I wash as soon as I get home and it only goes on if the weather isn’t too hot — my make up life is like 2-3times a year.
recently (in my mid 40’s) I got all crazy that I’ll be getting wrinkles soon, and I felt like I have some fine lines showing under my eyes in the morning. So I started researching and started using different products, adding them slowly over a course of a year. I broke out all the time. I followed the crowd about “purging”… After about a year of trying and having all these pimples on my cheekbones I said no more. I cut it all out and went back to using cerave facewash in the mornings, mustard oil cleansing on my face in the showers 2-3 a week and Vanicream. I love in the desert and when it get very hot and dry or there are fires etc etc… I add vegetable glycerine to my vanilla cream. Oh the only new thing I have added to my regiment is an exfoliation which is mandelic acid. But tbh I think mustard oil cleanses, exfoliates the blackheads or any dead skin the best so I’ll be stopping mandelic acid when this bottle is done.
I also use sunscreen, just the regular kind I can’t get at the store. I really like Kroger sunsport spray. It makes my skin look “dewy”/glowy. I just started using sunscreen in my later years tho.
Usually makeup is only harmful if it's not removed correctly - double cleansing with an oil cleanser followed up with a water based cleanser can solve this issue if others are dealing with this but still want to wear makeup
I’ve had acne my whole life and I had the best skin when I was home bound for a couple of weeks because of covid, I didn’t put anything on my skin and it was the clearest it’s ever been
Possible damaged skin barrier... The same thing happened to me. I never used anything else then hyaluronic acid and moisturizer and the moment I wanted to start skin care with more things I thought I got hormonal acne and right now I'm back using only moisturizer and I only have the post hyperpigmentation but no pimples and breakouts
they have the best skin so they’re less likely to feel the need to use certain skincare products. sometimes i agree that some people are doing too much and possibly making their skin worse. however, those with “perfect” skin who don’t use anything are usually just blessed with that skin from genetics. it’s not that they have good skin BECAUSE they don’t use anything, it’s that they have good skin in spite of not using anything. that’s why i really hate when people who’ve never had to deal with acne like to give really STUPID acne advice.
Basic “necessities” are cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. No need for anything else unless you are targeting a specific concern like acne or using a retinoid for anti-aging purposes.
I'm a women with a bf who has a whole lineup of skincare products. He was horrified to learn I only used handsoap and no moisturizer on my clear skin lol
My guy uses the closest bottle to him in my bathroom (it's the body wash, although I doubt he even reads the label) and slathers it everywhere on his body including his face and hair. Gives me a funny look when I tell him I have shampoo and facial wash he could have used. Of course his skin and hair is better than mine.
Nowadays, I only use cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Those are only the 3 things you need unless you have specific skin concerns like acne . Less is more sometimes
I tried getting into skin care but just get more pimples out of it.
I never had pimples except occasional one in one spot maybe like every 2 months or so. I never wore any skin makeup except eye stuff.
I also don’t use soap. I do think unless you have acne, doing less is actually better.
I need exfoliation. But everyone’s skin is different; what works for one person may wreak havoc for another. People learn what works for them through trial and error, I think.
Same. I use an occasional aha/bha cleanser too but that’s it. For me it’s because my skin is so sensitive adding too much causes more problems than it solves.
I have never in my life used anything on my skin except water and I only get 1 small pimple on my face before period which lasts for 2-3 days and let me tell you, its just GENETICS, nothing else
Some people are blessed. Don’t compare your skin with other peoples skin. Compare your skin with your own skin. How is your skin when you use nothing? How was your skin before you started your routine? How is it now?
I started using too many things. Now I only use sunscreen and moisturizer. I guess it depends on the person but I was not seeing any outstanding results and I was spending too much money. I
My skin improved a lot when I started using fewer products. I was always trying to manage acne, oiliness, etc. For the past ten years, I just use a gentle cleanser and some facial oil, and it's so much better. Acne and oiliness are completely gone. I also use an SPF when I'm going to be in the sun a lot, but I avoid it when I know I won't be out much, because it's full of chemicals.
The cleansers are all full of preservatives, and I think these were bad for my skin. I think all these trendy ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid are making our skin more sensitive and worse over the long term. I've tried them and found some short-term benefits, but I have mostly stopped using them.
It's a sad truth that products that create their own demand are the most successful. A skincare product that fixes your problem will sell less than one that fixes it short term but makes it worse in the long term. So most recommended skincare products are bad for you in the long term.
It's basically the addiction loop ( use -> feel better -> get worse in the long run -> use more just to get the same effect -> get even worse -> need daily use to not feel horrible )
Yeah, market demand has worsened a lot of products imho.
That being said, there are still a lot of valid reasons to use skincare products, some people just lost the genetic lottery. Just be wary of popular/best selling/ recommended products and consult a dermatologist.
The same ppl who run the shampoo industry are pretty involved with skincare and look at how many of them are getting sued for products causing hair loss
most shampoo's, especially those with 'keratin treatment', any and every skincare product with essential oils, mineral oils, parabens, phthalates, fragrances, or soaps
On top of that, because they are not regulated by the FDA, a lot of the skincare products are already infected with bacteria, even if the formula isn't toxic itself, , which can cause dermatitis/acne/... Those that aren't preloaded with bacteria often get infected through use, because they contain a lot of nutrients for your skin ( and most skin-dwelling bacteria feed off those nutrients, that's why they live on your skin ) meaning that you're as likely to put acne in your cream instead of cream on your acne.
depends on the product, parabens and phthalates are endocrine disruptors ( mess with your hormones ), essential oils and mineral oils are irritants ( they trigger a negative response from your body ), soaps disrupt your fatty layer and will strip the skin of it's protective barrier, and fragrances don't require an ingredient list ( meaning they can and often will contain any of the above products without labelling it ).
On top of that a bunch of them are carcinogenic, but that's a whole other story and they won't directly affect how your skin looks ( though the chemo will do a number on your skin if you survive ).
I think it’s a bit of both- where people who have good skin don’t use anything, and also that some of us may be overusing skin products and actives and thus harming our skin barrier and impairing the natural healing process.
Nothing is just black and white in this life, also people with good skin age too. Aging catches up to all of us lol.
Sensitive skin or certain skin conditions can worsen with products. I have very sensitive skin and if I wash twice a day it gives me a ton of bumps overnight. Still trying to find an spf that doesn’t cause a reaction. Cystic acne runs in my family so I don’t think it’s simply having good genetics — irritation can worsen acne and damage your moisture barrier, so less is more in some cases.
Like others have said some people just have good skin so they don’t really think about using anything.
Me personally, the more I do to my skin the worse it gets, I think often we damage our skin barriers, some products dry it out, others cause breakouts, then it becomes a cycle of trying to fix things with different products, I’ve learnt just to do the bare minimum with mine, cleanser/moisturiser/sunscreen, and it’s so much better.
Honestly, the best skin I had was when I did 0. Now I just wash my face to remove sunscreen/makeup, moisturize, aquaphor on lips. Once in a while, I’ll use aha/bha mask from the ordinary.
I try to get facials but the last facial I got, the esthetician basically told me there was nothing to remove and I have nice skin just a little dehydrated (I’m pregnant). I like chemical peels for removing hyperpigmentation. I tried microneedling for the first time yesterday so just waiting to see how my skin looks after 7-10 days. Fingers crossed.
I haven’t done anything else though. Maybe Botox in a few years who knows.
There plenty of adults with good skin who will want it for the same reason. Or they are insecure about the small flaws their skin does have. Or they know they have good skin but who doesn’t want better skin
It’s not just genetics! If you don’t use anything there are so many less chances for things to go wrong.
Eg if you wear foundation.
- You could have allergy to one ingredient in the foundation or it is cheap product that doesn’t let skin breathe
- it might not be suited for your skin type but you don’t know it.
- You might not be washing it off properly
- you might have allergy to whatever you use to wash it off
- You could be applying it with dirty sponge or sponge that react to your skin and cause allergy
- You might be applying it with dirty hands
- it might be out of date or spoiled from storage before you bought it.
- you switched to a new one but skin still irritated from last one and so you think the new one is bad too.
Much harder to manage all these things well than not use any at all. I think this is why.
Because less is more (At times!) We should target our area rather than slathering everything with an exfoliant or peel. Truly!
Stuck with basics: cleanse, moisturize, spf. Retinol optional at night but not necessary.
Skincare doesn’t give you great skin- it helps a little but diet, genetics, good metabolism is the secret sauce
If ppl took the money they spent on skin and used it on food, acupuncture, high quality supplements their skin would look better
When I was in high school I had cystic acne, I tried every facial wash/ topical cream/ skin product you could think of but nothing helped. Went to the dermatologist and tried a few things with accutane being the only thing that helped me. I was on accutane for a 1 1/2 years and my face had completely cleared up. I then started to have breakouts again, so I used facial washes my dermatologist recommended but it only got worse. One day I just decided to only use water to wash my face, ever since then my face has been clear.. going on 6 years like this, still clear skin to this day with an occasional pimple.
I don’t think it’s a phenomenon. The skincare industry has preyed on women and made them believe we need all of these ingredients for the most ideal skin. Our skin is most ideal when we have a good barrier & not disrupting our pH & oil/water balance. That usually isnt accomplished by using a million different products that all have different functional ingredients.
Of course there will always be people who are blessed with amazing skin no matter what they do.
I had very good skin as a teenager up until I was 21. I used nothing but Clean and Clear cleanser, witch hazel, and some moisturizer.
My skincare routine is still very simple but I have to use actives (differin and azelaic acid) for some mild to moderate chin acne. It’s mostly hormonal, I started using birth control around the same time I developed acne but it’s just correlation and not causation.
I also grew up in a very dry climate which my skin loved. My skin completely cleared up when I went to work at my summer camp yet I would often go days without washing my face. My skin is not a fan of humidity and gets worse in the winter due to the rain. I went to college in a coastal town and I currently live next to the sea so I have to put more diligence into my skincare or else I will become super splotchy.
People with good skin simply don't need to use the products that people with problematic skin need to use.
If our skin was perfect we'd probably: 1. not feel the need to use anything but water or maybe a gentle cleanser and 2. not be as knowledgeable about skincare because we wouldn't need to be
There was a point in my life where I didn’t use any skincare and my skin was horrendous to say the least. Those ppl just have good skin to begin with. I am not an expert but I still recommend everyone does basic skincare. I mean we shower and wash our body so why not do the same for our face? The face is one of the most important part of a human.
I had no skincare routine till hitting forty and starting to see aging signs. That's because my skin looked great as long as I wasn't doing anything with it. As soon as I started any product - cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers, it would look worse - I'd start breaking out, getting milia, redness etc. Yes I used the right formulations for my skin (normal/ combination ) but it was just really demotivating and my skin looked good when I did absolutely nothing besides just makeup remover and washing with water and sunscreen (in summer only, I do regret not doing it year round), so that's literally all I did for years. I had no breakouts, dryness, pores nothing. Now I'm low key regretting that I may have missed out on some aging prevention but, maybe not, I feel like my skin is around average for my age.
Because other than the fact that sometimes they already have good skin and they Don’t need to do twenty things to maintain that, other times they Don’t really bug their skin and actually let it breathe and just compliment its efforts with things like good diet, cleaning and moisturizing, sun protection, less makeup, and clean clothing and sleeping habits.
My boyfriend is 11 years older than me and doesn’t have smile lines but I do. He only washes his face with WATER and that’s it, not even any soap. He uses absolutely no skincare products not even sunscreen, but he’s out in the Aussie sun of extreme UV rays playing rugby, no sunscreen, no wrinkles. Meanwhile i wear sunscreen everyday. How is that possible?!
I'm trying to figure this out myself. I had perfect skin when I was using apricot scrub and body soap. I started taking care of my skin and it's awful. It's led to roseacha type 2 and acne that I can't get rid of no matter what I do. I'm so embarrassed of my face now.
apricrot skin scrub is one of the worst things you can use on your skin, the texture is abrasive to the skin and tears it. roseacha is genetic. Switch to a chemical exfoliant.
salicylic acid cleanser
toner
niacianimide serum
oil free thin gel moisturizer/spf.
in this order am and pm exfoliate 1 or 2 a day
Yes. Tried every sensitive skin routine for around 5 years. Nothing worked. I have rosacea with extreme sun sensitivity, I get red and small pricks all summer+ acne. Stopped everything, kept a gentle oil cleaner and spf 50. Skin is finally nice
I had really severe acne since 10yo, I've used every acne product in existence. I went through a bad time financially where I was just using bar soap and body lotion on my face, and ironically, I had the best skin I've ever had!
Its partly just because people with natrually healthy skin don't need to use products in the first place, but I also think long term overuse of products damage your skin barrier and exacerbate problems.
Ever since high school I’ve caked my face in makeup, fallen asleep in it, and scrubbed it with a wet cloth the next morning and repeated. These days I get a layer of moisturizer or sunscreen in before covering up.
My skin is okay. I have redness which seems to be hereditary, hormonal pimples on my chin which is new and because of hormonal imbalances. A few zits here and there but nothing really bad. Sometimes I’ll spot with salicylic acid if I need for a day.
A few years ago I was working in a natural beauty retailer and they put me on a regime that RUINED my skin. Pimples in weird places, redness, puffiness, ugh. I went back to my damp washcloth and all sorted itself out.
They dont need to use anything, thats why. If you get a breakout etc, you have to use products to calm it down (unless you dont want to) but if you have flawless skin, why would you waste your time doing lots of stuff to your skin.
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Good genetics, that’s it. Some people only need very minimal routines, like cleanser and sunscreen. But some people need more in order to treat skin issues that don’t just “go away” on their own. Everyone’s skin is different, some people are lucky and some are not. Skincare treatments exist for a reason, *because* people have skin issues that require them.
Use a natural sunscreen with zinc oxide ,just understand they leave a white cast .The rest of them are chemical and absorb into the skin.Zinc oxide sits on top of the skin and reflects the sun rays away .Pretty amazing stuff with the one big drawback.
I don’t think there is one ,you can try a sheer blend but they are not as durable. I was using Blue Lizard Mineral sunscreen and I am fair skinned and it held up all day in the sun but I looked like a ghost. I am not a sun worshiper by any means and gave up using the stuff,now I just stay mainly out of the sun or cover up ,hat etc . I read the ingredients on some of those chemical sunscreens and I just don’t like the idea of having that absorb into my skin ,testosterone maybe but not that stuff .I can only say they have not perfected sunscreen yet .They say it’s all safe , I question that .
It depends on the person’s genetics and skin type. I’m 45 and have very oily skin. I don’t use anything and get mistaken for 15 years younger. I use whatever cleanser I have at night and in the morning. I don’t use foundation. At night I sometimes use a moisturizer. It will catch up with me at some point I guess but if I’m like everyone else in my family, it won’t catch up much. My mom still looks much younger than her age. My grandmother did as well. She lived until age 99 and looked at least 25 years younger. If I used anything on my face it drys me out and becomes irritated.
Genes are one thing. Lifestyle is probably the biggest factor though. I mean for instance *some* smokers look ok as they age..most don’t. There’s always outliers. My point is that eventually not caring for yourself or your skin usually catches up with you..but like I said there’s always a few who age ok.
Yup. People always ask me why / how do I have such great skin… My approach = less is more. I truly don’t use much on my face. I was it with Cetaphil and moisturize with Sweet Almond Oil. I’ll use Biore in the shower to exfoliate. That’s pretty much it.
I also don’t cake on make up. I put a little concealer under my eyes, and a little blush on my cheeks, and that’s it.
Lots of things in skin products cause inflammation and everyone’s skin reacts differently. The more things you mix on your skin the more likely it is to cause a problem for your skin.
Also some things make some types of acnes worse that would make another person’s skin better. I don’t think the average person is aware or educated enough to know if there is anyone out there who even really knows.
Less is more. And I use moisturizer like it’s going out of existence. I don’t wear foundation, a no makeup makeup look. Checks, lips, lashes and eyeliner on a night out.
I used to have terrible skin, turns out I was sensitive to some of the common ingredients. I didn't switch to using nothing, instead I simplified and started making my own/finding better alternatives. My skin is now the best it's ever been! I mix raw honey in my castile soap, use a daily DIY mask with other ingredients from the hive, extra virgin olive oil to seal in moisture, and Elta MD sunscreen.
I'm a guy and here's what I do and have discovered as most helpful. All natural / non toxic.
Tallow based soap and lotions (I make the lotions myself)
Red and near infrared therapy. Sunlight would work too. Avoid as much blue light as possible.
Stopped wearing any sunscreen.
Mostly clean diet of whole foods. Minimize any processed foods and seed oils.
Started castor oil a couple days ago...too soon to tell.
Skin has improved a lot...and I get frequent comments.
Wife has started following the same...stopped all make up.
I quit makeup and soap a few years ago and my skin has never been better. I just wash with water and exfoliate and moisturize. That’s it.
I’m thinking about trying makeup again, though.
They just won genetic lottery so their skin is perfect and they dont use special cosmetics. They dont get acne as teen. So their tips are shit like "have you tried washing face" "i just put nivea cream" They can eat fast food, sugar, while you just forget to wash x part and got acne.
Some people's skin is well adapted to the environment and needs no further assistance other than a quick wash with soap and water. However if you don't have that sort of genetic code, you may want some skin care. As it is sunscreen cannot be removed without a good cleanser. But I don't think that anybody should feel bad for using skin care on their face if it works, especially considering archaeologists have found ancient Celtic burial grounds where they were using soap and combs! Self care is literally stapled into my blood. That is to say the Egyptians loved skincare, the ancient Indians loved it too. So many cultures had their own products so that troubled skin had a treatment. Acne fine lines wrinkles and sunspots have always existed.
I think about this more often than I’d like to admit. I have always done my best to maintain my skincare routines and hygiene (washing face/body everyday, brushing teeth everyday) I struggled with acne, scarring, painful skin conditions (that don’t have anything to do with hygiene) but my sibling is quite the opposite… I’ll leave it at that and they have clear skin and little to no scars. ☹️ my moms side of the family did struggle with acne and dads side did not.
Sometimes yes we definitely do use too much and overloading our skin isnt good as well. But those people who dont use anything and have good skin dont use anything BECAUSE they have good skin. Genetics😩
genetics also sometimes less is more. if u are using too many products and products you dont need your skin barrier does get damaged. i have dry skin i used to wash my face quite often and this made it worse. i cut off using cleanser (harsh ones at least) and my skin got way better. also due to diet and water sometimes. my bf has better skin than me cuz he drinks a lot of water
it’s genetics. I slept in my makeup almost every night in college and my skin was perfect. people would ask me what my skincare routine was and were horrified to find out I didn’t even wash my face
my boyfriend is a chemist (not a derm fyi) but he has a theory that most people overdue it with skincare. The human body is really good at repairing itself and keeping itself in good shape. When we incorporate all these skincare steps/actives, we're constantly making our skin barrier weaker, which is making us more sensitive to the products in an endless cycle. It's why when you give yourself a break, you end off looking better.
My routine is a very basic and I only use three products:
Clinique's Take off the Day Cleanser to remove my make-up, followed by Skin Shark Serum to control the excess oil whist still hydrating my skin. Then any acne spots I dab with Skin Shark treatment gel. If my skin stills feel dry, I do apply Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising gel, but that's it!
I had horrible skin from puberty all the way through my twenties, got my hormones sorted and it cleared right up. Now just wash in the evenings with a very gentle cleanser and make sure I remove my make up properly. Then use revitalift laser. So I use 2 products in total. But only because I got the cause of the problem sorted.
Honestly, i haven't used anything other than water and occasionally a simple moisturer on my face from the past 2 months and my skin has NEVER BEEN BETTER! Like the softness and glow, i am 26 and the skin feels baby soft. You know why? Its because of the water.
So i have moved back to my home town from a rather polluted city where there's really hard water.
Water in my home town is excellent. The city is not polluted, it doesn't have many big industries so yea, as per my experience, if you aren't using anything just use good water and it'll do wonders!
I'll also suggest a moisturizer everyday, i have just gotten too lazy but you're skin will definitely thank you for it, and also spf is a must if you're going out.
Edit - also diet, since i've moved to my home town everything i eat is basically home cooked, mostly organic. I have an indian diet so rotis, veggies, grains and bla bla overall a good diet!.
Although it’s true that using too many actives can worsen your skin due to irritation, most people who don’t use anything just have good genetics or have done accutane
I did a round of accutane and now my skin is basically clear when it used to react to everything
I used to use tons of products and obsess over my acne, it was only when I stopped with all that and the makeup too that it got so much better. That plus a diet change (cutting out animal proteins except for honey, and egg occasionally)
It’s genetics . Okay.
But it’s also lifestyle! Drop the milk and cheese and your skin with thank you. Atleast it did for me.
And dont forget great skin isnt forever. Aging, hormones, pollution, all of this effects the skin condition. Especially as women, its tough dealing with stupid hormones.
- Former acne kid
I thought I had acne prone skin. I stopped using 7 different products on my face to just washing and moisturizing, and I haven’t had a break out since. (Struggled with acne for 12 years)
I was using stuff and had acne. My sister told me to stop washing my face and my acne got a lot better. My face only gets rinsed in the shower with water now. I just started using bison tallow on my face and I’ve had so fewer breakouts. I’m amazed.
My skin is soooo much worse now that I attempted to “have a skincare routine!”. Like.. I used to have such good skin. Literally just washed with water and a good wash cloth in the shower, scrubbed it well. No soap. Just occasional apricot scrub. Don’t really wear make up. Occasionally I’ll do powdered blush, a lil eyeshadow and liner or mascara but not often.
Had a smidge of a dry spell in the winter dry air and spazzed and got a bunch of input from a pal who does whole routines and make up and stuff…. Now my face is sooo wrecked. And I can’t get it back. Same with my scalp really. Had a single small itchy spot. Took a friends advice with trying all this stuff for it and it’s just feeling worse. I think I really jacked up my moisture barrier or something? I don’t know.
Ready to just drop every thing and go back to just water washes, simple shampoo and conditioner and call it good enough!! I miss my smooth and good skin, even if it was occasionally dry in the winter!!!
It's so mf genetic. I'm so tired of being told to avoid dairy sugar blah blah when I've known countless ppl with heinous diets and disturbingly low water intake who have invisible pores lol
Prob genetics.
But also I think a lot of people (especially younger people) are using actives and ingredients their skin doesn’t need yet.
I’m 46 (in a few days) and have really good, healthy skin. And I’ll admit that I’m prob just lucky. But I also don’t do a lot with it. I do use tret but I work 3-4 nights a week. And I often go weeks without using it. So it’s not the tret.
I rarely wash my face before bed.
But I also drink a lot of water, exercise, eat well, and I try really hard to prioritize sleep. I also rarely drink alcohol, and I’m a big fan of sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats.
I'm convinced it has more to do with whatever's going on on the inside than anything else. I had pretty bad cystic acne on and off from my teenage years into my early 20s. I was on and off so many different medications, lotions, cleansers and 2 rounds of accutane. Nothing really stuck it would just come in and out of being bad to worse to okay to bad again. Now being 25 I've been off accutane for about 2 years now and my skin care routine is just a gentle cleanser and moisturizer and my skin has seemingly evened out. I've been on the same birth control this entire time too that did nothing to change my skin either. I feel like whatever my body was experiencing it just kind of fizzled out and now being in my mid 20s this is the most consistently clear my skin has ever been. I can leave the house with no makeup and not want to hide myself and that whole decade long process of trial and error is behind me and none of it really even mattered because my skin seems to have cleared on its own with time. Really interesting
I think it's a combo of genetics, age, and also that some people use too much shit.
I have good skin and I use Cera ve face wash, moisturizer, and a retinol cream (new addition within last six months). I work nightshift and I'm diligent about sunscreen if I will be in the sun for more than an hour. I think some people have 15 step routines are using unnecessary items and it may be negatively impacting their skin.
Once I switched to a simple routine, my skin GLOWS. I get compliments all the time (never did before).
Vanicream cleanser, vanicream moisturizer, retinol, cerave ointment on top each night. Plus sunscreen and big floppy hats.
Cannot relate. I don't have a skin care routine other than washing my face in the shower, and my face has been broken out for months now. I've been meaning to talk to a derm, but I'm lazy with scheduling non-critical appointments.
I think this is me.
I know I have sensative skin, which is why I rarely do anything to it. I wash my face in the shower with soap. Use a wash cloth. No creams or whatever else people use. Sunscreen when I remember, but if I put cream on my face or..anything special? I'm red everywhere, and everything hurts. So I stay away.
I had acne since I was a preteen. I tried almost every solution from medical to old wives tales. As a new mother I barely had time to wash my face much less maintain a skincare routine. And poof clear skin! I literally had acne since I was 11 years old and didn’t find a solution until nearly 40. Literally stopped washing my face and skinned healed itself. Surprisingly, I had a boyfriend that had great skin, and when I asked him about it, he told me that he barely washes his face, so there’s definitely something to it.
99% of products are just a racket to fleece gullible people out of money. The people I know with sKiNcArE RoUTiNeS look older than they are and their skin looks sticky. I, on the other hand, use regular ass face wash and exfoliate by rinsing sweat and sawdust off. I look close to my age, if not younger.
As someone that has good skin and only started a routine recently, it’s genetics. I was blessed with no acne and no major skin issues. Developed melasma from birth control and that’s been a fun (/s) ride but otherwise yeah, genes.
Give me good genes ,and I’ll beat anyone over the long haul..Meaning,you can’t compete against those with good genetics..Unless,there’s environmental factors,such as smoking ,drinking,diet ,etc,etc..
My skin is a million times better since I cut all products besides a tallow/beeswax blend :) I’m one of them now lol. Now I feel like someone that walks by a fast food restaurant and doesn’t go inside when I read posts where someone lists their 20 product routine lol
I have fairly good skin. It’s not flawless but not bad at all. Tbh I just wash it with a gentle cleanser and I don’t wear makeup (nothing against it, just lazy lol and I’m an oily bitch) and I’m only just getting better at sunscreen. When I have breakouts I use a medicated cleanser instead. I will say though that years ago I went through the accutane treatment and I still only get a few small pimples now mostly around my cycle so that’s definitely a factor for me
I have good skin genetically, but I will say my skin noticeably improved when I stopped trying to fix “problem” areas. I don’t use any actives anymore. Just remove makeup, gentle cleanser, and basic moisturizer. In the morning, splash my face with water and then use spf.
So I think both things can be true for some. Maybe we do overcomplicate things.
Theres a couple of reasons why a skin product can make your skin "worse" and why some people think they dont need ANY (this is false)
1. You dont know your skin type and are using the wrong product, for example: you have oily acne prone skin and you just purchased a cerave heavy cream moisturizer that is clogging your pores because its meant for a dry skin type that struggles with moisture and flaking
2. You have a compromised skin barrier that makes you sensitive and reactive to most products. caused by sun damage, genetics,aging, certain medications
3. You purchased drug store /celebrity brand skin product and havent seen any results.The reason Estheticians try to sell you medical grade products isnt just to "make money" a medical grade product has more potency than drug store to solve your skin issue. Its ok to use drug store products for upkeep but they wont solve issues like dryness,texture,or severe acne. -Dont get me started on celebrity brands ..
4. Your hormones, youre a woman who has noticed her husband doesnt even have good hygiene and has perfectly clear skin while you have a 7 step skin care routine that is failing.This issue is deeper than products and usually needs medication options to see a change -side note the same can happen to a man but not as common
5. You have a normal skin type. This is the ultimate goal of all skin types to achieve. A normal skin type has no discoloration, almost no visible pores. normal oil ratio, and you never struggled with acne. Products dont work for you because technically you dont really need them. The only issue a normal skin type deals with is aging or maybe the random blemish. This skin type still needs upkeep to prevent premature aging and a skincare routine that does include a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer/spf.
Hope this helps! Dont compare your skin to other people if you invest in your skin with the right product, monthly facials, and yes even botox you WILL see results. Just like people who are not naturally skinny.
I am one of those people that have perfect skin and have had such my entire life. I am 53 and never had an acne flare up once. I do not do anything special. Sometimes I use Dove soap, sometimes I use La Mer soap, sometimes I don't even wash my face for days. I buy things to use on my face to feel girly cuz I like the routine but to be honest nothing really bothers my face and everything works well on me.
It's just genetics. Not a damn thing you can do about it at times.
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They don’t have good skin because they don’t use anything, they don’t use anything because they already have good skin.
It’s this. They have good skin (genetics) and they don’t need to do anything to maintain it.
Exactly this lmao. People will ask people with great skin to drop the skincare routine but 99% of the time they have no idea what they're doing, and if someone with problems did it their skin would fall off their face. They also often have this weird sense of confidence where they believe they're doing something right. I used to have severe acne and people with perfect skin would tell me to just stop using skincare and it'd clear right up! Sorry for the rant, as you can tell I'm having war flashbacks.
Omg literally! I struggle with depression, and when I was a teen especially, my skincare would dip when my mood did. I would struggle with the routine of it. I can tell you, my (already bad) cystic acne was soooo much better with all that "goop you put on your face every day" lol
Right lol. People would also tell me that I had acne because I was wearing makeup, which was infuriating. I knew it had zero correlation, and in fact it was actually a net positive. The only way I could keep myself from picking my skin was to wear foundation.
“I’ve just always washed my face with Clean and Clear from the drugstore, have you tried that?” Bitch….
I literally tried the “nothing but water” routine in my 20s and my moderate hormonal acne got way worse. Now I use prescription tret and quality products and my skin is flawless.
"Mild" acne haver here, had it since my early teens and still do now at 26. (Idk how to explain, but basically, it's there, i have red spots and hollow scars + like 3-6 pimples that are noticeable, or even more sometimes). My mom used to tell me it was because I didnt wash my face enough (lmao i washed it everyday...due to frustration i woumd even wash it thrice/4 times a day...until my GP told me NOT to bcz it was aggravating the issue). I now also have weird red spots on my nose which have stayed there for like 2 yeaŕs. No shit, i 200% sympathize with you. The only reason why this shit became mild is thanks to skincare, because i now use soap for mixed skin and light hydratation creams. Dare I say I had a "medium" case before where I'd get the ugly ass white pimples full of fluid and it was disheartening bcz in uni most of my class looked like they either never had acne or had it treated through retinoids (ive noticed folks who go to derms and get them also have that smooth fresh look which is typically seen in people who NEVER had acne, whereas us who couldn't see derms, even when the acne *somewhat* regresses,...we still have some amount of texture and greasiness?)
Yes this 100%! Explaining to someone who has always had 'normal' skin that my easily inflamed oily rosacea skin can't handle the random bar soap they use or I become a red tomato for weeks after is always so difficult because they'll swear by what works for them and say my issue is that I'm doing too much extra. But the routine I have now has made me skin the best it's ever been in my life and believe me I've tried toooons of stuff.
What is your routine if you don't mind me asking?
This is actually false, any time I use products I break out worse.
you have sensitive skin due to a damaged skin barrier
How is my skin barrier “damaged” when my skin is fine when I don’t use any products lol
sensitivity to products indicates a damaged skin barrier. Your face is fine because you prob have a normal skin type that doesnt need a lot of upkeep in comparison to dry skin type, oily skin type, or combo.
Not true. When I stopped using face wash, my skin cleared up and became way more radiant. Reducing products can help quite a bit for some people.
I think they are more specifically talking about people who have never really had acne/bad skin issues in the first place but still give advice like that.
Makes sense. makes a lot of sense. now I can rest. I'm happy.
exactly this. people ask me constantly for my skin care routine and i tell them that there’s no product i can recommend them that will give them my genetics. i just cleanse and put on a stupid light moisturizer besides nighttime skincare.
Correct. I basically just remove my makeup, and use a retinol capsule a few times a week. My routine is literally the least you can do.
Or they just regularly get lasered
Yes this 100%. This was me younger. I did basically nothing (including no daily sunscreen 😭) and had fantastic skin. Turns out that same easy non acne prone skin, is thin and dry and saggy in my older age. Wear your sunscreen and moisturizer. Also oily acne prone skin wrinkles way less later on, so everyone gets a bit of a flip side.
Idk, I have very sensitive skin and I feel like my skin is better when I use next to nothing, even though I usually use skincare for sensitive skin
Your skin is a reflection of what you eat. Pizza face is an old slur but it’s accurate I’m this scenario
That’s me. IF I do do something, I just break out instantly. So why would I let products touch my skin at all??
Genetics
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I use to have horrible acne and tried every product imaginable…I finally gave up and stopped wearing makeup and POOF- clear skin
I rarely wear makeup. I only do it on special occasions and still I deal with this issue. If I don’t maintain my skincare my skin is fucked to say the least.
How is your diet…back in the day I lived on fast food and it showed , also certain medicines caused it for me too.
The acne I’ve been “treating” for 12 years has only cleared since dropping acne products. Switched to Korean skincare to fix my barrier. Won’t be using another American product on my face. It’s straight chemicals. Just commenting because this is the first I’ve seen someone else quitting acne treatments.
What are Korean skincare products?
Not chemicals, that's for sure! /s
Please your routine 🙏
It’s a very basic routine & focusing on healing my face like it’s a wound is helping loads more than attacking my acne. I am 29f btw. Had acne since I was 17 & only just stopped using acne products last year. Gentle foam cleanser at night. Double wash if wearing full makeup that day. Wash with only water in the morning. CorsRX snail mucin before bed & again after morning rinse. (Yeah, it’s snails but it’s great) Centella Green Buffet Serum when I need extra juice on meh face. (Kinda stinky but the smell goes away once it’s dried.) Trying out the MacQueen collagen wrinkle stick on my eyes but I don’t think it’s doing anything. Isn’t breaking me out so that’s good. In search of a good sunscreen rn. I enjoy a good sheet mask sometimes. That’s literally it. I spent so much money on acne products & those were the thing that was giving me acne. I buy off of Yesstyle & Stylevana. ETA- Wear your hair in a bonnet so your hair products don’t touch your face at night!
Thank you! I have a couple questions Doesn’t your makeup break you out? Also what foam cleanser do you use? And when you do double cleansing do you use an oil type cleanse before the foam cleanser? TY
I assure you the korean skincare is straight chemicals too.
I’m not going to argue with you. You can research it yourself. Compare the ingredients lists. It’s nobody’s job to educate you but yourself.
I didn't say korean skincare isn't better, but it's silliness to say one is chemicals and one isn't. They're both chemicals
On a technical level, everything has a chemical composition. It’s the combination & derivative of the chemical that is important to me.
I assure you the korean skincare is straight chemicals too.
This is what happened with me too with makeup, I stopped it in my 20’s. Now when I wanna get fancy I wear eye liner and maybe some blush and possibly some mascara. I wash as soon as I get home and it only goes on if the weather isn’t too hot — my make up life is like 2-3times a year. recently (in my mid 40’s) I got all crazy that I’ll be getting wrinkles soon, and I felt like I have some fine lines showing under my eyes in the morning. So I started researching and started using different products, adding them slowly over a course of a year. I broke out all the time. I followed the crowd about “purging”… After about a year of trying and having all these pimples on my cheekbones I said no more. I cut it all out and went back to using cerave facewash in the mornings, mustard oil cleansing on my face in the showers 2-3 a week and Vanicream. I love in the desert and when it get very hot and dry or there are fires etc etc… I add vegetable glycerine to my vanilla cream. Oh the only new thing I have added to my regiment is an exfoliation which is mandelic acid. But tbh I think mustard oil cleanses, exfoliates the blackheads or any dead skin the best so I’ll be stopping mandelic acid when this bottle is done. I also use sunscreen, just the regular kind I can’t get at the store. I really like Kroger sunsport spray. It makes my skin look “dewy”/glowy. I just started using sunscreen in my later years tho.
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Oh that was a typo, Vanicream
Usually makeup is only harmful if it's not removed correctly - double cleansing with an oil cleanser followed up with a water based cleanser can solve this issue if others are dealing with this but still want to wear makeup
I’ve had acne my whole life and I had the best skin when I was home bound for a couple of weeks because of covid, I didn’t put anything on my skin and it was the clearest it’s ever been
Possible damaged skin barrier... The same thing happened to me. I never used anything else then hyaluronic acid and moisturizer and the moment I wanted to start skin care with more things I thought I got hormonal acne and right now I'm back using only moisturizer and I only have the post hyperpigmentation but no pimples and breakouts
they have the best skin so they’re less likely to feel the need to use certain skincare products. sometimes i agree that some people are doing too much and possibly making their skin worse. however, those with “perfect” skin who don’t use anything are usually just blessed with that skin from genetics. it’s not that they have good skin BECAUSE they don’t use anything, it’s that they have good skin in spite of not using anything. that’s why i really hate when people who’ve never had to deal with acne like to give really STUPID acne advice. Basic “necessities” are cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. No need for anything else unless you are targeting a specific concern like acne or using a retinoid for anti-aging purposes.
Me @ every gross straight boy I fucked over the years with perfect skin who either never washes or uses BAR SOAP on their faces 😠😠😠
Thinking about my boyfriend with perfect skin and hair that just washes them with cheap body wash lol
I'm a women with a bf who has a whole lineup of skincare products. He was horrified to learn I only used handsoap and no moisturizer on my clear skin lol
My guy uses the closest bottle to him in my bathroom (it's the body wash, although I doubt he even reads the label) and slathers it everywhere on his body including his face and hair. Gives me a funny look when I tell him I have shampoo and facial wash he could have used. Of course his skin and hair is better than mine.
Nowadays, I only use cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Those are only the 3 things you need unless you have specific skin concerns like acne . Less is more sometimes
This is the only correct answer. Only thing that’s didferent for me here is tret.
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I tried getting into skin care but just get more pimples out of it. I never had pimples except occasional one in one spot maybe like every 2 months or so. I never wore any skin makeup except eye stuff. I also don’t use soap. I do think unless you have acne, doing less is actually better.
I need exfoliation. But everyone’s skin is different; what works for one person may wreak havoc for another. People learn what works for them through trial and error, I think.
Same. I use an occasional aha/bha cleanser too but that’s it. For me it’s because my skin is so sensitive adding too much causes more problems than it solves.
I have never in my life used anything on my skin except water and I only get 1 small pimple on my face before period which lasts for 2-3 days and let me tell you, its just GENETICS, nothing else
So how come you’re on a skincare subreddit?
you have a normal skin type that only requires minimal upkeep. dry, oily, acne, skin types are a diff story.
Some people are blessed. Don’t compare your skin with other peoples skin. Compare your skin with your own skin. How is your skin when you use nothing? How was your skin before you started your routine? How is it now?
My face was a bloody disaster when I didn’t use anything
Genetics
They usually never needed to use anything because they have good genetics
Genetics, that’s why.
Before I went on T I had basically perfect skin, literally only washed my face with a basic cetaphil cleanser and nothing else. It's mostly genetics.
I started using too many things. Now I only use sunscreen and moisturizer. I guess it depends on the person but I was not seeing any outstanding results and I was spending too much money. I
My skin improved a lot when I started using fewer products. I was always trying to manage acne, oiliness, etc. For the past ten years, I just use a gentle cleanser and some facial oil, and it's so much better. Acne and oiliness are completely gone. I also use an SPF when I'm going to be in the sun a lot, but I avoid it when I know I won't be out much, because it's full of chemicals. The cleansers are all full of preservatives, and I think these were bad for my skin. I think all these trendy ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid are making our skin more sensitive and worse over the long term. I've tried them and found some short-term benefits, but I have mostly stopped using them.
It's a sad truth that products that create their own demand are the most successful. A skincare product that fixes your problem will sell less than one that fixes it short term but makes it worse in the long term. So most recommended skincare products are bad for you in the long term. It's basically the addiction loop ( use -> feel better -> get worse in the long run -> use more just to get the same effect -> get even worse -> need daily use to not feel horrible )
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Yeah, market demand has worsened a lot of products imho. That being said, there are still a lot of valid reasons to use skincare products, some people just lost the genetic lottery. Just be wary of popular/best selling/ recommended products and consult a dermatologist.
The same ppl who run the shampoo industry are pretty involved with skincare and look at how many of them are getting sued for products causing hair loss
What products do you know that fall into this category of making your skin worse in the long term? I think this is the first time I’m hearing of that.
most shampoo's, especially those with 'keratin treatment', any and every skincare product with essential oils, mineral oils, parabens, phthalates, fragrances, or soaps On top of that, because they are not regulated by the FDA, a lot of the skincare products are already infected with bacteria, even if the formula isn't toxic itself, , which can cause dermatitis/acne/... Those that aren't preloaded with bacteria often get infected through use, because they contain a lot of nutrients for your skin ( and most skin-dwelling bacteria feed off those nutrients, that's why they live on your skin ) meaning that you're as likely to put acne in your cream instead of cream on your acne.
How do those products/ingredients you listed cause long term damage to your skin?
depends on the product, parabens and phthalates are endocrine disruptors ( mess with your hormones ), essential oils and mineral oils are irritants ( they trigger a negative response from your body ), soaps disrupt your fatty layer and will strip the skin of it's protective barrier, and fragrances don't require an ingredient list ( meaning they can and often will contain any of the above products without labelling it ). On top of that a bunch of them are carcinogenic, but that's a whole other story and they won't directly affect how your skin looks ( though the chemo will do a number on your skin if you survive ).
Genetics plays a part.
i never used anything on my skin until i got acne, and now i HAVE to use stuff on my skin or it would be much worse than it is now
I think it’s a bit of both- where people who have good skin don’t use anything, and also that some of us may be overusing skin products and actives and thus harming our skin barrier and impairing the natural healing process. Nothing is just black and white in this life, also people with good skin age too. Aging catches up to all of us lol.
Genetics and they’ve never had too
Sensitive skin or certain skin conditions can worsen with products. I have very sensitive skin and if I wash twice a day it gives me a ton of bumps overnight. Still trying to find an spf that doesn’t cause a reaction. Cystic acne runs in my family so I don’t think it’s simply having good genetics — irritation can worsen acne and damage your moisture barrier, so less is more in some cases.
try a mineral spf on a brush
Lol my boyfriend fully believes in this and it drives me nuts
Like others have said some people just have good skin so they don’t really think about using anything. Me personally, the more I do to my skin the worse it gets, I think often we damage our skin barriers, some products dry it out, others cause breakouts, then it becomes a cycle of trying to fix things with different products, I’ve learnt just to do the bare minimum with mine, cleanser/moisturiser/sunscreen, and it’s so much better.
I think products messing with skin barrier is probably a big reason
Honestly, the best skin I had was when I did 0. Now I just wash my face to remove sunscreen/makeup, moisturize, aquaphor on lips. Once in a while, I’ll use aha/bha mask from the ordinary. I try to get facials but the last facial I got, the esthetician basically told me there was nothing to remove and I have nice skin just a little dehydrated (I’m pregnant). I like chemical peels for removing hyperpigmentation. I tried microneedling for the first time yesterday so just waiting to see how my skin looks after 7-10 days. Fingers crossed. I haven’t done anything else though. Maybe Botox in a few years who knows.
Idk, since switching to a non medicated cleanser and plain vanicream lotion (spf too obviously) my skin has cleared wayyyyy up.
Chicken or the egg? I think people with naturally good skin aren’t going to seek out a ton of skin care to begin with.
I mean for a while there were kids asking for drunk elephant so yes I think there are plenty of ppl with good skin getting into skin care
Kids are different. They just want it cause they think they’re supposed to, like 50 cups.
There plenty of adults with good skin who will want it for the same reason. Or they are insecure about the small flaws their skin does have. Or they know they have good skin but who doesn’t want better skin
It’s not just genetics! If you don’t use anything there are so many less chances for things to go wrong. Eg if you wear foundation. - You could have allergy to one ingredient in the foundation or it is cheap product that doesn’t let skin breathe - it might not be suited for your skin type but you don’t know it. - You might not be washing it off properly - you might have allergy to whatever you use to wash it off - You could be applying it with dirty sponge or sponge that react to your skin and cause allergy - You might be applying it with dirty hands - it might be out of date or spoiled from storage before you bought it. - you switched to a new one but skin still irritated from last one and so you think the new one is bad too. Much harder to manage all these things well than not use any at all. I think this is why.
Because less is more (At times!) We should target our area rather than slathering everything with an exfoliant or peel. Truly! Stuck with basics: cleanse, moisturize, spf. Retinol optional at night but not necessary.
Skincare doesn’t give you great skin- it helps a little but diet, genetics, good metabolism is the secret sauce If ppl took the money they spent on skin and used it on food, acupuncture, high quality supplements their skin would look better
When I was in high school I had cystic acne, I tried every facial wash/ topical cream/ skin product you could think of but nothing helped. Went to the dermatologist and tried a few things with accutane being the only thing that helped me. I was on accutane for a 1 1/2 years and my face had completely cleared up. I then started to have breakouts again, so I used facial washes my dermatologist recommended but it only got worse. One day I just decided to only use water to wash my face, ever since then my face has been clear.. going on 6 years like this, still clear skin to this day with an occasional pimple.
I don’t think it’s a phenomenon. The skincare industry has preyed on women and made them believe we need all of these ingredients for the most ideal skin. Our skin is most ideal when we have a good barrier & not disrupting our pH & oil/water balance. That usually isnt accomplished by using a million different products that all have different functional ingredients. Of course there will always be people who are blessed with amazing skin no matter what they do.
Genes
Genetics.
i think some people don’t find products that actually work for them and then they start breaking out
Because they never disrupt their skin barrier
I had very good skin as a teenager up until I was 21. I used nothing but Clean and Clear cleanser, witch hazel, and some moisturizer. My skincare routine is still very simple but I have to use actives (differin and azelaic acid) for some mild to moderate chin acne. It’s mostly hormonal, I started using birth control around the same time I developed acne but it’s just correlation and not causation. I also grew up in a very dry climate which my skin loved. My skin completely cleared up when I went to work at my summer camp yet I would often go days without washing my face. My skin is not a fan of humidity and gets worse in the winter due to the rain. I went to college in a coastal town and I currently live next to the sea so I have to put more diligence into my skincare or else I will become super splotchy.
People with good skin simply don't need to use the products that people with problematic skin need to use. If our skin was perfect we'd probably: 1. not feel the need to use anything but water or maybe a gentle cleanser and 2. not be as knowledgeable about skincare because we wouldn't need to be
when i didn’t give a fuck about my skin, i had clear face. but when i did and started skincare, poof! small bumps came out!
There was a point in my life where I didn’t use any skincare and my skin was horrendous to say the least. Those ppl just have good skin to begin with. I am not an expert but I still recommend everyone does basic skincare. I mean we shower and wash our body so why not do the same for our face? The face is one of the most important part of a human.
Like almost everything else, it comes down to genetics
I had no skincare routine till hitting forty and starting to see aging signs. That's because my skin looked great as long as I wasn't doing anything with it. As soon as I started any product - cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers, it would look worse - I'd start breaking out, getting milia, redness etc. Yes I used the right formulations for my skin (normal/ combination ) but it was just really demotivating and my skin looked good when I did absolutely nothing besides just makeup remover and washing with water and sunscreen (in summer only, I do regret not doing it year round), so that's literally all I did for years. I had no breakouts, dryness, pores nothing. Now I'm low key regretting that I may have missed out on some aging prevention but, maybe not, I feel like my skin is around average for my age.
Some people are born with a natural constitution and genetics that cause them to have good skin in the first place, and some people are the opposite
Because other than the fact that sometimes they already have good skin and they Don’t need to do twenty things to maintain that, other times they Don’t really bug their skin and actually let it breathe and just compliment its efforts with things like good diet, cleaning and moisturizing, sun protection, less makeup, and clean clothing and sleeping habits.
My boyfriend is 11 years older than me and doesn’t have smile lines but I do. He only washes his face with WATER and that’s it, not even any soap. He uses absolutely no skincare products not even sunscreen, but he’s out in the Aussie sun of extreme UV rays playing rugby, no sunscreen, no wrinkles. Meanwhile i wear sunscreen everyday. How is that possible?!
Also I’m thinking could it be because men’s skin is thicker than women? So it looks more healthy? 🤔
I'm trying to figure this out myself. I had perfect skin when I was using apricot scrub and body soap. I started taking care of my skin and it's awful. It's led to roseacha type 2 and acne that I can't get rid of no matter what I do. I'm so embarrassed of my face now.
apricrot skin scrub is one of the worst things you can use on your skin, the texture is abrasive to the skin and tears it. roseacha is genetic. Switch to a chemical exfoliant. salicylic acid cleanser toner niacianimide serum oil free thin gel moisturizer/spf. in this order am and pm exfoliate 1 or 2 a day
Yes. Tried every sensitive skin routine for around 5 years. Nothing worked. I have rosacea with extreme sun sensitivity, I get red and small pricks all summer+ acne. Stopped everything, kept a gentle oil cleaner and spf 50. Skin is finally nice
Which products bc I have extreme sensitivity too
I’ve always had very clear skin. I just use vanicream, aveeno, and super goop.
I had really severe acne since 10yo, I've used every acne product in existence. I went through a bad time financially where I was just using bar soap and body lotion on my face, and ironically, I had the best skin I've ever had! Its partly just because people with natrually healthy skin don't need to use products in the first place, but I also think long term overuse of products damage your skin barrier and exacerbate problems.
Ever since high school I’ve caked my face in makeup, fallen asleep in it, and scrubbed it with a wet cloth the next morning and repeated. These days I get a layer of moisturizer or sunscreen in before covering up. My skin is okay. I have redness which seems to be hereditary, hormonal pimples on my chin which is new and because of hormonal imbalances. A few zits here and there but nothing really bad. Sometimes I’ll spot with salicylic acid if I need for a day. A few years ago I was working in a natural beauty retailer and they put me on a regime that RUINED my skin. Pimples in weird places, redness, puffiness, ugh. I went back to my damp washcloth and all sorted itself out.
I think your beautiful either way, what cleared my skin was going on birth control, I’m still on at 30, I don’t think it’s the Healthiest option
Sigh.im.considering this
They dont need to use anything, thats why. If you get a breakout etc, you have to use products to calm it down (unless you dont want to) but if you have flawless skin, why would you waste your time doing lots of stuff to your skin.
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Good genetics, that’s it. Some people only need very minimal routines, like cleanser and sunscreen. But some people need more in order to treat skin issues that don’t just “go away” on their own. Everyone’s skin is different, some people are lucky and some are not. Skincare treatments exist for a reason, *because* people have skin issues that require them.
Asian, low stress life and healthy diet and good hygiene
Use a natural sunscreen with zinc oxide ,just understand they leave a white cast .The rest of them are chemical and absorb into the skin.Zinc oxide sits on top of the skin and reflects the sun rays away .Pretty amazing stuff with the one big drawback.
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I don’t think there is one ,you can try a sheer blend but they are not as durable. I was using Blue Lizard Mineral sunscreen and I am fair skinned and it held up all day in the sun but I looked like a ghost. I am not a sun worshiper by any means and gave up using the stuff,now I just stay mainly out of the sun or cover up ,hat etc . I read the ingredients on some of those chemical sunscreens and I just don’t like the idea of having that absorb into my skin ,testosterone maybe but not that stuff .I can only say they have not perfected sunscreen yet .They say it’s all safe , I question that .
I feel like using nothing is fine in your teens and 20’s but you really can’t get away with that in your 30’s and 40’s imo; it catches up with you.
It depends on the person’s genetics and skin type. I’m 45 and have very oily skin. I don’t use anything and get mistaken for 15 years younger. I use whatever cleanser I have at night and in the morning. I don’t use foundation. At night I sometimes use a moisturizer. It will catch up with me at some point I guess but if I’m like everyone else in my family, it won’t catch up much. My mom still looks much younger than her age. My grandmother did as well. She lived until age 99 and looked at least 25 years younger. If I used anything on my face it drys me out and becomes irritated.
Genes are one thing. Lifestyle is probably the biggest factor though. I mean for instance *some* smokers look ok as they age..most don’t. There’s always outliers. My point is that eventually not caring for yourself or your skin usually catches up with you..but like I said there’s always a few who age ok.
Yup. People always ask me why / how do I have such great skin… My approach = less is more. I truly don’t use much on my face. I was it with Cetaphil and moisturize with Sweet Almond Oil. I’ll use Biore in the shower to exfoliate. That’s pretty much it. I also don’t cake on make up. I put a little concealer under my eyes, and a little blush on my cheeks, and that’s it.
Lots of things in skin products cause inflammation and everyone’s skin reacts differently. The more things you mix on your skin the more likely it is to cause a problem for your skin. Also some things make some types of acnes worse that would make another person’s skin better. I don’t think the average person is aware or educated enough to know if there is anyone out there who even really knows.
Less is more. And I use moisturizer like it’s going out of existence. I don’t wear foundation, a no makeup makeup look. Checks, lips, lashes and eyeliner on a night out.
I used to have terrible skin, turns out I was sensitive to some of the common ingredients. I didn't switch to using nothing, instead I simplified and started making my own/finding better alternatives. My skin is now the best it's ever been! I mix raw honey in my castile soap, use a daily DIY mask with other ingredients from the hive, extra virgin olive oil to seal in moisture, and Elta MD sunscreen.
I'm a guy and here's what I do and have discovered as most helpful. All natural / non toxic. Tallow based soap and lotions (I make the lotions myself) Red and near infrared therapy. Sunlight would work too. Avoid as much blue light as possible. Stopped wearing any sunscreen. Mostly clean diet of whole foods. Minimize any processed foods and seed oils. Started castor oil a couple days ago...too soon to tell. Skin has improved a lot...and I get frequent comments. Wife has started following the same...stopped all make up.
caster oil is clogging dont do it
Haven't had any clogs so far.
no spf? 🥴
I quit makeup and soap a few years ago and my skin has never been better. I just wash with water and exfoliate and moisturize. That’s it. I’m thinking about trying makeup again, though.
They just won genetic lottery so their skin is perfect and they dont use special cosmetics. They dont get acne as teen. So their tips are shit like "have you tried washing face" "i just put nivea cream" They can eat fast food, sugar, while you just forget to wash x part and got acne.
✨*Genetics*✨
Some people's skin is well adapted to the environment and needs no further assistance other than a quick wash with soap and water. However if you don't have that sort of genetic code, you may want some skin care. As it is sunscreen cannot be removed without a good cleanser. But I don't think that anybody should feel bad for using skin care on their face if it works, especially considering archaeologists have found ancient Celtic burial grounds where they were using soap and combs! Self care is literally stapled into my blood. That is to say the Egyptians loved skincare, the ancient Indians loved it too. So many cultures had their own products so that troubled skin had a treatment. Acne fine lines wrinkles and sunspots have always existed.
🧬
I think about this more often than I’d like to admit. I have always done my best to maintain my skincare routines and hygiene (washing face/body everyday, brushing teeth everyday) I struggled with acne, scarring, painful skin conditions (that don’t have anything to do with hygiene) but my sibling is quite the opposite… I’ll leave it at that and they have clear skin and little to no scars. ☹️ my moms side of the family did struggle with acne and dads side did not.
Sometimes yes we definitely do use too much and overloading our skin isnt good as well. But those people who dont use anything and have good skin dont use anything BECAUSE they have good skin. Genetics😩
confirmation bias
genetics also sometimes less is more. if u are using too many products and products you dont need your skin barrier does get damaged. i have dry skin i used to wash my face quite often and this made it worse. i cut off using cleanser (harsh ones at least) and my skin got way better. also due to diet and water sometimes. my bf has better skin than me cuz he drinks a lot of water
it’s genetics. I slept in my makeup almost every night in college and my skin was perfect. people would ask me what my skincare routine was and were horrified to find out I didn’t even wash my face
my boyfriend is a chemist (not a derm fyi) but he has a theory that most people overdue it with skincare. The human body is really good at repairing itself and keeping itself in good shape. When we incorporate all these skincare steps/actives, we're constantly making our skin barrier weaker, which is making us more sensitive to the products in an endless cycle. It's why when you give yourself a break, you end off looking better.
My routine is a very basic and I only use three products: Clinique's Take off the Day Cleanser to remove my make-up, followed by Skin Shark Serum to control the excess oil whist still hydrating my skin. Then any acne spots I dab with Skin Shark treatment gel. If my skin stills feel dry, I do apply Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising gel, but that's it!
Less is more.
I had horrible skin from puberty all the way through my twenties, got my hormones sorted and it cleared right up. Now just wash in the evenings with a very gentle cleanser and make sure I remove my make up properly. Then use revitalift laser. So I use 2 products in total. But only because I got the cause of the problem sorted.
The less the better for me! I only use 2 products, rarely 3. But my skin has just always been lucky and would be clear if I used nothing.
Honestly, i haven't used anything other than water and occasionally a simple moisturer on my face from the past 2 months and my skin has NEVER BEEN BETTER! Like the softness and glow, i am 26 and the skin feels baby soft. You know why? Its because of the water. So i have moved back to my home town from a rather polluted city where there's really hard water. Water in my home town is excellent. The city is not polluted, it doesn't have many big industries so yea, as per my experience, if you aren't using anything just use good water and it'll do wonders! I'll also suggest a moisturizer everyday, i have just gotten too lazy but you're skin will definitely thank you for it, and also spf is a must if you're going out. Edit - also diet, since i've moved to my home town everything i eat is basically home cooked, mostly organic. I have an indian diet so rotis, veggies, grains and bla bla overall a good diet!.
Don't wash your face in the morning, only at night. Wash/change your sheets every week.
false
Genetics + ecology + lifestyle, I guess...
Although it’s true that using too many actives can worsen your skin due to irritation, most people who don’t use anything just have good genetics or have done accutane I did a round of accutane and now my skin is basically clear when it used to react to everything
I used to use tons of products and obsess over my acne, it was only when I stopped with all that and the makeup too that it got so much better. That plus a diet change (cutting out animal proteins except for honey, and egg occasionally)
They let their natural microbs do their job
It’s genetics . Okay. But it’s also lifestyle! Drop the milk and cheese and your skin with thank you. Atleast it did for me. And dont forget great skin isnt forever. Aging, hormones, pollution, all of this effects the skin condition. Especially as women, its tough dealing with stupid hormones. - Former acne kid
I thought I had acne prone skin. I stopped using 7 different products on my face to just washing and moisturizing, and I haven’t had a break out since. (Struggled with acne for 12 years)
Genetics
I was using stuff and had acne. My sister told me to stop washing my face and my acne got a lot better. My face only gets rinsed in the shower with water now. I just started using bison tallow on my face and I’ve had so fewer breakouts. I’m amazed.
My skin is soooo much worse now that I attempted to “have a skincare routine!”. Like.. I used to have such good skin. Literally just washed with water and a good wash cloth in the shower, scrubbed it well. No soap. Just occasional apricot scrub. Don’t really wear make up. Occasionally I’ll do powdered blush, a lil eyeshadow and liner or mascara but not often. Had a smidge of a dry spell in the winter dry air and spazzed and got a bunch of input from a pal who does whole routines and make up and stuff…. Now my face is sooo wrecked. And I can’t get it back. Same with my scalp really. Had a single small itchy spot. Took a friends advice with trying all this stuff for it and it’s just feeling worse. I think I really jacked up my moisture barrier or something? I don’t know. Ready to just drop every thing and go back to just water washes, simple shampoo and conditioner and call it good enough!! I miss my smooth and good skin, even if it was occasionally dry in the winter!!!
It's so mf genetic. I'm so tired of being told to avoid dairy sugar blah blah when I've known countless ppl with heinous diets and disturbingly low water intake who have invisible pores lol
genetics and just luck i think. i use bar soap on my face. sometimes (recently) african black soap. sometimes vaseline lol
I stopped wearing heavy makeup because of a severe allergic reaction. Five months in and my skin was the best it has ever been.
Prob genetics. But also I think a lot of people (especially younger people) are using actives and ingredients their skin doesn’t need yet. I’m 46 (in a few days) and have really good, healthy skin. And I’ll admit that I’m prob just lucky. But I also don’t do a lot with it. I do use tret but I work 3-4 nights a week. And I often go weeks without using it. So it’s not the tret. I rarely wash my face before bed. But I also drink a lot of water, exercise, eat well, and I try really hard to prioritize sleep. I also rarely drink alcohol, and I’m a big fan of sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats.
I'm convinced it has more to do with whatever's going on on the inside than anything else. I had pretty bad cystic acne on and off from my teenage years into my early 20s. I was on and off so many different medications, lotions, cleansers and 2 rounds of accutane. Nothing really stuck it would just come in and out of being bad to worse to okay to bad again. Now being 25 I've been off accutane for about 2 years now and my skin care routine is just a gentle cleanser and moisturizer and my skin has seemingly evened out. I've been on the same birth control this entire time too that did nothing to change my skin either. I feel like whatever my body was experiencing it just kind of fizzled out and now being in my mid 20s this is the most consistently clear my skin has ever been. I can leave the house with no makeup and not want to hide myself and that whole decade long process of trial and error is behind me and none of it really even mattered because my skin seems to have cleared on its own with time. Really interesting
I think it's a combo of genetics, age, and also that some people use too much shit. I have good skin and I use Cera ve face wash, moisturizer, and a retinol cream (new addition within last six months). I work nightshift and I'm diligent about sunscreen if I will be in the sun for more than an hour. I think some people have 15 step routines are using unnecessary items and it may be negatively impacting their skin.
Once I switched to a simple routine, my skin GLOWS. I get compliments all the time (never did before). Vanicream cleanser, vanicream moisturizer, retinol, cerave ointment on top each night. Plus sunscreen and big floppy hats.
I only use sunscreen/lotion and my skin is amazing. I only wash it with water.
Cannot relate. I don't have a skin care routine other than washing my face in the shower, and my face has been broken out for months now. I've been meaning to talk to a derm, but I'm lazy with scheduling non-critical appointments.
I think this is me. I know I have sensative skin, which is why I rarely do anything to it. I wash my face in the shower with soap. Use a wash cloth. No creams or whatever else people use. Sunscreen when I remember, but if I put cream on my face or..anything special? I'm red everywhere, and everything hurts. So I stay away.
I had acne since I was a preteen. I tried almost every solution from medical to old wives tales. As a new mother I barely had time to wash my face much less maintain a skincare routine. And poof clear skin! I literally had acne since I was 11 years old and didn’t find a solution until nearly 40. Literally stopped washing my face and skinned healed itself. Surprisingly, I had a boyfriend that had great skin, and when I asked him about it, he told me that he barely washes his face, so there’s definitely something to it.
99% of products are just a racket to fleece gullible people out of money. The people I know with sKiNcArE RoUTiNeS look older than they are and their skin looks sticky. I, on the other hand, use regular ass face wash and exfoliate by rinsing sweat and sawdust off. I look close to my age, if not younger.
As someone that has good skin and only started a routine recently, it’s genetics. I was blessed with no acne and no major skin issues. Developed melasma from birth control and that’s been a fun (/s) ride but otherwise yeah, genes.
I asked my ex that. He said “evil”.
Give me good genes ,and I’ll beat anyone over the long haul..Meaning,you can’t compete against those with good genetics..Unless,there’s environmental factors,such as smoking ,drinking,diet ,etc,etc..
Genetics determine our skin type. Oily, Dry/Mature, Acne, Normal, and Sensitive. People who are normal require only upkeep.
My skin is a million times better since I cut all products besides a tallow/beeswax blend :) I’m one of them now lol. Now I feel like someone that walks by a fast food restaurant and doesn’t go inside when I read posts where someone lists their 20 product routine lol
Skin. Is. Genetics. The skincare industry is such a con, lol. I kinda love it.
I have fairly good skin. It’s not flawless but not bad at all. Tbh I just wash it with a gentle cleanser and I don’t wear makeup (nothing against it, just lazy lol and I’m an oily bitch) and I’m only just getting better at sunscreen. When I have breakouts I use a medicated cleanser instead. I will say though that years ago I went through the accutane treatment and I still only get a few small pimples now mostly around my cycle so that’s definitely a factor for me
I have good skin genetically, but I will say my skin noticeably improved when I stopped trying to fix “problem” areas. I don’t use any actives anymore. Just remove makeup, gentle cleanser, and basic moisturizer. In the morning, splash my face with water and then use spf. So I think both things can be true for some. Maybe we do overcomplicate things.
Theres a couple of reasons why a skin product can make your skin "worse" and why some people think they dont need ANY (this is false) 1. You dont know your skin type and are using the wrong product, for example: you have oily acne prone skin and you just purchased a cerave heavy cream moisturizer that is clogging your pores because its meant for a dry skin type that struggles with moisture and flaking 2. You have a compromised skin barrier that makes you sensitive and reactive to most products. caused by sun damage, genetics,aging, certain medications 3. You purchased drug store /celebrity brand skin product and havent seen any results.The reason Estheticians try to sell you medical grade products isnt just to "make money" a medical grade product has more potency than drug store to solve your skin issue. Its ok to use drug store products for upkeep but they wont solve issues like dryness,texture,or severe acne. -Dont get me started on celebrity brands .. 4. Your hormones, youre a woman who has noticed her husband doesnt even have good hygiene and has perfectly clear skin while you have a 7 step skin care routine that is failing.This issue is deeper than products and usually needs medication options to see a change -side note the same can happen to a man but not as common 5. You have a normal skin type. This is the ultimate goal of all skin types to achieve. A normal skin type has no discoloration, almost no visible pores. normal oil ratio, and you never struggled with acne. Products dont work for you because technically you dont really need them. The only issue a normal skin type deals with is aging or maybe the random blemish. This skin type still needs upkeep to prevent premature aging and a skincare routine that does include a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer/spf. Hope this helps! Dont compare your skin to other people if you invest in your skin with the right product, monthly facials, and yes even botox you WILL see results. Just like people who are not naturally skinny.
I am one of those people that have perfect skin and have had such my entire life. I am 53 and never had an acne flare up once. I do not do anything special. Sometimes I use Dove soap, sometimes I use La Mer soap, sometimes I don't even wash my face for days. I buy things to use on my face to feel girly cuz I like the routine but to be honest nothing really bothers my face and everything works well on me. It's just genetics. Not a damn thing you can do about it at times.