I would like to know what your routine is in general, but I’m also specifically curious about what products you use, if you use them, and what the rationale is behind each product.

My routine:

Morning

  1. Rinse face with warm water.
  2. Scrub face and neck with warm, wet washcloth.
  3. Apply facial moisturizer with SPF (I use CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30) to face, neck, and hands.

Evening

  1. Shower.
    • While in shower, scrub entire body with an exfoliating mitt (ie this one).
  2. Apply a retinol (I use Retin-A (tretinoin 0.05%)) to face, neck, and hands.
  3. Apply facial moisturizer (I use CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion) to face, neck, and hands
  4. Apply body lotion (I use CeraVe Moisturizing Cream) to whole body, excluding hands and face.

I have used, and considered continuing using a BHA (also AHA?) liquid exfoliant (I have read that it shouldn’t be used at the same time as retinol due to PH requirements, ie use it in the morning and retinol in the evening) (I previously used Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, but I no longer because I have lost trust in Paula’s Choice overall due to their borderline false advertising regarding their retinol product [1]), but I am unsure of what a good product would be, and the rationale behind it. I have also heard about Vitamin E, though I’ve never used it.

References
  1. “[Research] Study: The Ordinary and Paula’s Choice retinols are unstable”. toa20. r/SkincareAddiction. Reddit. Published: 2023-01-26T17:49:01.223Z. Accessed: 2024-10-29T05:16Z. https://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/10lxshy/research_study_the_ordinary_and_paulas_choice/.
    • kindenough@kbin.earth
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      2 months ago

      I use the same, just a moisturizer after showering, also for the skin under my beard. Don’t need any beard products as well really.

    • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      2 months ago

      I have one skin, yes.

      Interesting interpretation/reading of my original title. As a result, I have removed the introductory clause:

      If you have one,

      I was trying to clarify the target audience of the question. Not sure the best way to go about wording it to achieve that end 🤔.

      • qaz@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Of course, you need to be clear that this post isn’t for people who don’t have skin, right?

  • Blackmist@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I’ll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.

  • PureTryOut@lemmy.kde.social
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    2 months ago

    You use too many products, no way that can be good for your skin. Even showering every day is imo unnecessary, once every other day or once a week is good enough if the only thing you did was sitting in an office all day. And if you do shower that often, most of the time you should only use water, not any other products.

    I really don’t understand the current trend of using an extreme amount of products on your skin, to the poiint of calling it a “routine”.

    • Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      I think it’s great that you have such good friends they’re too polite to tell you how bad you smell 😊

    • 1984@lemmy.today
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      2 months ago

      It’s because people have been using these products since childhood and they don’t think about it anymore.

      I agree with you personally. I don’t use any products and my skin smells very good. And first thing people say when I say that is “people don’t tell me I smell bad”, because they can’t imagine that someone can actually smell good without using any products.

    • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      2 months ago

      You use too many products, no way that can be good for your skin. Even showering every day is imo unnecessary, once every other day or once a week is good enough if the only thing you did was sitting in an office all day. And if you do shower that often, most of the time you should only use water, not any other products.

      Are you only here to spread negativity, or do you have any proof behind your claims? I’m not interested in opinions.

      • PureTryOut@lemmy.kde.social
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        2 months ago

        I think this is one of those cases where the burden of proof is on the person using the products, not on the one not using them. Your post is basically an advertising campaign for several of these products.

        You do realize your body is supposed to maintain itself right? Of course some people will actually need some stuff because their body doesn’t do it well enough, but if your body doesn’t have actual problems there is no need to use any of these products.

        • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          You do realize your body is supposed to maintain itself right?

          Of course some people will actually need some stuff because their body doesn’t do it well enough

          You have answered your own epiplexis.

          • PureTryOut@lemmy.kde.social
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            2 months ago

            You missed the word “some”. The human body had millions of years to evolve to a point where companies seem to think they can replace essential functions of it? Where is the logic in that? Some people (I’ll make sure to emphasize it) have skin issues yes, because nature isn’t perfect. They might need some product to help out. But by far the majority will be just fine without them.

            • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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              2 months ago

              The human body had millions of years to evolve to a point where companies seem to think they can replace essential functions of it?

              That’s partially the purpose of modern medicine [1].

              References
              1. “Medicine”. Wikipedia. Published: 2024-10-25T17:12Z. Accessed: 2024-10-28T06:44Z. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medicine&action=history.

                Medicine is the science and practice of caring for patients, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness.

            • RBWells@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              Nah, we didn’t evolve to live to 90, and people are maintaining so much better now. I think some intervention is appropriate. Everyone agrees you should brush your teeth, right? Not just rinse your mouth with water. The body is self maintaining only to a certain point and I can tell (from the way my mom and her mom, and my dad’s parents and brothers) that the stuff I am doing is helping.

              I do agree it’s not ideal to exfoliate mechanically every day though, or to put cleanser all over you every day.

        • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          I think this is one of those cases where the burden of proof is on the person using the products, not on the one not using them.

          It would be, were I advocating for the products, which I am not. Perhaps you misread @PureTryOut@lemmy.kde.social’s comment: They were making conjectured claims, which I called out.

        • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          Your post is basically an advertising campaign for several of these products.

          Is it? I only stated the products that I use for the purpose of clarity, example, and critique.

      • 1984@lemmy.today
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        2 months ago

        Why don’t you go and read scientific papers if you are not interested in opinions and claims?

        Humans beings like to exchange ideas and experiences with eachother without being forced to show scientific evidence. Maybe you don’t, which is fine, but maybe not tell others what to discuss then?

        This is not a scientific journal, if you haven’t noticed and picked the wrong url…

        • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          Why don’t you go and read scientific papers if you are not interested in opinions and claims?

          The burden of proof lies with the claimant.

        • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          Humans beings like to exchange ideas and experiences with eachother without being forced to show scientific evidence. Maybe you don’t, which is fine, but maybe not tell others what to discuss then?

          I’m not forcing anybody to do anything. If one chooses to engage in conjecture, then that is their own prerogative, though, of course, I will dismiss it as such. There is also the ethical dilemma of choosing to not be a servant of Truth.

    • weariedfae@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      What? OP’s routine is fairly minimal.

      I agree with you about showering every day but you really should use at bare minimum a cleanser, a moisturizer, and sunscreen.

      The first gets dirt and grime and the world off your face, the second replenishes the moisture in your skin, and the last protects your skin. Pretty simple.

      Adding in an active like an AHA or tretinoin is only if you have problems (acne would be an example but there are other issues) or if you care about anti-aging.

      Some people have like 20 step routines and more and I think THAT is excessive and sometimes can irritate skin more. I once when down the rabbit hole of too many products and had horrible rebound issues because of it.

      I used to have bad acne until I found a routine similar to OPs and the right combination of skincare can dramatically improve your skin. For health reasons mostly but healthy skin looks better too.

      I’m not trying to attack you, I just ask that you don’t knock it just because you’ve never tried it. Maybe you were genetically blessed to not need anything except water and bar soap. Lucky you! I’m envious , truly.

      But some people need extra help or just like to pamper their skin. Taking special care of your hygiene isn’t something to dig on someone about, or say it’s not healthy when you’re not well versed in the world of skincare.

      • PureTryOut@lemmy.kde.social
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        2 months ago

        I agree with the sunscreen, although I wouldn’t use it if I wasn’t planning to stay out in the sun for long, but that’s about it for an average person. Your body is supposed to hydrate itself, and getting dirt and grime off is the function of a shower. I’m sure not everybody’s skin hydrates itself enough so they would probably need to use a moisturizer, sure, but that doesn’t mean everybody should do it all the time.

        Same for acne, that’s a case where it makes sense to use some products because your skin is clearly failing to maintain itself, but again that doesn’t mean you should do the same thing if you don’t have such issues.

        • weariedfae@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          What causes skin cancer, UV radiation, can be higher on cloudy days. Dermatologists across the board recommend sunscreen every day.

          But I agree some people don’t need to do anything except sunscreen and they’re fine. Some people choose to do extra even if they maybe don’t need it, for a variety of reasons. My whole point is that there’s no need to dunk on someone who chooses to take care of their skin in a different way than you need to. You don’t know what OP faces and you yourself said more products can be warranted if you have any problems like acne or whatever.

          I acknowledge that your point is some people don’t need to do anything extra though I believe we disagree about the frequency of people who need more skin care products and who might benefit from a basic routine similar to OP’s. I think most would benefit and you think it’s not necessary for most people. We can genuinely agree to disagree without ragging on OP or people who have skincare routines in general.

  • neidu2@feddit.nl
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    2 months ago

    Morning: Check that it’s still there and keeping my body unified
    Noon: Check that it’s still there and keeping my body unified
    Afternoon: Check that it’s still there and keeping my body unified
    Evening: Check that it’s still there and keeping my body unified. Sometimes I shower before bed.

    In other words: I don’t really have one, and it seems to be working

    • greencactus@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      What happens when you find out it isn’t there anymore?! Do you then just like order a replacement one from Amazon?

      • neidu2@feddit.nl
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        2 months ago

        I’ll probably kidnap some women, put them in a hole, and give them daily supplies of food and skincare products. It puts the lotion in its skin, or else it gets the hose again.

  • Asclepiaz@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Men, it’s okay to care about your skin. It’s not feminine, it’s human. If your answer to this question was ‘I shower’ or something else snarky you may want to consider looking up simple skincare routines for people your age and skin type. Just a tiny bit of attention to your skin can do so much for not just for how it looks and feels now, but for the difference it can make compounded through the years. Of enough soapboxing.

    This ~30 lady’s routine:

    I use a non alcohol toner in the morning followed by Kiehl’s moisturizer.

    In the evening I use a daily enzyme face wash, hyaluronic acid serum, and the daily moisturizer.

    I rarely see the sun, I never wear makeup. When I did those things woooo boy were there more steps.

    PSA consider using a daily SPF moisturizer. I promise it doesn’t feel like that crappy beach sun block. Give it a try, skin cancer is no joke. Fuck I’m on my soapbox again.

    • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      2 months ago

      Men, it’s okay to care about your skin. It’s not feminine, it’s human.

      I find the “feminine” premise of this argument silly. So what if it is feminine? Is there something inherently wrong with femininity? It’s one thing to simply be somewhere on the spectrum of femininity and masculinity, but it’s another to fear that position and to force another based on one’s insecurity of the perceptions of others.

        • Kalcifer@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          2 months ago

          That isn’t what I meant — if I am understanding your comment to mean that you thought that I was saying that skincare is feminine so people who avoid feminine things should avoid skincare. I was saying that people shouldn’t fear something due to its perceived femininity or masculinity — the hypothetical fact that skincare is feminine should be of no consequence to one’s own interest in it.

    • SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social
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      2 months ago

      That is my answer, though. I shower in lukewarm water and a little bit of dilute Castile soap where needed, and wear wide-brimmed hats in the sun. I get compliments on my skin softness, people guess that I’m 10 years younger. Honestly, it seems to me that a good half of people’s elaborate skin-care routines are just trying to undo the damage caused by the other half. Our skin is really remarkable in taking care of itself, if you let it.

      • RBWells@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        This has to be genetic, though - my mom’s skin was so bad, and mine was bad until I started taking care of it; and my husband’s routine was yours - he started taking care of it when he started to look a lot older than me.

        But there is no rule, you should do whatever you are most comfortable with.

        • SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social
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          2 months ago

          Maybe it’s genetic, but also, my skin improved vastly after I stopped doing the things that harm it, primarily long, hot showers, scrubbing/exfoliating, and overuse of strong soaps. Plus, bonuses like no more oily hair, no more stinky socks, and greatly reduced pit odor. These things are backed up by good science; I just saw a WaPo article the other day with these recommendations from dermatologists. I see a lot of talk about exfoliating, and I know from experience that most people take long, hot showers, so I figure it’s worth passing that information along.

  • kambusha@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    Unless I actually have mud or dirt on my face, it only gets cleaned with water in the shower. Dove soap bar for rest. Pure aloe vera (or as close as possible) applied to the face to help with dryness when needed.

    • moonlight@fedia.io
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      2 months ago

      What does gender have to do with it? Do men not have skin?

      You should probably use a moisturizer at least. And spf isn’t a bad idea if you will be outside.

      • bittersweets@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I look 5-7 years younger than my brother who is only a year older than me. I don’t do a lot other than washing my face and wearing moisturizer/sunscreen. Some men treat their leather boots better than their own skin, weird to me but I guess it’s macho to not take care of yourself.

  • MudSkipperKisser@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I’m going to get reamed on here for too many products and spending way too much money but I’m an aging female in a very superficial location, so please forgive me! And marketing clearly works on me…

    Morning: Cetaphil cleanser, with just hands. I wouldn’t scrub your face with a wash cloth, sounds too harsh. Skinceuticals Phloretin (it’s a high end vitamin C serum)- this one has really evened out my skin tone and apparently protects from further sun damage. Before upcoming lotions I mist with water or Caudalie grape water spray-helps lock in moisture with the lotions Alastin Restorative Skin Complex serum-my dermatologist recommended this one, he also sells it…no idea how much it has individually helped or not Kiehls avocado eye cream Dieux instant angel gel cream Little bit of La Roche Posay cicaplast under eyes Supergoop mineral matte spf 40 sunscreen

    Evening: Double cleanse-start with Neutrogena sesame seed oil on dry face-I’ve only been doing this about a month and it’s my favorite (and cheapest) thing now-removes makeup and oil or dirt from the day really well and it’s really hydrating. Then lightly wash with cetaphil cleanser. Alastin Restorative Skin Complex Dr Dennis Grossman retinol eye cream Skinceuticals a.g.e Interruptor lotion Aklief- this is a prescription tretinoin derivative and I don’t use it every day Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Repair La Roche Posay cicaplast lightly under eye

    On my chest I use Timeless vitamin c (a good dupe for the Skinceuticals Phloretin) in the morning and then the Dieux InstantAngel cream. Also been using some leftover skinceuticals HA Immerse there that didn’t work well on my face.

    Body I do a messy mixture of Gold Bond Retinol body lotion mixed with a vitamin E oil and water nightly

    I’m still sort of figuring it out and would love to eliminate stuff but I’m not sure what. It’s ever-evolving. Admittedly I spend WAY too much money on this, but fuck it, I can and it makes me feel good. Also this stuff (at least some of it) has totally transformed my skin for the better. So maybe some of it is a waste but some of it definitely works

    • Asclepiaz@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Yo it’s good to take care of your skin, and it’s good to do things that make you feel good. I used to do an intense Korean skincare routine but since COVID I don’t really leave home so I’ve cut it down to almost three steps. Easy peasy if you never see the sun and don’t wear makeup nor have a medical condition.

      I am gonna have to check some of these out though. I can’t out-hermit age lol

      • MudSkipperKisser@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Oh yeah, age will catch up on you quick! And I’m in a very sunny/outdoor activity area so I really have to be vigilant about taking care of my skin. The Korean skincare sounds interesting but I have no idea where to start

  • psychOdelic@discuss.tchncs.de
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    2 months ago

    MORNING

    • wake up
    • cry for 10 minutes (the salt has healing effects, for open wounds from the fights at school)
    • go to school
    • get punched (this is important to remove possible blood clots)

    EVENING

    • shower
    • smoke weed
    • if face hurts, put Vaseline on.

    my skin is very healthy (not kidding) and I don’t do anything to it. (I’m a conspiracy practicalist and I believe skin care products are scams)

    Thanks for reading.

  • Fushuan [he/him]@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    I have atopical dermatitis so besides the good old showering and applying shampoo twice, once to get the hair clean and the second time to keep the product there while I clean the rest of my body, I use some speficic products concerning the affliction.

    For the shower, I use a highly moisturizing gel from the local store combined with one that’s supposed to be special for the skin that costs 20 times as much, and Blue Cap as a shampoo recommended by my hairdresser to help with dry scalp.

    I usually shave in the shower with hot water so I don’t really need any aftershave cream but I have one for when I dry shave.

    Besides that, I have some local moisturizing cream to be used occasionally when the skin dries too much, and the occasional cortisone paste for eyelids and specific body parts that like to specially dry and have bad reactions.

    When I feel specially oily (which is almost never because yay atopical dermatitis) I tend to buy some natural exfoliant shower gels and then apply moisturizing cream afterward to “replace” bad body oil with good cream oil I guess xD.