Chicken bald back

[Alis girls]

Long story - treated myself to an anti ageing facial when on holiday - OH bless him said I deserved it and I didnt disagree. So booked in and had lovely hour of pampering with smelly creams etc.

The first thing the woman asked me (she was a couple of years younger than me with lovely skin ) was "do you exfoliate" - I used to when younger and plagued with spots but now I'm a mature(?) lady of 52 I tend to slather on night cream and day cream and cleasner to help the ageing process. "er no " I mumbled - so I got told I was slathering cream on dead skin eeeeekk . On my return I rushed to Lidl (last of the big spenders) and have been religiously exfoliating once a week.

Result - not a radiant skin - but a ruddy great pustule the size of Mount Etna on the right cheek. Its sore and has no head so cant be squeezed and I have tried so now it is 3 sizes bigger.

 

So I ask you "do you exfoliate?" - if not dont bother

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Nope! Don't use creams, potions or lotions either. Of course, it'll be impossible to know if I'd look younger if I had done so all my life. One of life's little mysteries . (I'm 52 too .)

[Cat tails]

Nope too...

I believe soft baby skin belongs to, well... babies.

[Daphne]

Not on my face - I feel the skin is too delicate, which is a bit ridiculous given where I live I cleanse and then tone, but really I don't like putting anything on my facial skin. Feet are another matter

[Alis girls]

No I'm glad it wasnt just me. I cant remember the last time I had a zit - its humongous and very sore and OH said " leave it alone" - as if thats going to happen. Probably I am going through second puberty - I am moody and grumpy. Whatever!!

[patsylabrador]

Not my face, arms and legs yes. I like usings oils on my face and neck. Almond, green avocado, argan and jojoba are my favourites plus some mixtures you can get in ethnic shops. I've no idea if they make a difference, I just like using them.

[Charlottechicken]

Nope Although a friend who was known for recycling gifts and gifting freebies did give me her Clinique freebies two Christmasses on the trot, and I have to say the facial exfoliator was very nice and not harsh at all. I did make my own body exfoliator a while back, out of cheap cooking salt and oil. It was OK, certainly no worse than a shop bought one, and a lot cheaper

 

From another angle, exfoliators can contain microplastics, which are bad for the environment, see this website

[Space Chick]

A good scrub with a flannel is the closest I get!

[gavclojak]

Yes yes yes....I love it, I use either liz earle gentle rose exfoliator or elemis.....I use it about once or twice a week.

 

I think your first experience is about right Ali's girls....I wouldn't preach, if it works for not to exfoliate then that's great, but I love it....I also use decleor neroli too, a lovely little serum that soothes my face, it smells amazing and leaves my skin feeling all fresh.

 

I use what ever body scrub I have to hand, but my favourite is elemis salt scrub with lime and ginger...ahhhh.....lovely

[Grandmashazzie]

I don't exfoliate as such,but I use a bioglycolic cleanser.This is supposed to shed the dead skin cells.I also use the clairisonic facial brush,think giant toothbrush.Thisis also supposed to remove dead cells and ensure any cream applied goes to skin which can use it.As said ANH I don't know if I look younger than if I didnt use it.I think it's all in your genes,my mum looked young for her age so I hope I take after her,she used a dollop of Nivea every nigh.

[Snowy]

Funny I was talking to a skin specialist the other day and I asked about exfoliation. She said occasionally doesn't harm as long as the granules are smooth/spherical. But too much actually stimulates over replication of skin cells and can damage skin in the long term! I used to be a regular exfoliator, but only about once a month now.

[The Dogmother]

I rarely exfoliate on my face (bone idle on that front ) but I do use a scrubby mitt in the shower most nights. I used to suffer badly form eczema and now it's mostly gone, I still tend to dry skin in those areas, so a good scrub and plenty of lotion helps.

[Alis girls]

I forgot to add I use a body scrub on occasions in the shower till OH when cleaning the shower declared he thought one of the cats might have poohed in there as there were all bits I admitted to being the culprit.

[Angie]

I have body gloves in bright pink for all-over body and legs.

For my face I use the boots 7 hot cloth wash treatment with a gentle face wash, but I don't rough up my face at all.The most my face gets is a swish over with a soft face cloth on a night , before the cream goes on.

[soapdragon]

I do use an exfoliating face wash in the shower just when I wash my hair so every three days or so. Not an all over one though, I just towel very hard when I dry! Lots of fairly basic moisture cream tho I do love Loccitane foot cream...brill!

 

Fast approaching 50 and not in too bad a nick (she says modestly!! ) Some wrinkles are inevitable but I am convinced that moisturising is the key to keeping them at bay as long as poss!

[Valkyrie]

Nope, just Germolene on the spots - and yes no head ones and I've cut back on my blood pressure tablets by breaking them in half and that seems to have made a difference! If my skin gets dry I use a dab of Udder cream, but mostly I can't be bothered. Just water and no soap - unless I'm submerged in a bubble bath.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Nope I don't exfoliate. I reckon Mother Nature and several million years of evolution know more about skin care than the cosmetics companies do

[Cinnamon]

Yes, I exfoliate about once a week, if I remember.

I like the way my skin feels really smooth & soft afterwards. I tend to use Apri facial scrubs - they do a more gentle one which is less 'scrubby' & great for my skin.

I also use the new No7 protect & Perfect serum, which is fab, & Decleour moisturiser/neroli facial oil, which is amazing (I was into liz Earle, but stopped using them when they were bought out by Avon, who still use animal tested products)

 

I have done this routine for a few years now...I do get the odd zit, but I think everyone does really, especially us ladies with our hormones & all that

[soapdragon]

Another Protect and Perfect serum fan here! But I use Nivea moisturisers, usually when on offer in Boots !

Just recently I have started using cream on my neck and chest to try and avoid the dreaded crepe look.......

[Groovychook]

I exfoliate every now and then using a Superdrug vitamin E scrub. Just makes my skin look a bit brighter. I use Superdrug hot cloth cleanser and moisturiser because they're cheap & do the job! I spend a bit more on a serum though & use Boots protect & perfect.

(I was into liz Earle, but stopped using them when they were bought out by Avon, who still use animal tested products)

Thanks for that Cinnamon, I haven't bought any Liz Earle products for a while but I didn't know they'd been bought out & was under the impression that they were still anti animal testing. Shan't be buying any of their stuff in the future now!

[gavclojak]

Gosh I am shocked....I didn't realise liz Earle had been brought out by avon......they have questionable ethics to say the least. I am horrified. Thanks for letting me know, I will be boycotting liz Earle from now on.....I have just read the blog, liz Earle said its a "partnership"and Avon support woman's charities blah blah blah....they can dress it up as much as they like but it's all about ££££££

 

FYI did you know Estée Lauder now own Jo Malone?? Is nothing sacred?????

[Cinnamon]

I tend to use Apri facial scrubs - they do a more gentle one which is less 'scrubby' & great for my skin.

 

Actually, upon further examination - ie, actually looking at the bottle of scrub, I have found that it is a St Ives one I use, & it is one for firming that is very much less scrubby than the others - it is lovely stuff

[sadietoo]

Yes but I use a chemical based exfoliant (glycolic acid) it's a Ren one which smells and feels like marmalade but makes my skin feel great! . I would not use a scrub as such As I think they are too harsh for my (elderly!) skin.

 

A good scrub with a flannel is the closest I get!

 

The best thing I have done for my skin for a long time is to follow the advice on cleansing on Caroline Hirons blog ( which I found by accident but she is A Big Name in skin care ) and which involved investing in seven 33p white flannels from Wilkos and throwing away the foaming anything for my face ! Got rid of all those little white milia, and although many of her recommendations are top end I use Lush Ultrabland as my basic cleanser and triple distilled rose water as my toner

[soapdragon]

When I don't exfoliate, to cleanse I use witchazel (from the chemists) with a dash of rosewater as a general cleanser and toner in one. Have done for years.......seems to do the trick and its not expensive! Just wish I cold get rid of the under eye bags; the bane of my life (can't cover them with make up as I never wear any!)