Moisturiser rip-off continues

Whereas I am not disagreeing with you - I can't prove anything either way - I think I heard on the radio this morning that these comparison tests were carried out over 6 weeks or thereabouts. I don't know of any tests that have compared over a number of years eg. comparing x women who have used moisturisers for the last,say, 20 years with x number of women who have never used them. The point being that I don't think any face creams deliver instant results but there may well be a benefit in using them long term over not using them and it would be interesting to see that research done and see the results. I have been using skin care products etc since my early teens (now 55) and am always being told what lovely skin I have and how young I look for my age. This could of course be luck or good genes but I am going to carry on using my face creams just to be on the safe side!

I remember a big bit about this in Ben Goldacre's book where he talked about the fact that expensive moisturisers do contain some sort of protein that tightens your skin and so reduces the appearance of wrinkles but only temporarily, which he treated as a scandal- moisturisers don't make your skin younger, they just make it look younger. But that sounds quite good to me ?

I'm certainly not suggesting people stop moisturising - I do myself (aquaeous cream, 99p, 100ml), just pointing out that the new generation of supercreams probably do nothing more for you than the standard generic stuff.

I think you should test Clarins next.

It can have been compared over a period of time- the two more expensive products have not been on the market that long. I completely agree- i'm not using these things to see what my skin will be like in 6 months, or 2 years- I'm hoping to reap the benefits in 20 years.

What Helen said ?.

I've used a variety of moisturisers, and since using Clarins (must be about 5 years or so now), I've rarely had a spot, and my skin feels beautiful - other moisturisers (used for the preceding 15 years) never made my skin feel any different from not using one.

Although I would say that if you're using moisturiser purely to look younger, than you'd be better off with a decent SPF instead.

Absolutey. I use a clarins cleanser and a mosituriser (like to keep thing simple) and it makes my skin feel great.

I'm up for being the control in the RCT - never used anything on my face apart from water. Ok, I'm only young now but my mother has never used face creams either and is now in her mid 50s with the skin of a 30 year old.

Yes, could just be good genes - but I reckon the fact we're both non smoking non sun worshipping non make up wearers has something to do with it too.

I can almost always tell if my patients are smokers (as long as >30 years old) by their skin, teeth and nails.

But even the manufacturers won't have tested the product for more than a year, so there is no way of knowing which ones might benefit you over a 20 year period - hence my comment that all of them are 99% optimism

Oh yes I forgot to say that I have never smoked and although I used to sunbathe in my yoof I haven't had much sun on my face for about 25 years (not in the way of deliberate sun worshipping anyway). I reckon whatever you can do that might keep your skin nice (as long as you don't bankrupt yourself obviously) is worth doing! The one thing above all else that stopped my daughters (now 20 and 23) from ever smoking was comparing their mum's skin with that of friends' mums who smoke!

I'm in the P&P school of moisturising, he introduced me to it last ear when I had an allergic reaction to something. Aqueous cream = miracle for me. I use it to cleanse and moisturise (and shave and soothe and body moisturiser). My skin's never been better.

I was ID'd buying plastic cutlery for a Hitched picnic a couple of weeks ago so there's the proof it works ?

x

Glad it helped ! Tis indeed magic stuff, especially for the allergic.

When I was at university i had a friend who was doing a Chemistry PHD and was testing the face creams and he said basically there was little difference between the expensive ones and the cheap ones. This was over 10 years ago though and many many more creams have appeared onthe market since then!

However, I use simple, the others make my skin feel too greasy!

In other news, just how gay is my husband? ?

?

I've found the best skin regime for me is super-sensitive eczema stuff (£10 for a massive pot) as face wash and moisturiser. Only time in my adult life I've had clear skin! Having had retin-A on prescription for acne there is no way on earth I'd pay a squillion pounds for stuff with retinol in; if you use enough to do anything, it burns your skin and it hurts. It cleared my skin up, temporarily, but at the price of having red, peeling face like bad sunburn. Lovely.

Most of the gay men I know use super-duper manly moisturiser (eg super balm facial glaze with added masculinium and GRAVEL). They wouldn't be seen dead with aqueous cream ?

R-A my mum never uses moisturiser and has lovely skin. Hardly ever gets spots or anything.

I used to use pricey moisturisers but now I have found out my skin type (very dry) and what ingredients I am sensitive to I buy any old cheap thing. I am also in the acqueous cream camp, it's the best thing for my body excema (sp)

I use Clinique because I rather like the bottles, and it smells pleasant. I'm not fooled by it at all, but am happy to buy into the unguent hype. I also rather like the very clinical uniforms they make the rather pretty salesgirls wear. Nice.

Aqueous cream smells like work. As so many things do - urine, faeces, blood and lately, condoms.

By the bye: Gin it's lovely to 'see' you ?. <stalker> I think of you often <stalker>.

Unless you become allergic to it ?

I can't use aqueous cream any more, it makes my skin itch even when I don't have eczema, and my friend reacts badly to it (but bizarrely not to the horrific paraffin solid wax stuff).

If only they put sun protection stuff in aqueous cream! I get Lidl's anti wrinkle cream for about £2:50. It is good.

I am currently mixing and matching and using Clinique liquid soap for cleansing with Clarins multi active day cream gel for moisturising. It seems to suit my skin well as it's looked better than it has for a long time since i've been using this combination.

I think Clarins moisturisers are excellent.

Gay, but with skin like a baby's arse, it sounds like ?

We're obviously tightwads trend-setters in this house as we've used Simple for years. Purely cos it's cheap!

I find aqueous cream too drying. I recommend it only to my eczema patients for cleaning only.

My #1 find is emulsifying ointment. Comes in heeyuge pot for about £3 (500g) and is almost exactly the same consistency as Eve Lom. I use it with a hot flannel and my skin is lovely. Also good for scaly feet and hard skin on elbows and knees.

Gin I was just about to comment on how very metrosexual it is for a bloke to moisturise ?

I'm interested in the recs for aqueous cream and emulsyfing ointment. Can you give me more info, please?

I don't buy into the whole moisturiser thing (read: I used to but convince myself I don't now I'm skint ?) but use stuff from Aldi or Superdrug (about £2 a pot).

But, the one thing I did buy into was the fact that petroleum based products were to be avoided, and am I correct in thinking that both aqueous cream and emulisfying ointment is petroleum based? Have been I fooled all this time? ?

Ah, that'll be the stuff my mate really likes. I tried it but like aqueous cream, think it was just too much, made me itch. I'm laughing that it's like Eve Lom I didn't know that.

Am I wasting £10 every few weeks on my tub of Boots no.7 for men with SPF 15? ?

I used to be a loyal Clarins user, and I started using Bio-Oil whilst waiting for pay day a year or so ago, and its made my skin very soft, and get next to no breakouts. Thoroughly recommend it - it doens't feel oily in the slightest.

Metrosexual ?

Although now you mention it, I am starting to amass a fine collection of man-bags. ?

Now, to be a true metrosexual, you need to borrow your OH's bags and wear them at a jaunty angle. And whilst you're at it, nick a couple of their tracksuit tops because they fit so slim and snug on your wiry metrosexual frame... ?

I have to confess that, for house viewiings, the mahoosive white pharmacy pot of eczema stuff gets put away, and the collection of v expensive Clarins products that all made my skin go red, itchy and spotty (nice) get put on the dressing table ?

Flissy, I am literally crying at the idea of Pieman with my bright red Guess bag and my little O'neill t-shirt.