I wash my hands a LOT more than her. I love to cook and I’m very careful with food handling and might wash my times 15 or 20 times if I’m preparing an elaborate meal.
Besides, I’ve been wearing contact lenses without any problems for the last 43 years and that adds extra hand washing.
My face gets washed morning and night with Cetaphil. I wear a moisturizer and light make-up and like to remove that before bed. The rest of me gets washed once a day.
My dermo told me that foundation with spf was “nice” but totally insufficient, that it’s not of the same quality as that in a moisturizer. Sigh, so I use an spf/moisturizer combo and liquid foundation.
I’m adding to the “20 products isn’t a bunch”. I some of the aforementioned tubes, plus a tube of Differin (for mild acne and scarring), acne spot treatment, multiple face washes (depending on the season), and an exfoliating scrub. Blerg.
If I had (I don’t know how much - $100? $200? more???) spare cash to buy the entire face fixing line of some company - toners, wash, moisturizer, eye bag cream, eye lid cream, lip fixer, zit remover - and if I felt it was going to make me look prettier, younger, more desirable - I suppose I would faithfully make use of each and every product every single night until I ran out. Whether this goop produced actual results, or whether by using said goop just made me feel like I was doing something that would make me look prettier, younger, and more desirable - well, guess you don’t know unless you try. Point is, if you bought all that expensive stuff, and if you are convinced it is going to make a Big Difference and so improve your lot in life - you will be more likely to spend a lot of time in the bathroom, using it.
Washing makeup off your face before going to bed; exfoliating gently; moisturizing; wearing sunscreen - these things keep your face looking as good as it’s gonna get whether you have 20 must-have items or 4 basic drugstore items. The more you have, the more you use, even if just to get your money’s worth.
I’d be interested in hearing what’s nice but insufficient about SPF protection in a tinted foundation. As long as you make sure whatever you’re using protects not just against UVB, but also UVA, I don’t believe there’s much difference at all. Mine is SPF 30 and notes protection from UVA/UVB. I’m not sure what your dermo would say is insufficient about that. It isn’t intended to moisturize. That’s what my moisturizer does.
I wash my face in the morning in the shower, and again at night if I’ve been sweating or cooking because I don’t like the crusty feeling of dried crud on my skin. I may wash it a third time if my skin is broken out to dry the zits out and keep them from getting worse or infected. That’s the extent of it. I don’t use any special products; there’s no reason for that. I just use regular body wash or Dr. Bronner’s soap if my skin is especially bad.
Hijack continuation (sorry): Okay, so there is a difference. The Environmental Working Group lists zinc oxide as the most effective SPF ingredient, protecting against UVB as well as short- and long-wave UVA radiation. Whereas, titanium dioxide (which is what my foundation contains) protects against UVB and short-wave UVA.
I did a little more research to learn that another ingredient in my foundation is Oxybenzone, which increases production of free radicals. The jury is apparently still out on how bad that is, but I guess it may be time to look for a new foundation. The EWG has Dermablend Professional Cover Creme as its top recommendation. Anyone try this stuff?
How old are you?
The products really didn’t start arriving until my house until I was in my late thirties - when the skin around my eyes started to change enough to warrant a different protocol than my cheeks.
I hate to say this, but the bottle of cleanser I have is $100. I didn’t pay that though, it was a gift or something - can’t remember how it ended up in my hands, but it did. (I buy drugstore products - Olay generally - which work as well as the spalon products IMHO.)
I can’t remember where I saw this, but apparently the drugstore products do work as well as the “spalon” (good word) products. As soon as someone starts throwing fake science terms into their advertising, that’s pretty much a sign for me that they’re selling snake oil.
I’m not being critical, and for years I did use my foundation as my spf, not knowing any differently. It wasn’t an isolated physician, either - I’ve had three separate docs (from three separate practices, having attended three different medical schools) tell me the same thing. Look here for more details on make up spf’s.
EWG’s review on sunscreens - not all are as good as they claim to be on the label. From the report:
“Questionable product claims are widespread. Many products on the market bear claims that are considered “unacceptable” or misleading under FDA’s draft sunscreen safety standards. Claims like “all day protection,” “mild as water,” and “blocks all harmful rays” are not true, yet are found on bottles. Until FDA sets an effective date for these standards, industry is free to use hyped claims. Companies’ decisions to inflate claims has spurred class action lawsuits in California.”
Brown Eyed Girl, sorry I didn’t see your post 15 minutes ago, rats.
I’m 30, have no visible wrinkles that I know of, and I still use a makeup remover (1; if I wear it), cleanser (2), toner (3), day cream with sunscreen (4), night cream (5), eye cream (6), and two different exfolients (7,8; I probably only NEED one of these).
If I count the products I’ve tried but haven’t gotten rid of yet, the body moisturizers, the occasional stuff (masks and the like), and even basic makeup, I’d easily hit 20. Probably more like 30 or more.
I don’t wash my face that much, though. Twice a day, and I’m done. I probably wash my hands more than 10 times at work alone (I work in a laboratory), and I could probably wash them (briefly) 10 more times during preparation of a single meal, if it’s at all complicated.
I just turned 39. I do have some very fine lines around my eyes and the creases in my forehead and laugh lines are slightly deeper. But I don’t think those are as noticeable as the redness of my skin and the larger pores, which only seem to get worse when I mess with my face too much. So I opt not to use too many products. I try to use the lighter, less “invasive” products as well. Plus, I’m somewhat lazy and I don’t wear much makeup all the time. Most days it’s a light covering and some lip stain or lipstick. I do so love lipstick, though.
No worries. Your post certainly inspired me to do some research. Thanks! 
I’m four years older, and never wore much makeup either. I did start wearing it more often than not about a year ago. And stick to the lighter products as well.
The eye cream, in fact, only landed in my house over the holiday break…The different day and night creams a few years before that.
The mask I have a spalon product that I’ll rebuy. I’ve never seen anything like it at the drugstores. Its this one: http://www.eminenceorganics.com/products/index.php?paid=5#20 - the lime stimulating masque. But I’ve gotten four years out of the one jar I bought.
Oh man, I love the word spalon! It’s my second favorite deragatory combination word, next to “sorostitute”.
Everyone is making me feel like a baby…at 23, instead of anti-aging products, I have anti-acne products. Benzoyl peroxide, Differin, clay masks, you name it!
Brown Eyed Girl, as an aside, have you tried a sunscreen with helioplex in it? This is mine. The young physician’s assistant at the office I go to (who is my hero, for extracting five blackheads last visit) has endorsed helioplex, as well as a young resident I saw a few visits ago. Older dermo’s don’t seem to be as aware of the advance. There’s some information saying it’s the most broad spectrum/best protection against UVA (the wrinkle and less-dangerous rays).
I’m sure my face isn’t prettier than yours! I didn’t start using all this crap until I turned 45 or so… I’ll turn 50 this year and am using my precious little row of bottles and pots to attempt to stave off the inevitable slide into ‘matronly.’
I was talking to a friend - you can’t turn back the clock…you can’t prevent it…you MIGHT be able to slow it down a bit.
Oh, I’ll give it a try. If it reduces the redness while moisturizing and protecting from UVB/UVA, it will be awesome!