Serums - an expensive waste of money?

Sort of! It's based on the original Bag Balm Anya that was used on udders (and many other things), but it's only supposed to be used on animals. A long time ago farmers' wives started using it when they realised it kept hands soft and it went from there. It's like a cream WD40!

Now there's several companies like MooGoo and Udderly Smooth that do ranges for use on humans based around an udder cream.

Blimey - udder cream? That's as thick a cream as you could ever get. We used to plaster it on the horses' legs for protection, but try getting the blasted stuff off!

But then you can't seriously be talking about the udder cream used by farmers for their livestock ....surely!

Is the udder cream, cream that has been manufactured for sore udders or a byproduct found by accident as lanolin was as a byproduct of sheep fleece? Does anyone know?

AnnieGran doubt if they're being rude!

The Udder products are fantastic moisturisers for the face and body, although some people find the face products too heavy for their skin, even the lighter weight products. They don't help with ageing though.

Whitewave: udder cream - I haven't tried it yet, still using pots and tubes of stuff I got for Christmas. What were they all telling me?

I have just read Anyas link
www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/03/what-is-face-serum_n_6761412.html

We really need to read what is said on the advert carefully there are key words here.

Face serums are lightweight moisturizers that penetrate deeper to deliver active ingredients into your skin. "By leaving out many of the heavier ingredients that are found in traditional moisturizers, [face serums] contain a much higher proportional concentration of active ingredients," says Dr. Carlos A. Charles, founder and medical director of Derma di Colore in Chelsea.*
Celebrity makeup artist Kristofer Buckle believes that using a serum regularly can give your skin a firmer, smoother texture, make pores appear smaller and increase moisture levels.*

The key words which here are Dr Carlos says and Kristofer Buckle believes these help. There is no mention of any scientific studies that back up these claims that these potions actually work any better than other simpler and less expensive products

Sanctuary Spa's Therapist's Secret Facial Oil and it's fabulous.
The main ingredient is Sunflower oil and various other oils.

Ingredients: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Limonene.

Read more at www.boots.com/en/Sanctuary-Spa-Therapist-Secret-Facial-Oil_1711787/#GiCEtwS7s93hI5BQ.99

This product sells at £17:50 for 30 mls.
A litre of sunflower oil in Asda is £2.94.
Extortionate comes to my mind.

My mother uses udder cream. My sister orders it on line for her.

Round these parts my farming friends swear by udder cream. Look it up on the internet.

I use a serum, but just one from Aldi & it has made a difference to my skin, it feels so much smoother

Well, as of today I can say that I have seen snails mating and that image will stick in my mind!

Seriously though, the reason the snail secrete the slime is so it can slither over rough/sharpish surfaces. It has healing properties. Don't think it improves it's speed though!

Well I've never seen a wrinkly snail I must admit

According to the video on H&B, the slime comes from a snail farms set up to help them mate and protect their habitat. Originally through, the Chilean workers who noticed the benefits of the snail secretions on the skin of their hands, worked on a snail farm set up to breed snails for food. The only bit I'm a bit uneasy about is the snails are given hormones to make them want to breed and as a veggie I'm not sure about that. The reason why they do this is because the secretions are normally produced when the snails are stressed. I suppose the snails are happy!

Will there be enough snails if all us/we oldies start using it?
They will be put on overtime!!

I take it back, in fact I might even give the Holland and Barrett range a try!

It looks interesting and there's clinical trials into using snail slime on burns (at least one small trial was on facial burns). It can speed up healing and reduce pain - it is full of things that are good for your skin. I don't know about anti aging, but in theory it should keep your skin looking fresh. The reviews on H&B are pretty good and it's not that expensive either compared with other serums like the Boots one.

I live and learn.

Wilmaknickersfit snail serum products are sold in Holland and Barrett not as wacky as you might think and brilliant for sensitive excema prone skin so no harm done to the snails ?

I started using dr organic snail gel serum about a year ago and I must admit I have seen a difference in my skin texture it's clearer and fresher looking I wouldn't stop using it now I did for a couple of weeks and my skin looked quite dull.

I think it is more to do with the skin you inherit rather than which moisturiser you use . My Mum had fantastic skin with no wrinkles even in her 80`s . Sadly I inherited my Dads blotchy skin. I don`t have many wrinkles but it is bone dry and blotchy .
Good foundation (Lancôme) hides a multitude of sins and any moisturiser slapped on twice a day helps a little . I have never used a serum , too expensive !
After reading some of the comments I will give the Aldi one a go .

I use whatever's on offer, or whatever I'm given as a present. At the moment that's Sanctuary Spa's Therapist's Secret Facial Oil and it's fabulous. Apparently it's 99% organic. The only trouble is that I'm not altogether sure it's mine - it's on my bathroom shelf but could be one that one of my DDs or my DDIL has left behind. Yes, I really should ask round, but it's so good... I must confess I use more than the 2 drops recommended - my neck alone needs more than that!

Used the Boots one for weeks, under moisturiser as instructed but despite my best efforts, it didn't really improve things at all. Was given it for next birthdays as well so I carried on using it, but my cheeks are definitely more wrinkled now. Tend to use Olay, but will try the ALDI one.

I do use a serum -a lancome one and their moisturisers -I know they are more expensive than other brands but I buy them when on offer and often the cheaper brands do not contain as much serum /moisturiser in each tube as lancome so it does last longer. I take more care of my skin since retiring as I simply have more time and do not feel as exhausted at bedtime as when working as a reception teacher so do cleanse thoroughly - love liz earle hot cloth cleanser - and apply serum/moisturiser . I do agree that though having an unwelcome weight problem in some areas it does help out with the wrinkles on the face ! Also like everything genes plays a huge part I remember taking my mother out for her 70th birthday and the owner taking me aside to make sure it was not her 60th birthday.I will give the Aldi one a try when my current one runs out.

Joolz1954 you don't want to let us into your secret do you?

SusieM01 despite everything I've said on this thread, I'm a firm believer in using simple jojoba oil for cleansing and moisturising my skin. I'll add a few drops of other oils now and again, depending on what I want. It suits my skin all year round too.

I only moisturise at night with oil though, as in the day I use the dirt cheap Boots own brand Simply Sensitive Day Moisturiser with SPF15. Costs less than £2 (and is often on offer) and doesn't make my skin break out like heavier products. Occasionally I will top up the jojoba oil at night with the night cream from the same range.

My problem is I don't want to miss out on a real break though product and have spent a fortune over the years on products that don't work as well. Should know better at my age.

DD and I have been using the Aldi serum for the last year and both of us keep getting comments about how well we look. I am constantly getting comments that people think I am 10 years younger than I am. Partly to do with genes but I do rate Aldi skin care and make up products.

My daughter in law swears by coconut oil and is using it everywhere at the moment - flaky skin - use coconut oil, dry hands - use coconut oil, eyebrows going awol - out comes the coconut oil - we now wonder if it would work on squeaky door hinges
I started using serums some years ago under moisturiser and have tried a fair few - I found Superdrug to be really good but then started using the one which goes with my moisturiser. Occasionally if I've forgotten to put it on I do notice a difference as I've very dry skin but it doesn't work on it's own.