Women reveal how skin insecurities affect their confidence

Women insecure about their skin have taken new measures to feel beautiful again.

A survey of 2,000 American women 35 and older looked at their skincare journeys and found that nearly three-quarters said their confidence is impacted by the way their skin looks (72%).

More than half of women acknowledged that their skin insecurities prompted them to cover up their bodies (55%). The top skincare concerns that women have always struggled with are combination skin (31%), dry skin (29%) and wrinkles (28%).

That’s why 68% try to take preventative care of their skin before it experiences any noticeable trauma such as sunburns or stretch marks.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of AmLactin, the study revealed women spend about $170 a year trying to find skincare products that are right for them.

One in nine have gone through 10 or more failed skincare products in the past, and the average woman is currently holding onto four of them in their home.

The average woman tries four different body lotions before finding “the one” — likely from trial and error (36%). And respondents prefer products that help with moisturizing (65%), hydrating (53%) and have anti-aging properties (45%).

For most women, a product has three weeks to “wow” them before they decide whether or not it works.

And even if it doesn’t, respondents would hold onto them for four months before finally giving them up.

Three in four admitted that they are particular about choosing options that work for them, especially when it comes to moisturizers (59%) and body lotion (56%).

Still, half of women think that it can be difficult to find skincare products suitable for their skin type (54%), which could be why one in six don’t have a skincare routine at all.

But that hasn’t discouraged women from feeling their best — 79% believe there are skincare products out there for everyone, no matter their skin concern.

“Caring for your skin means finding products that work best for you and your skincare needs,” said board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jaimie Glick. “Ingredients like lactic acid are important when looking for a body lotion or cream, as the lactic acid hydrates as well as gently exfoliates to stimulate your skin’s natural renewal process leading to lasting hydration and rejuvenation of rough, dry skin.”

When caring for their skin, women said the most neglected areas of their bodies are their backs (25%) and feet (18%).

Although the results were close, respondents confirmed that summer is the most challenging season to take care of their skin (31%), followed by winter (30%) when their skin gets the driest (45%).

These struggles only get more complicated with age for 64% of women who said their skin is not as easy to take care of as it was 10 years ago.

For those with a routine in place, 56% admitted that it’s gotten more complex with age, and women expect that their skin will be the most difficult to take care of when they approach 60.

Those who said they struggle with their skin as they get older shared they’ve noticed more wrinkles (39%), elasticity (28%) and dark circles (22%).

And just 35% of women know that lactic acid can be a helpful ingredient in combating a variety of skincare troubles.

“Dry skin commonly affects the hands, arms and legs, and as well as the knees and elbows. Look for body lotions or creams that contain between 12 to 15% lactic acid when choosing something to soften and improve dry skin,” added Glick.