I used to ask myself the same question a few years ago and after an extensive research, I decided I didn't need that much and decided to trust women who shared their positive experience. What got me the most was one review on amazon from a lady who said she'd been using that Estee Lauder cream for the last 50 years and no one would guess her age. Then I remembered that one friend of my mom's who has an amazing skin at the age of 60+.
So, here's what I decided to use for my daily routine:
Estee Lauder Daywear cream
Then, there's this serum which you apply at night before going to bed but because it's very pricey, I don't use it that often.
What I use daily (or nightly? because I apply it before going to bed) is some cheap drug store argon oil cream and I added avocado oil to it. It became very very oily but I find it perfect for the night. When I wake up in the morning, my skin looks and feels very refreshed.
I remove my make up and clear my skin with Bioderma Sensibio - sensitive skin cleansing make-up removing water. I don't really have sensitive skin but I use it just because I like it better than the others. It's wonderful!
That's about it
I wash my face with Vichy normaderm 3 in 1 mask
Hope you find what works best for you