Hi there Chicky!
Today I’m talking skin.
I’m a firm believer that focusing on the quality and health of our skin is necessary to maintain a youthful, glowing complexion.
Our skin is the first thing people see when they look at us; we need to know how to take care of it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want someone looking at me thinking – poor thing, she looks really tired – or worse – the years are not being kind to her. No. No, thank you.
So let me share what I’ve learned about the basics of taking care of our beautiful over-forty faces according to the experts (and by experts I mean scientists, dermatologists, and estheticians).
Embarking on an anti-aging routine, and knowing where to start can be pretty daunting…it was for me. What products do I need and what do they do for my skin? In what order should I apply these products? Which products do I use in the morning and which do I use at night? How do certain products work together? That sort of stuff.
It’s a lot, right?
Gone are the days when you could wash with a bar of soap, slap on some moisturizer and be done with it….those days are ova Chikies.
I will go into further detail with each one of these steps in future posts, but you first need to get an idea of the basic steps. There’s so much to learn and we don’t have a lot of time to waste, so let’s get started.
First things first: You need to determine your skin type. Are you oily, normal, dry or combination (oily in the T-zone – forehead, nose and chin)….or does it vary depending on the seasons or your hormones? The answer to that is probably “yes”.
Get to know your skin. Really study it – and by studying it, I mean get yourself a magnifying mirror with a lot of power and take a look. Don’t freak out like I did. You will see things in that magnifying mirror that you didn’t know existed on your face. But before you curse yourself for not taking care of your skin earlier, pretend you’re looking at someone else’s face. Be objective. Study it in the morning, throughout the day and throughout the month. Keep a mental chart of the changes. Our skin changes daily, and you need to be ready to adjust your routine depending on what your face is telling you. Yes, your face speaks to you.
Once you’ve figured out your skin type, and talked yourself down from the ledge, we can move on…
Morning Routine
♥ Cleanser
♥ Toner
♥ Eye cream
♥ Serum
♥ Moisturizer
♥ Sunscreen
Cleanser: It is recommended to use a gentle cleanser to clean away dirt and oil that accumulate overnight so that what we apply after has a chance to penetrate better.
As we age, our faces produce less oil and we shouldn’t use products that dry it out further. Skin should feel refreshed and hydrated, not tight and dry.
If you’re like me and you’re a morning shower-cleansing girl, make sure the water is not too hot, since this will dry out the skin. I’m still working on that one myself. I basically scorch my face every morning.
Toner: Not everyone agrees that toning is a necessary step. I enjoy it. I find that no matter how well I cleanse my skin, there’s always traces of a little somin somin left behind. A toner removes that, plus smooths and balances the skin.
Serums: These are the bomb! Serums are specially created with smaller molecules which means that they penetrate the skin better than creams or lotions. They also target specific concerns. There are serums that hydrate; serums that firm; serums that improve discoloration, and more.
If you’re like me and you have multiple skin concerns, then you can layer different serums to target specific concerns. Tip: Always start with the lightest one first.
Moisturizer: Moisturizer goes next to seal in the serum.
In the morning I use a moisturizer with a built-in SPF 30. I love this one by Murad. It’s light, and doesn’t give me that sunscreen-y feel. Although, some think it’s better to apply a separate SPF, on most days I can’t be bothered with yet another step….I got things to do, places to go, people to see!
But, if I’m going to the beach or will be spending sometime outdoors in sunny south Florida, then I will apply a separate sunscreen after my moisturizer.
I bet you’re thinking, that’s a lot of freaking things to put on my one face, right? And yes. Yes it is. But you want youthful skin, right? So we gotta do what we gotta do.
Here’s a tip: Work it into your “getting ready” morning routine like I do. For example, while I wait for one of my serums to sink in, I’ll brush my teeth. Then while I wait for something else to sink in, I’ll sort out my clothes. Soon, it will become a habit and you won’t think twice about it.
Eye cream: I love a good eye cream. There are some good eye creams to hydrate and to strengthen the under eye area. An emollient eye cream does work because the eye area is drier than our faces—and as we get older, that area tends to get drier.
Night-time Routine
♥ Cleanser (to remove make-up)
♥ Cleanser (to cleanse the skin)
♥ Toner
♥ Eye cream
♥ Retinol
♥ Serum
♥ Moisturizer
Cleanser: Cleanse twice – an oil cleanser is really good for removing make-up (If your skin is oily you can still use it). Really work in the oil to dissolve the make-up, then remove with a warm, wet washcloth. Next: wash with second cleanser and either rinse or use washcloth. I like to rinse off the second one, but that’s just me.
Toner: Tone as you would in the morning.
Retinol: If you’re using a retinol product (and you should be if you’re over 35), use it before your serum, or read the label for your specific product. If you are using a prescription retinoid, ask your dermatologist.
Serum: In the evenings, I like to use a firming serum, and/or a hydrating serum, again, depending on how my skin is feeling.
Moisturizer: I like a rich moisturizer at night that will really hydrate my skin while I sleep. But there are light moisturizers for those who don’t like that rich creamy feeling on their skin.
I think it’s important to choose one that has anti-aging properties, like certain peptides. I like Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins, it’s rich and hydrating and smells really good too.
Everyone’s skin is different and what works for me will not necessarily work for you. You have to become your own skin scientist and experiment on your skin. If you can have an aesthetician or dermatologist evaluate your skin, great. If not, do it yourself. We know our skin better than anyone, we just need to pay attention.
It took me a good while of testing things out before I figured out what works and doesn’t work. And sometimes, something works for a while and then stops working. Our skin goes through many changes and we have to be willing to adapt our skincare along with it.
What about you? Do you have an anti-aging skin care routine, or do you find that it’s all way too confusing? I’d love to know what products you like to incorporate into your routine, and what works or doesn’t work for you. Spread the youth.
xoxo,
V