You’re Probably Not Taking Care of Your Aging Skin
I'm going to be controversial today: you're probably not taking care of your aging skin. When it comes to a skincare routine, a CONSISTENT ONE is the most important one! And even though we all have different needs when it comes to our aging skin, there are some steps and products that everyone could benefit from when used together.
Here’s the thing that every dermatologist will agree on. As we approach the age of 40 and beyond, our skin on our faces starts to rapidly change. It starts to get thinner, we see a reduction in hydration, and we experience a lost of elasticity, which leads to wrinkles. Fun fun right??!
That means we have some real work to do skincare wise to prevent these things from happening more quickly (more than we did in our 20’s and 30’s!). But there is hope by using the following steps and products for tackling these inevitable issues with our skin.
In today’s post, I’m going to simplify the steps you need to implement, if you aren’t already, to help preserve and get the best out of your skin. And all of these products I’ll be showing you and speaking to, I have personally used or am currently using on my 44 year old face.
The Summary
Today, Jennifer is showing you how to take care of your aging skin
Jennifer is sharing 6 easy steps to improve your skincare routine
All of Jennifer's product recommendations ae shoppable inline
You're Probably Not Taking Care of Your Aging Skin
Step 1. Cleansing
I only cleanse my face at night as I don’t want to strip it of it’s natural oils because those are what keep our complexion plump and soft. Also, if you cleanse at night and sleep on a clean pillow case, you really shouldn’t need to cleanse in the morning when you wake up.
I am a big fan of the dermatologist-developed CeraVe line and their Hydrating Cream-to-Foam cleanser does all I need it to. It removes all of the makeup I wear while cleansing and hydrating my face without disrupting the skin barrier. It contains hyaluronic acid which we all know helps to combat dryness and plump up skin!
One of my superpowers when it comes to face cleansing is to apply my cleansers with these silicone face scrubbers! The action of using them helps to exfoliate your skin, improve circulation in the face, and gently remove impurities and dead skin. They’re the best!
Step 2 Exfoliation
We must shed away the dead cells that lead to dullness so that we can radiate luminosity and get our glow back! And the best way to do that is through weekly exfoliation - two to three times depending on how sensitive your skin is. I honestly do 3-4 but my skin is pretty tough.
There are two ways you can do this - either through physical or chemical exfoliant products. I love to use a physical one, my Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Treatment in the shower only twice a week. It’s pricey, but oh so worth it! You notice a smoother skin surface only after two uses in my personal experience.
Then of course my ride-or-die chemical exfoliant is the Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant, which I’ve been repurchasing for many years now. I apply it with a cotton round instead of washing my face and I do this on the days I do not use Kate Somerville. I promise, if you’ve never tried this salicylic acid product, give it a go because it’s got a proven track record for years. I use this only at nighttime. It’s one of the reasons I can get away with wearing less foundation and omitting primers!
Step 3. Toner
Don’t sleep on using a toner - All of my esthetician friends will tell you that! Specifically a toner's job is to gently refresh your skin without stripping it of its natural moisture. It’s also great because it prepares the skin to soak up your post-cleansing moisturizer and any other skin treatments that you might apply. I’ve got a new favorite in the Pixi Beauty Collagen Tonic. It contains coconut water and botanical collagen which aims to firm, volumize, and revitalize skin elasticity. It’s so soothing and I use it daily before the makeup application process.
Step 4. Serum
A serum can be the best way to get your share of whatever targeted skincare ingredients you want. I started using this L’Oreal Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum because of our friend Beth here! And boy was she right on how wonderful this product feels like silk on the skin and performs.
What makes this drugstore serum so powerful is that it has an Antioxidant Recovery Complex which helps boost skin's renewal overnight by the ways of Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid. I used to be a die hard Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair fan, but this more affordable version is taking its place on my bathroom counter.
Step 5. Creams and Moisturizers
I tend to wear a heavier cream at night, then switch to a lighter moisturizer during the daytime that includes SPF protection. A thicker night cream will work harder because your skin can regenerate better during bedtime. Lately I’m loving the
Kora Organics Tumeric Glow moisturizer because it was an Allure Magazine Best of Beauty winner and its nourishing cream smooths and visibly plumps and brightens your skin with a blend of turmeric (an anti-inflammatory) and noni fruit extract.
During the daytime I have spoken on this product before, and I love love the inexpensive Neutrogena Hydro Boost with SPF 50. It’s extremely lightweight and silky but has a very high SPF for major protection from the suns damaging rays.
Step 6. Eye Cream
We all know by now that our under eyes are the thinnest part on our faces. This means it's one of the quickest ways that show an aging face. Look for eye creams with wrinkle fighters like retinol, such as the ROC Retinol Correxion shown here. This one has been around a long time with an amazing track record with an almost perfect 5 star rating!
But like I mentioned in the beginning of this post, consistency is the real key. Whether you’re doing all 6 steps or just cleansing and moisturizing, doing them every single day is what’s going to be the difference maker in keeping your skin looking it’s very best!
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Great post Jennifer, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Lesley!
I have heard many people speak about these products over the years but you are the first to put them together in such a sensible and coherent way. Your beautiful skin is a glowing testament to how well it works for you. I agree that consistency is key. You have inspired me to transition to a few of these when my current products are finished.
Interesting not washing the face in the morning. To me it’s a wake up.
Will try your method.
Would also love to know costs.
I need a moisturizer for 66 + year old, cared for skin.
I still splash my face with very cold water just for the morning wake up feeling – no cleanser needed. I will tone again though. If you click on each of the underlined products mentioned in the post it will take you directly to the item which will then list the pricing.
A dermatologist once said that the worst thing you can do is use a variety of different brands of skincare. The products all contain different ingredients for ph balance.
I’ll chime in as my dermatologist said using different brands is good. Our skin, just like our muscles or think of antibiotics, builds a tolerance to one specific product used for a long period of time. It’s better for you and your skin to mix things up.
I love (obsessed with) Paula’s choice 2% BHA exfoliator. It’s a bit pricey though and I finally have found a 2% BHA exfoliator on Amazon. It’s made by QrX labs and is only $19.00 a four oz bottle and it works really well. I’m a big fan of a cleansing balmS (Banilla Zero is so smooth and soft) followed by miscellar water to clean my face at night! Then I do the BHA and wait about a half hour to do my serums/moisturizer. I am the same, I don’t cleanse my face in the morning. It’s already clean from the night before.
Glad to hear you have the same love of BHA and no morning washing as me! I’ll have to do some googling and find your more affordable version of the BHA! Thank you!
Love your post. I’m the same, no morning cleansing for me. Too lazy really. I used to sell a popular skin care line and it was always emphasized to use the entire line as a system because everything works “synergistically” together. It’s interesting to me that you use all different manufacturer’s products as “your system.” It must be working because your skin is glowing and beautiful!
I would love your comments on this and recommendations for a mild night cream. I’ve tried many and most are too harsh for me and make my skin red. I’ve wasted so much money!