Skin Routine For Over 40 From My Mama

SKIN ROUTINE FOR OVER 40 

Hello, everyone! My name is Cecilia, mama to my beautiful daughter, Destiny of Truly Destiny. I am so honored and excited to share my skin care routine (for all you over 40 year olds out there)! Destiny has been asking me to share for a while because I am a HUGE advocate of a good skin care routine. Since she was a young girl, I always emphasized the importance of a good skincare routine.  Cleansing and SPF were not taken lightly!  I would constantly tell her that some day she would thank me for not allowing her to disregard her skin because age always catches up with us and it will SHOW.  I am so glad she listened and developed her own passion for skincare.  Now, I am constantly getting great skincare advice from her!

I love to try a lot of different products and at times do have to change due to bouts of psoriasis, depending on what my skin needs, therefore, do change up some of the products from time to time, but most of the products I will be sharing today are my ultimate long time favs, so here we go!

AM SKINCARE ROUTINE ORDER

WASH 

TONE

VITAMIN C

HYALURONIC ACID

ADDITIONAL SERUMS

MOISTURIZER

NECK

SPF

EYE CARE

WASH

I typically start my cleanse with Glymedplus Gentle Facial Wash or Tula Clarifying Cleanser (use code DTHOMPSY), I love them both!  If my face is requiring some extra moisturizing TLC, I love using Pure Skin Face Cleanser by First Aid Beauty, instead. Another cleanser I like is Drunk Elephant Beste No 9 Jelly Cleanser (clean product). If I have a bad psoriasis breakout, I will at times use good ‘ol drugstore Cereve (the hydrating one). When I want extra smooth skin, I use Elemis Green Food.  It is SO good!  Like Destiny, I love patting my face dry with these cloths. 

  TONE

For day time toning, I only use and am obsessed with this toner.  It is my holy grail and the price is incredibly affordable. I just pat it on and let it dry for a about a minute before I continue with my routine.

VITAMIN C 

I will never go without Vitamin C!  My all time favorite is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic.  I have tried other options, and for my skin, this one is just unmatched. I truly feel it helps with stressed aging skin and also helps brighten the skin.

  HYALURONIC ACID

My top favorite hyaluronic acid is definitely SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator. I just take a tiny pump and mix it with a little bit of water and pat it into my skin, making sure to include the neck and decollete.  I take whatever is left and gently rub it into my hands, as well.  No product goes to waste! It provides immediate hydration and rejuvenates my skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I also like Skinceuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier. It gives great results, as well, but my skin can be a little more sensitive to it and find HA5 to be more hydrating.

    ADDITIONAL SERUMS

Depending on what I am feeling my skin needs, my additional serums fluctuate. For extra hydration, I love using Lancome Advanced Genifique.  Again, patting it in and letting it dry for about a minute before continuing with moisturizer.  Another hydrating aid I have recently added in and have not only been really impressed with, but can’t beat the price at under $10, is Trader Joes Hydrating Gel Moisturizer. It is technically considered a moisturizer, but I use it as an additional serum and once again, pat it right in and let it dry! 

After allowing my serums to soak in for 1-3 mins, I like to add in a few sprays of Colleen Rothschild Beauty Water.  It helps with hydration and I love how it helps the moisturizer soak in nicely!

MOISTURIZERS

My go-to favorite moisturizer is Elimis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. It is SO good!  I mentioned that I have pretty sensitive skin due to some psoriasis and eczema breakouts, and this is one moisturizer that I can use even through those breakouts.  It is incredibly hydrating and makes my skin feel amazing!  Indeed, it is one of the products that I go right back to after trying other products out. It is a MUST. Another moisturizer I really like and is a super clean product is Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. It is a little thicker and I tend to use it when I feel like I need a little thicker product or my face is acting super sensitive. If I am feeling like I need a little extra moisturizer, I add in a few drops of Drunk Elephants Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil.

    NECK

The neck is just as important as the face!  I use Gold Bond Neck & Chest firming cream for my daytime neck cream.  The price is affordable and it proves great results.  I have tried a LOT of neck creams, and quite honestly, this one holds up and tops many more expensive brands.  I highly recommend.

SPF

Ok, so SPF. I NEVER go without it.  I have two that I alternate, depending on what my day is going to look like.  For an everyday no makeup type of day, or really light glowy makeup day, I always use the tinted EltaMD UV Clear Broad Spectrum. It makes my face feel so smooth and isn’t oily, yet is incredibly hydrating and gives me a perfect amount of natural coverage that literally lasts all day! For the days when I am going to do a full makeup or want some extra color and coverage, I use Alastin Hydratint Pro Mineral.  It is hydrating and perfect for under makeup!  

  EYE CARE

I do love a good eye cream and because of my extreme eye sensitivity, I do not have a go-to eye cream that I have found that I cant do without, but I will for sure let Destiny know to share once I do find my favorite “it” product!  What I DO love to add onto my daytime routine is Tulas Rose Glow & Get It eye balm!  It gives me that extra hydration and adds a pretty pop of glow to help brighten up my eyes…LOVE.  I put it on after my SPF and I am ready to go for my daily walk! 

PM SKINCARE ROUTINE

Like Destiny, my nighttime routine is my favorite and I tend to go little extra on it, but it’s all about self care and insuring we get that “me” time in, right?! 

REMOVE MAKEUP

CLEANSE

TONE

SERUMS

MOISTURIZE

NECK

LIPS

To remove makeup, I use these re-washable cloths with warm water.  They are gentle and work really well to remove all makeup, just like an eraser! My eyes are super sensitive so this product works gently, while removing all of my makeup off.  It is one of my newest favorites!  When I am traveling, just for the fact that I don’t want to travel with dirty “washcloths”, I use Neutrogena Hydroboost Cleansing Wipes. They do a great job of removing makeup, while still being gentle on my sensitive skin.

Next, I always double cleanse in the PM. When I feel as if I had a day where I was exposed to a lot of the outdoor elements or a full makeup day, I first start with using GM57 Mega-Purifying Cleanser by Glymedplus. I apply a couple of pumps to my dry skin and gently massage into my face, neck, and decollate, and then add water to give it a good cleanse.  I continue with my second cleanser, my favorites include:  Glymedplus Gentle Facial Wash and Drunk Elephant Beste No 9 Jelly Cleanser (same as my daytime cleansers).  A few times a week, I substitute, or if I didn’t use my mega-purifying cleanser, I cleanse with Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm.  It leaves my face so soft and smooth and deeply cleansed and it smells divine!  Leaves you feeling like that just came home from the spa vibe.  

TONE

I usually tone with Thayers Witch Hazel in Rose Petal in the PM, and at times when I am feeling like my skin is more hormonal, I use Dickinsons Original Witch Hazel, its a little bit stronger. I love these cotton swabs to tone with because they are 100% unbleached cotton and are so soft and gentle and don’t leave any fibers on your skin. Next, I ALWAYS pat in my favorite toner (same as daytime toner), True Cider Serum by Cheryl Lee MD.  So obsessed with it!

      SERUMS

For days when I have a blemish, or even when I feel my pores are looking larger, I use Skinceuticals Blemish and Repair. It is an amazing product!  I will use this as a spot treatment in the day, too, if I have a blemish.  

Next, I use TNS Essential Serum.  It is a must in my routine.  It is pretty pricey, but a little goes a long way and one bottle nearly lasts me a year. The results I have had since using it makes it worth it.  

I use a prescribed retinoid on my neck because for my face, I just feel like its a little too harsh with my psoriasis, but I tackle my neck and decollate full on because age SHOWS in those areas!!  I will not neglect my neck and show my age, if I can help it! 

For the next step, I again use HA5, same as the AM routine, mixed with a little water.  This product is also a pricier product, but again, a little goes a long way and I am only purchasing about once a year.  Another hyaluronic serum I alternate with and love to use in my night routine is Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum. It leaves my skin feeling so smooth and smells amazing! 

Again, like my AM routine, I love spraying a few sprays of Colleen Rothschild Beauty Water to help the moisturizer soak in nicely!

MOISTURIZER

I absolutely love Elemis Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix.  It is a little thicker than their marine cream I use for the day and is perfect for night time use.  If I am feeling like I need some extra hydration, I will also add Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask as my last step and just leave it on overnight. It soaks in pretty well and I wake up with extra dewy skin!  

      NECK

For my evening neck cream, I use Restorative Neck Complex by Alastin. I have found it to be just a bit more effective for aging skin than the Gold Bond I use for the daytime.  I love both of these, but treat my neck and chest more aggressively at night and I have seen some great results with this one, so will most likely repurchase.  

LIPS

I think my favorite ending to my nighttime routine is finishing up with the lips!  A few times a week I love using this scrub to remove dead skin and it leaves my lips ultra smooth and soft. 

I alternate with a few different lip balms that I love all the same.  They are SO good and I cant live without them:

Laneige Sleeping Lip Mask (favorite is the vanilla)

C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve Lip Balm

TrueLipids Lip Balm by Cherly Lee MD 

Aquafor

I hope my suggestions will help any 40+ readers out there, or for any younger readers who want to fight aging skin.  A good routine is always key. “Invest in your skin.  It is going to represent you for a very long time.”