All the beauty experts say women need to get serious about anti-aging skin care when they roll over the big 3-0. Suddenly cleansing and a swipe of SPF aren’t enough; apparently we need an arsenal of products to “preserve” our faces and fight the [irreversible?] damage we inflicted upon ourselves in our youth.
I’m lookin’ at you, tanning beds; should’ve listened to my grandmother.
With this in mind, I found myself in Ulta two months ago on a mission. I wandered around the skin care section for a good 30 minutes, politely declining the sales associates’ offers for assistance, determined to find a suitable “grown-up” regimen for a new decade.
I’d love to know the psychology behind the angelic backlit shelving in upscale beauty department stores… do they work on a subconscious level to convince me the products were sent straight from heaven to make me look like Giselle? In a moment of semi-blind, over-marketed mania I seriously considered spending half a week’s pay on a certain doctor’s anti-aging starter kit. Then I came to my senses, and realized if it really eliminated wrinkles and pores and the need for concealer, they probably wouldn’t be able keep the stuff on the shelves. Right? *Step away from the $90 serum.*
Here’s what: I think the best skin comes from keeping things simple. Go easy on the makeup; take it all off at the end of every day; exfoliate often; moisturize more than you think you need to; and be generous with the SPF. Some vitamin C, antioxidants, and collagen-boosting peptides can’t hurt, either.
My mother, who has beautiful skin with nary a wrinkle — genetics, be kind to me — has probably tried every skin care product available to [wo]man, and she recommended that I use Philosophy. I always associated them with delicious-smelling body washes and delicate perfumes, but they know what they’re doing with skin care. I bought the Philosophy ‘Radiant & Refined’ kit and The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash on that Ulta trip, and now they’re staples in my every day routine.
AM:
1.) Exfoliate with The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash (usually in the shower.)
2.) Follow up with When Hope is Not Enough Firming and Lifting Serum.
3.) Apply Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue to entire face and neck for color correction, sun protection, and all-day hydration. It’s like three products in one!
4.) Lather up any exposed skin — chest, arms, hands — with La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Melt-In Sunscreen Milk. I recently bought a tube to keep in my tote bag for reapplication when I’m out running flower deliveries.
PM:
1.) Cleanse skin with Philosophy Purity One-Step Cleanser or Kari Gran cleansing oil. Both are excellent makeup removers, and make quick work of eye makeup.
2.) Follow up with When Hope is Not Enough Firming and Lifting Serum.
3.) Moisturize with Philosophy Hope In a Jar.
4.) Apply Kari Gran lip whip to lips for overnight hydration.
Once a week, I use Simone France’s Complexion Perfection Mask to deep clean my pores, and every now and then I use my Clarisonic Mia with the Purity cleanser for extra exfoliation. Oh, and I’m working on drinking a lot more water and balancing my diet because really beautiful skin comes from the inside out.
I’m about two months into my new “30 year old” routine, and here’s what I’ve noticed: my skin is really soft and balanced (not too dry, not too greasy); my skin tone is even with minimal redness; and my occasional breakouts heal pretty quickly. All good!
What do you think?