I realize that while I am not “old”, I am not terribly young either. I am closer to 40 than to 30. So what does this mean to a gal who is admittedly, trying not to age (as much as possible)? It means one has to be on top of her daily skin care game. My daily skin care is actually rather simple, but I use time tested methods that work for me.
The Biggest Two Anti-Aging Topical Products: Retinol & Sunscreen
First, as much as I hated having severe acne as a youth, I am thankful that the condition lead me to a Retin-A prescription. Not only did it fight acne, but it also fights wrinkles. I have used it nightly since about age 13, and to me it is the best topical arsenal there is for the fight against wrinkles and turning over skin for renewal. Retinol is one of those known, skin care heroes. Read more about the benefits here.
The other big factor in fighting aging topically through skincare, comes as no surprise, and that is sunscreen. I admit that when I was a teen, life guarding at the city pool, I didn’t care about sunscreen. I got as dark as I could back in those days. But thankfully I had a wake-up call, after seeing a girl my own age experience a year or two of too much tanning bed use. She looked as if she had aged 20 years all of a sudden! I quickly changed my carelessness to concern, and I started protecting at least my face and neck with sunscreen. Today I live in Florida, and I use Obagi Nu-Derm SPF 50 on my skin before makeup. Additionally, I use Jane Iredale BB cream as my foundation, which has SPF 25 in it.
My Morning Routine
I wake up, and I wash my face with a paste of baking soda and water. This exfoliates wonderfully!
Next I put on my sunscreen, Obagi Nu-Derm SPF 50
I put on my foundation which is actually a BB cream, Jane Iredale Glow Time with SPF 25 ( Then I do my full make-up routine, I wrote about here)
During the Day
I drink nearly a gallon of water a day & I wear a hat when I am outside. I take a Rx birth control pill from my dermatologist, to control hormonal acne from occurring.
Nightly Routine
First I wash my face with Dove Beauty Bar and warm water.
Next, on a cotton round I use witch hazel to ensure my face is very clean
I apply Rx generic Retin-A , and on occasion I will also mix it with 4% hydroquinone, a lightening cream called Eukroma. This helps because I have discoloration due to a common problem, melasma, and I get mine from Tara Skin Care.
Finally, I use Vaseline on my neck and under my eyes. Sometimes, I use it on my whole face. Marilyn Monroe did this!
You can see that what I use is not really anything that hasn’t been available all along, to many generations. All of these are rather generic, inexpensive suggestions. What works for me may not work for you, and I have tried a large variety of products over the last 15 years, but this list is what I stand by right now at my age (36). What are your favorite topical daily beauty products to reduce the effects of aging? Also, have you ever tried LED light therapy? I used to have one of those LED masks I would use, but it broke before I could make up my mind about the effectiveness of it. Let me know below in the comments, what simple time tested products you stand behind!
36 years oldanti agingskincare
