skin care secrets
OK, I’m 40 (turned it last year) but rarely do people think I’m anywhere near this old (not to be too vain or up myself), so what are my skin care secrets?
1. Wear sunscreen – every day of your life (if you live in a climate like Australia anyway). 80% of skin damage is from environmental factors – sunscreen will help prevent many wrinkles. This is a great one to try from Neutrogena.
2. Exfoliate – I like to use AHA and BHA products (chemical exfoliants), I alternate them every night to night. If I want a chemical exfoliant, I use a 10c piece size of bicarbonate of soda mixed with my regular cream cleanser (Cetaphil) as a manual exfoliant – it’s gentle but it works.
3. Use an antioxidant – to counteract all the environmental damage of the day (I get mine from Paula’S Choice range – see below).
4. Moisturise – from chest to toe I cover myself in cocoa butter every day. My face I use specific moisturisers (I like the ones from Paula ‘s Choice in the US or n Australia) which I find are beautiful formulations and nothing irritating (I have rosacea prone skin, that is very sensitive to fragrance and any sort of irritant).
5. Believe yourself to be young and smile!
Fantastic tips. I do all of these things too and I’m told I look younger than my age. It seems we’re onto something! 🙂
Many years ago, I asked a dermatologist what was the best anti-aging face cream on the market. “Sunscreen,” he answered. I used the 60+ stuff from France (my dad’s had melanoma twice…I’m an extremist). I’ve been looking to find some less expensive skin care (love Clarins but they’re getting very pricey) so I’ll check out the Paula’s.
K.Line – so glad that you too are a convert!
Deja – a quick look at Brigitte Bardot pictures in recent years shows just how much ageing comes from the sun. No cream is anti-ageing (if it’s a day cream) if it doesn’t have sunscreen in it.
I love Paula’s products – I make no money out of this recommendation (but she does have an affiliate program in the US if you like her stuff – check it on her website).
If anybody knows about sunscreen, it’s an Aussie. I’m loving Patricia Wexler’s daily spf 30 sunscreen right now. It’s really light, sinks right in and really fights the sun.
I haven’t heard of Paula’s skin care line. I checked her site and I can’t wait to see her reviews of other products as well. Cool!
I’ve used Paula’s Choice since I was 40, and look nowhere near my 68 yrs–you will love her line. Best part? Her 60–yes, sixty–day return policy if you are not satisfied. Only have returned a product once. So that’s saying something. Good luck with Paula’s, and use her customer service and reps to answer your questions and help you find the right products for your skin.
I am the same young age as you :)!!! I also do all of those things-great post!!!
Thanks for the tips. I used to look younger than my biological age, but since I turned 40 I’m getting worse and worse. I spend most of my time in front of the computer and that might be a reason, too dry skin! I hadn’t heard of Paula’s Choice before. I’ll try to find it in the UK as well. Ciao. A.
About the sunscreen… all sunscreens are not equal, and you also need to apply it the right way to get any protection.
Many sunscreens are not photostable: they break up in sunlight and release free radicals. Many others have harmful chemicals: in fact around 80% of them do:
http://www.naturalnews.com/021927.html
Also a lot of sunscreen dot’t give adequate UVA protection.
You need to apply 1-1,25 ml sunscreen for just the face, or 1,5 – 1,8 ml for the face and neck. Applying the right amount is extremely important: if you apply only half of the sunscreen, you don’t get half the protection — you get even less than that. 0.5 ml of SPF 50 becomes SPF 7
Also, you need to pat it in, not rub it in. And it’s best not to apply anything over it.
SO, what I’m saying here is: sunscreen protects you when you use the riht one, in the right way !
Trish – I was lucky to have been brought up on the stuff – not so many others were!
Christina Lee – and we both have small kid/s too!
Lunarossa – I’m pretty sure she has a UK website too. My skin has never been so good since I started using her range.
Starlight – I forgot that in the US not all sunscreens have UVA protection – in Australia – we have the highest sunscreen standards in the world – so anything that is sold here has to be broad spectrum (uva and uvb) and must actually work as advertised. If you’re not sure – then look for one that is a mineral sunscreen (titanium or zinc dioxide) so that reflects all the rays.
I’d like to add my accolades to the Paula line. Even if you don’t buy her stuff, she tells you what to look for. I have a colleague who had skin cancer. Her dermatologist told her to wear sunscreen, but did not set out the full-spectrum ingredients! I told her! Unbelievable! I love everything I’ve bought from her. No frills and excellent.
Love Paula’s Choice!
I have to confess I wash my face in the shower in the morning and use supermarket moisturiser . That is my total skincar routine.
I just bought the La Roche Posay line Toleriane as it is for sensitive skin and is super pure. If you go on Skin Deep.com, you will see which products have the highest toxicity and the most preservatives, the La Roche Posay line I bought rated ZERO, so I bought it. I have dumped all my cosmetics with parabens and preservatives.
Even Cetaphil, I find, has four different parabens in it.
Imogen, how do you feel about Jurlique? I was so tempted to buy it when I was there, but I thought I might be irritated by some of the botanical ingredients…
Best pieces of advice from my late Grandma:
1-Moisturize (she swore by Avon Nurtura)
2-Never wear make-up to bed
I have rosacea and my dermatologist recommends a very simple routine — wash AM and PM with Cetaphil (no exfoliants allowed), AM application of Finacea cream (Rx), followed by La Roche Posay Anthelios (it’s my only splurge). At bedtime, I go straight from Cetaphil to Roc nightcream.
As for makeup, it’s all about the powdered mineral stuff — it’s got additional SPF, but doesn’t counteract the sunscreen cream, and it doesn’t irritate my skin in any way. If you haven’t tried it and you’ve got a sensitive complexion, it’s well worth a try. I’m a Bare Minerals fan, but as long as there’s no talc whatsoever, you can use just about any brand.
And usually I wear broadbrimmed hats when I’m out in the sun for any length of time, also at the recommendation of my dermatologist.
Being a little overweight and never having smoked also helps a lot — I’m 46 and most people think I’m good deal younger.
Another Shout Out for Paula’s Choice. I love all the products that I am using. My husband really likes Paula’s sunscreen (he too has fought skin cancer.) What really sold me on her brand was that everything is based on scientific research. I also am impressed that she doesn’t just promote her own brand, but also provides unbiased information about other products that are out there.