skin care secrets
1. Wear Sunscreen Every Day
Living in a climate like Australia, sunscreen is a must. I wear it every day, without fail. UV rays contribute to around 80% of skin damage, leading to premature wrinkles and age spots. By applying sunscreen daily, I’m preventing much of the environmental damage that can cause ageing. A sunscreen I highly recommend is from Neutrogena, which provides great protection and is suitable for sensitive skin.
2. Exfoliate Regularly
Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells, promoting skin regeneration and brightness. I like to use AHA and BHA products (chemical exfoliants), alternating them every night. If I want a manual exfoliant, I mix bicarbonate of soda with my regular cleanser (I love Cetaphil for its gentleness). It’s a mild scrub that’s effective without being harsh on my skin.
3. Use an Antioxidant
To fight off environmental damage, I use an antioxidant serum. Antioxidants help neutralise free radicals that cause skin damage from pollution and sun exposure. I trust products from Paula’s Choice, particularly their range of antioxidants, which provide great protection for my sensitive skin.
4. Moisturise from Chest to Toe
Moisturising is one of the most important steps in any skincare routine. I apply cocoa butter to my body every day, from chest to toe, keeping my skin hydrated and soft. For my face, I use specific moisturisers designed for sensitive skin, such as those from Paula’s Choice. They offer beautiful formulations without any irritating ingredients, which is crucial because I have rosacea-prone skin that’s very sensitive to fragrance and irritants.
5. Believe You’re Young and Smile
One of the best skincare secrets is your mindset. I truly believe in feeling youthful, and I make sure to smile often. A positive outlook can make a huge difference not only to your mental well-being but to your skin too. Smiling releases endorphins, which can promote overall health and a natural, radiant glow.
By sticking to these simple steps—protecting my skin from the sun, exfoliating, using antioxidants, moisturising, and embracing a positive attitude—I’ve been able to maintain glowing, healthy skin at 40. Remember, skincare isn’t just about products; it’s about consistency and caring for your skin inside and out!
Recommended Reading
Why It Took Me 12+ Years to Discover I Had Skin Cancer and Why You Definitely Shouldn’t
Want to Avoid Getting Wrinkles? You Need a Sun Smart Strategy
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.