As I inch closer and closer to 40, I can’t help but feel the pressures of “getting older.” Everywhere I turn, someone is showing me how to prevent aging, promoting a procedure, a serum, a laser to slow down the inevitable signs. Our society is obsessed with beauty and “aging gracefully” but what does that mean? To some, it means allowing nature to run its course and to embrace it without interfering. Others spend their life savings injecting anything and everything into their face. I am of the camp that it is completely fine and NORMAL to want to improve ourselves physically and partake in self-care, whatever that means to you. And I am also in favor of investing in quality, medical grade skincare especially in your 30’s and 40’s (and if you are younger, start now and stay a baby face forever.. but if you only take one thing from this APPLY SPF DAILY please and thank you).
Today I am sharing the skincare habits I’ve formed in my 30s that are non-negotiable. It took time to find the right routine but with the help of my esthetician at Sapien Skin (they’re the absolute best) and my injectors lol (Pinky and Sabrina at Skin Spirit are magicians), my skin is looking better than it did in my 20s. Start now, thank me later.
HYDRATE. THEN FILL YOUR WATER BOTTLE AND HYDRATE SOME MORE.
It all starts with water, my friends. If you aren’t drinking 50% of your body weight in ounces it will show all over your face. It takes EFFORT on my part to drink enough water everyday and I fail A LOT. You can spend hundreds, even thousands on products and procedures but if you aren’t drinking enough water your efforts are futile. So buy the Stanley and drink up, sister. Your body will thank you from the inside out.
YOUR NEW BFF IS SPF.
Yep, even for us in the PNW who don’t see the sun all that often. I apply SPF daily rain or shine. And not just to my face. My neck, my chest, and my hands. Your hands are the first to show signs of aging so make it habit. Keep SPF in your purse, in your car, in your gym bag, on top of your vanity. Apply and reapply. No, it’s not hard to remember when you see it sitting in your console or on your nightstand staring at you. I use Is Clinical SPF in the morning and follow it up with Korean skincare SPF in the afternoons. They’re so inexpensive and esthetician approved.
VITAMIN C WORKS MIRACLES
Every dermatologist will tell you that you need vitamin C. It will improve your skin’s radiance while also protecting it from pollution and sun damage. You should be applying a 10% vitamin C every morning. No excuses. I apply it after I cleanse with a gentle, hydrating cleanser this like and then layer my vitamin C serum, following by my bff SPF. This one here is the GOAT but the E oil in it can make you breakout if you’re prone so just a little trigger warning. I am also having a major moment with Jan Marini skincare and her C serum is chef’s kiss.
INVEST IN EYE CREAM
Just like your hands, your under eyes will show the first signs that you are getting older.. not cute! That skin is soooooo thin so we must protect it at all costs. Invest in a nightly eye cream and apply it gently. Treat that area like lace, ladies. Delicate, fragile lace. Dark circles, wrinkles, and saggy skin… who has the time? Not me. Get the eye cream. And don’t forget to use it.
EASE INTO YOUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH RETINOL/TRETINOIN
If you start off too hot and heavy with retinol, you’re gonna get burned. Legitimately lol. This stuff is POWERFUL in all the best ways but let’s ease in. Retinol is vitamin A and increases cell production, exfoliates the skin, reduces the signs of fine lines and wrinkles and basically is your anti-aging serum in a magic bottle. Everyone in their 30’s+ should be using a retinol and anyone in their 20’s should be using it preventatively. Slowly start incorporating a low dose retinol of .25 (or tretinoin , which is prescribed by a dermatologist and is just a different formulation but either one is awesome) every other night or even 2-3x a week at first. Your skin will adjust and then you can work your way up to nightly and stronger formulations (1.0). My skin is very reactive to retinol and if I get heavy handed with it, I peel or get red irritation so I just back off a tiny bit and my skin adjusts. But I do try and keep my application nightly.. and I take it down to my chest and onto my hands because of everything I’ve talked about in this blog post. I am linking a .25, .5 and my Jan Marini dual serum I use. It just depends on what you, specifically, are ready for in terms of retinol:
STAY CONSISTENT
As with anything, if you don’t stick with it or be consistent you aren’t going to see the results. I make my skincare routines a ritual. I hide from my children in my bathroom, put on a robe, dim the lights and do my thang. This is me time, kids. I enjoy it and I take my time. As I get older, I have realized the key to anything in life is consistency. And it doesn’t need to be long and drawn out. Everyone has time to wash their face and throw some serums on, mmk? Remember, the key here is to ditch our bad habits from our 20’s and embrace this new era of healthy skincare habits in our 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and beyond. If my 20 year old self could see me now!!!! I think she’d actually be pretty damn proud of this skin I’m in.
Xx, Heather
