Want Your 40 Year Old Skin To Look A Decade Or Two Younger? Try This Skincare Routine For The Forties!

by Olivia 6 Comments

A friend of mine would say that forties is when you reap the harvest for your karmas. I don’t know if her words held true for life itself but they are bang on when it comes to describing the condition of your skin.

In your forties, your estrogen levels are in a free fall, which means that Mother Nature has officially resigned from her position as the protector of your skin.

So, along with prevention, protection and treatment assume a large role in the skincare equation because the dermal layers are taking a hit from multiple directions. For starters, even if you had oily skin all your life, forties is when those sebaceous glands will start slowing down, leading to increased dryness and dehydration.

Moreover, there will be a marked decrease in the sponginess and thickness of the fatty layer that both supports and hydrates the skin. This not only increases dryness and dullness but also creates a more angular and tired look. To compound the problem, the synthesis of collagen and elastin continues to plunge. Together this is what turns the fine lines into wrinkles, the wrinkles into creases and leads to skin sagging.

So, What Does Your Skin Need?

If you want to correct years’ worth of accumulated damage plus stop more from occurring, you will obviously need to step up the game.

Any odd serum that offers a bit of antioxidant protection and weak addition of retinoid simply won’t work. Similarly, just humectants and emollients like oil will fail to protect your skin.

What your skin needs at this point is just about everything out there and it will have to be used in such a way that each product and ingredient works synergistically with the others.

For protection from oxidative stress, you will need vitamin C, E, herbal extracts, COQ 10, resveratrol, pine bark extract, algae extract, green tea extract, essential oils and more.

For tackling hyper pigmentation, you will need mulberry extract, licorice root extract, ferulic acid, alpha hydroxy acids and more.

To control the dryness, you will need ceramides, emollient plant butters and more.

For plumpness and smoothness, you will need humectants like hyaluronic acid and others plus peptides to fill out the imperfections.

You will also need phytoestrogens that will make up for the dwindling estrogen levels in the body as you reach the far end of your forties.

In light of this, take a look at what would be the ideal skincare routine for your forties skin.

Morning Routine for 40’s

Cleansing

The first piece of good news is that you get a pass on your morning cleanse. If you have cleansed your face at night, a splash of warm water or wiping with warm green tea will be quite enough.

If you must cleanse, whatever you were using before, switch to a creamy/gentle cleanser. Your skin is rapidly losing its ability to hold fluids and the lipid barrier that was meant to protect the dermal layers is on the decline. So, you simply can’t afford any more drying.

In fact, don’t be surprised if a cleanser, even one that is creamy and meant for sensitive skin, causes some amount of dryness. If that is case, try using raw honey as a cleanser. Massage it into your skin for about 2 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.

If you are willing to go the extra mile for your skin, try a paste made by using yoghurt or almond milk and flaxseed meal. Massage on your skin for about 5 minutes and leave it on like a mask for another 4-5 minutes, wash off with warm water and a final splash of cold water. Pat your skin dry and go for spot treatments.

Eye cream

This is one product that you are going to desperately need as soon as you hit your fortieth birthday. The delicate skin around the eyes not only gives away the story of your life (read late nights, stress, crying, alcohol consumption) but also adds years to your actual age. So, this is one area of the face that direly needs anti-aging treatment.

In your forties, you will need an eye serum/cream that contains vitamin C and E for their antioxidant effect; caffeine to handle the puffiness and hyaluronic acid, squalene or glycerin to deal with the dryness that eventually causes wrinkles.

If the formulation also contains a few potent botanical antioxidants, you got a winner on your hands. To apply, use your ringer finger. Do not sweep or massage the formulation across the skin. What I am trying to say here is that there should be no skin pulling.

Instead, tap the formulation on your skin, moving from the inner corner of the eyes, outside towards the hairline. Tap gently applying just a wee bit of downward pressure which will help to drain the accumulated fluid that causes puffiness. If possible, store the eye cream in the refrigerator overnight and use in the morning. This will offer greater benefits against dark circles and puffiness.

Serum

Once in your forties, a serum is no longer a luxury or a mere consideration, it is a necessity. Serums are super-efficient and concentrated formulations that get absorbed at a super-fast rate. What this means for your skin is that the active ingredients your skin needs badly get absorbed and start working on the double thanks to the penetrative ability of these products.

Now, if you have shopped for serums or intend to, you will be baffled by the sheer array of products available. For day use, look for ingredients that will tend to the pigmentation like phytic acid, which is just mild enough for forties skin.

Vitamin C, E and K are always a welcome addition because they offer a range of skincare benefits. You will also need botanical antioxidants like curcumin, resveratrol, grapefruit seed extract, ginger extract, gotu kola extract, basil, sage and other herbal extracts.

Along with these ingredients, you will also need a double dose of humectants. So, look for squalene, hyaluronic acid, which is the gold standard when it comes to cellular hydration, glycerin, urea and others. The idea is to ensure that your skin is protected from oxidative stress, is kept super hydrated and nourished, and this mix of ingredients will do just that.

Moisturize

Even with a serum that is essentially an emulsion and has some quantity of lipids in it, you will need more occlusive factor to keep the fluids locked into those skin cells. We are talking plant butters and soothing essential and carrier oils here that bring their own antioxidant effect to the table as well as keep the skin glowing soft and smooth.

In fact, look for a formulation that also contain essential oils with a reputation for dealing with skin aging. Classic choices include frankincense, cedarwood, geranium, lavender, rose, jasmine, neroli, ylang ylang, myrrh and others.

As far as application goes, slather the moisturizer about 15 minutes after the serum; this will give your skin enough time to soak up the goodies in the serum.

Spend about 5 minutes massaging your skin with the moisturizer. This helps to enhance absorption and gets both the circulatory and lymphatic system charged up and both of these contribute to the health and the look of your skin.

Remember to only use upwards strokes and resist the urge to exert too much pulling or downward pressure on your skin. Gentle is the name of the game here!

You can check the recommended list of moisturizers here.

Sun protection

Your SPF will continue to be your loyal soldier against sun damage even in your forties. If you were less than diligent about using a sunscreen in the earlier decades of your life, now is the time for a transformation.

Don’t just use your sunscreen for the heck of it; use it religiously, reapplying every 2-3 hours and covering all exposed parts of your body. Yes, I am also talking about your neck, décolletage and hands along with your face of course.

If a sunscreen lotion is too oily for your taste, go for mineral formulations that are powder or gel based but offer an SPF of at least 30. You can also layer SPF products here.

For instance, use a moisturizer with SPF and top it with a layer of a BB cream that also has SPF and finish with a dusting of a mineral powder with SPF. When you need to reapply, simply dab on your moisturizer and dust a bit of powder on your face.

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Midday Routine

This is the time to bring out a hydrating and replenishing toner, which will serve you whether you are handling outdoor chores or are spending the day perched at your desk. Right after lunch, when the familiar stretchy skin feeling starts bugging you, spray on or dab on a refreshing toner that contains floral hydrosols and hyaluronic acid.

Let the liquid remedy your parched skin cells for about a minute and then while your face and neck are still damp, reapply your moisturizer.

Simply, pat the formulation on your skin, particularly on spots prone to dryness like the cheeks, around the mouth and the neck. This alone should take care of the fine lines and wrinkles that become more evident as your skin goes dry.

Night time Routine

Cleansing

By night fall, your face will have enough dust, stale makeup and grime on it to warrant thorough cleansing, and makeup remover wipes will not cut it.

Now, I am going to give you a few options here. You can pick any one that suits your lifestyle and your skin type. What is important, though, is to stick to the product and method you have chosen.

The first is to go with a creamy/gentle cleanser with jojoba beads in it. If you have exfoliated your skin in the morning using any mechanical exfoliation product or even the yoghurt and flax meal mixture, you won’t need another round of exfoliation.

But, if your skin only got a few splashes of water by way of cleansing at the start of the day, you will need to cleanse and exfoliate before bed. If you have a favorite gentle or creamy cleanser which does not have an exfoliating medium in it, you can add flax meal, almond meal or rose petal powder to it and use as you always do.

Another option is to use an oatmeal or clay based exfoliator after cleansing your skin with your regular cleanser.

Oil cleansing is a third option and one that I am greatly partial to. What can I say, I like the idea of rinsing out makeup, dirt and dead cells at one go.

To combine exfoliation with oil cleansing, apply your favorite non-drying carrier oil (jojoba, virgin olive, sweet almond, macadamia) to your face and wipe to remove the makeup. Then, go for round two but this time you apply a mixture of oil and fine ground Himalayan pink salt.

Remember, even if you need more exfoliation action, scrubbing too hard is not the way. Instead, use gentle circular strokes but increase the amount of time you spend massaging your skin with the salt and oil mixture.

About 5-7 minutes of gentle massage will not only remove the grime plugs but will also get the blood circulation going. Rinse with warm water instead of wiping your skin. Pat your skin dry and reach for your special or spot treatment products.

The trouble spots of the forties

Well, I already told you that the under eye area will give you trouble after your fortieth birthday. So, at night, it is time to introduce a gentle form of retinol to the delicate skin around the eyes.

In the morning, your eye cream/serum had to handle puffiness and dryness. Your night time under eye formulation should boost cellular turnover, hydrate the delicate skin and deal with under eye darkness. For these effects, look for a combination of retinyl/retinol palmitate, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, mulberry extract, licorice root extract and other antioxidants. Apply as you did your daytime eye cream.

Another area of your body that will go in the forties is the neck. Yes, you will start noticing the first indications of the dreaded turkey neck coming on in this decade of your life. Fortunately, these days, you will find several formulations that are meant to prevent the skin on the neck from sagging. Look for a product that contains the triad of humectants, peptides and antioxidants along with phytoestrogens.

These are plant estrogens that make up for the dip in the levels of natural estrogen. Derivatives and extracts of soy, wild yam, genistein, flax, sesame and tea will have this effect on the skin. Licorice root extract, gotu kola extract and sea weed extract are other ingredients to look for as these help to retain skin firmness and deal with age / liver spots.

To apply the neck cream, tilt your head back so you get complete access to the neck area and then work the skin in upward strokes, starting at the collar bone and moving up till you reach the jaw line. Also move your hands sideways and away from the center of the neck.

Serum

Your forties would also be the time to get an upgrade on the retinol serum that you have been using. You will need to see a dermatologist for prescription stuff like tretinoin, retin A or retinoic acid or at least go for an increase in strength. For example, if you were using a product with 0.025% retinol concentration, it is time to move to 0.03% concentration.

Moisturize

Retinol puts cellular turnover in high gear, erases dark spots due to its exfoliating effect, reduces fine lines and wrinkles and thickens skin. But, to reap all these benefits, you will need to counter the dryness that this ingredient causes and what better product than a facial oil to keep the nutrient goodness and the retinol power of your serum locked in? If you have never used oil on your face before, this would be a fantastic time to start.

I believe most people don’t give good ol’ carrier oils the credit they deserve because they fear the greasiness. But, here is a revelation for you: used in the right quantity and right way, oil does not cause greasiness. It will leave your skin with a soft and healthy glow and boat loads of skin healing nutrients.

Plant butters also work in the same way. Remember less is more when using a facial oil. A few drops is all you should use to cover the area between your collar bone and your hairline.

Weekly Dose Of Skincare

At the least, you will need 2 face mask treatments each week to keep your forties skin smooth and supple. To counter dullness and sagging and to infuse skin healing minerals into those dermal cells, try a clay mask early in the week. A round of facial steaming for 5-7 minutes will magnify the benefits. If you are preparing the mask at home, use milk (dairy/nut/soy) to mix the dry ingredients.

If using a store bought product, look for a hydrating clay mask. Yes, you do get those but it will take some searching! Whether the formulation comes courtesy of your kitchen counter or a store counter, keep it on your skin for no more than 15 minutes. You are supposed to feel the tingling tightness but you should not let the clay dry on your skin.

By midweek, your skin is bound to need some moisturization. So, a Wednesday or Thursday would be right for a deep hydrating mask that contains amino acids, fruit extracts and niacinamide.

If you have time for a bit of indulgence over the weekend, you must try out an over-night mask. This one is also for all you gals out there who never seem to have enough time for skincare. With an overnight mask, you get to wake up to glowing skin, what more could you possibly want?

Adjusting Your Skincare Routine For Weather

As far as weather changes go, I just have two tips for the forties something woman, hold on tight to your moisturizer even in summer. The heat will no doubt give you enough reason to skip your moisturizer but instead of leaving your skin cells parched, switch to a lighter formula or a quick absorbing skin oil.

In winter, switch to oil cleansing. If done right, I promise you won’t end up with a grease pan face. Use a blend of light and medium viscosity oils like rosehip, sweet almond, jojoba, hempseed, sesame seed and olive, etc.

You can also add a few drops of rose, geranium, lavender or palma rosa essential oil for the heavenly aroma and the skin benefits. Apply, right before your shower. This way your skin gets protected from the ill-effects of hot showers.

5 Tips For Great Skin In Your Forties!

Massage is a fantastic way to improve lymphatic drainage, to prevent puffiness and to enhance blood circulation. So, spend about 10 minutes each day, giving your neck and face a gentle massage. You can use your hands as long as you work in upward strokes or a device like a sonic, vibrating, pulsating, rollerball massager.

Chuck all powder based makeup in favor of creamy or liquid to matte products. I am talking about everything from foundation to blush here. Powder tends to settle in the fine lines and wrinkles and if anything makes them more visible.

A lot of home-use, anti-aging devices are both affordable and effective. I have tried micro needling, microdermabrasion and light therapy and have found all three quite effective against wrinkles and skin sagging.

Limit yourself to no more than a glass of vino a week and about 2 cups of java a day. Your moisturizer and facial oil will only help if the dermal cells are not dehydrated from the inside. A simple switch to green tea and herbal infusions and getting your 8 glasses of fluids per day will, without a doubt, get you more from your skin care routine.

Although there is little you can do about the receding layer of fat that sits beneath your skin, you sure can work on the muscles that lie even deeper. Facial exercise as well as some yoga asanas are known to strengthen these muscles. Stronger and toned muscles offer better support to the dermal layers. This won’t completely undo the effects of the decline in the thickness of the adipose tissue, but it definitely can stop the skin from collapsing into a layer of sagging, wrinkly mess.

Have a question or need a routine for your particular skin type, simply get in touch via email!

With The Right Skincare Routine, You Can Turn Back Time For Your Mature Skin!

by Olivia 3 Comments

Alas, your skin isn’t wine, so maturity does it no good.

I don’t have to tell you what mature or aged skin looks like; bet you have all seen wrinkles, skin sagging, liver spots and other ungainly signs of maturing skin.

Now, let me get one thing absolutely straight here – can you stave off skin ageing forever? NO! Unfortunately, researchers and scientists still have not found the mythical fountain of youth.

So, is all lost the minute you spot that first fine line or worst yet the ungainly wrinkle? Not at all! Within reason, skin damage can be undone. Above all, if the situation looks bad, you can stop it in its tracks and prevent it from getting worse.

That said, I am certainly not going to make the claims that you can regain the complexion and dermal flawlessness of your twenties. Not even a surgeon’s knife can get you there, let alone any topical interventions.

However, it is possible to look the best for your age group and continue to freeze things where they are for a few years. Although prevention is the best, treatment is your next best option even if it is not a 100% cure!

Now, before I tell you how you can stop your skin from turning into a wrinkly, sagging mess, let talk about the factors that aggravate the problems of mature skin.

This is How You Go From A Few Fine Lines To A Face Full Of Unsightly Wrinkles And Hyperpigmentation!

You may have noticed that men tend to develop the leathery, weathered look that women so dread, later in life. Attribute this to the natural masculine hormone testosterone. Of course, we have our own girly hormones, estrogen and progesterone. All three play an important role in reproduction as well as the skincare matrix.

As the levels of these hormones start dwindling and ladies they do start plunging by the time you hit your forties and sometimes even before, your skin starts losing its natural defense system. The result is dryness and lack of moisturization.

To make problems worse, there is the ever prevalent onslaught of free radicals, which causes a DNA level change in the dermal physiology. Add to this sun exposure and you get the most formidable enemy front that your skin has to face; one that pushes down the production of both collagen and elastin. These are the proteins that give your skin suppleness and elasticity.

Finally, unlike guys, you don’t shave off your face. Of course, I am not asking you to do that but what the daily scraping does for a man’s skin is that it acts as a natural exfoliating act.

In essence, if you have mature skin and would like to freeze the levels of skin damage endured by your face, you will have to:

Replenish lost fluids
Strengthen the skin’s lipid barrier
Protect your skin from UV rays and free radicals
Encourage the production of collagen and elastin
Treat age related hyper pigmentation

And, this is how you do it…

7-Step Morning Skincare Routine For Mature Skin

You know what the big problem with us forty something women is? We tend to get set in our ways, be it the bra we have been wearing since we went from mosquito bites to va va vooms or the shade of lipstick that was hot twenty years ago to the skincare routine that worked when we were in our thirties.

Unfortunately, your skin will have to pay the price for this resistance to change. Buying the first damn cleanser or serum that you come across which is sold with the declaration “for ageing skin” is not going to work. What you need is a routine that will help you on the four fronts mentioned above and you need to keep at it religiously.

Remember sebum secretion dips as you age and get close to menopause. While some who have always had clear skin are shocked by the sudden appearance of zits, for most it is dermal dryness as opposed to hyper oiliness that poses a problem.

Whichever way your skin decides to swing, start your day by giving it a firming wakeup call with this routine.

1. A New Way To Awaken Your Skin

You will need regular (black) tea frozen to ice cubes for this. Simply, fill two-three paper cups or an ice cube tray with the beverage and place in the freezer and by morning you will have enough for this unique procedure.

In the morning, go ahead and brew yourself an infusion of either chamomile or rose petal or rosehip tea or if none of these herbs are available just go with regular green tea. Now, you may have heard celebrities swearing by facial ice dunking; this is a just a more beneficial way to do it.

It will take about 10 minutes of your time in the morning, but I promise the results are so damn good that you will get addicted to it. Fill a large bowl, big enough to dunk your face in, with cold water. Put the tea ice cubes or popsicles in it. Fill another bowl with hot water (not steaming hot and not hot enough to burn) and add the chamomile infusion or green tea to it and soak a face cloth in it.

Once you get the ice cold and hot water ready, tie your hair back and dunk your face in the ice cold tea. Hold it in there for 10 seconds and get your face out. Pat your face dry with soft tissue and now place the hot face cloth on it for 1 minute.

Remove the cloth and dunk your face in the ice cold tea again. Repeat one more time and pat your face dry. Immediately, apply about 4-5 drops of your favorite skin oil and you will see large pores, puffiness and wrinkles almost disappearing. Once you are done with this, go about your chores as you normally do.

2. The actual cleanse

You can use an exfoliator and/or a creamy cleanser, so that you can tackle cleansing and exfoliation at one go. This will work well for you if you have sensitive skin.

For a homemade exfoliating medium, you can use sesame seed meal for sensitive skin. For mature yet oily skin, you should opt for a hydrating cleanser, preferably a product that contains fruit enzymes or alpha hydroxy acids and add used coffee ground to it. Rub your skin with the exfoliator in circular or upward strokes for about 1-2 minutes but do not exert too much pressure. You don’t want to scrub your skin raw. Wash the cleanser off your skin using room temperature water.

3. Toning

Pat your skin dry with a soft towel and immediately apply a replenishing and hydrating toner. A product that contains healing floral waters as well as humectants such as squalene, urea, hyaluronic acid and glycerin will supply the dermal cells with fluids that will keep them plump and healthy.

Apply the toner by spraying it on our skin (peepers closed of course) or you can use some cotton wool. Either way, you need to ensure that your skin gets thoroughly soaked in the replenishing fluid. Give the toner about 2 minutes to work on your face and neck and while your skin is in a semi dry state, go for the next step of the routine.

4. Spot treatments

As skin ageing creeps up on you, two of the most jarring complaints will be hyper pigmentation and under eye issues. Both of these call for spot treatment. For the liver spots or dark park patches, you can use a product that contains hydroquinone, a chemical that is often prescribed to treat melisma or chloasma.

But, there are some serious side effects linked to the topical use of this ingredient. In fact, if you ever dare to venture out of your home without a generous slathering of sunscreen after using this chemical, you risk permanent and very dark pigmentation on the treated area. Plus, there is also talk about its carcinogenic effects.

A better and safer approach is to use a product that contains licorice extract, mulberry extract and kojic acid. Of these, creams and serums with the first two ingredients can be used for general skin brightening. Kojic acid creams and lotions can only be used for a few weeks at a time. If you don’t suffer from general complexion dullness, go for extra strength preparations made from these ingredients and apply only on the dark spots or patches, right after toning.

Eye creams should also go on before the serum/moisturizer and pick formulations that contain caffeine, hyaluronic acid, cucumber, essential oils, carrier oils, sea weed or aloe gel for hydration and to counter under eye shadows. Apply the eye cream using inward strokes with your ring finger. Start at the outer corner of your eye and move inwards.

5. Serum

If you have not heard about retinol/retinoids, you have probably been living in some other galaxy; they are literally that popular. A form of vitamin A, retinol helps to boost the production of collagen and elastin, which takes a plunge as you age.

This not only helps to smooth out fine lines but also enhances dermal elasticity. Unfortunately, OTC stuff is rarely concentrated enough to make a big difference. Prescription stuff is strong but does not suit those with sensitive or dry skin.

Also, if you are already using any product that contains an ingredient which acts as a chemical exfoliant, such as alpha hydroxy acids, vitamin C, kojic acid, ferulic acid, etc, combining this product with retinol preparations will cause extreme dryness and possibly peeling and flaking. But, don’t pout in resignation as yet!

One way to include retinol in your daily skincare routine is to use a serum that contains Retinol during the day, such as this one here and choose another active ingredient such as squalene for night use.

Also, to prevent adverse effects gently ease your skin into daily retinol usage. Start using the product every alternate day and gradually work your way to one application/day. The serum should be used like any other. Apply a small amount (more is not better, really) all over your skin and allow it to work on your face and neck for about 10 minutes before going to the next step.

6. Moisturizer

We have already discussed that dehydration adds to the woes of age damaged skin and that a compromised lipid barrier is the main culprit that allows for this loss. So, one of the most important things that you can do for mature skin is to fortify the natural dermal defense mechanism.

Moreover, if you have used an acid based serum of any kind, this will add to the fluid loss from the dermal layers. So, for your mature skin, you will need a moisturizer that contains both humectants and emollients like nourishing oils and plant butters.

I know, you have already used a humectant rich toner but some more hydration never hurt anybody. Massage the moisturizer all over your face and neck, if you prefer you can use a roller, sonic or vibrating massager. The added stimulation increases blood circulation. So, your dermal layers get flooded in nutrients and antioxidants from the inside and outside. A 5-10 minute massage in the morning will keep your skin glowing through the day.

7. Sun protection

So, you have shown your skin just how much you love it by using the very best products for your dermal type. Yet, your efforts will fail to yield the desired results if you don’t address the pressing issue of damage caused by sun exposure. Nothing breaks down collagen and elastin fibers or speeds up the destruction of dermal cells like UV rays.

Since your mature skin is likely to have suffered from years of sun damage already, you certainly don’t want to stress it out more. So, play it safe and use a sunscreen with SPF 30+.

Did you know that the difference between an SPF 30 and an SPF 50 product is only 1% (SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays whereas SPF 50 approx. 98%). Plus, add to the protection factor by taking the old world route of using an umbrella or a wide brimmed hat. Believe me all the nay-sayers will have those frowns and smirks etched on their faces as the giant flaming ball in the sky takes its toll on their skin.

Mature Skin Midday Skincare Routine

You can keep it simply in the afternoon by simply spraying your replenishing toner or favorite anti-aging face hydrosol on your skin or applying it with the help of cotton pads. Make sure to dab your skin with the liquid soaked cotton pad instead of using a wiping motion.

Wait for about a minute, which will get your skin to the semi dry state and apply your moisturizer just the way you did the toner, without any massage or skin stroking involved. The aim is to rejuvenate your skin, without messing up your foundation or concealer.

A good serum/moisturizer would be a fluffy emulsion that offers both hydration and replenishes lipids. So, you want a bit of occlusive effect with major humectant benefits plus some antioxidants thrown in for good measure.

Night Routine For Mature Skin (4 Steps)

This is the time when you really pamper your skin because those dermal cells are going to be working through the night. So, they need all the nutrition and TLC they can get.

Follow this 4 step skincare routine and you will have a hard time

1. Cleansing

End of the day skin cleansing is without a doubt more cumbersome since it involves the removal of makeup, then a wash and more. In fact, most find it so tedious that they end up going to bed with day old makeup and grime still on their face. I don’t have to tell you how disastrous the results are of such a lapse.

Now, I can go on and on about how crucial it is to remove your makeup and thoroughly clean your skin at night but I am sure you have already read/heard all of that before. Instead, I am going to tell you how you can make your life easy. Have you heard of oil cleansing already? If not, it is time to learn about it and incorporate it into your skincare routine.

All you are going to need is your favorite carrier oil, take your pick from sesame, hempseed, sweet almond, olive, pumpkin seed, rosehip seed, grapeseed oil or others. Mix in a few antioxidant essential oils like those of sage, rosemary and oregano, 1 drop each for a tablespoon of carrier oil. If you want more bang for your buck, put together flaxseed and mustard seed meal in 3:1 proportion. Do not mix this with the oil blend but store it in a separate, airtight container in a cool and dry place.

To cleanse your skin, start by using the pure carrier oil on your peepers. This will take care of the eyeliner, mascara and eye shadow. Remove with damp cotton wool. Next, mix the oil blend and the oil seed meal to form a paste and apply all over your face and neck using circular strokes, just don’t get too close to the lash lines.

This is gentle exfoliation and antioxidant power at its best. Massage your skin with the lipid and seed meal blend for about 5 minutes. Then, wash your face off with warm water and a final splashing of cold water. Pat your skin dry and go to the next step.

2. Tone

You can use the same humectant rich, replenishing and hydrating toner you did in the morning or opt for another one with soothing floral hydrosols. A combination of lavender and rose floral waters or neroli and jasmine will prep your skin for further treatment. Again, apply with cotton wool soaked in the hydrosol or toner or spray the liquid on your skin using a spritzer.

3. Serum

If you have used retinol in the morning, now it is time to open up the royal buffet for your skin in the form of a nourishing skin serum. Look for vitamins that not only help in the process of skin healing but also increase the rate of cellular regeneration.

So, choose serum formulations that combine vitamin C, B6, E, K with amino acids, ceramides, sea weed or gotu kola extract, turmeric, rosewood, cypress or helichrysum essential oils. These ingredients will not only supply the dermal cells with all the nutrients they need but will offer protection from oxidative stress and metabolic toxins.

To use the serum, smooth it all over your skin using upward strokes. Do not rub too hard or for too long. Because most serums get absorbed quickly, the more time you spend rubbing them on your face, the greater will be the chances of losing half the quantity on the skin of your palms.

4. A double dose of moisture

Finally, coat your face and neck with an occlusive agent that will form a protective barrier on the surface of your skin and prevent the loss of moisture.

No, you don’t have to use mineral oil, beeswax or petroleum jelly. Instead, pick a product that contains soothing carrier oils like those of almond, evening primrose, sea buckthorn, rosehip, argan, macadamia nut, Shea butter, jojoba oil and others. A rich skin cream or a face oil will be well suited for this last step of your skincare routine.

Massage the formulation into your skin for about 10 minutes. Once again, go ahead and use the roller ball or vibrating massager to minimize the loss of the active ingredients. Ideally, this should be done about 30-45 minutes before bed time. Before you call it a day, use damp cotton wool to remove the excess lipids from around eyes. Simply press the cotton pad on the skin around the eyes and lift without actually wiping off the skin oil / moisturizer.

Mature Skin Weekly Routine

All those lines and wrinkles are a testament to the fact that your skin has taken a sound beating for several years, both from internal and external factors. So, you will need to go the extra mile to pamper it. And what better way to do just that than a facial? No, you don’t have to spend a bundle on salon treatments, as long as you have face masks that suit your skin handy.

First up should be a mask that will infuse the dermal cells with healing minerals, get the blood supply going and tighten the sag. Pick a product that is 100% natural and does not contain added preservatives, color and fragrances (yes they do exist).

Apply in a thick coat all over the face and neck, save the area around the eyes and give it about 15 minutes to show its benefits. It is important to not let the mask dry completely on your skin because this will pull out the hydration from the skin cells and as it crack, the pulling effect may cause micro tears.

To get more bang for your buck and time, remove the mask by using warm water infused with green tea. In the middle of the week, go for an antioxidant and hydrating mask, preferably a product that contains fruit enzymes that will boost cellular regeneration and refine the pores.

Finally, at the end of the week, use a moisturizing mask. You can take your pick from sheet masks, “all night” oil masks or liquid paraffin masks. Once every two weeks, do not forget to use facial steaming before the mask treatment, this is a quick and surefire way to hydrate the dermal layers.

Adjusting For Weather

If you tend to spend a lot of time outdoors in summer, even with the diligent use of sunscreen, you may suffer from dermal dehydration and inflammation. To counter these damaging effects of the hot sun and the sweltering weather, use aloe gel or a mask made by soaking oatmeal in almond milk every alternate day or when you have spent a significant amount of time out and about.

Because the humidity and the heat causes excess sweating, summers are notorious for sudden bouts of acne. A cleanser that contains alpha hydroxy acid will keep your pores free from dead cells and grime and pimples at bay, use it every alternate day if you have a mild to moderate problem with acne.

For winter, switch to intense moisturization if you have mature skin. Amp up your skincare by using a super hydrating and moisturizing balm instead of a fluffy cream. Balms often have enough occlusive power to keep frigid temperatures from harming your skin.

If you don’t have acne prone skin, you may want to try phasing out your regular cleanser and using oil for cleansing, in the morning and at night. If you are not comfortable with this, at least switch to a creamier cleansing formulation. Also, start using a facial oil or a creamy moisturizer on top of your regular summer time skin serum/moisturizer, during the day.

Adjusting For Hormones

As you get to the point where Aunt Flo is gets ready to bid farewell, you will find your skin getting drier and more erratic. Unfortunately, every woman has a different response to the drop in estrogen levels that signals the start of the menopausal phase. So, you will have to tailor your skincare routine to meet the specific issues that you may have.

For instance, if acne is a problem, start using a BHA fuelled cleanser every alternate day. Chances are that you may already be using a serum or cream that contains retinol or vitamin C. In both cases, counter the natural dryness that is caused by the hormonal fluctuations as well as the dehydration brought on by the use of these ingredients by using a rich skin cream or facial oil on top of the serum. Plant butters such as those of cocoa, shea, mango and kokum are exceptionally effective on mature skin.

The Final Word

In conclusion, remember that you can use the most expensive and effective skincare products known to mankind but the results they offer will be dismal if you don’t know your skin type and make healthy lifestyle changes/choices. Workouts and healthy eating really do go a long way in keeping your skin youthful.