As I tumble towards the big 4-0, I have become more and more conscientious about my skincare routine. In my younger years, I was a sun-lover. Poolside, tanning beds, the whole enchilada. Granted, I have Native American blood in me, but that’s no excuse for not wearing sunscreen. Of course I didn’t learn that until I made the mistake of getting one of those skin analysis done at the dermatologist. Yowza. Who knew I had so much sun damage! I had to do something! So, sunscreen became a part of my ritual, and anything I could afford to reverse the damage. In the last year or so, I have a few things that have become my favorites – and they’re affordable!
1
microdermabrasion crystals
This stuff is like magic in a jar! I used to love getting a facial and microdermabrasion every month when I lived in Nashville. After a few years in Haiti, I noticed that I had really aged! Since we moved here, I’ve only gone to the US about twice a year, so facials and/or microderm wasn’t regular. Until I discovered this … these little crystals slough off the dead skin, clean pores, and leave my skin smooth and radiant! Add a little scoop of these to your usual cleanser and get a spa-fresh face in just a minute!
2
serums
These are a KEY component to my nighttime skincare routine. Vitamin C helps repair damaged skin and keeps my complexion even. It has also given the gift of helping reduce my sun damage from my younger years. I use Hyaluronic Acid every night, and this is the serum of choice to use with my derma roller. Over the age of 35, our collagen production decreases (bummer, right?). HA helps boost that production once again. After adding these two serums to my nighttime routine, my skin has thanked me!
3
derma roller
I only began derma rolling last year and what a difference it makes! I combine this with the HA serum to boost skin and collagen production. It feels a bit like you’d imagine rolling a pinecone across your face would feel like. And your skin gets all pinkish and you can really feel the skin cells screaming. It hurts so good. I love, love, love this tool – it quickly became my favorite. At first, you’ll only want to use it once a week, but you can work up to a few times. Be sure not to use this on any acne, though – you’ll want to treat that first, then use the derma roller.
4
eye cream
The Wolfberry Eye Cream from Young Living is so rich and creamy, it feels like heaven. I tried this with my YL subscription and instantly fell in love. The creaminess is divine and it smells great too. I use this at night only – I tried it in the morning once, and didn’t find it to be make-up compatible. I put this on before the final moisturizer at night and let it soak in before going to bed with my eye mask, otherwise it makes my face stick to the mask haha! (Full disclaimer, I sell YL products, but this isn’t my favorite thing because of that.)
5
HA lip balm
When I discovered HA for the first time, this was my first purchase. I have always had full lips (when I was born, my great aunt said I was going to grow up to be a lipstick model because they were so full). But I noticed that my upper lip, in particular, had lost a little volume over the last couple of years. I tend to think that full lips give a youthful appearance, and quite liked mine, so I wanted to restore what I could and tried this lip balm. It is something that I ALWAYS keep in stock in my bathroom, and use it morning and night. At night, I even apply it just outside my lip to keep mouth wrinkles in check.
6
almond oil
Next to coconut oil, almond oil is my favorite. I use coconut oil for cooking, oil pulling, etc. But almond oil is my favorite choice for skincare. I use a drop under my eyes each morning before applying makeup to prevent caking under the eyes. I use a drop at night on my eyebrows and eyelashes to promote growth. And occasionally I use a few drops as a moisturizer when my skin is really dry. It can even be used as a cleanser – just rub in, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe off with a cotton pad. It really cleans out those pores, while also moisturizing the skin.
I want to know YOUR favorite ant-aging products … what do I need to try? Or what of my favorites do you need to try? And let me know what other Faves you want to hear about!