Six (Simple) Steps To Better Skin
Just because we’re older doesn’t mean we need to invest in scores of expensive products to keep our skins looking good. What we do need to invest in, however, is time. Give your skin regular attention and you will see the results very quickly. I’m not suggesting 10 complicated steps morning and night – rather, an easy routine to keep your skin nurtured and happy.
Step 1: Cleanse
Just splashing water onto your face doesn’t make the cut. In fact it can even be drying as some water, depending on its mineral content, strips your skin of natural oils. Use a cleanser to remove dirt and grime and take about two minutes to massage the cleanser into your skin. This will give the ingredients time to actually work and also improves circulation, so your face looks less dull, more glowing. A washcloth adds a slight exfoliating effect to the process.
I love Ipsum Best Skin Cleansing Oil Balm, $32, which not only feels super-nourishing and comforting but also removes make-up and tightens your pores (sun damage and stress make pores larger as we age).
Step 2: Exfoliate
Skin cell turnover slows dramatically as we get older. We’re not shedding those upper layers of skin as rapidly as we once did, leaving our face less smooth. You can use either scrubs or AHAs. If you use a scrub, make sure the granules are superfine; perimenopausal and menopausal skin is often more fragile due to hormonal change. If you opt for AHAs, be aware that your skin will be more sensitive. Overusing AHAs can also disturb your skin’s acid mantle (its protective barrier) leaving your skin drier.
I love: the gentle Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub, $14.99, which includes hydrating jojoba beads that brighten and smooth while keeping skin soft
Step 3: Use A Serum
The concentrated active ingredients contained in serums – such as brightening vitamin C (for morning use), plumping hyaluronic acid and line-minimising retinol (for night use) – absorb quickly and deeply into skin providing you’ve exfoliated first. However, I only recommend using vitamin C or retinol if you are vigilant with your sun protection as such products can cause photosensitivity, increasing the risk of damage from UV exposure. I don’t use a brightening serum because I’ve decided to live with my sunspots, so I like one that delivers more hydration.
I love: a moisture-boosting elixir like Natio Hyaluronate Skin Hydration Serum, $19.95, which draws moisture into the skin
Step 4: Moisturise
A dermatologist told me recently that when women spend a lot on a moisturiser, they tend to use it too sparingly. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get results. I’ve been using my moisturiser – which I affectionately refer to as “the Jane Fonda cream”, after its spokesperson – for many years, since discovering it was very similar to a luxe cream I had been road-testing. It all made sense when I noticed the second ingredient listed on the packaging was the hydrating superhero, squalane oil. You don’t necessarily need an eye cream. I simply extend my moisturiser up and around the eye area.
I love: L’Oreal Age Perfect (available as day cream and night cream), $32.99 each
Step 5: Sunscreen
The trick with sunscreen is to choose one that sinks in quickly and complements your make-up. Shine is now my friend because I like my skin to look a little glowy. I also want it to tick these important boxes: broad spectrum UVA/UVB coverage, a fragrance-free formula to reduce the chance of irritation, water-resistant so I don’t sweat it off during a hot flush, and also paraben-free, reef-friendly and Australian-made.
I love: Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Face Sunscreen Lotion, $14.95
Step 6: Mask
At least once a week, preferably twice a week, use a mask – and not just on your face but on the neck and decolletage area, too (either extending down with a cream mask or squeezing product from cloth mask packaging onto the area). My all-time favourite cream mask – Weleda’s Skin Food – is not actually a mask but a deeply hydrating multitasker traditionally used on hands, elbows and feet. I use it as an overnight mask and wake up feeling like my thirsty skin has been nourished back to life. It also has a lovely, relaxing scent. With landfill top of mind, I only recommend biodegradable cloth masks: The Body Shop’s Drops of Youth Youth Concentrate Sheet Mask $9 and The Skin Republic’s Hyaluronic Acid + Collagen Biodegradable Sheet Mask, $7.99
I love: Weleda Skin Food, $15.95
Words_ Adriana Donnola
Photos_ Aenic/Pexels + Supplied