Over 40 & Lookin’ Good…
OK, I’m not against facelifts or little procedures that help you look and feel your best. I’m just saying you might not need one (yet anyway). At a certain time, there may be nothing, but nothing that will give you that lift or smoothness you crave in your facial contours, but you can probably stave it off for at least a few more years (or decades).
As a licensed esthtician and skincare specialist, AND a woman over 40 (heading straight into 44), I am always looking for a few easy tricks to give me a more youthful look. Over the last few years, and a lot of playing around with products in front of my own bathroom mirror, I’ve found a few that work over and over.
I’ve read a lot about makeup tips and how to make them work for you so I’ve seen a lot. Some I’m going to discuss are oldies but goodies and some are newer tricks that I haven’t heard of. Some will work for you daily, some you’ll want to delve into only before a big event (fancy dinner, reunion, meeting friends you haven’t see in ages, etc.).
I’ll try to keep them simple, but if you read them and have questions, or better yet, suggestions, please email me! I’m working on a new book about women over 40 and the dirty little secrets we have about aging (good and bad) and I’d love to share your tips with my readers!
Ready? Let’s roll…
A few years ago I was out to dinner with a group of women around my age. I didn’t know many of them, so I was fairly quiet during the dinner and listened to their conversations about kids, men, work, etc. As I looked around the table and studied them, the question in my head for 90% was “When is the last time you EXFOLIATED?”
These women were attractive, but looked (seemed to me) older and more worn than they needed to. The pervasive problem (besides a bit of dowdy clothing and one or two out-of-date haircuts) was that their skin looked tired, dull and very dry. They needed a good exfoliation and each would retain a pink, youthful glow that would knock an easy 5 years off like that!
Don’t roll your eyes thinking oh jeez, I know this already. But think about it: When was the last time you exfoliated? You need to prep your skin like a canvas and without a good exfoliation, it just can’t happen. You can give your skin a smooth, plump appearance (not to mention a nice rosy glow) in your own bathroom without the hassle of appointments and serious peeling and redness. You just need to get rid of dead skin, plump up the surface (and fine lines) and get a nice glow. A good exfoliation process will do all that in just minutes.
Have you used a good chemical or abrasive exfoliator? There are so many on the market, that there is no excuse not to. You can have chemical peels or microdermabrasion at the docs or a spa or you can use an at-home kit. The light chemical peels (usually aha or glycolic) work fine; the home microdermabrasion work well. Try each. Use one type per week and see which gives you better results. I personally love the Serious Skin Care C-peel, but I’ve tried the Beauitcontrol microdermabrasion and it works great, too.
Once your skin is prepped, you’ll find lotions and makeup just flow on and stay smooth and lovely. Get exfoliated before even thinking about trying the following tips. TIP ONE: Exfoliate on a regular basis.
