I hesitate to use the term anti-aging because I’ve gotten in trouble for this in the past. To be clear I am not anti-aging, I am pro aging because it’s always better than the alternative, right? My 40’s has been the best decade of my life by far. I am happier, more content, more insightful and plenty of other good stuff that comes along with aging so yay for getting older. But for the sake of clarity (since it’s the term the beauty industry uses) let’s use the term anti-aging today. Moving on!
The beauty industry is a multibillion-dollar industry and women are willing to pay a lot for beauty products, especially if they work. Simply because I am a blogger I have experimented with a lot of things over the years, I’m always trying something new. I also have very sensitive skin and the products I’m recommending today have truly worked for me. I can’t switch products often so once I find something that works well I tend to stick with it for several years. It’s unusual for me to change products unless I find something that is a game changer and works really, really well.
One of the biggest issues when we start getting older is our collagen production slows down and this causes sagging and wrinkles. Using products that are going to boost your collagen levels are super important especially when you are in your 40s and honestly, I started using these products on a regular basis around age 35. The biggest bang for your buck as far as collagen production goes is a product that contains retinol. For years I went to my dermatologist and got Retin-A but I had to stop using it because it made my skin red, dry, and flakey. Some women can handle it well in prescription strength but I was not one of them. I had to go out and find some other options, most of which are available at your local drugstore for less than $25.
The products I’m sharing today are going to improve the texture and tone of your skin and improve your glow but they likely aren’t going to move the needle much in terms of reducing wrinkles. Retinol products will help the most with wrinkles as far as actual lasting changes or you can try plumping products like hyaluronic acids, which will temporarily fill wrinkles, but retinol products are what is going to boost collagen production for longer lasting results. Watch my weekly Coffee Chat video below for the inside scoop on how I deal with my wrinkles – it’s a little controversial.
1. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream
I switched to this product from Retin-A because it is much gentler on my skin but still very effective. I still experienced some irritation when I initially started using it but over time this has been working really well for me. The key to this one is to use a pea-size amount to cover your whole face and then another pea-size amount to cover your neck and bring down onto your chest if you like. If you do experience irritation when you first start using it switch to using it every other day and that will help your skin adjust and build up tolerance to the treatment. It takes about 12 weeks to see results but you will likely start noticing improvements within 6-8 weeks. Over time my skin develops a better glow thanks to improved cell turnover. I also notice a reduction of fine lines and wrinkles thanks to the boost of collagen production. Note that any products containing retinol will make your skin more photosensitive so please be careful about your sun exposure when using these products. I often take a break from using them during the summer months. I did some additional research into night creams and found the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream and Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream are both also highly recommended in this category.
2. RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Anti-Aging Eye Cream Treatment
After 40 years of age eye creams become really important as the skin around your eyes is so delicate. It’s just not in my nature to spend a lot of money on expensive department store brands (although I’m sure plenty of them work wonders) but I kept seeing good things about RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Anti-Aging Eye Cream Treatment. In addition to wrinkles this also takes care of puffiness and dark circles which I wake up with every single morning thanks to my allergies. Even with my super sensitive skin I can use this gentle cream morning and night without irritation.
3. St. Ives Fresh Skin Face Scrub
As we age cell turnover slows down and causes dull skin/complexion which is why exfoliating is so important. Add exfoliating once per week to your skin care routine and you will be amazed at the difference you notice in your skin – it’s a true miracle worker! I use St. Ives Fresh Skin Face Scrub once or twice per week in the shower and it’s only a few dollars for a tube that lasts for a year! If you find it to be too harsh on your skin you can use a simple sugar scrub (there are plenty of natural recipes available on Pinterest). Another well reviewed exfoliating product is the No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator.
Exfoliating is the one thing I’ve noticed that really changes the level of glow in my skin, helps my makeup go on smoother, and improves my overall complexion.
4. Lumene Nordic-C Glow Boost Essence Serum
There are lots of targeted serums out there now that address myriad skin care woes. Choose a serum that’s going to treat your specific skin issues whether that’s acne, dullness, dry skin, etc. I have loved using Lumene Nordic-C Glow Boost Essence Serum and I know a lot of my readers have been fans of that serum as well. Don’t forget your serum goes on after your cleanser and before your moisturizer – layer your skin care products thinnest to heaviest otherwise it won’t penetrate through to your skin. The Vitamin C serum helps improve your glow and is an anti-oxidant to help protect your skin from free radicals that can cause aging.
5. Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer
Whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin finding a moisturizer that works for your skin type is so very important. I recommend bundling your moisturizer with your SPF protection so that you don’t have to do two different steps and are sure to always be protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. The thing that will most help prevent wrinkles and aging skin is sun protection. Studies have shown that using SPF can actually reverse some signs of aging. Keeping your skin moisturized also plumps it up so look for moisturizers that have hyaluronic acid in it because it will give you a temporary plumping effect that will make your skin look fresher, regenerated, and youthful. Drink more water! This is always important but especially in the cold winter months when the air is so dry and even harsher on our skin – stay hydrated! Products that help keep your skin moisturized are Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer which also has SPF in it. The Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream mentioned earlier also contains SFP and the day time version contains hyaluronic acid so you get triple the benefits from it.
