Less Is More: The Skincare & Makeup Products I Actually Use
Over time, I’ve found myself simplifying both my skincare and makeup. I tend to stick with products that are easy to use, feel good on the skin, and deliver reliable results. I’ve had requests lately to share what I’m using, so here are a few I’ve been enjoying.
Skincare: My Starting Point
I’ve never been one of those people who loves to spend hours on my skin or has a 20-step “ritual.” I’m just too Type A. 😂 I’m looking for simple, quick and effective. Here are the products I’m using now.
Morning Skincare Routine
Cleansing. I usually just rinse my face in the morning, unless I’d forgotten to wash it the night before. (Happens rarely — I’m a creature of habit.)
Serum. I alternate between Tatcha Dewy Serum and By Brian Complete Renewal Serum.
Eye Cream. By Brian Re-Creation Illuminate & Contour Eye Treatment.
Moisturizer. I just started using Caudalie “Premier Cru” and really like it. I insist on moisturizers that feel like they absorb into the skin rather than sitting on top, and this one does that while keeping my skin feeling hydrated all day.
Neck Cream. By Brian Re-Creation Firming Neck & Chest Creme.
Sunscreen. The most important step!!! I’ve been using ISDIN SPF 50+ for the last couple of years and haven’t found anything I like better. It’s 100% mineral, and doesn’t pill or get cakey, and dries clear — no ashy tint. (I’ve tried tinted sunscreens, but find they often turn orange on me.)
Evening Skincare Routine
Cleansing. I alternate between Elemis Cleansing Balm and Vichy 3-in-1 Cleanser. Since I don’t wear much makeup, a single wash with either of these gets my skin clean without feeling dry.
Prescription Retin-A (Tretinoin). Last year my dermatologist bumped me up from 0.025% to 0.05%, and I noticed a difference within a couple of weeks. I apply a small amount after cleansing on my face and neck 5-6 nights per week.
Serum. I skip on the nights I use Retin-A, other nights I use By Brian Complete Renewal Serum.
Moisturizer. Caudalie “Premier Cru”.
Brow serum. I’ve been using RevitaBrow for the last few years, and it has helped them fill out a bit.
I usually don’t apply an eye cream in the evenings as I do warm compresses for dry eyes after cleansing and skincare.
Makeup: A Little Goes a Long Way
Other than a few years in the 80’s when we were all doing three shades of eyeshadow and two of blush, I’ve never worn much makeup. Except for lipstick. I almost always wear lipstick! 💄 Here are some of the products in my regular rotation.
Base
I stopped using regular foundation several years ago. I didn’t think it made that much difference, and was tired of it rubbing off on my clothes. Now I mostly use Jane Iredale PurePressed Mineral Foundation. This is what I use on my color clients, and they love the way it evens out skin tone while still looking fresh and natural. It’s what I’m wearing in the photo above, too. (Recommend this brush to apply.)
On days when I want a little more coverage or my skin is feeling dry, I like this Erborian CC Cream.
Cheeks
Lately I’ve been using this Jane Iredale Glow Time Blush Stick (I’m wearing “Ethereal” above, which adds just a bit of subtle color.) Her PurePressed Powder Blush is also really good.
Brows
My brows are pretty thin and sparse, even with after the treatment, so I usually fill in the “tails” with a pencil. I like this one from Chantecaille, or this one from Jane Iredale.
Eyes
Most days I don’t put anything on my eyes. I have chronic dry eye, and my opthamologist has recommended using moisturizing drops 2 or 3 times a day, which of course I make a total mess of. But I will sometimes use a little of the Jane Iredale Eye Shadow just on the lid and above the crease.
I’ve stopped wearing mascara, but do curl my lashes, which makes my eyes look more open. My favorite curler is this one from Chanel, which gently curls without crimping.
Lips
I’ve always been a lipstick girl, love wearing it, and love how it looks! I always use By Brian Re-Creation Lip Treatment about 15-20 minutes before applying lipstick. This is one of my Holy Grail products: it moisturizes, smooths and prevents flaking. (I also use at night before bed to keep my lips conditioned.)
Lately I’ve been alternating between two shades. I love red lipstick, and have been wearing Jane Iredale Colorluxe Lipstick in “Poppy.” The formula goes on evenly, and stays on for a good long while without feeling dry.
When I want a more natural lip look that I can apply without having to look in a mirror, I go for Chantecaille Lip Chic in “Sunrise.”
C’est tout! If you are looking to refresh or replenish any of your beauty favorites, Sephora is having big a sale now, so you might want to check there first.
That’s what I’m using right now—simple, dependable products that make getting ready feel easy rather than like a production. My routine has definitely evolved over time, and I’ve learned that consistency matters more to me than constantly trying new things. I’ll keep updating as things change, but for now these are the skincare and makeup staples I’m reaching for most days. If you have any favorites, I always enjoy hearing what others are loving too.
Stay in touch
Sign up to be notified of new posts and updates from une femme d’un certain âge.
I love and use Tatcha products, but was prescribed Retinol cream by a doctor for my face. All went well for the first two weeks, until I applied some hair removal cream on my lower face which has now resulted in burning, red skin which is peeling and swollen in areas. It is improving especially with the paw paw ointment. I think I should read the instructions a bit more thoroughly next time. I am going back to my Tatcha serum and Estée Lauder Resilience Day and night cream. Would like to try the Caudiele, but it is not available where I live. I do still use the Estée Lauder double wear foundation, but a thin layer to even out my complexion. My skin is not in such good nick as yours and needs foundation, but am not sure what it will look like once the redness disappears.
Can’t wait to read about your upcoming Paris tour/trip
Hi Susan, I had something similar happen with a Vitamin C serum a few years ago, so I avoid that now. And yes, I’m SO excited for the Paris tour!!
Susan, I have several varieties of eye problems including dry eye. Has your doc considered putting plugs in your tear ducts? You don’t feel him putting them in and you can’t feel that they are even there but doing so conserves the moisture in your eye. It’s worked for me. No more drops.
Hi Liz, thanks, my problem isn’t from the tear duct but from blockages in the oil glands around the lid. The oil is what binds the tears (water) to the surface of the eye. Warm compresses help the oil to liquify and the drops supplement in between.
What shade of Jane Iredale pressed foundation are you wearing? I love her makeup too
Hi Karen, I’m wearing “Warm Silk.”
thank you for these. I love the 2nd picture of you with shorter hair and glasses with a little “shoulder”.
Thank you for your frankness! I also just use a warm cloth in the morning and toner before starting early skin care. One eye is ‘dry’, the other one ‘too wet’..what a mess for makeup but I need the coverage with SPF in it. I do use Micellar water to remove makeup in the evening and then follow with a light cleanse before toner , serum, and night cream plus eye cream. I am lucky to be near a major mall and am trying a sample of Chanel Le Beige foundation at present after having a ‘testing’ of several colors. My dupe for previous Chanel foundations I have used has been Loreal True Match..honestly same color way!
A somewhat personal question: your skin is beautiful – smooth, taut, and ‘fuzz’ free! Do you do any regular treatments? Do you have any skincare tools that you use at home, and like?
I have a good skincare product routine, but have let facials and other treatments lapse and am thinking of beginning again – I just don’t know where to start.
Hi Debra, I’ve never had much peach fuzz, and the only treatment I do is an annual IPL laser (mostly for fading my pigmented lesions, or what my grandmother used to call “liver spots”). The IPL is also supposed to stimulate collagen.
Hi Sydney,
This is so useful thank you for the recommendations. I have very little hair on my eyebrows now and it’s very challenging to find something that works. I splashed out recently on Victoria Beckham’s Future Lash mascara and Satin Kajal eyeliner for a vacation and I was really impressed. Love your Sezane bead necklace on you such gorgeous colors that might be a Mother’s Day present to me!! All the best:)
You always have the best glasses–and red lipstick. Love your slightly larger and darker frames. They look chic (while, I imagine, being quite practical). Thanks for sharing your routine. It’s been a little while since you did one of these posts, and it’s always fun to find out what works for you!
I hope this isn’t too personal, but are you using those serums because of reactions to retinol and vitamin c? I can’t use either of those products because of skin reactions, but I would like to try a serum. By the way, you look great in your photo, and I really like your glasses!
Thanks, Alexandra! The serums I use don’t cause a reaction with the Retin-A, but do seem to have some positive effects (smoother, plumper skin). The one I stopped using had Vitamin-C, which was irritating, even when I didn’t use at the same time as the retinol.
I also have chronic dry eyes and I’ve found great relief with the Cornea Care Rest self heating pads. They travel beautifully and the feeling carries over for me well into the next day. I’m tempted to skip an evening but with wet macular degeneration I don’t want to chance that gritty sensation again. PS- that chantecaille lipstick is my go to. Thanks for the recommendation.
Re. base makeup: I’ve been using Bare Minerals Original Powder Makeup for almost twenty years; daughter who is 41 is also a fan. I love love it. No caking, no pilling, looks so natural etc etc. The big fluffy brush just makes it go on so smoothly, even with my somewhat dry skin.
Thanks for sharing all this information, Susan! I love the turquoise necklace on you!
So very glad to see you listing/promoting Jane Iredale, RevitaBrow/Revita Lash, and Chantecaille as they are ALL cruelty free products—thank you!
Skincare and make-up do not have my interesting the slightest. Funny, what?
But that blue necklace looks super on you.
Greetje
Plated….Intense or Daily Serum…..Skin Science or Plated Hair serum developed by scientists at Mayo Clinic. Available online or directly from the Mayo Clinic Store. Different formulations for face, hair and eyes. You can read about the product online.