On The Beauty Beat: Summer Skincare
Some of you have recently asked about my skincare routine, so here’s the latest. On one hand, I’m really picky about skincare. It has to be effective, and it also has to feel good on my skin. (And be cruelty-free.) But I’m also open to trying new things and switching products when I find something I like better.
My Summer Skincare Routine (for Mature Skin)
This year because of the shutdown, I really haven’t been able to get out and try new products, other than samples included with other beauty orders. So I’ve been mostly sticking to tried-and-true favorites. Summers here tend to be dry, so moisture and hydration are key to keeping my mature skin looking its best.
Mornings:
- I don’t cleanse in the mornings, just rinse with water and pat dry.
- If the air feels particularly dry, I’ll start with a spritz of Tata Harper Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Floral Essence
- Next, serum: I use Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum. I like the product, but not the amount of plastic packaging. I’m on the lookout for another vitamin-C serum that’s also cruelty free.
- Eye cream: I have two that I like. Brian + MW Illuminate & Contour Eye Treatment really improves the texture of the skin around my eyes. It has noticeably reduced that crepeiness on my lids. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream is a good option that’s also a little more budget-friendly. It does brighten and reduce dark circles.
- Moisturizer: I’ve been using Charlotte’s Magic Cream as a daytime moisturizer for a couple of years, and still haven’t found anything else I like as well. It’s rich, but really feels like it absorbs into my skin.
- Neck cream: I’ve never had a smooth neck. Even as kid I had deep creases. No product is going to get rid of those. But the Brian + MW Firming Neck & Throat Creme does noticeably improve the texture and firmness. I use this in the evenings as well.
- Sunscreen: I never, ever skip this, even if I’m not planning to be outdoors. I’ve recently switched to Versed Guards Up, and really love it. It looks good on its own, doesn’t get cakey, and works brilliantly under makeup.
- Lip treatment: Brian + MW Re-Creation Lip Treatment is one of my Holy Grail products. My lips used to be perpetually dry and flaky even though I used lip balms constantly. This treatment used 2-3 times daily works wonders! It eliminated the flakiness, and really improved the texture of my lips. You only need a tiny bit. Give it a few minutes to absorb before applying lipstick.
Evenings:
- If I’ve applied any eye makeup, I do a first pass with a little micellar water on a cotton pad, then cleanse with Colleen Rothschild Radiant Cleansing Balm. Love this stuff! It removes all remaining makeup and is totally non-drying.
- Most nights I use prescription Retin-A. I always apply this first.
- Serum: I was introduced to Ahava Extreme Night Treatment by one of the knowledgable staff at City Pharma in Paris a couple of years ago. Still like it.
- Eye cream: Brian + MW Illuminate & Contour Eye Treatment.
- Moisturizer: I’ve been using Colleen Rothschild Extreme Recovery Cream at night for the past several months. It’s rich but not greasy, and feels very soothing.
I’ve been meaning to try some sheet masks, but there are so many out there, it’s been a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which might be best for me. (If you have any particular favorites, I’m open to suggesions!)
All of the products I’ve mentioned are cruelty-free and paraben-free. How do you find new skincare products? What’s your top priority with regard to skincare?
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I love Kiehl’s products, including the avocado eye cream and the ultra facial cream.
I live Kiehls! Try the vitamin c serum and the calendula moisturizer!
I have started using Tree of Life Vitamin C serum, I really like it. It is made in the USA, paraben and cruelty free, feels great and is very reasonably priced.
You might want to check into the natural products by local Pasadena company Lather. They’re lovely!
Thanks, I will check out their website.
If you don’t follow Angie of Hot and Flashy, she is an excellent source of information on skincare that works. Her father was a cosmetic chemist and she researches the science, not the hype, of the products she uses. I have used Retin A for at least 18 years, it is the holy grail of ALL skin care. I am now 72 and people always think I am at least 10 years younger.
Yes! Angie is a great source of information.
SkinCeuticals Biocellulose Restorative Mask is fantastic for an at home moisture infusion ! My mature skin
thanks me every time I use it. It is a sheet mask and the company claims to be cruelty free. It can be used after a peel or that sort of procedure as well to relieve discomfort and hydrate. It’s on the expensive side at 120.00 for six masks but when you think about the cost of a facial it’s not so bad.
The avocado eye cream from Kiehl’s mentioned above is also a favorite.
I bought a tube of the Versed sunblock after your sunscreen post a week or so ago and I’ve been wearing it out daily since it arrived. I am finding my normal to dry skin likes it! Thank you for sharing your experience with it.
I like Timeless’s Vitamin C serum. They changed the packaging from a dark bottle to plastic recently. I like that the new plastic packaging is keeping my product from oxidizing too quickly. With the bottle, it would start oxidizing after the first use. I think the new packaging keeps it more airtight.
Yes to the cosmetic industry using less plastic!
I have loved Olay Regenerist serum before applying makeup in am
for >20 years and still love it! Just do not love the plastic wrapping and wish it came in
a glass bottle–so much plastic —
Like cruelty free –it would make a big difference to our environment to rethink all the packaging.
Samples are an issue as well! Fun to get but the packaging—-
For those with grumpy rosacea skin that flares up from products with fragrance or other ingredients that can irritate or inflame, I recommend Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. I thought I was using a pretty gentle cleanser, but switching to Vanicream made a huge difference in my skin’s dryness, redness and breakouts, all of which greatly improved. I use a vitamin C serum, but TBH I can see no change after four months of using it daily, and CeraVe moisturizer, which is a godsend for sensitive skin. Glo Luminous Liquid Foundation (SPF 18) is my go-to because it’s not too heavy, but still enough to obscure those brownish patches. It’s also talc- paraben- and cruelty-free.
I discovered Lemongrass spa which is vegan, natural, organic, cruelty free android environment friendly packaging. I use products from my head down to my toes.
Now I know why your skin looks so young!! So many products!!! I don’t have the patience nor the money for that.
Greetje
Any recommendations on the use of a facial and/or eye primer prior to makeup application……anyone ?
I would highly recommend the 20% VITAMIN C + E FERULIC ACID SERUM from Timeless Skin Care. I used to buy the SkinCeuticals version which was $185. I switched to this one on the recommendation from Angie of Hot&Flashy. I love it and I cannot tell the difference. I have been using Timeless for about 2 years and love it. Angie has a permanent code which makes the product about $20, and the packaging is minimal and great for travel.
The other product I would highly recommend for dryness is SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. About 8 years ago, I was experiencing dryness while living in Atlanta, and a sales associate at Nordstroms recommended this product. It looks like water, so I was skeptical. Boy, was I wrong. In 2 weeks, I noticed such a difference. My skin never feels dry or tight. I have been using it twice a day every since. Instead of shaking a few drops into my palms, I put it in a small spray bottle I got at Walgreens. After washing, I spritz my face and let it soak in a bit. I add other serums on top and rest of my skincare. It is the one product that I ALWAYS use no matter what else changes in my routine. It is expensive, but I buy the largest size which has a pump; the largest size makes the cost per ounce pretty reasonable and it lasts about 7 months.
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Magic Facial Dry sheet masks are the best I have ever used. First of all, they are not gloppy, they have a nice dry feel. Second, each individual mask is reusable up to 3 times, so at $22 each that works out to $7 per treatment (it comes in a resealable package) and third THEY WORK! My skin looks so refreshed and glowy. It’s the only mask I will buy.
I worked in the skincare industry until I retired last year. Constant exposure to new products (ours and competitors) as well as more knowledge than the average layperson means I was a skincare product junkie, always trying new things. But I am quite picky; products have to feel good on my skin as well as work well. I’ve settled into a more constant routine over the past 6 months. One of my favorite products is JayJun Lavender Tea Eye Gel Patch, made in Korea and not labeled for US market but sold on Amazon.com. They feel wonderful and really smooth out the under eye area, though only temporarily.
Makeover Workshop’s lip treatment is one of the few beauty products I tried which actually works, not just for dryness, also it enhances my natural lip color. So thanks, Susan, I would not have found it but for you. I bought the Versed which seems very nice but I cannot bring myself to slather it on as I do with Eucerin. For everything else it’s Obagi’s maintenance program, which includes Retin-A, and Lazlo’s method (although no longer those products) of acid-balanced oil before soap and hot water. 77 and still care about how I look, so sue me! It’s a nice distraction from the serious.
How about crepeyness? Do you have any suggestions?
For crepeyness around the eyes, I highly recommend the Makeover Workshop Illuminate & Contour Eye Treatment.
I will second the many recommendations to try the serums from Timeless- they are great and not expensive. I also very much like some new products from Versed I’m trying- Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum and Shortcut Overnight Facial Peel. I have difficulty using Retin-A products ( skin can be very sensitive) but these 2 new Versed products do the trick for me for exfoliation and smoothing.