Good Skincare Comes First
This is my newest skincare routine update, I love it! As signs of age become apparent, I make tweaks and adjustments to my skincare routine to keep my skin as best as it can be. I do keep products to a minimum without going overboard on anything. I want to look and feel my best at whatever age I am (currently 58), never trying to roll things backwards too far since that is unrealistic and frustrating. The few products that I do use give me quick and lasting results. I do not like close-ups at all! This image is not touched up. I have switched to a BB Cream instead of foundation, I will talk about that in a future post very soon.
Good skin comes first whether or not you choose to wear makeup. As several of you have requested, I will post my makeup routine soon, but the most important thing before makeup is to have good skin so that you have a good canvas to work with. In the past, I have tried complete "systems" from various direct sales brands which are good but can be a costly investment. After a lot of reading and research about key ingredients and effectiveness, I found several over-the-counter basic skincare products that are just as effective and are easy on the wallet.
My skin now changes with the season. It was oily as a teen and young adult. Now, it is normal with a very slightly oily t-zone. I still do get a few breakouts if I use anything with heavy oils, so looking at the ingredients list for "oil-free" or fruit oils on products is important. As our weather becomes cooler and drier, my skin becomes drier toward the hairline, so I just add a little bit of my nighttime moisturizer to my daytime routine which takes care of that without buying more products.
For year-round day and night skincare that really works for me without buying excessively, I use these 5 products:
Nighttime Skincare Routine
Note: Always remove your makeup with a warm washcloth for effective cleansing that is also gentle. The warm cloth helps the cleanser penetrate while working off everything at the same time. Follow up with a couple of final warm water splash rinses with your hands after the cloth.
Step 1: Remove eye makeup: I use Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion. It is a gentle non-residual creamy product that removes even waterproof eye makeup. It leaves the eye area conditioned and soothed, while smoothing lines and reducing puffiness. It has also helped my thinning eyebrows grow back, they are much thicker now! Gently massage the cleanser onto your eye makeup then work it off with a warm wash cloth.
// Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion //
Neutrogena also offers: // Eye Makeup Remover Pads // and // Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover //
Step 2: Remove facial makeup: I use Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Face Cleanser. It is a rich airy lather that is fragrance-free and does not leave your face feeling dry. With a small amount of water added to the foam, massage the cleanser into your skin then work it off with a warm wash cloth. Follow up with a couple of final warm water splash rinses with your hands after the cloth.
// Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Face Cleanser // **Plus 10% off coupon at Amazon check-out with this link**
Step 3: Apply nighttime serum and moisturizer: I mix a few drops of Eve Hansen Vitamin C Serum into my Palmer's Cocoa Butter Night Cream then work the combination onto my face, eyebrow arch area and down the entire neck and chest area. If the mixture feels too thick, I just dampen my fingertips with water to blend it smoothly.
Eve Hansen Vitamin C Serum is under $20 plus a $2.00 off coupon right now -- This is NOT a Retinol, which is too harsh on me.
This is a Vitamin C serum that contains hyaluronic acid. Vitamin C is a nutrient for the skin that also lightens spots and uneven skin tone with time. Products that contain hyaluronic are good for plumping your skin. This element is found naturally in the sub-layers of our skin that happens to diminish with aging. Don't be afraid of the term "acid", it does not burn at all, your skin will drink it in. It also takes care of redness in the skin. The redness in my cheeks disappears when I use hyaluronic products.
// Eve Hansen Vitamin C Serum // **Plus $2.00 off coupon at Amazon check-out with this link**
Daytime Skincare Routine
I use a small amount of Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Face Cleanser in the morning. Just a small amount of foaming cleanser rinsed off with a splash of water and followed by Palmer's Cocoa Butter Day Cream is best. Always wash your face in the morning, even if it feels clean and moisturized from the night before. Moisturizers, natural skin oils and dead skin are a combination that need to come off in the morning to keep your good skin cycle happy and start the day with a fresh canvas.
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Moisturizer Set for day and night is excellent. It is safe on sensitive skin and contains anti-aging ingredients. This product is efficient enough to just use a little extra under the eyes, eliminating the need to buy a separate eye cream. (the day moisturizer shown in the 5-product picture above is not available any longer, so I use the 2-piece skin perfecting set shown below here)
// Palmer's Cocoa Butter Moisturizer Set //
Once Per Week Extra Skincare
Once per week, usually on the weekend or Friday night, I use Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser. This product gently works off stubborn dry or rough skin that is back toward my drier hairline and jawline. It gives my skin a smooth polished appearance that also allows my serum and moisturizers to be most effective and penetrate fully into the skin.
// Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser //
Do's and Don'ts of Good Skincare
** Protect your face from the sun at all times! I grew up in Florida watching my mom being a sun worshiper. She was very fair and paid for it with multiple procedures for skin cancer in her 40s and beyond into the rest of her life. I always wore makeup or sunscreen at the beach with a brimmed hat of some type, it makes a big difference.
** A warm wash cloth is best for cleansing. Tissue is harsh on the skin, especially the eye area, and can leave mico-lacerations in the skin that weakens the texture and can cause bacteria.
** Never, never, never sleep in your makeup. At the end of the day, your makeup has done it's job and your skin needs to breathe. Even if you no longer experience breakouts or acne, your skin can appear aged and dull with a rough texture from not resting enough from makeup.
** Use a serum at nighttime that works for your particular need. Be sure to read ingredients and know what the serum will do. Some can be harsh, so choose wisely.
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34 Comments
Hello gorgeous! You are blessed with beautiful skin and taking care of it is smart! Neutrogena and Cetaphil products are always great choices. I need to get one of those makeup removers.
Thanks so much, Stacey, you are very kind. I do have spots and “things” that are camouflaged by the lightweight makeup that I also wear, which I will detail in a future post. I cannot guarantee that anyone will see me with a bare face though, ha! Do try a few things while they are sale through my Amazon links, their prices cannot be beat. The eye makeup remover has also kept my lashes from falling out and being stubby. Thanks for visiting 🙂
Lori Jo
The Australian sun and dry climate is a killer for aging our skin and for sun damage that becomes skin cancer Lori Jo. I was guilty of getting sunburnt a lot as a child but fortunately wised up around 17 and started wearing a hat and using sunscreen (although sunscreen back then wasn’t the great stuff we have now!) I never put my face in the sun for more than a short while and always wear a hat in full sun. Your skin looks lovely and what you’re doing obviously works well. I don’t wear much makeup so I use facial wipes to take mine off and then slap on lots of moisturizer – pretty slack, but it seems to be working for me atm 🙂
You are darling, fresh and youthful! Some things can actually be reversed and softened with a few extras. Wipes are okay, but I have found that they don’t always clean deep enough, so a follow-up cleanser like the exfoliating one I mentioned is great for that. You might also like to try a tinted moisturizer that I am posting about soon. It is very light and has SPF, not a heavy foundation. The differences in these are this: “CC Cream” provides tint with color correction to even skin tone, and “BB Cream” (beauty balm) is similar but contains anti-aging serum type ingredients. Both under $10 – Every little bit helps 😀 Thanks for visiting!
Lori Jo
Hi Lori Jo, an excellent post that gives women on a budget ideas for maintaining skincare Over 50. We don’t need to spend a fortune, we just need to be consistent. Thanks for sharing at the Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond Facebook group and have a beautiful week.
Sue
Thanks for visiting, Sue. I really enjoy your FB page. I am sure we have all tried the “sets” and “systems”, but I found that the basics work for me now. And I will post soon about BB and CC creams instead of using classic foundation (which can actually accentuate area) versus these lighter weight alternatives. Talk soon!
Lori Jo
Hi Lori Jo I’m revisiting and I believe you don’t need to spend a lot of money for good skin care. If you eat a healthy diet and drink lots of water that helps from the inside. Most of us can’t afford the very expensive skin care and sometimes I don’t think they really make that much difference. I’ll be interested in your BB and CC cream post and also I just love your necklace! Have a great weekend. xx
Hey, Sue! You are absolutely right, it does all come from within and a simple, inexpensive cleansing routine keeps good skin at optimal balance. Keep watching for the BB and CC cream post, there are 3 that I have tried, it will be an informative post with full details. Thanks for visiting 🙂
Lori Jo
Thanks for this post! It’s nice to get some tips for products that work and don’t cost an arm and a leg!
Hey, Jann! Thanks for visiting. Now that I have tried probably thousands of dollars worth of products over the years, I have discovered that the basics are tried and true. So glad the post was helpful and inspiring for you, be sure to check the Amazon links I provided for some great deals! Thanks again for visiting 🙂
Lori Jo
Your skin is positively glowing, I’ll be adding these to my shopping list!
So glad the post was helpful and inspiring, you will like these items. Be sure to check the Amazon links I provided for some great deals! Thanks so much for visiting 😀
Lori Jo
Great tips for budget skin care. Your skin looks great!
Thanks so much, basics and consistency pay off – glad you also found the post informative! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Lori Jo
Hi Lori Jo! Thank you for these make-up remover tips. Pinned to my Ethereal Beautiful You board for our readers. 🙂 I am finding that I’ve had to change things up as I head towards the 60’s. 🙂
Have a great rest of the week,
Barb 🙂
So glad you found my skincare routine helpful and informative. Things do change but we don’t have to spend a fortune to modify! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Lori Jo
Hello again, Lori Jo,
After rereading this post, I realized how much we really do need to look after our skin as we age. My 26 year old daughter introduced me to Neutrogena’s make-up remover cloths and I recently bought my first package (my white washcloths are thanking me!). I love how they remove all eye products and face creams gently then moisturize your skin at the same time!
Again, great tips. Thank you,
Barb <3
Hey, Barbara! Yes, Neutrogena is a truly great product, and affordable is nice too. I sometimes use the cloths on trips for convenience, but usually add a tad of the cleanser afterward for a second cleansing rinse. My skin can still break out if I leave any stray makeup behind. So nice to hear that mother and daughter enjoy the same products!
Lori Jo
Thank you. What great ideas. How did the eye cleanser help you eye brows grow? Very interesting. I agree about not having to spend as fortune. First you use SPF and then moisturize etc. A Youtuber jut raved about Avon’s moisturizer. She’s SandraArt and she’s about 77!
Looking forward to reading more on your blog.
Hi, Sandra – Glad you enjoyed the post and helpful information. I had been neglecting my eyebrows since I do not need to pluck much anymore. The skin in that area had become dry and I woke up one morning with the outer half of my left eyebrow gone, ha! I read about castor oil helping, so I did that for a while but it caused a few breakouts there. I found that the new Neutrogena eye makeup remover actually helped plus made my lashes longer and fuller as well. I now massage moisturizer into my eyebrows at night to avoid dryness. I was actually an Avon Lady (and also Mary Kay, long time ago) for a few years, I do love Avon’s Anew skincare line, especially the Vitale set and the Hydration Gel, but the price is more than I want to spend now — my budget finds from this post give me the same results. I do not use a separate SPF lotion because the tinted BB cream I use instead of foundation has that in it along with other good skincare ingredients. Plus, Vitamin C serum provides a natural sun filtering property for the skin. I will post about my makeup application including this soon! Talk soon, thanks for commenting 🙂
Lori Jo
How fun to find your site. I really enjoyed this article because I have been looking for a new and inexpensive routine. Ive been bouncing around and reading a few other posts and found them so helpful. I for sure will be back to check out more.
So glad you found it helpful, Dru! I have tried so many things from high school until now, I just turned 58. Great results from minimal steps and dollars is a nice and it also cuts down on what to bring when travelling. Thanks for visiting, please come again 🙂
Lori Jo
Thanks for the recommendations. Seems I am always looking for that perfect cleanser and moisturizer.
🙂 gwingal
Hi, Nikki! I hope you will give these options a try per my links, Amazon has the best prices so we can stay well-stocked. I even use the Cetaphil cleanser as my shower gel now as well, very nice and soothing. Thanks for visiting! 😀
Lori Jo
Awesome and affordable options! Thanks for sharing, Lori Jo! Of course, you look fabulous! 😉 Pinned!
Thanks so much, Julie! Why let age take over when a few simple things ease the way and make us feel better, right? I appreciate your visit and the Pin 😀
Lori Jo
These are really great products and some of them I’ve also used. I don’t wear makeup much but I do need a good moisturizer.
Thanks for visiting the post, Mary! This combination has really worked well for me, Amazon has the best prices that helps me stay well-stocked! Hope you try the Palmer’s via my links, it is very nourishing and you don’t need much 🙂
Lori Jo
You are just beautiful! Thank you so much for the recommendations of products that are cost-effective. I’m looking forward to trying some of these!
Awww, aren’t you just too sweet, Richella! So glad you found the post informative, Amazon has consistently great prices on these items so I can stay well-stocked. Let me know how these work for you, thank you for the visit and comment 🙂
Lori Jo
can I purchase the vitamin C serum in Australia?
Hello, Peter! Apologies for the lengthy delay in my response. “Things” have happened in my life and I am just now back to blogging and updating things as I return to regular posts. I did check the Australian Amazon site for the Vitamin C Serum in my post and it is available to you in your country. It is sold out here in America, so good for you!
Thank you for visiting 50 With Flair! Sign up for my emails for updates and interesting new things on the blog 😀
Lori Jo
So glad I found your post! I am 50 and just now seeing wrinkles, especially around my eyes. I have sensitive skin and once in a while still get a zit or two (which seems really unfair!) Your routine sounds great and I also like that it’s not something that is going to cost me a small fortune. One question though, does the cocoa butter feel greasy or anything? Will it cause breakouts? I haven’t used a moisturizer much because when I was younger I was prone to acne. So I guess I am just concerned that it might cause blocked pores or something. Thanks again for the very useful post!
Hello, Beth! Apologies for the lengthy delay in my response. “Things” have happened in my life and I am just now back to blogging and updating things as I return to regular posts. I have recently updated my skincare routine for lighter, yet even more effective products. The cocoa butter moisturizer was not greasy or heavy, but it seemed to not penetrate deep enough for my continually changing skin. I too still get breakouts on the chin, but the cocoa butter did not seem to be an issue for me in that area. I really like many of the Neutrogena hydroboost products that are part of my newer routine, plus a couple of other good things all available via Amazon for ease of delivery and always in stock. Please sign up for my emails and watch for a NEW post over the next couple of days related to my newer skincare routine. I am partnering with one of my favorite authors on split-screen to make a morale boosting video about staying fresh and upbeat with appearance to lift our moods while we are all inside now with the worldwide Coronavirus scare. There will be an end to it and we have to keep our spirits positive to not come out of this with feelings of low self-esteem and doubt. Appearance is a big part of that to feel good about ourselves, especially as we go over and beyond 50 — We will do it with “Flair”! Thank you for your interest and comments, talk soon!
Lori Jo