Welcome to Dressed for My Day’s first annual Beauty Week. All week I’ve been sharing my real, everyday skincare and makeup routines. My goal for skincare is to help my mature skin look and feel its best through minimal, healthy practices and products. The beauty routines I’ve shared have been for an everyday, natural look. You can find all of the Beauty Week posts here.
Today I’m wrapping up the posts that have to do with my face by sharing my evening skincare routine.
A Word About My Philosophy on Aging
Before I share my truly simple and minimal nighttime skincare regimen, I thought I’d say just a word or two about my overall philosophy on aging.
This past week I watched a YouTube video by a fashion and beauty vlogger I admire and follow that got me to thinking about my beauty goals. Her skincare routine (minus the makeup) takes about 20 minutes each morning and even longer in the evening. Honestly, when I finished watching her extensive video I felt somewhat embarrassed about my measly Beauty Week blog posts, and I wondered if what I was sharing was even valid or worth posting. I mean she does so much more than I do to protect and beautify her skin each day. And she truly has beautiful skin…at about the same age as me.
But then I reminded myself that my skincare process fits me. Yes, it has evolved with time, and as I learn new things about skincare I do make a few changes here and there. For instance, I took the advice of several of my readers on Monday’s post and ordered a jar of vitamin C to add to my regimen.
Here’s the thing. I am aging. I’ll turn 55 tomorrow. Also, due to ignorance or foolish youthfulness, I did some damage to my skin in my earlier days – mainly by lying out in the sun. I’ve birthed babies and now I’m peri-menopausal. I worried and squinted in the sun. I take medications that alter my skin somewhat. And I live in a dry climate at a high altitude. These are the facts of my life.
So I’m just not one to pour buckets of money into fighting the signs of aging. I’ll do what I can and I do invest in a few pricey products. But most nights I feel like I’m doing well just to wash my face and put on some moisturizer. Honest, it’s a struggle to even accomplish that plus brushing my teeth some evenings! You, too?
The bottom line is I’m going to do as little as I can get by with and still have healthy, nourished and somewhat pretty skin.
And then I’m going to do the other things that I believe make just as much an impact on my physical beauty as any pricey products or procedures ever will. I’m going to spend time praying and reading my Bible, so I don’t grow anxious and fretful. I’m going to exercise and get some fresh air each day. I’m going to laugh and smile and enjoy my people. I’m going to drink plenty of water and eat somewhat healthy. And I’m going to to be grateful…because I believe gratitude is a tonic that cures so many maladies of the heart and thus our bodies, too.
If you want to do more, spend more or try more to preserve and beautify your skin…I’m all for it. I will never judge you harshly for that. In fact, I’d still appreciate your input or tips. But just don’t expect an extensive skincare regimen from me. I’m just not that girl.
Ok, moving right along!
My Evening Skincare Routine
Like I said, it’s a challenge most every night to take the time to wash my face. But I do, by golly. I never go to bed with my makeup on. Never.
I love washing my face with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It’s a milky cleanser, and I usually use about two pumps. I wet my hands in warm water first, then pump out a little cleanser and apply it directly to my skin with my fingertips.
I love that this cleanser feels so gentle and has relatively no fragrance. It’s tough enough to remove most eye makeup, and a container this size lasts me several months. I’ve used other products off and on throughout the years, but it seems I always come back to this Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser.
After thoroughly washing my face, I clean off the cleanser and the grime with a dampened wash cloth. Then I use my Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner to get any remaining residue off.
I just apply a squirt of toner to a round cotton pad and wipe it all over my face.
I’m careful to gently rub around the hairline, the crooks and crannies around my nose, mouth and chin, along my neck and under my ears.
Last, I apply CeraVe SA (Salicylic acid) Cream for rough and bumpy skin. I put this thick cream all over my face, neck and decolletage.
I’ve been using this as my night cream for about two months now, and I’ve noticed a significant difference. For one thing, when I awaken in the morning, my skin still feels moisturized. That’s huge for this gal who lives at 4,500 feet altitude, especially since we’ve had a cold winter and the heat runs off and on all night, too.
CeraVe SA Cream has a unique formula that exfoliates and moisturizes while helping to restore the protective skin barrier. Salicylic acid exfoliates and softens to smooth rough skin. The lactic acid exfoliates to renew skin’s surface, and three essential ceramides (1, 3, 6-II) help to restore the protective skin barrier. The cream is non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and hypoallergenic.
At one time I felt like maybe this cream was good for my neck, but that I needed something more “night creamy” for my face. But I ditched that notion and have been happy wearing this alone every night. I can’t recommend this product highly enough. Using this CeraVe overnight and the Retinol Advanced Firming Cream with the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Moisturizer in the day has significantly changed my skin over the past few months. It feels healthier and moisturized, plus I’ve noticed decreased wrinkles and age spots.
So that’s it! That’s all there is to my evening skincare routine…for now.
Thanks for being here today. I’d love to hear if you have products you love and recommend. And you’re welcome to share your personal philosophy on aging and skincare, too. If it’s different from mine, that’s perfectly fine. As long as we’re all gracious, varied opinions are always welcome here!
Don’t forget to check out the other Beauty Week posts, if you haven’t already. Tomorrow I’ll be posting an update on my nail care routine.
Blessed for My Day
Our bodies certainly change as we age. So do many other things. I’ve noticed, for instance, that my mind seems to work as little slower than it used to. Oh boy! Sometimes I worry that I won’t be able to keep up with our everchanging world as I get older. That can make me a little anxious if I dwell on it.
But one thing won’t change. God will always care for me and carry me through. Because my body is aging and my mind is slowing down, I can get very anxious. But because God is trustworthy and capable, I can live at peace. I do not have to be anxious over my future because I know the One who holds the future…and who holds me.
Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you. ~ Isaiah 46:4
I like your philosophy of skincare/make-up (even though I do so much less than you 🙂 I am picking up two of the items you linked to (Target) today. At my age (65 in 2 weeks, yikes!) I should have been doing more for my skin up till now, but better late than never. Small steps to add to my routine. Thank you!
Great, Arna. I hope you have good luck with them. You never know because, indeed, we are all different. Blessings to you!
So far, in just a few days, I can feel the difference – my skin feels smoother. Thank you for sharing your routine. I am keeping the links to refer to them when I have time to try some new make-up ideas.
Great, Arna! That is soooo good to hear!
Hi Kay, one of the best items I use at night to melt off all my face and eye makeup is coconut oil. It smells so good and really helps prime the skin before cleansing. I use tissue to wipe all of that off and follow up with a gentle cleanser. I use a generic brand of Cetaphil. I am with you-at bed time, five minutes tops for my skin care routine then crash! Lights out! Thanks for sharing.
Great tip! I keep hearing about so many good uses for coconut oil. I’ll have to try it. What kind do you use?
I feel like it’s important to take care of our skin now too, but there is a limit of how much time I will spend on it. Mine probably is more like 10 minutes. And that includes my teeth and everything as a nightly routine. Maybe I’m wrong but we aren’t going to stop aging, and I’m trying to embrace my wrinkles somewhat.
I do enjoy trying new products now that I have the time to test them….I think just that alone has been helpful.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Hi Jodie! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, experimentation is always fun. And that’s why I do like receiving sample sizes as gifts with purchase. I use a lot of those!
First and foremost, Happy early Birthday! I hope that your special day will be filled with many blessings. I really like your philosophy on aging. I am 62, and like you, in my youth and early adult years I spent way too much time in the sun, without proper protection. Now I am paying for it with sun spots and skin cancer. Also, like you, my skincare & makeup routine needs to be short, sweet, and simple or I’m not going to do it. Due to challenging eye allergies, my eye doctor has told me to not wear any eye makeup. Thank goodness I have to wear eye glasses during all waking hours, which helps camouflage my eyes and keep me from looking sick. A sales associate at Ulta introduced me to benefit GIMME BROW+ that is easy for me to use. I have very little eye brows that are very blonde & have gaps, so they need help. I have been using Olay Regenerist Whip face cream in the morning and evening for months and am very pleased with how the sun spots have lightened up. Fabulous BFMD!
Thank you for the birthday wishes. I plan to make it a good one. I’m just hoping for some sunshine really. We’ve had snow all day long…for the fourth time this winter – so unlike us here in southern Arizona.
Yes, those brows can make all the difference. And thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Olay face cream. I’ve had good experiences with them, too.
Kay, I hope you have an extraordinary day tomorrow mainly because it is “your day”.?? I enjoyed your posts this week as well as everyday. I am 52 and definitely need to spend more time on my skincare. I too spent many years in the sun and now have sun spots that seem to have appeared overnight because of it. I have an olive complexion and tan easily however that isn’t an excuse to tan. Frankly, I do not have a budget to spend on a lot of products, etc. as I have my youngest going into college next year and helping with my aging parents. My time doesn’t allow extra things as I barely get my Bible study done and exercise done before heading out to work at 8:00 am (over an hour commute back and forth each day) and then spending many nights after work at the nursing home with my father. I like your choices of staying younger. My thoughts are do what is best for you and try not to compare yourself to others….I did that for too many years and it was exhausting so I gave up. I feel that not comparing myself has helped me age less. Yes….I have many body flaws and many things to work on. However, I try to balance “life” the best I can (with God). As always, I enjoy your BFMD ~Lisa~
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Lisa. Yes, it seems to get harder and harder to keep up with life doesn’t it? We expect things to slow down a little, but they just don’t. Blessings to you as you do all that you do. Thanks so much for being a loyal reader of Dressed for My Day.
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a great day. Glad you made it home safely as well. Enjoy the beauty posts this week.
Thank you Donna. I plan to make it a good one!
I’ve enjoyed this series! I am a few years ahead of you and can barely keep up with the changes I am experiencing… straight oily hair to dry and CURLY, oily skin to dry skin, and everything in between. Eternally grateful that our God does not change! ♥️
Thanks for sharing your enjoyment of the posts, Amy. Yes, once the changes with aging start they come like a freight train, don’t they! And it all feels very surprising and a little overwhelming at times. Thanks so much for reading.
Thank you for your beauty posts this week. I don’t use as many products or go through as many steps as you do, but even so I get discouraged with how long it takes me as opposed to when I was young. Back then I used mascara, foundation (the least expensive little bottle of Cover Girl), and lipstick or lip gloss and was out the door in ten minutes! Now I have to include eye brow pencil, under eye concealer, a couple layers of skin creams, etc. Yikes. I refuse to give up and go out of the house without giving it an effort though. I try to look my best and have decided to just try to accept the signs of aging gracefully. I loved your words about how gratitude and the inner peace that God gives are our best beauty tools. Thank you so much for all the work you put into your blog, it is very much appreciated.
P.S. I forgot to say that I am going to order the Retinol Firming Cream. So glad to hear you say that it has made a difference! And the IT compact that has the bronzer is tempting me too. I have never been sure how to apply bronzer so your pictures were very helpful.
I bought the Cetaphil cleanser and I love it. I too, will purchase the vitamin c. Thank you so much for your tutorials.
I have enjoyed your beauty series! I’m not much for makeup-just use blush and mascara. I am blessed with really clear skin and I’ve only begun to really “take care”of my skin this past year. One thing Ive always done was use moisturizer on my face and neck as well as my body , however, at the age of 57 I’m seeing those fine lines and I hate them! All that said our beauty is truly from within. Have a wonderful birthday!!! Thank you for your blog and being beautiful in and out?
I read today that the top rated beauty item on amazon was castor oil. It helps lashes grow and thicken, helps eyebrows and even hair. I bought a bottle so we shall see. Cheapest thing in my beauty routine!
I really enjoyed your beauty series. And I agree about the importance of praying and being grateful, fresh air and laughing, exercise and trying to eat healthy…it’s the reminder I needed today!
I hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow!
Great to hear, Barb. Thanks for the birthday wishes ?.
New follower, here! I’m like you, my nighttime routine is pretty simple. I have really sensitive skin, especially around my eye area, and my favorite eye makeup remover is Abolene (drug store item). It’s been around for over 100 years; I have been using it probably for 20 years (I just turned 50). I also have enjoyed using Clinique moisturizer for many years and just purchased their new “add-in” tube (the green one – it goes in your moisturizer bottle) for fine lines & wrinkles. A few years back I stopped washing my face with cleanser and exfoliating nightly (just used water & a washcloth), but just recently introduced that back to my nighttime routine after noticing dry flaky skin on my cheekbones (my skin used to be normal/oily!) and just overall dullness. So I’m back to using Clinique facial cleanser and toner every night and I can tell a big difference in less than 2 weeks! So for me it’s Abolene to remove eye makeup, Clinique liquid facial cleanser, toner, and moisturizer, and last but not least, Clinique “All About Eyes” eye cream which I have also been using for years and can’t live without it! All that said, I would like to try some Vitamin C or Retinol, and I’ve been hearing about hyaluronic acid! I’m not gonna spend a whole lot of time and money on it, though!