5 Skincare Products I Can’t Live Without

We’re talking all things skincare today on the blog.  I’m going to share with you my 2022 skincare regimen and the 5 skincare products I can’t live without.  Even if you have neglected a skincare regimen your entire life, you can start a routine today and expect results. And what’s even better:  it doesn’t break the bank. 

5 reasons our skin ages

Before jumping into my regimen properly, it’s good to understand why skin ages to begin with. 

Collagen breakdown

Collagen is the connective tissue responsible for the firmness of our skin.  When we hit our thirties, our bodies begin to lose collagen. Loss of collagen leads to wrinkles and dull skin. and our skin becomes drier, thinner, and less elastic.

Exposure to UV radiation

Damage from UV exposure ranges from premature wrinkles to dangerous skin cancer. The degree of damage depends on the intensity of UV rays and the length of time your skin has been exposed without protection.

Unfortunately, growing up in the seventies, I did not incorporate sunscreen into my routine. Instead, i baked for hours in the sun with baby oil causing numerous sunburns…

Oxidation

Skin oxidizes just like a penny or a car. Oxidative stress starts with free radicals found in the environment like air pollution, smoking, and pesticides. Hello, 21st century.

Inflammation

There are all sorts of causes for inflammation, but the chief culprits are stress and a poor diet.  Both cause your body to produce hormones that affect insulin levels. 

Glycation

Eating too much sugar is another cause of inflammation. Sugar molecules bond to skin and break down collagen and elastin.

Ways to protect your skin

Without spending a dime, there are a ton of ways to protect your skin.  Some include: 

• Protect your skin from the sun every day.
• Apply self-tanner rather than get a tan.
• Stop smoking, if you do.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
• Drink less alcohol.
• Exercise most days of the week.
• Get a good night’s sleep.

2022 skincare routine

My daily skincare routine includes:  

1. cleanser;
2. anti-oxidant to fight off free radicals from pollution and foods;
3. moisturizer and:
4. sunscreen to prevent any further sun damage.

In addition, 

• Four to six times a week, I use retinol at night.
• Twice a week, I exfoliate my skin.
• Once a week, I use a masque and/or a peel.

Retinol, sunscreen, and vitamin C are non-negotiables in my skincare routine. Here’s why:  retinoids are the class of Vitamin A.  Derived ingredients includes retinol, which is a milder version of Retin A.

Some of us have sensitive skin and can’t tolerate Retin A, but hopefully can use retinol.  Retin A helps increase new cell turnover and activates natural collagen production, leaving us with firmer brighter skin.

Anti-oxidant Vitamin C penetrates your skin, increasing the production of collagen.  Collagen production is the most important factor in keeping our skin in tip-top shape, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, and brightening our skin tone.

Before I put on my makeup, I use sunscreen on my face, neck, chest, and hands.

5 Skincare Products I Can’t Live Without

And here are 5 skincare products I cannot live without. For each product type, I’ve rounded up tons of shoppable examples I’ve used over the years.  

Retinol (Shop below) 

Dark Spot Gel (Shop below) 

Eye Masks (Shop below)

Vitamin C (Shop below)

Sunscreen (Shop below)

Curated skincare line

For those of you looking to invest more heavily in skincare products, make sure to read this interview with my dermatologist.  In sum, you’ll see that you can: 

• Hop on over to Georgia Skin Cancer; 
• Use discount code BETH15 for 15% off their product line until the end of February.
• 100% of the proceeds will go to Uncommon Threads, a non-profit in the greater Boston area with a mission to empower women. Let’s see how much money we can raise! I can’t wait to share next month!

For a more targeted look at the Curated line, check out their curated deluxe kit below.

Daily Looks 

We just posted a new DAILY LOOK, so make sure to check it out. Daily Looks is a really simple feature:  a dedicated photo feed of my daily outfits. And you can shop those outfits easily through the shop the widget below the picture. 

In case you missed it

We’ve been talking all things denim over on the blog the past few weeks, including the 2022 denim trend everyone is talking about. 

Beth Djalali

is the Founder and CEO of Style at a Certain Age. She writes Sundays-Fridays on all topics ranging from fashion, health, wellness, home design and more.

She’s 65, 5’8, and size 8.

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