The Best Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

Every year like clockwork, I schedule a yearly exam with my dermatologist Dr. Ross Campbell to keep an eye out for skin cancer. Yes, yours truly had a bout with skin cancer in 2007. It was caught in time, so an outpatient surgery was scheduled, and I’ve been fine albeit vigilant ever since. Whenever I see Dr. Campbell for my yearly skin exam, he always has time to answer any questions. And I love his thoughtful answers to a variety of concerns. He was the one who recommended I use a retinol serum instead of Retin A and advised IPL to help with hyperpigmentation. And he’s the one who performed minor surgery to remove a fatty lump on my shoulder. 

Last January 2021, I took Dr. Campbell’s advice and upped my anti-aging skincare routine by adding three sessions of IPL and six micro-needling sessions. What game changers! IPL drastically helped diminish the brown spots caused by sun damage in my teens, and Micro-needling helped improve the texture of my skin. Both procedures were scheduled at Georgia Skin Cancer, which takes good care of me. 

So I thought we would kick off 2022 with an exciting post for you today, and we’re going to cover a lot of ground. We’re going to 

• review my anti-aging skincare routine; 
• review my IPL sessions; and
• share a new interview with Dr. Campbell about all things skincare. 

So let’s get started. 

Anti-aging skincare routine

Now onto a skincare routine. I incorporate these steps:

1. Cleanser.
2. Toner to balance the PH in my skin.
3. Anti-oxidant to fight off free radicals from pollution and foods.
4. Sunscreen to prevent any further sun damage.
5. Retinol
6. Moisturize

Cosmetic treatments

As I mentioned, in addition to my anti-aging skincare routine, I upped the ante last year with cosmetic treatments. And I will do the same in 2022. There are invasive and non-invasive cosmetic procedures to choose from. Honestly, I have a neutral stance on what’s best. If you think Botox or fillers are the best choices for you, why not? Cosmetic procedures don’t have to be another topic where we take hard stances. For me, my aesthetic has always been doing what’s necessary and natural.

IPL 

There’s a fine line between enhancing one’s appearance and going overboard. Many of us have witnessed friends and family who no longer resemble their former selves, and I have no interest in crossing that line. It isn’t important for me to look like I’m forty years old or even younger.

But I do want to be the best version of sixty-three. So I explored non-invasive treatments.

• IPL first; and 
• Micro-needling treatments to enhance collagen production second. 

I started a series of IPL treatments at the beginning of last year. “IPL” is short for intense pulsated light, which is a type of light therapy used to treat age spots, sun damage, and broken capillaries on your face. This treatment can also be used on your neck, decolletage, and hands.

IPL is similar to laser treatment, the difference being a laser focuses on one wavelength of light where IPL releases light of many different wavelengths – like a photo flash. IPL penetrates down to the second layer of the epidermis without harming the top layer.

Before

Three days in

The first photo was taken three days after my first round of IPL. I have makeup on (tinted moisturizer, blush, and lipstick), but you can see mild redness and swelling, especially underneath my eyes. The treated area of the skin feels like sunburn the first day and continues to be sensitive several days afterward. One of my kiddos called me Mrs. Potato Head as I looked pretty wonky for a few days…

A week in

Here’s me a week after treatment with no makeup. The swelling and redness have disappeared, but you can still see a few age spots. It’s recommended to have a series of three IPL treatments, which I scheduled. Some women just have one IPL therapy. The choice is yours. But I’m happy I listened and penciled in three appointments. I’m also adding treatments to my neck and chest as those areas have lots of sun damage too.

Below is a photo of me at the beginning of 2022.

Interview with Dr. Campbell

Recently, Dr. Campbell made a visit to my YouTube Studio to sit down for a Q&A. Enquiring minds always have one or two skincare questions up their sleeve. As a matter of fact, I asked my Instagram readers to send their questions Dr. Campbell’s way. I’m sharing a few with you today.

What is the #1 cause of aging?

Besides aging? That would be sun damage. While there are many benefits from being outdoors in the sun, including vitamin D, we need to protect our skin against UVA rays responsible for visible skin aging. Many people don’t realize that UVA rays can penetrate through car windows so it’s important to apply sunscreen every day even if you’re not spending time outdoors. 

So we should wear sunscreen in the winter?

Absolutely! We should get into the habit of applying sunscreen every day. Funny story! My two boys, ages 11 and 14, went for a midnight swim and immediately applied sunscreen before hopping into the pool. That’s the right approach.

What SPF should I be applying?

At the minimum, an SPF 30 will defend your skin against sun damaging ultraviolet rays.

Dr. Campbell, I have loads of sun damage from my teen years; how often should I visit my dermatologist?

A yearly visit to your dermatologist is important, and then we will have a baseline of your skin’s condition. Some patients require more than a once-a-year visit, but we can determine that at your yearly appointment.

What is the best life of defense against aging skin? 

That’s an individual choice, but Botox, Facial Fillers, IPL, Microneedling, or Microdermabrasion are all options. We’ve seen great success with radiofrequency micro-needling that combines radiofrequency energy and micro-needling. It stimulates collagen production, reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation, and helps tighten loose skin with minimal downtime. 

What about skincare products? Do they make a difference?

Yes, it’s important to add a morning and nighttime skincare routine. At the bare minimum, cleanse and moisturize. But consider a vitamin C serum and retinol.

In what order should I use my skincare products? It can be confusing!

It can be confusing. But go from thin to thick and let each serum or moisturizer dry before applying the next. We’ve taken the guesswork out of a skincare routine with our Curated Line from Georgia Skin Cancer. Each product is numbered! 

Yes, I’ve had the privilege of using your lineup. As a matter of fact, I’ve used it exclusively for the past two months. I can’t tell you how many people have commented on my skin. It glows! And I’ve worked with all of the big beauty brands from drugstore to high-end testing serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and vitamin C. I can highly recommend many, many products from affordable to luxury but I have to say I’m very impressed with your medical-grade line Curated. Can you tell me why you decided to create your own skincare line?

The premise was simple. It was an opportunity to give back to my community here in Athens, GA, and abroad. 100% of the proceeds from Curated go to charities. We not only want to do good for our patients, but we want our practice to make our community better. “For the greater good” is the answer. 

​​Dr. Campbell, I know many readers will write and ask how they can buy Curated? Do you ship nationally?

Your readers can hop online at Georgia Skin Cancer and select their products. Not only do we ship nationally but internationally as well. One of my patients lives in London, and we regularly ship her products. Would you like to share a discount with your readers? I have a bit of influence at GSC. While we’re at it, all the proceeds raised will go to a charity of your choice. Let’s get the clock ticking. From January 19th to February 19th, what charity would you like to support?

That’s fantastic news, Dr. Campbell! What’s my discount code?

Let’s set up 15% off your purchase with code BETH15

All right, ladies, the challenge is on! Let’s see how much money we can raise for Uncommon Threads, a non-profit organization that helps low-income women see and feel their true potential by using clothing and image as tools for building self-esteem and self-worth.

Thanks so much for offering the discount code, Dr. Campbell. My readers will love it. And I love the commonality between Curated and Uncommon Threads. Doing good by being good. Thank you so much for taking time from your busy schedule to stop by Style at a Certain Age. Will you come back again? We just scratched the surface when it comes to skincare questions?

I look forward to it!

Curated skincare line

Alright, ladies. You heard that correctly. 

• Hop on over to Georgia Skin Cancer; 
• Use discount code BETH15 for 15% off their product line.
• All proceeds will go to Uncommon Threads, a non-profit in the greater Boston area with a mission to empower women.

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

In case you missed it

And that’s a wrap on my anti-aging skincare routine. We’ve been busy over here on the blog this new year—tons of new posts with tons of fashion, health, and lifestyle information. If you missed it, make sure to check out the definitive denim guide for women.

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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