Every now and then, someone asks me about my skincare routine. I’ve wanted to write about it for a while, but I knew it would be better with a video demo. So this week, I finally decided to try a video tutorial.

And, I’ll have to say it was just about as difficult as I anticipated. I guess it’s always hard to try something new. In fact, I well remember how challenging this whole blogging thing was when I first got started.

While the whole video process was new to me, skincare is something I’m a little more comfortable with. I am including both the video and written instructions for my evening skincare routine for mature skin.

Now, there are tons of skincare products out there. So many, that you can easily get confused by your choices. Many beauty brands market themselves as integrated skincare lines, which means they provide you with products they’ve designed to work together to solve all of your skincare needs. But, I don’t use any of these lines for a couple of reasons.

1. Many of them come with a hefty price tag.

Ultimately, you pay companies to make the process easier for you with a 1, 2, 3 step process. They formulate the ingredients for easy consumption. And, some of us are willing to pay for the convenience of someone else taking the guesswork out of our routine. I prefer to go for the more affordable skincare option of choosing my own ingredients.

2. Many labeled skincare products don’t actually tell you what ingredients are included in their product.

You hear all these buzz words, like glycolic acids and peptides, but then you really have no idea if you are using them or not because your product is labeled simply – hydration serum. So, maybe you are and maybe you aren’t.

Instead, I’ve done a good bit of research and discovered that our skin really only needs certain key ingredients to promote elasticity, stimulate collagen production and even out our skin tone.

I’ve realized that I can go straight to those component ingredients myself with great results and a much lower price tag. What’s more, there are several application techniques that also help tone your face.

I started this skincare routine about 3 years ago and I definitely see improvements in the texture, tone and appearance of my skin.

 

1. First, washing your face is a must. Why is it so important? Because throughout the day you walk through a host of free radicals and particles as they float through the air. Unfortunately, a bunch of those undesired elements end up settling on your face. If you don’t clean your face, then these undesirable elements are left to do their dirty work on your skin by breaking down collagen and degrading the tissues. That’s when your skin becomes more vulnerable to wrinkles, sagging and hyperpigmentation

• I like to keep my facial cleansers in the shower because it’s just easier that way. I alternate between a gentle cleanser and a gentle exfoliating scrub.

2. Next, I use Pixi Tonic, which includes glycolic acid, ginseng and aloe. This is my single most favorite product. It really does make your skin glow and helps the skin slough off its dry, dull appearance.

• I often don’t apply my products in succession. Instead, I like to let my face rest between steps.

3. Next, is Vitamin C serum (the one in the video is by TrueSkin). This serum can cause some redness and tingling, which makes it a good choice for the evening, before bedtime.

3. Next, I use a Peptide serum. Peptides fight against free radicals and rejuvenate skin cells.

4. Now, it’s time for the moisturizer.

• I am not tied to a particular moisturizer. Instead, I use quality products I find on sale, sometimes from Black Friday sales or, at other times, I use high-end samples.
• Moisturizer helps to seal in the serums and it also makes it easier to apply Retin-A, which is the final step in my routine.

5. Retin-A is is a vitamin A derivative that is sold only by prescription in the US. It goes by the generic name Tretinoin. I live in Asia, so it is easy to access. I’ve been using it for about 15 years. Retinol products help to regenerate collagen in the skin and even out the the skin’s texture and they are readily available in various brands. This site makes some good recommendations for over-the-counter retinol creams.

• I find that retinol products go on better over a moisturizer.

And there you have it, my evening skincare routine for mature skin!

You can find the links for all the products I’ve mentioned in the video description.

And, while I love to talk about all things beauty, I still recognize that my outside only reflects what I’ve got going on inside. Always remember, that your truest beauty bubbles out of a life that’s full of heart, love and purpose.

…your beauty should come from inside you – the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear and it is worth very much to God.— 1 Peter 3:3-4

~ Shellie

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