Night Time Skin Care Routine For Women Over 40

In my earlier posts, I wrote about what helps me fall asleep easier and another about a night time routine checklist. Maybe you can tell already, but sleep is important to me. In both blogs, I briefly mention that what helps me is having a skin care routine. I stuck to a consistent night time skin care routine for decades, and I feel like it shows in a very positive way.

Skin care can get so overwhelming with all the products available to us. I try for the most part to keep it simple so depending on how I feel at night, my skin care routine changes depending on how tired or energetic I am.

Since I’m nearing 46, let me share with you what works for me as a part of my night time skin care routine. Below, I provide some of my non-negotiables and negotiable skin care. All the items I use are a preference in smell and feel. I am a bit sensitive to smell but find these products are not over powering and don’t cause a headache. They also help my skin feel supple and moisturized for my combination (closer to dry now) sensitive skin type, as well as, combatting the occasional adult acne.

This post is all about a night time skin care routine for women over 40.

Night Time Skin Care Routine For Women Over 40

1. Face wash: This is a non-negotiable.

I say this is a non-negotiable because not only does it help me fall asleep easier but it provides my skin with a clean pallet for natural oils to produce through the night. Washing my face is a non-negotiable. However, in the mornings, I sometimes I just rinse my face with water.

I’ve been using Lumene Valo Cleansing Balm With Vitamin C for almost 5 years now. To me, it’s very gentle on my skin and moisturizing. I didn’t realize, I had sensitive skin until my late 30’s. When I use this cleanser, I don’t feel like my skin is tight and dry like a lot of cleansers make me feel. Perhaps, its because the cleanser is a balm. I still wash it off like a soapy cleanser. I will admit, I do need to squeeze a good amount of the balm to take off my makeup. Sometimes, I even double cleanse if I’m wearing a lot of makeup. But if I have no makeup on, a small quarter size amount will suffice. It is on a the pricier side for a drug store brand. But a bottle would last me over a month to two.

I usually stay clear from make up remover wipes. I used to use it a lot when I was younger. It really was not good for my skin. I used to break out a lot. However, on those rare nights when I am absolutely exhausted and can’t wash my face, I will opt for baby wipes. Again, this is rare. It doesn’t do the job as good as my balm but it works for that moment.

Even though I have been using my cleansing balm for the past almost five years, I recently discovered Tatcha’s The Rice Foaming Enzyme Powder. I needed something more abrasive yet gentle from my trip back from Hawaii. My daughter actually gave me her travel size. I still use it now and then when I feel like my skin needs to be gently exfoliated. It is very pricey so maybe just buy the travel size version and use it when you need to gently exfoliate.

2. Toner: This is negotiable.

Again, I share some of my non-negotiable and negotiable product routine. I say this is negotiable because for night’s where I am too tired to complete all my skin care steps, I can forgo a step or two or three…However, I alter my regimen, it works for me and is a great skin care routine for women over 40. It’s interchangeable. Because ya know, life happens.

Ok, going back to toner. Yes, for me this is negotiable but I try my best to stay consistent with it. I use Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow PHA+ BHA Pore-Tight Toner. I’ve gone through several bottles already. One, it’s more gentle for my skin, and two, provides the claims it makes regarding hydration and exfoliation. I also really enjoy the smell. I used to use Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant but that is a lot more abrasive for me. The smell is also unpleasant in my opinion. Now, I use it sometimes because I do really like it. But again, it’s a lot harsher on my skin, and I just don’t enjoy the smell. Now, I just have a travel size bottle on deck.

I really needed to pay attention to my skin and see what worked for it. Now, I pay attention to how my skin feels after I’ve used a product and how it looks. Does my skin feel dry? Stretched? Or supple and soft? As I’m getting older, I really want to start noticing these behaviors in my skin.

Like I mentioned earlier, skin care can get really overwhelming. However, we are at a time where there are many solutions to some of the skin care challenges we may be facing. What I’m sharing is hopefully a helpful skin care routine for women over 40 like me. My skin is sensitive and continues to get dryer as I get older. I am proud of my skin because I think it looks good. I don’t get Botox or fillers. So if you are like me, this skin care routine for women over 40 may be helpful to you.

3. Essence: Negotiable

Again, essence is negotiable for me. It’s more of a luxury and a plus for my skin. It’s a luxury because the one I use consistently is Dior’s Capture Totale Intensive Essence Lotion. I LOVE the smell and the feeling it provides my skin. I do feel like my skin glow’s differently when I use it and try to incorporate it nightly. But again, if I am too tired, I can definitely do without. I recently purchased Lumene’s Aqua Lumenessence Beauty Lotion since I really enjoy their balm. I’m waiting until I run out of my Dior to see if it works well. The smell of Lumene’s essence so far is also divine and luxurious yet soft. Hopefully, this works too because it’ll be a more affordable option.

4. Serum: Non-negotiable

I need a serum, for the most part, always. Currently, I am loving The Ordinary’s 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil. I know, I know. It’s an oil but I use it as a serum. It doesn’t make my face oily. As I said, as I get older my skin gets dryer but I still do get the occasional combination skin between oil, normal, and dry. This oil helps keep my skin stay consistent. And again, for night’s I am absolutely tired (notice a common theme here), I will only use this as my all in one. Yes, as a toner, essence, serum, and night cream. Seriously, I can only use this one product at night, and in the morning, my skin is nice and supple. The other bonus of this oil is that it’s affordable!

5. Eye Cream: Negotiable

At our age, I know this may be shocking to some. Here me out, as I get older, I thought this step would be a non-negotiable for me. However, I’ve noticed if I use a good night cream, this step isn’t necessary. Plus, I haven’t found an eye cream yet that I can’t live without. To be honest with you, the eye creams I’ve used so for have all been gifted to me by my kids or friends. The only one I purchased and it was a purchase during one of my travels is The Inkey List Caffeine De-Puffin + Dark Circles Eye Cream. Like I said, I bought it when I was traveling and only use it when I travel. I like it but don’t use it often enough. It’s also an affordable option for eye creams.

6. Night cream: Negotiable

Now, the only reason why this is considered negotiable to me is because of The Ordinary’s 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil. As mentioned above, when I’m not doing my whole night time skin care routine, I’ll just opt for The Ordinary’s Rose Hip Seed Oil only. But when I am doing my steps, Botanics Hydrating Night Cream All Bright With Hibiscus is part of it. This is my tried and true night time cream I love and will continue to use.

I actually found it when I was trying to find an affordable option from Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream. To me, my Botanics is very moisturizing, smells great, and very affordable. The only thing is, it’s not easily accessible at most stores. I usually just order mine in bulk from Walgreen’s (their limit is 4 per order). Every time I use it at night, I wake up with such supple moisturized skin! And the smell is so nice too, light and not over powering.

7. Treatment: Non-negotiable / negotiable

Last but not least, this was hard to rate as I try to use this every night, but depending on what I’m currently trying out, like First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads with Glycolic Acid + Lactic Acids Exfoliating Pads with AHA, I won’t apply my tried and true Paula’s Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. If I use both, my skin will become very dry. I’m only using the First Aid Exfoliating Pads because it was gifted to me. Would I repurchase it? Maybe way down the line but it’s not my favorite. I’d rather stick to my tried and true Paula’s Choice.

I’ve always wanted to use a retinol but found most retinols were too harsh on my skin. When I first purchased Paula’s Choice, I had to build up my tolerance. First, I’d use it once a week and then upgraded to every other night, eventually it became every night. Paula’s Choice really helps keep my skin texture smooth. I only apply it at night. I feel like I can really see a difference in my skin when I use Paula’s Choice. My texture is a lot smoother and my dark spots are lighter. I really love this product and have gone through lots of bottles.

I do have issues with brown spots, dark spots, sun spots…whatever you want to call them. And this is the only thing that is gentle for me yet effective. I usually layer this after my night cream as it can be drying. I only purchase it when there’s a sale because it is a bit pricey. There is always a sale. It’s either on Paula’s direct site or on Sephora.

So there you have my version of a night time skin care routine for women over 40. I wrote out the steps in order of how I would layer my products. From washing my face first to layering on my treatment last. I found this order provided me with the most benefits. Again, these are just some steps I follow but there are days when I forgo one, two, or three steps. But I never forgo washing my face and using an oil or moisturizer.

Let me know what your skin care regime looks like. I am always interested and curious what other night time skin care routine for women over 40 look like. As always, thanks for reading.

If you’re interested, you can also find my posts on 9 Tips to Fall Asleep Easier here and here’s my other post on 5 Things I Do That Are A Part Of My Night Time Routine Checklist.

Love, Sutivi