Feeling overwhelmed when it comes to finding the best skin care routine for over 40? There are so many choices today. I totally get it, and I totally got you!
Below, I list some of my tried and true favorite products and how I use them. I’ve used these products for several years, and my skin is still doing really well. So I know that these products I’m about to list actually work for my aging skin!
This post is all about best skin care routine for over 40 skin.
If you haven’t read my other posts on my morning skincare routine or night time skincare routine, you can check them out here!
Best Skin Care Routine For Over 40
Okay, so above I listed links to my morning and night time skincare routine. I thought I’d write a blog post basically summarizing the two and sharing some beauty products that I really love which have been super beneficial for my 40+ skin.
Morning or night, I consistently use Lumene’s Valo Cleansing Balm With Vitamin C. When used correctly this balm does a great job in removing makeup. It’s also still gentle enough to use multiple times a day and doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight and dry. It provides the perfect amount of moisture and leaves your skin feeling supple.
I say “when used correctly” because I’ve noticed I do need to squeeze a good amount of product out and mix it with the right amount of water in order to get the perfect consistency. It will take practice to find the right ratio of product to water in order to remove makeup. If you’re washing a bare face, I’d suggest using more water than product.
This cleanser does a really great job at keeping skin hydrated and soft while removing makeup and everything else from a long day.
After washing your face, you want to bring back the moisture. Try using a toner immediately after washing your face. Less than a minute would be ideal between face wash to toner, in my opinion.
Currently, I’m using Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner. I like this toner because it helps even out my skin and apparently tightens pores. I mainly use it to decrease my dark spots.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant for Clear Skin is also another toner I like but find it can be too harsh for everyday use. It does a great job at exfoliating your skin. If you need something a lot stronger, I’d go with Paula’s Choice.
Tip: I bought a travel size of Paula’s Choice and either alternate it with Glow Recipe some nights or bring it with me when I travel.
After you’ve washed your face and applied toner, the next step is definitely optional (most of these steps are really). This would be applying an essence. Applying an essence after toner really just provides additional hydration to the skin. And at 40+, we can totally benefit from more hydration to our skin. After all, this blog post is all about what’s considered to be the best skincare routine for those over 40.
The best essence I’ve used so far (without completely breaking the bank) for several years has to be DIOR Capture Totale Intensive Essence Lotion. I’ve gone through so many bottles of this stuff. It really does provide the extra hydration, and my skin loves it. It is a little thick in consistency but not sticky at all. Dior’s essence glides well over skin and it smells amazing. It has a soft luxurious scent. It also makes your skin feel so soft and supple too!
I will say, it is on the pricier side. I’ve also noticed the price consistently increases. I swear I started using this when it was around $60 (which is still expensive). I’ve found an alternative I’m waiting to use once I run out and that’s the Lumene Lahde Aqua Lumenessence Beauty Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid. Since, I love their cleansing balm so much, I thought I’d give their essence a try. I’ll be sure to report back my thoughts in another post.
Now, we’re on to step 4. By this time, a serum should be added to our skincare routine. However, instead of using a serum, I use The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil. I love this oil! I’ve also gone through so many bottles of this.
One, it’s super affordable. Two, it provides even more hydration to your skin. And three, your skin will love this oil and absorb it like no other! You’re supposed to use this oil nightly. However, I use it morning and night. I feel like it provides me with extra hydration (in addition to the toner and essence), makes my skin glow and look smoother. I honestly love this stuff!
Sometimes when I’m too tired to do all of my skin care routine, I will only apply this oil to replace everything else.
After applying the rose hip seed oil, this is when I’ll apply a moisturizer. I use two different types for morning and night. For morning, I’ve been using Alpha Skin Care Enhanced Renewal Cream 12% Glycolic AHA.
This is my first time trying it and so far so good. I like this because it’s more gentle on my skin than most retinoids. Strong retinoids don’t work for my sensitive skin that well.
However, Glycolic AHA’s do really well to exfoliate my skin and not damage it. If your skin is similar, I’d suggest trying Glycolic AHAs. As always, you should use an SPF every day, even if the weather looks overcast.
In order to have the best skin care routine for over 40, you will need to implement best practices and using SPF is one of them (regardless of all other skincare products you don’t or do use).
Alpha Skin Care Renewal Cream can really help improve your skin’s texture. It does a great job in lifting your dead skin cells and making your face appear smoother. All benefits I can vouch for.
Prior to using this, I also used KORA Organics Turmeric Glow Brightening Refillable Moisturizer and have gone through a few tubs. I really like this moisturizer because it helps brighten your skin while hydrating as well.
This is more expensive than Alpha Skin’s. Out of the two, I’d say KORA brightens more but Alpha’s exfoliates better which can provide smoother skin. They are both good at hydrating. However with Alpha, I think because it has Glycolic AHAs, it can sting a little when you apply it.
I almost forgot. I also have the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair® Cream Intense Hydration – Face and Body Moisturizer for Skin Repair on deck for when I run out of Alpha Skin’s. This was recommended by my daughter.
If you have really sensitive skin, this is a great option to use as your daily face moisturizer. It absorbs well and doesn’t feel oily at all. It hydrates a little less than the two products mentioned above. But if your skin is super sensitive, this is a great option.
At night, I’m currently using First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Night Cream. This is a nice night cream. A little goes a very long way. It provides the hydration my skin needs. I don’t wake up feeling dry like I have before with other night creams. It doesn’t feel sticky either which I like.
However, my tried and true favorite has always been Botanics Hydrating Night Cream All Bright with Hibiscus. This night cream smells so good. It has a light floral scent. It provides your skin with so much hydration until morning, and it’s affordable. The only problem is, which I’m noticing as I write this, is that you do need to slather it on. I have gone through so many bottles, one per month!
Although First Aid Beauty is more expensive, I’m not going through it as quickly as I would with the Botanics. First Aid provides the same benefits as Botanics but it doesn’t have a smell which can be nice for those who are sensitive to scent. This may be a great option for you if that’s the case.
Now, we’ve finally made it to the last step of our best beauty skin care routine over 40! Well, we’re almost at the end.
Here, I list the last step for either morning or night:
Morning Skin Care Routine
As I mentioned earlier, it’s recommended to wear SPF daily. The SPF I’m currently enjoying is the Cetaphil Daily Face Moisturizer with SPF 50 Broad Spectrum. I like that it’s SPF 50 and heard anything higher is pretty pointless.
I go through a lot of SPF. The price point on Cetaphil is pretty reasonable. Plus, this hydrates a lot better than most SPF products I’ve used in the past. The only thing is, it does leave a white cast. However, if I rub it well into the palms of my hands, this makes it easier to apply on my face and blend in.
Although it provides better hydration over other SPFs, it doesn’t work well by itself for moisture. In my opinion, it can be a little drying. When I apply this last in my skin care routine, it feels like it locks in the hydration from all the other beauty products I just layered on. Hence, why I highly recommend it!
Nighttime Skin Care Routine
For the last step in my night time skin care routine, I layer on Paula’s Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. Because I can’t use high concentrations of retinoids, I find the amount in this provides great benefits for my more sensitive skin. I like layering this on last because it’s less drying when applied this way.
This really helps with smoothing your skin and lightening acne scars and/or dark spots. Yet, it’s not too harsh for your skin. You can start by applying this every other night. Gradually, build your way up to every night.
So there you have it! What I consider to be the best skin care routine for over 40!
Too many steps or products? That’s okay. Below, I list the beauty products that should be a part of your skincare routine. If you decide to get anything, definitely check out the two skincare products I feel are must-haves listed below. You can thank me later!
I hope you get to try some of the products I’ve listed! I also hope you benefit from them as much as I have too! Let me know some of your tried and true favorites. I would love to hear from you. As always, thanks for reading!
You can check out all the products I’ve used and reviewed in this blog post below.
Love, Sutivi.
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