Perimenopause Beauty - Skincare Favorites
Here is Part 2 of my Perimenopause Beauty Series: My favorite haircare products.
(Read Part 2: Skincare Favorites)
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I am not someone who spends a lot on high end anything. Most of these items can be found in your local drugstore or at Wal-Mart. I think the most important aspect of good skin care during perimenopause (or really any time in life) is maintaining a consistent routine.
Please note - I am not a skin-care expert or a medical provider. This is just what works for me.
My Skin Care
I’ll preface this list with the fact that I have fairly low maintenance skincare needs at the moment. I may get an occasional pimple, but for the most part my skin is clear. As I’ve aged (I’m 47) I notice that my skin tends to be really dry as soon as the weather turns cold (I live in Maine). Currently my biggest skin care issue is redness and some discoloration. I never wore sunscreen when I was younger. So part of my skin-care routine is trying to prevent any more age spots from showing up.
In addition to the products listed below, I drink a lot of water every day. Not to stay hydrated per se, but more because I genuinely love water. It’s my favorite drink. I also limit my caffeine to a few cups of plain black tea in the morning, on most days.
The List
Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser - I love make-up and wear it most days and Ponds Cold Cream is the holy grail (IMO) for removing make-up. It’s also Step 1 of my double cleansing evening routine. This is one of the few products I used in my twenties that I still use today. Even if I haven’t worn any make up during the day, I will still use this at night before my cleanser. This product has a light scent, but if you prefer there is also an unscented version available.
Pond’s Dry Skin Cream - Like the cleanser, I’ve been using Pond’s Dry Skin Cream since my 20s. I used to only apply it during winter. Now I use it all year round - except for the hottest, most humid days of summertime in Maine. I use Ponds Dry Skin Cream in both my morning and evening skin care routines.
Face Oil - I started using face oil a few years ago and it has been a game changer. In the winter I apply it both in the morning and the evening. The rest of the year I usually just use it as part of my evening routine only. Pearlessence has a number of different face oils. I especially like the Rose Hip with Vitamin C. I can’t find this brand in any of my local stores, so I usually buy it on Amazon or I’ll occasionally score a discounted bottle at TJ Maxx.
ELF Suntouchable Sunscreen - Remember when I said I never wore sunscreen when I was younger. Full disclosure - I only started wearing sunscreen daily THIS YEAR. Because, every brand of sunscreen irritated my face. I tried zinc based, mineral, natural, etc… I think I tried every brand on the shelf. I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact I would have to wear wide brimmed hats outside, year round if I wanted to protect my face. But then…I heard about ELF Whoa Glow. This is a sunscreen and make up primer in one. It gives my skin a dewy sheen before I even apply any foundation. And I think it works great even on *cough, cough* mature skin.
Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser - I started using this cleanser about a year ago, because again, my skin is feeling drier and drier. Plus I felt like I needed a more gentle product. This cleanser contains hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. Hyaluronic acid helps skin stretch and flex and reduces skin wrinkles and lines, while ceramides help keep the skin hydrated. I use this cleanser in the both the morning and night. Because it is so gentle, it does not remove make up very well (hence my Ponds Cold Cream).
A little trick I’ve found that makes this product more effective (IMO) is to apply it to dry skin. I just add a little bit of the cleanser to my palm with some water, rub my hands together and then wash my face with my hands. I’m not sure how to explain it, but grips onto the skin better this way and feels like it is doing a more thorough job, while still being gentle. There is a foam version of this as well, but I definitely prefer the non-foaming formula.
Hyaluronic Face Serum - I started adding face serums into my morning and evening skin care routine a few years ago. I always select one that contains Hyaluronic Acid (see above). Fun fact about face serums, even in the drug store or at Wal-Mart, they can run up to $20-$30! In this economy?! I think not. I’ve used several different brands of serums and honestly, I don’t think any are better than the other. I find Neutrogena products to be reliable, well priced and easy to find.
Neutrogena Retinol Cream - Have you ever heard of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon? It’s the idea of encountering something for the first time and then very soon after, you encounter it again and again. Like if you have a red car, or even just want a red car, suddenly you’ll see red cars everywhere. This is how it was for me and retinol. I was searching videos online for perimenopause skin care routines and Retinol was in every. single. one. And then when I went shopping for products, everything seemed to have retinol in it - cleansers, lotions, serums, make-up. Everything.
The reason retinol is so popular is because it is multi-functional. It can help with acne, reduce redness, age spots, and wrinkles. Using retinol is a long-game. I didn’t notice any difference until I had used it for a few months. Then all of a sudden my skin was smoother, less red and had no new age spots. Because of it’s effectiveness, you need to work your way up to using retinol on a regular basis. AND you need to wear sunscreen, because retinol makes you more vulnerable to UV rays. I heard it best described as once you start using retinol, you need to treat yourself like you have sensitive skin - even if you’ve never had sensitive skin before.
I use retinol every other day in the morning and a two times a week in the evening. If I use any more than that my skin starts to dry out. Like Face Serums, Retinol products run the gamut of price points. I’ve only ever used the Neutrogena Regenerating Cream (night) and the Neutrogena Dark Spot Corrector with Vitamin C (daytime).
Loreal Dermo- Expertise Eye Defense Eye Cream - Even thought the name is ridiculously long, I LOVE this eye cream and have used it for about 10 years. It comes in a cute little glass container, which lasts me about six weeks. I apply it in the morning and the evening.
And those are some of my favorites when it comes to my perimenopause skincare routine. Do you have any favorites that you’d recommend?
My hair care favorites for perimenopause