Sometimes you just need to skip the heavy stuff,  and talk about your favorite products !  That’s the mood I’m in today. My background is in cosmetics,  and although,  I love make up….skincare is my favorite.  I want to age gracefully,  but in this case ignorance is not bliss.  So, I am pretty happy with my routine,  and feel like I have seen improvements.  So, I wanted to share.

After a day in the sun (with sunblock) and fishing with my family,   I noticed a brown spot on my face.  Yuck.  Say it aint so.  Yes, the years of sitting at the pool with my kids have started to catch up to me.  My skin is fair,  but olive…I tan super easy, and I damage easy.  Thus…the spot. I always wear sunblock on my face when I am going to the beach or pool,  sadly, I have not been as consistent wearing a DAILY sunscreen. That sun exposure in the car, on the playground…it adds up.  So, I am doing better.  My advice…use a very basic moisturizer with at least SPF 15 during the day,  and use a heavier treatment type cream at night. I am using the one pictured above( Nutrogena oil free spf 15).  It is basic, and non-irritating,  plus it costs twelve bucks, you cannot beat that !

However ! As I am 38 years old,  I need a little more help than a basic moisturizer can provide.  In comes my FAVORITE  ( and most expensive) product. THE SERUM. First off ,  in the last year or so,  I have noticed my pores more,  and of course,  uneven texture, and fine lines ( some not so fine).  I started researching serums.  I decided on a treatment serum rather than a cream because they are thinner, they go deeper, and you can use your daily moisurizer right over the top. The one I chose was Vissionairre  by Lancome.  There is a lot of hype about this one…I was skeptical,  so I went over to Belks,  and got myself a sample.  I have used it morning and night for 2 weeks….LOVE IT.  You can use it all over , (EYES TOO)!  This was one of the requirements I had for my serum,  my eyes really needed some love ! It has a fragrance , which really scared me at first, as I can be sensitive to that.  Still, I was determined to find something that would give me some results.  The consistency is thin, it has a slight pink tint, and it smells good.  My results have been less visible pores, and better texture !  The small bottle costs 84.00.  I know I just lost some of you.  For me, it’s worth it.

I have become a pro at finding drug store products that work.  My eye cream is Roc Retinol Sensitive.  The reason I chose this one, retinol creams can burn, and this one is gentle. The fact is,  Retinol is the only tried,  and tested ingredient that really reduces wrinkles !  So, I use this one at night.  During the day , I use Olay Regenerist Serum for eyes.  Yes, once

again,  a serum.  It’s light weight, and full of peptides  (which are like vitamins for your skin ).   I love it.

My second FAVORITE product is one I found  , quite by accident.  I thought it was a serum  ( and lets face it, I was on a mad hunt for a serum).  It had the appearance of a serum.  A bottle with a pump,  a gel like consistency,  all the trappings of a serum,  NOPE.  It is Olay Night Resurfacing Elixer (34.00) Upon further reading, and researching, I figured out that it REPLACES your night time moisturizer.  It’s basically like a gentle glycollic  peel every night.  LOVE IT.   At first, I thought it wasnt moisturizing enough, but to my surprise, I wasn’t dry…because this little beauty was getting rid of my dead skin cells while I was SLEEPING.  You rinse your face in the morning, and then start your morning routine.  I believe this is making a difference !

There is one more thing that I use at night,  but I only put it on that pesky dark spot. One drop, each night. I think it’s fading.  There you have it. My arsenal of weapons. You should know that I have normal to dry skin.  I hope you will try some of these products,  and share your results !

Morning- Rinse, then Visionairre  serum all over, after that Olay  serum for eyes (pat along the orbital bone), after that my Nutrogenia oil-free moisturizer.

Night- cleanse face, apply Visionairre serum, all over, a dot of the Roc Retinol Sensitive  (applied to crows feet, and fine lines around the eye), and then the Olay Night Resurfacing Elixer.  One drop of spot corrector on mu sun spot.

Please feel free to ask questions.  I said I was skipping the heavy stuff, but the fact is,  as we age, our confidence can really take a plunge.  These are the products that give me confidence,  I am doing my part in the “aging gracefully” process.