This was going to be a blog all about “How to Ace that Base”. I was going to give you tips & tricks on the best foundation formulas, application & setting techniques for women over 40. Being a professionally trained MUA, I know the foolproof techniques & products to perfect a complexion. Earlier this year I started a new skin care regime to improve my own skin texture & wanted to share my discoveries with you. Like any work of art, everything begins with the perfect canvas. To achieve this in your 40’s & beyond a consistent skin care routine is a must!
What I noticed with my own skin as I hit my 40’s
- My skin had less of a glow
- Crepey under eyes
- Dryness, when I’d always been oily
- Enlarged pores
- Thinness, more fragile skin texture
If this is something you’ve noticed lately, READ ON, I have some pearls of wisdom for You 💛
Main culprits for this change:
- Perimenopause-Oestrogen is the fountain of youth for women. Once it starts to leave the building we have issues with sleep deprivation, declining collagen production & cell turnover in the skin, just to name a couple of the symptoms we contend with.
- Stress-You’re usually caring for teenagers, aging parents & the hustle/bustle of life in general. Stress increases cortisol levels, which causes premature aging.
- Exposure to the sun’s UV rays, over time.
What can You do to slow down this process?
It begins with factoring time for self-care, even if it’s only 5 minutes in the morning & 5 minutes at night 💛
- Clean healthy diet-limit, refined sugar & alcohol.
- Sleep-at least 8 hours a night. Talk to your GP if this is not happening for you. I did & we discovered I had sleep apnoea, which is now treated & I’m sleeping a lot better.
- Exercise-if you can find 30 minutes a day that’s fantastic. If it’s a 10 minute walk around the block, remember that’s better than no minutes. Walking in nature is a great stress minimizer.
- Talk to your GP to find out if HRT is something to consider for you.
Did you notice the common goal of the above is to minimize the effect of lowering Oestrogen levels, Sun Exposure & Stress (Always have in depth & frank discussions with your health care professional) 💛
2 products which can reduce the visible signs of aging:
Sunscreen: Sounds pretty obvious right? But there are a lot of women not wearing sunscreen on a regular basis. UV radiation from the sun causes damage to collagen, resulting in fine lines, sagging & wrinkles. This radiation also causes hyper-pigmentation. Excessive sun exposure; leads to an uneven canvas to apply foundation. Don’t rely on the SPF in your foundation, in truth you won’t be applying enough to get the claimed SPF benefit. A quarter of a teaspoon of broad spectrum SPF 30+ under your makeup will help protect your skin from damaging radiation. (I apply a SPF 50 sunscreen especially formulated for under makeup & then apply a foundation that contains a SPF of 30.) If remaining outside, apply every 2 hours & after any water activity.
Retinoids: Vitamin A derivatives, which come in different strengths, some prescription strength & others you can buy over the counter. It stimulates cell turnover & collagen production & helps reduce hyperpigmentation & uneven skin tone. I started with a Retinaldehyde 0.5% cream serum this year & I can definitely see the improvement in skin glow & texture. I began applying once a week at night & slowly increased frequency of application over a month. I always follow this application with a moisturiser. These products can initially cause redness, dryness & some irritation. *Never take on a new skin regime without speaking to your dermatologist. *
For that little bit extra try
Topical Vitamin C: 🍊Is an antioxidant, it helps protect the skin from free radicals, which are unstable molecules found everywhere in our environment. They are in pollution, UV rays & can be generated from the foods we eat, medicines we take & even the water we drink. A Vitamin C serum helps protect you from the effects these free radicals have on your skin & help reduce the damage of UV rays. This means better skin tone & texture. I also incorporate this step into my morning skin care routine: once again I started off slowly. Vitamin C serum comes in varying strengths, most common is 10% (sensitive skin), 15% (most skin types) & 20% (oily skin). *Once again, I stress don’t start a new skin care regime without consulting your dermatologist.*
The ultimate goal with these products is to promote improved cell turnover & therefore improved skin texture. The canvas you’re applying your foundation to is smoother, resulting in a flawless, younger look.
What do you use as skin care preventatives? Have you got any questions or comments? Please leave them in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Next blog will contain those foolproof methods to “Ace that Base.” To receive this blog as a monthly newsletter, I’d love to invite you to sign up & subscribe to my website Home » Maria Cunningham