I'm about to turn 30, but instead of dreading it, I'm excited, because of these 30 things I've implemented that will keep my skin looking 20 long into the next decade!
So many of us have the same desire - to look as youthful as possible. Thanks to my obsession with skin, skin health, and sharing that knowledge with YOU, I want to share my not-so-secret tips with you, so together we can look and feel like young chickens for the rest of time! Don't forget to check out the accompanying podcast for even more info!
I am not going to lie to you, I was very self-conscious of my skin growing up. I've come a long way, but since I'm still human, I still have moments of insecurity. The one thing I had (and still) notice is that my skin ages quickly and I've experienced premature aging from a young age. This was due to a few factors.
1. Being that my skin is naturally on the dehydrated side 2. My parents were both smokers and I was exposed to secondhand smoke 3. I didn't always use the best products (although, at the time I thought I was)
4. I am very expressive when I talk
These four factors really did not help my skin out - it was a quadruple threat to the skin for sure. Why is this important? Well, for starters, to help you feel less alone. Everyone is insecure with their skin at some time or another. It's also a reminder that some factors are out of your control, but the more you understand what's impacting your skin, the better you can care for it!
Even if you didn't experience any of the factors I did, I can assure you some of my not-so-secret secrets will still be game-changing for you. If you are reading or listening to my episode and you are in your 20s - this is a gold mine! The earlier you can start the better! I really started taking my skin health seriously at age 23 and I can assure you I wish I started younger. Even though 23 is such a young age, if I can see and feel the changes now in my skin as I am 30 and I started at 23, I can't imagine where my skin would be at if I started younger!
As I had mentioned, I THOUGHT I was taking care of my skin properly... I purchased what was suggested from Clinique, I tried what my friends swore by, I begged my mom to buy me the full steps from Proactive, I used the oxy pads to dry out my blemishes and I even went to a dermatologist (who by the way saw my wrinkles and told my mom I needed botox at the age of 13). I did 'all the things'. Unfortunately, Clinique was not the answer, what worked for my friends didn't work for me, Proactive made my dehydrated skin worse and accelerated my premature aging, and the oxy pads only did more damage... to my skin, to my pillow cases, bedsheets and towels... and to my poor eyebrows that got bleached (yes I rocked orange eyebrows; that's a story for another time)! Oh, and let's not forget about that darn dermatologist! She should have properly educated me (and my mom) about my skin type, the disruption of my pH, how to care for my acid mantle, address the lack of moisture in my skin (TEWL - tissue epidermal water loss), and probably could have just suggested adding hydrating and nourishing products. But who would have known the resources my mom and I were attempting to access were not the correct ones? Hence my incredible passion to be a resource for you (and maybe your daughter) and to educate as best as I can!
I also want to make a note, if you are older than 30, these tips are still for you! What I am going to share here are the things that have changed my skin before I turned 30, and what will help me continue this graceful aging trend I've got going. These tips are truly for anyone who is desiring healthy, glowing skin. These are routines, practices, and products I have learned to implement and even past the flirty age of 30, I will still be doing them! I am actually excited to learn more and change my skin for the better in the years to come! Hellllloooo healthy aging!
Finally, let's get to the 30 changes I made!
I switched to all Arbonne Makeup
Changed the way I removed my makeup Watch Here
Danielle, Lindo, or Makeup Eraser Micro-Fibre Towels
I Exfoliated much less
I started wearing Elta MD SPF daily
I started doing Micro-Needling Treat*ments
Stopped washing twice a day, went to only cleansing at night
Cleansed with cool/lukewarm water
Moisturized more (this includes weekly face masks and better professional moisturizers- specifically a night cream)
Clean makeup brushes more often (weekly is always the goal)
I really focused on my health of what I am (and was) eating and learned how they influenced my body, my digestion, and my skin! I really started to observe what causes my skin to break out, experience more congestion or contribute to it looking dull and tired.
Professional products
Changing products due to the season
Using Hyaluronic acid
Started to do the PCA Oxygenation-trio facial for hydration and antioxidant support. (I started with my PCA oxy trio (available to book online) and recently I am also loving the glass facial! So much hydration and oxygenation for the skin!)
I started consuming collagen (internally)
Introduced a retinol (when I was 25)
Regular extractions (aka professional facials - many of our facial (almost all of them do extractions) Book Now
Mindful of sun exposure. I was a sun worshipper... in fact, I even went to the tanning beds... I can see your jaw on the floor. I actually hate admitting that out loud it makes me cringe. That is the past and NOTTTTT something that has any room or flexibility in my routine.
Botox (I started at the age of 27)
Education! I learned a ton! I researched lots, read lots of books, listened to podcasts, and took more courses! But, instead of me telling you to research, I will provide resources that are ready for you! AKA this blog!!! My podcast is another great resource. A few of my favorite books that I loved and learned a lot from: - Eat Pretty Jolene Hart - Reverse the Signs of Aging - Dr. Nigma Talib - The Beauty Insider - Alison Young
Switched over to Silk Pillow Case 2 PK
Started doing Facial massage/stimulation/sculpting and drainage as often as I can fit into my routine
Home LED and ultrasound devices
Wear less makeup
NO picking and instead icing blemishes, this Refillable Ice Roller can do just the trick. I actually was never really a big picker... but I must admit I picked way more than I do now. Now it's not allowed in my routine. It's an absolute no. I will rock a pimple and properly treat the white head but I won't pick or pop anymore!
Pore-minimizing serum ( wish I used this before I was 29)
Facial Oil
Morpheus8 (also wish I did this before 29)
A lot of these things that I incorporated are tips and tricks I share on all my platforms; these are no secrets because they truly have been game-changing so I repeat these to you as much as possible. Repetition is the best way to learn and remember! These suggestions and tips were all added in over time. It's not like I woke up one day and changed ALL my products, my entire routine, and learned it all at once. This is from years of investing in my skin, learning my skin, and learning the best practices. I did however try to organize this list to the best of my ability and how I remember where I started in terms of changing and learning my skin and how it progressed, healed, and improved over time. Hopefully reading this you are already past suggestions 1-10 at least! If you are new to my podcast, blog, or skincare, read this list and bite off what you can chew. The worst thing to do in skincare is overcomplicating it. Do what makes sense for you and your routine right now and continue to build. Do not forget I have skin consultations and skin coaching packages available to further assist with this!
If you loved this blog I highly suggest giving my podcast a listen. Inspirations Beauty Show is loaded with information, tips, and tricks for healthy skin products, practices, routines, and services. More specifically, the episode paired with this blog entry goes into further detail on how and why the 30 recommendations were so game-changing!
I hope these 30 tips are helpful in your graceful healthy positive aging experience!