skin care tips

Cheap washcloths? Check ✓

Hygrometer? Check. ✓

Sunscreen? Check. ✓

I’m not sure how helpful my skincare notes will be since I don’t really do a lot, but I’m consistent so that makes a difference. Anyway, here I go with my first skincare notes:

MORNING: First thing I do after brushing my teeth is apply lip balm and spray my face with a facial spray. The cool blast helps me wake up and provides a little immediate moisture while I have my green tea.

Ready to start the day, I wash my face using an unscented cream cleanser and a warm (cheap) washcloth. For years I used Cetaphil cleanser but they changed the formula and now I use Avene because it’s similar and unscented. I am bothered by perfumes and scents – an allergy I think –  so all my home cleaning and laundry products are “free and clear.” (Windex makes me gag but that’s for another time! 🤢) Anyway, back to the face. I let the cleanser “melt’ for a minute and then run a washcloth under warm, not hot water. At 79, my skin is thinner and drier and hot water strips the skin’s natural oils. I wipe off the cleanser with the washcloth and let the skin dry for a minute.

Cheap washcloths are my preference. Mine come in a stack at Target and they are anything but soft and that’s the point. Every time I wash my face, I get a very gentle exfoliating from these “grainy” washcloths. After many many uses, they soften up so I buy a new stack and keep the old, soft ones for cleaning.

When my face is dry, I apply a serum and let it set for a couple of minutes. I follow that with a moisturizer on my face and neck. I wait a bit for the moisturizer to absorb and follow with sunscreen on my face, neck, and the back of my hands.

THROUGHOUT THE DAY: There is water and lip balm everywhere – at my desk, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, by the sofa, and in my car. My skin benefits greatly from sipping water all day long. I drink before I get thirsty because if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. At 79, our lips get dry easily so I apply lip balm whenever needed.

NIGHTTIME: My face washing is the same, using the cleanser and washcloth, but about every 3rd day, I use a gentle scrub instead of the cleanser. Mature skin doesn’t need harsh grainy scrubs so I use a very fine, gentle exfoliating scrub, using that warm washcloth to remove it. Once the skin is dry, I apply a serum, let it set for a couple of minutes and follow with a moisturizer.

BRANDS I LIKE: Avene, EltaMD (sunscreen), Laroche-Posay, Dr. Dennis Gross, SkinCeuticals, SkinMedica, Rilastil, and Natura Bissa ⬅ Sticker Shock on this one! 💰💰 (I never do paid endorsements – just sharing here in case someone is interested.)

HUMIDITY: I run humidifiers in the winter. Even in California, when the heat comes on, it dries the air and that is bad for your skin. (Dry air also increases your chances of getting sick but that’s for another time.) We have two humidifiers that need constant filling and occasional cleaning but I do the work because it’s worth it. I keep hygrometers around and can see that with the humidifier tanks running constantly, the humidity stays above 40%. If you get sparks when you touch things, your air it too dry – and so is your skin and cuticles, too. When I’m someplace else where the air is really dry, I use lots of hand cream and I put Vaseline in my nose.👃

NO MAKEUP: I don’t wear makeup. That may be why my skin glows because the pores don’t get clogged up with foundation and the skin can breathe. I had to wear lots of makeup on TV with even more touchups between shows, and I couldn’t wait to wash it off as soon as I could. It felt like a heavy mask but now I’m free so… no makeup!

NO FACIALS: I stopped doing facials years ago after I got better at my skincare. The last time I did my own facial (about 15 years ago) I did not see any improvement because my skin was in such good condition already.

6 THINGS TO AVOID FOR BEAUTIFUL SKIN: Smoking, alcohol, hot water, the sun, dehydration, and sleep deprivation.

HONORABLE MENTION: With everything above being important, I still believe my diet… what I’m eating/drinking and not eating/drinking… is the biggest contributor to my healthy skin.

Well I hope this is helpful.🙂 Once when my sister was visiting, I convinced her one night to stop wearing (matte!) makeup and just scrub and moisturize, and the next morning at breakfast, her skin was glowing! I remember it to this day. It was an immediate improvement that even I wasn’t expecting. We were both surprised. ❤️ I hope you find yourself pleasantly surprised, too.

This is me walking. Big hat, long sleeves, shirt buttoned up, collar up, sunglasses, and sunscreen – sunny or overcast, I do this every time I walk. This is how my skincare starts. Here are some things you may not know:

1. Did you know that there is no such thing as sunblock? Nothing can block the sun from damaging your skin. They used to call it sunblock but then the FDA got involved so now it’s called sunscreen.
2. But sunscreen does not block the sun’s damage – it only helps decrease the risk of skin cancer and the aging effects of the sun. The risk is still there. So even with a high SPF, you are only reducing the exposure from dangerous UVA/UVB rays, which is why I always cover up when I’m outside. UVA rays age the skin with wrinkles and spots and UVB rays cause sun burn. Both contribute to skin cancer risk.
3. Here’s a shocker: On overcast or cloudy days, I’ll bet you didn’t know you’re still getting up to 80% of the sun’s damaging rays. Look it up!
4. One popular sunscreen has this in their description: “Helps decrease the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging caused by the sun if used with other sun protection measures.” No sunscreen can completely prevent damage.
5. How about this? Time spent sitting near windows or in a car, also has risks. Glass blocks most UVB rays but UVA rays can pass through glass.
6. Here’s one more: Those harmful UVA/UVB rays also bounce off of concrete & pavement, water, sand, walls, and snow, with snow being especially dangerous. Skiers know that.
7. I’m not done yet. Did you know that the sun is also damaging to the eyes? Sunglasses are vital. I asked my eye doctor, “What’s the most important thing to do to protect your eyes?” He said, “Wear sunglasses.” Got it! (He also told me I had the retinas of a 40-year old! 👍) My big sunglasses also have protection on the sides so the rays can’t sneak in when I’m not looking. 👀

I’m old enough to remember not just basking in the sun, but actually applying coconut oil to intensify your tan! With a foil reflector!! 🔥 OMG!! Nobody knew – it was the 1950s. We tanned. We burned. Our shoulders peeled like blistered shishito peppers. 🌶

Too much fun in the sun…
And you’ll end up “well done.” 🥵
I’ll shut up now, I made my case.
Get some sunscreen and slap it on your face! 😎

p.s. Teresa made a valuable comment below. It’s important to get your skin checked regularly by a dermatologist. During my own screening late last year, the doctor said it was rare to see someone my age without skin cancer. Whew! 👍 I still go every year.