There’s no question that for our
makeup to look its best, our skin has to look its best. We all know the four essential
care practices for great skin, something I call “the familiar four” – cleansing, exfoliating, hydrating or moisturizing, and
protecting. But can we make them more effective? Absolutely!

We can also add two more practices that can make a huge difference for our skin. Finally, I’ll conclude with a rundown of five skincare products that you may not be as familiar with that can dramatically improve our mature skin.

Check with your dermatologist regarding any skincare routine or products you plan to try.

Products Mentioned

• Clarisonic Mia Smart Cleansing Brush
• The Age Fix by Dr. Anthony Youn
• Exfoliating Polish or Paste, for example, Tatcha The Deep Polish Rice Enzyme Powder
• Gold Botanical Tinted Face Sunscreen – SPF 50
• Timeless 20% C+E+Ferulic Acid Serum
• Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum
• Timeless Matrixyl Synthe 6 Serum
• Timeless Hyaluronic Acid
• The Ordinary Niacinamide

Why Cleansing Is So Important – And How to Do It Even Better

It’s absolutely essential to do a good
job cleansing your skin or none of the wonderful skincare products in the world are going to effectively penetrate
the skin and do their best work – which really defeats the purpose of
using them.

And let’s face it; skincare products
are expensive, so we want to get the
greatest possible benefit from them.

Cleansing, of course, removes makeup,
debris, and dead skin cells – but it may be surprising to know that
the way we usually cleanse our skin may not be as effective as we might think.

Recently, after having worn makeup all
day, I washed my face by lathering generously using my favorite cleanser,
thoroughly rinsed with water, and used a washcloth. Then I took a cotton pad
with micellar water on it and rubbed it over my face. I was quite shocked by
how much came off on that cotton pad!

If you’ve noticed the same thing when
cleansing your face, you may want to consider checking out a product that can
get your skin six times cleaner compared to doing it manually: a sonic
cleansing brush.

There are a number of different sonic
cleansing brushes on the market at varying price points, and many of them come
with different brushes to suit particular skin types.

Whether you do or don’t use a sonic
cleansing brush, it’s critical to always thoroughly cleanse your skin at night because
this is when your skin regenerates and repairs itself.

Be sure to check out Elise’s new YouTube channel which
specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those
of us 50+. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Why Exfoliating Our Skin Regularly Can Make a Big Difference

The most common cause of dull
complexions is a decreased rate of cell turnover. When we’re younger, our rate
of skin cell turnover is every 6–8 weeks. As we get older, this rate
changes to every 10–14 weeks.

Exfoliation helps the skin look its
freshest by refining the surface and restoring its natural radiance. Removing
dead skin cells creates a smoother, brighter complexion.

Exfoliation also allows better
penetration of treatment products and moisturizers, stimulates the production
of new collagen fibers and reverses the thinning of the collagen.

It’s best to exfoliate a minimum of
twice a week. I recently got lazy and went a number of weeks without
exfoliating my skin. When I decided to get back into my exfoliating routine, I
was shocked. When I looked in the mirror after exfoliating my skin, it honestly
looked a couple shades lighter!

Why Hydrating and Moisturizing Are So Vital

Our body loses 5–7 pints of fluid a day, and that fluid needs to be replaced. Hydrated
skin looks plumper and more youthful. So be sure to drink water!

Moisturizers deliver water to the skin,
temporarily plump up fine lines, smooth and soften the appearance of our skin,
and lock in the water that is already there. And be sure to use an oil-free
moisturizer if you have normal or oily skin; use a more enriched formula if you
have dry skin.

Protecting Our Skin Is a Must!

Nothing will help you avoid sun damage
and wrinkles more than using a daily sunblock or sunscreen. If you are using a
chemical sunscreen, apply it 30 minutes before going outside. If you’ll be
spending considerable time outside, use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30. And
don’t forget the lip balm.

Additional Dermatologist Approved Care

Dermatologists and plastic surgeons agree
that the product that helps us the most with fine lines is a retinol product
(Vitamin A derivative). You can buy prescription strength products from your
dermatologist, but there are many over-the-counter drugstore brands as well.

However, drugstore brands aren’t
required to list the percentage of retinol that is in the product, so there’s
no way of knowing how much retinol the product actually contains.

If you use any of these products,
start by applying just a small amount first to see how well your skin tolerates
it. Too much of the product can cause redness and skin flaking.

IMPORTANT: Vitamin A (any retinol product, really) increases your sensitivity to the sun, so it’s extremely important to wear sunscreen when you’re using it or you can damage your skin.

The Most Important Thing We Can
Do for Our Skin

By far the most important thing we can
do for our skin is to eat a healthy diet with an emphasis on fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and unprocessed foods.

And there’s one food we consume that
pretty much equals wrinkles. Any guesses as to what it is? If you said sugar,
you’re right.

But the good news is that red wine (in
moderation) and at least 70% cacao dark chocolate have been shown to be good
for us.

5 Very Helpful Skincare Products

CE Ferulic Acid
Serum

This serum is composed of Vitamins C and E plus Ferulic Acid. In addition to antioxidant protective benefits, C E Ferulic Acid serum improves signs of aging and photo damage to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles while firming and brightening our complexions.

Timeless 20% C+E+Ferulic Acid Serum

Coenzyme Q10 Serum

As we get older, we lose CoQ10 in the skin which
reduces the skin’s ability to produce collagen and elastin. Collagen is
important because it makes your skin firm, while elastin gives your skin
flexibility. The loss of collagen and elastin results in increased sagging and
wrinkling.

By using topical CoQ10, it’s possible to help fight the signs of aging. It penetrates deeply into the skin to provide antioxidants and to help create collagen and elastin.

Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum

Matrixyl Synthe 6
Serum

This powerful wrinkle-reducing peptide boosts the synthesis of six skin-rebuilding essentials, including collagen and elastin. Most interestingly, as it begins to smooth the appearance of wrinkles, Matrixyl Synthe 6 also signals the skin to produce more of thecells that keep it looking healthy.

Timeless Matrixyl Synthe 6 Serum

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid binds to water to help retain
moisture. However, the natural aging process and exposure to things like
ultraviolet radiation from the sun, tobacco smoke, and pollution can decrease
the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin.

When applied to the surface of the skin, hyaluronic acid serums can reduce wrinkles, redness, and dermatitis.

Timeless Hyaluronic Acid

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works
with the natural substances in the skin to help visibly improve enlarged pores,
uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, and dullness.

It also reduces the impact of environmental damage because of its ability to improve the skin’s barrier and helps the skin to repair signs of past damage.

The Ordinary Niacinamide

How has your skincare routine changed over the
years? What types of products do you find most effective for your skin now? Are
there any new products you’re thinking of trying? Please share with our
community!

Kristin Doute’s Red Lace Maxi Dress

Vanderpump Rules Season 8 Episode 10 Fashion

Kristen Doute may leave her frienemies seeing a lot of red on this season of Vanderpump Rules, but in my case I just noticed it as the shade of her dress and not being thrown at her. I also noticed Kristin was smoking a cig as she strolled around in this plunging lewk, and these days that is kind of like seeing a unicorn. Juul, maybe…Cig? NSM (although I bet packs are cheap AF in Kentucky and she is on “vacay”). But even if she wasn’t puffing away I would still think she was totally smokin’ in this red lace maxi dress.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Lim Fan Maxi Dress

Originally posted at: Kristin Doute’s Red Lace Maxi Dress