A couple of months ago, as we headed into Black Friday sale madness, it dawned on me that I wasn’t really looking for skincare products. After years of testing various skin creams and serums and toners and lotions (one of my favorite perks of this job), I’m now in a place where I’m…good. Instead of looking for something new to try, I’m just repeat buying everything in my skincare regime. And while I never did find that serum that would completely revert my entire face to its 25-year-old state (haha), I’ve been really happy with my skin.
While there is a VERY direct link between how my skin looks and my overall health (drinking enough water, working out, getting enough sleep, keeping my allergies at bay, eating leafy greens – these things all matter), skin care products most definitely play a roll. And while life sometimes keeps me from my eating/sleeping/working out goals, the right skin care can…bridge the gap, so to speak, until I find my footing again.
My Complete Skincare Routine (AKA: The Best Products I’ve Found For My Aging Skin)
A few things to note: I do get Botox 1-2 times a year to get rid of forehead lines, but have been pretty hesitant to try it around my eyes (I like to take the Botox thing realllllly slowly). I haven’t been getting routine facials, like, ever, but recently tried one with electrocurrents and LOVED the results. These facials don’t seem to last longer than a couple of weeks, but I can see why people might go monthly.
The One Skin Tool I Actually Use: LED Red Light Therapy
I still swear by that LED mask I purchased years ago. It still works great, and is easy enough that I use it *somewhat* reliably, although I go in phases (I’m better about using it in the winter for some reason). There are new masks coming out on the regular, though, so this is more of a nod to LED red-light therapy in general, rather than that specific mask. I’m not sure the exact mask matters all that much, as long as you find one you’re actually willing to use (my sister swears by this one). But the results are pretty great when I’m using it consistently: smoother, clearer, glowy skin, with visibly reduced wrinkles. Tip: for best results, use these masks on just cleaned, bare skin. And I’ve found that 20-30 minute sessions, 3-5 times that first week is the fastest way to see serious results (and then I go back to whatever the mask recommends as the standard after that).
The Cleansers, Serums, Exfoliators, Eye, Neck, & Face Creams I Swear By
One thing that’s changed in recent years is an understanding that protecting the skin barrier leads to better skin. And I’ve found that using exfoliators sparingly (but critically) is really important for my skin. I’ve also backed away from my use of prescription retinol – it was too harsh for the benefits, and I’ve been much happier with a few over-the-counter products.
Daily Use: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
Major Moisture: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
As Needed: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
The Skincare Products I Use Everyday
These are my most-used products, the ones I never leave home without.
1. Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream
Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream
Ursa Major is one of the absolute best brands of skincare out there. The price point isn’t insane, the packaging is earth-friendly (this one is a recyclable glass jar, for example), and the products really deliver. Like…exceptionally so. This face cream is the first thing I tried from the brand, and it results in such fresh, glowy skin – I LOVE it. It’s also great if you are one of those people who only want ONE product to be your everything: face cream, eye cream, serum, etc.
Cons: None.
How I Use It: In the winter, I’ll layer it over Ursa Major’s Mountain Glow Golden Serum (both morning and night), and in the summer I’ll sometimes use it alone. In a pinch, I will use it as my one-and-done if I’m traveling, or running to the gym or something.
2. Dr. Hauschka Eye Balm
THIS. I use this product so often, so aggressively, that I honestly don’t know what I did before it. I discovered it after leaving my toiletries kit at home, and purchasing some last-minute skincare on vacation. THANK GOODNESS. This eye balm starts as a hardened oil that you have to warm up a little between your fingers, but nothing (seriously NOTHING) feels better under my eyes. It’s an instant refresh, instant moment of ahhhhhhhh. My eyes look brighter, younger, plumped & refreshed – and feel that way, too! I’ve stopped using concealer.
Cons: The only downside is that I use so much that the oil takes a loooong time to absorb, but – bonus! – it leaves my under eyes moisturized all night (you can definitely tell a difference in the morning). But if I’m getting out of the shower and need to put makeup on, I use a different eye cream.
How I Use It: Every. Single. Night. If I’m having a lazy morning, or am going to be working out before showing, I’ll reapply this under eye balm in the morning, too, because it feels so good.
3. Farmacy Makeup Remover
I’m a big fan of oil-based cleansers since you simply wipe them off with a damp towel (no splashing-face-with-water required). And this one is the best I’ve found for getting rid of even the most stubborn eye makeup. It leaves skin refreshed, not stripped, yet really clean feeling.
Cons: While it removes makeup better than any other cleanser I’ve tried, it doesn’t have that blissful spa-like smell or texture like Colleen Rothschild’s Radiant Cleansing Balm. It’s also a little pricier than I want it to be, given the size and how quickly I go through it.
How I Use It: Every night – I actually rub it into my lashes, too, and it literally melts away mascara and eye makeup.
4. Sara Happ Lip Slip
This is another product that I’m bizarrely passionate about – and reviewers agree! It’s pricey, but literally nothing even comes close to being as effective. And while Sara Happ makes an overnight lip mask that is – technically – supposed to be used at night, I’ve actually found that this product makes the better overnight mask (yet is really pretty for daytime use, too).
Cons: Pricey
How I Use It: As an overnight lip mask, and I keep one in my purse/backpack/travel pouch – I literally never want to be without it.
5. goPure Neck Firming Cream
This product is borderline gimmicky, but does actually work. I suspect it’s because of the combination of caffeine with a deep moisturizer, but bottom line? If the skin on your neck is starting to look a little crepey, this cream literally…smooths it away. Like, immediately. Within seconds. It’s a visible change, which is wild.
Cons: This cream works well, but the results are temporary, so you have to keep using it (twice daily). Because of that, this cream often sells out, so the whole thing is, like, A Whole Thing. I’ve found that with regular use, however, I can last week (sometimes two!) if I’ve run out and am waiting for my next one.
How I Use It: Every morning, every night, and sometimes before going out. It doesn’t matter if I shower or not, if it’s morning, night, or date night, I’m smoothing this cream on my neck. 🙂
6. Ursa Major Mountain Glow Serum
Ursa Major Mountain Glow Golden Serum
If I had to pick only one product on this list I couldn’t live without…I think it’s this one. Which is funny, because when I first started using it, I was underwhelmed. But after a couple of weeks, I started to notice that my skin was looking…amazing. It’s now my absolute favorite product – I can’t recommend it highly enough. It manages to increase firmness in my skin, leaving it more supple, while smoothing away fine lines and – I think?? – even reducing pore size. My skin has literally never looked so good. I love what one reviewer said, “Am not expecting miracles on my face at age 75 but this was pretty close.” Haha yes EXACTLY.
Cons: None
How I Use It: In the summer, I use this alone as my only face cream (unless I need a little extra moisture, then I layer something over it), and in the winter, I use it layered under a thicker cream. I also use it both morning (often alone) and at night (layered). It’s great under makeup, too.
7. Annemarie Borlind Naturoyale Eye + Lip Treatment
This product has a thick, bouncy texture, and feels SO GOOD going on. It’s less oily than my Dr. Hauschka Eye Balm, which makes it my top pick for wearing under eye makeup. That said, I do still give it a few minutes to fully absorb into my skin. I love how clean this product is, too – literally clean enough to eat! (Although, I wouldn’t). But this product is actually a lip product too, so you can rub it all over your lips, including into the fine lines developing around your lips. It’s great.
Cons: Pricey
How I Use It: If I’m wearing makeup, this is the product I use around my eyes. If I’m a little dehydrated and notice some of those fine lines creeping in around my lips, I’ll rub it into those, too, until I can get re-hydrated.
8. Annemarie Borlind Hyaluronic Serum
This is a serum that delivers a pretty intense punch of moisture, and layers beautifully under (or over) other skincare products. It absorbs quickly, feels fresh & light on the skin, and leaves behind a plumper texture and slight glow.
Cons: None.
How I Use It: One thing I’ve started doing in the last few years is applying some sort of oil to my face as soon as I wake up. Like…roll out of bed, then pat it on. It gives my skin an instant glow, and I’ve found that my skin stays more moisturized throughout the day, too. It’s like a little pump of protection before going out into the elements or applying sunscreen/makeup. For years I used Biossance’s Rose Oil for this purpose and it’s still fantastic, but I’ve found that I like this Hyaluronic Acid “shake” even more. It feels lighter, and is a little cheaper, too.
The Best Skincare Products For Major Moisturizer
There are times when I’m looking for MAJOR moisture. Usually in the winter, when I’ve been doing a ton of skiing or outdoor running/cross-country skiing, but sometimes in the summer, too, if I’ve inadvertently gotten too much sun. I’ve found that having a truly thick, rich, deeply moisturizing cream is really useful. After years of testing, I’ve found a handful that all seem to work equally well. This is category where I’m still constantly trying new products, but the ones below have proven tough to beat.
1. Youth To The People Superberry Dream Mask
I’ll layer a thick layer of this bad boy over my Mountain Glow Golden Serum and whoa: it’s freaking amazing. I also love that there’s a little hit of Vitamin C in here as well. Like Ursa Major, the Youth To The People Brand is also clean beauty, and the product comes in a recyclable glass jar.
Cons: These jars are smaller than expected!!
2. Ursa Major Alpine Rich Cream
This is the cream I’m currently using – it lasts FOREVER. Another deeply rich cream that is also clean (and comes in a glass jar), this one is notable not just for the truly intense moisture, but because it’s also amazing on sensitive skin, too. It just…calms everything the f*ck down. I love it.
Cons: Slightly greasy feel – this one takes time to fully absorb. The smell is also a little…uh…musty old grandfather but it’s so effective I don’t care. Nostalgic? IDK.
3. Annemarie Borlind Naturoyale Night Cream
This thick cream smells – and feels – so good I want to bathe in it. This is the most unique cream I’ve tried – it has a plump, bouncy texture that reminds me of – just go with me here – Elmer’s Glue, but in the best possible way. It’s amazing. And has some collagen-stimulating, firming properties, as well as support for the skin barrier.
Cons: Pricey!
4. Skinfix Barrier+ Face Cream
This is another powerhouse of moisture. I love that it’s completely unscented, and it’s deeply protective of the skin barrier, too. Anecdotally, it’s not quite as safe on sensitive skin – when Pax’s face was totally red from a day of skiing, this one burned a little bit, and we ended up wiping it off and using Ursa Major’s Alpine Rich Cream instead. But if you prefer totally unscented products, this one is really moisturizing.
Cons: The dispenser takes some getting used to – just don’t push down fully, and it will dispense the correct amount (more hygienic than sticking your fingers in product). I love that its refillable, but some reviewers have complained about the refills not fitting properly (although it’s always been OK for me).
The Best Skincare Products To Use As-Needed
I feel like my skin does a little better overall when I change things up from time-to-time, so I’ll add these products in as needed.
1. Ursa Major Vitamin C Serum
When I need a little extra glow, or if I know I’ll be spending more time in the sun, I almost always use this Vitamin C Serum under my moisturizer. In fact, this Vitamin C Serum in combo with the Golden Hour Recovery Cream is pretty potent – after just a couple days of use, folks started to comment on how good my skin looked.
Cons: None
2. Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Night Oil
I use this product a few times per week (as long as my skin has been feeling hydrated – otherwise, I’ll do the overnight mask). It goes on blue, and turns clear as it gets absorbed. And I wake up in the morning with fresh, glowy skin – it’s pretty transformative. But using this more than a few times per week dries out my skin.
Cons: The smell is…not great. But it’s so effective I don’t care.
3. Peter Thomas Roth Enzyme Mask
This is pretty old school, but I haven’t found a better exfoliator. There’s some physical exfoliation happening with whatever the little gritty stuff is, but it’s really the AHAs that do the heavy lifting. You want to be careful not to scrub your skin – gently, gently – but it’s bananas effective, and makes all of the other products work better.
Cons: It smells like a pumpkin candle. Which, Ok, I LOVE in the fall, but am annoyed by in the Spring/Summer. If there’s a better product out there, I’ll switch, but this one – so far – is the best.
4. Biossance Squalane + Lactic Acid Serum
This old favorite is great for just…changing things up. My favorite way to use this product is to switch over to it for a week (or, more realistically, 4-5 days in a row). The change-up, coupled with the resurfacing properties is really good for my skin. (And I’ll layer a rich cream over, if needed.)
Cons: Smell – this product smells, uh, effective, rather than good. I’ll take it.
5. Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes
These are just what I always wanted those make-up removing towelettes to feel like. I always pop some in my backpack and travel kit. They remove makeup well enough, and just feel really good on.
Cons: These are not an everyday solution, but are great for once in a while.
Ok! Now I’m off to hydrate because Drink More Water is a freaking never-ending goal. Gahhhhh.
Xo,
S
