7 things that changed my skin in my forties (one costs £2, one is Botox)

I’m not claiming to have the world’s best skin for a woman in her mid 40’s (I have lots of freckles, lines around my eyes and at certain angles I think I might even see a very slight jowl (what a horror of a word, let’s use ‘drop’) at the sides of my mouth. But the texture, hydration and even ‘glow’ on a good day is pretty good and most things are fairly lifted.

This is not a piece focussed on the newest high tech, probably painful and definitely expensive medi-spa treatments you can have, although I’m obvs I’m always interested to hear if someone had something that has dramatically worked! This is more the day to day things, actually quite practical, you can do which I think make a difference.

If you’re new here, you might not know that I was a makeup artist for 15 years (at the end of that era I was mostly working on beautiful big budget weddings all over Europe) so I really was at the coal face of looking at a lot of real women’s skin up close. Which leads me to my first point…..

Here’s my 2 anecdotes from working on probably 5,000+ faces in those years:

a) The women I met in their fifties and sixties with genuinely beautiful skin (not over taut, over filler-ed, over Botoxed, just soft textured, bright and hydrated faces) all said the same thing when I asked them their secret. Nivea. or Astral. Or another affordable brand. Every single one of them. It was never a complicated skincare system. The common thread wasn’t the brand specifically, it was how they used it. Thick, emollient moisturiser, applied twice a day, without fail. There are versions of this at every budget. I think the consistency matters more than the price tag. You can absolutely use this £4.75 Nivea, in fact I used Nivea Soft (£2) under makeup for years.

Now, the two I swear by are Sunday Riley Ice Cream - deeply hydrating but not greasy and my current superstar (hard to find in the shops as it’s generally only at medi spas) is Obagi Hydrate Lux Moisture (this link has 25% off) which just leaves my skin feeling cushioned and supple and bouncy bur zero stickiness. 10/10 big recommend and I use it morning and night over any serums I’m using and under makeup

b) The dream as a makeup artist was to hear ‘Oh my skin looks amazing’ once you’d finished the makeup. Now some of that was of course foundation/concealers etc, but a lot of it was the generous skin prep (see also point 2 below). In essence I think most people just do not use enough face moisturiser. Don’t be timid - slather it on. And if you’re eeking out your moisturiser because it was an expensive treat, that’s not going to cut it, go more affordable and use more.

*I can of course not account for all skin types here, rare mature skins do struggle with heavier creams, I’m talking about my experience of most women I talked to

This is something I did on every single client for years, part of the ritual of getting someone ready. I don’t do anything extensive on myself daily, but when I’m looking tired or dehydrated, I’ll always try to squeeze in three minutes.

Your face holds tension the same way your shoulders do, and a lot of what reads as puffy or tired is just fluid and tension sitting there. A few minutes of proper movement shifts it, and you see the difference immediately.

The basics are: always work upwards and outwards, never down. A bit of pressure along the jaw. Small circles on the cheeks towards the temples and sweeps across the forehead out towards the hairline. Fingers or a gua sha is fine. There’s some great youtube videos if you need more pointers.

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I’ve been using a red light mask for years now. Does it work? Yes, but only if you actually use it! The science bit: Red light energises fibroblasts (the cells that make collagen and elastin), and that’s what leads to firmer skin and fewer fine lines over time. It also calms inflammation, which is why it helps with redness and breakouts, and it boosts circulation, which is where the glow comes from.

None of that happens from one session, or from a mask that sits in a drawer for three weeks at a time, really you need to use it 3-5 times a week. I think that’s why people try one, don’t see anything in a fortnight, and give up.

I use it most nights and I’ve started treating it as my wind down moment (mask on, phone down, ten minutes, foot cream etc etc, maybe a guided meditation on spotify). There’s actually something about the red light I find very relaxing but that be the behaviours I’ve linked with it!

I use the Current Body LED Mask. It’s flexible, comfortable and stays charged for ages. You can use my code THEHOUSECB for 10% off

4. A Facecloth

I know, I know, a small thing. But I think using traditional terry towelling face cloths are the perfect light daily exfoliation when cleansing your face, I buy 12 at a time like these and always throw in the wash after every use. Genuinely changes how clean my skin feels day to day and making sure every scrap of makeup is off.

5. Vitamin C religiously

Serums come and go, I’ll try something for a few months then move on to the next thing. But vitamin C in the morning is the one thing that stays constant every day.

It’s the brightening that does it for me, without it my skin looks flatter and not as clear.

I’m currently using Medik8 C-Tetra Advanced

6. Dr Jess

My beloved Dr Jess. I see her for Botox and Profhilo, I’m also considering a teeny bit of lip filler and a Moxi laster with her. She’s the best and has a light hand. I also like any excuse to hang out with her for 30 mins, she’s a total delight.

7. An oily diet

Oily fish, good oils, the lot, I really do think it shows. When I’m eating well, salmon, sardines, avocado, olive oil, (berries also and dark green leafy veg), my skin has more give to it, that plumpness moisturiser alone can’t quite replicate.

I notice it most after a stretch of travel and rubbish food and vino a plenty, skin gets duller and bounces back just as fast once I’m eating properly again.

See you soon Jxx