Simple AM and PM Skincare Routine For Women Over 40.

Why did I start my AM and PM skincare routine so late?

I used to be quite careless about my skincare routine in my 20s and even 30s. But since turning 40 I started noticing unwanted signs of aging which caused me to feel insecure about leaving the house without foundation.

Most of my age signs were dark spots and skin discoloration. Along with that a few fine lines and wrinkles started to appear, a little harder to cover.

My am and pm skincare routine has definitely moved up on the list of priorities since I started getting into my late 30s.

I was skeptical at first, is it actually worth the trouble?

Being a health coach I always used to say that “good skin comes from within”. A good diet and drinking water along with some sunscreen is all we need for good skin. While I still believe it’s definitely the foundation of good skin, I started realizing that after 40 it’s not quite enough if I want radiant, firm, and spot-free skin.

We need all the help we can get if we want to maintain that healthy glowing even skin tone after 35. I have definitely proven to myself that taking good care of my skin can make a huge difference.

I can honestly say that now at the age of 43, my skin is actually looking and feeling better than it did about 5-6 years ago. And it’s simply because I have zoomed in on my am and pm skincare routine.

It doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to use a tonne of products daily, you just need to pick the right skincare routine for your skin type and make it a daily habit. Over time it becomes a second nature and you will do it as fast as you would brush your teeth.

Skincare reminder sheet, print and stick to your bathroom mirror.

I have included a printable sheet that you can grab right here so you can have it in your bathroom as a reminder to do your simple am and pm skincare routine steps. After a few weeks, you might no longer need the list, but at the start, it’s a good guide to make sure you do it in the correct order and use the right products at the right time.

Also, it will help you remember to actually do it, let’s face it, we all feel a little tired and lazy at times and let it slip through for a few days. Consistency is what matters. The more consistent you are with your skincare the better results you will see.

Make sure you get the right types of products if you have sensitive skin. An alcohol and ideally perfume-free gentle cleanser should be used for all skin types, but especially if you have dry skin or wrinkles.

Okay, let’s get on with it.

The first step before the first step is; to drink loads of water. Keep hydrated at all times. Now it’s even more important than ever.

Here is my morning skincare routine.

My am and pm skincare routine only differs slightly. I used different serums as per the recommendation of my dermatologist and my beautician in the morning and at night.

In a nutshell, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid are used in the morning and my evening routine includes retinol. Aside from that I finish off with night cream whilst 50+ sunscreen is a must in my am routine.

Step 1. Wash face with warm water, no cleanser. I know you are probably thinking that you need to use a cleanser in the morning to wash with, but you don’t.

I have been told by my dermatologist as well as my beautician that you do not need to wash your face with face cleanser in the morning as long as you cleanse your skin very well before going to bed.

Over-cleansing skin with face wash can dry your skin out. It may be okay for someone younger, but for women over 40, we need to keep our natural oils intact.

With one exception; if you have very oily skin and acne-prone skin then you might consider a special face cleanser to use in the morning as well to combat the oiliness and acne.

Gently pat dry after washing.

Step 2. Cleanse with an alcohol-free toner, avoiding eye area.

Step 3. Apply brightening eye cream. I used Peptide-Infused Eye Cream with added vitamin C. (This helps boost collagen production, improves skin elasticity, and brightens dark circles under the eyes).

Step 4. Gently apply vitamin C serum avoiding the eye area, and allow to sit on your face for a couple of minutes before the next step. (This is to help you brighten your skin tone and fight dark spots).

Step 5. Apply good hyaluronic acid serum and also let it soak in for a minute. (This is to help your skin stay hydrated as it helps to pull water into the top layer of your skin from beneath).

Step 6. And now it’s time for a good 50+ sunscreen to prevent sun damage (regardless of the season, you should always use it to prevent damage from harsh sun). This replaces your day cream.

That’s it, your are done, you can go ahead and apply makeup now or leave it as it is. You are ready to head out the door.

If you have never really taken good care of your skin 6 steps seems like a lot, but once you do it a few times, believe me, you will be done in 5 minutes or less. It’s so worth the effort though.

Here is my evening skincare routine.

Step 1. Gently, but thoroughly wash your face with a good cleanser and warm water. Ideally, you want to use a natural sea sponge to gently exfoliate your skin.

Don’t use it around the eyes though. Just use your fingers around the eyes. If you have a good cleanser you shouldn’t need to use a makeup remover prior to that.

If you like to wear a thick layer of foundation and eye makeup you might need to repeat this process twice to get all the makeup off.

The first cleanse will get read of most of the oil and makeup. The second cleanse will remove the rest of the deeper dirt and remaining makeup that embeds itself into the pores.

Pro tip: Make sure you use lukewarm water (approximately the temperature of your body around 35-40c), using very warm of hot water can dry your skin out a lot. I learnt this the hard way.

Step 2. Use your alcohol-free toner to remove any other debris, remaining makeup, and excess oil. I can’t believe I used to skip this step. I realized how much stuff is still left on my skin even after a thorough wash, mainly because I use foundation daily.

Step 3. The same under-eye cream you used in the morning.

Step 4. It’s time for Retinol serum. (This is very important and made a big difference in how my skin looks). At the bottom of this article, you will find a simple description of each of the serum’s purposes and benefits I listed for you. So you understand what each of them is actually for).

Step 5. The final step is to finish off with an anti-wrinkle night cream. I drag it down all the way to my neck and décolletage (chest area). Unless you are using a different product specifically for that area.

Step 6 (not every day): Note: This isn’t a daily thing, but rather every 3rd day. I use a good gentle exfoliator to promote cell turnover and get read of the dead skin cells. This can be done any time of day, but ideally before sleep and before applying all your nigh-time serums and creams.

Additional tips:

Lip care:

Don’t forget the lips. I use 50+ lip balm on my lips and reapply it all day long. You can put it over your lipstick too if you wear one. We protect our face with sunscreen, but what about the lips? Don’t neglect it. Lucious moist lips will keep you looking younger.

At night time I apply Paw-Paw lip ointment.

This will ensure your lips won’t get dry, cracked, and wrinkly.

Sure, there are so many other things you can add to your skincare routine like salicylic acid, antioxidant serum, face masks, micellar water, vitamin e cream and the list goes on.

But when I approached my dermatologist and beautician I asked them to recommend me an absolute must-use product only for women over 40. The steps above are what they recommended at the absolute minimum.

I needed a simple enough routine that I would actually stick with. Being a busy parent of a pre-schooler and running two businesses leaves me with little time to take care of my skin. So I needed something simple, but effective enough to see the difference.

Since I started following a routine for the past few years my skin has improved noticeably.

Disclaimer: I do use Botox and fillers and I do an annual peel like Cosmelan or a depigmentation laser treatment of some sort. I experiment with different in-clinic treatments so I will keep you posted on all things anti-aging skincare in my blog.

I wrote a full review of my Cosmelan Peel results with real before and after photos, you can check it out here.

Stay tuned and check in weekly to see new updates. I review all my treatments and update my progress with before and after photos.

Products I use for my AM and PM skincare routine.

Yes, I can recommend the skincare products I use. I have trialed and tested so many and probably will continue trying new things on the market. But for now, I am very happy with the simple and inexpensive brands I currently use.

The most important thing to look out for is that they have the necessary active ingredients and contain enough of those ingredients to make a difference.

Here are the products I currently use and love. I also choose brands that support cruelty-free practices and use mainly natural ingredients. I try to avoid chemicals and products with perfume.

Face wash:

Sukin daily face cleanse from Priceline or Woolworths. Effective in removing all non-waterproof makeup.

Gentle sea sponge from Amazon, this one is less harsh than the ones you can buy in-store and has a string to hang it on so it can dry properly.

Toner for deeper cleanse:

Thayers Facial Toner with Witch Hazel (non drying natural toner)

Vitamin C serum:

Not all vitamin C serum is made equal.

There are different strengths.

Low Concentration (5% – 10%): These concentrations are suitable for individuals with sensitive skin or those new to using vitamin C. They provide mild benefits and are less likely to cause irritation.
Moderate Concentration (10% – 15%): This range is effective for most skin types and can provide noticeable results in terms of brightness and overall skin health.
High Concentration (15% – 20% or higher): Higher concentrations may offer more significant results, especially in terms of reducing hyperpigmentation and promoting collagen production. However, they are also more likely to cause irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin.

I personally go for Moderate Strength, the brand I use is PLUM Vitamin C.

Hyaluronic acid serum:

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% is great and affordable.

Eye cream:

LPH LAB Eye Cream (firms under eye area and reduces eye bags and dark circles)

Daily sun protection:

Natio 50s face moisturizer is a great option because of how light it feels, it’s not greasy and doesn’t seem to clog pores. You can pick that up at your local pharmacy. I get mine from Priceline.

Retinol:

The Ordinary Retinol 1% (for collagen production)

Night cream:

Natio Restore Mature Skin (to keep skin hydrated overnight).

Exfoliation face scrub:

S ukin Super Greens Scrub (helps remove dead skin cells and blackheads)