Age is not being kind… with pic! Botox needed, and what else??

[MamaDuckling]

I have always had a very “expressive” face but now it is really getting me down. I look battered, and significantly older than my friends (who are mostly older). For info, I’m not yet 40.

I’ve had Botox a couple of times and whilst I don’t love the frozen look, I think I need to keep it up as a preventative measure now??

I don’t smoke, don’t see much sun, don’t drink too much, why am I so wrinkled?! And what else will help? I could probably drink more water but that can’t be all I’m doing wrong!

Any advice much appreciated. Feeling a bit miserable.

I use dermatica, but it won't do anything for my deep set '11s', I'm getting Botox on those.

Right, dermatica, is it subscription only?

It is subscription but you can pause, cancel, order more at any time though. It's not a quick fix, there are long running threads on here about it. You have to preserver and personally I went through some redness and flakiness before it got better.

@MarieRoseMarie bitchy much?

@MamaDuckling There ya go, nice legs are a great asset!

Just to say: don’t expect miracles from tretinoin- it won’t change deep wrinkles. It can apparently tackle fine lines and other things like acne scarring (which I also have alongside my wrinkles 🙄). It can fade age spots and just improve the overall appearance of the skin. I’ve been using it only for a short while and haven’t noticed much change yet, although my skin is a nice colour and skin tone looks more even.

I have recently been stricter with my routine and the things I have noticed that have helped the most. Drink loads of water. It really does make a difference. Night cream. I use cetaphil night cream which is inexpensive. Hyaluronic acid in the morning on damp skin before applying cetaphil 50spf moisturiser. I also subscribe to dermatica for the retinol.

Similar age and colouring here, with dry/slightly sensitive skin.

I use a balm cleanser (Emma Hardie/Body Shop), SPF (La Roche-Posay) and moisturiser (plain old Astral cream) every day. I'm considering something like The Ordinary vitamin C cream as well.

Not sure you can do much about those lines, OP, but I get the sense you're an active, outdoorsy woman – am I right? If so, that's pretty attractive by itself!

What you could do is focus on other stuff. Maybe get your teeth whitened? (Not blinding white – just lighter.) Tame any frizzy hair (John Frieda frizz shampoo etc is good). A little bit of cream blusher also makes everyone look lovelier – try the old trick of pinching your cheek and matching the colour. Also, figure out which colours look nice on you. I know I look great in blue, and it seems to liven up my whole face.

I also think your lines around your eyes look nice. But I have no advice. I'm now 64 and no longer look in the mirror - problem solved! Seriously, a smile and a bit of lipstick work a miracle on me. I eat well (try to cut out crap), and do exercise. And then don't worry about my face much because fretting makes lines!

Grow a fringe :-)

I had a hairdresser who came to my house and said ( interventions aside ) the one thing that helps your skin naturally is drinking more water. ( She was training as a beautician ) It won't fix everything but it is a good first step. I am quite elderly now & what I have noticed ( I have not done botox ) but my 11s are less noticeable , but I do have more forehead wrinkles. I thought long and hard about Botox but decided instead to brush my hair more over my forehead. Also I wear glasses so corner of the eye wrinkles not so obvious ( and they aren't bad. ) I just use moisturiser ( Often the Boots ones )

Do remember that even if not sunny there are still UV rays so every day anti UV cream is a good thing. Friend of mine grew up in South Africa with dry skin & she has more wrinkles than me.

Not sure that helps you given the answer you are looking for but just my tuppence worth

All best whatever you do @MamaDuckling

Botox in your forehead will get rid of the lines like a magic eraser.

You can have it for crows feet too but I'm never sure about that. The lines just seem to migrate elsewhere.

Then get your actual skin itself in tip top Nick with peels, retinol, tret etc.

Thanks@cilllla - yes, active and I love the outdoors! This probably is a bad pic of my hair. It’s usually done, highlighted etc!

But a v good idea to focus on other stuff… yes. Teeth, make up etc, I often can’t be bothered to wear much.

You should use high factor SPF unless you need a torch to see.

I think you look ok OP! The only thing I would say is grow a fringe, it hides a multitude of sins. I think it is genetics, I really don't think these different moisturisers make a difference. I'm luck in that at 51 I don't have any wrinkles and I have always been lazy with skin care but I have horrible legs. Nice face, shame about the legs 😂

Maybe stop the drinking altogether. Drink more water and exercise. Vegetables and fruits. Sunglasses. But you look fine. Your skin is good. You have an expressive face, that’s why, I think you hit on the reason for forehead and little lines at eyes right there. Are you too thin by chance?

Here’s a link for a cheap trial of customised tret: Skin and Me

To be clear: that’s my personal code so if you use it, I benefit too

Your multi-coloured spaghetti death-ray eyeballs are very exciting. I’d definitely keep those.
The rest of your face is the sort of face attached to a good-egg. Keep all that too.
Other than that add SPF probably, because of science.

You look like an active and healthy outdoors person with no makeup on. I’ve seen 25 year old celebs with lines at their eyes just like that when they smile, Tom Holland, bunch of people. You’ve been outside in the elements plus your face is expressive. You look kind and healthy. Your skin is very nice. Do not worry about it. Moisturize at night. Joan Collins never let her face touch the sun but honestly she still looks her age.

drink lots of water, eat well etc etc

I use a pre cleanse, cleanse and microfoliant in the evenings (dermalogica) followed by skin clearing oil (has retinol in it), followed by hyalauronic acid (all dermalogica) then elemis pro collagen night cream every other day. Then on the other nights an AHA followed by same night cream.

In the morning I wash off with cleanser (dermalogica!! (it is such a good brand IMO but ££ but a little goes a long way) then put on skin brightening serum, then a vitamin c serum, then day cream with spf followed by dark spot protecting spf 50. I very rarely wear any make up.

I also take collagen powder with vitamin c in a drink every day along with a multivitamin.

maybe once a week a face mask or moisture mask etc.

I am very happy with my skin and similar age to you. It takes a lot of effort though.

The more I do, the better my skin is as I have acne prone skin.

I don't know why I am telling you all this! But it helps to know what other people are doing sometimes and one of these things might work for you.

Good luck!

I would look into radiofrequency skin tightening. My eyelash lady was just showing me photos of her brow (she’s in 40s too) and it was same as your pic. All wrinkles have gone now as she used radiofrequency wand on it for several weeks

Haha!

Thanks everyone, so many good tips, things I’ve tried fleetingly before (collagen etc), but clearly now is time to make these changes and make them stick… have signed up for dermatica.

Oh, definitely!

Honestly you look good to me. I'm 45 and not massively keen on my forehead lines either so I'm considering cutting a fringe. I can't be arsed with 6 different creams and I'm def not up for botox so feels like the easiest option for me. Have you thought about trying that?