What facial treatments to be fabulous at 50+

[WantNewMakeup]

I'm 50+ and I want to look my best. I feel like I am not doing as much as I should to look my best.

Here's my routine;

Physical

I don't smoke, or drink spirits. I drink about 1 bottle of wine over a week.
I don't drink loads of water, but have a healthy diet, but eat too much.
I am 1.5 stone overweight (menopause)

I workout a lot. Running, weights, yoga, classes. About 6 sessions a week.

Beauty

I have quite a regular routine. I do miss it sometimes, but just to give my skin a break

Cleanse, tone, serum, moisturise, eye cream. There is an SPF in there. Both day and night. Some sporadic face masks.
Hair, regular masks, cut and colour. It is in tip top condition

I have had IPL, so no hair to shave off. I don't use body lotion as I'm too lazy. I get my nails done sometimes, but they are always neat.

The reason why I am posting this, is because some of my friends have had Botox and other things and it is hard to sit there and listen without a bit of a pang when others are saying how fantastic they look. A friend recently turned up looking great and I could see she had botox, but also she has done something else. We asked her, but she said she'd done nothing and just rested. I think she has one of those LED masks. Before this, she had very deep wrinkles.

In a nut shell, I feel a bit pressured, if everyone around me is suddenly looking 10 years younger. However, I also know that I don't want to have any surgery, or injections in my face. It's not a judgement, I just don't want it.

So, thanks for reading my childish and extremely vain posting. Please critique my routine for a 50+ menopausal woman. I'd also like to know what else I can do, to help my skin along. I'm happy to have facials but not sure what kind I should be going for. There seems to be too many.

Hi OP, I'm sorry you're feeling a bit down - if you want to add something to your skin routine, you could look into a retinol (or tretinoin which is the stronger stuff, but also can be more irritating), which over time helps increase collagen in the skin. Also some gentle exfoliation with acids like AHA's can be helpful if used sparingly. Just make sure you keep up your SPF daily.

In terms of in office treatments, there are many non surgical things like radiofrequency, laser resurfacing, chemical peels etc. that can be done. They can give a boost to skin in different ways, but some of them have down time, can cause irritation/redness/ peeling for a while and are expensive. It really depends on what you want to treat and how much you are willing to put up with.

Regarding your friend I don't think an LED mask would do something that drastic - I have one at home one, and while it's nice, the results aren't significant. If her deep wrinkles are gone, she may have had a laser resurfacing, or chemical peel or something similar. If she's not telling you she may feel embarrassed by the lengths she is going to in order to look better. It may have even been a small surgical tweak.

Really though, if you are happy with who you are, maybe work on not comparing yourself to them (difficult I know).

I second tret. Miracle treatment, if properly used. I don't believe in expensive skincare regimens.

Am also in my 50s, and I am happy with my skin. I use nothing but tret and ordinary Nivea and sunscreen. No wrinkles, and not planning to ever get any Botox or fillers.

Following this thread. I'm interested in tret. Where do you get it from? I've got some in skin and me product 000.6%. This has definitely helped a bit.

Where do you get tret?

I am afraid I get it from family overseas, so no help to you! But there are numerous threads on this. I use 0.025%. It may not work for everyone, but worth trying. My skin care bill is less than £15 per year.

I forgot to add in the Tret. I do actually use it. It makes a big difference.

Thanks for your comments.

I think I’m just feeling a bit bleugh. I just feel like I work really hard to be fit and healthy, and it takes a lot of time and effort, when actually if I succumb to having Botox, I’ll instantly look better, when I don’t want to do this.

Not sure why I feel this way. I just do.

They don’t look younger; they just look like women who’ve had Botox.

I am obsessed with the Botox vein running down the middle of every single screen actor / actress’s forehead these days - it’s so … disfiguring.

There are plenty of facial tweaks you can have that won’t do that. But quite honestly I’d concentrate on good nutrition, exercise, sleep and happiness.

Hydrafacial....perks my skin up tremendously.

None of my friends have had Botox. I know because they are wrinkly! Find some anti-Botox friends? It sometimes feels like every woman in the world has had some Botox or filler, but really, that's not the case.

Yeah it’s weird. Me and my friends are in our mid 50s. None of us have felt the need to have botox. Not because we’re all stunners but just what’s the point ? We all look after ourselves but are kind of resigned we’re ageing. The people I do know that have had it are much younger, late 20s to mid 40s. Very much into going out. They all have immaculate make up and fashion style. Maybe it’s a pressure thing as OP suggests..

For those wanting to know where to get tret (tretinoin), try Skin&Me or Dermatica for prescription strength. You sign up for a subscription and they gradually increase the strength.

That's exactly how me and my friends feel @EffieeBriest

Go for a hydrafacial - it's a great all round treatment and you really will glow afterwards.

And hydrate hydrate hydrate.