Thread: Mirror, mirror...beauty for changing skin...

Yay! I'm starting to notice changes in my skin

First, a word of advice: NEVER look closely at yourself in full stage makeup under bright florescent lights, especially right before a performance. After checking again today without the makeup on, and then taking a break to breathe into a paper bag for awhile, I came here...

What advice is out there for dealing with the first signs of aging? I mean everything - lines, dryness, crepiness, loosening skin, enlarged pores, etc...I'm seeking input on everything from cleanser to foundation and beyond.

What makeup choices are most flattering both for daily wear and for stage - i.e., not accentuating lines or giving the skin a papery appearance?

What products work best for oily skin that is becoming more dry? my T-zone has always been oily, but now the skin on my cheeks is looking dull...

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go cut eyeholes out of the paper bag and glue eyelashes and sequins on it...

Retin A cut half and half with a vaseline like emollient and then sunscreen. Mineral powder makeup and cream concealer under the eyes, with no powder on top.

haah TH i have been goin through the same thing lately. Even without makeup I hate looking at closeups in the mirror....sends me runnin to find the next "get it quick" anti-wrinkle product! :-) The best advice I have been given is to use Retin A. I think, though, the only way to get that is through a dermo.
I also get regular facials, wear a daily moisturizer with an SPF, and avoid the sun as much as possible. Drink TONS of water and exfoliate (either mechanically through microderms or chemically though "peels") regularly as well.
As far as makeup goes thats a tough one since different things work for different people but generally powders tend to collect in fine lines I have noticed. There are some foundations out there that claim to not do that but I have yet to find one. For eye shadows stick with matte based shadows instead of "frost" or things with sparkle.
I am interested to see what other folks say....
xoxo,
-NJ

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! I have been very pleased with L'oreal Revitalift products. I never go without moisturizer.

Avoid shimmery and frosty eye makeups, bronzers, etc. around the eyes. Avoid powder around the eyes. Powder is the devil.

I also take omega 3 supplement. I use Carlson's cod liver oil and antarctic krill oil. Also vitamin D supplement that I get from my Dr.

I noticed that I can't wear black eye liner like I use to. It draws attention to my eye wrinkles.

Please look at these 2 excellent resources:

Dr. Ellen Marmur's "Simple Skin Beauty"
Paula Begouin's "Original Beauty Bible"

(in this order)

They will *credibly* answer every question you are wondering.

Originally Posted by jasani

I noticed that I can't wear black eye liner like I use to. It draws attention to my eye wrinkles.

Yep. I've started skipping lower lid liner, or going with white.

Originally Posted by Azhia

Please look at these 2 excellent resources:

Dr. Ellen Marmur's "Simple Skin Beauty"
Paula Begouin's "Original Beauty Bible"

(in this order)

They will *credibly* answer every question you are wondering.

Thanks, Azhia. I was hoping you'd come in here. ..g.:

The peach color Photofinish is great!

And, yeah, generous use of powder makes me look "a little weird" (to quote my husband).

i've only recently started to pay more attention to foundation, and for me changing to proper brushes has made a lot of difference. no more excess foundation in those fine lines around the eyes... and using different products for different parts of the face was a revelation too

Although they have been around for quite awhile, glycolic facials are great for treating enlarges pores and dehydration and improving skin tone.

Use luminizing primer under foundation, especially for performance.

Luminizing concealers for fine lines or orangey paste concealers for dark circles ( Benefit and Jane Iredale make these).

Serums with Vitamin C.

Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of water.

I think dancing keeps you looking young! And a damn good sense of humor certainly helps everyone age gracefully. If the worst that ever happens to me are a few wrinkles, well, I'm good with that.

and I'll be 57 this year.

Just back from an outdoor gig where my mother helpfully told me that my dark hair colour makes me look older than I am (geez, thanks mum!) Haven't seen the footage yet but I imagine squinting into the late summer Aussie sun wouldn't be helping either :( Does hair colour make a difference too? I'm not grey at all, I just prefer my hair darker ( but runs off to find a highlighting kit)

Powdery mineral foundations do NOT like my skin, nor do those thicker creamy foundations that come in a compact like press powder. Tried a few brands of each and they all just make my wrinkles really stand out (including wrinkles I didnt even know I had till then!)

I only use pressed powder on my forehead and nose now as well.

And I moisturize at least twice a day, if not more. I also like the Rich Night Creme from Sobotanical:

SoBotanical

I especially respect Dr. Marmur's perspective, as she is a dermatologist who herself experienced the worst kind of skin cancer (the irony was not lost on me) so she has a vested interested in giving correct information, given how much more harmful the sun is these days.

Paula's book really focuses on products for variant skin types and conditions so you get the best of both worlds with those 2 books.

My success story:
I had trouble with putting on eyeshadow and lines as the skin around my eyes started to hang over the lashes etc...
Since the rest of the skin on my face gets glycolic treatments it still looked ok.

I started very slowly with a-vitamin treatments in this order(all recommended by Paula Begoun):

Neutrogena Healthy Skin
Retinol ResQ by Alpha Hydrox

Used only as eye creams they lasted long,then I stepped up to Skinceuticals 0,5% retinol after that 1%.

After one year my eyelids are taut again-the area around my eyes is very shiny(tone that down with powder)and wrinkle free.

Monistat chafing gel used as a primer on the eyelid allowed me to use pearlescent & frosted shadows again after I had already decided my eyelids were too crepe-y for them to look good anymore. I think I literally squealed out loud with happiness the first time I layered a MAC pigment and a paint pot over my primed eyelid.

Put high lights in your hair near your face. Make them very subtle. They will draw the eye outwards and the wrinkles, etc, will be noticed less.

I also believe in exfoliating and moisturizing. Remember to moisturize inside as well as out.

Personally, I am starting VI Peels soon. The joy of having a sister who is a Nurse Anesthetist and obsessive about her skin. . .

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by deelight

Monistat chafing gel used as a primer on the eyelid allowed me to use pearlescent & frosted shadows again after I had already decided my eyelids were too crepe-y for them to look good anymore. I think I literally squealed out loud with happiness the first time I layered a MAC pigment and a paint pot over my primed eyelid.

Monistat chafing gel? Is this the same company that makes vaginal products?

Originally Posted by deelight

Monistat chafing gel used as a primer on the eyelid allowed me to use pearlescent & frosted shadows again after I had already decided my eyelids were too crepe-y for them to look good anymore. I think I literally squealed out loud with happiness the first time I layered a MAC pigment and a paint pot over my primed eyelid.

I am soooo in love with the chafing gel - it's a must. And Dee, you look fabulous, any insight you have, I'd love to hear.

It's the skin on my cheeks - just outside of the nasolabial folds - that I noticed is changing appearance - it almost looks like it's starting to lose collagen, but I've been doing a lot of microdermabrasion/deep cleansing lately, and maybe it's too much for my less oily spots.

Gah.

Originally Posted by ZohraMostafa

Monistat chafing gel? Is this the same company that makes vaginal products?

Yep.

Okay, so I've also decided that I need to change foundation (I'm using Revlon's Colorstay foundation right now). Ultra-expensive won't work for me right now, so if anyone has any recs for good quality drugstore or Ulta brands that will help give a smooth, dewey appearance, I'm all ears...

I have used eye creams since I was 16 years old. I had a sister in law who was obsessive about skincare (being a professional model), and she gave me lots of tips.

Drink water - LOTS. Most of us are dehydrated, and our skin reflects it immediately. It helps all the body systems function properly, cleanses and flushes toxins. Cannot say it enough.

I used Retin A for years. NOT because I was trying to stay young - I had adult acne as a teen to even now in my mid 40's. *sigh*

I use Arbonne products on my skin - all natural swiss skin care, I use their skin care line Nutrimin C. Under foundation, I use a Luminator. It looks pearly white on the skin, then put my foundation on (Liquid - haven't found one mineral/powder one yet that doesn't sink into lines). It creates a brightening effect, lifting shadows and also giving the luminescence of youth.

Another undereye cream that was so staggeringly awesome - I bought it after 20 minutes of seeing it on my under eye area. Capture Totale by Dior. It's about $85 - and I know that's a hit for most of us - but I invite anyone to their local Macy's/Dillards etc to just go and dab some on and walk around. I also love Lancome, used Progres' eye cream for many years but now use a rotation of Arbonne Nutimen C, Capture Totale and Lancome High resolution eye. High Résolution Eye Refill-3X™ - Eye Care by Lancome

Best compliment ever? Dining with a friend of mine (she was 39) and her two daughters - ages 9 and 13. A lady stopped over and told her she had 3 lovely blonde daughters, handing each of us a dollar. I was 44 at the time.

Dining with a friend of mine (she was 39) and her two daughters -

I would have had to kill you.... nothing personal.

Originally Posted by anala

Dining with a friend of mine (she was 39) and her two daughters -

I would have had to kill you.... nothing personal.

My sister HATES if when people ask which of us is older. That would be ME!

{{{HUGS}}}

I am 62 years old. Love the Monistat anti-chafing gel as a primer, everyday and under stage makeup. Makeup goes on smoothly and evenly and doesn't settle in the lines.

For stage makeup I use a creamy stick makeup like Max Factor Panstick. I apply it with my fingers. If you wet your fingers or the makeup stick with a little room temp water the makeup goes on smoothly without pulling your skin. You can layer the makeup for greater coverage where needed. I use a Ben Nye color wheel concealer that includes a concealer for redness and an apricot color for blueish circles under the eye.

Drink lots of water, make sure you are getting plenty of anti-oxidants in your diet. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. You can actually use petroleum jelly at night over whatever anti-aging treatment cream you use.

Over the counter products I like--Olay ProRX products (expensive but they work), Olay Regenerist sculpting cream, ROC retinol products. My dermatologist recommended Aveeno's 70 spf day cream moisturizer for face, hands, and arms.

A great thing for the eye area--make some green tea with two tea bags. Drink the tea and then use the tea bags, while still warm, as eye compresses. Have a little lie down with the tea bags and your eyes will be more refreshed looking when you get back up.

Always wear sunglasses when outside. I also wear low magnification reading glasses at the computer to avoid squinting.

You can turn mineral powder blushes, bronzers, and eye shadow into a gel or cream by mixing with moisturizer.

Most people have no idea what my age is and I hope to keep it that way.

What about someone who's dealing with the first signs of aging AND who still deals with breakouts? This drives me nuts. I cleanse gently, I moisturize, I exfoliate, I mask, I use sunscreen and eye cream...I don't know what else to do!

Love all the great advice on this thread!

I stopped using oil-free compact foundations and immediately noticed a huge difference. They were making me look chalky. I like Bobbi Brown's creamy stick foundation a LOT but it's pretty far out of my budget, so I'm currently looking for something similar in a drugstore line. Must try the Max Factor!

I do use powder, sparingly, but it has to be very finely milled and as close to colorless as possible. The typical translucent powder that comes in a compact always looks heavier on me. My absolute favorite right now is Sonia Kashiuk loose powder from Target in "transparent matte," applied with a fluffy brush. Doesn't change the color of my makeup, doesn't settle visibly into the little lines. Ben Nye Neutral Set also works well for me. If I don't use some kind of powder, the makeup will slide right off my face.

No way, Souzan, unless your profile picture is about 20 years old!

I love the pan stick makeup, too, especially since I need heavier coverage. I've had a hard time finding it lately, and rumor has it that Max Factor is phasing out US sales, so I stocked up from drugstore.com.

Originally Posted by Zana

Love all the great advice on this thread!

I stopped using oil-free compact foundations and immediately noticed a huge difference. They were making me look chalky. I like Bobbi Brown's creamy stick foundation a LOT but it's pretty far out of my budget, so I'm currently looking for something similar in a drugstore line. Must try the Max Factor!

I do use powder, sparingly, but it has to be very finely milled and as close to colorless as possible. The typical translucent powder that comes in a compact always looks heavier on me. My absolute favorite right now is Sonia Kashiuk loose powder from Target in "transparent matte," applied with a fluffy brush. Doesn't change the color of my makeup, doesn't settle visibly into the little lines. Ben Nye Neutral Set also works well for me. If I don't use some kind of powder, the makeup will slide right off my face.

I've been using the Ben Nye makeup set spray too and really like it as I can skip powder or only use a little bit of it. For day makeup I am using Pixi from Target and love the stuff! The Max Factor panstick idea came from a former professional ballet dancer who said that was all she used--cheaper and easier to find than Ben Nye or other stage makeups. The sticks come in a variety of shades and are really creamy and my skin feels great after I take it off. I have also used Shisheido's stick makup and actually like the Max Factor better (and its lots less expensive).