If there’s anything I’ve learned about my skin over the past few years it’s that…it’s keeping me on my toes. It never stays the same way for long, but I’ve definitely seem some general changes, for sure, with the biggest being the prominence of my “experience lines.” They’re much more prominent under my eyes, especially when I smile, which is why I’ve taken to wearing less concealer and color corrector there. Oh, and less powder too.
It’s just that if I pile that stuff on like I used to, everything looks heavy and…not super cute.
I’ve also noticed that my skin is getting drier and drier. I do still have my oily spots, like in the center of my forehead and around my nose, but my cheeks and my neck (especially) are getting drier as the years pass, and when I ignore it, it gets borderline painful.
Another thing — oh, my gosh! — pigmentation. Where do I even start with this? If I don’t stay on top of it with an acid toner or a serum to keep the pigmentation in check, I’ll get these uneven patches on my cheeks, and those patches, they’re aggressive, man.
Oh, and I don’t know if this counts, but I’ve definitely noticed, particularly over the past year, that the skin on my eyelids… I guess it isn’t as firm as it used to be? My eyes are getting more hooded seemingly every day.
So, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in your skin over the past few years? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I can totally relate to this as we’re in the same age range. When I turned 39, that’s when I noticed the dry skin taking over. I had my second child at 37 and since then, it’s been this roller coaster of changes. Persistent dry patches near corners of the mouth and nose, redness in my cheeks and forehead, a line between my brows that doesn’t go away even when my face is at rest, lines under one eye and a droopier eyelid on the other. It’s not your imagination, gravity is taking it’s toll! As a Filipino-Spanish mix, I have those “Asian” eyes but they were never completely hooded. The state that they’re in now, I’ve had to adjust the way I do my eye makeup.
I’m fairer than ever, thanks to religious sunscreen use and generally avoiding the sun BUT my face never matches my neck because on a trip to Florida a few years back, I got a sunburn on my neck and upper shoulder area (not enough sunscreen there and I had a cap on to protect my face) and the skin never returned to normal color. I also have ombré arms hahaha. The top part is so fair like NC 15 and as you near my hands, it’s like NC30!
On a final note, I never used to have this problem with lipstick or gloss but in the last couple of years, color started to slip down to the sides and pool at the corners after awhile. I don’t like the look of matte formulas and because they’re usually dry but anything loaded with emollients will slip. I just have to check it constantly now which is so annoying. 42 this year and I’m guessing this is just the beginning ?
There’s something about our 40s. Not of the same ethnic background, but my eyes are moving towards being hooded, and the forehead lines are killing me. I’m wavering on Botox, believing I should try to age gracefully (I’m letting myself go grey) and then seeing myself in the mirror and wondering who the hell I’m looking at.
Hi Swoozy,
My friend Jen and I were just talking about this same exact thing. I’ve never used Botox, and I’m pretty sure that I want to avoid going that route because, hey, this is my face! I’ve earned these “experience lines” and this is what I look like. I want to see myself in the mirror and think that the person staring back IS STILL me, ya know? Because sometimes I look and I have no idea who the heck is that tired lady staring back at me.
On the other hand, I figure if the technology is out there and if I have it in my budget, why not? I have several friends who use Botox and look natural, and and if it makes you feel good, might as well. I’m still undecided about it, though. We’ll see.
How’s growing out the grey going? I talked about it at length with my friend/stylist buddy Alis last time I was in her chair and decided to wait a while before committing to it.
I think Botox is a very personal and individual decision. My mom gets Botox for her migraines and it’s a higher dose than cosmetic Botox and it goes in deeper; it doesn’t erase all of her wrinkles. She still has a few. She gets it done every three months and has been doing it for about three years.
I also did Botox for migraines. It didn’t work for me, but I also was really disturbed that I couldn’t move my forehead very far. I think it’s that side effect that really stops me from ever thinking about Botox again. It’s so disturbing to think your eyebrows and forehead are moving, but to look in a mirror and see they aren’t!
I’m dark blonde naturally, so the grey looks like highlights for now. I don’t know that I have the willpower to maintain dying my hair, so for now, the grey is working for me. One of my coworkers uses Botox for migraines, but she has the side effect of a naturally looking unlined forehead, which is what tempts me to follow suit despite the price. I just haven’t been able to commit to making the appointment yet.
Hi Mylinda,
I have the same issue with my eyes. One eye is definitely drooping a more and is much more hooded than the other! It certainly makes putting on eyeshadow a challenge, especially getting them even. And don’t get me started on winged liner!
What adjustments have you had to make with your eye makeup? I am really good now about tightlining the upper water line, and I rarely if ever wear dark black liner on the top lash line. I mostly stick to browns and grays.
Most of the adjustments I’ve had to make with the eye makeup are geared towards making the one side seem more symmetrical with the other. The droopier side gets eyeshadow higher up the crease so they look even when my eyes are open. Does that make sense? I’m big on tightlining and try to keep the eyeliner really thin and close to the lash line because otherwise, you wouldn’t see any lid at all. Not that you would, if I smiled anyway. I also tend to not line the lower waterline because that makes my eyes look really small. Since my lashes aren’t long or lush, an eye opening mascara technique is my go-to (I know you know all about this) and having the eyeliner pretty thin makes the lashes stand out more too, I think.
I really like the way you do your eye makeup and I actually take some of my cues from your looks ? Nice gradients, smoky eye looks, your love of neutrals… even if we don’t wear the same shade of foundation, I think of you as like a big sister in makeup. Keep up the awesome work! ??????????
Totally makes sense. I have to do similar things, too. It’s getting more challenging doing makeup for pics because of that. Thank goodness for my iPhones because without it I’d walk around with two completely different eye looks, haha!
What liner are you currently using to tightline? I use the Chanel Stylo Yeuxs. They’re pricey but I like the skinny tip and how well they do on the waterlines.
Yes! Love the Chanel Stylo Yeux line. It’s my favorite eyeliner! Remember Noir Petrole? I’m on my second one and have one on standby. Since it’s LE, I have to find a new one when it runs out and Nero Vulcanico does the job so far.
I also have every shade of the Laura Mercier cake eyeliner ever made but they’ve changed the formula and it isn’t as smudge resistant as before. I usually just use one called Espresso or the black one. I’ve been using UD All Nighter instead of plain water to apply it. I just spray a little on the brush. I don’t always feel like using it though since the extra steps can take time and using pencil is easier.
My other favorite eyeliner is UD 24/7 in Underground. Less harsh than a black line and I can use it even on the bottom lashline without tearing up. Only thing is, I have to sharpen it a lot. I still love it though.
Noir Petrole was SOOOO GOOD. I was really sad when I finished mine and regret not getting a backup. 88 Noir Intense is my tightlining go-to shade! I also have a bronze one (can’t remember the name at the moment) which I love.
I think I have UD Underground around here somewhere… I will have to dig it up soon. 🙂
I have noticed some fine experience lines around my eyes and now I can see my pores which I never noticed before. I’m not going to lie I am trying to fight these lines but I don’t think it’s working.
Totally dry ! Sahara dry !
Eucherin helped a lot !
It was so dry it felt like an alligator ?
My skin still isn’t showing any signs of dryness and is as oily as ever, but the hyperpigmentation is no joke and firmness in general is an issue. Not only on the eyelids, but around my jaw line as well.
It was what I first noticed when my mom got older and now, almost 40, I can see it on myself too.
I feel you! I didn’t have any hyper-pigmentation until I had kids. So I kind of consider them as my badge of honor for having kids, though the freckles stress my mom out (lol). I don’t worry about them too much, maybe I will later?
As for hooded eyes become more hooded — I also think of them positively! At least now I don’t need to use eyeliner anymore, since just a bit of dark eyeshadow along the lash line and mascara gives the same effect now!
Hi Karen, I have definitely noticed my skin changing as I age. It doesn’t seem as oily as it always was and in the winter I need to use a heavier moisturizer to combat dryness. I still have some acne and need to keep on top of using my bha at least once a day. My biggest complaint though is about bags under my eyes. I have tried a few different eye creams and some times use concealer but I don’t like to pull on the skin too much there. You should do a skincare post Karen!
Mine has went through a lot the last 2 years (especially the last 12 months). I have lost a lot of weight (yay!) but any fat soluble chemicals come out as well. My neuro is following it, but I have had some burns on my face, especially around my eyes. In addition to the medical fun, my oily as heck skin has decided to become even more sensitive and dry in places. Pimples AND wrinkles! So my foaming face washes are being used up mixed with body wash. I am applying skin care round the clock (sometimes I need to rinse and reapply) and on top of it all I am using a NuFace as part of my face physical therapy. Helps with face pain and face weakness. I have heavy lids to begin with, but when my skin cooperates it looks better than ever (especially when I work my forehead). Through all of this, I’m going through stretches where I can’t wear makeup, just skin care and sunscreen (Sucks!) and I am having to work out new strategies for my skin. I am using a lot of serums, but if the ordinary is out of stock, I look for a comparable product on amazon. I am liking most of them better and I can find stuff made in the US. I’ve also been using more Clinique. This has been an adventure.
I used to be really oily in my teens, then in my early 20s I became more of an oily combination and now I err more dry combination. I need the moisture! Like, dude, I’ve never had to go out and, y’know, get thicker moisturizer like Pacifica Cocunut Probiotic Water Rehab Cream. Dude, that would have broken me out in my teens and early 20s because it’s thicker. Now? Just slather it on my face please. Argan oil? A must. Botanics 81% Organic Hydrating Day Cream with rosehip oil? Can’t live without it.
You know what else changed? How sensitive my skin is. Yea. Notice how all of my creams are organic and real ingredients. My skin doesn’t like ‘cones! No dimethicone, no silicone, no whatever ‘cone…I can still use my Urban Decay foundation thankfully, but skin care and hair care? X-nay on cone-ay.
Kate, I’m exacly the same! And I get this dry patches around my mouth and nose that are no joke. My new must haves? Moisture sprays. Because working on air conditioning environments is drying me out like crazy! I look myself in the mirror and my foundation is flaking! A few years back such thing would be inimaginable. And my moisturizers just keep on getting thicker and thicker too. Coconut oil is another must.
Jumping in on this thread. Sabrina, I’d love to hear about your go-to moisture sprays!
Hi, Karen!
I keep bottles of thermal water everywhere for starters LOL!
MAC’s Fix Plus too. Always have a bottle with me and I use quite liberally. And the crystal ones from ColourPop. They are cheap, efficient and easy to buy on line.
I heard many good things about the Thatcha one, but I can’t buy it here in Brazil.
I want to try the one from Clinique too. I read a review that said it’s great.
Hi Sabrina,
Are the dry patches around your mouth or in and on the corners of your mouth? If they are in/on the corners of your mouth, you may want to see your doctor to see if you have angular cheilitis, aka perleche. I actually have lupus, so I have something called lupus cheilitis, which is pretty much the same thing, but it just means the perleche is caused by lupus.
Hi Kate,
My dry patches are around the nose and mouth area. But sometimes they actually are on the corners of my mouth. I’m going to pay more attention to that now. Thank you!
I definitely get dry in the nose folds too! Definitely keep an eye on the inside corners of your mouth, especially if they crack and bleed. Perleche could be a sign of nothing but a vitamin deficiency (usually a b vitamin deficiency), dry mouth, and allergies or an overgrowth of yeast or other infection in your body. It’s rather easy to treat as long as you pay attention and talk with your doctor.
More fine lines and wrinkles and more sensitivity. I have a lot more redness in my cheeks (rosacea maybe) and breakouts that seem to be temperature related.
I’ve got major hyperpigmentation. When my mom sees me without make up, she asks what’s wrong with me. ? which toner/serum treatments do you use Karen? Does anyone out there have anything that works for them?
Hi Tammy,
I’ve used Sunday Riley’s Good Genes in the past and got good results. It’s very expensive though! I just started using Biologique Rechere P50 1970 toner after a bad breakout from a glycolic acid toner and so far am liking it. Time will tell! For now I can recommend Sunday Riley. 🙂
Also, I had good luck with the famous Skinceuticals C+E Ferulic Acid. It’s $$$$ but it worked for me!
Almost everything you’ve mentioned here are the changes I have seen too! I just turned 34 and I think the biggest change for me has been my undereye area. Those fine lines… I see them… they are sneaking up on me already! And they are just awful to deal with, trying to avoid concealer from caking or sinking into them, trying to keep it super hydrated, etc. Ugh! My skin is combination but definitely more dry than it used to be. My skin is now terrified of winter, and I pile on the moisturizers during those months. I also noticed weird pigmentation patches on my cheeks that I went to a dermatologist about – he claims it’s from sun and I claim he is insane. I am one step away from Casper-pale and have always used sunscreen like a mad woman. So if it’s from sun, I would be shocked and angry beyond belief! I have been so diligent! Like you, my skin seems to crave change now. I’ve noticed with foundations… my skin likes them for a while and then suddenly it’s like it’s aggressively rejecting it, so I have to switch to a different brand of foundation. What the heck?! Excuse me, skin, but this is getting very expensive! That is such a bizarre change to me. It’s the same with my hair too though. It will like a shampoo/conditioner for a while and then suddenly it A) won’t clean my hair properly or B) will weigh my hair down too much, so I have to switch to another brand. Very irritating. Ah, aging. I do not like it. Everything is all inconsistent now!
Hi Ash,
Yes! My hair has changed too! It’s definitely not as tough as it used to be.
The under eye situation has been challenging for me too. I can’t just put any concealer off the shelf on there now like I used to; I’m SUPER picky. What are you currently using? I bounce back and forth between MAC Matchmaster concealer (which appears to be sadly discontinued) and Make Up For Ever HD Concealer, which I adore.
Regarding pigmentation despite religious sunscreen use, I didn’t start improving my pigmentation until I saw a new derm who informed me that my sunscreen needed to have zinc in it, at least 12% for effective UVA protection. I was using chemical sunscreens before and while I didn’t burn, it never helped with pigmentation. Switching to physical sunscreens has been a revelation!
Honestly nothing important except redness issues ( I am 50 ) and dryness. I have not been sunbathing for 20 years and my skin has become pale over the years . No notable lines but some minor sagging though . I have been on lithium carbonate for over 10 years now and that is not a good option for my skin ! But I drink water ( 3 liters per day ), and I use high end beauty products too. No smoking, no drinking, no sun, much sleep, avocado and grapefruit on a very regular basis, but also stressful events all the time, à chronic disease and a severely ill father I am taking care of . I think genetics plays a major role in my case, and avoiding sun . Avoiding sun more than 2 decades helps a lot in my opinion.
Boy, I can relate to the pigmentation issues! After years of trying ever serum known to man, with little to no change, I went the Alexandrite laser route with my derm, and although I looked scary AF for a week or two, it removed all the pigmentation. I think that pigmentation changes are more aging than wrinkles, IMHO. I’m turning 61 this year, and I’m not going into the good (aging) night quietly!
The first thing that really stood out was a good 5 years ago in my earlier 30s when foundation just did not sit well on my skin anymore. I had to jump through hoops to keep it from settling into my pores and looking patchy and some things I just can’t make work. I’ve found some things that work better for me than others but that’s never improved much. Nowadays especially with this pregnancy which has made my skin so dry and my freckles deeper around my under eye area – I want more coverage but that generally looks terrible. With weight gain/loss cycles and genetics, my face has also gotten kind of droopy around my mouth which is a bummer. And don’t get me started on loose neck skin. ? My eyes are getting a bit saggier too but my crease has extended past the corner of my eye for years now, so wings have never really made sense so I haven’t had to adjust much. Same with looser lid skin and things like metallic liquid shadows. Sparkly dragon scales anyone? ? It’s a constant work in progress to accept the changes, some things are easier than others.
I think you look fantastic Karen! I don’t really feel comfortable enough to post closeup pictures of myself without makeup…
Honestly I didn’t see any changes in my skin until I turned 35 – except maybe that it was less oily. And then I started seeing things happening very quickly. The first thing was lines on the decollete area that I usually wake up with because I sleep on my side. They used to go away within the first hour, but now they linger and I have to moisturize a lot to plump everything out. I have that one line between my brows, but that one also goes away if I moisturize a lot. But I also have lines around the corners of my lips, and those, I’m afraid, are my first true wrinkles.
And then there’s the one thing that I really have a problem with: slowly loosing the oval shape of my face because skin is less firm around the jaw line and starts sagging. The dreaded droopy jowls. That… really upsets me. I think if there’s a non-invasive procedure to help with that I might actually do it eventually.
I used to have dry skin, especially around my nose. Not sure if taking better care of my skin made it better or if it was menopause, but now I’d call my skin normal. I still use moisturizer, but it’s definitely not nearly as dry as it used to be.
Same with the dryness. Also the puffiness under my eyes. I’m trying to embrace it as I know no one else notices or cares but I hate catching my reflection in the mirror and seeing a tired looking woman!
I’m 38 and the hyperpigmentation is REAL. Although I’ve spent a lot of time in the sun and in tanning beds and don’t have any wrinkles (yet) so I really shouldn’t complain.
Oh Karen, I so I’ve you. Thank you for making me feel normal. I’m 38, and lately I’ve noticed a huge increase in dryness. It’s all over my body though. I still suffer from the occasional hormonal breakout, and have an oily nose (since I was a teen), but I now worry about that dryness as well as those fine lines around my eyes. I have 2 older sisters, and I feel like they look great while my skin is going down the drain!
My skin has actually never looked this good. For reference, I am 51 and have always had very bad dark circles under my eyes and couldn’t leave the house without a concealer. As I aged I noticed that concealer would actually make my eyes look worse…in other words, they showed every single wrinkle. I have also had very uneven skin tone.
My goal is to be able to wear to just wear a sheer coverage foundation and I really think that it’s in my grasp now.
I started Retin-A around a year ago and the results have just been amazing! Between that and Chemical facial peels my skin is getting more even, my eye circles are still there (heredity, so they will never go away completely.) My crows feet are significantly reduced as is my hooded eyes.
I don’t think it’s just the Retin-A I believe it’s a combination of the awesome skin care products that I’m using. I actually only use a couple in my rotation from the U.S most of my skincare is from Korea. In my opinion, their products are far superior to what we have here.
ahhhh this post speaks to me on so many levels. going to be 37 this year and thankfully, being a little overweight fills in the fine lines hahaha. and a little botox helps too. My husband isn’t a fan of me doing botox because he thinks my face will be frozen, but I get it so lightly that he can’t even tell. will have to look into the sunday riley suggestion. I
I’ve been doing drunk elephant serum at night, and the only moisturizer I use now is 100% marula oil. it’s done wonders for my dry patches, but at the same time doesn’t make me look oily in the other areas.
Ugh, mine has been all over the place since hitting 45. I used to have a constant oil slick for skin. Peri-menopausal hormones have really thrown me for a loop. My skin is usually still oily, but nothing like it was before.
It changes all the time. I’ll go weeks with it being oily, then it will go to combination with oily T-zone, and every once in a while it will go more normal or normal with dry cheeks. I get hormonal cystic acne breakouts, but less blackheads and whiteheads.
I used to use just one foundation, the bareMinerals Original Broad Spectrum SPF 15, because my skin was so constantly oily. Now I have at least a half-dozen to suit whatever is happening with my skin that week.
Dear Karen, just to let you know you are still looking incredibly beautiful. I am following your blog for about 7-8 years now, and I really think you look awesome. In those years I’ve seen you getting older, like myself, and its comforting to see how you are dealing with this process especially since you have a small kid, like myself.
Some women resort to heavier makeup or cosmetic procedures but I’m a more natural kind of girl. Still it can be quite frustrating my skin or makeup application isn’t working like it used to. (Although it has become clear to me this is how it is, and our skin will continue to change, and instead of feeling ashamed, we should be proud of ourselves, since it means we are getting older and hopefully, wiser.)
My skin definitely has become drier which I welcomed, because it used to be very oily. But now I have more blackheads on my nose and chin than ever before, which makes me a bit frustrated since this hasn’t been an issue before.
My eyelids are also drooping different, which makes drawing an identical crease quite challenging. But the fact my eyelashes are now so sparse and soft is the main challenge. My lashes were never full, but at least they were firm and of a decent length. Since my 40’s, they have become very soft and sparse. Due to their softness I don’t need to curl them anymore, but whatever mascara I use, they still follow their own direction, which is slightly inward except for my outer eye lashes, leaving a gap between them. I hope a lash serum will help get rid of this minor “problem” ;-).