Skincare that works for women over 40

I first got into an expensive skincare habit when I was editing Selfridges’ magazine. Every day another bag of something fabulous would land on my desk in the hope that I would review it so I tried just about every luxury brand. Of course in those days I didn’t really need it – my skin was youthful and I’ve never had any problems with my complexion other than slight dryness but I was happy to anoint myself with it anyway.

Since then I’ve continued to use good quality (i.e. expensive) brands, usually Lancôme, but I’ve always winced at spending over £60 on a pot of cream. Most mornings as I applied it, I would have a conversation playing in my head as I looked at my ageing face in the mirror. A little voice would ask whether it was really worth the investment because how can you tell for sure? I would then argue back that it must be and that my skin would probably look even older if I didn’t use it.

Since February however I have been trialling a brand that has made a noticeable difference to my skin. When I visited Sarah Baldwin at the Attune clinic in London for my Coolsculpting, she talked to me about SkinCeuticals, the skincare range that they prescribe for their patients. The difference lies in the fact that SkinCeuticals products are cosmeceuticals rather than cosmetics.

What is the difference between cosmeceuticals and cosmetics?

Cosmetics are often expensive, feel beautiful, smell great and include a smattering of active ingredients so that they can claim to improve skin. They are luxuriously packaged and heavily advertised. They are sold over the counter because they are safe. They are safe because there isn’t much of anything in them and nothing can go wrong.

Cosmeceuticals are more powerful products and are prescribed by dermatologists and skincare professionals. They are a combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals with biologically active ingredients purporting to have medical or drug-like benefits. Their ingredients are more concentrated and are often developed into a solution that can penetrate the layers of the skin.

It’s important to go to a clinic for your first cosmeceutical consultation. You won’t be charged more for the products – but you will get lots of free advice. Obviously budget is key to many people and this is where the therapist can be really helpful by advising on 2 or 3 products that will target your main issues and get the best improvement for your condition whether it is ageing, breakouts, rosacea or sun damage.

About SkinCeuticals

Now I won’t go into too much detail about the history of the brand other than to say it was founded by Dr Sheldon Pinnell who was a Professor of Dermatology and dedicated his career to researching ways to treat skin cancer. Skinceuticals was a side shoot to his oncology work as he developed proven formulations that dramatically improved skin health.

Not being a scientist, I’m going to leave the chemistry there and just tell you that for me, it is the first skincare range that I have ever really seen results from. The system works on a 3 stage strategy: Prevent | Protect | Correct so the idea is to prevent any further damage; protect from external factors and correct damage that has already been done.

I have included links to one online shop so you have an idea of costs – naturally these will vary depending on the retailer and don’t forget, you really should have a complimentary skincare consultation the first time rather than just buying online. As you can see it is an investment so you want to be sure that you are buying the right product for your skin. Because my skin is slightly dry, this is what Sarah prescribed for me:

Skincare that works for women over 40- daytime

Skinceuticals AOX eye gel

Product claims

“It helps reinforce the skin’s natural protection against free radicals and the delicate eye area. It also helps revive the look of the under-eye area and reduce the appearance of under eye bags.” It is part of the Prevent stage.

Why did Sarah prescribe it?

I have found over the last couple of years that my eyes are very puffy in the mornings. I can’t work out why – I only occasionally drink alcohol and I usually get at least 7 hours sleep. I suspect it is simply a genetic thing – my dad had bloodhound eyes – so Sarah suggested AOX eye gel to help diminish the bags under my eyes and prevent them developing further.

Has it worked?

What I have noticed is that it has markedly reduced the fine lines. My eyes are a little less puffy and no longer take until lunchtime to look normal but the eye bags haven’t gone completely. For wrinkles it is a much better eye cream than the others I have used which include Estée Lauder Night Repair for eyes; Lancôme Génifique and Rénergie and Clarins Extra Firming.

Skinceuticals Phloretin CF

Product claims

“Advanced skincare that helps to accelerate surface skin cell renewal. Diminishes the appearance of uneven skin tone, discolouration and age spots.” It is part of the Prevent range.

Why did Sarah prescribe it?

I confessed to being a sun worshipper since the age of 14. Even now, I will be careful with my skin right through a 14 day holiday and then blast it on the last day to top up my tan. I know I shouldn’t. I can see that age spots are starting to appear – they’re the little brown patches that look like freckles but have more texture.

Has it worked?

So far the age spot I have on the bridge of my nose has lightened slightly. The main difference is that my skin is significantly more radiant since I started using this range so I suspect this particular product has been a contributing factor to that.

Skinceuticals Brightening UV Defence

Sarah also gave me a sample of this brightening UV defence which Mr MC then surprised me with for my birthday.

Product claims

Brightening UV Defense SPF 30 provides high broad-spectrum protection against photo-ageing. Formulated with a HyperBright Complex, this corrective and protective sunscreen helps prevent the occurrence of future brown spots and pigmentation. It is part of the Protect range.

Why did Sarah suggest it?

I claimed that I didn’t need it because I already used a moisturiser with an SPF and I didn’t want to put another layer on my skin. Sarah explained that this screens infrared rays as well as UV so it works much harder than a pure SPF.

Has it worked?

When I tried the sample I really liked the non oily texture and I actually found that on top of my moisturiser, it played the role of a good primer for my make-up so I missed it when it was gone. I have worn it on very sunny days and my skin has been completely protected.

Moisturiser

Because these products are so powerful, I am now using a very simple moisturiser that a friend recommended from Aldi. It simply sits on top of the serums and locks them into place. Why Aldi? Well in addition to my friend’s recommendation, when I was developing ranges with a large fragrance house last year, I was talking to a cosmetologist who was also working on the Aldi account. He mentioned how exacting Aldi were to develop for. Apparently most supermarkets and large high street retailers let products go through with very little input however the team at Aldi trial and reformulate them for months until they are happy.

Skincare that works for women over 40 – night time

As you have probably read before, night time is when the skin’s ‘repair team’ comes out a bit like the street sweepers, road repairers and refuse collectors in a city – it all happens to prepare us for a fresh new day. It’s the best time to support your skin with active products so at night I apply:

Skinceuticals Resveratrol B E

Product claims

“With age and ongoing aggression, skin accumulates excessive free radical damage and loses its efficiency to effectively repair at night. This compounded effect leads to accelerated signs of visible ageing such as loss of density, elasticity, and overall skin radiance. Resveratrol B E helps target the visible signs of ageing and helps to reinforce skin’s natural protection against free radicals.” It is part of the Prevent range.

Why did Sarah suggest it?

In Sarah’s view, this is one of the range’s superheroes, it goes in at night and fixes the damage that has been done during the day. Resveratrol is a substance that plants produce when they are under attack to protect and heal themselves. She uses it herself and says that more than any of the others, she notices if she has run out of this and stops using it for a few days because the difference is dramatic.

Has it worked?

Yes. I also stopped using it for 14 days because Good Housekeeping asked me to trial Caudalie’s Resveratrol night cream for them. Even though I was still using a (very expensive) Resveratrol product I could see the difference between Caudalie and SkinCeuticals. Quite simply my skin went back to looking tired in the mornings rather than refreshed.

Skinceuticals Retexturing Activator

Product claims

“Proven to help reduce the appearance of visible surface lines and wrinkles, as well as help reinforce the skin’s natural barrier for healthier, more radiant looking skin.“It is part of the Correct range.

Why did Sarah suggest it?

Because I have dry skin, I need to exfoliate regularly to remove dead cells. This is a more gentle way to do it and it is proven to remove more dead cells than manual exfoliation alone.

Has it worked?

I no longer find I need to exfoliate manually which saves me time. Given that my skin is already dry this seems a kinder way to do it. I use the product 3 times a week.

Skinceuticals Hydrating B5

Product claims

“Hydrating B5 replenishes the skin with moisture to leave skin feeling smoother and appear looking younger. This moisture-enhancing serum contains hyaluronic acid, naturally present in the body.”

Why did Sarah suggest it?

As an extra layer of hydration for my dry skin

Has it worked?

Yes, although at first it feels a bit like water, even when you test this on the back of your hand you can immediately see and feel the difference. I still use a moisturiser on top but this seems to work by penetrating the skin rather whereas moisturiser sits at a more surface level.

Skinceuticals A.G.E eye complex

Product claims

“The signs of intrinsic ageing, caused by internal factors such as hormonal shifts and metabolic slowdown, can be mostly evident in the delicate eye area. A.G.E. Eye Complex is a three-dimensional eye care that contains a combination of ingredients and helps improve the appearance of dark circles and wrinkles.” It is part of the Correct range.

Why did Sarah suggest it?

As part of the regime to tackle my puffy, tired looking eyes

Has it worked?

I suspect it has worked in tandem with the day cream for eyes because as I have already mentioned, there has been a noticeable reduction in the fine lines in that area. I’m still battling the puffiness though.

Moisturiser

After applying all this goodness to my skin, all that is left is to seal my skin with a functional moisturiser so again I am using Aldi’s Lacura night cream.

Things to be aware of

The ingredients in this skincare range are much more powerful than anything you can buy on the high street. Although you can buy them online, you really should see someone like Sarah for a skin consultation first otherwise at the very least, you could spend a lot of money on something that isn’t going to give you as much benefit as another product might. In the worst case you could damage your skin.

As you can see, the packaging is very simple and easy to counterfeit. Skinceuticals aim is to invest their funds into product development rather than advertising and expensive boxes. If you are buying online, go to the Skinceuticals website first to make sure you are using an authorised supplier.

Midlifechic verdict

This range really works for me. The best way to describe the difference is to compare my face to the brass knob that we have on our front door. Before I started using Skinceuticals it was looking tarnished and dull. Within a week the difference was noticeable and my face looked like it had been polished with Brasso – it was glowing.

Even though the results showed quickly and I’ve had a number of people writing to query what I’m using, I have deliberately waited 4 months before reviewing it to be confident that the improvement is ongoing. The problem is that now I have found a range that works I don’t want to use anything else.

Skinceuticals isn’t cheap although because you only use a few drops at a time it does last. I have been using most products daily for 4 months and I am just over halfway through each bottle. On a cost per use basis it therefore compares to my Lancôme moisturiser and serums. It’s impossible to identify which single product makes the most difference so when I come to repurchase I will have to buy the whole range. If I had to leave one thing out it would be the A.G.E. eye complex, somehow I feel that the AOX eye gel is the better product for me.

We have to face the fact that our skin ages quickly after 45, especially if we have been sunbathers. I have been frustrated by not being able to find any skincare that works for women over 40 for some time and just experiencing the difference between cosmetics and cosmeceuticals has been an eye opener. At least now I feel I can do a little bit of repair work and stop further damage in its tracks.

You can contact Sarah for a consultation where she will also assess the existing sun damage to your skin using her ‘magic lamp.’ Her telephone number at Attune Clinic is 020 7628 4869.

Coolsculpting

I have now hit the final 4 month mark since my Coolsculpting and will be having my last review with Sarah next week when we will take our last set of photographs. The difference to my abdomen has been remarkable. It was an uncomfortable procedure but it was definitely worth it given the result. I have a flat stomach for the first time since my twenties.

Disclosure: I would like to thank Sarah for the Coolsculpting treatment and for letting me sample the Skinceuticals range. This is not a sponsored post, I have not been paid to write it and as she is a reader, she knew I would not review the products if I didn’t feel they worked.