What Does A 40-Year-old Man Know About Mature Meno Skin?

Aka help for dry skin that comes along with menopause.

The other day I was cruising youtube and Sephora’s Beauty Director vid pops up- the topic being “Mature Skin Tips”.

The vid is hosted by David, one of the three or four featured make up artists.  He often teams up with another make up artist Jeffrey, but rarely with Myesha for some reason.

Well, I think I know the reason, while Jeffrey is a much better make up artist, David is just plain pushy and boorish when paired up with him. Every time Jeffrey tries to make a point or talk about a new palette, David boorishly overpowers the conversation. It’s very off-putting to the point that if there’s a vid with both of them I skip it.

Anyway.

He starts talking about his own “mature skin” at age 40–

Seriously? Since when is 40 “mature”? Hasn’t he heard 70 is the new 35?

I get that at the end of the day Sephora and David are pushing products they want to promote, so whatever they recommend may be from personal experience of testing the product but are their recommendations honestly relevant when he’s talking about mature skin as a 40 year old MAN?

He could instead describe his video as for “maturing skin for men” and that would be more accurate.

I think Sephora tried with a video made last year of one of their older make up salespeople-an attractive white haired woman with nice skin who had her make up applied by Jeffrey.

But there’s no Beauty Director who is in his or her 50+, 60+s, who could offer real tips for the desert dry skin that comes along with menopause.

Ugh.

Or is it a celebration?

Whichever side you take here’s my formula after buying and trying pretty much every thick moisturizing for aging skin cream.

Cleanse-micellar water.  I’ve used Bioderma and Garnier and to save a couple of dollars, buy the Garnier regular formula.  The waterproof formula has something harsh in it and stings the eyes and it doesn’t clean water-resistant mascara very well anyway, so go for gentler with the regular formula.

Masks-skip anything for exfoliation or with clay.  This will only make your skin drier.  I like Farmacy Honey Night Mask but if you’re not planning on washing your hair, it will seep into your hairline never mind a mess on your pillow. Go for Fresh Rose or Lotus masks. Tried Laniege and Fresh Black Tea-meh.

Eye Cream-I was using Shiseido Benifiance, but I really found that Shisiedo Future Solutions for Eye and Lip Contour is pricey but lasts a long time and worth the $150.

USE IT WITH

Fresh Black Tea Eye Serum-I am in my second bottle and tried pairing it with the Black Tea Eye Cream but the Shiseido Future Solutions cream works much better.  I have seen the crepe-texture on my lids reduced and my lids appear less droopy.

Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Essence-leaps and bounds better than SKII. There’s something about the slightly tacky liquid that moisturizes and relieves dryness.

Oil-I don’t always use an oil. But I like it for heavy-duty nights. If I do, I might put on some Herbivore Hibiscus Oil or the Ordinary Rose Oil.

Day Cream-I’m liking the Fresh Vitamin C Nectar. Smells like tangerines, light formula. Though on a day after a day of being in the sun, I slather on Rosa Artica-heavy formula. Like vaseline.

Night Cream-I use pretty much the same approach. I’ve tried some sleeping masks and sometimes I use them, but my day procedure works pretty well.

Sunscreen-Clinique SPF40 Mineral Fluid. Light, doesn’t sting the eyes.

Tinted Moisturizer-Clinique SPF40(?) City Defense.

Heavy Duty-Drunk Elephant. White and thick but disappears with a lot of rubbing in.

Light Day Duty Sunscreen-I like Olay Day Moisturizer SPF15. I put it on my neck, decollette (sp) arms and legs.

Case Studies

Golf-Today I will be out in the sun with hat and sunglasses and hopefully mostly under cover of the golf cart since I am not golfing just taking photos.

My plan-my base skincare with Fresh eye serum, Black Tea Essence, Shiseido Future Solutions Eye, Kiehl’s Day Serum, Vitamin C Nectar Cream, maybe an extra layer of Rosa Artica on my face and neck.  Followed with Clinique Mineral SPF, Origin’s Eye Cream with SPF30. Another layer of Clinique City Defense Sunscreen, then makeup.

During-carry around Clinique City Defense for touch ups every two hours or so.

Night-take it all off with Garnier micellar water. Cleanse with Cerave Hydrating Cleanser in the shower to take off the rest of the make up.  Basic skincare Fresh eye serum, Kombucha essence, probably the Ordinary Rose Oil and Kiehl’s Rosa Artica over it all. Maybe a touch of Clinique Dramatically Different to seal it all in.

*****

Oh yeah-my last recommendation to David?  Stop using the beta-acid peels he’s always blabbing about.  I think it’s Dr Dennis Gross.  Stripping your skin of natural oils to get that clean feeling is just stripping your skin of it’s natural protection from the elements. It also lays bare a fresh layer of your skin to burn even more under the sun.

Duh.

 

Advertisement

Creamiest of the creamy-By Terry Eye Shadow Stick

When I watch videos about using long-wear eye shadow sticks-youtubers drawing on big smudgy blobs of color to blend out to big smokey eyes, or drawn on to precise sharp wings…

I think, I can do that.

I don’t use a lot of quotation marks here.

As always, I answer the siren call of obsession with a product when I become convinced I NEED IT NOW!

Such is the case in my collection of Bobbi Brown eye shadow cream pots and sticks.

Ditto with my Laura Mercier eye shadow sticks.

Love them both on you tubers, but they feel like dragging a rubber eraser along my eyelid.

In the ripe age of approaching the next decade mark, I’m thinking a lot about the texture of products I put on my eyes.

I recently consulted with the Nords Fresh counter manager and he suggested it might be that my eye shadow was drying out my lids.

Hmmm.

I have quite a collection of powder eye shadow palettes.

It makes sense that if you put powder on to keep dry in the summer, than powder would dry out your skin on your eyelids. Duh.

He suggested one of my fave brands-Nars eye shadow stick in Goddess, a peachy, rose gold color which can be worn alone or as a primer.

I received it a few weeks later in the mail.

Excited to use it-I compared it to my Laura shadows. Somewhat softer, but still felt a little draggy.

My heart is always searching.

So I wandered into Saks and I’ve always loved the By Terry hand cream….

Wanting to buy and needing nothing….scary.

The salesgirl was actually from the La Mer counter but she spoke highly of By Terry products.

I took out the eye shadow stick and glided it on my hand and I couldn’t believe how creamy and soft it was….sigh. But, I just bought the Nars version and thought the color was really close.

Never mind.

Bought it anyway and came home and compared colors-not the same.

However, the By Terry shadow stick is waaaaaaay softer.

Kirsten’s glide rating of shadow sticks:

Bobbi Brown-like dragging a rubber eraser across your eyelids.

Laura Mercies-Like dragging a softer eraser, but somehow feels abrasive-like the glitter particles are scratching my eye.

Nars-Better slide, but I can’t help but wonder if the product was old and maybe dried out?

By Terry-soft like sliding whipped cream on your eyelid.

Price wise, the By Terry product is the most expensive, but it’s cheaper than plastic surgery.

The other lesson learned? Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much of sale another line might offer, the product will drive the purchase when the benefit outweighs price rationalization.

K