There are few things I love more than talking to people about their beauty routines. I love to find out what cleansers people are using, what serums they swear by and what skincare secrets they have been sat on. Sure, I love hearing from lots of different people with lots of different skin types, but the people I love speaking to the most? Those with mature skin, but undeniably youthful complexions.
You see, few things get people talking more passionately than the topic of skin ageing. And sure, we know that a huge amount of ageing is down to genetics, however, we can’t ignore the fact that there are a handful of women who appear to possess some sort of Benjamin Button–style gift. So in a bid to demystify this apparent anti-ageing phenomenon, I spoke to some of those most fresh-faced women in beauty to uncover their secrets.
“At the age of 25, I didn’t even know what skincare was. But for the last 12 years or so, I have really been focusing on anti-ageing and glow-giving ingredients. I want to age well and good! Now, I always double cleanse in the morning and evening. I do also go for skin treatments, and I really recommend going to see a skin therapist who will give you a programme to fit your skin. It’s important to never skip your routine—not even when you fall asleep on the sofa after a few glasses of wine! My other top tip is, of course, apply SPF 50 365 days a year.”
“From a young age, I was taught to take care of my skin. Being told you have great skin is the highest physical accolade you can receive in Asian culture. My grandmother imbued in me that self-care is self-love which naturally leads to self-confidence. Skincare for us starts from the inside out, so everything we eat has a specific purpose for health and wellness. I was fed chicken feet, bone broth, white and black wood ear tree fungus (a type of wild mushroom), fish eyes and sea cucumber—all in the name of good skin. “Nowadays, I adhere to my 4 Cs of skincare: Cleanse, Compound, Cream (including the face, eye and neck area) and Cover (always with SPF in the day). I also never go to bed without washing my face with cold water. I drink at least 64 ounces of room-temperature water daily and make sure I sleep 7–8 hours a night. I also ‘roll’ every day and have been for years, long before it was popular. Great for tightening, sculpting and lymphatic drainage, it feels like an aesthetician’s fingertips on your skin.”
“This singular product has simplified my routine from 13–15 products a day, twice a day, to just a few effective steps! It tones, tightens, brightens, hydrates and defends my skin with each application giving me that healthy, natural glow without any irritation.”
“This is a rich eye cream that has greatly helped with the little lines around my eye area. It’s luxurious, so luckily, a little goes a long way.”
“Your skin is your best outfit—it is precious and cannot be replaced. I have been looking after my skin since a very young age and encouraged my daughter to do the same. I have been attentive to its varying needs as I grow older, too. Now, I’m focused on maintaining the collagen in my skin through the right skincare routines, at-home face massages and treatments. “I swear by keeping my skin hydrated by drinking a lot of water throughout the day and maintaining a healthy diet full of fruits and veggies that is low in sugar and dairy. Second, exercising and working out keeps blood circulating and cells regenerating. Lastly, I believe it is important to create a skincare routine that you can stay committed to and enjoy doing. “I gently cleanse with micellar water on a cotton pad followed by a cleanser. I follow with a tonic lotion that hydrates deeply and then apply my eye cream. I use either a lactic acid serum or a vitamin C before applying my moisturiser and a facial oil on top. My favourite step is to massage my face. I have always taken great care of protecting my skin from sun damage.”
“Taking pride in my skin is an extension of the pride I take in caring for my body as a whole. About 10 years ago, I realised that what I put inside my body can not only maintain me physically, but it also heals me mentally. I also learned how to self-care before it was something I could define as such. Ever since then, I have focused on eating a whole food, low sugar, non-processed diet and drink about a gallon of water daily. Treating my skin to lovely clean beauty skincare products is the cherry on top. “The best way to care for your skin is from the inside out. Foods I eat for happy, healthy skin include dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, berries, avocado, veggies, lemon and olive oil. I know this will raise a few eyebrows, but I also avoid drinking alcohol, don’t smoke and stay away from refined sugars. My final tip is adopting a skincare routine that nourishes, hydrated, restores and protects the skin barrier.”
“Leave it to me to list the most unconventional skincare product. This chlorophyll-rich powder has been a part of my morning routine for 9 or 10 years now. In my non-quarantine life, I travel half the year and have relied on this immune-system booster to fill my body with antioxidants and nutrients. Simply put, it’s like drinking liquid sunshine, for that ultimate inner glow that shines on the outside.”
“This is a new product that I have been using for only the last two weeks, but it has been a love-at-first-use kind of product. This clean beauty product has a smooth velvety primer finish that I find sits beautifully under all my foundations. It is honestly invisible on my skin! Not to mention it checks all the boxes: vegan, cruelty-free, reef safe, and has plant-derived ingredients to hydrate and repair skin.”
“I love taking care of my skin, but it wasn’t always the case. When I was young and wrinkle-free I didn’t pay much attention to it, but once the lines started to set in, I started researching what products slow down the ageing process. Now, it’s a hit of a hobby and I love seeing how the right products can do so much. I turned 41 last month and my skin is better now than it was at 30. “I love facial massage as it promotes blood circulation and a glowing complexion. I use a Gua Sha tool to massage my face in the morning after I’ve used an oil-based cleanser. It also preps the skin so it’s primed to better absorb ingredients. Then I apply hyaluronic acid, vitamin C eye serum, eye cream, moisturiser and SPF. I use SPF 50 even in the winter. I spent years unprotected from the sun, and I’m paying for it with frown lines now. “In the evening, I double-cleanse with an oil or balm cleanser first followed by a gel or foaming formula. Then I apply hyaluronic acid, a glycolic acid serum, eye cream, moisturiser and facial oil if I feel like my skin needs it. I try to lay on my back when I sleep—it helps the products I apply to absorb into my skin rather than the pillow!”
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