Ta Daaa...this is the first thread I've started on this board. There are so many good ones on so many topics....

Okey-doke, here we go: considering that we're Peri & Meno peeps, what is your night routine for skin care? Any particular habits or kinds of products you use that really has a significant effect on how you look? I'm very new to this idea and still in experimentation stage, so would love people's thoughts. Up until this year all I'd do is take off my makeup, wash my face, put a little moisturizer on my eyes and go to bed, but there's obviously much more possible in a night time routine. As a launch, here's my current list


1) Drink water & get enough sleep. I wrestle with this. But the combo plus exercise gives me less puffy eyes in the morning.

2) Retin-A on alternate nights with L'Oreal Night Revitalift. I haven't asked my new dermatologist yet whether I can put a night cream over the retin-A, so I'm not doing it.

3) On all nights eyelifting serum plus a wrinkle collagen filler. My jury's still out on the collagen filler, which I use day & night. It improves, but by now I've got laugh lines, which I don't mind, and some creases between my brows, which I don't like..it doesn't look like the collagen filler is going to be a silver bullet.

So ANY night routine you have I'd love to read about.

Thanks to you pretty people for your all your tips so far.

I use Lumene products. They are broken down into age categories. I alternate betw the 40+ and 50+. I use an eye firming gel by Aveda both at night and in the day under make-up. In the daytime, I use spackle!

HAHAHAHAHA!! I love it!

I should try some spackle, either that, or just wear a mask over my face.

Really, I've just given up.
I fall into bed just about every night with my make up still on.
Next morning, I just scrape it off in the shower with a buff pad.
Besides, I've never been anything close to beautiful, even as a young girl.
So why bother? As long as I don't scare people in public, I'm fine with that.

Armadillo - You should use a putty knife when scraping it off (Today is a GOOD day.....can u tell??)

Seriously tho you should take off the makeup before going to bed. Let the skin breathe. Sleep is when regeneration occurs at the cellular level (supposedly). I assume you DO sleep or perhaps not (one never knows at this special time in our lives........ )

Thank you, Marrin7. But my face is way beyond help.
Between severe acne scars and old age spots and sagging and wrinkles, my main goal is just not to scare little children.
And I don't sleep much anyway.

But I WILL try that putty knife in the shower tomorrow!

Armadillo,

You have a great sense of humor! I haven't posted to you before (I don't think), but I've read some of your recent posts and IT IS SO GREAT that you are doing better. The best to you...

I am with you Armadillo, I fall into bed with makeup still on my face, or what is left - I don't wear eye makeup at all, just foundation and powder to cover my awful face! I do wash my face every morning in the shower with some peach scrub stuff to hopefully get rid of blemishes, then I use a Stridex medicated pad, followed by under eye cream and a lotion for oily skin because I have the worst oily face in the world, even when I am not sweating, my face is constantly oily - I could fill a bottle with the oil on my face -- I hate it!

Hey - why SO down on yourselves??? No one has an awful face and no one scares little chilluns. Okay??? Okay!

BTW - I have stretch marks on my stomach that I'm going to have provide a retirement fund for. Still with me since the birth of the 10 lb bowling ball head almost 26 years ago. Any help for that? Anyone use the Strivectin? God awful expensive I know.....

That's the way I look at it, too. And foo to 15 year old perfect skin...I didn't have it back then, anyway. I'll be interested if we get into stretch marks.

As for age spots, call me Spotty...do you know something that seems to reduce those? One of those OTC microdermabrasion kits...it took a couple of weeks follwing the directions but they definitely are about half what they were, on me.

We ought to get teeshirts or bowling shirts, you know...the Spacklettes.

So glad you're doing better Armadillo. Sleep's a deal, isn't it?

Do you know what I like about so many of the present-day products? They absorb...I remember seeing women, when I was a little girl, who looked really like Ghostbusters once they got ready for bed.

Some one tell us about stretch marks pls.

I have a couple spots on my hands that probably ARE age-related. But at the mo, they're not noticeable to anyone but me. I seem to notice everything (and always the flaws or what I perceive to be flaws).

Yeah, I dunno what to do about the stretch marks. I've heard good things about Strivectin - but as I said, very expensive to try and if it doesn't work......well, money down the loo I suppose. Cellulite is another gross subject..........

Thanks Ivy lena!

You're right about the retin-A and retinol. As for the retin-A, the doc said that I might get flaky skin as it sloughed off, but so far i haven't had much, maybe because I hydrate the sox off of myself in the daytime and on alternate nights. Have you used retin-A? If so, how did it go?

How sweet of you to reply Ivy lena. That's a pretty name by the way.

I'm in an exploratory phase, learning about a lot of things for the first time. It appears I've inherited a skin tendency to break outs, even through adult life, from one side of the family. I also have always had a less smooth texture of skin than my sibs and my mother; looks like i inherited that, too.

I went to a dermatologist who does cosmetic treatments as well so that she could look me over. I probably will do some peels beginning next year...in the meantime I asked about retin-a, and she prescribed it. I'm going light on it: every 2 or 3 days. It has so far generally improved my face smoothness. So I don't have a long term commitment to it; am checking it out. I'm very interested in what you say about long term effect...I didn't know that it was a systemic (if it is, what does it do to your insides?)

I'm new to many beauty treatments, or even basic beauty care. It took me years to realize that some of my breakouts correlated with how my skin sloughed off....I tried one peel once, and it really cleared up my skin for awhile. Ditto OTC microdermabrasion, although the dermatologist kind of jumped when I mentioned it...I have to find out why she doesn't think microdermabrasion is a good thing. Ditto even using a buff puff tenderly on the face keeps my skin clearer (I'm not doing that now...I'm into wash and pat dry). Being finally past the change has lowered the breakouts on the face, but I've got this inherited skin...

So I'm checking out what retin-a does about all that and am very alert to what you're saying.

Woo a longie. I'm not trying to turn back the clock by the way, just aiming to look my best now...

What's your best preference for yourself?

Thanks so much, and I completely understand about the peri...I took a look at what you've written earlier. Hope the sleep is better than it was a couple months ago for you. That was a big issue for me in peri...and a lot of board members from posts on it. Rest is the foundation of a lot of things. Wishing you a very good morning, Ivy lena.

To return to lipsticks, I find post menopause that everything is drier: eyes, skin. I'm finding lip moisturizers in among the lipsticks in some cosmetics lines that are a big improvement over the basic chapstick...I'm even putting them on under the lipstick, or before..and it's helping. We're in winter season here.

This is a great thread....thanks for starting it, Bou...I'm not sure how to treat my face now that I'm in peri. I'm really noticing the complex web of wrinkles (they actually criss-cross) under my eyes. What can be done to make them go away? Collagen filler? Derma-peel?

I always thought Estee Lauder was the grande-dame of cosmetics so I went out and spent a fortune on the DayWear Plus..."Multi protection anti-oxidant creme...spf 15" and the DayWear Plus for eyes. What a disaster. They're so heavily fraganced that they make my eyes water and burn...even if I'm really careful not to get any near my actual eyeballs. I've had good luck with the new Oil of Olay Regenerist Serum...but that too, has perfume in it.

I had an older woman with great skin once tell me "it doesn't matter what you moisturize with at night, as long you use something..." I try to remove all my make-up before going to bed (I can never get off all the masacara) and then put on some kind of moisturizer. I have super dry skin; it's gotten worse with all the thryoid problems.

Funny, because hubby is having a hard time with dry skin too! His face seems to flake off during the day. He uses plain old Lubriderm on his face every night (I tease him about our 'moisturizing rituals!').

When I watch any of the home shopping channels (QVC, HSN) I'm bombarded with all these skin care lines. Which one is the best one? They all claim to be "revolutionary."

I'm actually intimidated to ask advice from the cosmetic ladies in the major deparment stores. Chanel, Origins, Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC...which one is the right one? Once you get in their sphere, they're determined to tell you that you MUST have this product or that, and before I know it, I've spent $300.00. Yikes! Worst of it is if you let them 'analyze your skin.' I know that I have sun damage...I was a fool when I was younger, spending hours laying in the beach to get that gorgeous tan. Now I'm paying for it. But when I was teenager they didn't have the wonderful self-tanners they have now. All that was available was that Coppertone stuff that made you turn a lovely shade of neon-orange.

I would love to hear what lines of face creams and cosmetics people have had success with.

There is this stuff I saw advertised on tv last night...it's called Annum21. It's a metal face mask...yup, you heard me right...ground up metal. You put it on (it's a dark gray color) and then use this magnet wrapped in a special cloth which you hold close to your face and the mask is attracted to the metal and literally pulls off your face. And supposedly takes dead skin cells with it. It was very cool to watch, but I'm not sure if it's a gimmmick or not.

So I'm open to changing my night-time (and day time) routine if anyone has suggestions. I have super dry skin and it's also sensitive to dyes and fragances (I can break out into hives just thinking about them!)...

Robin - I do like the Lumene skin products. Have not used their makeup yet. I use the Estee eye cream as well as the Aveda.

Robin, the best thing you can do for wrinkles is a topical A product at night (you can use tretinoin, tazorac, retinaldehyde, or retinol), a topical C in the morning and a good sunscreen every day. Out of all the skin boards that I am on, this is the holy trinity of skin care! Hope that helps a little.

Okay, I'm exposing my total naivete here...what is a topical A cream? Can I buy this in a drugstore?

You can buy the Retinol at a drugstore. You would have to check the ingredient list on products. I believe Neutrogenia makes some, but not sure on that. Usually, Retin A or Avage/Tazorac are prescriptions that you get from your doctor or derm. These are the stronger topical A creams. They can produce a lot of redness/peeling in some people, especially if used too zealously in the beginning. Most people start with an Avene product, like Retrinal or one of the Retinaldehyde products from Avene (these you can purchase on line). Hope that helps a little!

So the topical A creams are Retinol? Are they okay for severely dry skin?? Should I use a moisturizer on top of it?

Yes, the over the counter topical A creams are Retinol and Retinaldehyde. Retinaldehyde (Avene has the patent on this) is the form closest to tretinoin (Retin A) and converts into retinic (sp?) acid. Retinol has to convert to retinaldehyde and then retinic acid. I believe Retinol would be fine for severely dry skin since it is the mildest form, and yes, you would want to use a moisturizer on top of that. You can do a google search on topical A creams and the benefits this has on the skin. You can really get a whole lot of info on it (probably more than you would ever want!).

I had a professional microdermabrasion done once. I hardly noticed a difference. My skin looked a tiny bit brighter. Maybe you have to keep doing it.

My routine is:

Remove the eye makeup with Maybelline eye makeup remover
Wash the face with Oil of Olay Regenerist fash wash
Moisturize under the eye with Oil of Olay Regenerist nighttime eye serum (I do notice my fine wrinkles aren't so noticeable with this serum, it seems to smooth them out)
Moistureize the rest of my face and neck wtih Oil of Olay Regenerist night time face serum

In the mornings, I wash with the same face wash, and then apply Oil of Olay Regenerist daytime moisturizer.

A friend of mine told me that independent test had proven that the Oil of Olay Regenerist line was as good or better than any of the high-priced department store brands. I think my skins looks and feels smoother.

A dermatologist told me the only way to get rid of the brown spots and fine red lines was to do a laser type dermabrasion, and that it would take 3 or 4 to do the trick - at $400 a pop. So, I'm sticking with my Oil of Olay routine.

I did meet an older lady once who had beautiful smooth skin, and she said she just removed her make up with good old Ponds Cold Cream every night, and washed it in the morning with soap. Cold cream is good stuff. I used to use it to remove makeup when I was taking ballet and we had to wear a lot of stage makup. My skin was always so smooth afterwards. You don't wash your face, you just tissue off the cream.

And yes, I'm guilty of plopping into bed with the makeup on now and then, but I try not to.

WriterMom

I started using topical Vit C powder on my face when I turned 40. I'm now 53. I mix it with Philosophy day cream.

Nite time out comes the big gun! tretinoin cream 0.05%
It's in an emollient base....so it's not drying like regular Retin A. I started using that this year....after Meno decided it was my "time" to enter it's doors.

night time beauty routine? i look long into the mirror and wish heavily i looked better than i do... old age is starting to catch up with me, nothing i can do about it.. i could always use a paper bag i guess...

I have returned to an old friend Noxema! When I have one of those incredible evening hot flashes that feels like your going to burst into flames any moment... I smather some Noxema on my face and let it hang out for a minute before rinsing with cold water. It feels sooooo nice and cool! I know a lot of people don't like that camphor, menthol and eucalyptus smell... But I've come to like it! Speaking of flash-my face is beet red right now... Noxema time.

P.S. I like Loreal's Revita Night before bedtime.

Don't forget after your nighttime routines, in the morning you have to use sunscreen. If you don't, it doesn't matter what you do in the evening, your will undo all the good of your nighttime routine. You need a good broad spectrum sunscreen during the day.

Call me cheap, but I've found a scrub brush and a tub of lanolin to be my best friends. Also Queen Helene Mud Mask. And I get some serious dirt and sweat on my skin.

I use a little scrub brush and Neutrogena cleanser on my face, and a slightly stiffer brush on my arms and legs. I think this does the same thing as micro-dermabrasion [sp?], but with more elbow grease. It doesn't have the drying problem of the R-type acid treatments, but you're still removing layers of dead skin and stimulating circulation. The scrubbing action can tighten up your arms, too, if that's a problem.

I have scary dark eye circles from years of editorial work. I tried some Dr. Perricone and something else, but I've had much more improvement from slathering lanolin under my eyes overnight once a week. It's sticky, but the improvement seems to last. You can stand over a low flame on the stove to start melting it in. I have a sneaking suspicion that this equals collagen shots. I tried the actors' Preparation H treatment, but long-term it makes the skin thinner--that's how it removes puffiness. The lanolin seems to really heal and bring light to the darkness. My thanks to the sheep.

um...........................................

I don't have a routine at night. I just go to bed.

I generally wake up on my face anyway and have pillow creases most of the morning so anything I put on would be useless.
(always have to double check if someone knocks at the door).

I use a facial scrub in the shower but that's about it.

Not too bothererd about anything really. I think I'd look silly with greying hair and skin so taught it looks like I have it pinned behind my head with a hair clip!!!!!!

I try very hard these days not to look too closely in the mirror, but heres my input for skin care and surprisingly my skin has remained quite good considering everything else is falling apart Lol.

Morning I use plain old Nivea moisturising cream, under a light foundation.
Nightime, i remove all make up with Manoi oil, it smells lovely and really soaks into the skin overnight, you can even use it on your hair for extra moisture.
Another good trick is to cover yourself with baby oil after a shower or bath, then lay back in a big fluffy towel and try to chill out until your less slippery.

My Dh often says it's like sleeping with an eel.

I am easily seduced by the many products available, but i find the Manoi oil is superb.

Hi Bougainvillea,
My nightime routine is like this: I wash my face with warm water, dry it and put on an Avon Night cream. Then I follow that with an Eye cream. I do this every night and have done for years.

My daytime routine is much the same: Wash. Day cream followed by Eye cream.
I dont use a tonet as I find it dries my skin out. I do use a cleanser.

Thanks for the great thread.

Take care From Deb

I wash with a gentle liquid soap, rinse and apply Jason's Ester-C cream. In the morning, I use Jason's AloeVera moisturizer. That's all I do for my skin besides eating lots of fruits and veggies and drinking lots of water. I have heard many older women swear by the Pond's Cold Cream but the ingredients scare me off.

I wash with a cleanser, use a toner, eye cream and a moisturizer. All Arbonne products and most from the RE9 set. Just got their new peel, you put it on at night in place of a mouisturizer a few times a week....mmmm my face felt great the next day. There is a new wrinkle filler too, dunno how that works as I don't suffer with that problem yet!

I find the biggest problem I have is bags under my eyes. I am sure it is partily due to the lack of sleep that goes with all this. I wish there was a miracle cream to help with this. I feel like a panda nearly all the time.

makeup remover, origins mask, tea tree toner, philosophy acne treatment, eye cream....

nothing is helping much...I wanna to look fresh, rested ... oh, and cute....

I'm thinking it might be time to start getting a facials, perhaps....

Any kind of good moisturizer works well for me, what i've been using lately is Nivea Soft Moisturizong Cream with jojoba oil & vitamin E.