I am almost 40! Just a few months shy. And so far, I’m actually not that bothered about it... but I know it’s probably going to hit me soon! However forties are the new thirties, right, right?!!
So, in honour of my upcoming milestone, I thought I’d do a slightly different sort of post. No fashion today, just beauty.
I like to do a lot of research before slapping something on my face, but I’m also not prepared to watch 350 Reels to find out. I like to hear from people who actually know what they are talking about so I really enjoy watching the Doctorly YouTube channel — two very cute dermatologists who go into skin concerns in a lot of detail without making everything feel unnecessarily complicated. I also swear by Caroline Hirons’ book Skincare, which helped me build a routine around my actual skin and concerns rather than whatever product is getting the most attention — or commission — that week.
My main concerns at the moment are hydration, pigmentation, texture and pores, the occasional breakout and, obviously, the bloody fine lines.
Over time I’ve tried quite a lot of things, so I thought it could be useful to share what I’m actually using and what I think is making a difference.
First: cleaning my face properly
This has been life changing! My skin actually got worse when I moved back to Spain. Yes, there was a lot of lovely sun tan and glowing skin (sweat most times!), but wearing so much SPF and then actually not cleaning my face properly made me break out a lot more than I was used to.
Caroline Hirons is very strict about double cleansing, and this is probably the habit from her book that made the biggest difference to my skin. In the evening I double cleanse, particularly if I’ve been wearing SPF and/or make-up, and once in the morning. Even when I get home at 3am, tired and slightly tipsy, I still double cleanse. It’s non-negotiable.
I like to start with Beauty Pie Japanfusion, which gently melts away make-up and SPF, then follow with the L’Oréal Vitamin C cleanser. Nothing fancy, but I love both and have been using them for years. I also don’t think cleanser is where you need to spend loads of money to be honest!
The ingredients I swear by
One of the things I learnt from Skincare is that, instead of spending your money on magical serums and creams, it’s much more useful to understand which ingredients are actually doing something for your skin.
You don’t need one insanely expensive “miracle” cream , it makes much more sense to use a few targeted ingredients that do something different. Which, for the lazy person in me, took a while to get used to. I would much rather wash my face, slap on an expensive serum, a fancy cream and SPF and call it a day. But I’ve changed the way I do things, and it’s actually working.
Over time I’ve worked out which ingredients my skin likes, and I keep going back to them depending on what I’m trying to tackle:
For hydration: I start with the Elixir Brightening Essence Lotion I bought in Japan, then layer Hada Labo Gold on top. Together they’ve made a really noticeable difference to how hydrated and plump my skin feels. Both were fairly cheap in Japan and I don’t know what I am going to do when I ran out! Go back to Japan most likely!
For pigmentation and brightness: vitamin C , I’m currently using Melano CC, another Japan buy. I really like it because it’s lightweight and easy to layer without making my skin feel sticky. I use it in the morning because I’m mainly looking for help with dullness and uneven tone, especially as I’m very conscious of sun damage and pigmentation.
For pores, oiliness and the occasional breakout: niacinamide — I use The Ordinary Niacinamide, which I’ve used on and off for years and always go back to. It’s one of those unglamorous products that just seems to keep my skin a bit more balanced, particularly when I’m sweating more or my pores are looking more obvious.
For dullness and texture: glycolic acid, I use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid around three times a week. I like that my skin feels smoother and looks brighter the next morning.
All of the products above were bought with my own money. There are also a few things I’m currently trying that were gifted to me, so let’s get into those.
For texture and fine lines: retinoids — probably the ingredient I’ve been most consistent with long term. As you probably know, they are basically vitamin A derivatives that help speed up skin-cell turnover and support collagen production, which makes them very good for fine lines, texture and pigmentation, ding ding ding! I’m currently using Medik8 Crystal Retinal, and so far so good. It’s a little stronger than the Beauty Pie retinol I was using before, so I’m only using it a few times a week for now while my skin gets used to it.
For keeping everything looking a little bouncier: peptides — these are short chains of amino acids, basically the building blocks your skin uses to make proteins like collagen and elastin. The idea is that they help support firmness, hydration and overall skin resilience rather than doing anything dramatic overnight. I’ve started using Medik8 Liquid Peptides, which feels very light and easy to layer, and I do feel like my skin looks a little plumper when I’m consistent with it, so let’s see!
And yes, collagen. I’ve been taking collagen for a while now, and while I can’t say I’ve noticed some miraculous transformation in my face, I do notice a difference in my hair and in how my joints feel after exercising. I’m currently using Elevate (15% off with code NOELIA15) and Ancient + Brave (both gifted), I add them to yoghurt, smoothies or coffee, depending on the type.
The devices I actually use
This is where my beauty routine starts becoming slightly ridiculous.
I already had an LED mask from Beauty Pie, but then CurrentBody (10% off with code NOELIA) gifted me theirs and I ended up preferring it simply because it’s much more comfortable to wear. It stays properly on my face, and the little remote can clip onto your clothes, which sounds incredibly specific but is actually essential because it means I can walk around the house, make dinner, tidy up, answer emails, whatever, rather than having to sit completely still for ten minutes. I use it always in the evenings just because I have more time. Red light is supposed to be good for overall skin health, brightness and helping with inflammation, and I do feel like my skin looks calmer and a little more glowy when I’m consistent with it. Is consistent the key to everything?
Yep!
Then there’s the ZIIP Halo, which was also gifted and is a much more recent addition. If you are thinking about getting one, I also have a 10% off with code NOELIA.
ZIIP claims a LOT, lifting, sculpting, glow, fine lines, all sorts, and I’ve seen some fairly wild reviews from people saying their face looks immediately more snatched after using it. I’m only about two weeks in, so I’m not ready to tell you it has rearranged my entire face.
But so far, I really like it. I was already doing a quick gua sha routine in the mornings for lymphatic drainage, so this feels like a slightly more high-tech version of that ritual. I definitely notice a glow straight afterwards, although that could also be the 35 different ingredients I’m applying to my face at this point, lol.
What I really like is how easy it is to use. The guided videos are genuinely helpful and weirdly soothing, and it’s become a really nice way to start the day. Full disclosure: I also don’t have kids, so introducing another ten-minute beauty ritual into my morning is probably considerably easier for me than for many people.
I’ve only been using it for two weeks, though, so this one is very much to be continued.
