I have a confession. Up until a few months ago, I wasn’t respecting my skin. Pretty much neglecting it and giving it the bare minimum with the occasional treat of a face mask or sheet mask 1-2 times a month, if that. A few months ago, I caught a glimpse of my skin while strolling down the aisle of mirrors at Target. Even though that glimpse was brief, I was still able to notice how dull, dark, and loose my skin looked. Therefore, I knew I had to rework my regular skincare to load it with more anti-aging products. I have affectionately called this my aging gracefully skincare regimen.

So, after I power walked away from that aisle of mirrors in Target, I made a beeline to their skincare aisle. FYI, if we are ever in Target together and get separated, there’s a 99% chance that I am in the beauty department. After strolling the skincare aisle and reading any and every bottle that referenced regenerate, renew, and/or anti-aging, I ended up purchasing Burt’s Bees Renewal Refining Cleanser. It’s a cleanser, exfoliate, and moisturizer all in one. It’s gentle enough for everyday use as it thoroughly cleans and exfoliates your face. It always makes my face feel super soft and not stripped of any moisture. The only thing I don’t like about this cleanser is the smell, which is reminiscent of old vegetables in a fridge. I have a high tolerance for smells. So, I’m good, but I thought I would be a good friend and warn you.

If I have a really oily day, I will use toner. However, now that my skin is not as oily since the weather is cooler, I skip toner and go ahead and apply my skin serum. The serum I use in the daytime is Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C, which helps with aging skin issues such as wrinkles/fine lines, elasticity, and uneven skin texture. This serum has also helped my skin look brighter during the day and helps my make-up look flawless. At night, my recent serum of choice has been Valentia Night Revive Retinol Serum. When it comes to anti-aging, if it has retinol, it’s usually a no-brainer. I’ve used and loved Valentia products before and knew this serum wouldn’t let me down. The Night Revive Retinol serum has helped my skin look and feel firmer and has even cut back on breakouts. With both serums, I let them sink into my skin for 5-10 minutes before moving on to my next step.

I love moisturizing my face! It’s been one of my favorite things to do, because I’m currently using a sweet almond oil as my nighttime moisturizer. I apply it by massaging it really good into my skin for a couple of minutes. It feels so good, especially after a long day at work. In the morning, I’m still using my Neutrogena Oil-Free Daily moisturizer and their sunscreen. However, since the weather has been a little cooler and making my skin a littler drier, I’ve been adding 1-2 drops of the sweet almond oil in to give my skin a touch of gleam. Works great.

The final step is a step that I refuse to skip now that I’m getting up there in age; apply eye cream. After years of being “iffy” and not diligent with applying eye creams, I see the errors of my ways…with dark under areas. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad when I noticed and quickly became of obsessed with undereye cream. For the day time, I use Origins’ GinZing, which helps to depuff and brighten up your eyes. At night, the sweet almond oil is not only used to hydrate my skin overnight, but also to treat my undereye area. I love a good multi-use product.

After being dedicated to creating and adhering to my anti-aging skincare, my skin is a lot smoother, brighter, and firmer. I’m even spending more days confidently going make-up free.

Disclaimer: This post contains products sent for review purposes only. However, all words and opinions are my own.

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