Skin care products for women over 40

Busy moms rarely have time to see to their own needs. Many don’t have enough wiggle room in their schedule (or even the inclination) to put on makeup, fix their hair, and plan coordinated outfits on a day-to-day basis. In some cases the best they can hope for is a five-minute shower and enough time to pull back their hair and throw on a clean pair of jeans in the morning. What many moms can do, though, even if they don’t have time for a full-blown beauty routine, is take the time to implement a skincare regimen that will keep them looking young, healthy, and fresh, even when they’re sleep-deprived. If you happen to need a little help in this department, here are a few products you simply can’t do without.

Cleanser with salicylic acid. If you’re well into your twenties or thirties and you’re still suffering from breakouts (hormonal or otherwise), perhaps it’s time to see a dermatologist or at least reassess the products you’re using. Acne is generally caused by a combination of factors, namely oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells. A cleanser that contains salicylic acid will make it easier to exfoliate, so try using it with a facial cleansing brush to remove the dead skin cells that are clogging your pores. As a bonus, your skin will look bright and radiant without an extra layer of dead skin sitting on top of it.
Tinted, SPF moisturizer. Busy moms need products that perform more than one function, and moisturizers can deliver in spades. It may take you a while to find the products that work best for your skin, but several different brands manufacture moisturizers that offer you not only protection from the sun, but also a light tint to help even out your skin tone. If you’re going to use moisturizer anyway, it may as well offer you extra benefits.
Night cream. The time you spend sleeping provides your skin with the rest it needs to repair itself, and it is estimated that cell turnover is as much as eight times faster when you snooze. But you can help the process along with the products you use, particularly your night cream. Here you could easily spend a lot of money on pricy creams with rare ingredients, but less expensive products from the Olay Regenerist line have rated just as highly as more expensive options.
Concealer. You might be surprised how much more alert you look when you take a few seconds to tap some concealer under your eyes. But you’d be better served to do double duty by using a product that not only hides dark circles and brightens the under-eye area, but also contains ingredients like caffeine to diminish puffiness (such as Garnier’s Caffeine Anti-dark Circles 2-in-1 Tinted Eye Roll-on) or peptides that reduce fine lines and wrinkles (like Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Concealer and Brightener).
Natural lip balm. While most women will spend tons of dough on creams and serums to keep their skin looking young, they don’t know the first thing about what goes into a good lip balm. Since dry, flaky lips are an unsightly nuisance that you probably want to avoid, it’s in your best interest to find a lip balm that actually nourishes your skin. Unfortunately, nearly all of them contain petrolatum, a product that dries your skin over time. Ditto on menthol and camphor. Luckily, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a make up blog that can recommend alternatives, including natural products from companies like Burt’s Bees, Dr. Bronner’s, and Pangea Organics. Even busy moms need a smooch now and then, so make sure your pout is pucker-ready with natural lip balm.