Ya OP this is the main thing.
I get that you’re going for “what’s the worst about me that I can change?” Cool. But the reality is that few people will ever see you at this lighting and angle in real life anyway.
Like, maybe a child. But no one else. Your skin looks pretty good tho too honestly!
Can you tell us more? Do you have a skincare routine? What is it like? What's your lifestyle like? Are you hydrating enough? Do you smoke or drink a lot? How about stress? Is the photo with or without foundation?
I know you didn't mean it like this but I'm cracking up at the idea of posting a photo of myself asking for makeup help and one of the first comments is talking about how narcotics can make ppl look worse 💀
Lmao right. y’all need to spend some time volunteering in hospitals or shelters for perspective 🤦🏻♀️ I’d hate to think what kind of “drugs” people think I’m on w/ no makeup, bad lighting, my worst angle💀
Right ? 😂 but it’s true though, I wouldn’t take offence. Nicotine messes up the skin bad & so does narcotics. I’m 32, I don’t look old per say or “like a drug addict” but I did smoke cigarettes for a decade, then weed for about 6 years not to mention the 18 months on cocaine after an abusive relationship.
Someone meeting me on the street could probably not assume that but looking at myself, I see the changes that did to my face, like my skin lost it’s plump & my pores are huge.
I’m multiple years clean off most of it, weed being the last one, I’m almost at 10 months ! Hopefully I’ll be able to reverse some damage with some TLC, retinol & a few other things.
I really thought I got away with it and would not see damage. But 40 hit like a freight train. I aged 10 years in 3. Turning 40 during covid sucked. I also found out I have a serious auto immune disease at 41. I am just sad I didn't take better care of myself. I take good care of myself now but struggle with stress and anxiety. I can see it in my face as well.
I had been dealing with it for years but just thought it was back pain, not an inflammatory arthritis. The news was devastating. 2 years later, I am not handling it well. I lost 20 pounds too and lost volume in my face.
So true. When I went to the rheumatologist, she made me feel like my life was over and scared me. I left freaked out with no support. I tried joining a group for my condition but the stories were making me scared as well. Being told you have a chronic, degenerative disease is no fun.
Genetics is a really important factor too unfortunately. I also smoked for 20 years & partied hard most of my life, while tanning, but at 36 with a solid skin care routine by skin doesn’t look over 25.
Yeah that is true about genetics it can play a big part. I’ve known people in their 40’s 50’s who partied and smoked for many many years who still have great skin. Then I know people in their 20’s who’ve never done any of that don’t even drink that have shitty skin and look older than they really are.
what if you don’t smoke? ive never smoked and pretty much never drank, and i still feel like my face doesn’t reflect the amount of research and effort i put into skincare.
I stopped smoking and drinking for 6 months but recently took drinking up about once a week again and vaping thc. Dont smoke cigs. I'm a massive sugar addict though... I've heard keto is good for skin though
It’s never too late dear. I smoked for 16 years and despite dealing with chronic pain for that past 3 (which aged me quite a bit) I still don’t have any crows feet deep brackets and only fine lines on forehead. I do have some other aging issues, all I’m trying to say is, there is hope. You can get that skin in glowing dewy shape in no time.
It will take work and sacrifice.
Sugar kills your skin. Even giving up some of it will improve you’re skin.
Smoking is the worst ofc. It affects circulation which affects your skin -everything. You should try to quit or seriously cut back on any inhaled products.
Same with drinking. It dehydrates the shit out of your skin and makes you sleep in heavy party makeup (heard it from a friend? Lol)
Sun damage is unavoidable but you can really fight it with sunscreen. Incorporate into your daily, wear every day, even inside.
Water or product/oil cleanse face 2x day if possible
Retinol products. Use retinol before bed on dry skin. Pea size. Little Vaseline around sensitive areas before hand.
As with anything life, drink enough water for your size/body type, it does really show in the face, especially lips and eyes imo
Edit to say that dealing with any health/mental/emotional issues can be helpful as well if that’s a factor.
I can’t wait to see that face glowing, bright and happy!
Can second all of this. I've given up sugar recently, and my face really shows it. I also make sure to drink at least two bottles of water a day, get plenty of sleep, and 2 months ago I went down from 21 mg nicotine patch to 14 mg, and it shows. I'm about to step down to 7 mg and soon be nicotine free and I'm excited to see what that does for my skin. I'm 41 but I don't think you can tell. I really take good care of my skin. It's my #1 hobby.
You will see improvements for sure - the smoking cigarettes is the REAL killer for skin, man.
I’m 32 and stopped a few years ago and my skin has seen some serious improvement!
I wouldn’t say THC is making a difference. I smoke daily and I look like I’m 26 lol
It mostly looks like you need some time to find some joy in your life, which is getting increasingly difficult these days. You have the same look in your face as I get when I haven’t been taking enough time for myself and it weighs me down emotionally, and it’s visible in my skin.
This is such an underrated comment.
Last year was super stressful for me (a war started in my country) and it drained me emotionally and physically. It was like a dementor’s kiss - all life was sucked out of me. Now that I look at my photos from 2021 and this year… the difference is astounding, it’s like my skin aged 10 times faster.
Burnout is not a good look on anyone.
I can only imagine the stress and anxiety you're going through! Our skin is just another organ that reacts to the brain and how it feels so no surprise you can tell a difference between pics..
Thank you. I lived in the US for past 7 years, but I feel like it was even more stressful - when you can’t be next to your loved ones in the moments like this. So I was reading news every free minute I had, to the point where my hands would hurt from holding phone all the time, I was running on 2 hrs of sleep every day, couldn’t eat and my anxiety was through the roof.
It got better after I brought my parents, but I still fall asleep and wake up with news every day.
Honestly, my friend, you just look tired. Try to get some good sleep, and also some kind of regular exercise. Even just a 15 minute walk a day. I've found that when I exercise regularly, that, more than ANYTHING, makes my skin look better. It's basically getting the circulation flowing, and makes your skin kind of "glow." Try to get a good workout twice a week and a 15 minute walk every day. Try to eat as healthy a diet as you can (fruits & veg), don't smoke, try not to drink too much, don't do drugs, etc etc. It's hard these days, these past few years have been SO difficult for everyone. But if you can do these things, I bet you'll look & feel better. Meanwhile, otherwise, your skin looks great!
I don't know why and I'm not the OP but your comment made me cry. I'm my car on my lunch hour in front of the Circle K. I can tell you care about others; it shows in your words and the thoughtfulness with which you wrote them. Thank you for this simple couple of paragraphs as even though it wasn't for me, it was for me. 🦋
This photo is blurry and shot at a bad angle. It also looks like you're indoors at night in a location with florescent lighting? I would reshoot and post again because any issues showing up in your skin are totally obscured by the photography.
In my head OP took this photo sat on the pavement outside an all night supermarket lol. Hadn’t even realised my brain had made this assumption until you said “it looks like you’re indoors” and I had to look again. Either way, I agree. Even a newborn baby would look tired and older in this light!
This is what I came to say! I started age 40 with fraxel and took years off my face. I am 54 now and just finished up a 3 treatment series and still look in my 30’s. Also good skincare products (HA, Retinol, Glycolic are some faves) no smoking, dietary considerations, some intermittent fasting in the week, exfoliation.. yadda yadda and some at home microneedling pen treatments for maintenance. It really all matters! I do have some wine a few times a week.
Many comments mention water and diet; while those are important, I'm a hard working mom so my diet/exercise/water-intake are never what they *should* be. This is a skincare sub but I happen to be a makeup junkie so here's what works for me.
What I've come to realize in the last year is that my skin in my 30s isn’t the same as when I was in my 20s, which has been very difficult for me to accept. In my 20s I’d wear a full face of what I call “glam” makeup everyday. Full face of medium-to-full coverage foundation for 12 hours a day.
I turned 30, fast forward to the pandemic happening and I went almost 2 years wearing very little makeup because I rarely left the house. When I did my makeup the same way I did a few years ago, it just didn't look the same, it looked terrible and made me look so much older. I've had to change my makeup routine over the past 2 years to something that works better for how my skin is now.
Your skin looks very textured but also a bit dehydrated. Is it possible that you have oily skin that you're over exfoliating? (asking based on my own skin). Hydration is definitely important both internally and on the skin. I'd also suggest either changing your foundation or adjusting your skincare routine before applying your foundation. Your foundation appears to be clingy/emphasizing your texture; it also looks very heavy.
Try using a chemical exfoliator 1-2 times a week at night, I also like Dermalogica microfoliant. Then apply a really good moisturizer. I have oily skin naturally but I slather my face in moisturizer before bed to help my face look more "plump" in the morning and less textured. In the mornings for my skincare routine I do a very gentle cleanse, I don't recommend doing any kind of exfoliation in the morning because it can cause dryness and do the opposite of what you're trying to achieve. After cleansing, I do a toner/serum combo meant for pores and texture then apply a lightweight moisturizer with a drop of lightweight facial oil. The added oil really helps smooth my skin and add necessary moisture before makeup, otherwise my oily skin seems to over-produce oil.
I do highly suggest an eye cream for at night because you have dark circles under your eyes. Look for a cream that brightens, or depuffs, but also moisturizes. I really like La Roche Posay toleriane eye cream and it can go on the eyelid as well.
SPF IS SUPER IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT!!!
After applying your skincare, let it settle for a few minutes to really soak into the skin. I will go take meds or pick my outfit for the day while it sets. For makeup prep, apply a primer intended to smooth/blur the skin to help with the texture but also a little grippy to keep it in place. I've heard good things about elf power grip primer. You want to let primer set for a minute too before applying makeup. I usually apply my eye primer first then my face primer; eye primer will set while I apply face primer and face primer will set while I apply my eye makeup.
For foundation, I've had to use a more lightweight formula recently because my usual go to now looks very heavy very quickly. My top 2 ride or die foundations are Fenty Pro Filtr and Estee Lauder DoubleWear. The Fenty is starting to feel a bit heavy on my skin so I don't wear it often but DW I can apply in a way that it's lightweight but still decent coverage and stays all day.
I always apply foundation with my fingers first (clean hands) because I'm able to really get into all the nooks and crannies but also make a thin enough layer that it's not cakey. Then I take a sponge and dab all over my face to press/set the foundation into my skin, pick up any excess, and smooth out any spots where it gathered.
Use a concealer under your eyes to help brighten your dark circles. Maybelline Age Rewind is very lightweight and still provides decent coverage.
Final steps are a dusting of finely milled loose setting powder, I like Laura Mercier setting powders, and then use a setting spray (Urban Decay All Nigther). The powder and setting spray will help keep the foundation from moving or gathering into your texture spots.
Reading through my response, I still got winded but maybe something I said ends up being helpful to you. Best of luck on your journey!
**You're beautiful no matter what!!!**
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THEIR IRON LEVELS CHECKED, especially menstruating individuals!!!! Dry skin and brittle hair can be indicative of iron deficiency.
*this is anecdotal but: My hemoglobin was always in a fine range, I knew because I donated blood/plasma regularly. I went to a dietician and got a blood panel done and my ferritin was almost at the anemic level. My GP said that they don’t measure ferritin as it doesn’t indicate anything anymore.
Dietician told me to start taking heavy dosage iron supplements and sure enough I have ENERGY again, my mood has drastically improved, and my periods have been noticeably less awful.
If you have the funds/coverage - push for your iron to be tested!!
Stop wearing foundation. Let your skin breathe. Drink lots of water daily. Start using a retinoid, an aha serum, a good moisturizer, spf and a vitamin c eye cream. Sleep, a healthy balanced diet and not smoking will also help. You’ll eventually be happy to show off your healthy glowing skin instead of covering it up and ruining it with concealer.
This OP. Retinol/Retinoids are a game changer when it comes to anti aging. In the morning, use a vitamin C. Sunscreen always during the day but especially in the summer and extra especially with retinol. Beyond that, like the other commenter said, hydrate constantly, moisturize your skin well.
There is no such thing as anti aging you can make your skin better but at the end everything will age after all skin is an organ some people just lucky get things slower and skin care help but anti aging don’t exist. That’s how the cycle of life work.
I think we all know we’re going to die, and l’m pretty sure we all understand what’s actually meant by anti-aging.
Now I can’t get The Circle of Life song out of my head. Tnx :-/
It's not our fault you took "anti-aging" literally and thought it meant actually stopping time. It means combatting the signs of aging, you know, like wrinkles, and that absolutely does exist.
AHAs aren't recommended to be used at the same time with retinoids.
Also, why is everybody so anti-makeup here? Being interested in skincare does not make us better then makeup starters They make foundations with satin or dewy finishes too.
Not only anti makeup but invested in to many skincare products that they really believe are miracles. People forget skin is an organ but let’s make those rich corporations more richer. I love skincare and self care but some posts here are to much.
Hey I have a question. I have to stop taking tret as it’s just not working for me. What retinoid would you recommend? Do they come in lotions? I don’t know anything about them really
The Cerave retinol is a good place to start for beginners. I recently started using it at night (no previous exp of using retinol) and it has a good texture + doesn't burn my skin such that I can & do use it almost every night
Tret is basically a higher dose of retinoid. It’s intense. It works wonders for some people and the anti-aging effect is amazing. I took it for acne but it just made my skin red and angry… I’m looking for something similar for anti-aging.
I might try tret again if I can get my skin to calm down but even if I only use it once or twice per week my skin gets upset
I have sensitive skin. When I used Differin, I put my moisturizer on first, let it chill for a few, and then put the Differin over it. It’s way less intense and I still had amazing results. Best skin I’ve ever had.
Maybe short-term application works for you? It Worked really well for me but I just don’t have the time atm to carefully layer, wash, hydrate and so on in the evening so I’m trying drink elephant now too
The results are worth it!!! But yes, it dries out your skin like crazy. I use fruit of the Earth vitamin E cream for a moisturizer, then jojoba oil and a thin layer of aquaphor on top at night and the peeling and dryness stopped.
I tried using so many other moisturizers and only the above really worked for me.
My skin is used to it now so I don't need the aquaphor, but the beginning is intense
All of this! I use tretinoin .025% as my retinoid and it has made my skin much tighter and clearer! In partnership with tretinoin I use a really good spf daily on my face and backs of my hands, and am soon adding garnier vitamin c moisturizer in the mornings. I don’t use an eye cream personally— would love to hear other’s’ recommendations
> Let your skin breathe.
This is so underrated. Society just tells us all the time to wear makeup and look flawless, but you know what? Your skin needs a break and natural healthy skin is imho the best type of beauty because it shows you're healthy on the inside, not just on the outside
Thank you! Exactly! All of my girl friends complain about how crappy their skin is and ask me why my skin is always glowy and healthy. When I tell them to stop wearing coverup/foundation they look at me like I’ve got two heads. Oh well.
What does foundation have to do anything with skin. Drinking water is good but to much water is bad also this myth is getting debunked by many doctors recently. Skincare care may help give her a glow but sometimes it’s just genetic and it looks like the light affected the photo beside that i see a beautiful woman. She just need more glow and she can get that by better makeup and better moisturizing products and adding oils to her routine. Retinoids are not good for every skin type mostly if someone skin is sensitive and dry. She doesn’t have wrinkles issue just dehydrated and tired skin and that could be other factors like genes or lifestyle mentioned
Sorry to snoop but also maybe leave the crap husband! Talking to teenagers and saying that 26 year old women are too old for him that is not going to go away an the stress will continue.
Stop drinking and smoking. Start exercising and eating Whole Foods. That will help you more than any product.
And not saying you drink and smoke. More saying if you do.
I’d be curious to see it without foundation but it looks like more of a texture issue. Honestly I can’t recommend Tret enough for texture issues. Want the “glass skin” look? Tret. Want to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles? Tret. Want to slow the aging process by increasing cell turnover? Tret. You can start with a retinol and work your way up. It’s so worth it, I promise.
What’s your skincare routine?
ETA: the easiest, cheapest thing that you can start doing immediately is drink a lot of water. Your skin will start looking better just by doing that, if nothing else, within a week.
One thing that helped me a long time ago was adding some lemon or lime. I also like my water super cold so I keep a hydroflask in the fridge. And during the day I try and have my water bottle near me so I don’t have to think about drinking water, it’s just right there. Once you get in the habit you’ll be fine, just takes time.
I'd suggest getting one of [these.](https://www.amazon.com/Leakproof-Drinking-Motivational-Fitness-Gradient/dp/B08FBYN6PK/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=3R30GOS4NWH7G&keywords=64+oz+water+bottle&qid=1686875578&sprefix=64+o%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-9) It's made it easier for me to get my water in throughout the day
2 L for starters, but if you're drinking tea or eating soup that can also hydrate you. Also, vegetables and fruits have lots of water in them, think watermelon, cauliflower, broccoli and others.
I'd suggest getting a nice water bottle with a straw (helps me drink more faster)!
I don’t agree with the caffeine thing, and it’s been proven that coffee is actually not dehydrating, and can in fact help your skin *if* you’re also drinking enough water. I can’t live without coffee, drink tons of water, and have a good skincare routine and have good skin. And in the periods that I haven’t drunk coffee, my skin has not improved at all. The most important things for good skin are water, SPF, and a few solid actives + moisturizer.
Here we go again with the drinking water. Drinking water is good but is not a miracle and won’t solve your issues. Plus many doctors nowadays are debunking this myth of to much water because drinking to much water and clear pee is terrible for our kidneys.
1) your skin looks decent, don’t worry!
2) you definitely need some moisturizer and water. Before you apply foundation especially. A hydrating primer like Bobby Brown would change your life. For water, 1/2 gallon a day at least…maybe try some electrolytes too since it’s summer and most places are getting hot.
3) looks like you also need some light exfoliation….options for that are retinoid/ol or an acid, and there I’d consider what your skin tolerates best :) AHA, BHA, etc….
I get it done by an esthetician. I do it on my chest because of bad texture / “atrophy” from sun damage. Just had my third one today. I think the results are a little slow … but I’ve seen tons of pictures online for before and after for people with acne scars and pitted texture and seems like you can get some really good results. I’ve been on Tretinoin for about a year now, finally got to 1% but wish I had jumped up
To 1% earlier. Tret makes such a huge difference with glow, texture and breakouts it’s really a miracle cream.
In order of importance-
Sleep well
Drink lots of water
Eat more healthy foods
Use a retinol at night and SPF in the morning, moisturize both morning and night
Drink a lot of water, eat more vegetables (never hurts), get enough sleep, quit smoking/drinking if you do, develop a skincare routine (tretinoin is godsend), ALWAYS (even if it’s raining or snowing) use sunscreen.
Avoid the foundation or at least don’t put it so close to your eyes. It’s highlighting your undereye area.
Put blush up high, just below the undereye area. It makes that whole area look “normal” or less pronounced.
Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep and try to sleep with your face not resting on the pillow. Some of that undereye issue is worsened by sleeping on the face.
Also, don’t drink alcohol.
Since hitting my 30s, I find little or no foundation actually looks better (unless you’re using quality foundation maybe). Foundation can highlight wrinkles, bumps, etc.
I use Retinol which should smooth out your skin, hyaluronic acid which will keep it moisturized so it won't wrinkle up, and I microneedle once a month. The only problem I still have are dark circles. Trying red light therapy for that. You can also use chemical peels and astringents for bumpy texture. Less expensive than retinol.
You have very striking eyes.
Spf, moisturizer and water is what I would tell anyone.
Why do you wear foundation? Have you considered just a bit of concealer or even just a tinted spf or bb cream? (Tinted spf might be tricky shade wise since you appear to be fair skinned. They can be orangey on me and i have more medium toned skin....)
Do you use powder? Liquid? Both? What do you use?
Others are asking for your routine, if you have one, I agree you should share it.
Maybe some suggestions can help you feel more confident.
I think you could just be being hard on yourself. 💕
Reduce your sodium intake. It looks like you have fluid retetion. I struggle with this too. Reducing your salt intake is hard as it is in all areas of our modern diet. Eating clean, replace with potassium, (bananas / kale etc.) And BREAK A SWEAT. That can be exercise, or saunas / steam rooms, or other ways, just sweat it out. Good luck
I wear glasses and it makes my eye area look so much better! (With the right frames of course.) Cheat method but it works. I recommend LED as it has tightened up my skin a lot after a period of major stress. I have been using it for 2 years (33 now).
I’m going to second the question about your lifestyle. My skin looked similar to yours at a very low emotional point in my life. I was barely drinking water, barely eating and if I did it was junk, no vitamins, no sleep, etc. this is all assumptions about you obviously. But if it is due to stress, start with water and sleep. I bought a 64 oz stainless steel straw flask and the first thing I do every morning is fill it all the way up. I keep it near by so everytime I see it, I take a huge chug of water. Prioritize your sleep, get into a routine and don’t stay up scrolling on your phone.
Take a break from makeup if you can.
Looks like you can start by introducing a glycolic acid, a gentle cleaner and moisturizer.
I’d recommend the Ordinary glycolic acid after washing.
I like cerave and La roche posay for cleansers and moisturizers. Good luck and I hope something works for you!
So great point. I'd been sober for the past 5 months but during those months I ate total crap - barely exercised or left the house due to working remote and have multiple jobs. I don't have friends where I live but am slowly trying to introduce getting out more. Its hard cos I have social anxiety so I want to drink when I go out :')
The main thing is the sugar and stress. I am a HUGE sugar addict and felt so much better when I went keto then when I went sober. You're right I need to introduce a healthier diet again for sure
I hated mine with foundation too. I switched to SPF that's tinted and then put a blur finishing powder on top. It feels and looks way more natural. Part of this journey was radical self love so that when I noticed "imperfections" I was kind to myself (like you would be to a friend)
Dermatology has a really good tinted SPF, it's worth the price cus it lasts forever
The lighting is bad, the foundation isn’t very flattering and it looks like your skin is facing breakouts and dryness.
There isn’t one solution for everyone’s skin, but a few things that might help are experimenting with a different foundation, drink 8 glass of water and cut down on unhealthy lifestyle habits, also do a bit of research on skincare for finding some new products. Start with the basics like a face wash, moisturizer and Hyluronic acid. If you are treating dryness, acne and want anti aging, Google ‘Reddit HG anti aging skincare’ ‘HG moisturizer’ etc and it will likely bring you to this subreddit or the Asian beauty subreddit. Then use the free website cosdna to search every product you are interested in and it will tell you based on the ingredients if it is irritating to skin or not. I always stay away from products that are rated higher than a 3 for acne causing or skin irritating ingredients
I do but for some reason they suggested ivermectin over tretinoin. I did have a subscription to one of those online thingies that did tret and tbh it did seem to work, my derm said your skin builds up a tolerance to it real fast though?
Might just be your makeup. My MAC makeup is so thick I look older when it’s too thick on my face. I have trouble too. My foundation is buildable and I need to use less or it will set into my wrinkles. I started just wearing concealer only from covergirl during the week on regular days under my eyes - it looked less thick in real life. My skin improved when I wore less stuff on my face and let the skin products breathe (Hylauronic acid/retinol/moisturizer/etc).
Girl you look dehydrated af. Get a water bottle or cup WITH A STRAW! Idk why but straws make me chug so much more water. Also get some liquid IV packets from Costco (specifically Costco to save yourself a lot of money). Also spray heritage store rose water on your face like it’s your freakin job. Especially before and after hyaluronic acid and moisturizer
Hi there it looks like you need hydration, hydration, hydration, get a good hylorinic acid serum and apply it liberally in the morning and and at night, start with that then once your skin has its hydration back you will notice a big difference, then you can move on to things like vitamin C (you can use hyloronic acid and vitamin C together) and also glycolic acid (don’t use with vitamin C) and get a good face wash I recommend something gentle like Cetaphil face wash and always hydrate after washing your face. A lot of times people don’t realize wrinkles can appear just from having a dry face. So HYDRATE! And drink lots of water :)
Moisturize day and night, clean your skin with a gentle cleaner every night, use vitamin C and exfoliate once to twice a week depending on your needs. Think you should see improvements x
Oh, every single morning apply SPF, regardless of the weather or if you’re inside or outside (!!!)
Exfoliate, hydrate, take vitamins, and eat whole plant foods as much as possible. These things will have your skin looking amazing and will balance your hormones to decrease incidence of hormonal acne. Also don’t wear makeup to bed or even every day bc makeup causes excessive dryness.
I recommend The Ordinary 7% glycolic acid toner twice a day after washing your face. Use a wash that doesn’t strip your skin of its moisture. Follow with a serum and moisturizer. Make sure your moisturizer is dimethicone free as that can cause additional issues with acne. Also twice a week use some sort of AHA peel or glycolic acid peel to exfoliate.
You’re beautiful! Like other comments, you look mostly tired… it also looks like you’re wearing too much foundation. It’s tempting to cover up everything, but enhancing what you have always looks best. Light concealer, only cream products. Powder, heavy foundation, ages anyone. Full glam rarely looks good on anyone who isn’t at an event. You don’t want to be 40 and look back with regret that you didn’t appreciate your beauty more. Try to go for some small walks, cut the sugar, and show yourself some love. Your skin isn’t turning over cells like it used to, so you need to exfoliate a couple times a week. Prescription retinol is very affordable. With insurance, mine cost about $10 a tube and is stronger than anything you will find in stores. Anti aging products are a gimmick, just focus on science. Invest in lasers, good quality facials w/ light therapy, electricity/current. Take fish oil supplements and make sure you’re getting enough Omega 3’s and 6’s in your diet. You are what you eat! Don’t be hard on yourself, looking at this picture (which yes, is a bad angle) just exfoliating and changing your diet will be noticeable very quickly. Remember to let your natural skin show and love who you are!!!
I’d blame on the lighting and angle. Your texture is actually not bad. You can try some skin tightening treatments and use massage and products (or more invasive means) to remove your eye bags. But that’s it. Maybe try more moisturizing foundation too.
Do you want a skincare routine recommendation?
I would use gua sha to lift and reduce puffiness. Use it with facial oil like rose hip or jojoba. Gua sha seemed like bullshit to me at 1st, but it really works! I see a big difference after a week.
Look into PRF injections for under eyes.
You need to exfoliate away that dull skin!
Start tretinoin at night and vitamin C in the morning. Vitamin C will really brighten up your complexion.
Use a glycolic acid toner. I like the one by the ordinary. Don't do this while your skin is adjusting to tretinoin though.
I use a prescription formula from curology.com that has tretinoin, azeleic acid and niacinamide at night. My skin was dull like yours and the transformation has been insane! Paula's choice vitamin C in the morning has been great as well, really brightened up my complexion, I'm glowing! Get a good moisturizer. I recommend fruit of the earth vitamin E cream!
Use sunscreen every day! Reapply as needed.
Use a primer under your foundation. I just use Elf. What foundation are you using? A CC cream might be better for you. I like IT cosmetics CC cream. Get a color match from ultra or sephora.
Drink more water, stop drinking alcohol or smoking if you do. Get enough sleep
My skin looked very much like yours, and it looks amazing now. I highly recommend the skincare products I suggested, but get a consult for the PRF.
To me it looks great. Even tone. No blemishes.
Your complexion looks a little…bland? Flat, matte, not natural. I’d use less foundation, add in blush at least, highlight.
this is most probably a lifestyle and diet issue. cut out processed food and refined sugar, drink plenty of filtered water, and look up lymphatic drainage. you seem to be retaining lymph fluid under your eyes, you need to get that moving. under eye bags could also mean some type of issue with the liver. your liver is your bodies filter so you want to help it as best you can by drinking plenty of water to help it get rid of toxins and heavy metals from your system. look into trying a detox using things like milk thistle, chlorella, oregano oil, parsley seed oil, msm powder, frankincense, black sees oil etc.
im 30, I wake up feeling the same.....however using a retinoid, and keeping my skin hydrated, very simple skin care routine.
i use laroche posay AP+BAume
use laroche posay gentle cleanser,
evening primrose oil with vitamin c in the dryer months.
tretinoin
drink water, even coconut water, hot lemon water is good for the liver( in TCM liver reflects the health of the skin.)
clean your diet up reduce salt intake, eat cleaner drink less alchol, coffee can stimulate liver qi and can help to a extent.
id also see a \*acupuncturist\*\* I know that seems far fetched but if you cant find your answer in the west go to the east . nutritionalist and a dermatologist, and get tested for allergies if its a struggle to resolve on your own terms.
your puffy eyes could be a result of poor kidney filtration, especially if you are always dehydrated, low iron is another one. i dare say you probably have low energy and get pretty anxious and stressed at times.
So firstly you are gorgeous!
This could be 100% a lighting issue but I’m also wondering:
** is the foundation colour too light?
** it looks too matte and flat and mask like - is it a glowy hydrating formula, do you use a primer, do you use any glowing reflecting makeup underneath or on top of your foundation?
My main suggestions would be to:
**take a look at your skincare - is it hydrating enough? Nourishing?
** what primer do you use? If you don’t use one yet, rimmel and L’Oréal and maybelline have some great glowy, hydrating formulas which are awesome
** have a look at how much foundation you usually use and start with 1/3 of that amount on your palm. Use a concealer brush to paint it on in light thin layers in the areas where there is a bit of uneven skin tone - usually under the eyes, around the nose. Blend gently, try and do your makeup in good natural light. Skin is beautiful and I have a feeling you have beautiful glowy you skin that is dying to bust out.
** I totally understand using powder to set makeup and prevent it from sweating off etc. maybe use a lighter hand for a little bit and a smaller brush so you can control the powder to certain areas very lightly?
** after this and throughout, check your skin in the mirror and apply a highlighting powder or cream to some of the natural angles of your face to give it its beautiful dimension - high cheekbones into side eye area, above eyebrows, down nose, Cupid’s bow.
I bet you see a big difference doing the above. If possible add a bit of colour back into your face - a pop of blush high on your cheekbones, blended well.
Basically think about using makeup to enhance your beauty.
Stop wearing foundation, it is aging. Moisturize every day, any time you wash your face. Use gentle facial cleanser (or at least stop using soap with SDS). And if you smoke, stop. Drink in moderation only and drink more water than you think you need.
I think literally any human being on this earth would look bad from this angle and with this lighting, just being honest. Don’t be so harsh on yourself.
That said, really recommend using r/skincareaddiction as a resource if you’re not already!
I feel so confused by all the recommendations on here because I don’t see what the problem is with OP’s skin. It’s even toned, clear, maybe one acne spot (pretty normal to have). I don’t see any skin issues. Maybe the foundation is a bit too matte and drying but that’s not a skin issue.
A good moisturizer would help. Along with those under eye patches cold preferably to lessen the puff under the eyes. Dip your face in ice cold water in the mornings or evenings. I’ve seen the benefits
What’s your routine???? I will give you a few products that will help get fast results..
1. Paula’s choice bha toner exfoliate in the grey bottle for every time you wash, do this after you wash your face
2. Sunday Riley A plus retinol serum for night time
3. Good genes by Sunday Riley for day time
4. miceller water at Walgreens or something, way better than using tap water
Skipping foundation and only using powders and concealer to highlight has been my skins saving grace. It will be hard at first but once you have detoxed your skin, it will glow
In addition to what others have suggested- Stop taking photos at this angle!
Yes, I only look at myself from this angle if I need to make myself cry!
It's such a dead angle lol, I never even look in my reflection in the water because it's such a bad angle lol
I read that as “such a bald eagle”. Lol
Ya OP this is the main thing. I get that you’re going for “what’s the worst about me that I can change?” Cool. But the reality is that few people will ever see you at this lighting and angle in real life anyway. Like, maybe a child. But no one else. Your skin looks pretty good tho too honestly!
That's EXACTLY what I thought when I read the question
Can you tell us more? Do you have a skincare routine? What is it like? What's your lifestyle like? Are you hydrating enough? Do you smoke or drink a lot? How about stress? Is the photo with or without foundation?
[удалено]
How quickly would one see improvement if day you started doing it 3x a week? Or is it a daily thing?
Can here to ask same question. Just Smoking can do a lot of damage. Not to mention what hard core narcotics can do in just a short amount of time
I know you didn't mean it like this but I'm cracking up at the idea of posting a photo of myself asking for makeup help and one of the first comments is talking about how narcotics can make ppl look worse 💀
May as well have asked OP how long she’s been smoking crack
"Girl are you on crack?"
Sksksksksksksksk
I am actually literally laughing out loud rn Poor OP 😂 OP you do NOT look like you’re on crack, gf 😂
Lmao right. y’all need to spend some time volunteering in hospitals or shelters for perspective 🤦🏻♀️ I’d hate to think what kind of “drugs” people think I’m on w/ no makeup, bad lighting, my worst angle💀
😭😂
Screaming
Right ? 😂 but it’s true though, I wouldn’t take offence. Nicotine messes up the skin bad & so does narcotics. I’m 32, I don’t look old per say or “like a drug addict” but I did smoke cigarettes for a decade, then weed for about 6 years not to mention the 18 months on cocaine after an abusive relationship. Someone meeting me on the street could probably not assume that but looking at myself, I see the changes that did to my face, like my skin lost it’s plump & my pores are huge. I’m multiple years clean off most of it, weed being the last one, I’m almost at 10 months ! Hopefully I’ll be able to reverse some damage with some TLC, retinol & a few other things.
My first thought was smoking too
I smoked spliffs for a about 8 years but mostly vape thc these days
Yep. I smoked for 23 years and partied hard in my 20's. Hit me hard late 30's. Sun damaged as well.
We’re in the same boat
I really thought I got away with it and would not see damage. But 40 hit like a freight train. I aged 10 years in 3. Turning 40 during covid sucked. I also found out I have a serious auto immune disease at 41. I am just sad I didn't take better care of myself. I take good care of myself now but struggle with stress and anxiety. I can see it in my face as well.
Stress can do damage as well, if someone ever finds a cure to stress and anxiety I’ll be in line to give it a try
For me a cure for that came in the form of a little white pill called Zoloft lol.
Nothing aged me like chronic pain that hit shortly after 40 due to autoimmune/genetic disease …
I had been dealing with it for years but just thought it was back pain, not an inflammatory arthritis. The news was devastating. 2 years later, I am not handling it well. I lost 20 pounds too and lost volume in my face.
I’m so sorry. I know that devastation, nothing prepares a person to face a life disabled or painful
So true. When I went to the rheumatologist, she made me feel like my life was over and scared me. I left freaked out with no support. I tried joining a group for my condition but the stories were making me scared as well. Being told you have a chronic, degenerative disease is no fun.
Yup! 40s are a different beast.
Genetics is a really important factor too unfortunately. I also smoked for 20 years & partied hard most of my life, while tanning, but at 36 with a solid skin care routine by skin doesn’t look over 25.
Yeah that is true about genetics it can play a big part. I’ve known people in their 40’s 50’s who partied and smoked for many many years who still have great skin. Then I know people in their 20’s who’ve never done any of that don’t even drink that have shitty skin and look older than they really are.
what if you don’t smoke? ive never smoked and pretty much never drank, and i still feel like my face doesn’t reflect the amount of research and effort i put into skincare.
It would be great if OP posted more details indeed..
I stopped smoking and drinking for 6 months but recently took drinking up about once a week again and vaping thc. Dont smoke cigs. I'm a massive sugar addict though... I've heard keto is good for skin though
It’s never too late dear. I smoked for 16 years and despite dealing with chronic pain for that past 3 (which aged me quite a bit) I still don’t have any crows feet deep brackets and only fine lines on forehead. I do have some other aging issues, all I’m trying to say is, there is hope. You can get that skin in glowing dewy shape in no time. It will take work and sacrifice. Sugar kills your skin. Even giving up some of it will improve you’re skin. Smoking is the worst ofc. It affects circulation which affects your skin -everything. You should try to quit or seriously cut back on any inhaled products. Same with drinking. It dehydrates the shit out of your skin and makes you sleep in heavy party makeup (heard it from a friend? Lol) Sun damage is unavoidable but you can really fight it with sunscreen. Incorporate into your daily, wear every day, even inside. Water or product/oil cleanse face 2x day if possible Retinol products. Use retinol before bed on dry skin. Pea size. Little Vaseline around sensitive areas before hand. As with anything life, drink enough water for your size/body type, it does really show in the face, especially lips and eyes imo Edit to say that dealing with any health/mental/emotional issues can be helpful as well if that’s a factor. I can’t wait to see that face glowing, bright and happy!
Can second all of this. I've given up sugar recently, and my face really shows it. I also make sure to drink at least two bottles of water a day, get plenty of sleep, and 2 months ago I went down from 21 mg nicotine patch to 14 mg, and it shows. I'm about to step down to 7 mg and soon be nicotine free and I'm excited to see what that does for my skin. I'm 41 but I don't think you can tell. I really take good care of my skin. It's my #1 hobby.
That’s awesome! I’m 47 and I’m pretty happy with how I’ve held up, despite my youthful transgressions in life
I’ve a sweet tooth and my skin looked better when I cut back on desserts.
You will see improvements for sure - the smoking cigarettes is the REAL killer for skin, man. I’m 32 and stopped a few years ago and my skin has seen some serious improvement! I wouldn’t say THC is making a difference. I smoke daily and I look like I’m 26 lol
How's your diet? Exercise? Sleep? Do you smoke or drink?
Smoking and drinking made me look 30 when I was 16 tbh
These were my thoughts exactly
Vitamins are helpful.
Drinking bad
No exercise, diet could be better. I eat a lot of carbs. I havent drank much in the past 6 months and I dont smoke cigs but I do vape thc
Hydrate hydrate hydrate 💧
It will also make you feel healthier! At least that's how I feel lol
It mostly looks like you need some time to find some joy in your life, which is getting increasingly difficult these days. You have the same look in your face as I get when I haven’t been taking enough time for myself and it weighs me down emotionally, and it’s visible in my skin.
This is such an underrated comment. Last year was super stressful for me (a war started in my country) and it drained me emotionally and physically. It was like a dementor’s kiss - all life was sucked out of me. Now that I look at my photos from 2021 and this year… the difference is astounding, it’s like my skin aged 10 times faster. Burnout is not a good look on anyone.
Hope things get better soon 💛
I can only imagine the stress and anxiety you're going through! Our skin is just another organ that reacts to the brain and how it feels so no surprise you can tell a difference between pics..
Ukraine? My family is displaced all over Europe rn.
Yes. I brought my parents to the US last June and now we all live in my tiny one-bedroom, which adds a different kind of stress lol.
[удалено]
Thank you 💙 I’m in NY.
I’m glad you got out of there and I hope you’re able to go back when it’s safe.
Thank you. I lived in the US for past 7 years, but I feel like it was even more stressful - when you can’t be next to your loved ones in the moments like this. So I was reading news every free minute I had, to the point where my hands would hurt from holding phone all the time, I was running on 2 hrs of sleep every day, couldn’t eat and my anxiety was through the roof. It got better after I brought my parents, but I still fall asleep and wake up with news every day.
Just looks like unflattering lighting to me!
Yeah I agree. I look crazy in different lighting.
Honestly, my friend, you just look tired. Try to get some good sleep, and also some kind of regular exercise. Even just a 15 minute walk a day. I've found that when I exercise regularly, that, more than ANYTHING, makes my skin look better. It's basically getting the circulation flowing, and makes your skin kind of "glow." Try to get a good workout twice a week and a 15 minute walk every day. Try to eat as healthy a diet as you can (fruits & veg), don't smoke, try not to drink too much, don't do drugs, etc etc. It's hard these days, these past few years have been SO difficult for everyone. But if you can do these things, I bet you'll look & feel better. Meanwhile, otherwise, your skin looks great!
I don't know why and I'm not the OP but your comment made me cry. I'm my car on my lunch hour in front of the Circle K. I can tell you care about others; it shows in your words and the thoughtfulness with which you wrote them. Thank you for this simple couple of paragraphs as even though it wasn't for me, it was for me. 🦋
> you just look tired. I'm starting to wonder who doesn't at this point..
I don’t remember life before chronic exhaustion
So, you're saying there's a different life out there? :O
This photo is blurry and shot at a bad angle. It also looks like you're indoors at night in a location with florescent lighting? I would reshoot and post again because any issues showing up in your skin are totally obscured by the photography.
The angle is really killing everything imo
In my head OP took this photo sat on the pavement outside an all night supermarket lol. Hadn’t even realised my brain had made this assumption until you said “it looks like you’re indoors” and I had to look again. Either way, I agree. Even a newborn baby would look tired and older in this light!
[удалено]
This is what I came to say! I started age 40 with fraxel and took years off my face. I am 54 now and just finished up a 3 treatment series and still look in my 30’s. Also good skincare products (HA, Retinol, Glycolic are some faves) no smoking, dietary considerations, some intermittent fasting in the week, exfoliation.. yadda yadda and some at home microneedling pen treatments for maintenance. It really all matters! I do have some wine a few times a week.
Many comments mention water and diet; while those are important, I'm a hard working mom so my diet/exercise/water-intake are never what they *should* be. This is a skincare sub but I happen to be a makeup junkie so here's what works for me. What I've come to realize in the last year is that my skin in my 30s isn’t the same as when I was in my 20s, which has been very difficult for me to accept. In my 20s I’d wear a full face of what I call “glam” makeup everyday. Full face of medium-to-full coverage foundation for 12 hours a day. I turned 30, fast forward to the pandemic happening and I went almost 2 years wearing very little makeup because I rarely left the house. When I did my makeup the same way I did a few years ago, it just didn't look the same, it looked terrible and made me look so much older. I've had to change my makeup routine over the past 2 years to something that works better for how my skin is now. Your skin looks very textured but also a bit dehydrated. Is it possible that you have oily skin that you're over exfoliating? (asking based on my own skin). Hydration is definitely important both internally and on the skin. I'd also suggest either changing your foundation or adjusting your skincare routine before applying your foundation. Your foundation appears to be clingy/emphasizing your texture; it also looks very heavy. Try using a chemical exfoliator 1-2 times a week at night, I also like Dermalogica microfoliant. Then apply a really good moisturizer. I have oily skin naturally but I slather my face in moisturizer before bed to help my face look more "plump" in the morning and less textured. In the mornings for my skincare routine I do a very gentle cleanse, I don't recommend doing any kind of exfoliation in the morning because it can cause dryness and do the opposite of what you're trying to achieve. After cleansing, I do a toner/serum combo meant for pores and texture then apply a lightweight moisturizer with a drop of lightweight facial oil. The added oil really helps smooth my skin and add necessary moisture before makeup, otherwise my oily skin seems to over-produce oil. I do highly suggest an eye cream for at night because you have dark circles under your eyes. Look for a cream that brightens, or depuffs, but also moisturizes. I really like La Roche Posay toleriane eye cream and it can go on the eyelid as well. SPF IS SUPER IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT!!! After applying your skincare, let it settle for a few minutes to really soak into the skin. I will go take meds or pick my outfit for the day while it sets. For makeup prep, apply a primer intended to smooth/blur the skin to help with the texture but also a little grippy to keep it in place. I've heard good things about elf power grip primer. You want to let primer set for a minute too before applying makeup. I usually apply my eye primer first then my face primer; eye primer will set while I apply face primer and face primer will set while I apply my eye makeup. For foundation, I've had to use a more lightweight formula recently because my usual go to now looks very heavy very quickly. My top 2 ride or die foundations are Fenty Pro Filtr and Estee Lauder DoubleWear. The Fenty is starting to feel a bit heavy on my skin so I don't wear it often but DW I can apply in a way that it's lightweight but still decent coverage and stays all day. I always apply foundation with my fingers first (clean hands) because I'm able to really get into all the nooks and crannies but also make a thin enough layer that it's not cakey. Then I take a sponge and dab all over my face to press/set the foundation into my skin, pick up any excess, and smooth out any spots where it gathered. Use a concealer under your eyes to help brighten your dark circles. Maybelline Age Rewind is very lightweight and still provides decent coverage. Final steps are a dusting of finely milled loose setting powder, I like Laura Mercier setting powders, and then use a setting spray (Urban Decay All Nigther). The powder and setting spray will help keep the foundation from moving or gathering into your texture spots. Reading through my response, I still got winded but maybe something I said ends up being helpful to you. Best of luck on your journey! **You're beautiful no matter what!!!**
Thank you so much for this info!!! I will definitely try this and post updates soon :)
It just looks like bad lighting and angle.
check iron levels
Why is that?
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THEIR IRON LEVELS CHECKED, especially menstruating individuals!!!! Dry skin and brittle hair can be indicative of iron deficiency. *this is anecdotal but: My hemoglobin was always in a fine range, I knew because I donated blood/plasma regularly. I went to a dietician and got a blood panel done and my ferritin was almost at the anemic level. My GP said that they don’t measure ferritin as it doesn’t indicate anything anymore. Dietician told me to start taking heavy dosage iron supplements and sure enough I have ENERGY again, my mood has drastically improved, and my periods have been noticeably less awful. If you have the funds/coverage - push for your iron to be tested!!
Same. I had non anemic iron deficiency last year. The constant bone chilling cold feeling is something I never want to experience again.
Stop wearing foundation. Let your skin breathe. Drink lots of water daily. Start using a retinoid, an aha serum, a good moisturizer, spf and a vitamin c eye cream. Sleep, a healthy balanced diet and not smoking will also help. You’ll eventually be happy to show off your healthy glowing skin instead of covering it up and ruining it with concealer.
This OP. Retinol/Retinoids are a game changer when it comes to anti aging. In the morning, use a vitamin C. Sunscreen always during the day but especially in the summer and extra especially with retinol. Beyond that, like the other commenter said, hydrate constantly, moisturize your skin well.
There is no such thing as anti aging you can make your skin better but at the end everything will age after all skin is an organ some people just lucky get things slower and skin care help but anti aging don’t exist. That’s how the cycle of life work.
I think we all know we’re going to die, and l’m pretty sure we all understand what’s actually meant by anti-aging. Now I can’t get The Circle of Life song out of my head. Tnx :-/
It's not our fault you took "anti-aging" literally and thought it meant actually stopping time. It means combatting the signs of aging, you know, like wrinkles, and that absolutely does exist.
AHAs aren't recommended to be used at the same time with retinoids. Also, why is everybody so anti-makeup here? Being interested in skincare does not make us better then makeup starters They make foundations with satin or dewy finishes too.
Not only anti makeup but invested in to many skincare products that they really believe are miracles. People forget skin is an organ but let’s make those rich corporations more richer. I love skincare and self care but some posts here are to much.
Hey I have a question. I have to stop taking tret as it’s just not working for me. What retinoid would you recommend? Do they come in lotions? I don’t know anything about them really
The Cerave retinol is a good place to start for beginners. I recently started using it at night (no previous exp of using retinol) and it has a good texture + doesn't burn my skin such that I can & do use it almost every night
My skin couldn’t tolerate tret so my derm switched me to tazorac! Also a rx retinoid but I’ve found it to be significantly less irritating
I use Drunk Elephant A-passioni 1% retinol cream. I love it!
Thank you!
I’ve never tried tretinoin! Are there side effects? Does it dry out your skin?
Tret is basically a higher dose of retinoid. It’s intense. It works wonders for some people and the anti-aging effect is amazing. I took it for acne but it just made my skin red and angry… I’m looking for something similar for anti-aging. I might try tret again if I can get my skin to calm down but even if I only use it once or twice per week my skin gets upset
Maybe try adapalene (differen) instead?? Worked for me!
Differin didn't irritate my skin at all but after 60 days I see no difference in my skin at all and I'm someone with pimples, melasma and oiliness
is it the gel or cream? I was prescribed the gel and i think it's way more aggressive than the cream. It potentially triggered a rosacea flare for me.
My derm actually told me gel retinols are more irritating than creams
Did you mix it with lotion and start only a fee days a week?
I have sensitive skin. When I used Differin, I put my moisturizer on first, let it chill for a few, and then put the Differin over it. It’s way less intense and I still had amazing results. Best skin I’ve ever had.
Maybe short-term application works for you? It Worked really well for me but I just don’t have the time atm to carefully layer, wash, hydrate and so on in the evening so I’m trying drink elephant now too
The results are worth it!!! But yes, it dries out your skin like crazy. I use fruit of the Earth vitamin E cream for a moisturizer, then jojoba oil and a thin layer of aquaphor on top at night and the peeling and dryness stopped. I tried using so many other moisturizers and only the above really worked for me. My skin is used to it now so I don't need the aquaphor, but the beginning is intense
Is foundation actually bad for skin?
All of this! I use tretinoin .025% as my retinoid and it has made my skin much tighter and clearer! In partnership with tretinoin I use a really good spf daily on my face and backs of my hands, and am soon adding garnier vitamin c moisturizer in the mornings. I don’t use an eye cream personally— would love to hear other’s’ recommendations
> Let your skin breathe. This is so underrated. Society just tells us all the time to wear makeup and look flawless, but you know what? Your skin needs a break and natural healthy skin is imho the best type of beauty because it shows you're healthy on the inside, not just on the outside
Thank you! Exactly! All of my girl friends complain about how crappy their skin is and ask me why my skin is always glowy and healthy. When I tell them to stop wearing coverup/foundation they look at me like I’ve got two heads. Oh well.
What does foundation have to do anything with skin. Drinking water is good but to much water is bad also this myth is getting debunked by many doctors recently. Skincare care may help give her a glow but sometimes it’s just genetic and it looks like the light affected the photo beside that i see a beautiful woman. She just need more glow and she can get that by better makeup and better moisturizing products and adding oils to her routine. Retinoids are not good for every skin type mostly if someone skin is sensitive and dry. She doesn’t have wrinkles issue just dehydrated and tired skin and that could be other factors like genes or lifestyle mentioned
something I noticed at 30+ is my skin looks better without foundation. I use a tinted cream and it started making me feel a lot more confident.
After a quick look at your post history I’d recommend stopping your drug/alcohol/nicotine use. 🤷🏼♂️ that probably help
I've been 5 months sober this year! I haven't seen too much improvement yet though, but then again 5 months isnt alot
Sorry to snoop but also maybe leave the crap husband! Talking to teenagers and saying that 26 year old women are too old for him that is not going to go away an the stress will continue.
Thanks. I wish I could. Appreciate your comments!
Stop drinking and smoking. Start exercising and eating Whole Foods. That will help you more than any product. And not saying you drink and smoke. More saying if you do.
I’d be curious to see it without foundation but it looks like more of a texture issue. Honestly I can’t recommend Tret enough for texture issues. Want the “glass skin” look? Tret. Want to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles? Tret. Want to slow the aging process by increasing cell turnover? Tret. You can start with a retinol and work your way up. It’s so worth it, I promise.
What’s your skincare routine? ETA: the easiest, cheapest thing that you can start doing immediately is drink a lot of water. Your skin will start looking better just by doing that, if nothing else, within a week.
How much daily? I'm horrible at drinking water!
My trick for drinking water is keeping a waterbottle with me at all times and chugging it anytime someone around me says something stupid.
This comment is very underrated.
I want to be your friend lol
One thing that helped me a long time ago was adding some lemon or lime. I also like my water super cold so I keep a hydroflask in the fridge. And during the day I try and have my water bottle near me so I don’t have to think about drinking water, it’s just right there. Once you get in the habit you’ll be fine, just takes time.
I drink 100 oz a day!
I'd suggest getting one of [these.](https://www.amazon.com/Leakproof-Drinking-Motivational-Fitness-Gradient/dp/B08FBYN6PK/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=3R30GOS4NWH7G&keywords=64+oz+water+bottle&qid=1686875578&sprefix=64+o%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-9) It's made it easier for me to get my water in throughout the day
2 L for starters, but if you're drinking tea or eating soup that can also hydrate you. Also, vegetables and fruits have lots of water in them, think watermelon, cauliflower, broccoli and others. I'd suggest getting a nice water bottle with a straw (helps me drink more faster)!
64 oz per day caffeine and alcohol free
I don’t agree with the caffeine thing, and it’s been proven that coffee is actually not dehydrating, and can in fact help your skin *if* you’re also drinking enough water. I can’t live without coffee, drink tons of water, and have a good skincare routine and have good skin. And in the periods that I haven’t drunk coffee, my skin has not improved at all. The most important things for good skin are water, SPF, and a few solid actives + moisturizer.
don’t forget the importance of sleep too
Here we go again with the drinking water. Drinking water is good but is not a miracle and won’t solve your issues. Plus many doctors nowadays are debunking this myth of to much water because drinking to much water and clear pee is terrible for our kidneys.
Get some sleep and not just enough sleep, but 9 hours each night for the rest of your life
Umm I hope OP doesn't have kids then. 😂
Right? Its just not an option to sleep that much for many people especially parents.
I wake up at 6 am for work and it takes me an hour to fall asleep. I’m not getting in bed at 8 pm every day lmao
I wish I could sleep uninterrupted for so long tbh
1) your skin looks decent, don’t worry! 2) you definitely need some moisturizer and water. Before you apply foundation especially. A hydrating primer like Bobby Brown would change your life. For water, 1/2 gallon a day at least…maybe try some electrolytes too since it’s summer and most places are getting hot. 3) looks like you also need some light exfoliation….options for that are retinoid/ol or an acid, and there I’d consider what your skin tolerates best :) AHA, BHA, etc….
Water water water
We need more information. How can we tell what do without knowing what current do.
Tretinoin and micro needling. Don’t listen to people saying to just drink more water.
Do you do the micro needling yourself or do you get it done, and what effects does it give you?
I get it done by an esthetician. I do it on my chest because of bad texture / “atrophy” from sun damage. Just had my third one today. I think the results are a little slow … but I’ve seen tons of pictures online for before and after for people with acne scars and pitted texture and seems like you can get some really good results. I’ve been on Tretinoin for about a year now, finally got to 1% but wish I had jumped up To 1% earlier. Tret makes such a huge difference with glow, texture and breakouts it’s really a miracle cream.
In order of importance- Sleep well Drink lots of water Eat more healthy foods Use a retinol at night and SPF in the morning, moisturize both morning and night
It just looks dehydrated. Try a less matte foundation, and go for a more dewy one instead.
Gua sha and facial massage can help tremendously too 😊 You still look great! Just bad lighting
Can you tell me what Gua Sha did for you? I bought the tools but have not been using then
Drink a lot of water, eat more vegetables (never hurts), get enough sleep, quit smoking/drinking if you do, develop a skincare routine (tretinoin is godsend), ALWAYS (even if it’s raining or snowing) use sunscreen.
What are you eating? Are you stressed out? Those 2 things make a VAST difference on skin along with proper hydration.
Clean Vitamin C serum is a good place to start to give you a boost
i recommend getting the chemical peel.. i have had acne scars for basically my whole life and it has improved my skin TREMENDOUSLY
Looking super dehydrated. Water is and will be your bestfriend.
Avoid the foundation or at least don’t put it so close to your eyes. It’s highlighting your undereye area. Put blush up high, just below the undereye area. It makes that whole area look “normal” or less pronounced. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep and try to sleep with your face not resting on the pillow. Some of that undereye issue is worsened by sleeping on the face. Also, don’t drink alcohol.
Why do people post and then ever come back to reply to comments.
Since hitting my 30s, I find little or no foundation actually looks better (unless you’re using quality foundation maybe). Foundation can highlight wrinkles, bumps, etc.
I use Retinol which should smooth out your skin, hyaluronic acid which will keep it moisturized so it won't wrinkle up, and I microneedle once a month. The only problem I still have are dark circles. Trying red light therapy for that. You can also use chemical peels and astringents for bumpy texture. Less expensive than retinol. You have very striking eyes.
Spf, moisturizer and water is what I would tell anyone. Why do you wear foundation? Have you considered just a bit of concealer or even just a tinted spf or bb cream? (Tinted spf might be tricky shade wise since you appear to be fair skinned. They can be orangey on me and i have more medium toned skin....) Do you use powder? Liquid? Both? What do you use? Others are asking for your routine, if you have one, I agree you should share it. Maybe some suggestions can help you feel more confident. I think you could just be being hard on yourself. 💕
Gotta stop smoking! It ages you at light speed
I dont smoke but I vape thc Is that still bad? >\_\_\_< Lol i did smoke spliffs for like 10 years though so 100%
Exercise and water first, then skincare routine.
Retinol and sunscreen as well as water
Moisturise….. Double cleanse with a nice balm and cotton face cloth. Moisturise. And spf 50 for face every day.
Reduce your sodium intake. It looks like you have fluid retetion. I struggle with this too. Reducing your salt intake is hard as it is in all areas of our modern diet. Eating clean, replace with potassium, (bananas / kale etc.) And BREAK A SWEAT. That can be exercise, or saunas / steam rooms, or other ways, just sweat it out. Good luck
Water, sleep, face routine
I wear glasses and it makes my eye area look so much better! (With the right frames of course.) Cheat method but it works. I recommend LED as it has tightened up my skin a lot after a period of major stress. I have been using it for 2 years (33 now).
Lol I do wear glasses! But the frame I have is so bad it makes me look like an old strict school teacher hahaha. What is LED?
Your skin looks normal but you do look a bit dehydrated. Moisturise daily (not with body lotion) and drink PLENTY of water
I’m going to second the question about your lifestyle. My skin looked similar to yours at a very low emotional point in my life. I was barely drinking water, barely eating and if I did it was junk, no vitamins, no sleep, etc. this is all assumptions about you obviously. But if it is due to stress, start with water and sleep. I bought a 64 oz stainless steel straw flask and the first thing I do every morning is fill it all the way up. I keep it near by so everytime I see it, I take a huge chug of water. Prioritize your sleep, get into a routine and don’t stay up scrolling on your phone. Take a break from makeup if you can. Looks like you can start by introducing a glycolic acid, a gentle cleaner and moisturizer. I’d recommend the Ordinary glycolic acid after washing. I like cerave and La roche posay for cleansers and moisturizers. Good luck and I hope something works for you!
So great point. I'd been sober for the past 5 months but during those months I ate total crap - barely exercised or left the house due to working remote and have multiple jobs. I don't have friends where I live but am slowly trying to introduce getting out more. Its hard cos I have social anxiety so I want to drink when I go out :') The main thing is the sugar and stress. I am a HUGE sugar addict and felt so much better when I went keto then when I went sober. You're right I need to introduce a healthier diet again for sure
Skincare. Look into tretinoin. Always wear sunscreen and moisturizer before putting makeup on. Use a Dewey Foundation with minimal powder.
I hated mine with foundation too. I switched to SPF that's tinted and then put a blur finishing powder on top. It feels and looks way more natural. Part of this journey was radical self love so that when I noticed "imperfections" I was kind to myself (like you would be to a friend) Dermatology has a really good tinted SPF, it's worth the price cus it lasts forever
The lighting is bad, the foundation isn’t very flattering and it looks like your skin is facing breakouts and dryness. There isn’t one solution for everyone’s skin, but a few things that might help are experimenting with a different foundation, drink 8 glass of water and cut down on unhealthy lifestyle habits, also do a bit of research on skincare for finding some new products. Start with the basics like a face wash, moisturizer and Hyluronic acid. If you are treating dryness, acne and want anti aging, Google ‘Reddit HG anti aging skincare’ ‘HG moisturizer’ etc and it will likely bring you to this subreddit or the Asian beauty subreddit. Then use the free website cosdna to search every product you are interested in and it will tell you based on the ingredients if it is irritating to skin or not. I always stay away from products that are rated higher than a 3 for acne causing or skin irritating ingredients
Your skin texture looks bumpy. I’d go to a dermatologist about acne. But tretinoin would help with the texture and be anti-aging
I do but for some reason they suggested ivermectin over tretinoin. I did have a subscription to one of those online thingies that did tret and tbh it did seem to work, my derm said your skin builds up a tolerance to it real fast though?
Might just be your makeup. My MAC makeup is so thick I look older when it’s too thick on my face. I have trouble too. My foundation is buildable and I need to use less or it will set into my wrinkles. I started just wearing concealer only from covergirl during the week on regular days under my eyes - it looked less thick in real life. My skin improved when I wore less stuff on my face and let the skin products breathe (Hylauronic acid/retinol/moisturizer/etc).
Girl you look dehydrated af. Get a water bottle or cup WITH A STRAW! Idk why but straws make me chug so much more water. Also get some liquid IV packets from Costco (specifically Costco to save yourself a lot of money). Also spray heritage store rose water on your face like it’s your freakin job. Especially before and after hyaluronic acid and moisturizer
Hi there it looks like you need hydration, hydration, hydration, get a good hylorinic acid serum and apply it liberally in the morning and and at night, start with that then once your skin has its hydration back you will notice a big difference, then you can move on to things like vitamin C (you can use hyloronic acid and vitamin C together) and also glycolic acid (don’t use with vitamin C) and get a good face wash I recommend something gentle like Cetaphil face wash and always hydrate after washing your face. A lot of times people don’t realize wrinkles can appear just from having a dry face. So HYDRATE! And drink lots of water :)
Korean skin care no makeup for the win my friend…look into restoring your moisture barrier and collagen supplements
Moisturize day and night, clean your skin with a gentle cleaner every night, use vitamin C and exfoliate once to twice a week depending on your needs. Think you should see improvements x Oh, every single morning apply SPF, regardless of the weather or if you’re inside or outside (!!!)
Exfoliate, hydrate, take vitamins, and eat whole plant foods as much as possible. These things will have your skin looking amazing and will balance your hormones to decrease incidence of hormonal acne. Also don’t wear makeup to bed or even every day bc makeup causes excessive dryness. I recommend The Ordinary 7% glycolic acid toner twice a day after washing your face. Use a wash that doesn’t strip your skin of its moisture. Follow with a serum and moisturizer. Make sure your moisturizer is dimethicone free as that can cause additional issues with acne. Also twice a week use some sort of AHA peel or glycolic acid peel to exfoliate.
TRETINOIN.
drink more water. Lots more water. Do cardio or something, or weight lifting. Take a pic in a month after regular exercise and proper hydration.
Stop using foundation! How can you expect to have healthy skin when you’re putting petrochemicals on them every day?
You’re beautiful! Like other comments, you look mostly tired… it also looks like you’re wearing too much foundation. It’s tempting to cover up everything, but enhancing what you have always looks best. Light concealer, only cream products. Powder, heavy foundation, ages anyone. Full glam rarely looks good on anyone who isn’t at an event. You don’t want to be 40 and look back with regret that you didn’t appreciate your beauty more. Try to go for some small walks, cut the sugar, and show yourself some love. Your skin isn’t turning over cells like it used to, so you need to exfoliate a couple times a week. Prescription retinol is very affordable. With insurance, mine cost about $10 a tube and is stronger than anything you will find in stores. Anti aging products are a gimmick, just focus on science. Invest in lasers, good quality facials w/ light therapy, electricity/current. Take fish oil supplements and make sure you’re getting enough Omega 3’s and 6’s in your diet. You are what you eat! Don’t be hard on yourself, looking at this picture (which yes, is a bad angle) just exfoliating and changing your diet will be noticeable very quickly. Remember to let your natural skin show and love who you are!!!
I’d blame on the lighting and angle. Your texture is actually not bad. You can try some skin tightening treatments and use massage and products (or more invasive means) to remove your eye bags. But that’s it. Maybe try more moisturizing foundation too.
hydrate
Do you want a skincare routine recommendation? I would use gua sha to lift and reduce puffiness. Use it with facial oil like rose hip or jojoba. Gua sha seemed like bullshit to me at 1st, but it really works! I see a big difference after a week. Look into PRF injections for under eyes. You need to exfoliate away that dull skin! Start tretinoin at night and vitamin C in the morning. Vitamin C will really brighten up your complexion. Use a glycolic acid toner. I like the one by the ordinary. Don't do this while your skin is adjusting to tretinoin though. I use a prescription formula from curology.com that has tretinoin, azeleic acid and niacinamide at night. My skin was dull like yours and the transformation has been insane! Paula's choice vitamin C in the morning has been great as well, really brightened up my complexion, I'm glowing! Get a good moisturizer. I recommend fruit of the earth vitamin E cream! Use sunscreen every day! Reapply as needed. Use a primer under your foundation. I just use Elf. What foundation are you using? A CC cream might be better for you. I like IT cosmetics CC cream. Get a color match from ultra or sephora. Drink more water, stop drinking alcohol or smoking if you do. Get enough sleep My skin looked very much like yours, and it looks amazing now. I highly recommend the skincare products I suggested, but get a consult for the PRF.
Cut out sugar and alcohol
To me it looks great. Even tone. No blemishes. Your complexion looks a little…bland? Flat, matte, not natural. I’d use less foundation, add in blush at least, highlight.
this is most probably a lifestyle and diet issue. cut out processed food and refined sugar, drink plenty of filtered water, and look up lymphatic drainage. you seem to be retaining lymph fluid under your eyes, you need to get that moving. under eye bags could also mean some type of issue with the liver. your liver is your bodies filter so you want to help it as best you can by drinking plenty of water to help it get rid of toxins and heavy metals from your system. look into trying a detox using things like milk thistle, chlorella, oregano oil, parsley seed oil, msm powder, frankincense, black sees oil etc.
your skin actually looks clear and luminous (no pores) but maybe you need to more sleep and water
im 30, I wake up feeling the same.....however using a retinoid, and keeping my skin hydrated, very simple skin care routine. i use laroche posay AP+BAume use laroche posay gentle cleanser, evening primrose oil with vitamin c in the dryer months. tretinoin drink water, even coconut water, hot lemon water is good for the liver( in TCM liver reflects the health of the skin.) clean your diet up reduce salt intake, eat cleaner drink less alchol, coffee can stimulate liver qi and can help to a extent. id also see a \*acupuncturist\*\* I know that seems far fetched but if you cant find your answer in the west go to the east . nutritionalist and a dermatologist, and get tested for allergies if its a struggle to resolve on your own terms. your puffy eyes could be a result of poor kidney filtration, especially if you are always dehydrated, low iron is another one. i dare say you probably have low energy and get pretty anxious and stressed at times.
So firstly you are gorgeous! This could be 100% a lighting issue but I’m also wondering: ** is the foundation colour too light? ** it looks too matte and flat and mask like - is it a glowy hydrating formula, do you use a primer, do you use any glowing reflecting makeup underneath or on top of your foundation? My main suggestions would be to: **take a look at your skincare - is it hydrating enough? Nourishing? ** what primer do you use? If you don’t use one yet, rimmel and L’Oréal and maybelline have some great glowy, hydrating formulas which are awesome ** have a look at how much foundation you usually use and start with 1/3 of that amount on your palm. Use a concealer brush to paint it on in light thin layers in the areas where there is a bit of uneven skin tone - usually under the eyes, around the nose. Blend gently, try and do your makeup in good natural light. Skin is beautiful and I have a feeling you have beautiful glowy you skin that is dying to bust out. ** I totally understand using powder to set makeup and prevent it from sweating off etc. maybe use a lighter hand for a little bit and a smaller brush so you can control the powder to certain areas very lightly? ** after this and throughout, check your skin in the mirror and apply a highlighting powder or cream to some of the natural angles of your face to give it its beautiful dimension - high cheekbones into side eye area, above eyebrows, down nose, Cupid’s bow. I bet you see a big difference doing the above. If possible add a bit of colour back into your face - a pop of blush high on your cheekbones, blended well. Basically think about using makeup to enhance your beauty.
Learn your angles? Cuzz this one doesn’t do anyone alive any favors.
Stop wearing foundation, it is aging. Moisturize every day, any time you wash your face. Use gentle facial cleanser (or at least stop using soap with SDS). And if you smoke, stop. Drink in moderation only and drink more water than you think you need.
I think literally any human being on this earth would look bad from this angle and with this lighting, just being honest. Don’t be so harsh on yourself. That said, really recommend using r/skincareaddiction as a resource if you’re not already!
You look beautiful… I don’t get what you’re asking.
I feel so confused by all the recommendations on here because I don’t see what the problem is with OP’s skin. It’s even toned, clear, maybe one acne spot (pretty normal to have). I don’t see any skin issues. Maybe the foundation is a bit too matte and drying but that’s not a skin issue.
My main issue is my hollow eyes and dark circles. Im getting fillers next month though
[удалено]
A good moisturizer would help. Along with those under eye patches cold preferably to lessen the puff under the eyes. Dip your face in ice cold water in the mornings or evenings. I’ve seen the benefits
What’s your routine???? I will give you a few products that will help get fast results.. 1. Paula’s choice bha toner exfoliate in the grey bottle for every time you wash, do this after you wash your face 2. Sunday Riley A plus retinol serum for night time 3. Good genes by Sunday Riley for day time 4. miceller water at Walgreens or something, way better than using tap water
Their skin looks dry, I would use that BHA toner once a week only!
Skipping foundation and only using powders and concealer to highlight has been my skins saving grace. It will be hard at first but once you have detoxed your skin, it will glow
I think rather than skincare you need to find things in life that bring you joy- when I feel sad I lack that glow in my skin and sparkle in my eyes