When I turned twenty-eight in October, I really took time to pause and consider myself throughout the many years and time periods in my life. Part of this reflection was my skincare routine, and how aging, as well as my beauty routine (or lack thereof) has affected my skin. This is actually a really fun little project that I think everyone could put together to reflect on their habits and what they have changed throughout the years as they go by. My skincare routine has varied greatly from my early teenage years to now. There were times as a teenager when I disliked my skin and wished it was clear and perfect, and now looking back on it, I wish I could have some aspects of it back! I’ve put together a short collage and timeline of my “skin story” from my early teen’s to now, so go ahead and join me in my time machine!
Early Teenage Years
My skin has been oily since I can remember. This meant that I could get a nice tan in the sunshine without worrying about burning, but it also meant that I was prone to sporadic breakouts. When I did get breakouts as a teenager, I always felt like the entire world noticed and it was the “end of the world.” Looking back, I definitely didn’t have acne even close to how bad I thought it was, but there would be times due to hormones and eating a lot of junk food that I would have several deep, painful pimples at once. My skincare routine back then was mainly targeted at treating these pimples as quickly and efficiently as possible. I lived for acne face washes and any other commercial that claimed their newest product zapped your zits overnight. When my skin was clear, I felt confident, ready to take on the world, but when it was broken out, I often made the situation worse by covering it up with far too much makeup. If I had known what I know now, it would be to let my pimples “breathe” more with less makeup, and do not pick! Like biting my fingernails, I would pick and pop (gross, I know) at my breakouts in an attempt to get them to heal faster. Doing so left me with some dark spots on my face that I then had to cover with more makeup. It can be a vicious cycle as a teenager, and as a whole, I wish I had left my breakouts alone. My only routine at this point was washing my face with anti-acne cleanser and applying the biggest, baddest acne serum I could find for my occasional breakouts. Oh, and dealing with oily skin as a teenager is extremely embarrassing when you’re not sure how to treat it. I often had to use a tissue or piece of toilet paper to soak up the oil on my face in school, even if I was wearing little to no makeup. I remember feeling self-conscious about it and it wasn’t until oil-blotting sheets were finally sold in stores that I felt I had found a temporary solution.
My Late Teenage Years
Queue the Oompa-Loompa jokes now! I was the tannest girl in New Jersey before Snooki ever hit the scene. This was by far my most destructive time period skin-wise in my life. I was a Jersey girl and the tanning revolution was in full effect. I was working at a tanning salon at the time, and my oily olive-complexion tanned like a dream. It helped me sell a lot of tanning products and packages at the time, but I didn’t realize I was slowly baking myself and causing premature aging on the side. Friends and family around me would warn me about the dangers of tanning, but I always brushed them off with my late-teenage “I know everything” attitude. My only skincare routine at this point was cleanser and tanning lotion. It is so true what they say about this point in life…you feel nothing could ever happen to you and you’re immortal. I noticed that during this time my skin looked so much older than it really was. I was dealing with less acne from my hormones leveling out and also probably from the rays of the tanning bed. However, my skin was paying a price. Slowly, more and more sun-care education started to come out about the dangers of tanning, especially in tanning beds, and I not only stopped working at the tanning salon, but I quit tanning for good. I haven’t been in a tanning bed since the early 2000’s, and I will never step foot into one again. I am very aware of the few years of extreme danger I put my skin in, and to this day, I always check my skin for any abnormal moles.
My Early to Mid-Twenties
This was my skincare revolution period. I finally understood what it meant to take care of your skin from the outside and start thinking about preventative maintenance. A lot of people scoffed at me when I talked about applying eye cream at only twenty-three years old, but I felt like I had damaged my skin so much with my tanning that I needed to make up for it. I wore SPF moisturizer and sunscreen on my face and body every single time I would be outside or in the sun for a long period of time. I would still catch color from being outside, but it was a natural, protected tan from wearing SPF constantly. I also developed an actual “routine” of skincare in the morning and at night. I never, ever slept in my makeup, no matter how exhausted and tired I was from the day. I washed my face every night, applied toner, moisturizer, and eye cream. Even though my skin was still oily, it wasn’t as oily as when I was a teenager, and I knew how to combat it using moisturizers and makeup that gave me a very matte-finish. I was also thinking about how to combat some of the small, dark scars from picking at my pimples. I made the decision one day to keep my hands off of my face and it drastically reduced any scarring I had, as well as helped my skin stay clearer. This was the time period in my life where aging became a reality to me, and I started to really appreciate and baby my skin.
Present Day (late twenties)
Ironically, I feel the most comfortable in my skin now than I ever have. I never left the house without makeup until the past year or so, and I actually still feel confident when I don’t have a lick of makeup on my face. I’ve embraced paler skin, but I also use a self-tanning lotion when I want to have a darker glow to my skin. I continue to use sunscreen with an SPF every single day, especially since I now live in the south and the sun’s rays are much hotter here year round. I pamper my skin with a weekly face mask, alternating between a pore-cleansing clay mask and a micro-dermabrasion anti-aging mask. The products I use on my face the most now usually have words like “anti-aging,” “fine lines,” “SPF,” and “brightening” in them. I have gotten control of my oily skin by making sure my skin has enough moisture in it at all times, otherwise my skin will overproduce oil. I also use a mattefying face primer before my makeup to keep oil at bay. My nightly skincare routine is a pleasure, a time of peace, pampering, and reflection on the day. My single most important item in my skincare routine now is eye cream. I never thought in a million years when I was a teenager that I’d be applying eye cream religiously, but I don’t skip this step. Twice a day, I use my ring finger to gently pat the cream into the area around my eyes, where fine lines usually creep up first. I rarely break out anymore, and when I do, it’s usually caused by a specific makeup product or skincare product, or hormones. I feel confident leaving the house with nothing but a BB cream or tinted moisturizer on most days now, as well. And while I’ve done some irresponsible things to my skin in the past, I know that I inevitably will age and see fine lines, crow’s feet, and sagging in my face as I get older. I just know that I will continue to smile and laugh as much as I possibly can on a daily basis, because knowledge is power, and I’ve finally found what works best for my skin in my late twenties.
What is your skincare story throughout the years?
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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Olay via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Olay.
Stephanie says
I also, religiously apply eye cream twice a day. I thought I was the only one! On a bad note, I am a picker when there are pickings.
Anna says
WitchHazel twice a day, I never use soap,on my face, milk of magnesia at night for acne pimples.
And moisturizer night daytime.
Don’t rub you sikn, or hair.
Don’t squint wear sunglasses.
SkinTighteningSageMia says
You look pretty! I like your blog, it’s worth a share. I really believe that prevention is better than cure. For my regime, this is what I do. Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize and Apply SPF during the day and serum at night. I also exfoliate 2x a week.