Turning 46 has been a bit of a shock to my system. Honestly, looking in the mirror lately has been discouraging. I’m dealing with hormonal breakouts around my chin that I haven’t seen since my teens, but at the same time, my cheeks are so dry they feel like parchment paper. Last week at a dinner party, I felt so self-conscious about a particularly angry blemish that I barely made eye contact with anyone. I was tired of feeling like I was failing at aging, so I finally settled on a routine that addresses both issues without causing more irritation.
Morning: I skip the cleanser and just splash with lukewarm water. I apply a hydrating toner, then a vitamin C serum for brightness. I follow up with a thick moisturizer and 50+ SPF. It’s important to find a sunscreen that doesn’t feel greasy or it will trigger my chin issues.
Evening: I double cleanse to get the SPF off. I use a gentle 0.05% retinal every other night for the texture. On off nights, I focus entirely on barrier repair with a cica balm. It’s not a miracle cure, but my skin finally feels calm for the first time in months. The breakouts are smaller, and that tight, itchy feeling is gone.
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I feel this so much. The ‘second puberty’ in our 40s is such a cruel joke. One day I’m worrying about wrinkles and the next I’m buying pimple patches.
Which cica balm are you using? I’ve been looking for something for my dry patches but I’m terrified it will clog my pores.
Skipping the morning cleanser was a game changer for me too. I used to think I had to scrub the oil away, but it just made my skin produce more.
The retinal every other night is smart. I tried going full strength every night when I first started and my face practically fell off. Slow and steady is definitely the way to go at our age.
Thanks for sharing this. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one struggling with the social anxiety part of it. It’s hard to feel confident when your skin is acting up.
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Have you tried adding a silk pillowcase? I know it sounds like a gimmick, but it really helped with the dryness on my cheeks since I’m a side sleeper.
I found that double cleansing made a huge difference for my hormonal acne. Just using a regular wash never really got all the sunscreen out of my pores.
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Does the vitamin C irritate your sensitive spots? I’ve been wanting to try one but I’m worried about the stinging.
I’m 51 and still deal with this. My dermatologist suggested looking into my diet too, specifically dairy. It helped a little with the chin area specifically.
