As a beauty enthusiast in my 40s, one of my biggest hopes and aspirations is to connect with readers who are in their 20s and 30s and demystify what life and beauty can look like after 40. I have adult children and have spent a lot of my adulthood as a single mom. I'm also a Black woman who's running her own business and wearing a lot of hats. There is a lot of rhetoric around aging, and when it comes to beauty, most of it is negative. My goal is to be a thread of hope, positivity, and inspiration—a "it's not bad on this side of 40" kind of energy.
My journey to skincare and the beauty industry didn't start until later in life. I was in my mid-30s, and I really had this pivotal moment with myself where I promised to make some changes for my overall well-being. How I took care of my skin and hair, for instance, was a huge part of that. I was coming out of a period of depression, so my hair had suffered, my skin had suffered, my mental state had suffered, and physically, I was skin and bones. There were so many things going on in my life, and turning to beauty put this incredible pep back into my step—I found it so healing. I learned to take care of myself through beauty, and consequently, I developed morning, evening, and hair routines that were such an organic, gradual evolution to where I am currently and the beauty rituals I now live by as a 47-year-old.
As women in today's world, we're stretching ourselves so, so thin, but when I step into the bathroom and close the door, I set an explicit boundary that this is my time to take care of myself, even if it's just five or 10 minutes. For me, this has helped promote true healing. I really do believe that having a solid shower routine, a solid haircare routine, a solid skincare routine… All of those things work together so therapeutically. (If it helps you look amazing too, that's even better!)
I never want to be prescriptive, but over the years, I've had the opportunity to try so many products and experiment with a variety of routines. At this point, my morning and evening skincare routines are locked in, and I'm frequently asked what I use and what my best skincare tips are. For my first story as a Who What Wear editor in residence, I wanted to dive into skincare specifically. Below, you'll find my favorite formulas in every category—from my tried-and-true face creams and cleansers to the add-ons I see as a cherry on top to any great routine. Keep scrolling, and I hope you enjoy.
Cleansers
I love a creamy cleanser in the morning, and right now, I am obsessed with this one from Alpyn. The formula has these super-small exfoliation particles that really get rid of every last ounce of SPF or sweat that might be left on my face after an early workout. It's heaven—I love it.
This is another great cleanser that I toggle between in my morning rotation. It's always in my shower.
I have such a soft spot for this gentle foaming formula from Sulwhasoo too. I have oily skin, so for me, cleansing is a critical step. I know some people don't like to cleanse in the morning, but if I skip it, I start to notice more bumps and clogged pores.
Essences & Toners
After cleansing, I like to move on to a balancing toner or an essence. This one from La Mer is an investment, but it's a formula that I will always be obsessed with and highly recommend.
This toner from House of Dohwa is like a nice, refreshing splash on the face. I really believe in an essence or toner to prepare the skin for whatever step you're doing right after.
Serums
I've been using this new serum from Tatcha—it's milky and hydrating and has such a nice slip to it. It's truly a beautiful serum!
I also have to mention this ginseng-spiked serum from Sulwhasoo. It's lightweight but so wonderfully moisturizing. It depends on the time of year and where my skin is at, but this and the Tatcha serum are so hydrating that adding a moisturizer on top doesn't even feel necessary—more like a bonus!
Daytime Eye Creams
This is my gold-star eye cream. OMG, it's so good. As I've gotten older, eye cream has really become my best friend. I want an eye cream that's rich but not too rich. I don't know what type of magic Shiseido puts in this formula, but it's special. I just ran out about a week ago and immediately went to restock.
Okay, this is a big one, and I actually consider it to be a major part of my makeup routine. It's a brightening vitamin C balm, and I love that it's in a handy stick form. I like to apply it after SPF and before I do my makeup. The plot twist? It completely prevents my concealer from creasing. I can look at my under-eyes and makeup hours and hours after I've applied, and I'll never look dry or haggard. I've gotten my friends hooked. My daughters who are in their 20s are hooked. It's a low-key product with high-key results. I think everyone should experience this product, and it's affordable. It's in drugstores! It's in Walmart!
Nighttime Eye Creams
A tried-and-true! This eye cream from Shani Darden is a little heavier, which is why I especially love it as part of my evening skincare lineup. That said, if I'm feeling dry, I'll definitely use it in the morning as well.
Yes, this is technically labeled as an eye cream, but to me, it's really more of a serum. Guys… It's really, really, really nice. I will say that it's very lightweight, so I'll often use a bit of the brand's Multi Correxion Vitamin C Eye Balm Stick on top of it to pack in the moisture.
Moisturizers
I've been trying this moisturizer from Obagi's Elastiderm collection, and it's really cool and super innovative. It's a lightweight gel that just melts into the skin, and it's formulated to work on the elastin in your face, which, at my age, I'm always thinking about! I think this one is really great if you're looking to work on fine lines and wrinkles or want your skin to have a little more plumpness.
This moisturizer has been a staple in my drawer—it's great for really helping to balance the skin.
It's an investment, but this formula from La Mer is freaking amazing. I love it, and it's the brand's lightest formula—milky, soft, and so, so beautiful on the skin.
Everything from Sulwhasoo's Concentrated Ginseng collection is amazing, but this cream has to go down as one of my all-time favorites. It's another staple face cream I always recommend to people if they're looking for a wonderful, high-quality moisturizer.
Sun Protection
Even though I was late to the world of skincare, I have always—thank goodness—been a SPF user. There are so many wonderful brands and formulas, but my current favorite is Ultra Violette. It's just the best. My skin loves it. I don't get any weird reactions from it, it has great ingredients, and it doesn't leave a cast. I've tried so many different products from the brand, and you really can't go wrong with any of them.
For reapplication, I really love an SPF in stick form, and my tried-and-true is from Shiseido. I've put this stuff through all types of tests—sweaty workouts, being in front of the camera… You name it. I roll it over my face, and it doesn't even pick up or disturb my makeup application. Top-tier.
Tools & Extras
I don't even like to tell people how much I love and recommend this mask because it's an investment. But I've tried lots of different LED face masks over the years, and this one from Shark is truly a standout. It has every single thing that I would want from a red light mask, and it would make an incredible gift for yourself or anyone in your life. If you are trying to take your skin to the next level and want to see noticeable changes, this pushes the needle in a big way.
If you follow me or watch my content, you already know that I'm a huge advocate for incorporating some kind of facial massage into your routine. Yes, you can still get results from just using your hands, but IMO, it's not going to be the same as using a gua sha. It releases so much tension, and it's just this moment of pampering that feels indulgent.
I love to use an eye mask every morning, but I don't think it's a necessity for everyone. However, at this stage in my life, I feel like it's a necessity for me. It's the last step in my skincare routine—I'll put them on and do my hair, make my bed, and maybe even start my makeup, and then I'll take them off. I love these ones from Dieux, in particular, because they are reusable. I wake up with such puffy eyes each morning, and these make a night and day difference if I pop them on for about 30 minutes.
These eye masks aren't reusable, but they're so, so good. They have this juicy, jelly-like texture, and they absolutely do not budge, slide, or shift around. They are worth the $42 price point!
I don't mess around when it comes to face mists! I went to a Sephora party, and Shani Darden was there. When she saw me, she immediately asked what was on my face because I guess I looked extra glowy. I told her I had started using this mist, and she said she knew exactly which product I was talking about and that she absolutely needed to get her hands on it. It's a serum-like mist, moisturizer, and luminizer all in one that just adds the most incredible brightness and luminosity to the skin. Iris&Romeo really nailed it with this one.
There are a few great masks in my rotation, but this detoxifying one from Caudalie is my OG. I love, love, love this one.
