I’ve chosen to navigate midlife without Botox or fillers - here are 3 things I do for my skin instead
As a 49-year-old beauty editor, this is how I'm supporting my skin without needles
I will never forget the first time I was offered Botox. It was ten years ago – I was approaching forty and a beauty PR, who was representing a famous Harley Street aesthetician at the time, mentioned that she could do something about "that fine line just to the right of your eyebrow." I’d never even noticed it before. And even if I had, I’d never have thought to start having Botox to fix it.
I was Beauty Director at Boots Health & Beauty magazine at the time, and I’d introduced a no-retouch policy to all of the beauty images, including the cover, in their in-store magazine. This "real, unfiltered" approach to beauty and skin had been a thread running through my early career.
When I was appointed Beauty Editor on teen magazine CosmoGIRL! in the early 2000s, I was passionate about showing girls that beauty didn’t have a one-size-fits-all, cut-out-and-keep template. Growing up in the supermodel era of the early 90s, when the beauty aesthetic was all about flawless skin, glossy hair and size 8 figures, I wanted to show teenage girls that they didn’t have to fit into a box when it came to living out their personal beauty ideals. And that approach stayed with me into adulthood – personally and professionally.
3 things I do for midlife skin as an experienced beauty editor
I get so frustrated when women feel pressure to look or act a certain way. I really believe that there is beauty in just being yourself! Some of the most beautiful women may tick all the right boxes on the outside, but if they are insecure or unhappy on the inside, aesthetic beauty falls by the wayside, doesn’t it?
But that’s not to say I have found it easy taking this "real skin" approach, especially as I approach my 50th birthday. I cannot visit a beauty clinic without a needle being waved in my face, and now that I live in Florida, America’s ‘Sunshine State’ where the UV rays are relentless and the aesthetic pressure even more so, it’s challenging not to cave under the pressure. But instead of chasing a frozen version of my younger self, I am adamant to embrace my ageing face with joy, gratitude and pride. Who knows – I might be able to convince others too!
1. Use retinal to get the glassy 'Botox glow'
While Botox’s main benefit is to freeze muscles to prevent future lines from forming, and smooth out existing ones too, it also gives your skin a lovely "polished", glassy texture. An effect that we all love, right?
Well, the good news is, you don’t necessarily have to go under a needle to get a similar glass skin result. Retinoids, which are a group of skincare ingredients derived from Vitamin A, have been proven to speed up your skin cell cycle, which helps fresh new skin appear more quickly. It can help stimulate collagen production, too, which, when we get past the age of 25, begins to slow down. So skin loses its firmness and glow.
I've been using Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 as part of my nightly routine for a few years now. I was 33 when the brand first launched, but using a retinoid wasn’t high on my priority list. Now I know it should have been! Retinal with an A is a little stronger than retinol with an O, and I choose to use this slightly higher strength one every night. It helps my skin appear brighter, glowier and glassier.
2. Have a healthy attitude towards the sun
I have always enjoyed the sun, but as I’ve gotten older I have become more, let’s say sensible, with how much I enjoy it. I’m not obsessed about avoiding it, I just have a healthy and realistic attitude. I avoid it during peak hours when the sun is strongest. I wear cute hats and baseball caps. And of course, especially as I live in Florida, I wear one of the best facial sunscreens every day.
I’m pretty sure we’ve all seen those pictures of the truck driver who, over the years, exposed one side of his face to his truck window, causing it to appear way more wrinkled and saggy than the other, non-sunlight-exposed side? Well that’s enough to make you want to wear protection, right?
I wear at least SPF 30 every day. This is a non-negotiable. And as sun protection should, ideally, be the last step in your skincare routine, I like to wear makeup with added protection. My current favourite is Ilia Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 (SPF 30 in the UK).
And for days that I skip base, I use e.l.f. Cosmetics Suntouchable Woah Glow SPF 30 in Sunbeam, which has a slightly iridescent natural sheen. It gives my skin a lovely brightness and glow.
3. Wear an LED mask before bed
I used to think that LED masks were an Instagram fad. But with research, I have learnt that red light therapy has been proven to stimulate collagen, and also encourage skin repair (hello smoother lines and less pigmentation). This has to be caveated with the fact that you have to use your red light therapy device consistently – for at least 10 minutes every day – to see results.
I find the Omnilux Contour Face LED Therapy Mask the most comfortable - it’s really light and shapes around the curves of your face snugly enough without feeling claustrophobic. I like to wear it after I’ve brushed my teeth, when I’m in bed reading or watching TV.
There is something hypnotic and soothing about the lights too, so it now feels more like a treat than a chore. This is a step in my routine that I am growing to love. And also beginning to see results from. The change is not dramatic, but my skin definitely appears brighter and just more rested.
Donna is currently appearing on Escape To Florida on Channel 4.
