The sooner we take care of our skin the better but it's never too late to start!

At 49 years old, I often wonder what my skin would have been like had I not soaked up the sun in my younger years the way I did, never re-applying sunscreen so that I would become a tan goddess. Unfortunately, the first soaking in the sun usually meant getting sun burned. I was fine with that because in my mind it was my “base” for the summer.

Then I think back to my 20’s when it was time for bed and after a long night of hanging out with our friends, I was too tired to wash my makeup off. A quick brushing of the teeth and that was good enough for me. Off to bed. This happened one too many times for sure. I look at my skin now, knowing that I can never turn back the clock but if I only had taken care of things better when in my younger years, maybe I wouldn’t have as many wrinkles and maybe my pores would be a bit smaller. If only.

For the past ten years or so, I have turned that around and really took control and convinced myself finally that I need to really get a routine started when it came to my skin. Eye cream, face cream and sun screen seemed enough for me at the time. But as I am approaching 50 I feel the need to up my game. Serums, retinol and exfoliation were added to the regimen. Have I noticed a difference? Absolutely. My skin seems more smoother and glowy. My pores seem to be smaller and less noticeable.

I have never gotten botox or fillers and most likely never will. Not something I want to start, I prefer to take the "age gracefully" route although I might not look as graceful as those getting treatments. In the end, that is just a choice I made. So I really need to take my skin care routine seriously!

“Is it too late to start a skincare regimen?”

I suppose a question one could ask would be “Is it too late to start a skincare regimen?” I say no, it's never too late. Whatever damage we might have done in our younger years perhaps can not be erased but if we take our skincare seriously I do believe, at any age, we can make improvements and although we can not stop the aging process (hopefully one day they discover a pill that can! If so, I will be at the front of the line!) we can certainly slow it down.

I have two daughters, 17 and 20 years old. I have been buying skincare products for them that I would never have even thought about when I was their age. The only product I used back in the day was Noxzema. But I say, better to start now then have any regrets later on! At least this is what I tell them. I try my best to make them realize how important it is to take care of your skin. And not just for the face but the rest of our body as well. I tell them until I am blue in the face that the single most important thing for their entire skin from head to toe is sunscreen. Unfortunately, I don't think they use it every day. I sometimes even wonder if they are applying enough when they go to the beach. I've tried to convince them to use self tanners. They just prefer the sun. I won't give up trying to convince them!

As for me, I have accepted my age and what comes along with that. All I can do is embrace it all and do my best to take care of my skin. It's just as important what you intake as well as what you put on your skin. I drink a ton of water and try my best to eat healthy. After all, it’s my ride here on this beautiful planet!