Skin care for 40-somethings?

ruggedBear

For those of you who have lost 50+ pounds and don't have the blessings of youth - how do you care for your skin and did you take any special care of it while you were losing the weight? Any recommendations for keeping the skin healthy throughout this process?

sylvuz323

I haven't done anything special, I've lost 55 lbs. Overall I think once I started drinking more water and eating healthy that alone helped my skin. I still get breakouts and even those are minimal when I eat right. I simply use a facial cleaner and a scrub

Josee76

CLINIQUE!!!! You can get it at Macy's its fabulous!

DRC0086

Make sure you're getting your RDA of vitamins and minerals, that's the most important thing. Make sure you're eating enough healthy fats. Don't be scared of fat, as long as you're on a calorie deficit you'll continue to lose weight. Drinking enough fluids and applying cocoa butter to areas where you expect to see some excess skin, such as the abdomen, thighs and arms will help as well. I'd avoid chemical laden lotions and anything with alcohol in it.

Lanna74

For an inexpensive idea, look into the benefits of coconut oil...(OIL - not milk!). I just bought my first jar and am trying it this week. Some stars take it internally but I'm mostly using it on my dry skin. It's keeping me very moisturized so far!

knittnponder

I use coconut oil exclusively on my skin. I have very sensitive skin and rosacea so most things make my skin red and inflamed or breakout. Putting coconut oil on before I go to sleep gives me nice, soft skin. You can get it cold pressed so it still smells like coconut or lightly refined so the smell is gone and both work. Just try to get an organic one that isn't processed using solvents if your skin is sensitive. Also, eating well and staying hydrated are important.

Artemis_Acorn

Well, I'm no longer a 40-something, since I'm 50 now, and I am not quite to 50 pounds yet - only 4 to go though, so I think I get where you're coming from. Our age is a big strike against us in the problem of skin elasticity as we lose weight. I am particularly sensitive to the whole problem of sagging skin on my face as I lose (The rest of my body can be helped out with shapewear and nicely fitted clothes for most situations.)

I am religious about skin care now - and use moisturizer every day, a firming night cream before bed, and do the vasoline under gloves thing on my hands several times a week. I try to do sunscreen every day. But the problem of sagging skin on my face is still an issue. Someone here at MFP turned me to youtube where a great old fitness guru from the 60's lives on in little clips, among them are face exercises. In desperation I tried some of them, and it is pretty surprising how well they are working to tone up my facial muscles which is really helping the appearance of the skin on my face. Check it out - there are 30 days worth of little face workouts just a couple of minutes per clip. I do the exercises when I'm alone in the bathroom a couple of times through the day. Nobody sees me do them, but I have had SO MANY people tell me I'm looking younger.

Day 1 of 30: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isLJ024EdMA

withervein

Full disclosure: I sell skin care products for a company that is relatively new and not in all areas. Send me a message if you would like their website as I know advertising is a no-no.

To keep your skin looking youthful you need to make sure it is well moistureized. Check the ingredients of your skin care products. You should avoid things that say Sodium Laureth Sulfate (over drying) alcohols, waxes, and mineral oil (attract dirt and toxins).

Wash, use toner and moisturize twice daily for your face. Apply your moisturizer with a bit of water to help bring moisture in. I could list several more general tips, but Im sure there are a lot of others who will have listed theirs by the time I post.

Personal Story: I'm not worried about anti-aging yet, but I used Clinique but found it was too harsh for my skin causing it to overproduce oil and dry out at the same time and that gave me horrible blemishes. So I started using what I now sell and its very gentle. My mother lost a ton of weight and her skin was very much sagging around her temples and jawline, and she has used a lot of the anti-aging serums and loves them. Again, I would recommend it by name, but I don't want to break any Terms of Use.

it_be_asin

Eating sufficient fat makes a difference to my skin - it seems to dry out if my fat intake gets down to 20%. 25-30% fat makes my skin far smoother.

And the most important skin care product is sunscreen! It's also the best anti-aging product.

ruggedBear

Wow! Great ideas ladies! I am fortunate not to have any issues with my face yet (we shall see what the next few months bring! ) But man - two kids (both emergency C-sections) and another abdominal surgery have done a number on the 'ole kangaroo pouch area - there's probably no miracle solution for that and I am thankful for Spanx! Upper thighs and arms seem very wrinkly to me now too. I'm a big fan of pure Shea Butter (The kind that comes in a tin like shoe polish! - I'm addicted to it since I live in the Great North Woods and winter is super harsh on skin).

I've heard about the cocoa butter - does anyone know if shea butter is equally as beneficial? Water, water and more water, huh? Like I don't pee enough!!! :drinker:

Maggie_Pie1

For my face - I use a mostly clinique products, but I try and keep my skin on my toes by using bio-oil on my face once or twice a week before I go to bed.

For the rest of my body, I use bio-oil, coconut oil, and body shop products - I just alternate as I see fit. Usually at night before I go to bed, I use the more 'oily' products (bio-oil and coconut oil), and during the day I use the more 'smells good' products (body shop).

Internally, I take vitamins for hair/skin/nails that I get from GNC, and I drink a ton of fluids. I drink about 3-4 liters of water a day, and on top of that I'll usually have a couple cans of diet soda (no lectures, please).

Lanna74

Cocoa butter and coconut oil are not one and the same. Type 'coconut oil benefits' into google and you'll get an idea of the benefits. Obviously not everything you read on the internet is true, but there are benefits to using it. I've used it all this week on my dry skin and it's so moisturized and smooth feeling that I will probably not even purchase lotion anymore.

Since it is an oil (looks and feels like Crisco! Lol) it sounds like something you wouldn't want to put on your face or hair but it soaks into your skin and just makes it nice. You'll see! Try some. I got mine at the grocery store for $7.

Oh, yeah, and lots of H2O!

Best of luck!

MzBug

EVO. It is the closest in chemical make up to the natural oils in your skin and scalp. After showering, before you dry off smooth a bit where you need it and pat dry. Yes you have to wash your towels in hot water after every shower. You can also use it as a hot oil treatment on your hair, or mix a couple egg yolks in some to make a hair mask if you have really dry hair. If you have cracked heels smooth some EVO on, lightly wrap your feet in saran wrap and put some socks on overnight. I use an olive oil based bar soap that leaves me clean and not dried out, even on my face. I like to do the foot thing after getting a pedi.

Lanna74

Let me stress VIRGIN coconut oil and in moderation. NOT refined coconut oil.

What is EVO?

ruggedBear

EVO (aka EVOO): Extra Virgin Olive Oil - which I always have on hand!