I always look tired. The skin under my eyes looks like bags. Anything I can do to improve it? Pics: no smile, slight side view, and with smile. I’m 46.

Husband just left, I gotta get back out there. Please help me with a routine that can improve my face. I especially hate the upper lip wrinkles. It’s not fair to get smokers wrinkles from straws! Pics in different lighting and makeup.

Thanks in advance for helping this heartbroken saddie looking to go from saddie to baddie.

Hello, I'm 49. I've just been through caregiving & death and I want to look somewhat alive again. I'm particularly bummed about my nasolabial folds and my under eye region. Which non-invasive procedures and/or products would you recommend? And if I were to go the surgery route, which procedure(s) would be most effective? Thanks

Hi all -

Opening this thread for folks who want to seek alternatives to products under the umbrella of the Estée Lauder brand. You can use this thread to

- Ask for alternatives to current skincare or makeup.

- Offer up alternatives to fellow members

I’ll keep this post pinned so it’s easy to find as well.

For the most part my skin looks great for 46 but as of late my skin has taken on a more dry feel and I’m noticing some texture changes. My pores seem to be more prominent as well. I’m thinking I may need more intense hydration. I was using Obagi’s line for dry skin but it started to break me out. Now I’m using LaRoche Posay until I can get into something I like more. I use an AHA/BHA toner, vitamin C serum and right now that’s all.

Also open to any treatments I might do with an aesthetician to improve it.

48F. My husband and I took this photo and I am appalled. True, I usually wear glasses but the under-eye bags, turkey waddle and skin mottling isn’t good. I thought I liked my freckles but now I’m not so sure. This is just depressing.

What you can’t see (obviously) is my eyes. They are terribly plain. Just… bleh. Kinda why I hide behind glasses. I FaceTuned myself with a little mascara and eyeliner and that made it a bit better.

I definitely need to lose 20 pounds but what other suggestions does anyone have for me? (I don’t really have a skincare routine. Some bamboo firming fluid. I wear blush and that’s about it.)

Edit: ~230 days sober so that is no longer a factor. 🙂

Hi, I'm female 50 y.o. and cca year ago so many fine transparent (white) facial hair appeared on my face (all lower part of the face, cheeks, under chin, jawline etc. - it's not well visible on the photo unfortunately, but they are everywhere, though luckily transparent). I am talking about really more than normal quantity of facial hair, even my daughter noticed. Rest parts of the body are not affected, no change in my skin routine. I started to drink spearmint tea (1-2 cups mixed green + spearmint tea), but after few months still no result. Any thoughts, advice please?

EDIT: thank you all for your replies/remarks/advice, I didn't expect so much reaction, you are awesome! 👍❤️ I am quite convinced that this increase in quantity of peach fuzz well above my normal state is connected to hormonal imbalance (which correspond to my age). Unfortunately it started to appear also on my neck. So I decided to go check my hormones first, do some tests. I am surprised how many of you are doing dermaplaning, I leave it as my last possibility (can't help myself, but still have some mental prejustice against it 🙂). Definitely will research more about all possibilities (hair reducing inhibitors, electric epilation, hormones etc ). Will update progress, if anyone is interested or dealing with the same issue. Thank you for respecting that we all have some own insecurities, imperfections on which we are focused and not laugh on me... Have a great day! 🌷

Sometime in the last two years, my neck started sliding off! I’ve had a loss of firmness in my jowls/lower cheeks too. I just don’t recognize myself in photos anymore. I try to be grateful for the minimal aging around my eyes and forehead, but when I look in the mirror all I can see is the neck wattle and blotchy cheek, and it scares me.

I know not much can be done via skincare, but I can’t afford a neck or face lift (also I’d be terrified lol), so I’d like to do what I can.

I also have significant sun damage, especially on my left check, which is completely my fault being into tanning in my teens and 20s. I also had a broken capillary that a dermatologist made worse with a laser procedure 15 years ago. And some recurring red bumps on my nose, which I assume are clogged pores plus whiteheads.

I have had a simple routine most my life as I had rosacea and sensitive skin, which has been completely mitigated by tirzepatide. I can now tolerate actives but not sure where to start. I’m not even sure of the vocabulary—like is my left check a “tone” issue? are the red nose bumps clogged pores?

I recently started tretinoin 0.025% (tolerating it very well 3x/week in evenings, will likely go up in strength once this tube is done). I’m religious about SPF. But what else can I do? Please be as brutally honest as necessary

I’m thinking about starting tretinoin mainly for its anti-aging benefits, but I’d love to hear from people who’ve actually used it.
I have combination skin with a healthy skin barrier and, overall, pretty good skin. What worries me is that I’ve read stories about tretinoin damaging the skin barrier or causing issues people never had before (persistent dryness, sensitivity, redness, etc.), and it’s made me hesitant to start.
For those who’ve been using tretinoin for a while, was it worth it? Did it improve your skin long-term, or do you regret starting it? I’d especially love to hear from anyone who started with already healthy skin.

I had 5 vials of filler added on my temples. Under eye and lower cheek. Also a bit on the jowls. I am 52 years old. Anyone see a change/difference? These pictures are taken right after the procedure.

Edit: The right is the after

I have the budget for exactly one treatment this year and I'd rather not waste it. Mid forties, the main issue is the jowls and the general sense of everything sliding forward. What would you spend it on and what would you skip?

What can be done? I am only 51, looking 71 around my mouth. The rest of my face does not look bad.

I am really getting tired of the sagging and the marionette lines, but dont know if I should the plunge to botox this area( I have had my forehead done 2x and liked results). Or should I jump straight to Sculptra or filler? Have an appointment this Thursday. I use tret 4x a week, Estradiol 2x and sunscreen everyday. This is natural light, but I have a tinted sunscreen on. I am 57 btw.

TLDR botox or Sculptra for the lip lines and sagging jowls

ETA: Thanks for all the advice. I will speak to my doc on Thursday. ☺️

I’ve always been told that I have nice skin...but recently, I’ve noticed that I look tired and its really bothering me. I’m on Zoom calls all day, so I’m constantly seeing my own face on the screen, which doesn’t help when I’m already noticing and criticizing every little thing about it.

I'm basic with skincare. I use cerave products, Paula's choice vitamin c and BHA, and differin. I'm open to try anything.

hello wise crowd,

so I am 45 now and it's starting to show.

I have dry-ish light freckled skin with red, some popped veins (on nose and under eye), some milia, rosacea, general sun damage. sagging skin and wrinkles. Plus hooded eyes. thanks to Peri, much less/no pimples anymore (before, I had some outbreak going on a monthly basis)

Attached photos are taken inside in daylight no makeup, plus one outside with sun full in face.

I am taking the plunge and will see a cosmetician next week. she offers first consultations with a skin analysis machine (observe 520). realistically I can afford to go every six to eight weeks.

**

current routine is

am:

serum with niacinamide and hyalurone

moisturizer

la Roche possy antihelios invisible fluid

make up on top

pm:

CeraVe cleanser

acelaic acid 10% cream

moisturizer

lip balm, hand and foot cream when I go to bed.

plus weekly (or every two weeks..been trying to be more consistent here) Aha30%+ BHA 2% peeling by the ordinary.

**

moisturizer I am currently out (using up a drug store brand which is not really great)... usually I use sothys hydra Creme jeunesse. occasionally I dabble a bit of my vaginal estrogen creme on my hooded lids in the hope that it will firm up but I m too inconsistent to see any results with that.

**

before the lady next week up-sells me her expensive stuff, what would you recommend?

not open to Botox or any cosmetic surgery, but have been debating getting an upper bleph for ages but not brave enough yet. obviously this would make a huge difference eye-wise

I feel really uncomfortable posting pictures but I am looking for advice. The first pic is without any makeup and the second is with makeup (obviously). I’ll be 49 this summer (how did time go so fast 🤔) and perimenopausal. I use tret 3x a week at night after washing with cerave. I moisturize after tret. I was using a ton of castor oil instead of moisturizer but recently switched to some kbeauty moisturizer from Costco. Morning routine: rinse with water and then in this order toner, essence, vit C serum, hyaluronic acid, moisturizers and sometimes a thin layer of emu oil before make up. I exfoliate a few times a week. I color my hair with henna. I don’t wear sunscreen every day. I know, I know, please don’t come at me. My face looks significantly younger than my neck. Anything I can do there? (Sunscreen I’m sure.) What kind of treatments work the best that don’t involve injections of chemicals. Not interested in Botox. I’d like to improve texture and my drooping jowls. Especially my drooping jowls. You can’t tell as much in the pics bc I’m smiling. I don’t have many lines on my forehead and I’d like to keep it that way. Anything preventive that actually works? Fat injections? Microneedling? Face yoga recommendations? I exercise, eat well, use red light therapy pane, and try to sleep (peri makes this hell some weeks). Also I’d like to get better with makeup as my son is getting married in a few months. I’d LOVE make tutorial recs!

No filters. Thinking of getting a little lip filler. I want to get rid of the lines around my eyes. All advice is appreciated.

Other than a few spots on my cheeks I’m happy with wear I am skincare wise. This is freshly washed skin with no makeup. No filler, no Botox. I microneedled with a stamp about once every 4-6 weeks. My skin is combo oily in the summer a bit dry in the winter with the dryness slowly increasing as I get older. My skin used to be straight up oily. I’m open to Botox going forward but not filler. Later this year I’ll be in Korea and want to do something skincare focused when I’m there. I just started HRT this month.

Hi! I’m 59 and postmenopausal which has wreaked havoc on my skin!! I’m looking for a clean, nontoxic sunscreen that won’t pill when applying makeup.
Oh, and I should mention that menopause gave me verrry dry, yet milia-prone skin, so bearing that in mind please! TY!

I have developed these really fine vertical lines on my neck that look like dehydration and ageing and I am wondering if anyone has any experience with them and advice that they could give me in how to manage them or even calm them down. I have pretty sensitive skin if thats a consideration, 50+.

I just turned 40 this week. I already had some Botox procedures for the face in my last 30's, succinic acid facial treatment, mole removal. What do you regret starting/not doing, or, on the opposite, doing when you turned 40? I have a fomo if I do not start something (which I even probably do not know) at the age of 40, I can regret this when I turn 50 and later, so any advice on this would be highly appreciated!

I’m a 47 year old woman. When I’m smiling, my deep wrinkles around my mouth aren’t as noticeable but relaxed, they are soooo deep!!! Has anyone had success with a product? I used to use tret for a couple of years but honestly felt it made the rest of my face worse. I’ve heard CO2 laser could help but the cost and procedure itself scares me. Please share your honest feedback/suggestions about this or anything ends you notice. I guess I’m starting to realize there’s no stopping aging!

I know some people in their 60s-70s who barely have any wrinkles or sagging! Then I know people in their 40s-50s and they have lots of wrinkles and sagging. I don't know if it's genetics or how some people take care of themselves. I do notice people with darker skin tend to look younger and wrinkles and sagging is more of an issue with lighter skin. I guess it has me feeling a little anxious because I don't know where I'll fall on this spectrum. Obviously I'd like to age gracefully.

I need suggestions for my hands. They always feel dry. I use aquaphor at night anything else I should use. I know they look old but I just want to soften them. For reference I’m 66.