My beauty battle started one regular morning when I looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe the reflection staring back at me. What the hell happened to my face? Suddenly, there were fine lines, sunspots, and a mysterious chin hair that seemed to appear out of absolutely nowhere.
Fast forward five years— I’ve interrogated my dermatologist, each and every friend with good skin, and every single makeup artist I have worked with since that fateful day. I’ll admit one of the best career perks of being a fashion stylist is that I am surrounded by the best makeup artists in the biz. Since I got serious about my skin, I have shamelessly pestered every single one of them for skincare advice, ingredient recommendations, and product suggestions every chance I get. (Thank you for your generosity and patience— you know who you are!)
Armed with the insider info I’ve gathered from the pros and my doctor, plus everything I’ve learned from all the products I’ve tested over the years (sorry, bank account), I’ve become very selective about what I put on my skin. That’s exactly why I keep coming back to Credo Beauty.
Credo Beauty is my go-to for skincare because I don’t have to second-guess what’s in the products I’m buying. Their clean beauty standards include vetting ingredients, prioritizing safer formulas, and setting requirements for sustainability and ethical practices. I appreciate knowing they’ve already done so much of the homework for me, especially when the beauty world can feel completely overwhelming.
Whenever I make it into a Credo Beauty store, I happily test every lotion and potion the associates recommend, and somehow I always manage to convince myself that I absolutely need just one more thing. There are a few tried-and-true products that have earned a permanent spot in my cart and routine. These VIPs make my skin feel amazing, smell incredible, and, most importantly, have helped me feel a little more confident every time I catch my reflection— even if that sneaky chin hair keeps trying to steal the spotlight.
5 Clean Skincare Favorites for Fine Lines and Dry Skin
Best Nourishing Moisturizer for Women 40+
Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream
Wow, Ursa Major has made the most hydrating cream I have ever used, and it doesn’t weigh my skin down. It’s actually so lightweight that even though I originally bought it as a night cream, I now use it every morning and night. It even stands up to East Coast weather all year, from sweaty summer heat to frigid, dry winter. Packed with antioxidants, all the omega oils (3,6,7, and 9), and my personal favorite skincare ingredient, calendula. I can actually feel my skin drinking in the nourishing, hydrating benefits of the Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream when I slather it on. The color and light scent are just right for a woman in her 40s who can’t stand excess in skincare.
Best Eye Cream for Tired, Puffy Eyes
Sahajan’s Radiance Eye Cream
I am officially obsessed with Sahajan’s Radiance Eye Cream. Not only does this cream feel like the softest cashmere for my perpetually tired under-eyes, but this stuff really works to reduce puffiness like no other product I’ve tried. The tube has a long, narrow applicator that makes it incredibly easy to dispense the tiniest drops in exactly the right places, under my eyes and around my crow’s feet. No need to fight a pump dispenser that inevitably squirts out way too much product or launches it across the bathroom sink (which startles me every time, even though it happens more often than I want to admit). The ancient Ayurvedic ingredients are gentle enough to use on the entire eye. Yup, go ahead and dab this on those delicate eye-lids which so many other eye creams tell you to avoid.
Pro tip: I even use it to fight fine lines on my upper lip.
Best Serum for Fine Lines After 40
Goldfaden MD Needle-less Line Smoothing Concentrate
The Needle-less Line Smoothing Concentrate from Goldfaden MD was a real splurge for me, and all I can say is: totally worth it! Every time I use it, I’m reminded why I talked myself into spending the money. I’ll admit that I’m not alwasy consistent about using it, but when I do, my fine lines instantly look smoother adn my skin feels plumper. The real magic, though, happens over time. The hyaluronic acid is the workhorse here, smoothing fine lines, making deep lines look less severe, and firming up this 47 year old skin. I can feel it working to smooth and lock in moisture the minute I apply it to my forehead, upper lip and crow’s feet.
Best Hydrating Lip Balm for Fuller Lips
Kosas LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm
My fashion girl mom bestie Aliya gave me this for Christmas a few years ago, and I have never looked back. I have a tube of Kosas LipFuel Hyaluronic Lip Balm in almost every room an go-to handbag. (Wait, does this make me a lip balm hoarder?) Yes, it does all the plumping, nourishing and hydrating things our lips need. But the slim oval tube is what really sold me. First of all, the slim tube slips easily in and out of my jeans pockets (no more broken nails trying to retrieve my lip balm). I am not sure how we ended up with these large round tubes of lip balm where one swipe covers everything from our top lip to our nose. The oval shape is perfection! It’s like using the right paintbrush for the job— once you find the right shape, you wonder how you ever used anything else. And regardless if I swipe on the sheer baseline or a soft color (Pulse is my current go-to), my lips feel soft and plump with a nice minty tingle.
Pro Tip: The adorable packaging makes this a great gift for teens and adults, thanks again Aliya!
Best Daily Mineral Sunscreen That Doesn’t Leave a White Cast
UTU SPF30 Daily Moisturizing Face Sunscreen
You got me: I hate putting sunscreen on my face. It never feels good, and by the end of the day, my eyes are always stinging because I’ve been sweating or have inevitably rubbed them. But now, I actually like finishing off my morning skincare routine with the UTU SPF30 Daily Moisturizing Face Sunscreen. I’ll admit, I layer this over my Golden Hour Recovery Cream (my skin has been that dry lately) but the UTU SPF Moisturizer is formulated with all the heavy hitters to double as a standalone moisturizer. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, squalane, plus vitamins C and E. But most notably, this is one of the first mineral sunscreens I have used that doesn’t leave behind that chalky white zinc oxide residue.
Shopping for Clean Skincare Over 40
After all the testing, questioning, and research, these are the products that I trust my face with. They’ve earned their spot in my routine, survived my insanely picky skincare standards, and convinced me that cleaner beauty products can actually deliver for over 40 skin. While they may not be able to stop the occasional surprise chin hair from making an appearance, they have helped my skin feel its best through this new chapter. Maybe it’s time to add a new pair of tweezers to my next Credo Beauty order.
