I’m A 48-Year-Old Beauty Editor And I Only Use These 3 Products Every Morning For The Glowiest Skin Of My Life
For me, more is usually more. But in the case of my aging skin, it’s not.
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by Audie Metcalf
Are you sick of me writing about my ever-shrinking skincare routine? I certainly am. But I feel like the more I narrow things down, the better my skin looks. And at 48, I have an obligation to share that with all of you.
Also it’s my job. So.
And in the endless sea of NEW! AGE-REVERSING! WRINKLE-BANISHING! And all those other alluring marketing terms, it’s so easy to get sucked into buying yet another dumb product that we use 7 times, notice exactly zero change in our skin, and promptly abandon. And I have tried so, so, so many of these products, that I actually noticed my skin looks best when I’m using the absolute most minimal routine possible.
Keep in mind that I have semi-combination skin which means a shiny t-zone in the afternoon but otherwise lots of dehydration and dryness. Also cavernous pores, lots of texture, some fine lines emerging, and overall dullness. So if you feel like any of that feels similar to your skin issues, allow me introduce you to the 3 products I’ve whittled my routine down to, even with a veritable ocean of products clattering around in my bathroom as we speak. Let’s begin.
1. iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+
When I tell you I’ve tried a lot of vitamin C serums, I’m actually embarrassed to say the actual number. Don’t make me tell you. Fine, it’s over 50. Don’t laugh at me, it’s sort of my job. And we actually wrote a lot about this one and I used it for years. That is … until I discovered this one from iS Clinical. So first of all, if you’re over 40, vitamin C is a total non-negotiable. I myself didn't even know this until we wrote THIS article. So now I don’t go a day without it in the morning, and my skin has never been brighter or better. My texture is notably better when I use it daily, my lines look softened, and my overall skin texture is much smoother. My issue with all my previous vitamin C experiences is that they can be very sticky and very, well, grotesque smelling. Akin to a steaming hot day in NYC on trash day, if you can picture that. But this one is so light, so lovely, so not disgusting smelling, I actively look forward to pressing it onto my skin each morning.
Price: $99
* Gifted product
2. Furtuna Skin Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil
Yes. If you have read this site at all you probably could have guessed this one. And I know it seems counterintuitive to use an oil as someone who creates oil every day at 2 pm like clockwork, but for some reason the consistency of this one just hydrates the bejesus out of my skin, but never, ever makes it greasy. Something about the biphase? It’s half oil half water after all. I don’t know what it is, I just know that nothing has ever given me such glowy skin without creating any shine. I also use it at night and I never break out (which I often do with thick night creams) and my skin always wakes up with a gorgeous, balanced dewy, glow. It’s completely replaced moisturizer for me. If you are truly, truly dry, you may want to layer a thicker moisturizer on too on top of this, but if your skin sounds at all like mine, try this as a replacement to your moisturizer. Honestly. I’ll never look back. Maybe when I’m 87 and my skin is finally a flake, but maybe not even then.
And you can use our code CANDIDLY to get 20% off.
Price: $125
* Gifted product
3. iS Clinical Eclipse SPF 50+ PerfecTint
This SPF is so stunning, it’s all I use in the spring and summer for any sort of tint. It has a lovely glow, and because I was scared straight by THIS article we wrote, I never, ever go without SPF now. Once it’s fall/winter and I’m pasty, I use THIS on my cheeks and chin and forehead for some color and coverage, but this SPF is enough to create an almost skin tint-like finish on its own. I throw on THIS bronzer over it, and every line feels softened, every pore feels blurred.
Price: $52
* Gifted product
BONUS: iS Clinical Active Serum
I decided to tell you what I use at night, too, because it’s literally just this. I know this article feels sponsored by iS Clinical but I swear it’s not. I WISH it were. We have written breathlessly about this serum before in many other articles, but I truly have never experienced a night product that helps to keep oil/pores/hormonal acne at bay, while also deeply hydrating and getting rid of wrinkles and lines. It’s also a miracle for hyperpigmentation and redness. I’ll press on the above oil in the fall/winter, but in the spring/summer, just this is the ONLY evening product I use. And it’s better than when I had a 14-step routine. I swear it to be true.
Price: $92
* Gifted product
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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