I'm A Beauty Editor In My 40s With Zero Botox Or Filler, And I Reduced My Entire Beauty Routine To These 7 Products.
And I’ve never looked younger. Ok I looked younger when I was an actually younger but you know what I mean.
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by Audie Metcalf
The older I get, the less I use. This felt so backwards for so long, but I realized when I wore too many layers and the same amount of makeup I wore in my 30s, I look older.
Let’s look at a before and after shall we? Here I am before I had this “less is more” epiphany:
And here I am after focusing on my skin and wearing very little makeup:
I’m happy with that for someone who turns 50 in 4 months with zero Botox or filler! I’m DEFINITELY getting an upper bleph this year, and I’ll keep you posted on that, but I have a few holy grails that I condensed for my daily skincare and makeup routine and of course you know one of them already (the oil we write about constantly), so I pitched this idea to the team at Furtuna (guys, we need to make a living here) and they loved it. So yes, this is spon con, but we only work with brands I personally try and love and use and repurchase with my own money. Otherwise it doesn’t make any sense.
So here’s my newly edited routine in the morning that focuses on gorgeous skin, minimal coverage, and looking as pretty as humanly possible.
1. Furtuna Skin Face & Eye Serum
Even though we’ve worked with Furtuna for a few years, I was so obsessed with their oil I sort of never explored anything else with real gusto. But recently I started using this face/eye serum and stopped using all my other serums. I have reactive, sensitive skin, huge pores, lots of texture that makeup clings to, I’m starting to get crows feet, oh and I’m combination skin WITH immense dehydration so … my skin has issues. Since using this serum, none of those things are things I notice anymore. And my skin looks much brighter overall, so I stopped using my vitamin C and just use this now. I was just telling my friend, I’m not sure I even believe in separate eye creams, but I believe in this. I have supremely sensitive eyes that always turn red, and I can use this on my lids and right under my eyes, and my skin drinks it right up—and it’s ophthalmologist tested. Hyaluronic acid creates that ultra hydrated and almost plumped up skin, and it really helps to de-puff in the morning. I’m irritated I only just started to use this this year because I love a two-in-one product, and I also just love things that do what they say they’ll do. Here’s another before and after so you can see how hugely important and transformative glowing skin can be:
Use the code CANDIDLY to get 20% off.
Price: Starts at $105
2. Furtuna Skin Biphase Moisturizing Oil
You knew this was coming. I discovered this oil a few years ago and I haven’t strayed. I give this glowing, little bottle as a gift to every woman in my life, and every woman in my life loves me more because it’s changed her skin. Here’s the caveat: you have to really shake it vigorously for the olive oil and olive leaf extract to work. When I first used it, my skin was so immediately soft and hydrated (never greasy) that I looked into why this was so different than anything I’d used before—skin needs the water phase to absorb the oil, so the water deeply hydrates while the oil deeply nourishes and protects. I shake it like a Polaroid picture, do one dropper full in my palm, press it all over my face, neck, and chest, every morning, every evening, and my skin is unbelievably glowy all day. I don’t use any moisturizer anymore because this is enough.
And just dabbing it on my chest made my chest lines vanish:
Left: Chest lines using only moisturizer
Right: 5 weeks later using only biphase oil* that remained on my hands after applying to my face (gifted)
Use the code CANDIDLY to get 20% off.
Price: Starting at $125
3. CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Sheer Tint SPF 30
We all MUST wear spf all year round or we will become craggy—this one has a gorgeous, serumy tint that melts into the two skincare products* underneath it, and I just look like I have perfect, juicy skin. And it’s cheap! If I don’t wear the two Furtuna products under it though, I notice a big difference. Skin prep is literally KEY for any makeup you put on your skin after it—and I love that I’ve figured out a skincare regimen of only two products. (Ok, I wash my face in the morning and use THIS which is also cheap).
Price: $17
4. Vieve Icon Mascara
I grew up with a playboy bunny as a mother and while her bunnying days were behind her by the time I came along, her wildly long lashes remained. To this day, I think if I had to toss every single scrap of makeup in my collection except for one, I’d keep mascara. It’s so brightening and youth-giving, and it’s 15,000 times more important than eyeliner. See my before and after photos above for a reminder of this fact. And this mascara is THE most unbelievable mascara I have ever used in my entire life. One coat creates gorgeously long, fluttery lashes. See HERE for proof or just trust me.
Price: $29
5. Jones Road Miracle Balm
This product is extremely divisive—some women say they hate that it’s a little tacky on the skin, others count it as their favorite blush of all time. I’m in the latter camp. The tiniest bit of this tapped onto cheekbones on top of the juicy skincare below creates an almost ethereal glow.
Price: $38
6. Merit Signature Lip Liner in Bespoke
I discovered this lip liner in this specific color last year and when we wrote about it, it sold out for six months. Am I saying we were the reason? A girl can dream! I bought six to have as backups just in case. I have been putting makeup on my face for a lot of years now, and I have never, NEVER experienced a lip liner so sheer and natural yet so astonishingly effective at making my lips look bigger in a natural way. The color is “bespoke” and it is perfect.
Price: $24
7. Furtuna Skin Olive Lip Butter Balm
I know it seems unlikely that with all the lip products in all the land I’m also using this brand’s lip balm when this is a partnership, but I promise I do. It’s so buttery and luscious and yet, it lasts on the lips forever (but isn’t at all sticky), so I just do the liner above for some shape and subtle color, and then I smear this on. My lips look fuller from the liner but never harsh. I think a soft color on the lips is just more youthy—unless you’re one of those unicorns who looks great in a red lip. Then you should definitely do a red lip.
Use the code CANDIDLY to get 20% off.
Price: $45
Bonus: bits and bobs
I didn’t include these in the main bag list because if I wrote “the 15 things I use in my makeup bag” it wouldn’t seem pared down. But I swear it is. These are just the extra things everyone always has rattling around in their beauty bags, I’m just showing you mine. Because I believe them to be perfect.
I love these eye drops*.
My signature scent*—I prefer the rollerball.
The best brow gel* in the game.
A chubby pencil concealer stick* so I can spot conceal any blemish or use it next to the tear duct to brighten. (Don’t sneer your under eyes with concealer—it’s so aging.)
The best tweezers* for when I find errant chin hairs in the car.
The best eyelash curler* esp for hooded eyes.
If I use powder, I prefer using it with this puff*. So much more natural.
The only powder I’ve ever tried* that doesn’t make me look like a crypt keeper.
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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