What are we supposed to look like at any given age? Over the past year, we’ve seen this question appear repeatedly online and in our own group chats—and we certainly hear it in our heads as we look in the mirror. With the beauty industry bigger than it's ever been (it was valued at nearly $430 billion globally in 2022), it's no wonder we're all confused. It’s also impossible to overstate the massive role social media plays in all of this. TikTok and Instagram have made us captive consumers of others’ faces (which may be altered by subtle and highly effective filters). So in the interest of transparency, we asked a group of 52-year-olds to tell us exactly which cosmetic procedures they've had done, how much money they spend on their skin per year, and the details of their skin care routines.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 Hi, I'm Jean and I'm 52 years old.
00:02 I'm 52 years old.
00:04 I am 52 years old.
00:05 I'm 52 years old.
00:07 I'm 52 years old.
00:09 We're not wearing any makeup.
00:11 We're going to share our skincare routines
00:13 and what cosmetic procedures we've had done.
00:27 Okay, so I've had Botox on my forehead,
00:31 my 11s, my crow's feet.
00:33 I just recently got fillers for the very first time
00:36 on my nasolabial.
00:38 The only thing I have had done was permanent eyeliner
00:41 on my upper eyelids.
00:42 I've not had any cosmetic procedures.
00:45 The only work I have done is two dental implants.
00:47 I have done no cosmetic procedures.
00:50 I've had everything done, honey.
00:54 I've done Fraxel, I've done Tixel.
00:57 I love peels, all kinds of peels.
01:00 A little hyaluronic acid, just a zhuzh here and here, there.
01:05 Little bit of what my dermatologist calls BB Botox.
01:10 Just a drop right there, right there.
01:12 That's it, nothing crazy.
01:14 So I've used Botox since I was about 35.
01:17 Only on my forehead, about twice a year I get it done.
01:20 I get Botox and Daxify twice a year.
01:22 In between my eyes, my forehead, and the crow's feet.
01:27 I've never had any cosmetic surgery
01:29 and I don't get any injectables.
01:32 But I do have facials about every three months.
01:35 When I'm splurging, I get a Diamond Glow facial
01:39 because that one is very pricey.
01:41 So I've had one orchiectomy, three breast augmentations,
01:46 a facial feminization surgery times one,
01:51 which included a chin implant times two,
01:54 a rhinoplasty times three,
01:57 cheek implants times one and a half,
02:00 and forehead reconstruction.
02:03 I also had a tracheotomy.
02:07 I think I'm done.
02:08 What do I spend in a year on creams, potions,
02:13 lotions, and procedures?
02:15 In taking care of my youthful glow?
02:18 I've lost track.
02:19 And I'm a little bit embarrassed to say,
02:20 that I couldn't begin to add it up.
02:23 Totally have no idea what I spend,
02:26 but it's probably safe to say over five grand a year.
02:31 Gotta be less than $100.
02:32 Yeah, it's not a lot.
02:34 I don't spend too much money or time thinking about it.
02:37 Every year I spend about $2,500 on procedures
02:42 and about five, at least $500 on products.
02:45 I probably spend around $500 a year,
02:48 including the makeup that I use, which is not much.
02:52 Between three and $6,000.
02:54 $2,500.
02:56 $600 a year on skincare.
02:58 $7,000 to $8,000 on skincare per year.
03:01 One of my closest friends is a dermatologist,
03:03 so I don't have to pay for a lot of these services,
03:05 which would be a lot more money.
03:06 But I would estimate anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000.
03:09 You know, I don't use overly expensive products.
03:12 I focus on formulation over packaging and branding.
03:17 The products that I use really go a long way.
03:19 So I spend roughly $150 to $200 a year,
03:22 and that's really helpful.
03:24 Okay, so my morning skincare routine,
03:26 I've used the same cleanser for about 25 years.
03:29 I use Murad Anti-Acne Cleanser.
03:31 The other parts of my routine have changed
03:34 since I hit menopause.
03:35 So I use the La Mer Resurfacing Serum
03:38 and then the treatment lotion.
03:39 And then during the day I use the Mattifying Lotion.
03:41 And then I use Murad Mattifying Sunblock.
03:44 Part of the reason I credit my skin looking so good
03:47 is I use this Mattifying Sunblock for years.
03:49 This is beauty by breast cancer.
03:51 The way I started using La Mer
03:52 was someone in one of the groups,
03:54 I have radiation burns,
03:55 and they were like, "Oh, this really worked for me."
03:57 And so I'd never considered using a product that was $350.
04:01 But then when it worked on my skin, I was like,
04:04 "Oh."
04:05 At night, the only thing that changes in my routine
04:07 is that I use La Mer Soft Cream
04:09 instead of the Mattifying Lotion.
04:11 - In the morning I wash my face with really cold water
04:14 and I use Kiehl's Facial Fuel Face Wash.
04:16 In the evening I do the same,
04:18 but I also use a moisturizer with collagen in it
04:21 about three to five times a week.
04:23 - I use Minstler Water,
04:25 sometimes additionally Cleanser by La Roche-Posay
04:29 that cleanses and exfoliates and treats hyperpigmentation.
04:34 Then I use my face serum, eye serum,
04:39 and my face cream.
04:41 And sometimes I also, well, sometimes every day,
04:44 I add in tubes from my dermatologist, Retin-A,
04:48 but Retin-A usually at night,
04:49 Hydroquinone for dark spots.
04:52 And then I seal it all with a layer of sunscreen
04:57 topped with sunscreen powder.
04:59 Sometimes when I do have time,
05:01 I like to do whole facials, exfoliation, scrub,
05:05 mask, dermaflash.
05:07 Now you're gonna think I'm a little bit obsessive,
05:09 but at home I have spa equipment.
05:12 I have radio frequency, high frequency,
05:16 infrared, blue light, red light.
05:18 I can't resist a beauty gadget.
05:20 So anything that they're selling
05:22 that's gonna like smooth me out,
05:24 brighten me, tighten me, glow me out,
05:27 I buy it, that's the truth.
05:31 - Right now I'm using Neutrogena Gentle Cleanser.
05:34 After that I apply a moisturizer by Roque
05:37 that has SPF in it, so that's all in one.
05:40 Every once in a while I'll also add a little oil
05:42 to my face underneath the moisturizer.
05:44 At the end of the day, I make sure
05:45 that I'll use a makeup wipe,
05:47 and then I will cleanse my face once again
05:49 with that same cleanser.
05:50 Sometimes I'll add a little bit of a scrub
05:53 to really get deep in it.
05:54 Once everything's done, then I'll add a moisturizer again,
05:57 a nighttime moisturizer.
05:58 It just really helps to keep my skin moisturized
06:01 when I'm about to go to sleep.
06:02 - So in the morning I use a Japanese cleansing oil
06:05 on my dry skin.
06:06 I put moisturizer on my face,
06:08 and I use Sonia Rosselli called Water Balm.
06:10 Sometimes I alternate that with just CeraVe,
06:13 and then my foundation or the moisturizer
06:17 has sunscreen in it.
06:18 In the evening I use the same Japanese cleansing oil
06:21 by Sonia Rosselli, and then use a really nice,
06:23 thick moisturizer by ISDIN,
06:26 and I also use their NET Cream,
06:28 'cause I'm trying to keep everything balanced.
06:30 - I use CeraVe Foam 2 Cream Cleanser in the morning,
06:34 followed by a Juwara Tamarind Tea Toner,
06:38 and then afterwards I use a Vitamin C Serum from Vichy,
06:41 and then after that, Bare Minerals Tinted Moisturizer
06:45 with SPF 30, and then I add additional SPF
06:48 from La Roche-Posay.
06:49 Nighttime, if I have makeup on,
06:51 I remove the makeup with Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm,
06:56 then followed by the CeraVe Foam 2 Cream Cleanser,
07:00 and after that I use various retinols.
07:02 I just have a whole bunch of them,
07:04 followed by a thicker moisturizer,
07:06 and I also have several different moisturizers that I use.
07:09 - I use the whole Revitalift Skin Care Treatment by L'Oreal.
07:14 I use their Exfoliation Cream, their Soap,
07:17 their Wrinkle Cream, I apply that to my forehead
07:21 and to my crow's feet, and then I apply the moisturizer
07:25 that I use every single day, and then if I choose,
07:28 I wear makeup and I go about my day.
07:32 In the evening, I use the same Revitalift system.
07:35 When I wake up in the morning,
07:37 I typically wash my face in the shower
07:40 with a Neutrogena face wash,
07:42 and then I apply either a moisturizer
07:45 or a tinted moisturizer.
07:47 So at night, I add a Neutrogena toner,
07:51 and then my nighttime cream is
07:54 Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Cream.
07:57 - My morning skin care routine
07:58 is to splash my face with water,
08:00 and then I wash with Eucerin Hyaluronic Acid
08:04 Jelly Facial Wash.
08:07 I put on a SkinCeuticals toner, a ROC moisturizer,
08:12 a Neutrogena eye cream, and a Burt's Bees Lip Pomade.
08:17 At night, I wash with Pureology Creamy Cleanser.
08:22 Then I put on TNS serum, Gold Bond Retinol moisturizer
08:27 to my face and my chest, a PCA eye cream,
08:32 and a Neutrogena Sleep Mask Lip Mask.
08:37 - When I first wake up to start the day,
08:38 I wash with ordinary soap and warm water,
08:41 and occasionally, we'll use an exfoliator.
08:44 At night, I never forget to use
08:45 a really rich, thick moisturizer, Slather My Face On,
08:48 Olay Night Moisturizing Cream,
08:50 or Queen Helene Cocoa Butter, but it's essential.
08:53 Don't go to bed without your moisturizer.
08:56 (gentle music)
08:58 (gentle music)
09:01 [BLANK_AUDIO]