I'm 44. I've been pretty good about skin care since I was 30 and always use sunscreen and eat lots of fruit and veggies and drink water, which I still think are the most important things.

I finally found a way to do a little more without upsetting my sensitive skin and causing red bumps and without costing a fortune. In France, it is common to go to the beauty shop to have special treatments every month but that is way out of my price range. Last week I read one of the skin care experts talking about what you could do at home and I got up and tried it immediately and loved the results. And it is simple. Use what you already have at home. I dug out magazine samples, hotel samples and what I regularly use and had everything I needed.

This is for your face and neck, never neglect your neck, it can really show the stress and age.

Method for clean, very moistuized skin that didn't make me break out becuase it was too aggressive:

1. put hair back with a band. Wash face and neck well, not aggressively. I used one wipe, then washed with Cetaphil, THE BEST PRODUCT EVER, and wiped off with a wet washcloth.

2. Use a serum, let soak in for 2 minutes. This stuff can be more expensive but you don't at all need the fancy brands, and you use a tiny amount so it goes a long way. Great stuff though, super concentrated and makes a difference.

3. Use a moisturizing mask, let sit 15 minutes or so, mine wiped off with a damp washcloth. I had an inexpensive one and it worked just fine.

4. Rinse face with water and pat dry.

5. Apply moisturizer lightly. I avoided my chin, a trouble spot that has plenty of oil already but did the rest of my face and neck.

Total, about 20 minutes that I ran around cleaning btween steps.

Fantatstic results. Much softer, smoother skin, no breakouts, no blotches. People at work have been commenting. I can see the difference in two weeks.

I have done this twice a week for two weeks. I don't think more would be helpful for me. Remember to be gentle with all of the steps.