The Sought-After Facialist Celebs Love Told Me Her Top Tips for 40-and-Over Skin

When I say that I’ve never had a positive skincare journey quite like the one I’ve had ever since I turned 40, I’m not exaggerating. During my teenage years, and even in my 20s, I had some pretty tough moments dealing with acne. (I’ll never forget the giant cystic zit I had on my nose on Freshman year picture day.) But after decades of only being half-serious about my skincare, finally, I have put in the work to make sure my complexion is at its best. Now, I am absolutely privileged, as I’d never be able to test the amount of products I do if I weren’t a beauty editor. I am extremely lucky and will never forget it! 

Another privilege is having access to skin experts, such as dermatologists and estheticians who can give me tips on what to do for my skin. It’s even better when it’s an expert like Joanna Vargas, the celebrity facialist, founder of Joanna Vargas Salons and Skin Care, and author of Glow From Within. Even though I’ve been pretty happy with my current skincare routine, I wanted to get her expert advice for 40+ skin, when I visited her new salon in LA for a facial. Vargas, who counts Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola, and Mindy Kaling among her clients, says that women in their 40s really understand that the skin takes work for it to look the way they want it to. And below, she's sharing all of her best tips. Keep scrolling!

When it comes to her 40+ clients, she tells them to exfoliate without fail every other day to keep some cell turnover going, as well as to do fruit acid peels monthly. (I definitely am not doing this.) “At this time, we tend to see all of our sun damage emerging, and exfoliation and resurfacing the skin are the best ways to address it,” says Vargas. She recommends her Exfoliating Mask ($75), which you can also sleep in!

“The formula will stimulate collagen production, remove dead skin cells, brighten the skin and products will penetrate better into the skin,” she says. “It contains clay to help physically cleanse the skin and it also contains galactoarabinan, naturally derived from the larch tree. It causes amazing cell turnover and serves as an anti-inflammatory.”

Another tip Vargas tells her clients is to incorporate a retinol, like her Super Nova Hydrating Retinol Serum ($295), which can be used once or twice a week depending on your skin type and sensitivity.

“It’s important to follow the days after with a moisturizing and reparative routine, especially at night. My new Twilight Night Serum ($195) and Night Cream ($145) are great for this as they can be used in conjunction with retinol, but also on the days that you are taking a break. Formulated with Epidermal Growth Factor, this duo replenishes and nourishes the skin barrier so you can wake up with glowing, moisturized skin.”

I was lucky enough to get a facial by Vargas, and it was everything I dreamed of, and more. I have never seen results quite like the ones I got with her Triple Crown Royale Facial, which uses microcurrent to lift and tone the skin. After Vargas was done using microcurrent on one side of my face, she gently pinched my cheek, showing me the difference between the sides in the mirror. Even without the pinching, you could see how my cheek and mouth was higher and more lifted on one side. I couldn’t believe it. “I use electricity to drain out excess water, tighten the muscle and tighten the skin to make the jaw and cheeks look tight, lifted and youthful,” she says. “Although it's a non-invasive treatment, microcurrent is like going to the gym for the face.” Most of her clients like to get the treatment every three to four weeks to get the maximum benefits. “Long term, just like the gym, you get real lift and can ultimately replace a face lift,” she says.

After my facial, Vargas had me do a 20-minute Power Nap session in her patented full-body Revitalight LED bed, which is one of her favorite weapons for fighting aging signs. “It is a proven technology that literally works on everyone! LED Light is proven to not only delay wrinkles, but it can improve the depth of wrinkles with repeated sessions,” she says. “Collagen production starts to slow down, and LED light has been shown to build collagen in quantifiable percentages, which translates into better elasticity.” (I may have fallen asleep during my session in the LED bed and was woken up by my own snoring.)

I wanted to get the low-down when it came to common skin mistakes, because I’m not 100 percent perfect when it comes to my skin care (though I am much better than I was a few years ago even!) and I want to know if anybody else messed up, too!

“I think that a lot of people don’t realize the importance of washing your face before you go to sleep at night. A lot of women skip washing their face because they think they don’t have time, or they’re tired,” says Vargas. “It’s the most important thing you can do. Nighttime is the time for the skin to repair itself from the pollution and sun we put it through all day. Leaving grime, dirt, makeup on the skin, you will cause skin to become inflamed, it will break out more easily. It will be susceptible to wrinkles because it won’t be healthy.”

Vargas likes products that multitask, like her Vitamin C Face Wash.” I have an exfoliating ingredient in it, as well as an anti-inflammatory to get the makeup off and increase cell turnover, so it’s great to use on a daily basis,” she says. When I tried digging for more celebrity skin secrets, she gave the best one: “Skin is a window into what’s happening on the inside. Taking walks to de-stress, healthy choices at dinner, getting enough rest and focusing on making yourself feel happy are all just as important for your skin as the type of serum you use.” Now, that is some advice I seriously need to take!