I'm 35 and Still Get Asked for ID—Here's My Exact Beauty Routine

I don't think there's a certain way one is "supposed to" look or feel in their 30s. I know that ageing is a part of life that we all experience, but that doesn't mean that I can't amp up my beauty routine as I progress through life. Some embrace the signs of ageing; I've chosen to fight them in the most noninvasive ways that I can for now.

Truth be told, I have always looked young for my age. (Just an example: When I was 11, I was being cast as 7-year-olds in plays.) Even now, at 35 years old, I get asked for ID from time to time and get a lot of comments from strangers about not looking my age when I share it. I like to think that my current skincare routine has something to do with that—at least I hope so, given the amount of time and money I spend on it. (It's worth noting that something I don't often spend money on is facials—I prefer to invest in products I can use again and again).

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(Image credit: @allypayer)

As you know, one of the most important things you can do to offset ageing is to avoid the sun, which I've always done (save for a few of my teenage years…). I wear sunscreen every single day, and if you don't, it's definitely never too late to start. Aside from that, read for the details of my daily beauty routine from morning to night—including makeup—and shop the products I swear by (like my holy-grail sunscreen). 

Morning

I don't get enough sleep, and my morning routine is usually pretty rushed, so I focus on trying to fake looking awake and protecting my skin from the elements.

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(Image credit: @allypayer)

Makeup

I don't really leave the house without makeup on, but I definitely don't wear a lot of it. I find that heavy, dramatic makeup is ageing on me, so I keep things fresh and light with the focus being on rosy cheeks and dewy skin.

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(Image credit: @allypayer)

Evening

The focus of my evening routine is on anti-ageing and repairing. I have dry skin, so I stay away from anything too harsh, but I've found that my skin can handle more acids and exfoliants as I get older. That said, I've had to find alternatives to strong retinols, as they're much too drying for me.

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(Image credit: @allypayer)

The Extras

Below are a few products that I don't use every night but that I always have on hand and highly recommend. 

Next up, I try hundreds of products for work but I always come back to these ones.

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.