Petra -- I'm 58, and am pretty lucky that I don't have alot of wrinkles. Neck is ok, although it sags a bit -- yuk! I currently use Natural Advantage, and it has made a huge difference in the size of my pores. It has evened out my skin ton, too. You can get it on ebay really cheap. I've used Principal Secret in the past, and I was happy with that as well. I just got tired of having to sign up for the "clubs" through Guthy Renker (rude, rude people!!). Tried Natural Advantage and I will probably stay with this for a long time. It's so easy, and takes a minute morning and night. I only use the cleanser, daily moisturizer, and night time renewal cream. I don't bother with all the other stuff. Just marketing hype in my opinion.

Hi Joyce, thanks for the reply. I'll look up Natural Advantage, hadn't heard of it before. I don't like clubs either, too much pressure. I'd rather order when I want to. :o)

And wear something with an SPF (minimum of 15) every single day of your life.

Plus if you smoke STOP. and eat alot of salmon. (no joke)

dayenu, I don't smoke and I don't drink alcohol, chocolate is my only vice. :o) We do eat salmon several times a month, and also take daily Coromega. As far as SPF, I have to do better, am not as consistent as I should be.

I think gentle is the keyword. avoid harsh chemicals and products with alcohol. Beyond that you can spend as much or as little as you like.

SPF is the key though. skin damage is almost all sun related.... check out the skin on your tush if you dont believe me. :-)

I believe you, I will force myself to use daily SPF, instead of just applying it when I think of it. But I AM glad that unlike my rear end, my face doesn't have any cellulite. :o)

I've tried everything through the years - AHA's with glycolic acid, fruit acids, milk acids, etc., retinol creams, etc.

Here's what actually works: AHAs (alpha-hydroxy-acids) do work at helping your skin renew the top layer of skin cells and slough off the old. This "recycling" slows down as we age. AHAs can be drying and irritating. But if your skin looks dull and flaky, you may benefit from using it. Vitamin A can help do the same thing. There's a nice clear Vitamin A lotion from Derma-E that you can find online, like on Amazon's vitamin store. Don't continually use them. Use them for a week or so, as needed. Use a gentle sponge or washchloth, or use your fingers to gently massage to help mechanically get the dead skin off and stimulate the circulation under the skin.

Moisturize - you can use just about anything, honestly. It's like oiling up a leather glove - you're making the surface more supple. Use what feels good for you.

Use sunscreen, wear hats, drink lots of water. Don't drink lots of caffeinated beverages - they suck the water out of your system - that's why coffee and tea make you pee a lot.

Alcohol in moderation - it also sucks the moisture out of your system. Ever wake up in the middle to the night feeling parched after drinking 2-3 drinks that evening?

Spots - whitening creams really work. I'm currently using Estee Lauder's whitening night cream and toner, which are made in Japan (where whitening is a big deal). These creams actually do help with the sunspots. (Yup - it's all from the sun.)

Neck crepiness - I don't know how to fix that!

Corners of your mouth drooping - ah, gravity. That's the main culprit for wrinkling - after smoking and sunshine. The cheeks at the corners of the mouth, the jawline and the eyelids all start to droop. It's a pisser, man. There are methods out there for exercising your facial muscles (there are tons of muscles in the face) - but I haven't tried them. But logically, it seems that some of the exercises might work - why not?

Do sleep on your back, instead of on your side - squishing your face, if you can. If you are a side-sleeper - switch sides so that you wrinkle symetrically!

Ever see a man's face after he has shaved off a years-old beard? Like a baby's bottom since that part of the face didn't get any sun!

Hi Gina, thanks for the recommendations. So the blotchy complexion is sun damage?! That figures, phhhhhh. I really need to get with the SPF program.

The crepey neck spot is very small and not yet very noticeable, I am just looking for a way to keep it from spreading. I've tried AHA's (AlphaHydrox) before, they make be break out big time. My face gets bright red and itchy.

I do drink lots of water, no coffee or sodas, but green tea. I don't think green tea has a lot of caffeine.

I've seen those facial exercises, Carol di Maggio, I think. I wonder if anyone here has tried them?

AHA's can make irritated skin much more so, try BHA, also known as salicylate acid. avoid acohol in any products

Linda Sy sells a sunscreen without alcohol or AHA's or PABA. just good old titanium dioxide so fine that it looks white and then disapears on your skin. its alos slightly moisturizing if you want that.

Bare Escentials also has an SPF of 15 and never irritates my skin and I am iver 50 and have mild rosacea and often brbeak out from regular skin products sunscreens and makeup but never bare minerals.

Ohhhhhh, interesting that you mention Bare Escentuals, I've been reading the Bare Minerals threads here and I am so tempted. I've also read reviews on Epinions and Makeup Alley, a lot of comments were along the lines that you have to have pretty perfect skin to use this as the coverage is very light. Maybe I'll get a sample kit, just to try it out.

The best place that I have found to order the Bare Escentuals products from is Medi-Spastore.com They offer a 20% discount when you use either of these coupon codes at check out: BEAddicts or BEBare. I think that I also got free shipping from them too.

Here are there other coupon codes:

MD Formulations - Save 15% off use this code at checkout :BEBareMD
GloMinerals Products - Save 20% on all glominerals with this Coupon Code "GloMe"
Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup Save 20% - Coupon Code: ILoveJane
Dermalogica SAVE 10% Code: clarity
Cellex C - Save 15% code: cellexc15off
MD Forte - Save 15% code: MDSave15

Terriks, thanks for those coupon codes and the link, that's an interesting website. How do you like Bare Escentuals??

1. sunscreen
2. YOGA - this will firm up everything, including neck.
3. don't smoke
4. alcohol in moderation
5. EAT - less meat than legumes and fish, VEGGIES, FRUIT, YOUGURT
6. GET SLEEP
7. l'amour toujours l'amour

Before ordering from Bare Minerals, check out Everyday Minerals. I heard about this line on this forum more than a year ago. I've ordered a few things and have been pleased. They are MUCH cheaper than BM.