Smart people begin taking care of their skin when they’re young. Like, before it shows signs of aging poorly. Kind of like those investment-savvy college friends who were contributing to retirement accounts while the rest of us were busy drinking beer and playing hacky-sack. They’re in a sweet spot right now, while the rest of us try to play catch up!

As women in our mid-life part of the aging journey, we’re cool with getting older—and looking like we’re our actual ages.

We love the little crinkle lines that show we’re silly and full of grins (smiles are a wonderful way to light up your face), though we could really do without the grown-up acne that’s sometimes worse than our teen years.

Good news is, even if you haven’t started taking good care of your skin up until this point, you still have the ability to make significant changes that can not only improve its health, but also help it look glowy, and radiant, and vibrant!

Having a formal skincare regimen is like investing in yourself. Here are a 5 ways to catch up OR adjust your current process!

1. Learn more about your skin care needs.
As in, stop using hand lotion and regular body soap (yes, even Dove) on your face, for starters. Everyone’s skin is different in terms of its needs, and what your face wants is a recipe of its own. It could be dry; it could be oily—or a combo of both, most likely. Maybe there are hormonal changes that affect things like break-outs, pigmentation, or even hair growth. Take the time to understand your skin’s specific needs, and it will get all glowy and radiant and amazing (basically a giant skin-felt “thank you”)!

2. Invest in a well made product formulated for your skin type.
There are tons of options and it’s hard to know exactly what you need, but EVERY woman needs to exfoliate and hydrate (which is code for “scrub and soften”). You have to get the dead and icky off, and then add some supple and softness. Good exfoliation products come in many price points, and it’s ordinary (and worth it) for a good moisturizing and hydrating product to set you back a little bit. Here’s one to try: Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief.

3. Start dealing with the aging process.
You’re not getting any younger; your forehead can tell you (and me) that. Now, Botox is an answer; but, it’s not the only answer. We say the best idea is to start early and work at prevention. Like everything, it’s easier to prevent wrinkles than it is to get rid of them after the fact.

Limit your time in the sun, wear sunscreen basically always, find a fun and fashionable sunhat, exfoliate, hydrate, moisturize, and use something that’s specifically designed to fight wrinkles. Retinol is great place to start, because it’s over-the-counter and kinda considered a miracle worker.

4. Stop acting like it’s “just a little blush.”
Wearing makeup’s not a crime. Embrace it and learn how to create as natural of a look as possible. #thatisall

5. Go see a professional.
As in, an esthetician. They know stuff, you guys. Important medical-ish stuff that can help make those golf ball sized pores, and that grown-up teenage version of acne, and all of those wrinkly bits that snuck up on you, virtually disappear. Or shrink enough that you feel like a young’un again.

Liza and I recently spent a morning at the Center for Plastic Surgery in Chevy Chase for a revitalizing facial, and months later my face is still all glowy and smooth! (I’m also still using the products they gave me so there’s that.)

Don’t feel like you have to tackle and perfect all five steps at once. Instead, pick one and make it a habit before moving onto another! Here’s to glowy and radiant skin for everyone in 2016!