'I'm an over-40s beauty expert and these are the skin products I use on repeat.'

Whether you're over 40 or just getting around with skin that isn't feeling too crash hot (dull! dry! sensitive!), we're here to help. 

More specifically, we cornered makeup artist and beauty expert Amanda Ramsay on an episode of You Beauty and asked her ALL of the things — particularly when it comes to looking after angry and confused post-menopausal skin.

Amanda literally specialises in over 40s skincare recommendations, and also offers private personal beauty consults (you can check out her Ageless Beauty Course here). 

So, when she swung by the You Beauty podcast, we were ready to take notes.

Watch: Here's Amanda Ramsay talking over 50s skin. Post continues below.

Because as someone who is 50-something and struggles with sensitivity herself, Amanda knows all too well the struggle of finding products that really, truly *work*, without doing a number on your skin.

Speaking about her own experience with perioral dermatitis and sensitive skin, she said, "Everything I'd always used was high-end, well-researched skincare products with all the right ingredients, and suddenly my skin was sensitive to everything. Through all my personal beauty consults with women aged 40 plus — I've literally worked with thousands of women — I found that it was a consistent, common concern."

"So that's got to be linked to some hormonal changes. I'm not a doctor, but it's just too much of a coincidence that we're suddenly hitting this kind of perimenopausal age where our hormones are changing and I'm sitting in consults with women with rosacea, perioral dermatitis and sensitive skin."

Amanda told us it's all about getting back to basics, so here are the skin products she uses on repeat for brighter, healthy-looking skin. 

Clemence Organics Refining Cleanser, $69.99.

Image: Clemence.

When it comes to cleansing, Amanda has this on high rotation — and for good reason. 

"It is very gentle, balancing, calming, and soothing. It feels like a big hug when you use it. It's a really beautiful, beautiful product," she said. 

La Mav Probiotic Toner, $39.

Image: La Mav.

In case you missed it, toner is having a moment, and this one from La Mav is one of Amanda's top picks. 

She said, "This has a really beautiful blend of prebiotics and probiotics that balances the skin's microbiome. So, it's really great for anyone that might have some unusual breakouts, irritation and redness."

Edible Beauty No 3 Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum Hyaluronic Acid, $79.

Image: Edible Beauty

Serums can be tricky, and often we'll want to try to target everything at once — dryness, pigmentation, ageing, the whole shebang. However, as Amanda told us, you're better off targeting your specific concerns in that moment, rather than a whole bunch of different things. 

And if you're someone with sensitive skin, it's all about hydrating and calming the skin. At the top of Amanda's list? Edible Beauty's Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum.

"This has actually been in my makeup kit for many, many years since it launched," she shared. "It's the one I'll reach for and use every single time I do makeup on any customer or client that sits in my chair. When you put it on, instantly plumps up skin. So as a makeup artist, it's like the best weapon in my kit."

Antipodes Glow Ritual Vitamin C Serum, $52.

Image: Antipodes.

If you're looking for a gentle vitamin C serum that will do all the good stuff on the radiance front, without messing with your barrier, Amanda said this is a real goodie.

"It's a plant-based vitamin C, so it's really gentle. It's also got hyaluronic acid. What I love about this one is it has this gorgeous golden reflection in it. So it does actually give you an instant luminosity to your skin, while also giving you a plant-based natural vitamin C," she said. 

Synergie Skin Vitamin B Niacinamide Serum, $125.

Image: Synergie Skin.

For an all-rounder serum that'll tackle a variety of different issues, minus the irritation, this is another one of Amanda's go-to picks: Synergie Vitamin B. 

"If you've got really sensitive skin and you want all those great benefits like cell turnover, collagen boosting, pore refining, etc. — all the stuff that we love, but you don't want any irritation — then maybe you'd add vitamin B. It's very gentle, and that's why I think it's a really great one to go back to."

Omnilux Contour Face, $600.

Image: Omnilux

When it comes to at-home devices, Amanda swears by this LED mask from Omnliux. (Fun fact: She's one of many guests who've recommended it!).

"I think it tackles all sorts of things — I even got my teenage son and made him wear it the other day because he had an acne flare-up. So it really helped to just take the anger out of that, it does all sorts of things. Acne, ageing — I just think it brings a beautiful radiance to the skin."

The key? Consistency. 

NuFACE Mini+ Starter Kit, $364.32.

Image: NuFace/Canva.

Also on the device front? At-home microcurrent tools. "I like using the FOREO Bear ($550) at home, and also the NuFace — I think it was one of the OGs," Amanda told us.

"With NuFace I feel like you see the results straight away. You can see a little lift. I find it really works well for mature skin and the little bits of jowliness that sort of drop around the chin and the neck."

Have you tried any of the above products before? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Instagram/@amandaramsaymakeup.