I'm approaching 40 this year. On April 11, I'll be welcoming my fourth decade in this lifetime and honestly, when you phrase it like that, 40 sounds delightful. It feels like reaching level four in a 10-level video game. You're not even halfway there yet, but you're getting closer — and the closer you get, the more skilled, knowledgeable, confident, and accomplished you feel.
That's how I believe we should all look at aging. We need life experiences to truly understand who we are and what our purpose is, yet society continues to condition people — women especially — to fear aging past 25. How sad would life be if we knew we were only meant to live until 25? And yet, that's how we behave every time we panic about getting a year older instead of genuinely celebrating it.
The truth is, there isn't a single blueprint for how we're supposed to live our lives. We don't need to be married with children by a certain age. We don't need to hit specific career milestones or be making six figures by a certain point, either. We're individuals meant to live lives designed specifically for us — so we can find and fulfill our purpose during our time on Earth. That's what I genuinely believe, and it's why my soul isn't afraid of getting older. I'm not afraid of turning 40. In fact, I've been looking forward to it for the past year. I've already started making thoughtful tweaks to my health, fitness, and beauty routines — small but intentional changes that I believe will set me up beautifully for the next decade of my life.
But here's the thing: While I deeply respect women who choose to leave aging up to nature, that's not how I want to approach it. I plan to age with intention — prioritizing my health, fitness, and a dedicated beauty regimen that includes high-quality skin care, innovative at-home devices, supplements, and cosmetic treatments that help me age slowly and elegantly.
And while I still don't have a single fine line or wrinkle anywhere on my face, I've finally started thinking about preventative treatments I'd like to embrace this year, so my skin can stay healthy and radiant throughout my 40s.
As far as injections go, the only thing I do is Botox on my chin [1] twice a year to relax an overactive muscle that used to cause me to scrunch it. And while I'm committed to that, I don't want injections anywhere else. Instead, I want something that actually improves my skin over time. So at the beginning of January, I got my first Sofwave [2] treatment at Aethos Spa [3] on Fifth Avenue with my favorite aesthetician, Ewa Pietri [4].
If you haven't heard of Sofwave yet, let me put you on to it. The treatment is one of the newest and buzziest skin-tightening procedures out right now — and celebrities like Khloé and Kim Kardashian [5] swear by it. FDA-cleared in 2019 to treat the face, neck, submental area (the skin beneath the chin), arms, and abdomen, Sofwave uses synchronous parallel ultrasound energy combined with heat to stimulate collagen and elastin production. The result is improved skin quality over time, which is why full results typically aren't visible until about three months post-treatment. My goal is to see my full results by my birthday in April — almost exactly three months after my Jan. 9 appointment.
The treatment costs around $2,500 per 45-minute session, but you only need to do it once a year to maintain results. I see it as a preventive measure — a way to start building what they call your "collagen bank." So I targeted the areas I want to preserve most: my jawline, submental area, cheeks, and the area around my mouth, where nasolabial folds — or "laugh lines" — tend to develop. While the results are very subtle immediately after the session, I did notice instant tightness around my jawline and submental area, along with a gentle lift in my cheeks. What fascinated me most was the ultrasound they performed before starting the treatment. The ultrasound checks the thickness of your dermis — the goal being to thicken it over time so your skin appears smoother, firmer, and more youthful.
Getting lymphatic drainage massages [6] on my body also taught me the importance of doing them on my face, too. So for $116 a month, I became a Facegym [7] member. After just one Signature Sculpt — which uses hands and pro tools to sculpt, lift, and reduce puffiness — I realized how much more defined, sculpted, and radiant my skin looks after a facial lymphatic drainage massage. These treatments don't just reduce puffiness and water retention; they also help reduce inflammation, which can contribute to acne, irritation, fine lines, and dullness.
I also plan to finally dive into microneedling [8] with biostimulators and exosomes at least twice a year.
To be clear, I'm not chasing a "forever 35 face." Even as I approach 40, I still get mistaken for 30 — and in some settings, even my late 20s — but I don't see a surgical facelift [9] or liposuction [10] in my future. But is it really so wrong that I'd like to always look and feel five to 10 years younger than my actual chronological age? This is the body and face I was born with — and the body and face I'll live and age in, and I want to live a life where I genuinely love what's looking back at me in the mirror. That's the kind of self-love I choose to embrace.
From high-quality skin care and at-home facial devices to supplements, here are the beauty and wellness products I'm using to get my 2026 glow-up on track for my 40th birthday this April.
Peach & Lily Retinal For All Renewing Serum [11] ($55)
After multiple attempts to incorporate retinol into my routine, I finally found one last year that doesn't irritate my super-sensitive skin. This patent-pending formula pairs 0.1 percent encapsulated retinal — the most potent retinoid available without a prescription — with soothing ingredients for clinical-level results without the irritation. Since using it three nights a week (spaced throughout the week), I've noticed a major improvement in my skin's texture and brightness.
Peach & Lily Pure Peach Retinoic Eye Cream [12] ($43)
Most retinols are too strong to use around the eyes or mouth, so I started using this retinoid eye cream every night. I apply it not only around my eyes but also around my mouth to help prevent nasolabial folds from forming.
LeMeeOly Gua Sha Facial Tools Set [13] ($20)
For the past two years, I've been committed to daily face exercises with my hands and these stainless-steel gua sha tools, and I've definitely noticed a difference — no more puffiness. My face actually looks more sculpted in my late 30s than it did in my 20s.
Medicube Age-R Booster Pro [14] ($190)
A few nights a week, I make sure to use this device, which not only helps my skin-care products to better absorb but it also has a microcurrent setting that delivers tiny, low-level electrical currents to stimulate facial muscles. I always notice a difference when I use this regularly.
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic [15] ($185)
I apply a vitamin C serum every morning — it's the very first step in my routine after cleansing (and occasionally toning). There's a reason Skinceuticals C E Ferulic is a cult favorite. To this day, it remains the No. 1 dermatologist-recommended medical-grade vitamin C serum, thanks to its ability to effectively reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even skin tone, and leave the complexion looking bright and radiant. Anytime I'm dealing with stubborn dark spots from hormonal acne, this one always does the trick — and it's worth every penny.
Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro Spot Treatment [16] ($47)
When I'm looking for a more affordable vitamin C option that still delivers, I usually opt for the Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro Spot Treatment, which quickly fades dark spots while leaving my skin supple and radiant.
FaceGym Weighted Ball [17] ($40)
To maintain my snatched results from my monthly lymphatic drainage facials, I do my daily face exercises with my gua tools and this weighted ball. It works wonders, especially when it comes to sculpting my cheekbones. Consistency is key.
FaceGym LightWear LED Face Mask [18] ($545)
This year, I made a promise to myself that I was going to be more consistent with my at-home LED mask sessions, because there's so much research out there that proves that regular use really does improve the quality of your skin. This LED mask provides red light and purple light in 10-minute sessions that work to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, boost collagen and elastin, clear breakouts, calm redness and inflammation, and brighten skin. What I love about this device, compared to other red light masks I've used, is that it allows you to personalize your experience with the FaceGym LED Mask app. You also have the option of not using the app at all.
FaceGym Acne Light Shot [19] ($95)
The reality is that pimple patches don't necessarily heal breakouts. In fact, in some cases, I've had them leave dark spots behind. This LED device instantly brings down inflammation, and, with consistent use, it clears out a breakout without ever leaving a dark spot or scar behind.
The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil [20] ($10)
Whenever people ask me how I've managed to not develop a wrinkle at 39, I always credit rose hip oil. I've been drowning my skin in this stuff since I turned 30, and I've never looked back. Not only does it leave skin super hydrated and supple, but it also brightens and calms skin without ever clogging my pores. I also use it when I'm doing my gua sha exercises.
Toty Iluminia SPF50 [21] ($44)
As a brown-skinned girl who is super picky about my sunscreen, this Toty one has become part of my top three. Formulated with 20 percent niacinamide and a little bit of an illuminating tint, this mineral SPF offers broad-spectrum protection while leaving me with a healthy and radiant glow instead of a funky gray cast.
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask [22] ($33)
I've been using this deeply hydrating night cream since I was 27, and it hasn't failed me once thus far. I wake up every morning with a super supple complexion. I apply it most evenings over my retinol or Differin.
Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream [23] ($15)
On the nights I don't use retinol or Differin, I glaze my face in this and absorb it in further with the Medicube Age-R Booster. It leaves my skin pillow-y soft and with a healthy glow in the morning.
Cymbiotika Liposomal Glutathione [24] ($80)
I really believe that part of the reason why my skin looks so great at 39 is that I've been on top of my diet and my nutrition since college. I've also been taking supplements for my gut and my overall health since my early 30s. I recently started taking this for my gut health and instantly noticed how great my skin was looking and feeling within a week of taking it. That's because, in supporting my gut health and my liver's natural detoxification, liposomal glutathione protects my cells from stress, which results in healthy-looking skin. This liquid formula is also delicious. I look forward to taking it every morning on an empty stomach.
Cymbiotika Irish Sea Moss [25] ($50)
I've been taking sea moss for the past three years in place of a multivitamin after learning about its gut and hormonal benefits — particularly for women. But unlike the gross and messy sea moss gels I've bought before that you have to store in your refrigerator, this one comes in a super delicious liquid form in an easy-to-take and easy-to-open packet. It also features more than just its Organic Irish Sea Moss. It's packed with ingredients like aloe vera, fulvic mineral complex, and more that help target everything from digestive balance to skin hydration, thyroid health and hormone regulation. I've officially converted.
Tru Niagen Pro NAD+ [26] ($116)
For the past two years or so, I've been testing out different NAD+ supplements to see if I notice any difference in my skin and overall health. The Tru Niagen Pro NAD+ is the first one I noticed noticeable results in less than three months of use. My skin looked less dull, I had more energy, and even my cognitive health seemed to have improved. This patented formula helps the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which helps to promote healthy cell activity.
REVO Genie 3-in-1 Face & Neck Beauty Massager [27] ($100)
This is another beauty device that's made it into my routine this year. I use this on the evenings I don't use my medicube. It literally does it all from depuffing and contouring to lifting and sculpting to even calming my skin when it's acting up. I'm impressed by how much I can achieve with this one device alone.
Johanna Ferreira [28] is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.