Benjamin Buttoning, 101.

Know what’s been on my mind lately? Botox.

I’m not thinking about getting it… at least not right now. I don’t really know either way if I ever would. Maybe? I never say never so that I’m never a hypocrite. I’m just thinking about it as a thing. Lately, it seems everyone I know is doing it. In the past week alone, three different girlfriends independently showed me their perfectly taut foreheads, pointing with a knowing smile. I’m of the no-judgment mindset when it comes to beauty. Want to get Botox? Lips done? Boobs done? If it makes you happy, go for it. Hell, I do face masks nearly every night and put serum on all the way down to my décolletage so who am I to judge?

Anyways, Botox or No-tox (and as an aside here is a great article to read on the subject of whether your significant other should have a say in your decision), two of my best girlfriends (who are also on the No-tox side of the coin) and I have gotten a bit obsessive about our anti-aging routine. So much so, that we’ve coined a term for it… Benjamin Buttoning, aka aging in reverse. (Watch the movie if you don’t get the reference.) I can’t take credit for this amazing term… that’s all my friend Becca. And today I’ve rounded up five incredible products that will help you “Benjamin Button” as well.

We’ll start with the products I use every day….

The Sheer Eye Cure, by Natura Bisse is the best eye cream I’ve tried. It was introduced to me by a much-younger-than-me publicist with flawless skin. I had to ask her what her secret was! The formula has a self-adjusting tint that should work no matter what your skin tone, and it basically erases dark circles. I like it so much that I usually also dab a bit extra around the corners of my nose and anywhere that’s a little red. Wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles are immediately fixed (or cured, rather) and as an added bonus, you can skip concealer. I’ve tried all of the eye creams (more favorites can be found here) but this is hands down, THE BEST. I’ve gotten all my girlfriends (and some of the guys too!) to buy it.

SK-II Treatment Essence. I sound like a broken record, and I hate sounding like a broken record, but this stuff is amazing. There is nothing else like it on the market, and it will keep your skin looking fresh, young, and gorgeously translucent (in the best possible way ala Cate Blanchett.) I wrote a full review of the product, but seriously… if you are approaching your thirties, in your thirties, or really whatever age… get involved. Yes, the price tag is steep, but you only need a little bit (between cleansing and serum) and the bottle will last you at least six months.

Verso’s Day Cream with Retinol is fabulous. My only complaint is that it does not include SPF but I use a tinted moisturizer with SPF afterward. It’s extra rich and creamy, and while I don’t know very much about retinol, I know we are supposed to use it to help with those pesky fine lines + texture issues that start to crop up in your late twenties. It leaves my skin smooth, lustrous, and extra hydrated… so I think it’s probably working.

Next up are two fun treatment items that I use at least once a week.

NuFACE. I’ll just come right out and say it… my NuFACE looks like it could be a vibrator. Am I right? It’s not, and you definitely don’t want to use it there as it is a actually a facial toning device that works by emitting microcurrents. I was skeptical about this one at first (I received it in the mail from a PR company but wasn’t obligated to write about it) but it really works, with instant results. I apply a bit of the gel it comes with and use the device in upward strokes and my skin immediately looks tighter. I don’t know how long lasting the results are, but it’s a great quick fix and only takes about five minutes.

Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Mask is another one that I go on and on about, but it is truly the best and my absolute holy grail, hands-down favorite mask. I wrote about it in more depth here, but more or less this little jar of goodness somehow manages to do everything. It leaves skin tighter and firmer, lightly exfoliates with fruit enzymes, and just makes you glow from the inside out. I always have at least one extra one in the cabinet under my sink. Sometimes I end up giving it to a friend who is having a bad day, but if I don’t have more than one jar of this on hand, I feel anxious.