Your Intimate Care Routine Needs a Midlife Makeover—Here’s Why

If I had to guess, I’d say I’ve changed my skincare routine at least 15 times since my 20s. Back then, I used whatever was cheap, trendy, or came in cute packaging—remember the St. Ives Apricot Scrub phase?  I thought the tingling burn from Clean & Clear Morning Burst meant it was “working” (spoiler: it was just stripping my skin). Then, in my 30s, I swore by Olay Regenerist because I figured “anti-aging” was the goal, even though I didn’t really know what I was trying to prevent. By my 40s, I was investing in CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, and anything that promised hydration—because suddenly, keeping moisture in was more important than scrubbing everything off. Now? My routine is all about balance—supporting my skin instead of fighting it, choosing products that actually work with my body, and realizing that “anti-aging” isn’t the goal… feeling good in my skin is.

Back then, I could get away with sleeping in my makeup (big mistake), using whatever drugstore cleanser was on sale, and never touching moisturizer. Now? My bathroom cabinet looks like a mini Sephora—a lineup of CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum, Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream, Paula’s Choice BHA Exfoliant, and a rotation of SPF from EltaMD and Supergoop! It’s a mix of hydration, gentle exfoliation, and actual skin barrier protection—because these days, skincare isn’t just about looking good, it’s about feeling good in my own skin.

So why did it take me so long to realize my intimate care routine needed to evolve, too?

For years, I used the same body wash for my entire body. Never thought twice about it. If it smelled good, I used it. If it said “moisturizing” on the bottle, I assumed it was fine.

But then my body started changing. And suddenly, the things that never used to bother me were leaving me feeling dry, irritated, and uncomfortable.

I had to take a step back and ask myself:

  • Would I use the same face wash I used in my 20s? No.

  • Would I treat my skin now the way I did back then? Definitely not.

  • Then why was I still using the same products “down there” that I used when I was 25?

It was time for an upgrade. I had adjusted everything else—my skincare, my haircare, even my pillowcases (because apparently silk helps with wrinkles?)—so why was I still using the same body wash I had in my 20s?

My old habits weren’t serving me anymore. The scented shower gels I once loved were suddenly too harsh, leaving my skin feeling dry and irritated. Instead of sticking to what was familiar, I started paying attention to what my body actually needed now. I swapped out the fragranced drugstore washes for VagiVital’s V Cleanser —a pH-balanced, fragrance-free formula that cleanses without stripping moisture. I also stopped thinking of hydration as something that only applied to my face and started making it part of my full-body routine.

So I made some changes:

  • Switched to a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser instead of body wash. (Game. Changer.)

  • *Prioritized hydration—beyond just drinking water, actually moisturizing where it mattered.

  • Stopped ignoring discomfort—if something felt off, I listened to my body instead of brushing it aside.

The best part? These weren’t drastic changes. I didn’t need an elaborate routine—just the right products instead of the wrong ones.

And honestly? That’s made all the difference.