Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: A 51-year-old beauty editor's favorite anti-aging picks

Every quality skin-care routine requires a reliable moisturizer and there's a reason this dermatologist-developed lotion is Clinique's No. 1 bestseller. The gentle formula is fast-absorbing and ultra-hydrating without feeling greasy, which may be why it's been a fail-safe face softener for generations of women, including my mom. 

It's also versatile: lightweight enough for summer but emollient enough to keep skin supple even through winter's driest days. Right now you can scoop up this jumbo size (6.7 oz.) at 36% off and have enough to last you through the end of the year.

Aesthetician Kate Somerville's skin care line is beloved by celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes and Demi Moore (and dozens of others) because the products are just that: universally good. This wrinkle cream is no exception: It's been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines while increasing tightness and moisturizing your skin. I would bathe my five-decades-old face in a tub of this every day if I could. 

Save 50% with this Nordstrom beauty exclusive.

Retinol is one of the few ingredients clinically proven to smooth wrinkles, and Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Eye Rescue uses time-released version to help resurface the skin around the eye to make the area softer-looking, less dry and simply prettier overall. When used consistently, the formula also helps to reduce puffiness. Maybe best of all, this package includes a refill pod.

You could even take the $41 you saved and put it toward Tilbury's universally flattering Pillow Talk Lip Kit, also on sale.

I cannot say enough good things about this magical, award-winning brow-growth serum, but I will tell you this: I started using NeuBrow earlier this year when my perimenopausal brows were at their most sparse. Within literally three weeks, I had a ton of new growth and now, after 6 months of use, my eyebrows are thicker (and, weirdly, darker?) than they've ever been before.

This product works and now's the time to buy it: when you can get two tubes for the price of one. 

Come for the Taylor Swift-approved set of six silk scrunchies (Slip is the singer's preferred brand) and stay for the wrinkle-preventing pillowcases. This queen-size covering helps you avoid the rough smush of cotton and that dreaded morning skin creasing that leads to longer-term wrinkling. Plus, the silk feels luxurious, like you're sleeping in the bed of a fancy princess — or, I suppose, an internationally-renowned pop star. 

Don't want the combo? The scrunchies and pillowcases are also on sale separately.

This ultra-nourishing salve is a favorite of professional makeup artists who often need to remove serious face paint without damaging their (often high-profile) clients' skin. It's filled to the brim with soothing ingredients such as chamomile and lavender, and as the (many!) TikTok videos attest, it really works for both cleaning and plumping.

I love this weird and wonderful cleansing balm so much, I named it one of the best beauty products of the year. At 30% off on this jumbo tub, it's sure to sell out fast. 

With consistent use (it takes just a few minutes per day), this microcurrent facial toning device works to firm those places on your face you really want firmed: the jowls, cheek line and even your neck. This mini version is great for travel and the set comes with an ample size of the NuFace serum, which accentuates the job. 

You'll save a sweet $85 with this bundle. The larger NuFace Trinity+ is also on sale ($130 off) at Nordstrom's sale. 

If I had to pick one desert island beauty product (outside of sunscreen), it would have to be Sunday Riley's Good Genes. The lactic-acid treatment gently yet effectively exfoliates dull surface skin, promoting cell turnover and giving even the dreariest skin a healthy, vibrant glow. 

It also smooths and plumps rough skin texture and clarifies an uneven tone. My skin never looks better than when I use this every night and, while this sale price still isn't cheap, the jumbo size is like buying in bulk — a many-months supply for $100 less than I'd normally pay.