Esthetician

She's an esthetician.

Skin-care specialists call themselves estheticians, she informed me: "The esthetician is more than a cosmetician, who just applies cosmetics to the outside; an esthetician knows your body inside out, using everything from massage to vitamins in caring for your skin."

Though estheticians can perform laser hair removal, it's safest to go to a dermatologist—no matter the color of your skin.

According to dermatologists and estheticians, you can expect to see a noticeable difference around the age of 40 — which is why I consulted five of these skin experts who are 40+ themselves, getting their top tips for transitioning (and maintaining) an effective skin care regimen.