A new age of beauty

Women over 40 have different beauty needs and choosing the right products for you is the key to looking fabulous, writes Sheree Mutton.

Enhance your natural beauty with the right products.

If you’re over the age of 40, chances are you’ve tried your fair share of beauty “anti-agers”. Every year, thousands of new anti-ageing skincare, make-up and haircare products make their way onto the market, but it can be difficult to know what actually works. With a little help from the experts, we show you how to enhance your natural beauty with the right products and maintain the best version of yourself – as opposed to a younger version.

Skincare

By our early 30s, skin starts to become dryer and show signs of sun damage, such as fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots. This, coupled with a slower skin cell turnover, may result in a dull, tired-looking appearance. The good news is that significant advancements have been made in skincare to help reduce the signs of ageing.

“The greatest change to ingredients over the past decade has not only been related to the type of ingredients, but also in their method of delivery to the skin,” says dermatologist Dr Nina Wines.

“Put basically, ingredients have improved and technology has allowed more of the ingredients to penetrate to where they are needed.

“Anti-ageing ingredients mainly target the most important structural components of the dermis, which are collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans. Old-fashioned ingredients include retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids. While these still have their place, exciting new developments include prevention ingredients.”

These ingredients encompass antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and green tea. It is essential to incorporate products with antioxidants into your skincare because of their protective and nourishing abilities. And use a quality moisturiser with SPF to hydrate and defend against further sun damage.