Here’s a customised Skincare routine for your 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s
The skincare routine you used in your 20s isn’t The same Thing you need
as you move through your 30s, 40s or 50s. not only is your skin constantly changing (inside and out), but also the amount of time and money you’re willing to spend on your face is forever in flux. here’s how to build your best skincare routine.
20 sWhen you’re living the #noworries life, it’s about minimalism. and having great skin is more about how you live your life overall. “maintain a healthy lifestyle with adequate sleep and healthy eating whilst keeping stress levels down,” says dr Julie russak, a board-certified dermatologist. “the skin is at its peak in the 20s with strong collagen production and oodles of elastin, making it plump and firm." your 20s are all about taking a preventative stance – good habits now mean better skin in the future. here’s how to start.
An acne-fighting treatment: if
you’re dealing with breakouts, try a cleanser or spot treatment that has a boost of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. these active ingredients will help get rid of acne-causing bacteria and calm an oily, acneprone complexion.
An SPF moisturiser:
the foundation of any good skincare routine is SPF.
“it’s your first line of defence against uv damage,” says dr Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at the mount sinai hospital in new york city. “they prevent uv light from penetrating the skin and minimise free radical damage, which can cause premature ageing.” and we know that uv rays are the culprit behind 80% of the visible signs of ageing. Wearing SPF 30+ every day is also crucial to preventing skin cancer.
Find out which products dermatologists recommend for women of every age.
Over-the-counter retinol:
you’re probably thinking, Why do I need retinol if I don’t have any wrinkles? news flash: collagen can start to break down as early as your mid-20s. “after the age of 20, 1% less collagen is produced in the dermis each year,” says dr russak. incorporating over-the-counter retinol at night can help stave off the signs of ageing. retinoids not only stimulate collagen production but also help even out skin tone. make sure to apply the product right up to the lower lash line (but skip lids altogether).
30
sthirty is typically the age when women begin to think about antiageing products. “the natural ageing process usually begins in the late 20s to early 30s,” says dr amy Perlmutter, a boardcertified dermatologist. “the production of collagen starts to decline, leading to thinner skin. there’s also diminished functioning of the sweat and oil glands, so our skin becomes drier.” in addition to using an SPF every day, consider adding the following to your skincare routine:
An exfoliating AHA:
When you hit your 30s, many things are going on underneath the surface that you can’t see. “deep within skin’s layers, the dermis loses support, and skin becomes less bouncy,” says dr russak. “on the epidermis, the outermost surface layers, cellular renewal slows, and discolouration and dullness appear.” to combat these visible changes, you can add an alpha hydroxy acid (aha) product into your routine two or three times a week. “an alpha hydroxy acid helps prevent the buildup of dead skin cells, minimise pores, and even out skin texture and tone,” says dr Perlmutter. a cleanser or peel with salicylic or lactic acid will help brighten uneven texture and clear up breakouts (because acne isn’t just for teenagers). hormonal flare-ups and cystic, stressrelated pimples can be the norm for thirtysomethings, too.
Antioxidant serum:
antioxidants are a key addition to your beauty routine once you hit age 30. “antioxidants act like fire extinguishers,” says dr Zeichner. “they put out any fires caused by uv rays because we’re not perfect at applying and reapplying sunscreen.” serums with vitamin c, vitamin e, and ferulic acid can help repair the skin in the daytime.
Prescription retinol:
consider seeing your dermatologist for prescription retinol of 0.25% to use at night. and make sure to apply all your treatments down to your neck and decolletage (two places that can show signs of ageing first).
40 s
most women enter the perimenopause phase in their 40s (that’s the phase right before menopause begins). this means the body’s hormonal makeup is in flux, which can also affect the skin. “the collagen and elastin fibres break, thicken, stiffen, clump together and lose their elasticity. this results in wrinkles and ageing lines,” says dr russak.
Whilst you still need to use antioxidants and SPF in the morning, try rotating the following treatments into your routine, too.”
A peptide serum:
Peptides are the building blocks of the skin, and they send messages to your cells to counteract ageing. “Peptides tell your skin to do a specific job such as to stimulate collagen,” says dr Zeichner. By vigilantly applying a peptide serum every day, you can help combat expression lines over time (these can come from decades of smiling and laughing).
Eye cream:
in your 40s, dr russak suggests adding an eye cream (if you haven’t already). the eyes are generally the first to show signs of ageing because the skin is super delicate in that area. an emollient formula that has antioxidants or retinol offers the best results.
Stronger retinol:
this is the time to up your retinol prescription to 0.5% or 1%, but make sure to talk to your dermatologist before increasing your nightly dosage of retinoids.
50
s“as hormone levels drop due to menopause, collagen production slows drastically,” says dr russak. “moisturise well and hydrate continually to help skin retain its elasticity, bounce and radiance.” at this point, it’s also time to back off some of the harsher treatments such as retinol and focus on putting moisture back into the skin.
Hyaluronic acid serum:
choose a product high in hyaluronic acid to give the skin more moisture. “hyaluronic acid is a naturally derived ingredient that can hold up to 1 000 times its weight in water. it is very light, thin, and usually isn’t sticky,” says dr russak.
Ceramide moisturiser:
“the epidermis loses lipids (fatty substances) that keep skin moisturised, further contributing to the wrinkle problem,” says dr russak. “skin becomes thinner as we age – almost transparent in some cases – and loses a lot of the underlying fat layer that keeps young skin smooth and supple.” ceramides can help lock in moisture and give the skin a plump appearance. dr russak also recommends decreasing the strength of your retinol prescription once you hit 50 since retinoids can dry out the skin.