The aging process affects your skin differently as you get older. What worked for your skin in your 30s is probably not going to be as effective in your 50s, but even though you can’t stop the clock, you can be ready for whatever the years throw at you with our basic Skincare 101 guide.

Thirties

Believe it or not, once you hit your 30s, your skin has already begun to succumb to the aging process. While you might not notice many changes taking place when you look in the mirror, deep down your body is losing its ability to produce important elements like collagen that keep you looking young and healthy. That’s why this decade might be the most vital period to get a handle on taking care of your exterior.

It can also be the most challenging time to keep up with the demands of proper skin care. Juggling a career, family, and a social life, people in their 30s often skip or don’t properly perform the most important step in skin care: cleansing. Thoroughly cleansing your skin in the morning and removing makeup and cleansing again before you go to bed is vital to your skin’s health. Proper exfoliation and moisturizing practices can help too.

Men and women in their 30s can do their skin a big favor by always applying a broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen when going outside, even when it’s cloudy. Besides a decline in collagen production, sun damage is responsible for the majority of aging skin issues and is an often-forgotten aspect of skin care, since the signs of UV damage don’t appear right away.

Forties

40 might be the new 30, but despite how young you feel, your skin is in need of even more attention during this decade. The collagen loss that started in your 30s has accelerated and you now have significantly less of it than when you were 20. This is usually the time that your skin is drier and duller and wrinkles and fine lines start to set in.

During your 40s, your skin doesn’t regenerate as quickly and it’s slower to shed dead and damaged cells. Those cells can build up, leading to dull or muted skin, which is why you’ll want to continue to exfoliate. Exfoliating more frequently can keep those dried-out, dead cells at bay, allowing your skin to glow and look healthier.

This is also the perfect time to add a hydrating serum. Your skin doesn’t retain moisture in your 40s like it did earlier in life, and that can leave your skin feeling dry and lifeless. However, you can replenish and lock in moisture by incorporating targeted hydration with a quality serum into your regimen.

Then there’s that all-important collagen. Giving your skin a much-needed boost of collagen production can go a long way in holding off the signs of aging. Be sure to add at least one collagen-enhancing serum to bolster your skin’s natural network.

Fifties

If you’re a woman in your 50s, it’s time to consider the effects that menopause is having on your skin. The drop in estrogen translates to an even further drop in natural skin protection, as your body doesn’t maintain ample hydration or produce new collagen the way it used to. That means you should be thinking a lot more about moisture. Dryness plays an even bigger role in your skin’s condition later in life, and it’s important to keep your moisture levels up. You can accomplish this by using a moisturizer that’s rich in essential lipids twice a day to ensure your skin is getting the proper support it needs.

Many women at this age start to notice the appearance of brown spots. They tend to pop up along the hairline, on the chest, and on the tops of the hands. You can banish these blemishes with a skin-brightening complex to lighten the spots and even out your skin’s pigment. Of course, always applying a powerful sunscreen is the best way to keep your skin spot-free, and be sure to have any suspicious growths checked out by a professional to keep your skin smooth and beautiful.

Your 50s is a great time to start to pay attention to your neck. Like the rest of your face, the skin under you chin is also thinning out and being pulled down by gravity. While you don’t necessarily need a specific formulation to battle neck dryness, wrinkles, and laxity, you do need to apply an effective moisturizing cream everyday.

Beautiful Skin at Any Age at RejuvenationMD – Aesthetic Skin Treatment & Wellness Center

Keep your skin healthy and radiant with the powerful skincare products available at our RejuvenationMD offices. Our experienced team can help guide you to complete skin rejuvenation no matter where you’re at in life. To learn more, schedule a consultation at either our Burlington or Bellingham practices today.